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Following the Truth: The Easiest Way To End Up In Hell… [Catholic and Open]
FollowingtheTruth.com ^
| Mar 14th, 2012
| Gary Zimak
Posted on 03/28/2012 4:23:28 PM PDT by Salvation
As humans, we have a tendency to do things that feel good. Conversely, we like to avoid things that are unpleasant. When we are young, this practice often keeps us out of trouble. Speaking from personal experience, very few kids are going to put the metal key in the electrical socket more than once. One zap is usually all it takes to make them realize that its not a fun experience! Unfortunately, while this attitude can be a big help when we are young, it can work against us when we are older ESPECIALLY when we use it as the basis for making moral decisions.
There is no question that sometimes what God wants us to do is not pleasant. If we want to grow closer to Him, however, its necessary to do these unpleasant things. When we study the life of Christ and the saints, we see them constantly rising above what feels good, choosing instead what is necessary. If you need an example, look at the life of Jesus and remove everything that wasnt pleasant. What would be left? If you take away His most painful agony, suffering and dying on cross, where would you and I be today? Quite often, what is most painful in life bears the most fruit. If we want to get closer to Christ, we have to learn to put aside what WE want to do and do what HE wants us to do.
While its important for us to understand the necessity of sometimes doing the unpleasant, its even more important to understand the danger of ALWAYS doing the pleasant. Want to know the easiest way end up in hell? Always do those things that feel good or look attractive! No matter how much we want to deny it, sin feels good (at least for the moment). If it didnt, we wouldnt be tempted to sin. Lets face it
if it was a sin to drink sour milk or eat moldy bread, it wouldnt be too hard to avoid. Satan may be a liar, but hes not stupid. If he wants you to sin (and he does!), hes going to tempt you by appealing to your sense of pleasure. The harmless link on the Internet that teases you with pictures of a celebritys revealing dress, the thought of sleeping in and missing Mass on Sunday, the gratification of not forgiving someone who offended you
these are ways that he fools you into sinning and putting your salvation in jeopardy.
Fortunately for us, the Church gives us the season of Lent to work on practicing self denial. If we train ourselves to voluntarily give up small pleasures, well be better able to avoid the evil of mortal sin. Although eating the candy bar wont send you to hell for all eternity, clicking on that link could lead to something that will. Self mastery is the key to becoming a saint. Give it some thought
It really is THAT important!
It is not always in the souls power not to feel a temptation. But it is always in its power not to consent to it. (Saint Francis de Sales)
TOPICS: Apologetics; Catholic; Moral Issues; Theology
KEYWORDS: catholic; morals; sin
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**Want to know the easiest way end up in hell? Always do those things that feel good or look attractive! No matter how much we want to deny it, sin feels good (at least for the moment). If it didnt, we wouldnt be tempted to sin.**
Yes, easy to sin, for some, easy to avoid.
1
posted on
03/28/2012 4:23:35 PM PDT
by
Salvation
To: All
2
posted on
03/28/2012 4:27:25 PM PDT
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: nickcarraway; NYer; ELS; Pyro7480; livius; ArrogantBustard; Catholicguy; RobbyS; marshmallow; ...
3
posted on
03/28/2012 4:30:01 PM PDT
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: Salvation
Always do those things that feel good or look attractive! The Gods of the Marketplace.
Rudyard Kipling figured it out a century ago.
Better to follow the Gods of the Copybook Headings. They will tend to keep you from the near occasions of sin.
4
posted on
03/28/2012 4:45:29 PM PDT
by
DuncanWaring
(The Lord uses the good ones; the bad ones use the Lord.)
To: Salvation
5
posted on
03/28/2012 4:52:38 PM PDT
by
bigheadfred
(INSANE MILITARY HATING LEFTIST /s)
To: Salvation
Want to know another easy way to hell?
Strut when you avoid sin instead of thanking God for giving you something you could handle - and condemn those who fail instead of praying for them while recognizing they faced something which, for them, was the same as if God chose something for you that you couldn't handle.
6
posted on
03/28/2012 4:53:36 PM PDT
by
Talisker
(He who commands, must obey.)
To: Salvation
The easiest way to end up in hell is to not accept Christ’s death on the cross as sufficient for your salvation through grace by faith, but rather think that there are other things (works/man made traditions/etc) you must also do to save yourself. When you reject His grace through the sacrifice on the cross, you subject yourself to be judged by the law at the Great White Throne, which no one can “pass” because that would require perfection. And the only person to ever walk this earth in perfection was Jesus.
7
posted on
03/28/2012 4:55:34 PM PDT
by
crosshairs
(Civil rights are for civil people.)
To: crosshairs
Tell that John The Apostle when He directly writes to Christians
So is this Works?
This is addressed to Christians. We have to live the life. We have to confess our sins to God as Christians though Jesus.
John 1:
5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 IF we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[b] sin.
verse 7 shows IF WE KEEP THE WALK THE SON PURIFIES.
8 IF WE( Christians) claim to be Without Sin, WE DECEIVE ourselves and the TRUTH IS NOT in US. 9 IF WE CONFESS Our SINS, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.
There are several IF s in this by John The Apostle.
IF is defined as Condition, Requirement Or Stipulation in my Dictionary.
Notice every One of the words IF the true meaning it reads after this word if are presented for true understanding.
