Catholics are Christians and they also have salvation?
I've always wondered this question, because it could be more together. I understand both points of view of religion and believe 1 God and Christ our savior.But not understand what are some things that the Catholic Church continues. One of them is why they [cult] Mary and call her "immaculate" = perfect? The Bible says that all human beings are born with sin after Adam and Eve, human beings are not without sin? I think Mary is just one person (probably the purest of women in the eyes of God at the time), designed to give birth to Jesus, could been one of Anne or beth.Second Why confess with others humans in a cab, when the Bible has told us that all human beings are born of sin, and the only way is to pray for forgiveness through Jesus Christ? Finally, the cross of Catholics still have Jesus in it!? Everything about Jesus is that he died for our sins and now back to God on behalf of the D3. The cross must be represented without him present, the cause is supposed to remember, not his resurrection to his crucifixion. I think a
- Catholics, do you think Mary was born without original sin?
- Catholics ….. what is the way to salvation, and why Catholics pray to Mary, not Jesus, Explain?
- Why in the world Catholics pray to the statue of Mary? Where the Bible does say to pray to Mary?
- This question is for Christians, please. Catholics Welcomed.
- Catholics, Christians, and premarital sex?
Here we go again. This question has been asked a million times. Maybe we did not do a good job of explaining why the Catholic Church is very Christian. It was founded by Jesus Christ for what could be more Christian than that? Roman Catholicism is a Christian denomination. The name "Catholic Church" originated in 107 AD, when Ignatius of Antioch used the phrase to describe "the Jesus of the Church.
Here's the answer I give every time you asked this question. If you still have questions after reading it, I'll be happy to answer them.
If fundamentalists few know the history of their religion, which painfully few do, even fewer have an appreciation of the history of the Catholic Church. They become easy prey for suppliers of fantasy "stories" that attempt to explain the origin and progress of Catholicism.
Anti-Catholics often suggest that Catholicism did not exist before the Edict of Milan, published in 313 AD and made Christianity legal in the Roman Empire. With this, the pagan influences began to contaminate the Christian Church previously infected. Soon, several inventions adopted from paganism began to replace the gospel that was once delivered unto the saints. At least, that's the theory.
Pagan Influence Fallacy
Opponents of the Church often attempt to discredit Catholicism, trying to show the similarities between himself and the beliefs or practices of ancient paganism. This fallacy is frequently committed by the fundamentalists against the Catholics, Seventh Day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, and others against the Protestants and Catholics and atheists and skeptics against Christians and Jews.
The nineteenth century witnessed a flowering of this "pagan influence fallacy. Publications such as The Two Babylons by Alexander Hislop (English classic text load of the Catholic Church with paganism) paved the way for generations of antagonism towards the Church. During this time, all created new sects (Seventh Day Adventists, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses), taking into account all traditional Catholicism and Protestantism as tainted by paganism. This period also saw an atheist "freethinkers" as Robert Ingersoll write books attacking Christianity and Judaism as pagans.
The fallacy of the pagan influence has not disappeared in the twentieth century, but new archeology and scholarship more couples have decreased their influence. However, there are still many commit it. In Protestant circles, many works have continued to popularize the claims of Alexander Hislop, in particular the comic books of Jack Chick, and the book Babylon Mystery Religion by Ralph Woodrow Young (Woodrow then realized its shortcomings and wrote The Babylon Connection? repudiates and refuting Hislop). Other quasi-Christian and Christian sects have continued to collect mainstream Christianity with paganism, and many atheists have continued to repeat, unquestionably pagan accusations leveled by their ancestors.
Using a round wafer involves the worship of the sun?
Chick Hislop and claim that communion wafers are round, like wafers sun worshipers of Baal. They do not bother to mention that the wafers used by pagans also same ovals, triangles, some with folded edges or more, or sheets or animals, etc. The fact that a wafer is round does not mean that is immoral or pagan, as even the Jews had waffles and cakes offered in the Old Testament (Genesis 18:1-8, Ex 29:1-2).
Unfortunately for Chick and other fundamentalists, their counter arguments. An atheist has the pagan connection a step further, saying, "Christianity is merely a repetition of the pagan myths: the incarnation of a deity of a virgin, mother and son honored, like Isis and Osiris, Isa and Isvara, Fortuna and Jupiter, and Semiramis and Tammuz. Beyond this, some pagans had a triune God, and the pagan gods were often depicted with wings, as was his God in Psalm 91:4. The flames on the heads of the apostles, were also seen as a harbinger of the Roman gods and poetry of the pagan myths long before Pentecost. A rock is hit that brings water into the Old Testament … like the pagan goddess Rhea did much before. Moreover, Jesus is known as the "fish" like the fish-god Dagon, etc. "Unless the fundamentalists are willing to honestly examine the logical fallacies and historical inaccuracies, they are left defenseless. Fortunately, as the attacks on Catholicism in particular, all the alleged parallels mentioned self-destruct when examined with academic rigor. If not guilty of historical errors, all are guilty of what one might call "fallacies pagan influences.
