I am reading some very disturbing things lately. They are regarding the Catholic church. I was born and raised a Catholic. I pray to God daily, I thank the Lord daily for my many blessings that have been given to me. I talk to God daily, asking for guidance, forgiveness and protection upon my family, friends and this world.
But upon reading some of the things that have been floating out and around, stating that Catholics are a false church, anti-christ etc. It has me rather unsettled to read such things. My mother came from a devout Catholic home. How could something so beautiful, a devout relationship with the Lord, God be painted in such a horrible way?
The true church is the Philadelphia church, correct. So, ask the Lord Jesus Christ to show you which church is the TRUE Philadelphia church according to God's Word (the Bible). Trying reading Matthew 16:15-18 9SIGNS OF THE TRUE CHURCH). Also read the following scriptures: Acts, 2:38 (baptism), Acts 4:12 (baptizing in the NAME of JESUS and the filling of the Holy Spirit) as Jesus did in Matthew 3:16. You have a father, but he has a name....just like our Heavenly Father. Also, read John 3:5: Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews asked Jesus how to be born again. This is the only Bible evidence of salvation and the way to enter heaven. The Word of God says to ASK and ye shall receive, Seek and ye shall find, KNOCK and the door shall be opened unto to--taking the first alphabet of ASK, SEEK, and KNOCK = ASK. If you really want to know, ASK Jesus and if your BELIEVE, He will show you by HIS WORD (the Bible). Hope this comforts your soul. There is a church that practices all these scriptures (in Hawaii): baptism in Jesus name, filling of the Holy Spirit, and praying unceasingly that the whole world come to the true and accurate knowledge of the TRUTH.
I was raised in a devout Catholic Church. As I grew into adulthood certain things caused me to question the RCC. My father a devout catholic left the church over the sex scandals. It caused me to further seak the truth. I visited other churches and talked to their members and still never felt comfortable. One day I was teaching my almost stepson the Ten Commandments from my catholic catechism book. My boyfriend, his dad at the time, said" those are not the right commandments" I was shocked and he gave me the KJV to check it out. That really infuriated me when I learned the RCC has changed the Bible. Both my husband and I felt like we needed more( he was baptist) and decided to pray about it. A few weeks later a prophecy seminar showed up in the mail. It looked awesome saying we would learn from the Bible.
We went to the month long seminar and it changed my life. I have learned how to read the Bible, decipher it's codes, precept by precept as Jesus has told us to do. Both historical and biblical fact prove the RCC was founded from paganism, is responsible for the murders of millions and is now furthering its evil intent on the world thru the pope. We continue to honor the Ten Commandments including the fourth, Remember the Sabbath! What a blessing to finally know the Bible truth. From the early Christians to the Waldenses to the Adventist's we must keep Gods word alive especially in these times. I will pray that God will show you the way as he did for me.
I am very happy that you found the truth . but there is just 2 things i want to tell you . 1 is do not worry about putting your faith in any church no matter what church it may be the church of god , catholic or even baptist just read the king james bible first edition and study the word of god . and the other is i want to tell you about les feldick because he reads only from the kjb and is not with any church at all . he is on direct tv on channels from 364 to 372 in there at different times . the reason i want to tell you about him is he reads the scripture and then explains it to you . i used to find it so hard to understand the scriptures but he explains it and makes it so easy to understand . and he will only show you the scriptures when he explains it to you . again so happy you found your way to the kjb and i will see you in heaven one day to you and your husband !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Roman Catholic Church is a false religion. The Pope is a liar and they worship satan. It is not true Christianity. Saturday is the true Sabbath. Use the only true bible. King James Bible. The ten commandments. Mary is an idol.
