Your statement: “No, I was catholic and later came to saving faith in Christ alone - apart from rituals, and filthy works - and finally left when the Spirit enlivened the Word to me and I realized Rome did not teach the Gospel of Grace, but a religion of false works.”
So how long were you a Catholic and what (specifically) changed your beliefs?
You don’t indicate the basis for your beliefs, apparently protestant based on Luther and others.
You seem very committed to your beliefs, but it apparent to me that they reject some of God’s truths and don’t agree with the Bible.
I have siblings that are not practicing their Catholic faith and following non catholic spouses in protestant religions, and I am concerned for their salvation.
Many of us have fallen away from our Catholic faith and as we get older return to the Mass and Sacraments. You may wish to spend an hour before the Blessed Sacrament and just listen to God.
Pray that we all follow God’s Truth.
“ So how long were you a Catholic and what (specifically) changed your beliefs?”
Cradle Catholic, altar boy. No priest abused me thankfully.
I read the Bible myself for the first time when I got to college.
I came to saving faith in Christ and assurance of salvation. What a joy to know God personally! And to know all my sins are forgiven! And to have assurance of salvation!
“You don’t indicate the basis for your beliefs, apparently protestant based on Luther and others.”
God’s Holy Word and The Wonderful Spirit to open my eyes.
No Luther, no Protestant, no Catholic.
“You seem very committed to your beliefs, but it apparent to me that they reject some of God’s truths and don’t agree with the Bible.”
That your opinion is that my beliefs don’t agree with the Bible does not surprise me. You are “rome-blind” as I used to be, but fir the grace of God.
I took almost 4 years in seminary, outlining every book in the Bible - verse by verse, chapter by chapter. Studied every single verse of every single book. Read more church history than I would ever want to again, studied theology and more importantly, the history of theology. And of course Greek and actual translation.
But there is no greater truth than this:
Salvation comes only by entrusting yourself to Him alone for the forgiveness of sin and to make you a new creation in Him.
No work, no church, no rituals, no saint, no angel, no scapular, nothing but simple saving faith in Him alone.
Best.