Anything can be attacked by the fallacy
The pagan influence fallacy is committed when the allegations that a particular religion, belief or practice is of pagan origin or has been influenced by paganism, and therefore, incorrect, contaminated, or be repudiated. Minimum Thus, the fallacy of the pagan influence is a subcase of the genetic fallacy that something bad judges based on their history or their place of origin on its own merits (eg, "No one should use this medication because it was invented by a drunkard and adulterer ").
Very frequently, the pagan influence fallacy is committed in conjunction with other fallacies, especially the post hoc ergo proper hoc ( "After this, therefore because of this") fallacy-for example, "Some former pagans did or believed something for millennia, so the Christian beliefs and practices in parallel be drawn from that source. "Often, a variant of this fallacy is committed when, as soon as something pagan parallels is observed, it is assumed that the counterparty is the oldest pagan. This variant might be called the similis hoc ergo propter hoc ( "similar to this, therefore because of this fallacy").
Where is the fallacy of the pagan influence, note that it is indeed a fallacy. To help clarify this a religious person committing it may be useful to illustrate where the fallacy of the pagan influence can be committed against his own position (for example, the practice of circumcision is practiced in the ancient world for a number of people-including the Egyptians, but few Jews or Christians say their use authorized by God in Israel was an example of "pagan corruption").
To help a secular person see the fallacy involved, we can point to a parallel case of the participation of the genetic fallacy of your point of view (eg, "No one should accept this particular scientific theory because it was developed by a atheist ").
Every time one proposal is an example of pagan influence, it must require that its existence is properly documented, not only affirmed. The danger of accepting an incorrect claim is too large. The amount of misinformation in this area is large enough that it is advisable never to accept a parallel reported as true unless it can be demonstrated from source documents through primary or reliable secondary academic sources. After receiving the documents supporting its claim of a pagan parallel, one must make a series of questions:
1. Is there a parallel? Often there is not. The claim of a parallel can be misleading, especially when the document is based on an old source or undisclosed.
For example: "The Egyptians had a trinity. They worshiped Osiris, Isis and Horus, thousands of years before the Father, Son and Holy Spirit were known "(Robert Ingersoll, Why I am agnostic). This is not true. The Egyptians had a Ennead-a pantheon of the nine major gods and goddesses. Osiris, Isis and Horus were just three divinities of the pantheon, closely related by marriage and blood (not surprising, since the Ennead itself an extended family) and contained in the cycle of the same myth. They do not represent the three persons in one divine being (the Christian understanding of the Trinity). The claim of an Egyptian trinity is simply wrong. There is no parallel.
2. It is the parallel dependent or independent? Even if there is a pagan parallel, which means there is a causal link. Two groups may develop similar beliefs, practices and artifacts completely independently of each other. The idea that similar forms are always the result of diffusion from a common source has been rejected by archeology and anthropology, and for good reason: Humans are similar to each other and live in similar (ie land), environments, leading to have the same cultural artifacts and points of view.
For example, fundamentalists have made much of the fact that Catholic art includes images of the Madonna and Child and that the non-Christian art, worldwide, often also includes images of mother and child. There is nothing sinister about this. The fact is that in every culture, there are mothers with their children! Sometimes this is represented in art, including religious art, and above all used when a work of art that is being done to establish the maternity of an individual. Mother, with images of children need not be explained by a diffusion theory of a common source, pagan religious (as Hislop's suggestion that such images are derived from representations of Semiramis holding of Tammuz). One need look no further than the fact that mothers of children holding is a universal feature of human experience and a convenient way for artists to represent motherhood.
3. Parallel is the antecedent or consequent? Even if there is a pagan parallel is causally linked to a counterparty not pay, can not be determined which led to another. Maybe the parallel pagan is a loan by the end of a source not pagan. Often the pagan sources that we are so late that they have been shaped in reaction to Jewish and Christian ideas. Sometimes it is possible to say that pagans have been borrowing from the pagans. Other times, you can not discern that the loan of which (or indeed, if someone is borrowing from anyone).
For example: The ideas expressed in the Elder Edda Norse on the end and regeneration of the world, probably influenced by the teachings of Christians with whom the Norse had been in contact for centuries (HA Guerber, Normans, 339f).
4. It treated the parallel positive, neutral or negative? Even if there is a parallel to a counterparty pagan heathen, that does not mean that the theme or concept wholeheartedly or uncritically accepted by non-pagans. One must wonder how he finds him. Do they consider as positive, neutral or negative?
For example: circumcision and the symbol of the cross might be called "neutral" Jews and Christians to pagans parallel counterparts. It is likely that the early Hebrews first encountered the idea of circumcision among the peoples of non-Jewish neighbors, but that does not mean that he considered as a
religiously is good for non-Jews to do. Circumcision was considered a religious thing only valid for the Jews because to them it symbolized a special agreement with the one true God (Gen. 17). The Hebrew Scriptures are silent on an assessment of non-religious Jewish circumcision, which seemed indifferent to the fact that some pagan circumcised.
Similarly, the early Christians who adopted the cross as a symbol, he did because he was a pagan religious symbol (the pagan cultures that use it as a symbol, especially in East Asia and the Americas, had no influence about the early Christians). The cross was used as a Christian symbol, because Christ died on the cross, its implementation is regarded as a bad thing in itself, in fact, an infinite injustice, but that brought life to the world. Christians are not adopted because it was a pagan symbol that they liked and wanted to copy.