Chris has shared some great things with you. There are many other things I could add but will leave it at that. I hope no one is attacking you personally for your belief. It's one thing to discredit the teachings of a church, but to attack an individual personally for what they believe is unacceptable. The Lord works in ways we cannot even begin to imagine. Like I said, I spent many years in the Catholic Church so I can understand you being disturbed by things said. It bothered me back in 1997 while I was still active duty military. I was put in charge of a section that had 4 Christians. They would get into biblical discussions and I was lost. I couldn't join in the conversations because I didn't understand what they were talking about. There I was, many years in the church, and I had no clue what they were saying. It should never be that way. You would think that after 30 years in the church, I would have a decent understanding of scripture. But I was never encouraged to read the bible. I visited several Catholic Churches and never once saw a bible in the pews or people bringing their bibles to church. It never bothered me then, but now it bothers me that so many people are being kept in the dark when it comes to God's word. The 4 Christians I mentioned were very careful and subtle in the way they said that many of the teachings of the Catholic Church were in error. It still bothered me. I think the Lord put me in that job for a reason. In my anger, I was going to "prove them wrong!" I started reading the bible to show them that my church was right in its teachings. But the more I read and the more I studied, the more the Lord revealed to me the truth. For 30 plus years, I sat every Sunday in a pew like a dead weed with no root and no spiritual growth. I've spent the last 23 years growing in Christ through His word. Don't be bothered by what is said about the Catholic Church. Instead, dig deep into God's word to see if what is being said is true.
So Teresa, I hope in this short space, you can see why God is concerned that we come to Him in the right way, God's Way & not the way we believe or by what we are told. And it's not a case of Catholicism versus Protestantism: there is no such thing with God - that is all man-made - God only looks for hearts that obey Him & come to Him through His Son only - not because of membership to a Church, or by denying Jesus' intercessory Work, or by re-sacrificing His Son each time at Mass, or even adding anything else to His gift of Faith to be saved. We need to get away from man-made institutions & methods & practise what the Bible teaches. I hope that you read this in the way it is given: with love & a concerned heart for you & for all Catholics who love God but are misled. Also for your understanding and that you can see that these matters are so important to God because how you accept them & believe them will determine how you will stand before Him when you see Him.
e. last, but not least, this is probably the greatest hindrance to a Catholic's salvation: are you truly God's child because of what Jesus has done for you, or are you believing that you need to add to it to give you a guarantee?
Christ's salvation is given only by having FAITH in what He did for you on the Cross: faith in His dying for your sins, taking your place; His Resurrection back to life showing that God accepted His Sacrifice; His Ascension back into Heaven & His intercessory work for you right now. That's all you need is faith in Him - nothing else - no added works (however good they might be) to guarantee your salvation. ( Titus 3:5: "Not by WORKS of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost"). And Ephesians 2:8,9 "For by grace are ye saved through FAITH; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: NOT OF WORKS, lest any man should boast". If we add anything to faith for our salvation, then it's no longer of faith, but of works - & that is NOT God's salvation ( Romans 11:6).
b. do you go to Confession for absolution? 1 Timothy 2:5 tells us that there is only one Mediator between God & man & His Name is Jesus. By believing that a priest can hear & absolve your sins shows that Christ is not approachable & cannot forgive, yet 1 John 1:9 says ""If we confess our sins (to whom?), he (Jesus) is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness". We have our High Priest seated in Heaven (see Hebrews 5:5,6 & 10:21,22): there is no Priest, Cardinal or Pope that can ever do the work of Jesus in Heaven for us.
c. do you believe in the Eucharist that Christ's Body & Blood are physically evident there? Every time you partake of it, you are sacrificing Christ, or continuing Christ's sacrifice perpetually. Jesus died for your sins once only - we do great wrong to perpetually put Him to the Cross. Romans 6:9,10: "Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth NO MORE; death hath NO MORE dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin ONCE: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God." Jesus is no longer at the Cross - He is seated at the Father's right Hand, continually interceding for His children ( Romans 8:34).
d. do you study God's Word for yourself or leave it up to the Priest to teach you? 2 Timothy 2:15, says to read & study God's Word for yourself & allow Him to speak to you from it. For many years, Catholics were not allowed to read the Bible for themselves, being told that they won't be able to understand it. So many blindly followed what they were taught - some are now reading the Bible for themselves & seeing new things. That is why we get such questions here: they may be very simple basic questions, but for those people, they were never told the Truth & so are desperate for answers. Please read the references I've given & other portions of the Bible in your devotion times with God: God will speak to you directly.
