I read this today from JONI AND FRIENDS and thought it so worth sharing. It spoke to me because there are times in my walk that I drift and it is not hard to do if you do not focus on Christ and make you every day about Him and not yourself. Please Lord help me keep focused on YOU....
Drifting
We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.
--Hebrews 2:1
Do you recall, as a child, riding your rubber mat on the gentle waves of the ocean? I remember the warm sun and the rocking motion almost sending me off to sleep. In fact, I once did just that. When a giant swell woke me up, I raised my head and realized with horror how far from shore I had been carried away. A strong current had caught me and carried me down the beach. I don't know how it happened... and so quickly! I didn't realize how far I had drifted away until the moment I saw that great distance between me and my family further up the beach.
Drifting can be dangerous. Always, always there are currents pulling at us. Always we are swimming upstream, against the tide. There is always the temptation to drift, and we never realize how far we are carried away until we see Christ... until we see the others from whom we have parted. It is possible for any of us to drift spiritually or morally. No one is immune. Think of the powerful currents in your life that would carry you along unless you "kept at the oars" to control the direction. There is the current of social opinion or fad. There is a current of personal desire, of doing the things you want to do. Lust is a powerful undertow. Materialism is a relentless tug.
Following God does not come easy. Today, anchor yourself with a recommitment to keep at the oars, to keep rowing against those strong undertows. Let's not be lolled to sleep and carried away.
* * * * *
Someone has said, "Sow a thought, reap an action... sow an action, reap a habit... sow a habit, reap a character." Drifting from God starts in small ways with little thoughts. To keep the current of your thoughts in line, find a King James Bible and look up 2 Corinthians 10:5. Can your thoughts be controlled? Who gives you the power to do so?
Lord, you are a lighthouse for me, a center point, a high tower. I can always tell whether or not I'm drifting by looking to see how close, or how far from you I am. Keep me anchored near you.
HONOR HIM AND HE WILL HONOR YOU.
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26 comments:
Hi There! Just stopping by to say hi! Just getting back to visiting friends. Thanks for the word from Joni. I love her!
Hi Maxine,
Good to hear from you. Joni sure is wonderful and such a blessing to many people
Cristina
"A Christian man is Catholic while he lives in the body; cut off, he is made a heretic; the Spirit does not follow an amputated member."
Saint Augustine...
"The Catholic Church Always Has What The World Is Lacking."
G.K. Chesterton...
Hi Michael,
Nice to meet you. I visited your blog and on it, it says
"I was saved, I am saved, and I am being saved. Yes, but only God knows who they are."
I dont understand the "I am being saved" because once the Lord saves you, it is for eternity. You can not loose your salvation.
John 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
John 10:27-28 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. (28) "And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.
rom 8:(38) For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, (39) nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Can we say we are "Saved" by just accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior?
No. This is what some Protestant sects teach, Baptists especially.
This teaching excludes doing Good Works and essentially says that as long as we accept Jesus Christ, we can do anything we want to do.
If this teaching were true, then what is the purpose of the Ten Commandments (Trent, session 6, chapter XI)?
Why did Jesus Christ say, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of Heaven; BUT HE WHO DOES THE WILL OF MY FATHER IN HEAVEN SHALL ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN." Matt 7:21.
Now how can anyone DO the will of the Father without doing Good Works?
Salvation is an on going process...
We were saved in the past: Rom 5:1-2,
We are being saved now: 1Cor 1:18, 1Cor 15:2, Phil 2:12, Heb 10:14, 1Pet 1:8-9, 1Pet 2:1-2.
We will be saved in the future: Matt 10:22, 24:13, Rom 6:16, 13:11, 1Cor 3:15, 5:5, Gal 2:17, Gal 5:4-5, Rev 21:6-7.
We can also lose our salvation: Matt 6:14-15, *7:21, 24:44-51, 25:31-46, Mark 11:26, Luke 10:16, John 14:21, Rom 11:22, Rev 21:8, 21:27.
Justification by Faith Alone, is a Protestant teaching.
It was unheard of in the Christian community before the sixteenth century.
Works are the fruit of Faith, but a necessary fruit... Rosalind Moss
We work out what GOD works in our hearts.
Faith plus Works equals Faith working through Love.