Examples of negative side are often found in Genesis. For example, the story of the Flood (Genesis 6-9) has parallels to the stories of pagan flood, but is written so that disproves the ideas in them. Thus, the Genesis flood attributed to human sin (6:5-7), not overpopulation, as Epic Atrahasis' and the Greek poem Cypria not (I. Kikawada & A. Quinn). The presence of flood stories in cultures around the world will not compromise the validity of the biblical narrative, but gives you more credibility.
The criticism, refutation, and substitution are also the principles behind modern holiday
held to a limited extent at the same time that former pagan holidays. Currently, reports of Christian holidays coincide with the pagan are often inaccurate (Christmas does not occur in Saturnalia, for example). However, as the phenomenon occurs in all Christian holidays were introduced to provide a healthy alternative not pagan celebration that both criticized and rejected the pagan festival.
This is the same process that leads fundamentalists who are offended at the (incorrectly assumed) Halloween's pagan derivation to present alternatives "Reformation Day" celebrations of their children. (This modern Protestant party is based on the fact that the Reformation began when Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the church door in Wittenberg, Germany, October 31, 1517.) Fundamentalist Another substitution of Halloween has been " , harvest festivals, which celebrate the fall season and harvesting of crops. These substitutions are not fundamentalists "pagan" celebrations of days or seasons that may have been introduced by the early Christians.
Historical truth prevails
Ultimately, all attempts to prove Catholicism "pagan" no. The Catholic doctrines are not taken from the mystery religions nor introduced the pagans after Constantine's conversion. To stick a load of paganism, one should be able to display more of a similarity between something in the church and something in the non-Christian world. One should be able to demonstrate a legitimate connection between the two, which shows clearly that one is the result of the other, and there's something wrong with the item is not Christian.
In the final analysis, nobody has been able to test these things on a doctrine of the Catholic faith, or their officially authorized practices. The charge of paganism just does not work.
May the peace of the Lord be with you!
Not all people who profess to be Christians are "true" Christians. How can the RCC when their pagan worship ritual and doctrine complicated is all about total anarchy of the commandments of God and the denial of Jesus Christ for salvation !!……. You need to know the truth about Satan's counterfeit Christianity! …… http://www.lcg.org/cgi-bin/tw/booklets/p …
Jesus came not only to christiand but for all the poeple
so sure that can be saved if they accepted Jesus as their savior
The Bible teaches us to confess our sins to one another. However, I think the most important thing to remember that Christ came to tear down the veil between God and man. So I do not need a man (holy priest) to the Father on our behalf.
Brightest Blessings
Yes, they are Christians. Remember there are two major divisions in Christianity … which, of course, are Catholicism and Protestantism.
They are.
Anyone who believes that Jesus is the Son of God, and is above all a Christian man.
You ask lots of questions so this answer is a bit long.
+ + Catholic Christians
Most-Catholic Christian denominations accept Catholics as Christians. A few do not.
A dictionary would say that a Christian is someone who professes faith in Jesus as Christ or the religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus.
Catholics fit this definition.
In the Nicene Creed of 325 AD, the Catholics profess:
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, only Son of God, born of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, suffered, died and was buried.
On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures: He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
And will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will never end.
Accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We are baptized as Jesus commanded in Matthew 28:19, "in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit."
Truly, we are spiritually "born again", just not often use those words.
+ Saints +
Catholics share the belief in the Communion of Saints with many other Christians, including Orthodox, Anglican, Episcopal, Methodist and Church.
The Communion of Saints is the belief that all saints are intimately related in the Body of Christ, a family. When one dies and goes to heaven, do not go to this family.
Everyone in heaven or on their way to heaven are saints. You, me, my late grandmother, Mary the mother of Jesus, and Mother Teresa.
As part of this family, you can ask your family and friends here on earth to pray for you. Or you can ask the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Andrew, or his late grandmother in heaven to pray for you.
Prayer to the saints is communication, not worship.
+ + Mary Immaculate
Catholics believe in the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
When the angel Gabriel called Mary, "full of grace," Mary was already full of grace.
When the angel Gabriel said: "The Lord is with you, the Lord was with her.
The Blessed Virgin Mary was in a state of grace before she says "yes" to question the angel, and before the Holy Spirit descended upon it for a different purpose.
When the state of Mary's grace to begin?
Catholics believe that this state of grace was with Mary from her Immaculate Conception. This means that Mary was conceived in the normal way (unlike Jesus), but she did not inherit original sin.
God prepared for her role as mother later Jesus.http: / / / http://www.nccbuscc.org catechism / text / p …
+ Reconciliation (Confession) +
The Catholic Church believes that "Only God forgives sin."
When a penitent person asks God for forgiveness, his (or her) sins are immediately forgiven.
Catholics also believe that when the sins of someone who not only hurt your relationship with God, but also damage to the whole church, the body of Christ.
