Posted on 09/07/2013 3:49:35 PM PDT by NYer
.- In his daily homily on Saturday, Pope Francis reflected on the question of authentic Christianity and rejected the practice of focusing more on devotions than on Christ himself.
Jesus is “the center” of faith, said the Pope. “A commandment is valid if it comes from Jesus: I do this because the Lord wants me to do this. But if I am a Christian without Christ, I do this and I don’t know why I have to do it,” he said to the congregation at the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta on September 7.
Like the Pharisees, he said, there are some people who “make so many commandments the center of their religiosity.”
Others who have a false sense of religiosity “only seek devotions” or “things that are a little uncommon, a little special, that go back to private revelations,” noted Pope Francis.
“If your devotions bring you to Christ, that works. But if you remain there, something’s wrong,” he explained.
“If Jesus is not at the center, there will be many other things,” so that people become “Christians without Christ.”
Remembering that Jesus is the center of faith “regenerates us, grounds us.”
Pope Francis further explained the mark of a true “Christian with Christ.”
“The rule is simple: only that which brings you to Jesus is valid, and only that is valid that comes from Jesus. Jesus is the center, the Lord, as He Himself says.”
Christians can avoid false religiosity by adoring Jesus as “the Lord, the only Lord.”
“If you aren’t able to adore Jesus, you’re missing something,” warned Pope Francis.
The sign of a true “Christian with Christ” is one who does “that which comes from Jesus” and that which leads to Jesus.
Such adoration bears true fruit in the life of a Christian, encouraged the Pope.
He said that Jesus also gives “the grace of loving Him so much, of following Him, of going along the path that He has shown us.”
A “Christian with Christ” has the courage to proclaim Jesus as Lord.
Pope Francis exhorted Catholics not to focus on false piety, but rather evangelize and “take the Gospel!”
Thank you so much for your encouragement, dear sister in Christ!
Okay, so based on what authority, do you believe Matthew wrote an inspired gospel? If any Bible verse mentions Matthew wrote an inspired gospel please post it now.
When you fail to do that - and you will fail - please then name what authority you are relying on for your belief that Matthew wrote an inspired gospel.
I didn’t think you had any answers. Thanks for proving me right.
I’m not the one blustering.
“It was ALL that Jesus EVER referred to!”
Show me where in the Old Testament Jesus found Moses’ Seat.
I think we are witnessing some VOPIOS there. ;o)
When Jesus held up the bread at the last supper with his disciples and said, "This is my body which is broken for you.", did that bread "teach" the lesson to them or was the bread used as an object lesson by Jesus to teach them? This is the same thing that Ephesians 3:10 is saying. God used the church as his object lesson to teach about the grace and plans of Almighty God. The church isn't the one doing the teaching, it is so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.
What an utterly inconsequential argument! Does believing the "real" Matthew penned the "Gospel According to Matthew" or the Bible having a "table of contents" matter WRT our salvation? John, the Apostle, said that the things which were written were so we that we may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing we may have life in his name. They were written so we would believe in Jesus Christ and so that we can KNOW we have everlasting life. He also said:
This is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life. These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him. (I John 2:25-27)
Paul said, "Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come." (I Cor. 10:11)
It should be pretty obvious - and was so for those early believers - that God honors and preserves His word to ALL generations. He gave this to us for our edification, comfort, knowledge and salvation. He would not trust mere men to do that for Him.
Proverbs 20:11
Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.
HMMMmmm...
I must have confused you with someone else.
I can't.
Just like YOU can't show, from the New, what it is!
Maybe; but it sure muddied the water; didn't it!
(In case some MISSED it.)
“When Jesus held up the bread at the last supper with his disciples and said, “This is my body which is broken for you.”, did that bread “teach” the lesson to them or was the bread used as an object lesson by Jesus to teach them?”
Neither. It was a miracle which they beheld and believed because they knew Christ was the Son of God, and promised them His flesh, and His very word had the power to transform.
“The church isn’t the one doing the teaching, it is so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.”
The Church is still teaching then.
“Does believing the “real” Matthew penned the “Gospel According to Matthew” or the Bible having a “table of contents” matter WRT our salvation?”
Do you believe a man can say inspired scripture isn’t inspired but still believe he is on a sure road to salvation?
And if this is so, “What an utterly inconsequential argument!” then why do Protestants oppose the traditional canon so much even though all the historic Christians use it or a close variation of it?
And you still can’t seem to answer the questions. That was expected.
Elsie you often resort to posting pictures when you’ve lost a debate. Thanks for the apparent tacit admission.
“I can’t.”
Exactly - so I was right and you were not. Again. No surprise there.
“Just like YOU can’t show, from the New, what it is!”
I show more of that than you can of where Jesus found it supposedly using sola scriptura. And here that’s all that matters.
Sorry to interrupt, but that is not true, vlad. Elsie posts pictures because that is what he does. It has nothing to do with “winning” or “losing” a debate. It has everything to do with his sense of humor.
What you are good at is broad brushing opponents of Catholicism, criticizing those who oppose their promotion of an elitist org, and construing them into being akin to Communists, when it is they who engage in autocratic rule and disallow dissent, and which you work to suppress as well (the "Catholic Church is none of your business").
And what you are fail at doing is distinguishing btwn knowing who are versus knowing what you believe, but as you censure criticism of Rome and seem to impugn capitalism, and the veracity of historical accounts in the Bible, then it makes you closer to the Catholics than us.
Again, mosquitoes biting at a giant, frustrated at not drawing any blood, and that's because the giant is made out of stone that has lasted centuries, and will last centuries.
Actually, if we were not drawing blood than we would not see adherents of a mostly dead lion vainly trying to protest that criticizing her is off limits. Moreover, resorting to your skewed analogies is what speaks of desperation, which state also moves many RCs to long for the days and means of the Inquisitions when they could spill the literal blood of theological dissidents.
As for longevity necessarily equating to truth, some of your tea drinking character would concur, while it is Rome that has critically departed from the faith once delivered unto the saints. But as you say it does not need you, i will leave you to your fanciful analogies.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.