Difference between Christian and Catholic

[Scarletprayers]

So much to think about....

I have come to think, in my short time as a Christian, that believing Jesus died for my sins - for all of our sins, was resurrected by God and doing everything in my power to be morally appropriate as well as reading the Bible and praying daily makes me a good Christian.

Am I right?

Sounds like your doing alright to me! But what makes all of us good is Jesus!

Thanks Scarlet...

I think I needed someone to tell me I am doing all right. Sometimes I feel like I'm not because it is SO hard to do everything in the Bible. I mean, it seems almost impossible to me.

To me, I give my life to Christ just the way it is. Through His Spirit, He changes the desires of my heart, which, in turn, moves me to not sin, making the list shorter. The key is allowing Him to change you, not you change for Him. If we try to do it ourselves, on our own, we will fail and become discouraged. We have to let go and let God do His work. A vessel worthy of the Master did not create itself, the Master created it.

Be Blessed,

Alan

Alan you just keep blessing me!

[hr.jr.]

OK ... maybe I should clarify my previous post. Calling Catholics a false religion is bad. Pointing out the difference between their denomination and your own is cool. The warning is due to the many heated threads, hurt feelings and name calling in threads on this topic from the past. If we keep the discussion to facts and do not pretend to know if they are saved or not (your personal opinion), there should be no problems!

In Him,

Alan

The Catholic Church officicially rejects Sola Fide. What would you call them? The gospel is plain. Works based salvation is false doctrine. Works based salvation provides no salvation. If you reject Sola Fide, your reject the Gospel as taught by Christ. These are not denominational differences. The Catholic church says that if you hold to Sola Fide, you are accursed. The protestant Church holds that salvation is based on Sola fide.

You can not have it both ways. If You hold Sola Fide to be the gospel, you must hold The Catholic Church to teach false gospel. You can not have it both ways!

Yeah, whatever.

If you carefully read the boards here and elsewhere, everyone is Arminian when its their own salvation at stake, and these same people instantly transform into Calvinists when its the other guy's salvation in question.

Soteriology of convenience. Doctrine only divides.

That was a most informative post. What does it have to do with with addressing the Council of Trent's rejection of Sola Fide? Doctrine only divides? When the "doctrine" being discussed is defines salvation, it is worth division.

Gee, I didn't think I needed a </sarcasm> flag - for I thought it was rather obvious. Usually I am accused of rambling or jamming too much content in a post.

Here is the deal. I'm all over the Solas. But when looking over the gestalt of these posts, one thing is absolutely certain. You try bringing up doctrine in the form of being an important component of salvation and the thread will get locked down because questioning another person's faith is apparently taboo.

If you dare mention that the Pope needs to repent and be saved, you will be declared something worse than a blasphemer no matter what level of supporting arguments that you can bring up.

I am as frustrated as you are in the perceived triviality of fundamental doctrine. I started another thread asking how much error is enough error to be considered unbelief or belief in an unsalvific religion. Alas, the results are predictable and so far I haven't learned anything except everyone is scared to even harbor suspicions of another person's current spiritual state.

Before Adrian Rogers died, he said some of the most hate-filled and demonic things in his public sermons regarding the Saints of God who subscribed to the eternal doctrines of Grace. Go to sermonaudio.com and you hear Rev Cloud condemn the totality of the Reformation as damnable heresy. The list of Pelagians is long who have no shame in calling Calvinists "monsters" and "servants of the devil". They have no problems lying about Calvin, calling him a murderer of Servatus (even though it was the Roman Catholics who tied him to the stake and lit the pyre).

But dare openly question the flexible doctrine of a Roman Catholic, and I know professors of RC theology who teach that sincerity in any faith is one of the many paths to heaven, and you are ironically branded as someone who is taking away God's role as one who determines salvation. (yes, I know it is funny hearing this come from free willers).

So what do you want to hear? Amens from the choir?

