Posted on 02/07/2015 9:35:40 PM PST by Steelfish
A Protestant Historian Discovers the Catholic Church Conversion Story of A. David Anders, Ph.D. February 13, 2012
A Protestant Historian Discovers the Catholic Church by A. David Anders, Ph.D.
I grew up an Evangelical Protestant in Birmingham, Alabama. My parents were loving and devoted, sincere in their faith, and deeply involved in our church. They instilled in me a respect for the Bible as the Word of God, and a desire for a living faith in Christ. Missionaries frequented our home and brought their enthusiasm for their work. Bookshelves in our house were filled with theology and apologetics. From an early age, I absorbed the notion that the highest possible calling was to teach the Christian faith. I suppose it is no surprise that I became a Church historian, but becoming a Catholic was the last thing I expected.
My familys church was nominally Presbyterian, but denominational differences meant very little to us. I frequently heard that disagreements over baptism, the Lords Supper, or church government were unimportant as long as one believed the Gospel. By this we meant that one should be born again, that salvation is by faith alone, and that the Bible is the sole authority for Christian faith. Our church supported the ministries of many different Protestant denominations, but the one group we certainly opposed was the Catholic Church.
(Excerpt) Read more at chnetwork.org ...
Thank you for posting this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPm6iU9ibFc
This is a good over view of why im against catholic practices, now im not the same denomination as this guy but he is right on this. The first Christians after Christ ascended wouldn’t even recognize the christian church after the roman emipire under Constantine accepted it and then injected their pagan traditions into it. Catholicism has to much pagan influence in their traditions. Follow the word and the word alone. Im a christian not a catholic period. The disciples wasnt catholic.
Very good.
“Did you mean to say an empty mind?”
Did you mean to post like you have one?
“This is a good over view of why im against catholic practices”
Then your view is based upon misinformation. I watched several minutes of the video. I have seen that preacher before and never knew him to be poorly prepared but he flat out got things wrong. Take for example when he says the priest perpetually sacrifices Christ on the altar. What is he talking about? The truth, the FACT, is the priest perpetually re-presents the ONE AND ONLY sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. I stopped listening at that point. He clearly has no idea what he is talking about.
this is what I don’t understand about that reasoning. If the guy was actively Evangelical don’t you just suppose he had already been “born again”?
Can you be “unborn again”?
I see the root of his problem.
>>and an intellectual view of the Christian faith and my Christian duty<<
Intellectual view? I can find no scripture that extols the ascent of the intellect. I can't find the verse that says "with the intellect a man believeth unto righteousness". What I do find is this.
Romans 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
And this.
1 Corinthians 1:19 For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate."
>>Augustine taught that we literally merit eternal life when our lives are transformed by grace.<<
There it is! That carnal human desire to "deserve" or "merit". Not relying solely on God but the carnal sinful desire to "be somebody"!
>>The Church was both the authority on Christian doctrine as well as the instrument of salvation.<<
The "church" is the authority and instrument of salvation? No it's not. God's word is the instrument of salvation.
Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Believers aren't "born of a church" or "by a church".
1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
It's not some "church" that guides us nor is it some "theologian".
John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
This poor man was deceived from the beginning. His "idols" by his own admission were men not Christ. He put his faith in men and institutions not Christ. He listened to men not the the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Still today he looks to the "church" for salvation not Jesus Christ.
>>I would invite thise who get nasty to read the entire article first.<<<p.
I read the entire article. The man’s “idols” were men. He looks to a “church” and his own “merit” for salvation and not Christ alone.
Sad isn't it? The man looked to fallible men as his "founder" and "idol". The only thing he switched was who he put his faith in. He changed it from his "idol" John Calvin to his "idol" the "church".
Yeah watch this. You guys are brainwashed by traditions of men.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUyhi2bHWtk
Christ was fully human. Are you saying he brainwashed us? That would seem like an atheist’s statement.
Matthew 16:13-20
That’s one reason many come to the Catholic Church which was founded by Jesus Christ, fully God and fully human.
Right on, CynicalBear.
I sensed the same thing when I read where he said, “I also believed none of my religious or moral works had any value. So I quit practicing them.”
When one gives ones life and soul to Christ and is born again, there comes a point where one also receives the Holy Spirit. It seems to me that the receiving of the Holy Spirit comes right away to some and for some it seems to take a while to wear down one’s stubbornness before it happens. But at that time you realize that you do good works not because it is a requirement for salvation, but purely because you are allowing the Holy Spirit to work through you and you, like Mary, obey God’s will. The value of good works is not your own benefit or seeking after reward, but rather the pleasure of serving The Lord and seeing the benefit it brings to others around you. I don’t think that the author of the article understood this, perhaps his high regard of intellect kept him from fully submitting to and receiving the Holy Spirit.
I once joined the Catholic Church. I wanted to be a simple Catholic. But simple converts need not apply. The only way to be a simple Catholic and get away with it is to be born into some traditionally Catholic peasant culture. Otherwise, forget about it.
“Yeah watch this. You guys are brainwashed by traditions of men.”
Well, you’re working overtime to help me lose respect for that preacher. Mission accomplished. He’s more of a moron than I ever expected.
Cheers
CCC 424 Moved by the grace of the Holy Spirit and drawn by the Father, we believe in Jesus and confess: 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.' On the rock of this faith confessed by St. Peter, Christ built his Church. "To preach. . . the unsearchable riches of Christ"
St Augustine wrote: For on this very account the Lord said, On this rock will I build my Church, because Peter had said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. On this rock, therefore, He said, which you have confessed, I will build my Church. For the Rock was Christ; and on this foundation was Peter himself also built. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Christ Jesus (Augustine, Tractate 124, 5).
Matthew 16:18 I also moreover to you say That you are Peter and on this the rock I will build my church and [the]gates of hades not will prevail against it.
Jesus didnt say on this rock, He said on this the rock. Now what does the rest of scripture say is the rock? Its God in every instance.
Deut. 32:4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.
2 Sam. 22:2 And he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; 3 The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.
Psalm 18:31, "And who is a rock, except our God."
Isaiah 44:8, "Is there any God besides Me, or is there any other Rock? I know of none."
Rom. 9:33, "Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, and he who believes in Him will not be disappointed."
1 Cor. 3:11, "For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ,"
1 Cor. 10:4, "and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock (petras) which followed them; and the rock (petra) was Christ."
Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter (Petros), and upon this the rock (petra) I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Comical story, actually...The guy grows up thinking he is a saved Christian but has no fruits to show for it...He makes 5 babies all the while going to school with no apparent job to support his family...In early college, he gets the born again experience and becomes a real Christian (so he says)...
Somewhere along the line he rejects the notion of being born again so he lost his salvation...His Christianity...And then apparently figures out his salvation experience came with water baptism (even tho the Catholic version of 'born again' is actually born from above thru water baptism)...
My guess is that he realized he couldn't get a job as a Protestant historian so he looked around to see where the money was at...And that led him to the Catholic religion...
And yet you stay there...HaHaHa...You're tellin' on you religion...
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