Posted on 04/08/2016 7:34:38 AM PDT by Salvation
The Gospel proclaimed on Wednesday of this week included the familiar John 3:16. So familiar is this verse, that many hold up signs or have bumper stickers that simply say, “John 3:16.”
For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life (John 3:16).
It is indeed a beautiful verse, but I would argue that many use it inauthentically by pulling it out from its place within a longer passage. The fuller segment is John 3:16-21, which is as much a passage of warning as it is of consolation and assurance.
Here it is again, along with the remainder of that longer passage:
For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through him.
Whoever believes in him will not be condemned,
but whoever does not believe has already been condemned,
because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.
And this is the verdict,
that the light came into the world,
but people preferred darkness to light,
because their works were evil.
For everyone who does wicked things hates the light
and does not come toward the light,
so that his works might not be exposed.
But whoever lives the truth comes to the light,
so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God (John 3:16-21).
This fuller context has somewhat of a different tone. It sets forth a great drama in which our lives are cast. It amounts to sober assessment of the obtuseness of many human hearts and of the urgent need for us to decide well in life.
Those who merely quote the first verse run the risk of presenting this text as a kind of a freewheeling assurance that all is well and that salvation is largely in the bag, that judgment and condemnation are not a significant factor since “God so loved the world.” And while the concept of faith is included in this first verse, without the larger context the tendency is to soft-pedal the need for repentance and for the obedience of faith. In so doing, the true drama and sober teaching of the fuller text are lost.
The longer passage fleshes the message out and has a balance that the shortened text does not. Here is what Jesus is in effect saying, expressed in more modern language:
As I live, I and my Father do not desire that any should die in their sins or be lost. I have not currently come as your judge but as your savior. I will come one day as the judge of all, but now is a time of grace and mercy extended to you.
But you need to know that you have a decision to make, a decision that will determine where you will spend eternity.
So please listen to me! Open the door to me and let me draw you to the obedience of faith and the beauty of holiness. If you do this, light will dawn for you, for I am the Light and your life will grow ever brighter.
But if you will not repent and come to a lifesaving obedience of faith, your heart will begin to despise me and the light of my glory. You will become accustomed to the darkness and begin to consider the Light (which I am) to be obnoxious, harsh, judgmental, and even cruel. Yes, you will begin to hate me, for I am the Light. You will prefer the darkness because you love your sins more.
Come to your senses and don’t let this happen. You have a decision to make: for the light or for the darkness, for me or for the prince of this world, Satan. Be sober and understand the dramatic choice before you. Your salvation depends on your choice to come to obedient faith in me or to reject me.
And know this: on the day of your judgment, the verdict will not be rendered by me so much as by you. For by then, you will either love the Light or hate it. And I will not force you to live in a light you detest. You will be free to go your own way. It will not be I who reject you. It will be you who reject me.
Be sober. Don’t let this happen. Don’t marginalize or ignore me. Don’t prefer the world and its twisted values and passing pleasures. Your sins will make you hate the light and prefer the darkness. You have a decision to make.
This message is much more complex than that contained in the popular, abbreviated text known as John 3:16. God’s mercy is offered, but the final verdict will center on whether or not we accept it. This message may be less consoling but it is true nonetheless, and only the truth can set us free.
There is a tendency by many to pull out certain verses and isolate them from their context and from the fuller message of the Gospel. The full and authentic Gospel echoes the opening call of the Lord Jesus: “Repent and believe the Good News.”
So yes, John 3:16! But please continue reading. The whole Gospel, please!
You do love to miss the point!
NIV Matthew 4:18-19
18. As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.
19. "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."NIV Matthew 8:14
When Jesus came into Peter's house, he saw Peter's mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever.NIV Matthew 10:1-2
1. He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.
2. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John;NIV Matthew 14:28-31
28. "Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."
29. "Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.
30. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"
31. Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"NIV Matthew 15:13-16
13. He replied, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots.
14. Leave them; they are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit."
15. Peter said, "Explain the parable to us."
16. "Are you still so dull?" Jesus asked them.
NIV Matthew 16:13-18
13. When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"
14. They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
15. "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"
16. Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
17. Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.
18. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.19. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
#328
“Now you would think all these brilliant theologians would figure this out before they swim that polluted river Tiber.”
