[boatbums]

When I was a Catholic growing up I used to have the belief that faith in Jesus Christ was only to get the "gift" of having a chance of heaven. That Jesus "opened the gates to heaven" but it was up to me to balance out my "account" with God. This meant that our baptism as babies was getting the foot in the door, so to speak. It cleansed us from "Original Sin" but the rest of our lives was up to each one of us whether or not we make it to heaven.

I was taught that you start out with a clean slate after baptism - so if you were to die you WOULD go right to heaven. Once you receive First Holy Communion, then Confirmation, it's each person's duty to keep the grace balanced in your "soul account". Do good deeds, go to Mass, take Communion, etc., all add grace to the account. Commit a sin, grace gets deducted. Commit a MORTAL sin and the grace goes to zero. You have to start over again by going to confession, doing the penance, being good, doing good deeds, going to Mass, receiving Communion, etc. to start adding grace back into the account. It is a life-long balancing act that at any time a mortal sin can make you overdrawn in your account and, should you die in that state, you go to hell. No wonder some Catholic Freepers freak out when someone dares say they know they are saved and will go to heaven when they die! Such a thing is inconceivable for them - I know it was when I was Catholic. I worried about it all the time, scared to death I might end up in hell.

But when I heard the gospel for myself after asking God to show me the truth, I knew right away that I had been taught wrong my entire life. When I read Jesus' words:

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. “I and the Father are one.” (John 10:27-30)

I knew I was hearing the truth and God had answered my prayers. I know I am saved because I believe in Jesus Christ and what He has done for me. He died for me, He shed His precious blood as payment for my sins, and I believe Him when He says He GIVES me eternal life and I will NEVER perish or be plucked from His hands. This is the true gospel. It is not what I do for God but what He has done for me. My life has completely changed. I no longer try to be good out of fear of hell but out of gratitude for His priceless gift and the life I now lead is to glorify and please Him. Not to be saved but because I am saved. My soul account is always in balance because I have the righteousness of Jesus Christ imputed to me - not my own. If it were my own, it would never be enough. He gets ALL the glory and I have nothing to boast about because it is ALL Him. His grace and mercy has saved me and I rejoice that I will spend all eternity praising Him.

[Mark17]

Praise God we were loosed from the bondage of the Catholic Church. When I left the RCC, I felt such great relief, like a huge burden had been lifted, which was true. It felt like I had been released from a prison house. Such a great mental burden had been removed, that it felt like a physical burden had been lifted too. The inner frustration, that I couldn't quite put my finger on, was gone. 😇

[Mark17]

+ 1 million. The exact thing the priests taught us. Jesus' death and resurrection, let us get our foot in the door, but if we committed one mortal sin, we were up a creek again, lost as a goose, out in left field, on our way to where snow balls go to die.
Thinking back, I probably committed 10,000 mortal sins a day, so I was in deep kimchi. On the other hand, no priest or nun, has ever been able to explain to me, the difference between a mortal sin and a venial sin. I just wanted to commit only venial sins, and stop short of the big M.
After awhile, I just couldn't resist it anymore, so I stopped caring, and just did mortal sins galore. What a life. 😂😇😀

[Mark17]

Oh yes, I forgot to mention, it is nice to have total, complete, 💯% assurance of salvation. If that makes some people freak out, that is their problem, not mine. They should try it, they will like it.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“I was taught that you start out with a clean slate after baptism - so if you were to die you WOULD go right to heaven. Once you receive First Holy Communion, then Confirmation, it’s each person’s duty to keep the grace balanced in your “soul account”. Do good deeds, go to Mass, take Communion, etc., all add grace to the account.”

The Great Roman Hamster Wheel of Self-Righteousness, that leads to hell.

Inflicted on those who are sincere and wish they could have the assurance of eternal life, but do not know to turn to Him and accept His Gift of grace.

Hey Rome, you had one job

[metmom]

What you said!