Teresa, I hear what you're saying & no one can make a judgement about a person's position before God: that is in God's knowledge only. And I'm sure that within the Catholic Church, there are many genuine people who are born again of God's Spirit but have not come to that point of deep conviction of their connection with the Church or maybe finding it difficult to leave it. God sees their heart & will speak to them in His Own special way.
I know of & speak with a few RC folk & I also see their love for the Lord & devotion to Him, so why can't I just leave it there instead of teaching them from God's Word? Because in the Bible we are told how to make sure that we are His children, destined for Heaven. Some Catholics who are truly saved have sensed the need to leave the RC Church because what is said & done there is incompatible with what God says in the Bible & so their spirit is troubled. You know, many can be very good & devout, but that is never a qualification for salvation & for Heaven. There are many from other faiths that are likewise, but yet remain barred from Heaven. Why is that so?
It is because we may have a love & hunger for God, yet are disobedient to what God requires of us. In respect to Catholics, I ask:
a. are you really trusting only in Jesus for your salvation, or by being a member of the Church also? Read John 3:16 & Acts 4:12 (they speak of faith in Him alone & nothing else to save us). Being a member of the Church (any Church) won't save you, but being a part of Christ's Body (His Church) is God's Promise that you are saved. Do you pray to Mary, the Mother of our Lord, or even to the Saints? They won't hear you& can't help you & by praying to anyone except our Heavenly Father, means you have placed 'other gods' in your life & you know that is totally unacceptable.
Thank you Chris! I am so grateful that I was led here. For once I feel like I am getting lead in the direction that I have been seeking for so long. Finally hearing and seeing.
It has been so difficult to be "in the dark" when it comes to the bible. I will certainly be doing some reading this evening, and will start with what you suggested.
I would like to add that I also have a beautiful devotional that was given to me by a dear friend. And it is of great comfort to me, and seems that most days, the readings are right on target with me.
Teresa, thank you for your comments which truly expressed your heart's desire to know your loving Heavenly Father, His precious Son & His ever-caring Holy Spirit. Jesse too has shared intimately with you & also will provide you the correct guidance you seek; so I will leave off here & not add to the body of this thread - but I'll stay tuned!
Remember, if you have any questions about what you read in the Bible (& there will be many I'm sure), do write in, as it seems that you have been 'in the dark' about God's Plan & Purposes for you for too long. Jesse, others, & myself also continually read God's Word so as to gain His Light (i.e. learn what He is saying to us today from the Bible) so that we know Him more, love Him more, & be confident & joyful when we one day will be in His Presence. So what we share with you is only because of what He has shown to us first and isn't that really the Heart of God: to bring us first to salvation from the penalty of our sins, that we should grow in knowledge of Him & also to share this with others that they may also know Him & the greatness of His Love for them?
And very true, God's Word (even through good Devotionals), will truly minister to your heart's needs & will give His Special Word for you today so that you may always be confident that He is with you, to help you & lead you in this journey He has blessed you with. May the Lord bless you & your loved ones there & help you in your 'new' walk in His Light & Truth found only in His Word.
I wouldn't go as far as to say that the Catholic Church is antichrist, but there are many teachings/dogma in the Catholic Church that are foreign to scripture and even go against scripture. I know about the Catholic Church, having spent more than 30 years of my life in it. So I have first-hand experience as far as what they teach. Most Catholics are devout people. On the outside it looks beautiful, but what is their relationship with Jesus Christ like? Back in 1997, I began questioning the church. I went through the same thing you are going through now, people saying that the teachings of my church were wrong. I too was offended by that. But at that time, I was one of those devout churchgoers that you speak of. However, my relationship, or more proper, my non-relationship with Jesus Christ began to weigh heavy on my mind. In 30 plus years, I was never taught about salvation other than salvation only came through the Catholic Church. Also, I was illiterate when it came to the bible. I look back now and I wonder how in more than 30 years of going to church could I be so illiterate when it came to God's word? Sure, we had the "readings" in church, but if you took the bible as a whole, the readings only covered maybe 10 percent of the entire bible, and it was the same readings over and over again, year after year.
