I think this will be a nice conversation to have, since for every new believer it becomes an issue. There is one truth, one core Message that is from
HIM for the salvation of men. That absolute core is found here
www.abovetopsecret.com... for anyone wanting to read that
first. This thread therefore will go off the premise - that particular one core.
Once a person has that core, they are a new being in Christ Jesus. We can in fact, loose our salvation should we ever turn our backs on God
For if, after they have escaped the defilement's of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them
and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness,
than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them
Therefore the rest of the new testament speaks toward how to best live as the light of Christ to the world, for the edification and instruction of the
believers present and future.
Its so weird as a new believer for me, to look at the teachings of the Catholic Church - because in some ways I DO see a direct mirror to what I
believe. Yet... its
not a true mirror. Let me step backwards a minute and show a few things - part of my search for understanding of HIM, where
concerns the question, so what church should I attend?
That is the question. It was most certainly mine, and the choices are so mind-boggling it will make anyone dizzy! lol. There is one thing I was told
by the Holy Spirit after I was saved. The bible is the word of God. I understand now, why Mathew over say one of the gospels that is not accepted. HE
literally told them, this is MY Word just as HE told me. Although for myself all HE has told me to accept are the accepted books of the protestant
cannon.
And it was various things of that nature that have made me look at the catholic church more, rather than less. There is no doubt in my mind that in
the beginning of the Roman Catholic Church was the same as my own beginning of faith. They knew the truth, from the mouth of God. Yet.. time always
has a tendency to change things..
So, there is one core message to all men for salvation. This core is all that is needed. The rest of the new testament bible is just about how to best
show Christ to others, and how to be supportive of each other. That is what the meaning of Church is. It is a bunch of believers who get together,
striving to do good things for others, helping each other, helping the needy, reaching those who have not heard the truth with HIS core message,
keeping one another strong in the faith through hard times and good. Believers are to be a comfort to one another, and to show Christ to everyone.
Once you become a new believer, you are bathed in Christ HIMSELF. its a complete washing and so beautiful. EVERY believer gets this washing. Every
believer who gave up this world, partaking in HIS death, enters the Kingdom of God HIMSELF. Its amazing! So now.. off to do good new believer! Off to
every good work!
And in the beginning ... the catholic church was a group of those kinds of new believers. Which is cool. But time will always change certain things,
and of course not all who say they are a thing really are and the catholic church kept their doors open to all which led to many things coming in the
door. Many traditions of men.
Now.. a tradition of men is not a bad thing in and of itself. It is good to have traditions for some.. makes it nice for some so there is no harm in
them, for those to whom it is not a sin.
That said, the last right there is a key issue.. because we are not to put a stumbling block in front of our brother in Christ. In my own reflection
here,, I cant join the catholic church personally. There are too many stumbling blocks there for me. That is just personal. Its not to say they are a
sin for anyone else, but for me it would be occasion for sin to creep in.. and therefore a stumbling block.
In our modern day, HE tells me that HIS people, HIS church, HIS body of believers are found everywhere. There is no one church.. the ones that have
the core in truth are a part of HIS church whether or not they call themselves Catholic, Calvinist, puritan, Baptist, Methodist and so forth. This is
the wheat growing up with the tares. Both have grown together, believers beside of non-believers because not all have Christ as the reason and were
willing to give up the world for HIM, but some do.
During the reformation age, some tried to caste off some of those stumbling blocks and strengthen the core. In the catholic church, while that core
message is still there, its also kind of hidden. Ceremony and circumstance makes that message a bit less clear.
Its like the ceremony of giving up something you like for 40 days. To myself I think seriously? THAT is a core thing.. and making some kind of
ceremony out of it instead of a solid must weakened the truth of that core necessity. So during the reformation age they tried to caste off a few of
the stumbling blocks, and tried to strengthen the core once again. We can all sit around and judge the degree to which it was done or how well, but
the fact they stood out and did their best to me is commendable.
So, as it stands now, with the core belief in tact, you can attend any church that creates for you no stumbling blocks and occasion for your own sin.
I can go to a catholic church, or to a Calvinist, whatever suits me best. I am more inline with the reformation churches probably as far as what I
prefer.. with one exception. Singing! I hate the fact they don't just shout with the joy of the Lord! Does that make the message wrong though? no...
its just a personal preference.. I don't get the whole singing thing!
I can go up on this mountain behind me, and there shout and sing with Praises for GOD! I LOVE it.. In my room I dance with happiness of my Savior! And
I wonder how they can not feel such joy as I feel! And then the answer hits me.. because its a stumbling block. We cannot place stumbling blocks in
front of out brothers and sisters.. myself singing and dancing might cause another occasion for sin.. and I would not want this at all! So I should
reserve my joy for my private moments, or have a little get together with others who want to share the same joy.. but in the church it should be
silent.
And there then is the condemnation of the catholic church.. stumbling blocks. She would need to remove all those stumbling blocks for others. She
would need to bring it back down to the core for the strength of it, and remove the stumbling blocks. Without that, I could not support her actually
even knowing her beginning is the same as my own, even knowing she knows the truth.
edit on 26-12-2014 by OpinionatedB because: (no reason given)