And there is that old heresy-free will. Those who know me on this forum will know that for years I have stated that every single can be traced to the idea of "free will". If you have a "choice" to live like Jesus, then why don't you? Every choice you make should be just like His.
The truth of the matter is that we're sinners by nature. We cannot live like Christ. I'm not sure how many times I've stated this. But one does not have to listen to me. If people were honest with themselves and do a careful self examination they would realize the truth. Christ can set us free from the willful practicing of sin but we still will sin.
You compared Jesus to Adam. The trouble is Adam was created out of dust from the earth and God breathed life into him. Are you saying this is the same way Christ was created, God making Him from the dust of the earth and breathing life into Him? Then you are contradicting John 1:1-3. Are you saying Christ was created before the universe? Then Adam had a disadvantage didn't he? When precisely was Adam created versus Christ and why did Adam choose to fall?
Not sure where you found our Lord teaching that. I believe Jesus is a man just like Adam.
Ditto.
I posted this scripture from Romans defining both Adam and Jesus as men.
Christ came to earth as a man to become our sacrifice. He showed us that we could keep the law-we just don't want to. Just like Adam could have kept the law-he just didn't want to. Christ obedience paid the ransom for our sinfulness. We simply have to acknowledge that we really don't want to keep God's commands and ask Him to help us in overcoming this offense.
But this comparison is Christ humanity-Christ being perfect God and perfect man. If you don't understand the Trinity, you certainly will not understand the dual nature of Christ.
Most catholics, I have encountered, are against scripture alone. Hmmm I am only using scripture. Seems to me your are the one quoting from external sources.
Very clever but not true. You hide your Mormonism and the book of Mormon yet complain our Catholic friends are "against scripture". While our Catholic friends may rely upon tradition more than scripture, they are anything else but being against scripture. And yet you will say you do not have external sources? Please.
Find me in the scriptures where it states man has "free will". And I'm the one who you say have external sources?
We have at least one thing we can agree on.
I admit I have nothing on my about page about my religous beliefs. One could think I am hiding something. You have called me a Mormon because they do not accept the Doctrine of the Trinity. You have stated I am using talking points as if these thoughts could not be my personal beliefs base on how I interpret scripture. You stated I am not a Christian and warned me to not be involved with works based religion.
You show several sources you say influenced your scriptural understanding on your about page. I was surprised to not find this posted or a link to it. I have highlighted a couple of areas that I find troubling.
This is what the catholic faith teaches.
We worship one God in the Trinity and the Trinity in unity. We distinguish among the persons, but we do not divide the substance. For the Father is a distinct person; the Son is a distinct person; and the Holy Spirit is a distinct person. Still the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit have one divinity, equal glory, and co-eternal majesty. What the Father is, the Son is, and the Holy Spirit is. The Father is uncreated, the Son is uncreated, and the Holy Spirit is uncreated. The Father is boundless, the Son is boundless, and the Holy Spirit is boundless. The Father is eternal, the Son is eternal, and the Holy Spirit is eternal. Nevertheless, there are not three eternal beings, but one eternal being. Thus there are not three uncreated beings, nor three boundless beings, but one uncreated being and one boundless being. Likewise, the Father is omnipotent, the Son is omnipotent, and the Holy Spirit is omnipotent. Yet there are not three omnipotent beings, but one omnipotent being. Thus the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. But there are not three gods, but one God. The Father is Lord, the Son is Lord, and the Holy Spirit is Lord. There are not three lords, but one Lord. For according to Christian truth, we must profess that each of the persons individually is God; and according to Christian religion we are forbidden to say that there are three gods or lords. The Father is not made by anyone, nor created by anyone, nor generated by anyone. The Son is not made nor created, but he is generated by the Father alone. The Holy Spirit is not made nor created nor generated, but proceeds from the Father and the Son. There is, then, one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, but not three sons; one Holy Spirit, not three holy spirits. In this Trinity, there is nothing greater, nothing less than anything else. But the entire three persons are co-eternal and coequal with one another. So that, as we have said, we worship complete unity in the Trinity and the Trinity in unity.
This, then, is what he who wishes to be saved must believe about the Trinity.
It is also necessary for eternal salvation that he believes steadfastly in the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. The true faith is: we believe and profess that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is both God and man. As God He was begotten of the substance of the Father before time; as man He was born in time of the substance of His Mother. He is perfect God; and He is perfect man, with a rational soul and human flesh. He is equal to the Father in His divinity, but He is inferior to the Father in His humanity. Although He is God and man, He is not two, but one Christ. And He is one, not because His divinity was changed into flesh, but because His humanity was assumed to God. He is one, not at all because of a mingling of substances, but because He is one person. As a rational soul and flesh are one man: so God and man are one Christ. He died for our salvation, descended to hell, arose from the dead on the third day. Ascended into heaven, sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty, and from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead. At His coming, all men are to arise with their own bodies; and they are to give an account of their lives. Those who have done good deeds will go into eternal life; those who have done evil will go into everlasting fire.
This religionis the Catholic faith. Everyone must believe it, firmly and steadfastly; otherwise He cannot be saved. Amen.
This shows me how clever the god of this world is. This is what you need be a catholic, disciples of the church fathers. I am not a catholic. I am a Christian, a disciple of the Christ.
I posted this came about 300 years after Our Lord's death and resurrection. That is when it became a tradition of the catholic cult. It states you will be judged by your works if I understand the 3rd highlighted part.
This is the result of a majority of the leaders agreeing Mary is the mother of god instead of the mother of the Son of God. How many times a day do you chant Hail Mary or pray to the mother of god?
Satan used the first part I highlighted to claim the people of the book are polytheists to establish Islam. I call Islam a fruit of the Doctrine of the Trinity. Apologist claim Mohammad didn't understand the Trinity. Here are a couple of verses from the Koran.
"O People of the Book! Commit no excesses in your religion: Nor say of God aught but the truth. Christ Jesusthe son of Mary was (no more than) an apostle of God, and His Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and a spirit proceeding from Him: so believe in God and His apostles. Say not "Trinity" : desist: it will be better for you: for God is one God: Glory be to Him: (far exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belong all things in the heavens and on earth. And enough is God as a Disposer of affairs." (Koran 4:171)
"They do blaspheme who say: God is one of three in a Trinity: for there is no god except One God. If they desist not from their word (of blasphemy), verily a grievous penalty will befall the blasphemers among them." (Koran 5:73)
I don't know how many souls have or will be lost to Islam. It is impossible for me to believe the Spirit of an omnipresent God is the source.
May God our Father lead us to his truth. BVB