The One True Church
Tell The Truth Or Suffer The Consequences!
Catholic...
Q. Where did the word originate?
A. It comes from the Greek word Katholikos, which was later Latinized into Catholicus.
Q. What is the meaning of the word?
A. It means 'Universal', which in itself means, 'of or relating to, or affecting
the entire world and all peoples therein'.
It means, all encompassing,
comprehensibly broad, general, and containing all that is necessary.
In summation, it means all people in all places, having all that is
necessary, and for all time.
Q. But is it Biblical?
A. Yes it is. It is in Matthew 28:19-20, "Go, therefore and make disciples of all nations...teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you;
And behold, I am with you all days, even unto the consummation of
the world."
That is a statement of Universality, Katholicos, Catholicus, Catholic.
Q. I have heard that the word 'Catholic' did not come into use for hundreds of years after Jesus Christ founded His Church.
A. Not true. The first recorded use of the word that I could find, is in St. Ignatius of Antioch's letter to the Smyrneans, paragraph 8, of 107 A.D., "Where the Bishop appears, there let the people be, just as where Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church."
Undoubtedly the word was in use before the time of this writing.
Q. Some say the Catholic Church ended with Constantine (285-337), withthe "Edict of Milan" which he issued in 313, which allowed the Church to practice openly. Others say that is when the Church began. Who is right?
A. Neither is right. The Catholic Church is the true Church founded by Jesus Christ and He guaranteed its perpetuality, Matthew 28:20, and its unfaltering truth, 1Timothy 3:15.
Now if either of the arguments in the question were true, than don't you think the Church Fathers would have mentioned it somewhere?
Instead, the Church Fathers mention the Catholic Church
by Name in hundreds of their writings and spanning many centuries.
Ask the ones who say these things to show you documented proof.
Here is what Church Fathers had to say. In every case the word "Catholic" is used. Notice the dates, as they span over a century before and after Constantine.
The JXXXX refers to the paragraph numbers in "The Faith
of the Early Fathers", by William A. Jurgens.
Catholic Church...
Ignatius, Letter to the Smyrneans 8:1-2. J65. 106AD
Martyrdom of St. Polycarp 16:2. J77,79,80a,81a, 155AD
Clement of Alexandria, Stromateis 7:17:107:3. J435, 202AD
Cyprian, Unity of the Catholic Church 4-6. J555-557, 251AD
Cyprian, Letter to Florentius 66:69:8. J587, 254AD
Lactantius,Divine Institutions 4:30:1. *J637, 304AD
Alexander of Alexandria, Letters 12. J680, 324AD
Athanasius, Letter on Council of Nicea 27. J757, 350AD
Athanasius, Letter to Serapion 1:28. J782, 359AD
Athanasius, Letter to Council of Rimini 5. J785, 361AD
Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures 18:1. J836-*839, 350AD
Damasus, Decree of Damasus 3. J910u, 382AD
Serapion, The Sacramentary 13:1. J1239a, 350AD
Pacian of Barcelona, Letter to Sympronian 1:4 J1243, 375AD
Jerome, Against the Pelagians book 1-2 417 A.D.
Augustine, Letter to Vincent the Rogatist 93:7:23. J1422, 408AD
Augustine, Letter to Vitalis 217:5:16. J1456, 427AD
Augustine, Psalms 88:2:14, 90:2:1. J1478-1479, 418AD
Augustine, Sermons 2, 267:4. *J1492, *J1523, 430AD
Augustine, Sermon to Catechumens on the Creed 6:14. J1535, 395AD
Augustine, The True Religion 7:12+. *J1548, *J1562, J1564, 390AD
Augustine, Against the Letter of Mani 4:5. *J1580-1581, 397AD
Augustine, Christian Instruction 2:8:12+. *J1584, J1617, 400AD
Augustine, Baptism 4:21:28+. J1629, J1714, J1860a, J1882, 411AD
Augustine, Against the Pelagians 2:3:5+. *J1892, *J1898, 421AD
Innocent I, Letter to Probus 36. J2017, 417AD
Fulgence of Ruspe, Forgiveness of Sins 1:19:2, J2251-2252, 517AD
The following writings attest to the antiquity of the Catholic Church
Church Antiquity...
