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

Me

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Scripture tells us God elects men to salvation, not on foreseen faith or good works, but according to his own purpose.

It is that purpose whereby He elects some to salvation and not others that we do not know.

I know I have a son. I do not know why God gave me a son and not a daughter beyond the fact that it was His will.

The WCF forecloses even to possibility that God has determined to elect even one person on the basis of His infinite foreknowledge

As well it should because if even one man is elected according to his righteous act of foreseen faith then the entire doctrine of man's fallen nature (total depravity; total inability) is up-ended.

But the Fall and its aftermath are clear in Scripture. "There is none righteous; no, not one."

[roamer_1]

You must be a Southerner!!!

No, Ma'am... Born in Chicago, raised mostly within 20 miles of this spot... But my mother is from Kansas, and enough "South" is there... and it dies hard, even in my children's children.

I remember fondly summer dinners of fresh picked tomatoes and sweet corn. Maybe a few slices of sweet onions, too. Now THAT'S a meal!!!

Yes it is. It surely is. Our gardens here are in the hard scrabble and rocks, especially when considered against the riches of the South. I know enough of that from my grandmother's table.

But then I am back to perspectives again...

It seems too many people (me among them) get worried about how the table is set, or the arrangement of the chairs, or who is invited, when the purpose is to enjoy the meal in the presence of our family.

The rest is beyond our control, and our ken. Christ knows each one among us who is saved, and the presence of His Spirit in each one is what sanctifies. That is the truth.

What He has said is in evidence. Seek the will of the Father. It is all about the Kingdom. The Spirit is there to prepare you...

The food we KNOW is good. Better than any of us can possibly understand, and in great, great abundance. Why try to add to what is already before us?

The rest is confusion, and it is almost time for the dinner bell to ring.

[Quix]

PRAISE GOD! PRAISE GOD!

And, for another matter—seems like the swelling has gone down—maybe totally.

Yea God!

[Quix]

My own musings are along thi sline . . .

While I might agree with Lewis that Heavenly intensities are off of earthly scales . . .

I do not per se believe that taking on our 'Heavenly Bodies' will leave us LESS sensitive, empathetic, understanding . . . instead of !!!!MORE!!!!

This Boot Camp has a PURPOSE . . . It sprang into Being at HIS WORD for a PURPOSE . . . NOT just because the available choices were to pick His nose or create the multiverse.

He declares that one of its chief purposes was/is to rule and reign with Christ--evidently over countless worlds and endless ages.

So, for THAT TASK, we are going to become

--LESS sensitive?
--LESS Understanding?
.
--LESS EMPATHETIC?
--LESS IN-TUNE with those we touch and Creation around us?

AFTER
GRADUATION?!

I think !!NOT!!

[Forest Keeper]

Found this reading comments at a web site....interesting summary on how Muslim God was named Allah...

That's fascinating, thanks for posting it. I didn't know that Islam was formed sort of L. Ron Hubbard style, on the back of a napkin in a bar. :) "Let's see, in for a penny in for a pound, let's pick the top god to be the only god, the numero uno honcho god. Yeah, they'll buy that...." :) So Allah is nothing more than a common pagan god with a pedophile as his prophet. I had no idea.

[Quix]

Heaven and our Heavenly Bodies

MUST

involve

an
EXPANSION

Of
OUR
capacities
and their
DISPLAY
FOR
HIS
!!!!GLORY!!!!

Hell is for shrinking and imploding.

NOT
HEAVEN!

[caww]

Quix...sorry you see the stance of being ‘Christian’ possibly being seen as snooty or cheeky, apart from a denomination or group label. Please let me define more fully so that assumption might be put to rest.

This is what I am..’Christian’..I believe in, belong to, and follow Christ Jesus...and am affiliated/associated with Christianity here and throughout the world along with others who are in Christ Jesus and practice the Christian Faith.......Historically, past, present, and in the future, Christ Jesus is the head of my church which is under His direct teaching and that of our Forefathers recorded in what is commonly referred to as the Old and New Testament writings and/or manuscripts.

My church is sometimes referred to as.. “The Household of Believers”, or “The Household of Faith”... of which we are many. We are also known as... “Christian Warriors”... who hold high the Banner of Christ, to fight against an unseen foe, of whose victory over we are assured. All are welcomed to join us, we turn none away who seek to know and understand The Christ we serve and the mission of accomplishment He calls us to. He and we eagerly await and are actively seeking such.

More could be added to qualify my stance of who I am and associated with. If this then merits any chance my stance be considered as potentially cheeky and snooty then so be it. I will take this stand against any and all others. It is more than sufficient for me..............it is more than sufficient for Him........

[Cronos]

Do you deny that you posted post 6928 where a link is made to a VANITY post and passed off that VANITY post as evidence?

[Cronos]

"difference you've overlooked is that one is the god of islam who does not exist, and the other is the Triune God of all creation who does exist. "

Yes, that IS the difference between Christianity and Islam, however, I was pointing out the logical steps that the Jabaris use and the path your logic seemed to be leading down to

[Cronos]

We can assume that blog is likewise sanctioned by Rome since it appears to be one of the many chapters of the Vatican-sanctioned Legion of Mary scattered throughout the world.

