Posted on 02/23/2015 9:53:14 AM PST by Gamecock
Question: "I am a Catholic. Why should I consider becoming a Christian?"
Answer: First, please understand that we intend no offense in the wording of this question. We genuinely receive questions, from Catholics, along the lines of “What is the difference between Catholics and Christians?” In face-to-face conversations with Catholics, we have literally heard, “I am not a Christian, I am Catholic.” To many Catholics, the terms “Christian” and “Protestant” are synonymous. With all that said, the intent of this article is that Catholics would study what the Bible says about being a Christian and would perhaps consider that the Catholic faith is not the best representation of what the Bible describes. As a background, please read our article on “What is a Christian?”
A key distinction between Catholics and Christians is the view of the Bible. Catholics view the Bible as having equal authority with the Church and tradition. Christians view the Bible as the supreme authority for faith and practice. The question is, how does the Bible present itself? Second Timothy 3:16-17 tells us, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” This text tells us that Scripture is not “just the beginning,” or “just the basics,” or the “foundation for a more complete church tradition.” On the contrary, Scripture is perfectly and fully sufficient for everything in the Christian life. Scripture can teach us, rebuke us, correct us, train us, and equip us. “Bible Christians” do not deny the value of church tradition. Rather, Christians uphold that for a church tradition to be valid, it must be based on the clear teaching of Scripture and must be in full agreement with Scripture. Catholic friend, study the Word of God for yourself. In God’s Word you will find God’s description of, and intention for, His Church. Second Timothy 2:15 declares, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”
A second key difference between Catholics and Bible Christians is the understanding of how we can approach God. Catholics tend to approach God through intermediaries, such as Mary or the saints. Christians approach God directly, offering prayers to no one other than God Himself. The Bible proclaims that we ourselves can approach God’s throne of grace with boldness (Hebrews 4:16). The Bible is perfectly clear that God desires us to pray to Him, to have communication with Him, to ask Him for the things we need (Philippians 4:6; Matthew 7:7-8; 1 John 5:14-15). There is no need for mediators or intermediaries, as Christ is our one and only mediator (1 Timothy 2:5), and both Christ and the Holy Spirit are already interceding on our behalf (Romans 8:26-27; Hebrews 7:25). Catholic friend, God loves you intimately and has provided an open door to direct communication through Jesus.
The most crucial difference between Catholics and Bible Christians is on the issue of salvation. Catholics view salvation almost entirely as a process, while Christians view salvation as both a completed status and a process. Catholics see themselves as “being saved,” while Christians view themselves as “having been saved.” First Corinthians 1:2 says, “To those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy.” The words “sanctified” and “holy” come from the same Greek root. This verse is declaring that Christians are both sanctified and called to be sanctified. The Bible presents salvation as a gift that is received the moment a person places faith in Jesus Christ as Savior (John 3:16). When a person receives Christ as Savior, he/she is justified (declared righteous – Romans 5:9), redeemed (rescued from slavery to sin – 1 Peter 1:18), reconciled (achieving peace with God – Romans 5:1), sanctified (set apart for God’s purposes – 1 Corinthians 6:11), and born again as a new creation (1 Peter 1:23; 2 Corinthians 5:17). Each of these is fully accomplished at the moment of salvation. Christians are then called to live out practically (called to be holy) what is already true positionally (sanctified).
The Catholic viewpoint is that salvation is received by faith, but then must be “maintained” by good works and participation in the Sacraments. Bible Christians do not deny the importance of good works or that Christ calls us to observe the ordinances in remembrance of Him and in obedience to Him. The difference is that Christians view these things as the result of salvation, not a requirement for salvation or a means of maintaining salvation. Salvation is an accomplished work, purchased by the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ (1 John 2:2). God offers us salvation and assurance of salvation because Jesus’ sacrifice was fully, completely, and perfectly sufficient. If we receive God’s precious gift of salvation, we can know that we are saved. First John 5:13 declares, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”
We can know that we have eternal life, and we can have assurance of our salvation because of the greatness of Christ’s sacrifice. Christ’s sacrifice does not need to be re-offered or re-presented. Hebrews 7:27 says, “He sacrificed for their sins once for all when He offered Himself.” Hebrews 10:10 declares, “We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” First Peter 3:18 exclaims, “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.” Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice was absolutely and perfectly sufficient. Jesus declared on the cross, “It is finished” (John 19:30). Jesus’ atoning sacrifice was the full payment for all of our sins (1 John 2:2). As a result, all of our sins are forgiven, and we are promised eternal life in heaven the moment we receive the gift God offers us – salvation through Jesus Christ (John 3:16).