Hermas, The Shepherd Vis 2:4:1. J82
Anonymous 2nd Letter of Clement to Corinthians 14:2. J105
Clement of Alexandria, Stromateis 7:17:107:3. J435
Augustine, Letter to Deogratias 102:15. J1428
Augustine, Psalms 90:2:1. J1479
Augustine, Predestination of Saints 9:18. J1985
Gregory I, Letter to John 5:44:18. J2295 595AD
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following writings support the perpetuality of the Catholic Church.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Church Forever...
Clement, Letter to Corinthians 42:1,64. J20,29a 80AD
Anonymous, 2nd letter of Clement to Rome 14:2. J105
Cyprian, Unity of the Catholic Church 4. J555-556
Cyprian, Letter to the Lapsed 33:27:1. J571
Hilary, The Trinity 7:4. J865 Augustine, Psalms 90:2:1. J1479
Augustine, Sermon to Catechumens 6:14. J1535
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following writings tell of the founding of the Catholic Church.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Church Founded...
Clement, Letter to Corinthians 42:1. J20
Hermas, The Shepherd Vis 2:4:1-3:5:1. J82-84 140AD
Anonymous, Letter of Clement 14:2. J105
Irenaeus, Against Heresies 3:16:6. J217a
Tertullian, Demurrer Against Heretics 9:3. J289
Clement of Alexandria, Stromateis 7:17:107:3. J435 202AD
Cyprian, Unity of the Catholic Church 4. J555-556
Cyprian, Letter to the Lapsed 33:27:1. J571
Hilary of Poitiers, The Trinity 7:4. J865
Augustine, Homilies on John 9:10. J1814
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following writings attest to the fact that the Catholic Church
was seated in Rome.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Church Seated in Rome...
Clement, Letter to the Corinthians, Address. J10a 80AD
Ignatius, Letter to the Romans, J52
Irenaeus, Against Heresies 3:3:3. J210-211
Cyprian, Letter to Cornelius 59:55:14. J580
Council of Constantinople, Canon3. J910d
Damasus, Decree of Damasus 3. J910u
Optatus of Melvis, Schism of Donatists 2:2. J1242
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following writings tell of the unity of the Catholic Church.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Church Unity...
Didache 4:3. J1b Ignatius, Letter to the Philadelphians 3:2. J56
Tertullian, Demurrer Against Heretics 20:4. J292
Cyprian, Unity of the Catholic Church 4. J555-556
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following writings attest to the 'Universality' of the Catholic Church.
The Catholic Church is truly 'Universal' as its name implies.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Church Universal...
Didache, 9:1,10:1. J6,7
Clement, Letter to Corinthians 5:1. J11
Ignatius, Letter to the Ephesians 3:2. J38
Martyrdom of St. Polycarp, Address. J77,79,81a
Hermas, The Shepherd Par 9:17:4. J93
Anonymous, Letter to Diogenetus 6:1. J97a
Aristides of Athens, Apology 15. J112
Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho 110. J144
Irenaeus, Against Heresies 1:10:1. J191,192,215,257
The Muratorian Fragment. J268
Tertullian, Against the Jews 7:4. J320a
Clement of Alexandria, Exhortation Greeks 10:110:1. J405
Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures 18:23. J838
Damasus, Decree of Damasus 3. J910u
Written by Bob Stanley, October 9, 1998 Updated December 3, 2003
What is Truth?
John 18:38
Truth, what is it?
The definition of 'truth' is 'opposite of error'. Truth means it is conformable to fact. It is correct. Truth in action, is when the human conscience agrees with the intellect.
Truth is 'ONE'. There can be only one truth, Jn 17:17-23. Any variation in the one truth is not truth at all, but error.
Truth is a person. Jesus Christ said, "I am the way, the truth and the life", Jn 14:6. When GOD created each one of us, He wrote His law into our hearts... "When the Gentiles who have no law do by nature what the Law prescribes, these having no law are a law unto themselves. They show the work of the LAW WRITTEN IN THEIR HEARTS. THEIR CONSCIENCE BEARS WITNESS TO THEM, EVEN WHEN CONFLICTING THOUGHTS ACCUSE OR DEFEND THEM",
Rom 2:14-15. See also Heb 8:10 and Heb 10:16.