The assumption made is wrong -- the Vatican does not "sanction" or "authorize" blogs of the various lay groups of Christians worldwide.

[NoGrayZone]

How did you find your church? You’re not on Long Island, are you =)?

[Cronos]

So Allah is nothing more than a common pagan god with a pedophile as his prophet. I had no idea.

It's scary how true that is. If you read the Koran and the HAdiths you find that Mohammed makes up verses on the spur ofthe moment.

For example, the verses about being nice to the People of the Book (Jews, Christians and later Zoroastrians) was put in when he had to be nice to the people of Medina (a Jewish town)and was using them as a base to attack Mecca. However, later, after he conquered Mecca (by telling the MEccans that it was ok to worship Allat, Amat and Uzat, the daughters of Allah -- which he took back later and claimed they were SATANIC VERSES whispered to him by Satan not by Jibril/Gabriel), he recanted that as the Jews in Medina realised that Mohammed wasn't coming to convert the Arabs to Judaism but was forming his own religion, usurping THEIRs. At that point, the Koran and Hadiths talk about Jews being pigs

Then after Mo fell in love with his daughter-in-law, he wrote a Hadith saying it was ok for her to divorce his adopted son and marry him -- which happened.

A 'prophet' of convenience

[Petronski]

...tanin in the tea helps clot the blood. So then swelling worsened.

When I had a tooth pulled, my dentist told me to brew up a bunch of tea, then put the tea-bags in the fridge (or quick-cool them in the freezer if need be), in a ziplock bag. The tanins work just as well while cold.

[HarleyD]

Not really. At the worst it’s sanctified speculation. At best, it’s a biblical insight that breaks a logjam.

What logjam? The one you don't wish to accept? So, your argument is that you really know the counsel of God because it's just feels right??? And you complain when we state that the counsel of God is a mystery? This sounds like the Democrats arguing they know what's best on health care and the Republicans don't have a health care plan.

There are other scriptures and certainly other fundamental truths documented in the Bible that clearly states God is soverign and gives faith to those who He desires. Faith is a gift-not an act of the will. This was one of the main reasons the Reformation occurred.

[Petronski]

So, your argument is that you really know the counsel of God because it's just feels right???

That is the way YOPIOS works.

...God is soverign and gives faith to those who He desires. Faith is a gift-not an act of the will.

Just another version of YOPIOS.

This was one of the main reasons the Reformation occurred.

To promote a billion personal interpretations of Scripture? That's the way it worked out.

[HarleyD]

He can lead one direction ..I want to go in another...He says wait..I say no I don’t want to. My wanting is my will..my desire opposing Him.

You're looking at points in time in your life where you stumble. God looks at you as a blossoming Christian as He perfects you. A non-Christian doesn't give two hoots about wanting to please God.

Scripture teaches that once you accept Christ, you become a child of the Light. You've passed out of darkness and into the light. You are no longer held in bondage as a slave to sin. Instead you are now a SLAVE to righteousness.

Rom 6:20-22 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.

1Jn 3:4-7 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous

Christian fall in their walk because they are deceived. For sure there are many ways to be deceived, but we are still deceived.

Eve took the first bite and she gave it to Adam. Doesn't anyone wonder WHY God would pronounce the greater punishment on Adam? Eve fell because she was deceived into taking the fruit we are told (2 Cor 11:3, 2 Tim 2:13). Adam fell because he wanted to take the fruit. Eve's punishment was not as severe simply because she was deceived into the act. Sin was still sin but God didn't look upon her act as the same as He looked upon Adam.

You can compare the act of deception of Eve to the willfulness of sin of Adam. Adam was the ONLY one who could will himself against God. His race has passed into this bondage. Christ was the ONLY one would could redeem us by willfully following God. Once we are released from this bondage, we walk with God all the while being careful not to be deceived.

If one takes the time to study this, they will find that Christians are warned not to be deceived over and over again in the New Testament. Christians will not take the fruit like Adam, but they can be deceived into taking it like Eve:

Rom 16:18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. (we can listen to others)

1Co 3:18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. (we can deceive ourselves thinking we're smart-ouch)

Eph 5:6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. (false words)

2Th 2:3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, (all sorts of ways)

1Jn 1:8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (Here's a case where WE can deceive ourselves.)

1Jn 2:26 I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. (with doctrine)

The reason Christians sin is because they either internally or externally deceive themselves and are led by their deception-just like Eve. Deception is not a choice.

[HarleyD]

I suppose it’s better than evolving doctrine by a few so that we can reach a political end.

[Petronski]

You have merely described yet another version of personal interpretations of Scripture.

[HarleyD]

And you've described the Catechism's of someone's personal interpretation of Scripture. What's the difference? Simply because a few people got together and voted for it?

God gave me eyes to read and the Internet to check it out. I understand some like the candles and incenses and the priests with their funny hats. But it's not the 12th century you know.

[Petronski]

And you've described the Catechism's of someone's personal interpretation of Scripture.

Yes.

Christ's. He founded the Catholic Church and promised us it is the foundation and pillar of truth.

Everyone else is just making stuff up to suit themselves.