I think that all that is permitted is a clear, opinionless list of doctrinal differences, showing no favortism to any particualr view. Just a clean column a, column b comparison matrix.

I think that the threads always get shut down when people attack Catholicism at the personal level of the Pope, or its parishioners. One can expose catholicism for the cult that it is by simply quoting the writings of the Pope and the Councils. The quote I posted earlier from the council of Trent claerly shows that Catholicism does not convey the true Gospel.

When works are added as elements to salvation, a false gospel is created.

Considering Trent was a backlash against the Protestant Reformation, of course they'll try to differentiate themselves.

Perhaps you should use a more modern Council, say...Vatican II.

The quote I wanted to use was not written in Vatican II. It was written at Trent. It has never been recanted, so it still stands.

[Scarletprayers]

You know what guys "start your own thread" somebody wanted a question answered and help making a decision, not to set up a soap box debate for ya'll.

[hr.jr.]

You know what guys "start your own thread" somebody wanted a question answered and help making a decision, not to set up a soap box debate for ya'll.

Our posts are on topic. She asked for differences, we are discussing a difference. I think if someone wants to know a position of Catholicism the Council of Trent and Vatican II are appropriate sources to reference.

We are not having a soap box debate. We are agreeing, in our own little weird way. I do not seem to remember people whining about off topic threads and hijacked threads this much in the past. Seems like half the threads on here have people crying about "talk about exactly what I want to talk about and nothing else." Threads evolve yet stay on topic.

[RustyAngeL]

Your odds of getting a fair and accurate understanding of the Catholic religion here is iffy at best. While I agree with very little of their interpretation of scripture, I still consider most of them as Christian as anyone else.

I agree. My husband Steve was born and raised a Catholic but never went to the Catholic church after we were married. So many people make them out to be just this side of the anit christ. There are many fine Catholic people who are christians.

[Scarletprayers]

Your odds of getting a fair and accurate understanding of the Catholic religion here is iffy at best. While I agree with very little of their interpretation of scripture, I still consider most of them as Christian as anyone else.

I agree. My husband Steve was born and raised a Catholic but never went to the Catholic church after we were married. So many people make them out to be just this side of the anit christ. There are many fine Catholic people who are christians.

one of the most humble, loving, Jesus's love and light shines from her eyes, friends of mine is Catholic and I thank God for her every single day! She has blessed more than she will ever know, but God knows!

[eric]

Well, Scarlet, you will find that some carry a soap box around with them as part of their tool kit........Some of them even carry a step ladder. Jesus mostly sat down, but He got His message across.

[OneLight]

Your odds of getting a fair and accurate understanding of the Catholic religion here is iffy at best. While I agree with very little of their interpretation of scripture, I still consider most of them as Christian as anyone else.

I agree. My husband Steve was born and raised a Catholic but never went to the Catholic church after we were married. So many people make them out to be just this side of the anit christ. There are many fine Catholic people who are christians.

Too bad we have to have titles. To me, anyone who truly loves God is my Brother or Sister in Christ, period! Titles separate ...

[Scarletprayers]

You know what guys "start your own thread" somebody wanted a question answered and help making a decision, not to set up a soap box debate for ya'll.

Our posts are on topic. She asked for differences, we are discussing a difference. I think if someone wants to know a position of Catholicism the Council of Trent and Vatican II are appropriate sources to reference.

We are not having a soap box debate. We are agreeing, in our own little weird way. I do not seem to remember people whining about off topic threads and hijacked threads this much in the past. Seems like half the threads on here have people crying about "talk about exactly what I want to talk about and nothing else." Threads evolve yet stay on topic.

Well I'll WHINE if I want too, deal

[Scarletprayers]

Well, Scarlet, you will find that some carry a soap box around with them as part of their tool kit........Some of them even carry a step ladder. Jesus mostly sat down, but He got His message across.

I know, as usual eric.........you hit the nail on the head!