I'm sure you can relate to what I am telling you. I saw a lot of devout people. But they were only devoted to the Catholic Church, not Jesus Christ. I broke free many years ago after receiving Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. What was I devoted to? Was it to a church system and placing my trust in it, or was I devoted to Christ and His word? We all have to make a choice, follow the teachings of a church or religious system, or follow Jesus Christ and His word. Sometimes that choice is tough and family may even turn on you. But it's far better to follow Jesus Christ than to be a devout follower of a church system that cannot save you!
I am so so very happy to have read your response. You have described my heart and it's feelings, for many many years now. I have not been to "church" in a few years now. I do however speak to God and Jesus daily. Giving my thanks for my blessings bestowed upon me. Asking for guidance, safety and peace for myself as well as my friends and family. I feel closer than I have in previous years. The one thing that has ALWAYS bothered me for several years as an adult is that I do not know the bible. I feel very sad and ashamed to say that. Being raised as a Catholic, as you know, it was always the
weekly missalette readings. I did order and receive 2 King James Bibles in April. I am struggling as to where to begin. I know that there is the first page, of the bible. But with all that is happening in this world right now, I more than ever want to educate myself as does my husband. Do you have any advice that you would or could give us as to where a good place to start would be? I am a very passionate person when it comes to my faith with God our Lord. As I stated previously, I talk to, cry to and even have been angry with God. But my faith has never faltered I just want to have what so many others that I know personally have within their hearts. A fullness!
Thank you again for your response. It was as if you were inside my head and knew exactly what was in there.
What I wanted to add is that when you do begin your study, do not let it discourage you if don't understand everything you read. I've yet to meet anyone who can honestly say they know the entire bible. If we knew it all, we wouldn't have to study. When I first began, it was on and off that I would pick up the bible and read it. After a while, I developed a hunger for it and could not stay away for very long. You will probably experience that also. That's a good thing because that hunger and desire comes from God's Spirit drawing you to His word and giving you that hunger.
But when I began, I wanted to know it all. I used to get frustrated when I didn't understand what I was reading. There are still things I can read and not understand fully. I am going to say that that's normal and here's why: I come to realize that God is only going to reveal to me what He knows I am ready to handle.
Before you begin, it is important to open your study in prayer asking the Lord to reveal to you what He wants you to know. I stopped getting frustrated when I couldn't understand something, even after asking God to reveal it to me. Why? Because I know knowledge only comes through Him, and if I don't get it, it's because He knows I'm not ready for it yet. And I am at peace with that.
I tried sending you a link to my webpage where I presented a bible study of the entire New Testament but this site will not let me send a link. I thought I would give it a try since not too long ago someone was able to share their YouTube page here. However, I need to abide by the rules of this site.
I am more than happy to help both you and your husband out. You mention being passionate when it comes to your faith in the Lord. But I have to ask, have you ever received Christ? Have you been born of His Spirit? That has to come first. I say this because in all the years I spent in church, I never knew what it meant to receive Christ.
Those in the church would say that they receive Him every week during communion, but that is not what the bible teaches. In order to fully understand scripture, a person must be born of God's Spirit. The bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 2:14 that the natural man (unsaved) cannot understand the things of God because they are spiritually discerned. This tells us that only God's Spirit can reveal to us the things of God.
As far as where to begin in the bible, I can only suggest what worked for me. I began with the New Testament. Even today, that is where I spend most of my time. The gospels would be a good place. John is my favorite of the gospels. John Chapter 15 is my favorite chapter in John. It speaks about Jesus being the genuine vine, and we being the branches, and apart from Him, we cannot do one thing. Basically, apart from Him, we are spiritually dead. It's such a beautiful chapter. As far as salvation goes, the book of Romans lays it all out. The book has been called "The Constitution of The Christian Faith" by some. If we only had the book of Romans, we would have everything we need.
You and your husband's salvation are very important and you both need to know in your heart that you are saved. I think any believer here would agree that the greatest love we can show to you is to be concerned for your spiritual welfare. That is called Agape love. It is the love that Jesus Christ gives us. He gives us Himself. And only through Him can we share that love with others.