Don’t assume they stand wet in the courts of Rome because of Truth.
Really?
This coming from someone who believes that 'searching the Scriptures' is NOT enough!
--Bereans; noble folk I'm TOLD.
Acts 17:11
Yeah, I neglected to include the tradition part and the experience part, didn’t I? Something about “reason” too, I guess.
Your question: “why do you presume someone has not found the truth of Jesus just because they don’t agree with you on the Eucharist?”
Why do you presume that my comment “I do hope that you seek the Truth of Jesus.” was insincere based on my beliefs. I truly hope all attain everlasting life with God. You impute a negative meaning that was not there.
The mission of the Catholic Church is to help everyone attain everlasting life with God. As everyone has free will, neither God, the Catholic Church nor I will attempt to force anyone to accept the teachings of Jesus or the Catholic Church.
I do believe that Jesus founded the Catholic Church and that the Catholic Church is the one holy apostolic Church. I do believe that it is possible to attain Heaven or Purgatory as a non Catholic. My gut tells me that a baptized Catholic that has rejected the Catholic Church may not. Anyone in mortal sin at the time they die will not go to Heaven.
I do believe that being an active member of the Catholic Church allows one to grow close to God and is the best way to attain everlasting life with God. Again neither the Catholic Church nor I will make that decision to attain Heaven, the Lord will justly decide.
I am not trying to win a debate with respect to the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. I know that it is truly Him because He said so and he has left many signs that He always speaks the Truth. I believe that non Catholics are rejecting Jesus Christ just like the Jews did in the Scriptures.
Just because someone says that they are followers of Jesus Christ does not mean that they accept all of the teachings of Jesus Christ or of His Church and this can be a rejection of Jesus and His Church. Only God and the person knows what is inside the soul.
The reasons given by non Catholics to interpret the words of Jesus are not logical and are basically calling Jesus a liar. I do not accept anyone calling or believing that Jesus is not truthful. He is the Truth.
I truly hope all find the Truth of Jesus and His Catholic Church.
Does the RCC officially teach that if you don’t believe in the eucharist, you are going to hell?
The Catholic Catechism 1035 indicates that one that dies in mortal sin will go to hell. The willful turning away from God.
My opinion for a baptized Catholic to reject the Catholic Church is turning away from God.
From Catholic Answers:
If one can be of another faith that rejects Church teachings and still reach the kingdom of heaven, then what’s the point of being a Catholic?
Answer
1. Catholicism is true.
2. Unless we strive to be faithful to the truth to the best of our understanding, we will not be saved.
3. The farther one is away from the Church, the less the chance of making it to heaven.
4. Those who culpably refuse to embrace the truth in the Church cannot be saved because they are ultimately rejecting Christ.
You want to trust in your religious institution and your faithfulness to the rituals of same, that's on you. The ekklesia is built and continues to be built upon the profession that Jesus is Savior and Lord.
You want to pridefully believe you can eat God-life into you instead of Trusting His Promise that believing, you receive eternal life, that's on you.
You want to petition dead people, including the mother of Jesus, to work your way to God's ear, that's on you, since GOD has told us we are now blessed to have direct access to Him because of God The Son sacrificing Himself for us and our Salvation.
You want to ignore what the Word teaches about salvation, that believing, we are already delivered from the wrath to come, that's on you. Even the beginnings of God's wrath poured out upon this earth will be hellish for the targets that first three and one-half years.
But there are many here on FR who don't want that for you. They are well taught by God's Spirit through God's Word, and see the peril in 'striving to obtain salvation'. we will keep on contending for the Faith, for the Truth, regardless of your closed minds and smarmy insults. we are under orders from Higher Authority, to keep on keeping on, so that God has 'e bytes' to use on your behalf. But whoa unto those who harden their hearts the more by rejecting God's Whole Word. That's on you ...
So you know exactly what happens when people die!
Please tell us more.
So do the souls lie in the ground with the body or do they go to Heaven and Hell?
Please let us know where your theology comes from?
Pax vobiscum.
