The bible isnt "either or" it is "and, and with".
Just Believing in Jesus is not enough or demons would be saved.
James 2:19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.
Luke 4:41 Demons also were coming out of many, shouting, "You are the Son of God!" But rebuking them, He would not allow them to speak, because they knew Him to be the Christ.
Jesus also says we must do the will of his Father (Matthew 7:21) He says you must eat his flesh and drink his blood (John 6:58), He says you "must" be born again of "WATER" and Spirit (John 3:5, he says you must be charitable(Mark 9:41), He says you must forgive others to be forgiven yourself(Matthew 6:12), he says to let your Good Works shine before God (Matthew 5:16).....
Beliefism is not supported by scripture.
Here is something else Jesus says:
John 10:1 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber.
Jesus tells us we must believe in him, repent, be born again of water and spirit, eat his flesh and drink his blood, obey the commandments.
It is not about simple "beliefism", but our belief and faith in who Jesus is and what He has done. The conviction of our sin through the Holy Spirit, God's love, mercy and grace through Christ, our repentance because of our love for Him and others... these are what the Gospel is all about. Salvation is a gift of God, not of what we believe. We believe because in these ways He has touched our hearts and forever changed our lives.
ReplyDeleteYou have added the necessity of partaking in the religious sacraments, doctrinal beliefs and traditions which are not a scriptural prerequisite for salvation. That is the myth.
"You have added the necessity of partaking in the religious sacraments, doctrinal beliefs and traditions which are not a scriptural prerequisite for salvation. That is the myth."
DeleteNo, my friend, you are mistaken. Christ Himself instituted the Sacramental economy as the normal means of giving us His grace & growing us in His Spirit. Denial of that Sacramental economy is a newer, novel doctrine, popular for < 500 years.
Acts 15:11
ReplyDelete"But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are.”
Your blog about "Protestant Myths" really is no different than those that regard the Catholic Church with hatred and disdain. You may mean well, in accordance to your religious dogmas and beliefs, but that does not make them truths. Personally, I regard my Catholic brothers and sisters as being Christians if their faith is in Jesus Christ, who He is and what He has done. I regard those who have put their faith in the Church and religion to have missed the mark, lacking in the fullness of what Christianity is really all about. Christ died so that our Spiritual relationship with our living God could be restored. It is not a static religious belief, but a dynamic one that is renewed everyday. If you have this relationship, then you know that you daily have the assurance of your salvation, belief and faith.
"I regard those who have put their faith in the Church and religion to have missed the mark"
ReplyDeleteBut following Scripture is not missing the mark. Jesus founded a church which is a visible society, not only a spiritual association. That Church is the fulfillment/transformation/renewal of the Davidic Kingdom covenant. That kingdom had ministers and a vicar of the king (Isaiah22:20ff). Jesus installed the Apostles as the authoritative leaders (ie Luke22:29-30) with Peter as His vicar (Matt16:19, note the keys as in Isaiah). Since the King is not on earth since He ascended to His throne in Heaven, His vicar, guided by His Spirit, shepards/teaches/guards (ie John21:15-17) the earthly flock.
"Christ died so that our Spiritual relationship with our living God could be restored. It is not a static religious belief, but a dynamic one that is renewed everyday."
You are so right on there. It is accomplished by daily prayer to praise and thank and petition Him, and periodically we should renew our relationship with Him through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. That's why He instituted that Sacrament, to give us a definitive visible sign of the invisible reality of His forgiving our ongoing sinfulness, drawing us ever more close to His Immaculate Heart.