Of question: The vision of Constantine of bringing together Church and State by the Cross, was it of God or man? Did the True Church stay separate? Can we know?
For Teresa and family, many prayers are with you this very day.
Also, the Catholic Church has penance for sins. So, pray The Apostles' Creed and Nicene Creed and ask Jesus Christ to come into your heart and soul and All Three of The Trinity as Mother Elizabeth did per the Catholic Catechism in English book.
The Catholic faith has many biblical things right. Apostles' Creed and The Nicene Creed, confessions of sins committed, The Holy Communion, good works, the gathering together, The Catechism in English does explain very detailed the Doctrine beliefs of The Catholic Faith (After the explanation of The Trinity it has a note of Mother Elizabeth praying for All Three of The Trinity to come into her soul and heart.) The baptism as a baby is a dedication of babies to God. Popes for years have a belief that the anti-Christ will be a Catholic Pope. Therefore, even Popes train to not worship any Pope. In the past Mother Mary was so honored that she became liken to being worshiped as an idol, the Popes agree that this is not to be done. Honoring Mother Mary's testimony in Christ is fine. Questionable perception of the statues of saints. These are not to be worshiped either. Statues of saints are to be like remembrance of our family members of photographs. Pray to The Father and not to any deceased person. The Body of Christ in all churches is The Church. One catholic Apostolic Church. Lower case c here to denote all churches in Christ as The Body of Christ. The Rosary should be Hail Jesus Christ not Hail Mary Mother of God. There are wolves dressed in sheep's clothing in all churches and church groups. So at any gathering of church topics, put on your Armour moreso! Be aware. Just as you are discerning of having wise associates in your life. There are cults too.
But upon reading some of the things that have been floating out and around, stating that Catholics are a false church, anti-christ etc. It has me rather unsettled to read such things. My mother came from a devout Catholic home. How could something so beautiful, a devout relationship with the Lord, God be painted in such a horrible way?
Looking for some insight, to settle my soul.
Thank you,
Teresa
I was raised in a devout Catholic Church. As I grew into adulthood certain things caused me to question the RCC. My father a devout catholic left the church over the sex scandals. It caused me to further seak the truth. I visited other churches and talked to their members and still never felt comfortable. One day I was teaching my almost stepson the Ten Commandments from my catholic catechism book. My boyfriend, his dad at the time, said" those are not the right commandments" I was shocked and he gave me the KJV to check it out. That really infuriated me when I learned the RCC has changed the Bible. Both my husband and I felt like we needed more( he was baptist) and decided to pray about it. A few weeks later a prophecy seminar showed up in the mail. It looked awesome saying we would learn from the Bible.
We went to the month long seminar and it changed my life. I have learned how to read the Bible, decipher it's codes, precept by precept as Jesus has told us to do. Both historical and biblical fact prove the RCC was founded from paganism, is responsible for the murders of millions and is now furthering its evil intent on the world thru the pope. We continue to honor the Ten Commandments including the fourth, Remember the Sabbath! What a blessing to finally know the Bible truth. From the early Christians to the Waldenses to the Adventist's we must keep Gods word alive especially in these times. I will pray that God will show you the way as he did for me.
Chris has shared some great things with you. There are many other things I could add but will leave it at that. I hope no one is attacking you personally for your belief. It's one thing to discredit the teachings of a church, but to attack an individual personally for what they believe is unacceptable. The Lord works in ways we cannot even begin to imagine. Like I said, I spent many years in the Catholic Church so I can understand you being disturbed by things said. It bothered me back in 1997 while I was still active duty military. I was put in charge of a section that had 4 Christians. They would get into biblical discussions and I was lost. I couldn't join in the conversations because I didn't understand what they were talking about. There I was, many years in the church, and I had no clue what they were saying. It should never be that way. You would think that after 30 years in the church, I would have a decent understanding of scripture. But I was never encouraged to read the bible. I visited several Catholic Churches and never once saw a bible in the pews or people bringing their bibles to church. It never bothered me then, but now it bothers me that so many people are being kept in the dark when it comes to God's word. The 4 Christians I mentioned were very careful and subtle in the way they said that many of the teachings of the Catholic Church were in error. It still bothered me. I think the Lord put me in that job for a reason. In my anger, I was going to "prove them wrong!" I started reading the bible to show them that my church was right in its teachings. But the more I read and the more I studied, the more the Lord revealed to me the truth. For 30 plus years, I sat every Sunday in a pew like a dead weed with no root and no spiritual growth. I've spent the last 23 years growing in Christ through His word. Don't be bothered by what is said about the Catholic Church. Instead, dig deep into God's word to see if what is being said is true.