Could it be that the pride of one working to become a Catholic Priest prevents seeing the Truth and having only vision for what the institution is feeding him? ... Working to get the authorization from the institution disallows seeing any other authority, and always attributes the assumed authority of the institution as authority from God. ... Would that make sense, since this institution teaches that their priests must perform the magic to put God into a wheat wafer for digesting, to get their religion’s god into them?
1. Catholicism is true. As another religion, it almost remains consistent, but doesn't quite pull it off. Catholiciism is not true but it can yank Bible verses out of the context of the scene and out of the whole Truth in The Bible, in order to appear to be true, like the eating of Jesus's Risen Body, a ritual the Catholic religion claims was first performed the NIGHT BEFORE Jesus even went to the Cross as the perfect Lamb of God.
2. Unless we strive to be faithful to the truth to the best of our understanding, we will not be saved. That dear soul is owrks based religion, and one of the primary proofs that catholiciism is NOT Christianity. GOD does not command us to strive to obtain, He applies His Grace immediately when we do as He directed, believe on the One HWom He has sent for our deliverance. The proof of this is astonishingly obvious as seen on the Day of Pentecost and in the House of Cornelius. But the religion of catholiciism somehow manipulates minds to not even see that TRUTH, so that the striving part can capture the pride of the adgerents in the 'other religion' known as Catholicism.
3. The farther one is away from the Church, the less the chance of making it to heaven. Sneaky wording for 'less chance to work their way to Heaven'. More astonishing proof that most Catholics are clueless to what is the means to Deliverance. This further proof is astonishingly obvious also, proving the 'other religion' is a works based system which is anathema to what GOD has given us to know by His WORD.
4. Those who culpably refuse to embrace the truth in the Church cannot be saved because they are ultimately rejecting Christ. Purposely conflating catholiciism with the ekklesia Jesus is building is further proof of the father of this 'other religion'. Here's your sign ... it reads 'Depart from Me, I never knew you'.
Well good luck to you.
Sincere you consider a “God Bless you” as insult in a previous post.
“Don’t say god bless you when you mean something very different based upon the falsehood you preceded the faux blessing with.”
A loverly old fashioned ElsieThon or 2 should do it...
:)
Your comment: “Your use of “This is my body” implies a negative derogatory comment about people that do NOT find Rome’s explanation of metaphor vs reality correct.”
The words “This is my body” are the words of Jesus, as you exclaim that they are negative towards non believers, then they are rejecting Jesus. You are calling Jesus a liar and Jesus is the Truth.
May you know God’s Truth.
1) Someone’s opinion.
2) Unscriptural teaching about salvation.
3) Jesus is the way the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father but through Him, not a religion of any kind no matter what it claims about itself.
4) The RCC does not equal Jesus Christ. One can certainly reject an unScriptural religious system and accept and be a follower of Jesus. Rejecting Catholicism does not equate to rejecting Jesus.
Your comment: “All this attempt to make bread and grape juice something changed, holy, mysterious, manipulated only by some selected cult leaders for their power over credulous ignoramuses is simply just puff, a product of a system meant to snare gullible slaves to be constantly milked of their substance by simony.” Your comment is NOT the truth.
The words of Jesus “This is my Body” “This is my Blood” is the TRUTH.
You can either follow Jesus with the Truth or not. Attempting to rationalize the words of Jesus is not truthful and leads to rejecting Jesus.
I truly hope that you find God’s Truth and follow it.
I already are one!
You realize of course, that you just committed the sin of presumption, by having assurance of salvation. 😀😆😃😄😎
You asked a question and you got an answer that you didn’t like.
You respond with personal excuses.
I do hope that you find God’s Truth. I do wish you the love of God.
Jesus said that He was the door, the vine, the bread, the way.
Can we then presume that you, as a Catholic who demands that we take everything literally, believe that Jesus is made from wood?
Or has green leaves growing out of Him?
Or His body is made from bread dough?
Or that He is made from dirt?
He also said that He was drinking the fruit of the vine> Why don’t Catholics believe that what He was drinking was wine instead of blood?
Do you really believe that Jesus would break the very Law that He said He came to fulfill but drinking blood in violation of every command concerning blood that God ever gave us?
If you are going to take Jesus words so seriously, remember that He also instructed His disciple to not be called *Father* nor to call any one *Father*. Why do Catholic disobey a clear concise command of Jesus when addressing their religious leaders?
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