Who are the Catholics: The Orthodox or The Romanists, or both?

Me

[the_conscience]

I just witnessed a couple of Orthodox posters get kicked off a "Catholic Caucus" thread. I thought, despite their differences, they had a mutual understanding that each sect was considered "Catholic". Are not the Orthodox considered Catholic? Why do the Romanists get to monopolize the term "Catholic"?

I consider myself to be Catholic being a part of the universal church of Christ. Why should one sect be able to use a universal concept to identify themselves in a caucus thread while other Christian denominations need to use specific qualifiers to identify themselves in a caucus thread?

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Slave, dead, whatever, the fact remains, you are arguing for man to have a power that comes only from God. We were made alive in Christ from the beginning, all purposed by God. Any work that was done to save us, was all done by Christ. You don't get any of the glory. Any goodness we have or do, everything we have or do, all comes from the Lord

Amen!!!

The more a person comes to that conclusion, the more unseemly and boastful "free will" appears.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Why do you insist I limit myself to Scripture?

Scripture is not limiting. It is authoritative concerning everything of which it speaks.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

We are saved by God's will, but through faith, not through election.

Those to whom God gives the free gift of faith have been chosen by Him to receive that gift from before the foundation of the world.

The God you describe is just winging it; waiting for men to come to Him instead of grabbing hold of them and changing their lives while they are yet sinners.

I thank God every day He didn't wait for me to choose Him. He might still be waiting.

"According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved." -- Ephesians 1:4-6

Read the verses. God doesn't wait until we make ourselves acceptable to Him. God makes us accepted, according to His good pleasure and determined by Him from before the foundation of the world.

Why Christians deny this comforting, sustaining assurance of God's love is a puzzle. Maybe we just like to keep control of things and have the last word.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

we are dancing BECAUSE HE caused us to be born again.

Without Him reaching down and touching us first and turning our hearts from stone to flesh, without Him putting flesh back on our bones we would be quite happy dancing for Satan.

Now, because God called us, we respond by dancing.

Amen!!!

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Faith is a personal act - the free response of the human person

Faith is a free gift of God's merciful grace.

There is nothing about men that is "free" unless and until Christ has acquitted them of their sins and given them new eyes and new ears and a heart of flesh. .

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Calvin took the same logic as karma to explain his predestination

Wrong. Karma is the exact opposite of predestination.

Supposedly Karma is getting what you deserve.

Christianity is all about not getting what we deserve.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Of course God exists in time (as well as outside of time.)

God, the Holy Spirit, acts in time.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

God (can) see all time past and future

God does more than merely "see" the past and future. He "declares the end from the beginning."

[Petronski]

There is nothing about men that is "free" unless and until Christ has acquitted them of their sins and given them new eyes and new ears and a heart of flesh.

This ridiculous, foolish false gospel of Calvin is like the California wildfire that seems to refuse die.

Right up to the moment when it is dead.

[Petronski]

...He didn't wait for me to choose Him. He might still be waiting.

*lolz*

[Petronski]

Col. 1:13-17 does not support Calvin’s sick, twisted concept of a sick twisted little god.

The love of God is far greater than cauvin could stand.

[Cronos]

And who repents? Only those whom God has given the ability and desire and will to repent.

So then, God HAS given us the free will to repent? And the free will to NOT repent.

[Cronos]

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. Slave, dead, whatever, the fact remains, you are arguing for man to have a power that comes only from God. We were made alive in Christ from the beginning, all purposed by God. Any work that was done to save us, was all done by Christ. You don't get any of the glory. Any goodness we have or do, everything we have or do, all comes from the Lord. Why is that so difficult to understand?

How is Mr Rogers arguing for man to have any power that is rightfully God's? We don't get the glory, that everyone agrees, and we can't save ourselves. We do however, have to CHOOSE to be saved by God.

[Cronos]

Karma is inexorable fate, destiny. Calvin used the same analogy for his predestination jazz

[Gamecock]

This ridiculous, foolish false gospel of Calvin is like the California wildfire that seems to refuse die.

Which is why the Roman Cahtolic Church historically banned it's people from reading God's Holy Word. Too many things that God said clearly undermines Roman Catholic dogma.

The mantra of Rome/FR Orthodox seems to be "Did God really say..."

[esquirette]

Your post implies envy in heaven, which of course, would be a sin. Mockery here is likely pretty bad, too. . . .

[esquirette]

Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.

[Cvengr]

As far as what is blasphemy against the Spirit, I have yet to find a commentator that has given a clear definition.

BLASPHEMY in the Greek is defined by Strong's as a vilification, evil speaking, railing.

The significance of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which is not forgiven neither in this age nor the one to come, as opposed to blasphemy against the Son of man, which is forgiven.

I suspect it also manifests a discernible qualification in the consistent just actions and roles between persons of the Godhead.

We know God the Holy Spirit glorifies the Son, and the Son is the Word of God. I find volumes of learning in Matt 12:31-37, which may touch on multiple doctrines, which also reveals to me that I am probably very scarred in my thinking upon the roles of different persons of the Godhead, and need further study and sanctification by Him to better understand it myself.

[Cvengr]

Karma is inexorable fate, destiny. Calvin used the same analogy for his predestination jazz.

However, karma and fate are not attributed to a person,assuming no greater power exists, whereas predestination is attributed to God and is communicated by His Word from Eph 1:4-5.

[Cvengr]

Volition is an institution established by God for believer and unbeliever alike. Both share in freedom of that institution as long as they respect legitimate authority of that institution. Without legitimate authority that freedom becomes anarchy, but that authority without freedom becomes tyranny. Both volition and freedom are made available in His Plan by respecting what He provides in His authority.