Hello Friend, [name withheld]… Thank you for being open to a discussion such as this one. First, please allow me to share some things that are necessary for this discussion. My point of reference will be The Bible, The Word of God. And yes, I know that your Bible has some books that mine does not have. Never the less… for our discussion… I will use the Bible as my point of reference. Remember, ‘Denominations’… are manmade. Christ Jesus did not Validate any of these…!
http://truth459.blogspot.com/2009/03/which-bible-101.html
*** (Exodus 20:19-20) And they said to Moses, You speak with us, and we will hear. But let not God speak with us, lest we die.
(Exodus 20:20) And Moses said to the people, Do not fear, for God has come to test you, and so that His fear may be before your faces, so that you may not sin.
It is the same today… people ‘do not’ want to hear God and what He has said in His Holy Word. They would rather hear; from someone else such as a Church. Surely if you… ‘Hear God’… then there is the ‘expectancy’… “To Obey HIM!” But if you hear a man, then there is always the “Universal Excuse”… “That’s Your opinion!” I was once; where you are and simply believed ‘Everything’… the Catholic Church [CC] taught me. You may read my testimony in the below blog link.
*** (Matthew 4:4) But He [Jesus] answered and said, It is written, = "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God."
*** (Luke 6:46) "Why do you keep calling Me [Jesus] 'Lord, Lord,' but don't do what I tell you?
http://truth459.blogspot.com/2009/06/my-confession-101blog.html
There are many things… that the Catholic Church says, that are “NOT” in the Word of God. Matter of fact, in the front of the Catholic Bible there is a… ‘Caveat Disclaimer’. It simply states that the ‘Catholic Church’ is the “Final Authority” on all ‘Spiritual Matters!’ In other words, they say that they ‘are’… and ‘not’ the Word of God… as the final authority. Many miss that and it simply ‘contradicts’… the very words of Christ Jesus in the above Bible verses.
*** (John 17:17) Sanctify them through Your Truth. Your Word is Truth. [Jesus prayed this]
*** (1Timothy 2:5) For God is one, and there is one Mediator of God and of men, the Man Christ Jesus,
http://truth459.blogspot.com/2009/10/virgin-mary-101blog.html
As a former Catholic… I too prayed to Mary and wrongly believed that she as Jesus mother had some special standing with God. And the Saints too… could help me with God. That is ‘wrong’, according to the above Bible verses. Mary is ‘not now’… a Virgin… as Jesus had four bothers and at least two sisters. Why then call her the “Virgin Mary?” Your Popes are not married, yet they falsely claim that Peter was the first pope… and he was married…! Don’t most Catholics have to say… Hail Marries and Our Fathers… after confession as Penance…?
*** (Mark 6:3) Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at Him.
*** (Matthew 8:14-15) And when Jesus had come into Peter's house, He saw his wife's mother laid out and in a fever.
(Matt 8:15) And He touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she arose and served them.
http://truth459.blogspot.com/2009/10/water-baptism-salvation-101.html
The CC also teaches… that one cannot go to heaven unless he or she is baptized in the CC! The above blog uses the Bible and demonstrates that Salvation is by God’s Grace alone… and not of any human works. But there are also things that the CC teaches that are also True. Yes, Abortion… is murder of the Innocent Babies. But on the other side… the CC has allowed Priests and Bishops that are… “Child Molesters”… to escape the justice of the Law. They were simply just transferred to another parish. How many should be ‘Allowed’…? Absolutely… “NONE!”
*** (Titus 3:5) not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,
*** (Ephesians 2:8-9-10) For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God,
(Eph 2:9) Not of works, lest anyone should boast.
(Eph 2:10) For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.
http://truth459.blogspot.com/2009/11/usa-final-solution-101blog.html
About now… you probably find yourself; overwhelmed with this information. Take some time and work through each concept and idea you have been taught and then choose either… “The Bible” … or the Catholic Church…? When I was Born Again by the Holy Spirit… I had to do a lot of… “Unlearning”… of those things I was taught. It did not come ‘easy’… but my mind and heart… decided to… Believe God’s Holy Word… at any cost! Oh yes, “Forgiveness”… does not come from… “The Priest and the Confessional”… but directly from God and His Holy Word.
*** (1John 1:5-to-10) This is the message that we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light, and in him there is no darkness-none at all!
(1Jn 1:6) If we claim that we have fellowship with him but keep living in the darkness, we are lying and the truth is not in us.
(1Jn 1:7) But if we keep living in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
(1Jn 1:8) If we say that we do not have any sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.
(1Jn 1:9) If we make it our habit to confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us those sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
(1Jn 1:10) If we say that we have never sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us.
http://truth459.blogspot.com/2009/03/forgiveness-101.html
One thing as a Catholic… who kept the Holy Days of Obligation, went to Mass, served as an Alter boy, went to Confession and said Penance… “I never really knew – IF”… I was truly forgiven of IF I… really had any ‘real assurance’ of Sins forgiven and the Promise of Heaven! Somehow I never knew… IF I… did enough to please God and IF I… was really His child.
*** (1John 5:13) These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
http://truth459.blogspot.com/2009/04/salvation-101blog-temporary-or.html
http://truth459.blogspot.com/2010/07/heaven-hell-101-1-blog.html
One last thought… I would like to leave with you. God, the God of the Bible is interested in your Hart Response to Him and to His Word. You will find the Truth… only if you do it His Way! You will know you have the Truth… when your heart is right with His Word… Nothing More, Nothing Less…!
http://truth459.blogspot.com/2010/07/bible-plus-nothing-101blog.html
*** (Jeremiah 29:12-13) Then you shall call on Me, and you shall go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
(Jer 29:13) And you shall seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
*** (Matthew 7:21-22-23) 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.
(Matt 7:22) Many will say to Me in that day, Lord! Lord! Did we not prophesy in Your name, and through Your name throw out demons, and through Your name do many wonderful works?
(Matt 7:23) And then I will say to them I never knew you! Depart from Me, those working lawlessness!
http://truth459.blogspot.com/2009/11/pseudo-false-christians-101.html
*** (1Thessalonians 5:21) Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
*** (Acts 17:11) And these = were more noble = than those of Thessalonica, = in that they received the Word = with all readiness of mind = and = ‘searched’ the Scriptures = daily = to see if those things = were so.
*** (Luke 16:31) And he said to him, If they = do NOT = hear Moses and the Prophets, = they will NOT = be persuaded, = even though one rose from the dead.
*** (1Corinthians 2:14) But the = natural man = does NOT receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are = “FOOLISHNESS” = to him; neither can he = know = them, because they are spiritually discerned.
*** MASTER KEY ***
(John 3:3) Jesus answered and said to him, Truly, truly, I say to you, Unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Thanks, In Christ, Roger.
Ende…!