Catholic friend, do you desire this “so great salvation” (Hebrews 2:6)? If so, all you must do is receive it (John 1:12) through faith (Romans 5:1). God loves us and offers us salvation as a gift (John 3:16). If we receive His grace, by faith, we have salvation as our eternal possession (Ephesians 2:8-9). Once saved, nothing can separate us from His love (Romans 8:38-39). Nothing can remove us from His hand (John 10:28-29). If you desire this salvation, if you desire to have all your sins forgiven, if you desire to have assurance of salvation, if you desire direct access to the God who loves you – receive it, and it is yours. This is the salvation that Jesus died to provide and that God offers as a gift.
If you have received Jesus Christ as Savior, by faith, because of what you have read here today, please let us know by clicking on the “I have accepted Christ today” button below. Welcome to the family of God! Welcome, Catholic friend, to the Christian life!
I have a friend whose brother became Evangelical and attacked he faith, he wouldn’t even allow their mother to have a funeral Mass although she was a practicing Catholic. She used to ask what she could say to him about what she believed and I told her, just give him the Apostle’s Creed.
Any “Catholic” who attends Mass regularly and doesn’t know they are Christian are seriously mentally challenged or God has hardened their hearts.
There are depictions of Christ everywhere, his name is spoken continually, the Gospel is so sacred that the priest reads it. Just the Sign of the Cross should be enough for most.
You could start by asking someone what they meant if their response seems unclear to you, instead of assuming you knew what they meant and attacking your interpretation of it.
If some posts contain big words that you cannot understand, then I recommend a dictionary.
They describe in detail to us every day what they believe. The Catholic Church also posts all of their beliefs online. I don't have to guess or wonder. As the Catholic Church states. You must submit you intellect and will to the magisterium. I submit my intellect and will to Christ and the Holy Spirit.
Sacred Tradition (Big T tradition) is the Deposit of Faith instruction given by Christ to the Apostles for the administration of His Church. Yes, it has been faithfully handed down by the bishops and popes, but they are not the progenitors.
My guess is not. Most stay within their comfort zone.
53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.”
Read all of John 6 and it is more than apparent and if it isn’t I’d like see your take on it.
You can find it yourself if you’re interested...
Pot, meet kettle.
I'm waiting for your response to #67.
One is not saved unless they accept Christ as their savior. That is a central basic component of christianity and commonly believed by Catholics and Protestants.
An issue for many RC, and even more non-RC Christians, is concern over an increasingly unholy alliance between the papacy / Vatican, MSM, powers that be to create a new old order.
The current pope is getting tremendous press that encourages the ecumenical religious movement to include and legitimize islam.
Many are concerned that corrupt RC leadership may well be the harlots of Rome who will usher in a NWO and Antichrist, as warned in Revelations.
I think that many of us non-RC christians are instinctively uncomfortable by embellished worship (Saints, relics / apostiles bones, shrines, non-biblical teaching: purgatory, pew pay-for-favor, confession booth ritual, inhumane celebate clergy requirements, etc) and troubled by a so much historical corruption (brutal theocratic Catholic rulers, Vatican amassing vast wealth and army, slave labor in Irish and NY laundry shops, many hundreds of priests sexually abusing Thousands of children with RC leadership knowledge,) our suspicions and fears about RC are justified.
God and Christ will make final judgement.
Pardon typo:
“new old order”
Meant: new world order
In the same chapter (KJV), Jesus said this:
63 “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”
But Christ did LITERALLY say that.
Only according to Roman Catholics.
I believe it is also according Eastern Rite Catholics, Orthodox Christians, Lutherans, and some Episcopalians/Anglicans.
