Posted on 10/08/2014 11:39:09 AM PDT by NKP_Vet
Why would intelligent, successful people give up their careers, alienate their friends, and cause havoc in their families...to become Catholic? Indeed, why would anyone become Catholic?
As an evangelist and author who recently threw my own life into some turmoil by deciding to enter the Catholic Church, I've faced this question a lot lately. That is one reason I decided to make this documentary; it's part of my attempt to try to explain to those closest to me why I would do such a crazy thing.
Convinced isn't just about me, though. The film is built around interviews with some of the most articulate and compelling Catholic converts in our culture today, including Scott Hahn, Francis Beckwith, Taylor Marshall, Holly Ordway, Abby Johnson, Jeff Cavins, Devin Rose, Matthew Leonard, Mark Regnerus, Jason Stellman, John Bergsma, Christian Smith, Kevin Vost, David Currie, Richard Cole, and Kenneth Howell. It also contains special appearances by experts in the field of conversion such as Patrick Madrid and Donald Asci.
Ultimately, this is a story about finding truth, beauty, and fulfillment in an unexpected place, and then sacrificing to grab on to it. I think it will entertain and inspire you, and perhaps even give you a fresh perspective on an old faith.
(Excerpt) Read more at indiegogo.com ...
Acts 15
4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’[b]”
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’[c]”
7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’[d]”
8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’[e]”
11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
Catholic version: 4 Jesus answered, “Let me get back to you after checking with mom." 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, 7 Jesus answered him, “The church fathers have expalined it THIS way..." 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” 10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is explicit in the Catechism..." 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
Matthew 4:1-11
1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted[a] by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’[c]”
True.
Any Superwoman could.
I am SORELY tempted...
and STILL 'bethrothed' when she died! (According to Rome...)
Under penalty of DEATH!!!
Oh... wait....
What about verse 12?
Your attempts to invert the clear meaning of Acts 15 are a vexation to every believer.
Easy Believism is a sure ticket to the lake that burns.
.
Metmom isn't asking anyone to follow her, but you, apparently, continue to insist if everyone doesn't see things your way they are condemned to hell. Perhaps if you clarified your stance better, there wouldn't BE disagreement.
It looks like you are all over the map on this subject of justification. In one post you affirm we ARE saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ and in the next you assert no one can be saved unless they "keep his commandments", "keep Torah" and "endure to the end". No one is arguing that Jesus said if we love him we will keep his commandments or that, through the indwelling Holy Spirit (whom you have claimed in the past is not God) we have the power to be obedient, as we are no longer slaves to sin. But you flip-flop in your responses so much that it's difficult to know what you actually mean.
There IS a difference between being justified by grace through faith in Jesus Christ and what comes afterward in living holy lives pleasing to God to bring Him honor and His blessings on our lives. What you keep calling "keeping Torah" - and you haven't been all that clear on what THAT means - is NOT what saves us. It seems to me that you reject the sacrificial death of Christ on our behalf - that HE kept Torah perfectly and HE, alone, is the spotless, unblemished Lamb of God who died for our sins and raised again for our justification. There IS no work on our part that needs to be added to His work FOR us. God gives to us eternal life THROUGH faith and not of our own works. If this is what you also believe, then we are good.
If, however, you contend that we MUST "keep Torah" (presumably, keeping the Law of Moses with all the feasts, holy days, proscription of certain foods, actions, etc.) in order to keep that salvation, or attain it when we die, then I will strongly disagree with you. For if we must do something in order to keep a "gift", then it is no longer a gift. Like Paul said, if we seek to be justified by the Law, we are fallen from grace - and that applies to the whole process. There are many religions that are based upon what we do in order to merit heaven, or whatever the endgame is, but genuine Christianity is opposite of all religions because it is what God does FOR us, to bind us back to Him, not what we must do for Him to be worthy. It is truly grace - undeserved, unmerited, unearned - that sets apart Biblical Christianity and only those whose eyes and hearts have been opened by the Holy Spirit to receive the Gospel will accept that truth. Those, who through carnal and stubborn pride insist they MUST put in their two cents, will never grasp the awesome wonder of true grace.
I comprehend fully the falsehoods she believes and is trying to impart to others.
If you need to know what the commandments of Yeshua are, start with Matthew 5;17-19
.
BB, you make no sense whatsoever.
I post scripture, and easy believers say scripture is wrong, their misunderstanding of their clipped verses from Paul’s letters, with which they do wrest, over-rule the scriptures.
If you like it, love it!
.
IOW, one has to work HARD for their salvation.
I thought you keep telling us that God's commandments are EASY to obey.
That's because spiritual truths are spiritually discerned. The Holy Spirit gives understanding to spiritual truths.
You need the Holy Spirit to understand it.
So where does keeping the Torah, which you claim one must do to be saved, come in?
Which parts of the Torah? What about the system of sacrifices? Where do you perform those and who does it for you?
You have yet to specify ANYWHERE what parts of the Torah are to be kept, even though you have been asked many, many times.
You continually respond with *I told you already* and never point to where that happened.
While you're at it, explain what you mean by “easy believers” or “easy believerism”. Most of the time I've seen that term used it is asserting that God requires more than faith to give us salvation and is said to insult others and imply those who trust in God's promise of eternal life through faith in Christ imagine that gives them a license to sin. Is this your contention?
Don’t be coy.
When I post scripture, it is from a well respected source, either the University of Michigan, or the University of Virginia, both sites that are openly available on line.
The concordance site I use is blueletterbible.org.
Rarely do I post less than the complete chapter, to avoid the contextual errors that plague the clipped posts of the easy believers club.
>> “So where does keeping the Torah, which you claim one must do to be saved, come in?” <<
.
Still hugging your favorite strawman I see!
.
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.