Jesus said, "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven ". (Matthew 16:19)
And having said this he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Who sins you forgive they are forgiven, and whose sins you retain are retained. "(Luke 20:22-23)
Oral confession of sin, it is recommended again and again in the Old and New Testaments:
+ James 5:16
+ Acts 19:18
+ Matthew 3:5-6
+ Mark 1:5
+ 1 Timothy 6:12
+ 1 John 1:9
+ Numbers 5:6-7
+ Nehemiah 9:2
+ Sirach 4:26
The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation with a priest ordained in the name of Jesus Christ not only reconciles the sinner with God, but with the whole church, including you and me.http: / / http://www.usccb.org/catechism/ text/pt2s …
+ + The Crucifix
The most important thing Jesus did for us was die for our sins to give us the gift of eternal life.
He rose from the dead, but the increase of the dead did not open the gates of heaven for us, die for our sins, he did. The crucifix in no way denies the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The Crucifixion of Jesus Christ is the most important point in history.
The crucifix reminds us of this moment.
The following texts even suggest that Jesus wants us to lift its image:
Numbers 21:8-9 says: The LORD said to Moses: "Make a saraph and mounted on a stick, and if someone has been bitten looks, he will recover." Moses accordingly made a bronze serpent and mounted on a pole and whenever anyone who had been bitten by a snake, looked at the bronze serpent, he recovered.
And in John 3:14-15, Jesus says in the correlation: "And as Moses lifted up the image of [the snake] in the desert, so the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in he may have eternal life. "
+ With love in Christ.
THE VIRGIN MARY
Catholics do not worship Mary. Catholics venerate the saints. This is not the same as worship:
Reverence / honor of the saints
Matt. 18:10 - the angels in heaven always see the face of God. Revered by his great dignity and union with God.
Matt. 15:4, Luke 18:20, Eph. 6:2-3 Exodus 20:12, Lev. 19:3, Deut. 5:16 - we are taught to honor our father and mother.
Luke 1:28 - worships the angel Gabriel to Mary, telling her "Hail, full of grace". The honors human Mary angel from heaven, for its perfection of grace than the angels.
Romans 13:7 - we are to give honor where honor is due. When we honor God's children, we honor God Himself, because He is the source of all honor.
1 Cor. 4:16 - the most important form of veneration of saints is "imitating" the saints, as Paul tells us to do.
1 Cor. 11:1 - again, Paul says, "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ." The ultimate goal of veneration is imitation.
Phil. 2:25-29 - Paul teaches us to honor Epaprhoditus who nearly died for the faith. What else owes much honor to the saints who died for their faith!
Phil. 3:17 - Paul says to imitate him and others, which is the object of veneration. Veneration is not worship.
1 Thess. 1:6 - Paul tells the Thessalonians, "You became imitators of us and the Lord." This is the object of veneration.
2 Thess. 3:7 - Paul says to the Thessalonians to imitate, he and other bishops.
Hebrews 3:3 - Jesus is worthy of "more" glory and honor than Moses. This does not mean that the saints are not worthy of glory and honor. Instead, it proves that the saints are worthy of glory and honor of God's goodness.
Heb. 6:12 - the author teaches us to be followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Heb. 13:7 - we imitate the faith of our faithful leaders. We ask for their intercession and veneration for his sanctity.
James 5:10-11 - James teaches us to take heart from the examples of the prophets and Job, who endured suffering.
1 Peter 2:17 - Peter teaches us to honor all men, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the emperor. Not those who live with Christ in heaven deserve the honor? Catholics believe they do, and to honor special holidays, like honor those living with the celebration of his birthday.
Gen. 19:1 - Lot venerates the two angels in Sodom, bowing himself with his face toward the ground.
Gen. 42:6 - Joseph's brothers bow before Joseph with the face to the ground. This is the worship, not worship.
Exodus 28:2 - is especially important to honor the religious leaders. Vestments for Aaron to give dignity and honor.
Lev. 19:32 - we must also honor "the face of an old man." When the elderly die in Christ, we must continue to honor them, not because death separates them from us or the love of Christ.
1 Sam. 28:14 - Saul bows down before Samuel with his face to the ground in worship.
2 Chron. 32:33 - Hezekiah was honored at his death. We honor our brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Sir. 44:1-2 - we praise and honor those who the Lord apportioned great glory. It is our family in Christ.
And as to the nature of Mary's "Immaculate Conception", this is indeed a biblical teaching:
Mary - the Immaculate Ark of the New Partnership
Exodus 25:11-21 - the ark of the Old Covenant was made of pure gold from the Word of God. Mary is the Ark of the New Partnership and is the purest vessel for the Word of God made flesh.
2 Sam. 6:7 - the Ark is so holy and pure that when Uzza touched the Lord took his life. This shows that the Ark is contaminated. Mary, Ark of the New Testament is even more immaculate and spotless, forgiven by God, original sin so that he could bring His Eternal Word in her womb.
1 Chronicles. 13:9-10 - this is another account of Uzza and the Ark for God to dwell in the Ark of Mary, Mary had to be conceived without sin. For Protestants to argue otherwise is to say that God let the finger of Satan touch his Son made flesh. This is incomprehensible.