It is our conscience that examines these laws. The 'free will' we were given when we were created makes a decision based on what conscience is telling it, and what the intellect is saying.
What is Truth?
John 18:38
'Free will' gives us the ability to make the right or the wrong decision in GOD's eyes. GOD made the laws, and over and over again, He has urged us to do right, and warned us against doing wrong.
If we did not have free will, there would be no need for urging or warnings. GOD could simply command us to do His will and we would be helpless to resist.
By using free will, we decide which course of action will be taken for each individual incident we face in life.
By using free will, each decides for himself where he will spend eternity.
GOD sends no one to hell. We send ourselves through the decisions we make in this life. In addition to GOD's laws written in our hearts, GOD also built in a hunger for Him and an innate desire to seek Him out.
Since GOD is 'truth', that innate desire is to seek the 'truth' in all things. When we have sought the truth and have found it, then we have found GOD.
That leads into the purpose of this file. In order to find the truth, we have to test for it.
What is Truth?
John 18:38
We have an obligation to question if we are in the process of entering the wide gate to perdition, or the narrow gate to salvation.
"Enter by the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many there are who enter that way. How narrow the gate and close the way that leads to life! AND FEW THERE ARE WHO FIND IT", Matt 7:13-14.
Clearly, these two verses say that the majority of us are on the broad way to destruction. Don't you want to be on the narrow way to heaven?
In order to insure you are on the right path you have to work at it. You are obliged to look at all the options, examine them with the intellect, and seek an agreement with the conscience.
Satan is very clever at disguising himself and at deceiving us into believing what appears as truth, is in fact error. See Isa 5:20, "Woe to you that call evil good and good evil; that put darkness for light and light for darkness."
He is the one who is responsible for so many who are traveling down the broad way. He is constantly telling you that you are on the narrow way, when in fact, he really has situated you on the wide way, the super highway to his domain.
We must not just lie down and accept what we have as being the truth without testing for it on a continual basis. If you just lay back and refuse to test for it, the chances are you are on the wide way as Matt 7:13-14 is trying to tell you.
So how do you test for the truth? I have already given you the answer in the first paragraph. You have to look for error, and you have to see if the truth is conformable to fact. Here are some guidelines. Consult your conscience as you follow these pointers...
1. Have you felt uncomfortable (conscience speaking) with some Bible verses that do not seem to conform to the teaching of your Church? All of Scripture is harmonious and it all should fit together like a giant picture puzzle.
2. When you do question some teaching, do you get definitive answers every time?
3. Do you get meaningless or nebulous answers that don't make sense?
4. Are you absolutely sure that you are in the Church that Jesus Christ founded? He only founded 'A' Church in Matt 16:18. That verse does not say 'Churches'.
I am reminded of 1 Cor 10:12, "Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall."
5. There are over 33,800 different Christian sects in the world today. How can you be sure you have chosen the right one?
6. Remember, 'TRUTH IS ONE', so how can there possibly be 33,800 different Christian Churches, all teaching that ONE TRUTH?
7. If all those Churches taught the same truth, then there would not be 33,800, but only one. What does an examination of conscience say now?
What is Truth?
John 18:38
8. That means there have to be 33,799 Churches teaching error. If that is the case, then there are 33,799 Churches on the 'wide path' and only one on the 'narrow'. I don't like those gambling odds of 1 in 33,800. Does that bother your conscience?
9. Most all Churches claim to be the Church of truth. Who do you believe? Which one is right? Which Church does the Bible say is the Church of truth?
10. The Church of truth is spelled out in the Bible. It is the only Church that was given the authority, the one in whom the Holy Spirit dwells forever, John 14:15-17.
11. "But he who does the truth comes to the light that his deeds may be made manifest, for they have been performed in GOD", John 3:21. This verse says it all.
12. If you haven't found truth then you haven't found GOD.
This is a very serious letter, one that all should heed if they are truly serious about their salvation. After all, you are playing Russian Roulette with your immortal souls.
All of us will spend eternity either in heaven, or in hell. We make that choice ourselves with our own free will. We only have this one life in which to make that choice.
Who knows when that life will end? It might be in the next minute or two. There is no second chance. The time is NOW!
Have you ever thought about eternity as compared to the life in this world? This lifetime is insignificant, a mere blink of an eye, compared to the eons of the tortures of hell, or of the unimaginable joys of heaven.
