Posted on 07/29/2008 4:39:52 PM PDT by annalex
The Sacred Traditions of the Catholic Church is not “the competition.”
Sheesh.
Yup, that’s the one I was thinking of.
Once again tradition trumps the clear teaching of Scripture.
Not at all. There is no trump, nor any conflict.
“The Sacred Traditions of the Catholic Church is not ‘the competition.’”
Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
Inapplicable.
That passage is about those who know God but turn away from Him to necessarily lesser things.
I too would change the subject if I were you.
Here is one of the lynchpin verses of the doctrine of Original Sin.
Sorry. God has revealed Himself to all and all have flipped him off.
I should have made myself more clear. I did not mean to declare your subject irrelevant, but rather to point out that your evidence was irrelevant to the subject.
That is a very strange choice of words.
God "will give to each person according to what he has done." To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism.It is what God did through Jesus on the cross, his reconciling the world to himself, that makes the above even possible.
Matthew chapter 10 -—
5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and COMMANDED them (re: Matthew 28:20), saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
9 Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses,
10 Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.
11 And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence.
12 And when ye come into an house, salute it.
13 And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.
14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
All this would have been included in the “all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:20) These commands were literal and specific.
They are not “cartoon” words with elastic definitions. Anyone may draw a spiritual application for their personal walk with the Lord, but the commands of the Lord in the passage were literal, and the Apostles obeyed them literally, and they continued to do so even after the Resurrection until the holy Spirit began to give them further revelation toward the time of the conversion of the Apostle Paul. But interestingly, there is not one instance of the Trinitarian (formula) of baptism recorded in the Book of Acts.
AND
Now the Catholic Catechism has a special place for those who seek God in Buddha, Allah or some in some rock or tree. But that is just another example of where Rome clearly contradicting Scripture.
Catholicism understands that God is love beyond what is written in Scripture. You seem to limit that love to not being possible without the Bible, which has been proven to be wrong since all love comes from God who has written on our hearts the law of love.
There is only one person by whom men can be saved through: Jesus Christ. And He sends His Spirit to those whom He will. Christ said that NO ONE can do good without ME.NO ONE! Thus, when you see a good Muslim, or a good Hindu, what's the explanation? God's Spirit is working through the natural law written on that person's heart. He still can saved through Christ, even though He doesn't know that Jesus rose from the dead.
Catholicism understands that God is merciful. He does not condemn people to life without Him in Hell because they didn't hear the Bible being read to them. According to this "logic", EVERY Old Testament figure is in hell. Every person in the Western Hemisphere up until 1500 is in hell. Every person in lower Africa and Asia is in hell until missionaries went there, in some cases, into the 1800's.
The Holy Spirit has written His law on everyone's heart. The Gospel preached makes this law come more alive for us. But when a person loves, He has Christ abiding within him.
Christ is bigger than the Bible,Dear Brother!
I wish you a Blessed day
God does not have to respect them, but by and large, God lets us make our own decisions, yes.
The so-called Grand Commission is, like I said, in the end of the three synoptic gospels:
18 And Jesus coming, spoke to [the Eleven], saying: All power is given to me in heaven and in earth. 19 Going therefore, teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world. (Mt 28)15 And he said to [the Eleven]: Go ye into the whole world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved: but he that believeth not shall be condemned. (Mk 16)
47 ...penance and remission of sins should be preached in his name, unto all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And you are witnesses of these things. 49 And I send the promise of my Father upon you: but stay you in the city till you be endued with power from on high. (Lk 24)
The gospel of John records the same appearance in the Upper Room to the Eleven and includes the specific charge to them to either forgive or retain sins, briefly mentioned by St. Luke:
21 He said therefore to them again: Peace be to you. As the Father hath sent me, I also send you. 22 When he had said this, he breathed on them; and he said to them: Receive ye the Holy Ghost. 23 Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained. (Jn 20)
Your interpretation of what the Apostles were charged with is fantastical.
Yes, something like that. His call is either answered or not by God's design; it is therefore not a failure of God when some do not answer.
If God loved those who will end up in hell as much as he loved those he is going to spend eternity with in heaven, then why would God respect their decision to reject his grace? Why would he not interfere with THAT decision?
Maybe God would not interfere with your decision to choose between wheat bread or white bread or between paper or plastic, but why would a loving God not interfere in every way possible with a decision that will affect the eternal destiny of those he truly loves?
How much can he love you if he "respects" your decision to reject him?
Reformers believe that God does, in fact, interfere with THAT decision and but for his interference, we would follow our natural desires and reject God' grace outright.
God loves his sheep and ultimately it is God who makes sheep out of goats. The sheep will follow the Shepherd, the goats will stay and graze on trash.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.