1 Chronicles. 15 and 16 - These verses show the awesome reverence the Jews had for the Ark - veneration, costumes, songs, harps, lyres, cymbals, trumpets.
Luke 1:39 / 2 Sam. 6:2 - Lucas visible comparison between Mary and the Ark described by Samuel highlights the reality of Mary as the immaculate and undefiled Ark of the New Covenant. In these verses, Mary (the Ark) rose and David got up and went to the Ark. There are strong parallels between the Ark of the Old and the Ark of the New Covenant.
Luke 1:41 / 2 Sam. 6:16 - John / King David Baptist leap for joy before Mary / Ark So should we jump for joy before Mary Immaculate Ark of the Word made flesh.
Luke 1:43 / 2 Sam. 6:9 - How can the mother or the ark of the LORD come to me? It is a sacred privilege. Our mother would come to us and leads us to Jesus.
Luke 1:56 / 2 Sam. 6:11 and 1 Chronicles. 13:14 - Maria / the ark remained in the house for about three months.
Rev 11:19 - at this point in history, the Ark of the Old Covenant was not seen for six centuries (see 2 Maccabees. 2:7), and now finally it is in heaven. The Jewish people have been absolutely amazed by this. However, John immediately passes over this fact and describes the "woman" clothed with the sun in Revelation 12:1. John is emphasizing that Mary is the Ark of the New Partnership and, as the ancient ark, is now worthy of veneration and praise. Also remember that Rev. 11:19 and Rev. 12:1 are tied together because there was no chapter and verse at the time these texts were written.
Revelation 12:1 - the "woman" that John describes Mary, Ark of the New Covenant, with the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars. Just as the moon reflects light from the sun, so Mary, with the moon under her feet, reflects the glory of the Sun of Righteousness, Jesus Christ.
Revelation 12:17 - This verse tells us that the descendants of Mary are those who keep the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus. This shows, as Catholics have always believed that Mary is the Mother of all Christians.
Revelation 12:2 - Some Protestants argue that, because the woman had labor pains, she was a woman with sin. However, Revelation is apocalyptic literature unique to the 1st century. Contains various symbols and multiple meanings of women (Mary, the Church and Israel). Birth pangs describe both the birth of the Church and Mary's descendants are in Christ. Mary had no labor pains in the delivery of her only son Jesus.
Isaiah 66:7 - for example, we see that Isaiah prophesied that before she (Mary) was in labor, gave birth before her pain she found that she bore a son (Jesus). This is a Marian prophecy of the virgin birth of Jesus Christ.
Gal 4:19 - Paul also describes his pain as birth Pangs in forming the disciples in Christ. Birth pangs describe the formation in Christ.
Rom. 8:22 - well, Paul says that creation groans in travail before the coming of Christ. We're all suffering labor pains, because we are being reborn in Christ Jesus.
Jer. 13:21 - Jeremiah describes the birth pangs of Israel, as a woman in travail. Birth pangs are often used metaphorically in Scripture.
Os. 13:12-13 - Ephraim also described as the birth pangs of their sins. Once again, the pains of childbirth are used metaphorically.
Micah 4:9-10 - Micah also describes Jerusalem as being prey to the pains of childbirth as a woman in travail.
Revelation 12:13-16 - these verses, we see that the devil seeks to destroy even women, even after the Savior's birth. This shows Mary is a threat to Satan, even after the birth of Christ. This is because God has given him the power to intercede for us, and we rely on your help in our spiritual life.
Oral confession of sin:
Jesus Christ, the Apostles authority to forgive sins
John 20:21 - before He grants them the authority to forgive sins, Jesus tells the apostles, "as the Father sent me, so I send you." Just as Christ was sent by the Father to forgive sins, so Christ sends the apostles and their successors forgive sins.
John 20:22 - the Lord "breathes" on the apostles, and then gives them the power to forgive and retain sins. The only other time in Scripture where God breathes on man is in Genesis 2:7, when God "breathes" divine life in man. When this happens, a major transformation takes place.
John 20:23 - Jesus says, "If you forgive the sins they are forgiven. If you retain sins, they are retained. "To the apostles, to exercise this gift of forgiving sins, the penitents must orally confess their sins to them because the apostles are not soothsayers. The text makes this very clear.
Matt. 9:8 - This verse shows that God has given us the authority to forgive sins to "men". Hence, those Protestants who acknowledge that the apostles had the authority to forgive sins (which this verse demonstrates) must prove that this gift ended with the apostles. Otherwise, the successors of the apostles, still possess this gift. Where in Scripture is the gift of authority to forgive sins taken away from the apostles and their successors?
Matt. 9:6, Mark 2:10 - Christ forgave sins as a man (not God) to convince us that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth.
Luke 5:24 - Luke also points out that Jesus' authority to forgive sins is as a man, not God. The Gospel writers record this to convince us that God has given this authority to men. This authority has been transferred from Christ to the apostles and their successors.
Matt. 18:18 - the apostles are given authority to bind and loose. The authority to bind and loose includes administering and removing the temporal punishment due for sins. The Jews understood this since the birth of the Church.
John 20:22-23, Matt. 18:18 - the power to remit / retain sin is also the power to remit / retain the punishment due for sins. If Christ's ministers can forgive the eternal penalty of sin, no doubt, may refer the temporal punishment of sin (called an "indulgence").
