Are there any Catholics here besides me?

[Sower]

4 minutes ago, K9Buck said:

I'm 53 and grew up in central Ohio.  We were never taught Latin.  

Catholics believe in Christ.  Provided they believe in Christ and try to live a life like Christ, why wouldn't they be saved?  

I believed in Jesus as a catholic. And Mary, a lotta saints, the pope, etc. but wasn't saved.
I now have a close personally relationship with my savior. I'm born again of the spirit.
 

The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.  Romans 8, 16


 

[Wayne222]

1 minute ago, K9Buck said:

Yes, that's what I was trying to say. 

I read a lot of catholic books of the saints. There lives are inspiring to me. Like St Therese.  I read a story of my soul. Have you ever read it ? You should if not. Also Elizabeth of the trinity.  She was very devoted to God. And was into Paul letter to the ephesians. She practice silence as a way to hear God. When we stop talking and listen for Gods voice we will hear it. Talking about trivial things takes us away from the things of heaven. Like Paul wrote seek those things that are in heaven and not earthly things. So we can learn from Catholics but worthy forum which I love would most likely not agree with me.

[Guest K9Buck]

5 minutes ago, BeauJangles said:

Yes there are, Buck. Usually those who announce their doctrinal beliefs eventually have an indicator on the profile status. Not for identification per se, but so Worthy members can communicate with better understanding of how they view themselves. Such as, Non-Believer, Seeker, Non Conformist Theology, Non Trinitarian, and also Catholic as well. 

 

I didn't identify with a doctrine in my profile because, although I was raised Catholic and I guess I identify as a Catholic, I didn't want to be labeled as a Catholic.  I'm a Christian.  Maybe I should just put that, assuming that's an option.  

[Guest K9Buck]

2 minutes ago, Wayne222 said:

IWhen we stop talking and listen for Gods voice we will hear it.

I know what you're talking about.  For me I enjoy going outside with my dogs and listening to the birds and watching the squirrels (running from my dogs, LOL ) and taking in the sunshine and feeling the breeze.  For some reason, that's when I feel closest to God.  That's when I can clear my mind and remember what's important.  

[JohnD]

3 hours ago, K9Buck said:

I was raised a Catholic and so I consider myself a Catholic, although I dislike the current Pope and I am deeply bothered by the many scandals that have rocked the church.  I'm also not necessarily in lockstep with all church teachings.  Of course, is anyone in 100% agreement with the faith to which they belong?  Anyway, I was wondering if there are other Catholics here.  Thanks.

Anyone who believes in the genuine Jesus Christ is my brother and sister and mother (Matthew 12:50 /  Mark 3:35). For the will of the Father is that we believe in his Son whom he has sent (John 6:29 / John 12:44). 

Jesus Christ contrasted the things of God the Father as opposed to the things of man in Matthew 16:13-23... which he attributed the latter to Satan by calling Peter Satan and then stating why. 

Most miss this deliberate instruction of Christ from all the other theology in the passage.

Point here being it does not take man / Satan long to interfere with the things of God... both individually and corporately.

If you read the history of my posts you will find I have not had a lot of good things to say about the Roman Catholic Church... as it was and continues to be one of the greatest corporate interferences of the things of God in all human history. But I believe there can be and are saved individual Christians despite  Roman Catholicism.

And!

I also believe the same thing about Protestant denominations as well.

Humanity, humanism, satanism: the traditions of man, the will of man, the misinterpretation of scripture by man... they all deceive and create counterfeit Christs (which Jesus and Paul and Peter and John and Jude warned about) false doctrines and heresies which nullify the Word of God (Mark 7:13). 

Cults are not even in the running for anything but damnation since they teach only false christs (which defines them as cults).

Even the Messianic denominations vary from a false christ cults (ones that do not believe Jesus is YHVH incarnate,for example) to Messianic denominations that bring Law into Grace.

In these that do believe in the genuine Jesus Christ, it is despite the satanic interference of man. And who do are saved and my brethren in Christ. 

I love them all even though I tend to stir up anger in them for pointing things like the above out to them. Most folks believe their Church / denomination is either THE correct one, or the best one of the bunch.

Still, for the love of God, and for the love of them... I press on with the biblical truth.