Deuteronomy 12:23 Only be sure that thou eat not the blood:
Deuteronomy 15:23 Only thou shalt not eat the blood thereof; thou shalt pour it upon the ground as water.
Genesis 9:3 Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things. 4 But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.
Leviticus 3:17 It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood.
Leviticus 7:26 Moreover ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings. 27 Whatsoever soul it be that eateth any manner of blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.
Leviticus 17:10 And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, that eateth any manner of blood; I will even set my face against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people.
Leviticus 12 Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that sojourneth among you eat blood.
1 Samuel 14:33 Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against the LORD, in that they eat with the blood.
Those were laws which if Jesus had broken He would have sinned.
Acts 15:19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: 20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
Acts 15:28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; 29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
Acts 21:25 As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.
Jesus and the apostles were Jews bound under the Old Testament laws. Jesus and the apostles would have been sinning by eating blood. Also the apostles would have been double minded by telling people not to eat blood then telling them to eat blood even after Jesus arose.
An Islam sucks thread would be too boring since 99% of Freepers agree. Why not have another Catholic V Protestant thread? Must have been at least 5 minutes since the last one. I’m sure this one will be different though. Every Protestant and Catholic will see the light and change their mind. Sigh is right.
I was baptized a Catholic, did first communion, Confirmation and then my brother drowned at our Catholic school, my father was badly wounded in Vietnam and the priests spoke out against the war. My father was a Marine who was hospitalized for over 2 years and lived. I grew to hate the church, the priests, all the gold I saw in the cathedrals and as a young adult, I left. But as time passed I remembered a priest also helped comfort me at the time of my brother's death in such a manner that even today I look at death the way he described it.
I left the church in every way. No mass, no confession and no communion. After 28 years a friend of mine who I played tennis with and was as nice a man as I've ever met filled with the love of life and his family took me to a Promise Keepers event. I was stunned. It was like a blanket had been taken off of me. That's when I began my long journey back to the Lord.
I talked to my father about Catholicism many times and he was a devout Catholic and told me that priest and even the pope are men but the Church is God's way of leading us towards him and that men are sinful, foolish, greedy and weak but God's love and gifts are eternal and true.
I've always believed but grew to love God. Slowly after being gone from the Church in a moment of despair I went to confession. I nearly cried after I had unburdened myself and was told that "all saints have a past and all sinners have a future" (not original but comforting and appropriate for me)
I identify myself as a Roman Catholic because that's the path that I chose to lead me to Christ. I pray to saints, apostles and the Virgin Mary in order for them to PRAY FOR ME. Just as I ask my friends to pray for me or my family to pray for me. It fills me with a sense of comfort to know that I can pray in the form of a rosary to our Lord but that it invokes the Hail Mary as well as the Our Father.
I read the bible, I believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, I know that he gave his son to show us how to be penitent and that he gave his life for my sins. I also ask a priest as often as I can to forgive my sins so that I may be in good grace if my life ends. I go to confession in order to FACE my sinfulness and be accountable not to my ego filled excuse making mind but to an outside person that makes me verbalize what it is that I've done and what it is that I'm going to do to make it right in God's eyes.
I thank God and some times a saint for help in lost causes or to protect and allow his will to be done. I pray that the Lord gives us understanding to accept all manner of evil, tragedy, death and disease that befall us but know that is what we as men must suffer to realize that there are "worldly" concerns and "spiritual" concerns.
I am a Christian. I am a Roman Catholic.
Joshua 24:15 But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."
I must be a lousy Catholic because I don't submit my will and intellect to the magisterium. Of course I listen and pray to the Holy Spirit to understand the teachings of dogma put forth by the magisterium whom I believe use the guidance of tradition, Holy Scripture, and prayers to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It was probably the early magisterium that wrote the Apostles Creed. Magisterium are teachers of the faith aren't you in some respects a teacher of the Faith to others.
You must know your wasting your time in trying to have me accept the all same beliefs as you. I like being a Catholic, a Knights of Columbus etc.. and trying my best to do the Will of God by keeping the Great Commandment. I wouldn't try to change you by trying to tear down your religious beliefs. I think we have enough in common to let things rest in that regard.
Let's work together to promote respect for God, life, and liberty, seems to me that's what Americans need to focus on.
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