"Eye has not seen or ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, what things GOD has prepared for those who love Him." 1Cor 2:9...
The Family of GOD...
The Communion of Saints
The Church is a family. The Church Militant (on earth), Church Suffering (in Purgatory), and Church Triumphant (in Heaven) are not three divisions of the Catholic Church, but are united in one family in the Communion of Saints.
The Communion of Saints is a communion of the living, not of the dead. The Communion of Saints is the Church, CCC 946.
The Church, then, is 'The Holy People of GOD', and her members are called 'saints', CCC 823. (CCC is the Catechism of the Catholic Church)
The Family of GOD was built up by GOD through the covenants He made with man.
The first covenant GOD made with man is the one with Adam. This can be seen as the marital covenant, the first step of a family organization.
The second covenant was made with Noah, and this can be seen as the household covenant, since Noah and his family were the only ones who were saved in the ark.
Next came the covenant with Abraham, or the tribal covenant. Abraham became the patriarch of many families united into one 'tribe'.
The Family of GOD...
The Communion of Saints
Then came the covenant with Moses where the various tribes were united into a national covenant.
After that came the Davidic covenant of the kingdom where there was formed a national kingdom.
Lastly, the new covenant of Jesus Christ, was instituted, where all men are united into one body, the body of Christ in an international world wide family of GOD, the Holy Roman Catholic Church.
"I am the GOD of Abraham, and the GOD of Isaac, and the GOD of Jacob. I am not the GOD of the dead but of the living."
Mt 22:32, Mk 12:26-27
"And behold, two men were talking with Him. And these were Moses and Elias, who, appearing in glory, spoke of His death, which He was about to fulfill in Jerusalem." (Lk 9:30-31).
Not only were these two Saints alive, but they spoke, and they even spoke to Him about future happenings.
"And I tell you that many will come from the east and from the west, and will feast with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven." (Mathew 8:11)
The Family of GOD...
The Communion of Saints
Does it sound like these three heros of the Old Testament are not alive?
"And the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep arose; and coming forth out of the tombs after His resurrection, they came into the city and appeared to many." (Matthew 27:52-53).
Many who died, and now are alive, moved themselves and appeared to others.
"In which also He went and preached to those spirits that were in prison." (1Peter 3:19).
They were spirits, yet they lived, and He preached to them.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
" And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and with golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints; and they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy art thou to take the scroll and to open its seals, for thou wast slain and by thy blood didst ransom men for God from every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and hast made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on earth." (Revelation 5:8-10)
The Family of GOD...
The Communion of Saints
The Communion of Saints "And with the prayers of the saints there went up before GOD from the angels hand the smoke of the incense." (Revelation 8:4).
Clearly, the saints in heaven live.
Note that the word "pray" has two meanings:
1. To utter or address a prayer or prayers to GOD...
2. To make a fervent request or an entreaty...
When it is said that Catholics "pray" to the Saints, it is the second meaning.
"And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit shall come upon you and the power of the Most High shall overshadow you..."" (Luke 1:35).
Here is an example of a heavenly being, archangel Gabriel, speaking to a human being.
"For you are all children of GOD through faith in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:26).
"...but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons, by virtue of which we cry, 'Abba! Father!' The Spirit Himself gives testimony to our spirit that we are sons of GOD." (Rom 8:15-16).
The Family of GOD...
The Communion of Saints
"He predestined us to be adopted through Jesus Christ as His sons, according to the purpose of His will." (Ephesians 1:5).
"But to as many as received Him He gave the power of becoming sons of GOD; to those who believe in His name." (John 1:12).
"For as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, many as they are, form one body (family), so also is it with Christ." (1Corinthians 12:12).
"Therefore, you are now no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are citizens with the
Saints and members of GOD's household: you are built upon the foundation of the Apostles
and prophets with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief corner stone.
In Him the whole structure
is closely fitted together and grows into a temple holy in the Lord; in Him you too are being
built together into a dwelling place for GOD in the Spirit."
(Ephesians 2:19-22).
The Family of GOD...
The Communion of Saints
"For in one Spirit we were all Baptized into one body, whether Jews or Gentiles, whether slaves or free; and we were all given to drink of one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many."