So Teresa, I hope in this short space, you can see why God is concerned that we come to Him in the right way, God's Way & not the way we believe or by what we are told. And it's not a case of Catholicism versus Protestantism: there is no such thing with God - that is all man-made - God only looks for hearts that obey Him & come to Him through His Son only - not because of membership to a Church, or by denying Jesus' intercessory Work, or by re-sacrificing His Son each time at Mass, or even adding anything else to His gift of Faith to be saved. We need to get away from man-made institutions & methods & practise what the Bible teaches. I hope that you read this in the way it is given: with love & a concerned heart for you & for all Catholics who love God but are misled. Also for your understanding and that you can see that these matters are so important to God because how you accept them & believe them will determine how you will stand before Him when you see Him.
e. last, but not least, this is probably the greatest hindrance to a Catholic's salvation: are you truly God's child because of what Jesus has done for you, or are you believing that you need to add to it to give you a guarantee?
Christ's salvation is given only by having FAITH in what He did for you on the Cross: faith in His dying for your sins, taking your place; His Resurrection back to life showing that God accepted His Sacrifice; His Ascension back into Heaven & His intercessory work for you right now. That's all you need is faith in Him - nothing else - no added works (however good they might be) to guarantee your salvation. ( Titus 3:5: "Not by WORKS of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost"). And Ephesians 2:8,9 "For by grace are ye saved through FAITH; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: NOT OF WORKS, lest any man should boast". If we add anything to faith for our salvation, then it's no longer of faith, but of works - & that is NOT God's salvation ( Romans 11:6).
b. do you go to Confession for absolution? 1 Timothy 2:5 tells us that there is only one Mediator between God & man & His Name is Jesus. By believing that a priest can hear & absolve your sins shows that Christ is not approachable & cannot forgive, yet 1 John 1:9 says ""If we confess our sins (to whom?), he (Jesus) is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness". We have our High Priest seated in Heaven (see Hebrews 5:5,6 & 10:21,22): there is no Priest, Cardinal or Pope that can ever do the work of Jesus in Heaven for us.
c. do you believe in the Eucharist that Christ's Body & Blood are physically evident there? Every time you partake of it, you are sacrificing Christ, or continuing Christ's sacrifice perpetually. Jesus died for your sins once only - we do great wrong to perpetually put Him to the Cross. Romans 6:9,10: "Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth NO MORE; death hath NO MORE dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin ONCE: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God." Jesus is no longer at the Cross - He is seated at the Father's right Hand, continually interceding for His children ( Romans 8:34).
d. do you study God's Word for yourself or leave it up to the Priest to teach you? 2 Timothy 2:15, says to read & study God's Word for yourself & allow Him to speak to you from it. For many years, Catholics were not allowed to read the Bible for themselves, being told that they won't be able to understand it. So many blindly followed what they were taught - some are now reading the Bible for themselves & seeing new things. That is why we get such questions here: they may be very simple basic questions, but for those people, they were never told the Truth & so are desperate for answers. Please read the references I've given & other portions of the Bible in your devotion times with God: God will speak to you directly.
Teresa, I hear what you're saying & no one can make a judgement about a person's position before God: that is in God's knowledge only. And I'm sure that within the Catholic Church, there are many genuine people who are born again of God's Spirit but have not come to that point of deep conviction of their connection with the Church or maybe finding it difficult to leave it. God sees their heart & will speak to them in His Own special way.