Notice Decieve. Deceive equals if We Claim to be with out Sins.
Notice how we make God a liar and His Word is Not in Us.
Do Not Be Decieved. Why would The Apostle John write These exact words!
He uses the word "We" meaning he includes himself.
He uses a lot of We's too. Hmmmm. Do Not Be Deceived!
Jesus I Pray for All to Understand Your Apostles Words !
Praise You Jesus Always!
Glory Be To The Father ,Son and Holy Spirit!
Amen!!
8
posted on
03/28/2012 5:28:22 PM PDT
by
johngrace
(I am a 1 John 4! Christian- declared at every Sunday Mass , Divine Mercy and Rosary prayers!)
To: Salvation
Easiest way to hell? The Latin Vulgate says Christ was in hell, The New Jerusalem Bible says he was in Hades, The New American Bible says Christ was in the netherworld.
I’ll consult someone who follows the truth.
9
posted on
03/28/2012 6:21:02 PM PDT
by
count-your-change
(You don't have to be brilliant, not being stupid is enough.)
To: Salvation
A real pitfall for many; OTOH for some like me afflicted with anhedonia to some degree not much of a problem at all lol!
10
posted on
03/28/2012 6:47:36 PM PDT
by
steve86
(Acerbic by nature not nurture TM)
To: Talisker
I agree with you. Always give thanks.
11
posted on
03/28/2012 7:59:55 PM PDT
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: count-your-change
the revised Apostles Creed says
He descended into hell.
12
posted on
03/28/2012 8:01:46 PM PDT
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: johngrace; crosshairs
I believe crosshairs would jump for joy while rereading 1John. The warnings against a deceptive gospel sounds right up his alley.
Our heart of love for God is what saves us, not following prescriptions.
John tells us that even as we who abide in Him sin, the love from God helps to overcome it.
13
posted on
03/28/2012 8:34:34 PM PDT
by
anathemized
(cursed by some, blessed in Jesus)
To: Salvation
Then hell has nothing to do with whether the person going there sinned or not seeing Christ went there according to the Apostles Creed, Latin Vulgate.
Someone isn’t following the truth.
14
posted on
03/28/2012 8:35:06 PM PDT
by
count-your-change
(You don't have to be brilliant, not being stupid is enough.)
To: anathemized
" IF"
IF =is defined as Condition, Requirement Or Stipulation in my Dictionary.
8 IF WE( Christians) claim to be Without Sin, WE DECEIVE ourselves and the TRUTH IS NOT in US.
9 IF WE CONFESS Our SINS, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.
"IF" WE CONFESS Our SINS,
Let's Not Be Iffy! Now!!
"we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.
We have to confess our sins.
God Is Not a Liar!
A Condition, Requirement Or Stipulation to be Forgiven.
Not a One time Confession.
John is addressing Christians.
15
posted on
03/28/2012 8:57:09 PM PDT
by
johngrace
(I am a 1 John 4! Christian- declared at every Sunday Mass , Divine Mercy and Rosary prayers!)
To: count-your-change
Here is a Catholic site definition.
The word "Hell" in the Apostles' Creed means the "nether world," the abode of the dead. That same word is translated "Sheol" in Hebrews and "Hades" in Greek." It is translated to "Inferno" in Latin.
http://www.catholicdoors.com/faq/qu311.htm
16
posted on
03/28/2012 9:20:54 PM PDT
by
johngrace
(I am a 1 John 4! Christian- declared at every Sunday Mass , Divine Mercy and Rosary prayers!)
To: johngrace
I don’t understand your point. Of course a believer confesses his sins (with a humble heart to our sovereign God).
Are you thinking a regenerated man would attempt to hide his sin?
Are you thinking an unregenerated man would confess sin on his own accord? Or that by doing so by the prompting of others, rather from within his own heart, he might be saved?
17
posted on
03/28/2012 9:26:23 PM PDT
by
anathemized
(cursed by some, blessed in Jesus)
To: anathemized
Hi Anathemized-Some on these threads do not believe in confession of sins they think it is once only when we confess Christ.
Sad to say but true. I never met any until these threads. Very Wrong. Unhistorical Christianity. If you read the religion thread regularly you will see it more than you would think.
I just believe important to show from scripture.
Freeper Cheers!
18
posted on
03/28/2012 9:33:12 PM PDT
by
johngrace
(I am a 1 John 4! Christian- declared at every Sunday Mass , Divine Mercy and Rosary prayers!)
To: johngrace
They may be objecting to a confession to a priest as a sacramental requirement for salvation, as do I.
By the way, my wife recently found a lovely CD of Gregory Peck reading 1John among other books at a 99 cent type store.
19
posted on
03/28/2012 9:53:05 PM PDT
by
anathemized
(cursed by some, blessed in Jesus)
To: anathemized
No, not about Catholic which is both ways. God did it all for once. One Confession of Christ does it all.
I asked specific questions with most on this issue.
Gregory Peck Reading 1John is wonderful. If I ever wanted a majestic voice it would be Gregory Peck's LOL!!
Did you ever see him play the Reverend hiding Jews during WW two. Great TV Movie.
20
posted on
03/28/2012 10:04:10 PM PDT
by
johngrace
(I am a 1 John 4! Christian- declared at every Sunday Mass , Divine Mercy and Rosary prayers!)
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