(1Cor 12:13-14).
"So we, the many, are one body in Christ, but severally members one of another." (Romans 12:5).
"That there may be no disunion in the body, but that the members may have care for one another. And if one member suffers anything, all members suffer with it, or of one member glories, all the members rejoice with it."
(1Corinthians 12:25-26).
"...there will be joy among the angels of GOD over one sinner who repents." (Luke 15:10).
"Rather are we to practice the truth in love, and to grow up in all things in Him who is the head, Christ." (Ephesians 4:15).
Christ is the head of the body, the family.
"For from the whole body (being closely joined and knit together through every joint of the system according to the functioning in due measure of each single part) derives its increase to the building up of itself in love." (Ephesians 4:16).
"Therefore, you are now no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are citizens with the saints and members of GOD's household; you are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone.
In Him the whole structure is closely fitted together and grows into a temple holy in the Lord; in Him you too are being built together into a dwelling place for GOD in the Spirit." (Ephesians 3:19-22).
We are citizens in the family of GOD.
"Now you are the body of Christ, member for member."
(1Cointhiansr 3:27).
"Be you yourselves as living stones, built thereon into a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to GOD through Jesus Christ."
(1Peter 2:5).
"And GOD indeed has placed some in the Church, first Apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers; after that miracles, then gifts of healing, services of help, power of administration, and the speaking of various tongues.
Are all Apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have the gift of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?" (1Corinthians 12:28-30).
Family members have different skills.
"And He Himself gave some men as Apostles, and some as prophets, others again as evangelists, and others as pastors and teachers, in order to perfect the saints for a work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ."
(Ephesians 4:11-12).
"Now the multitude of the believers were of one heart and one soul, and not one of them said that anything he possessed was his own, but they all had things in common." (Acts 4:32).
"...one body and one Spirit, even as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one Baptism; one GOD and Father of all, who is above all, and throughout all, and in us all." (Ephesians 4:4-6, CCC 946-962).
Written by Bob Stanley, September 18, 1998
Updated June 11, 2001
The section regarding covenants is from a talk by Dr. Scott Hahn
Hi Michael,
you said "'Free will' gives us the ability to make the right or the wrong decision in GOD's eyes. GOD made the laws, and over and over again, He has urged us to do right, and warned us against doing wrong."I agree we have a will and that will is through the fall, and through our own sin, the nature of man has become so depraved, and corrupt, that it is impossible for him to come to Christ without the assistance of God the Holy Spirit.
ohn 1:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Romans 9:16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.
Isaiah 66:3e-4 (3e) "Just as they have chosen their own ways, And their soul delights in their abominations, (4) So will I choose their delusions, And bring their fears on them;
Because, when I called, no one answered, When I spoke they did not hear; But they did evil before My eyes, And chose that in which I do not delight."
1 Corinthians 2:14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. You said “”GOD sends no one to hell. We send ourselves through the decisions we make in this life.” I beg to differ again..2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, (8) in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. (9) These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,
Mat 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
Mat 25:46 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him."
- John 6:44. Through And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Revelation 20:10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
Revelation 20:15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fie.
Michael you clearly show that you believe that we must work our way into heaven otherwise we are bound for hell.
Where does grace come in or do you deny that?
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, (9) not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Mat. 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed [the righteousness] of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Romans 10:1-4 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. (2) For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. (3) For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. (4) For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Romans 3:23-26 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (24) being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, (25) whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, (26) to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Romans 11:5-6 Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace. (6) And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.
There are so many errors in the RCC and it is leading so many folks down the wide path, SO many people. I pray Michael that the Lord opens your heart up to truth and I mean that in a very loving and caring fashion…
Cristina
Baptist Girl said...
There are so many errors in the RCC and it is leading so many folks down the wide path, SO many people.
Dear Baptist Girl,
YOU ARE IN ERROR..
"You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matthew 5:48)
"...your heavenly Father is perfect",
is what the second part of that verse has told us, but then we all knew that already.
GOD is perfect because He is without defect, spot, or blemish.
He is without error.
As hard as that verse sounds to us, we must strive to fulfill our obligation for the first part of it, simply because it is a command from Jesus Christ. Therefore, we must be without error as well.
