Yet, you claim membership in the Roman Catholic Church, which, by definition, means you are part of the Church, the one that claims it is the One, True Church established by Jesus Christ at Pentecost. We've seen such stated numerous times here. The question had to do with saying, "We do not declare that we are the Church". So either you are the Church, or you are not the Church, which is it? Nobody ever said one single person is "a" church, but that each saved person makes up the church.
I have confidence in God. It is the riff raff of the Reformation and their empty promises that I have no confidence in.
Yet, your very own comments repeatedly state you have no confidence that God WILL keep his promises. It wasn't the "Reformation" that made any of those promises. They come straight from the very Word of God, Holy Scripture, God-breathed, Divinely-inspired Holy Scripture. God assures us of his great and precious promises and only those who feel they must beg and plead for his mercy every day of their lives - after they have already received Christ as Savior and believed on him - are the ones who disprove whatever confidence they say they have.
Matthew 22:37 "You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart, with your whole soul, and with all your mind, (and) you shall love your neighbor as yourself."
If you do not do as Jesus commands, you are denied salvation.
That is your added interpretation, because that is NOT what Jesus said, is it? The people asked him what the greatest commandments were and he answered them. If you think Jesus demanded complete obedience to all the commandments to be saved, then NONE will be saved. We ALL have sinned, and offending even one part of the law, makes us guilty of the entire law. Without the grace of God we would all be without hope. We cannot save ourselves no matter how many laws we may keep.
Matthew 7: 21 Not every one that saith to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he that doth the will of my Father who is in heaven, he shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day: Lord, Lord, have not we prophesied in thy name, and cast out devils in thy name, and done many miracles in thy name? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity."
Ah, there we have it. Evil doers will be rejected by God at their Judgement. Those who do as Jesus commands will be accepted by God at their Judgement.
I welcome a change in a heart that may formerly have been as stony as a Biblical execution. Thank you for sharing this with us.
Again, with the adding to the words of God. Here's a hint, WE ARE ALL EVILDOERS, WE HAVE ALL SINNED AND FALL SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD. Whoever does not believe on Jesus Christ will not be saved. Whoever obeys Jesus by receiving him and believing in him, will not be condemned. We are no longer under judgment and condemnation because we have been declared righteous in Christ. We are, I am "found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith." (Philippians 3:9)
So, before you start a rumor that I am in RCIA classes, let me assure you, I have not had a "change of heart". That already happened over forty years ago, and has only grown stronger every day. And that's a GOOD thing.
Galatians 3:26-28 26 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
Yet, you claim membership in the Roman Catholic Church, which, by definition, means you are part of the Church, the one that claims it is the One, True Church established by Jesus Christ at Pentecost.
I don't "claim membership". I was baptized into the Church. It happened to be the Latin branch that my parents attended, but I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ.
The question had to do with saying, "We do not declare that we are the Church". So either you are the Church, or you are not the Church, which is it? Nobody ever said one single person is "a" church, but that each saved person makes up the church.
I am not the Church. There are individuals here who have posted that they (singular) are the church. I am a creature of God; He is the Creator. I do not get the two mixed up.
I have confidence in God. It is the riff raff of the Reformation and their empty promises that I have no confidence in.
Yet, your very own comments repeatedly state you have no confidence that God WILL keep his promises.
You guys keep saying this and I keep correcting you. Please pay attention this time. I have no doubt that God keeps all of His promises. It is man that does not keep them.
It wasn't the "Reformation" that made any of those promises. They come straight from the very Word of God, Holy Scripture, God-breathed, Divinely-inspired Holy Scripture. God assures us of his great and precious promises and only those who feel they must beg and plead for his mercy every day of their lives - after they have already received Christ as Savior and believed on him - are the ones who disprove whatever confidence they say they have.
It is the YOPIOS of the Reformation that has drawn people away from God. The Bible message is baptism, repentence and the confession of sins. Not the arrogance of self declared salvation.
That is your added interpretation, because that is NOT what Jesus said, is it?
Shall we turn to:
John 15: << John 15 >> Douay-Rheims Bible -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 I AM the true vine; and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me, that beareth not fruit, he will take away: and every one that beareth fruit, he will purge it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3 Now you are clean by reason of the word, which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abide in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing. 6 If any one abide not in me, he shall be cast forth as a branch, and shall wither, and they shall gather him up, and cast him into the fire, and he burneth. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you shall ask whatever you will, and it shall be done unto you. 8 In this is my Father glorified; that you bring forth very much fruit, and become my disciples. 9 As the Father hath loved me, I also have loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love; as I also have kept my Father's commandments, and do abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be filled.
If you do not keep the Commandments (all of them) of Jesus, you do not abide in Him and you will be cast into the eternal fire. Not my interpretation. Plain Scripture and in agreement with 2000 years of Christianity.
Again, with the adding to the words of God. Here's a hint, WE ARE ALL EVILDOERS, WE HAVE ALL SINNED AND FALL SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD. Whoever does not believe on Jesus Christ will not be saved. Whoever obeys Jesus by receiving him and believing in him, will not be condemned. We are no longer under judgment and condemnation because we have been declared righteous in Christ. We are, I am "found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith." (Philippians 3:9)
I keep posting the plain words of Jesus which are explicit and you post certain passages of Paul which does not explicitly address some of the points that Jesus made. Who is adding to or deleting from the Gospel message now?
So, before you start a rumor that I am in RCIA classes, let me assure you, I have not had a "change of heart". That already happened over forty years ago, and has only grown stronger every day. And that's a GOOD thing.
Me start rumours? Why would I do such a thing?