God is not divided (Matthew 12:25 / Mark 3:24-25). 

Jesus prayer three times in his High Priestly prayer (John 17) that the Church

be ONE like the Father and he are one.

Some argue Roman Catholicism is one... but a rudimentary historical background check will prove this to be false. 

By appearances all denominations are "one" and claim to be THE true path. In the case of Roman Catholicism the greatest

divisions come in the form of allegedly infallible Popes contradicting each other in the long procession of Popes, edicts, papal bulls, etc.

We all search for the true path to God.

That true path is Christ.

The way to authenticate we are on the true path to God is to authenticate

we believe in the true Christ the authentic  Jesus.

Matthew 7:13–14 (AV)
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Matthew 7:21–23 (AV)
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

How we authenticate... is by rightly dividing the Word of God. 

2 Timothy 2:15 (NKJV)
15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

The King James says "study" to show yourself approved. Being a STUDent of God the Holy Spirit (who wrote the Bible through the writing prophets, and who alone properly

interprets the Word of God).

THE KEYS TO THE KINGDOM

2 Peter 1:20–21 (KJV)

20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

This one point (that we are to know first) is overlooked by most.  The Holy Spirit wrote the Bible, he Holy Spirit interprets the Bible. It matters not how far up the theological ladder one climbs if it is the wrong ladder.

Matthew 7:21–23 (AV)

21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

If there is anything in this life we must be absolutely certain about, it's that we believe in the genuine Jesus. Jesus himself warned of false Christs and false prophets (Matthew 24:24). But I fear the most damning passage is:

Mark 7:7–13 (AV)

7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.

9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

10 For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:

11 But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free.

12 And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother;

13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

Believing in the genuine Jesus does matter. A false Jesus cannot save.

2 Corinthians 11:3–4 (AV)

3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

Paul was ridiculing their toleration of these. In another epistle he cursed the teachers of these:

Galatians 1:8–9 (AV)

8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

How can we be certain we believe the genuine gospel?  The Holy Spirit interpreted scriptures.

And how can we be certain what we believe in the Holy Spirit is actually him?

1 John 4:1 (NASB)

1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

Great. How do we do that? The scriptures:

Acts 17:11 (NIV)

11 Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

The Thessalonians have the recorded admonition of Paul:

1 Thessalonians 5:21 (AV)

21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

But, it was the Bereans that apparently applied this.

Further keys in scripture to unlocking God's Word are:

Proverbs 25:2 (NIV)

2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.

Deuteronomy 29:29 (NIV)

29 The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.

Isaiah 28:9–13 (AV)

9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.

10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:

11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.

12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.

13 But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

Only by submitting to the Holy Spirit and testing with the Bible that we are in fact dealing with the Holy Spirit of God can we know the Truth and be set free by the Truth and be truly one as Jesus prayed for us to be.

[JohnD]

Never underestimate how much the Father loves Jesus.

Nor how much the Father loves those who love Jesus.

[BeauJangles]

6 hours ago, K9Buck said:

I didn't identify with a doctrine in my profile because, although I was raised Catholic and I guess I identify as a Catholic, I didn't want to be labeled as a Catholic.  I'm a Christian.  Maybe I should just put that, assuming that's an option.  

This would be at the discretion of those who are in administration. It depends on the content of your posts and whether or not you adhere towards Catholic doctrine. Such as Mary worship, praying the rosary, supplications before the saints, and belief in the elements as the actual flesh and blood of Christ, etc. If you do none of these, there should be no major concern. 

[Guest K9Buck]

5 minutes ago, BeauJangles said:

This would be at the discretion of those who are in administration. It depends on the content of your posts and whether or not you adhere towards Catholic doctrine. Such as Mary worship, praying the rosary, supplications before the saints, and belief in the elements as the actual flesh and blood of Christ, etc. If you do none of these, there should be no major concern. 

 

Oh.  Are Catholics restricted from participating in this community?

[BeauJangles]

5 minutes ago, K9Buck said:

Oh.  Are Catholics restricted from participating in this community?

No, not at all. Everyone is welcome at Worthy Christian Forums!

[Guest K9Buck]

2 minutes ago, BeauJangles said:

No, not at all. Everyone is welcome at Worthy Christian Forums!

Oh good.