Remember the words of the Lord before you all start throwing stones.
Did this person convert or not?
Interesting article. Genuine first-person testimony.
Observation: She does not seem to embrace the concept of “total depravity,” or, as it might be called today, “pervasive corruption of every part of our character and being by original sin.”
Total depravity does not mean we are as evil as we can be, but it does mean that no part of our being and character iscompletely free of the corruption of sin from the moment of conception.
Her “I’m not total garbage” statements sets up a false dichotomy. Reformed theology does not posit that we are total garbage. Christ redeemed His people — no one correctly posits that he died for “garbage.”
She appears to adopt a semi-pelagian position, which, though incorrect, does not, of course, necessarily invalidate her testimony of faith in Christ.
I don't think that she ever found Jesus...She is looking for a religion, a Church, not Christianity...
My soul magnifies the Lord,
And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
For He has regarded the low estate of His handmaiden,
For behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with His arm:
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
and exalted those of low degree.
He has filled the hungry with good things;
and the rich He has sent empty away.
He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy;
As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to His posterity forever.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen
Magníficat ánima mea Dóminum,
et exsultávit spíritus meus
in Deo salvatóre meo,
quia respéxit humilitátem
ancíllæ suæ.
Ecce enim ex hoc beátam
me dicent omnes generatiónes,
quia fecit mihi magna,
qui potens est,
et sanctum nomen eius,
et misericórdia eius in progénies
et progénies timéntibus eum.
Fecit poténtiam in bráchio suo,
dispérsit supérbos mente cordis sui;
depósuit poténtes de sede
et exaltávit húmiles.
Esuriéntes implévit bonis
et dívites dimísit inánes.
Suscépit Ísrael púerum suum,
recordátus misericórdiæ,
sicut locútus est ad patres nostros,
Ábraham et sémini eius in sæcula.
Glória Patri et Fílio
et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio,
et nunc et semper,
et in sæcula sæculórum.
Amen.
She became the Mother of God, in which work so many and such great good things are bestowed on her as pass man’s understanding. For on this there follows all honor, all blessedness, and her unique place in the whole of mankind, among which she has no equal, namely, that she had a child by the Father in heaven, and such a Child . . . Hence men have crowded all her glory into a single word, calling her the Mother of God . . . None can say of her nor announce to her greater things, even though he had as many tongues as the earth possesses flowers and blades of grass: the sky, stars; and the sea, grains of sand. It needs to be pondered in the heart what it means to be the Mother of God.
(Commentary on the Magnificat, 1521; in Luther’s Works, Pelikan et al, vol. 21, 326)
This is very Renaissance thinking. I'm OK, your OK. There is a spark of good in me.
This was never the view of the Hebrews nor the church for over 1500 years. In it is embodied the Pelagius and semi-Pelagius views. Yet I can understand how one is compelled by this view. It certainly makes us feel better about ourselves rather than take a true assessment of ourselves.
Rom 7:19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.
WHY change to Catholicism and then be required to do all this stuff? The Protestant path is the easy path and is so much simpler...and easy. We all like easy.
Ex-father Martin Luther paved the way for EASY.
It doesn’t sound like she has any faith at all. Faith comes from hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17), becoming rooted and grounded in love by daily fellowship with Jesus (Ephesians 3:14-21). By feeding on pure spiritual milk, she can mature as a Believer (1 Peter 2:1-9). She can stir up the gift inside, recognizing that the Greater One is inside of her (1 John 4:1-4). Confidence comes from believing that there is NOW NO condemnation, that she is a child of God, and joint-heir with Jesus. (Romans 8:1-2, 8:11-17) The “works” and struggle ends because Jesus has done it all for you. Fruit bearing becomes easy because its the life of God flowing through the vine and to the branches. Religion always screws up the simplicity of the Gospel, and God’s perfect plan for His kids.
As someone earlier said, she is drifting in and out of religious traditions, the inventions of men - ceremonies, philosophy etc. Her spirit desires a relationship with her Heavenly Father and that spiritual connection comes only through faith in Jesus. It only matures by constant spiritual fellowship. She should heed Paul’s warning and his instructions to cling only to Jesus, the Word made flesh. There, she will find the spiritual peace that no intellectual or religious pursuit will ever provide.
Colossians 2:8-10 (AMP)
8 See to it that no one carries you off as spoil or makes you yourselves captive by his so-called philosophy and intellectualism and vain deceit (idle fancies and plain nonsense), following human tradition (men’s ideas of the material rather than the spiritual world), just crude notions following the rudimentary and elemental teachings of the universe and disregarding [the teachings of] Christ (the Messiah).
9 For in Him the whole fullness of Deity (the Godhead) continues to dwell in bodily form [giving complete expression of the divine nature].
10 And you are in Him, made full and having come to fullness of life [in Christ you too are filled with the Godhead—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—and reach full spiritual stature]. And He is the Head of all rule and authority [of every angelic principality and power].