2 Cor. 2:10 - Paul forgives in the presence of Christ (some translations refer to the presence of Christ as "in persona Christi"). Some say this may also be a reference to sins.
2 Cor. 5:18 - the ministry of reconciliation was given to the ambassadors of the Church. This ministry of reconciliation refers to the sacrament of reconciliation, also called the sacrament of confession or penance.
James 5:15-16 - in verse 15, we see that sins are forgiven by the priests in the sacrament of the sick. This is another example of man's authority to forgive sins on earth. Then in verse 16, James says "Therefore, confess our sins to one another," referring to the men referred to in verse 15, the priests of the Church.
1 Tim. 2:5 - Christ is the only mediator, but was free to decide how His mediation applies to us. The Lord chose to use priests of God to carry out his work of forgiveness.
Lev. 5:4-6, 19:21-22 - even in the Old Testament, God used priests to forgive and atone for the sins of others.
The need and practice of confession of sins orally
James 5:16 - James clearly teaches us that we must "confess our sins to one another," not just privately to God. James 5:16 must be read in the context of James 5:14-15, which refers to the power of healing (both physical and spiritual) of the priests of the Church. So when James says "therefore" in verse 16, which should refer to the men he was writing in verses 14 and 15 - These men are ordained priests of the Church, to whom we must confess our sins .
Acts 19:18 - many came to confess their sins by mouth and divulge their sinful practices. The oral confession was the practice of the early Church, as it is today.
Matt. 3:6, Mark 1:5 - again, this shows people confessing their sins before others as a historical practice (here to John the Baptist).
1 Tim. 6:12 - this verse also refers to the historical practice of confessing sins and faith in the presence of many witnesses.
1 John 1:9 - "If we confess are sins, God is faithful to us and forgives us and cleanses us. But we confess our sins to one another.
Num 5:7 - this shows the historical practice of publicly confessing sins, and making public restitution.
2 Sam. 12:14 - even though the sin is forgiven, is not punishment for sin forgiven. David is forgiven but his child was still taken (the consequence of his sin).
Neh. 9:2-3 - the children of Israel to the assembly and confessed sins publicly and interceded for others.
Sir. 4:26 - God tells us not ashamed to confess our sins, and not to try to stem the flow of a river. Anyone who has experienced the sacrament of reconciliation understands the import of this verse.
Baruch 1:14 - again, this shows that the people made confession in the house of the Lord, before the assembly.
1 John 5:16-17, Luke 12:47-48 - there is a distinction between mortal and venial sins. This has been the teaching of the Catholic Church for 2,000 years, but today, most Protestants no longer agree that there is no such distinction. Mortal sins lead to death and must be absolved in the sacrament of reconciliation. Venial sins need not be confessed to a priest, but the pious Catholic practice is to do in order to move forward in our journey to holiness.
Matt. 5:19 - Jesus teaches that breaking the least of commandments is venial sin (the person is still saved, but the kingdom), versus mortal sin (the person does not care).
The crucifix
A wooden cross, by itself, is absolutely no redeeming power of any kind. It's what he was crucified on a cross, in particular - which is where the redemptive power comes from.
As Christians, we should not preach an empty cross. It is assumed that, as 1Cor1: 23 teaches: "preach Christ crucified". So Catholics display the crucifix.
Not doing so implies that Jesus suffered so that do not have to. Jesus never made that promise. He suffered so that, like Him, we can overcome the crosses we carry in our lives. In the interest of life as Christ lives, we must bear our cross, and not avoid them:
Matt. 10:38 - Jesus said, "Whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me." Jesus defines discipleship as one of willingness to suffer with him. Being a disciple of Jesus not only mean to have faith in Him, but offering our sufferings to the Father as He did.
Matt. 16:24; Mark 8:34 - Jesus said: "If anyone would come after me must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." Jesus wants to be emptied so that God can fill. When we suffer, we may choose to seek solace in God and closer to Jesus.
Luke 9:23 - Jesus says we must assume that cross daily. He calls us to join our daily temporal sacrifices (pain, discomfort, worry), with its eternal sacrifice.
Luke 14:27 - Jesus said, "Whoever does not carry his cross and follow me can not be my disciple." If we reject God because we suffer, do not apply the graces Jesus won for us by his suffering.
John 7:39 - Jesus was glorified on the cross, not only of the resurrection. This text refers to John 19:34, when Jesus was pierced on the cross for the soldier's lance.
John 12:24 - If the grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains alone and bears no fruit. Jesus teaches that suffering and death are part of every human life, and it is only through suffering and death that we get the glory of the resurrection.
Rom. 5:2-3 - Paul says that most of the joy in our hope, we rejoice in our sufferings that produces endurance, character and hope. Through faith, suffering brings hope in God and, through endurance, salvation.
Rom. 8:17 - Paul says we are heirs with Christ, but only if we suffer with him so that we too we may be glorified with him. Paul teaches that suffering must be embraced in order to get the glory that the Father has given to Jesus.
