How mind-bogglingly wrong you are!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Glad you finally got your mind boggled! Good to shake-up the old cobwebs once in a while...isn't it!
It was in Egypt that God first established the Passover which is THE BASIS for Christ's sacrifice on the cross and for our redemption. Christ was sacrificed on the Passover. If you go back to Exodus and read all the tiny details about how the Jews were to prepare the lamb etc, you will, for the first time understand the Theology of the Bible.
That was my point in a previous posting! Everything in the O.T. leads up to Christ. The point you are missing in your search for the dotted "i's" & crossed "t's" is that the O.T. is superceded by the "Gospels." It is the life (Sacrifice and Resurretion) of Christ that has true meaning to Catholics because it was trough Him that Israel was "reborn." We are the New Israel! Why do you disagree with that? If you disagree, you merely make a mockery of Christ's sacrifice, because the logical extension is that He died and was reborn only for a select few...not all mankind.
Who was the "them" when Christ on the Cross said "Forgive them Father, For they know not what they do?" Is God so petty in your view that you believe He was only referring to those that were physically present (and a part)at His Crucifiction? If you believe that Christ died for all mankind, then you embrace the 'Catholic' (Universal) view.
This is my problem with certain Protestants. The failure on their part to acknowledge that God is infinite in being and majesty, or that He must be confined to the role and works described in the bible... and no others.
"....Catholics know so little of the Bible. It makes me sad.
And it makes us sad that you cannot see how the works and teachings of the "Living God" (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) apply to our lives.
Anyways, thanks for the discussion. I've gotten great insights in the catholic mindset. It's really been fascinating and will be helpfuul to me in preaching to future catholics! Thanks!
Just a helpful hint: Try teaching the 'Love of Christ' and not the 'Meaning of Christ based on your interpretation.' Who knows, someday you might even become Catholic.
First of all, I was born and raised Catholic -- went to catholic schools all my life, was an altar boy, etc. I watched as all my family and friends and classmates melted away from the RCC. Then I read the Bible and found out who God really was. Then I began to research the RCC and saw why it has no hold over people, and is now today, a hotbed of pedophilia and homosexuality. It's because they don't teach the Bible, and instead substitute their pharisee-like man-made rules that cause people to drift away. God's word enlivens, and excites people.
Of COURSE the OT leads up to Christ. Where in the WORLD did you get the idea that I don't agree with that? (Read my post #30!!!) But the Church does NOT invalidate or superceed Israel in God's plan. It is precisely this wrong thinking that caused the Roman Catholic Church to torture and murder countless Jews during the Inquisition. It's why Pius XII did not want the Jews to have a homeland in 1943.
That's WHY GOD GAVE JOHN THE BOOK OF REVELATION!!! It's all about Israel and the Temple and Jerusalem, etc. (None of these things existed when God gave John Revelation in 95 AD) God shows us that His Chosen People Israel will again play a role in man's redemption. God will keep the covenants He made to Abraham, Moses, David and others.
Finally, I do not believe that Christ died to save the whole world, just those who ACCEPT His sacrifice. As Jesus Himself said
Mat 7:13 "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. Mat 7:14 "For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
per Jesus, "Many will go to hell, few will go to heaven." His precious gift is AVAILABLE and FREE to ALL who will accept it, but He looked into the future and sadly had to admit that few WILL accept it. Being baptised into some organization where you go to church once in awhile and do certain rituals and incantations will not get you to heaven. That's what the Pharisees and Saducees believed.
Anyways, you seem like a nice guy -- neither a grumpster, nor a dumpster!