Jesus Christ also gave us this command, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 22:39)
What exactly does that mean? It means that we must wish the best for our neighbor and have hope for his salvation.
It means that we must strive to help him to be perfect.
It means it is our responsibility to alert him when he is in error.
It is also our responsibility to heed an admonition from another when we are in error.
If any of us fails to expose error when we see it, then we are held responsible for the punishment that the person in error receives.
If a Prophet from GOD gives us a warning in regard to error once, then we certainly should pay attention to it. And one certainly did:
Ezekiel 3:18-19, "Suppose I tell you that wicked people will surely die, but you don't warn them or speak out so that they can change their wicked ways in order to save their lives.
Then these wicked people will die because of their sin, but I will hold you responsible for their deaths.
But suppose you warn the wicked people, and they don't turn from their wicked ways. Then they will die because of their sin, but you will save yourself."
Dear Baptist Girl,
YOU ARE IN ERROR..
However, if that same Prophet from GOD gave a similar warning a second time, then he has added emphasis for the importance of his message and so we must take it very seriously. And thus did Ezekiel issue his message for a second time:
Ezekiel 3:20-21, "If righteous people turn from living the right way and do wrong, I will make them stumble, and they will die. If you don't warn them, they will die because of their sin, and the right things they did will not be remembered. I will hold you responsible for their deaths.
But if you warn righteous people not to sin, and they don't sin, they will certainly live because they listened to the warning. You will save yourself."
But what if that very same Prophet from GOD repeated that same warning yet a third time???
Ouch!
Surely it has become a dire warning indeed, one that simply cannot be ignored:
Ezekiel 33:8-9, "Suppose I say to a wicked person, 'You wicked person, you will certainly die,' and you say nothing to warn him to change his ways. That wicked person will die because of his sin, and I will hold you responsible for his death.
But if you warn a wicked person to turn from his ways and he doesn't turn from them, then he will die because of his sin. However, you will save yourself."
Dear Baptist Girl,
YOU ARE IN ERROR..
As you can readily see we are obligated to speak up and to challenge those who are in error. If we see someone about to fall into the pit, then we must warn them before they do so.
If we fail to warn them, then we too will fall into the pit with them, since by our failure to act we have assumed their error as well.
Matthew 15:14, "Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit."
Proverbs 12:28, "In the path of righteousness is life, but the way of error leads to death."
2Peter 3:15-17, "So also our beloved brother Paul wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, speaking of this as he does in all his letters.
There are some things in them hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other scriptures.
You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, beware lest you be carried away with the error of lawless men and lose your own stability."
1John 4:6, "We are of God. Whoever knows God listens to us, and he who is not of God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error."
Ephesians 5:11, "Take no part in the fruits of darkness, but instead expose them."
Ephesians 5:13, "...but all the things that are exposed are made manifest by the light: for all that is made manifest is light."
Jude 1:10, "But these men revile whatever they do not understand, and by those things that they know by instinct as irrational animals do, they are destroyed. Woe to them! For they walk in the way of Cain, and abandon themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam's error, and perish in Korah's rebellion."
Romans 1:18, "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of men who by their wickedness suppress the truth."
Dear Baptist Girl,
YOU ARE IN ERROR..
Romans 2:5-8, "But by your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.
For he will render to every man according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are factious and do not obey the truth, but obey wickedness, there will be wrath and fury."
Psalms 95:10-11, "For forty years I loathed that generation and said, they are a people who err in heart, and they do not regard my ways. Therefore I swore in my anger that they should not enter my rest."
"If the people hear the horn and ignore the warning and the enemy comes and takes them,
they will be responsible for their own deaths." (Ezekiel 33:4)
See what your reward for exposing error will be. Notice how well these verses dovetail with those of Ezekiel:
"My brethren, if any one among you wanders from the truth and some one brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins." (James 5:19-20)
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."(Matthew 5:16)
"Not to oppose error is to approve it; and not to defend truth is to suppress it".
Pope St. Felix III (483-492)
Written by Bob Stanley
August 28, 2004
Updated October 20, 2005
Updated October 9, 2006
Hi Michael,
I will get back to you by the weekend. I have a very busy schedule this week and will not have the time to answer you, so don't think I am ignoring your post.
Have a good week Michael.
Cristina
PS You can call me Cristina instead of Baptist girl if you would like
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