Rom. 8:18 - the sufferings of this present time are not comparable with the glory that is to be revealed to us. So we hope that the sufferings endured or other, no matter how difficult, pale in comparison to the life of eternal happiness that awaits us.
1 Cor. 1:23 - Once again, Paul preached Christ crucified, not only resurrected. Catholic spirituality focuses on the sacrifice of Christ which is the only means of resurrection. This is why Catholic churches have crucifixes with Jesus' body attached thereto. Many Protestant churches no longer displays the body of Jesus (only an empty cross). Therefore, only preach a risen Christ, not crucified.
1 Cor. 2:2 - Paul preaches Jesus Christ and Him crucified. While the cross was the scandal of scandals, and is seen by the eye not as the defeat Christian, Catholic spirituality has always exalted the paradox of the cross as the true tree of life and our means to salvation.
2 Cor. 1:5-7-if we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we unite our sufferings with theirs, we will be comforted by it.
2 Cor. 4:10 - Paul writes that we always carry in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our bodies. Christ has given way in your body during our sufferings, our sufferings and make room for Christ to bring us to life.
2 Cor. 4:11 - While we live are always delivered to death for Jesus' love for life is manifested in our flesh. This proves the Catholic position that our sufferings on earth are united with Jesus, in order to achieve the life of Jesus in us.
2 Cor. 12:9-10 - Jesus' grace is sufficient and His power is perfected in weakness. If we are weak we are strong in Christ. It decreases our self-sufficiency, so that Christ in us may increase.
Eph. 3:13 - Do not lose heart over my sufferings for glory. Our suffering also benefits others in the mystical body of Christ.
Phil. 1:29 - for the sake of Christ, not only to believe in Him but also to suffer for their cause. Growth in holiness requires more than faith in God and accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. We must also accept willingly the suffering that happens to us as part of God's plan. Therefore, Christ did not want that faith alone, but our faith in action, which includes faith in suffering.
Phil. 3:10 - Paul desires to share the sufferings of Christ, in order to obtain the resurrection. Paul recognizes the effectiveness of suffering as a means to achieve the holiness that leads to resurrection and eternal life. There is no Easter Sunday without Good Friday.
Col. 1:24 - Paul rejoices in his sufferings and complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body. This proves the Catholic position on the efficacy of suffering. Is there something lacking in the sufferings of Christ? Of course not. But because Jesus loves us, He lets us participate in his redemptive suffering by leaving room in his mystical body of our own suffering. Our suffering, united with the suffering of our Lord, promotes the work of redemption.
2 Thess. 1:5 - we are worthy of the kingdom of God for those who are suffering. This is because suffering brings us back to God and cleanses us from sin.
2 Tim. 1:8 - Paul instructs Timothy to share the suffering for the Gospel. Suffering is not to be asked, but it is to be avoided. For the sake of the Gospel that is being embraced.
2 Tim. 2:3 - Paul says to get our share of suffering as a good soldier of Christ. Atone for the suffering of the temporal effects of our sins.
2 Tim. 3:12 - all that will live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But this persecution unites us more closely to Jesus and repair our relationship with God.
2 Tim. 4:5 - Paul instructs Timothy to endure suffering to fulfill their ministry. As evangelicals, we suffer with Christ through the Gospel.
Heb. 12:5-7 - do not lose value when you are punished for the Lord disciplines whom he loves. The Lord loves each of us more than we love ourselves, and only allowed if there is suffering our salvation.
Heb. 12:11 - this discipline seems painful, but painful, but it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness.
James 4:8-10 - We must purify our hearts and mourn, mourn and mourn, the change of laughter in the morning and joy to sadness.
1 Peter 1:6 - Peter warns us that we have to suffer various trials. Pedro does not want to be discouraged by this reality, but understands that suffering purifies us and prepares us for union with God.
1 Peter 2:19-21 - Peter teaches that we are called to bear the pain, while the suffering of Christ, our example. God really calls us to suffer like her son did, and this is not diminishing, but to glorify us, because our suffering is that we really share in the eternal priesthood of Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 4:1-2 - Peter says he has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin of not living by the flesh, but by the will of God. Our suffering promotes our growth in holiness which is the goal of Catholic life.
1 Peter 4:13 - Peter says to rejoice in the sufferings of Christ, to rejoice and be glad in the revelation of the glory of Christ. Those who suffer with faith in Christ will rejoice in his glory.
1 Peter 4:16 - If we suffer as Christians, we should not be ashamed, but glorify God.
1 Peter 5:10 - after we have suffered, the God of all grace restore, establish and strengthen us. God promises us that our suffering will ultimately be followed by the glory.
Rev. 11:3 - Jesus empowers his witnesses clothed in sackcloth. By virtue of our priesthood, we struggled to repair our relationship with God for sins that He has forgiven. As priests, we expiate the temporal punishment due to our sin.
Mother Nature has attacked the Catholic Church and Christianity alike, because in the end no one has the right to enslave the spirit of the other …. There is no life after death ….
According Bile, the Lord is God and Savior
Isaiah 43:11
I, myself, am the LORD, and beside me there is no savior.
(1 Timothy 2:3)
For this is good and pleases God our Savior;
Isaiah 43:3
Because I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Savior: I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.
Isaiah 45:15
Verily thou art a God who conceals, O God of Israel, the Savior.
1 Timothy 4:10
For this same work and struggle, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially those who believe.
Titus 1:3
However, it has shown at times because of his word through preaching, which is committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior;
I just want to add a few very good responses to my fellow Catholics wrote in answer to your question I feel I can not improve.
Yes, we would be closer together. I long for the unity of all Christians. Looking at some non-Catholics to see the same answers Mish-Mash of nonsensical ideas that have been taught about Catholicism and it hurts.
I explain that for most Christians of other denominations, who come together, sing hymns and talk to God in prayer, they would see that Catholics (though not always), sing hymns to Mary, and talk to her in prayer. So to the conclusion that the worship. There is a difference in us.
When I pray to God is total allegiance, if you put it that way. When I talk with Mary, is a great honor, as if speaking to someone older than the Queen of England. If the hero worship someone who would be absolutely delighted to meet your hero's mother.
And I ask your help, the way you could ask a friend for help while shopping "Please take my gift bags for me! My arm is so tired! "Has the ability to my friend? Yes, God has given to your muscles to help me.
When my lot in life is hard, I ask Mary, "Please, Mother Mary, help me! Meeting to carry heavy loads to life! "And you can help me? Yes, God has given you some spiritual muscles to help me, a guy who does not understand very well. From heaven, Mary and all the saints are not "the dead who can not help us!" His spirits are with God in a "cloud of witnesses".
And they are closer to God than I, and can help in a form that is using its power and that you like. He allows Mary and the saints to help us in the form of angels, which would ensure that not dash your foot against a stone. When dead "are like angels," says Jesus, when asked about the woman with 7 husbands. (Which of these is that the wife?)
We "confess to a cab, since it is the most convenient way to be heard by the world, while confessing our sins! And this evolved over the years in which the church tried to find a way to obey the command of Jesus: "Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive, you will be forgiven. Whose sins that remains, preserved! "
[John 20:21] How do you decide to forgive or not forgive sins unless they have been properly said in the confession?
For the record, the sins are forgiven that could not be that the priest knows that they are committed so frequently that the person is not really sorry. "I slept with another woman again," says the guy, and intends to do so again next week and then come to confess their sins before the service so he can go to Communion.
There is really no contrition or remorse here. one day the priest might say, "I do not feel sorry. I can not give absolution again until you show you are honest and stay away from women! "
Frankly, in my life and I think that the lives of my friends, no priest has ever said that to us.
Finally, the Catholic Church is the only (perhaps) that is not based solely on the Bible to teach all the truth but the Holy Spirit. [Typing this on the eve of Pentecost! May the Holy Spirit for unity among Christians that you have expressed! How I miss too!]
You read the New Testament again and see how Jesus founded a Church teaching, not a reading of the Bible in the Church. "Go and teach all nations!" So the apostles did just that. The phrase, "Sounds good to the Holy Spirit and us" is now and then. O "pass that the Lord Jesus came to me the truth .." show is moving ahead, "stand firm and hold to the teachings passed on to you, either by word or by letter" [2 Thessalonians 2 : 15]
You may want to know the Bible is as compiled by the Catholic Church around 400 AD in its present form. All the Gnostic gospels, the Gospel of Judas, and other works are present at the time and of dubious authorship were expelled.
So how can the Catholic Church do this? He knows he's not the truth of the Bible. So, in recognition that this book and that leads to this truth can be included in the Bible. And so she can correctly interpret the Bible.
We see this in Acts 8, when God sent an angel to bring Philip to the reading of the Bible from Ethiopia in the desert. And the Holy Spirit led him to climb on the bandwagon. And Philip said, "Do you understand what you read?" He said, "How can I unless someone explains it to me?" [Acts8]
Notice how the Holy Spirit did not inspire the truth in the Ethiopian Church, but sent a member of the teaching for the explanation. This is the way they operate, mainly. Although private reading, as you know without a doubt, we are sometimes led to truth by the Holy Spirit! But not always.
Blessings to you, my Christian brother, and may one day be found in the unit, they all be one, as the Father and the Son and the Spirit are one …
In love,
No, they are not Christians. They do not like hearing the word "worship" Mary, but it's true. This is idolatry and necromancy for the simple fact that Mary is dead and can not forgive sins, as she has her own sins. The only way to heaven is through Jesus Christ. There are no other mediators. John 14:6 says very clear, however, Catholics choose to ignore this and go to the priest and Mary. No where in the Bible says to use a rosary or any kind of statue, but they do anyway. All religion is false. There is nothing to teach about being born again or saved, however, have these verses in their Bibles. This is why he gave up Catholicism and became a true born again Bible-believing Christian. This site has good information about the Catholic Mary and everyone. http://www.jesus-is-savior.com
These are small issues to split into.
Catholc doctrines and practices are for the love of God. Love is biblical. Especially the Eucharist. This demonstrates both the love of God that people can `t immagine or understand it. for what they say may be true.
Yes, the veil was torn. When Catholics bow in front of the tabernacle, they know it.
"God is Love" - Benedict XVI.