I know of & speak with a few RC folk & I also see their love for the Lord & devotion to Him, so why can't I just leave it there instead of teaching them from God's Word? Because in the Bible we are told how to make sure that we are His children, destined for Heaven. Some Catholics who are truly saved have sensed the need to leave the RC Church because what is said & done there is incompatible with what God says in the Bible & so their spirit is troubled. You know, many can be very good & devout, but that is never a qualification for salvation & for Heaven. There are many from other faiths that are likewise, but yet remain barred from Heaven. Why is that so?
It is because we may have a love & hunger for God, yet are disobedient to what God requires of us. In respect to Catholics, I ask:
a. are you really trusting only in Jesus for your salvation, or by being a member of the Church also? Read John 3:16 & Acts 4:12 (they speak of faith in Him alone & nothing else to save us). Being a member of the Church (any Church) won't save you, but being a part of Christ's Body (His Church) is God's Promise that you are saved. Do you pray to Mary, the Mother of our Lord, or even to the Saints? They won't hear you& can't help you & by praying to anyone except our Heavenly Father, means you have placed 'other gods' in your life & you know that is totally unacceptable.
It has been so difficult to be "in the dark" when it comes to the bible. I will certainly be doing some reading this evening, and will start with what you suggested.
I would like to add that I also have a beautiful devotional that was given to me by a dear friend. And it is of great comfort to me, and seems that most days, the readings are right on target with me.
Thank you again!
Teresa
Remember, if you have any questions about what you read in the Bible (& there will be many I'm sure), do write in, as it seems that you have been 'in the dark' about God's Plan & Purposes for you for too long. Jesse, others, & myself also continually read God's Word so as to gain His Light (i.e. learn what He is saying to us today from the Bible) so that we know Him more, love Him more, & be confident & joyful when we one day will be in His Presence. So what we share with you is only because of what He has shown to us first and isn't that really the Heart of God: to bring us first to salvation from the penalty of our sins, that we should grow in knowledge of Him & also to share this with others that they may also know Him & the greatness of His Love for them?
And very true, God's Word (even through good Devotionals), will truly minister to your heart's needs & will give His Special Word for you today so that you may always be confident that He is with you, to help you & lead you in this journey He has blessed you with. May the Lord bless you & your loved ones there & help you in your 'new' walk in His Light & Truth found only in His Word.
I wouldn't go as far as to say that the Catholic Church is antichrist, but there are many teachings/dogma in the Catholic Church that are foreign to scripture and even go against scripture. I know about the Catholic Church, having spent more than 30 years of my life in it. So I have first-hand experience as far as what they teach. Most Catholics are devout people. On the outside it looks beautiful, but what is their relationship with Jesus Christ like? Back in 1997, I began questioning the church. I went through the same thing you are going through now, people saying that the teachings of my church were wrong. I too was offended by that. But at that time, I was one of those devout churchgoers that you speak of. However, my relationship, or more proper, my non-relationship with Jesus Christ began to weigh heavy on my mind. In 30 plus years, I was never taught about salvation other than salvation only came through the Catholic Church. Also, I was illiterate when it came to the bible. I look back now and I wonder how in more than 30 years of going to church could I be so illiterate when it came to God's word? Sure, we had the "readings" in church, but if you took the bible as a whole, the readings only covered maybe 10 percent of the entire bible, and it was the same readings over and over again, year after year.
I'm sure you can relate to what I am telling you. I saw a lot of devout people. But they were only devoted to the Catholic Church, not Jesus Christ. I broke free many years ago after receiving Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. What was I devoted to? Was it to a church system and placing my trust in it, or was I devoted to Christ and His word? We all have to make a choice, follow the teachings of a church or religious system, or follow Jesus Christ and His word. Sometimes that choice is tough and family may even turn on you. But it's far better to follow Jesus Christ than to be a devout follower of a church system that cannot save you!
I am so so very happy to have read your response. You have described my heart and it's feelings, for many many years now. I have not been to "church" in a few years now. I do however speak to God and Jesus daily. Giving my thanks for my blessings bestowed upon me. Asking for guidance, safety and peace for myself as well as my friends and family. I feel closer than I have in previous years. The one thing that has ALWAYS bothered me for several years as an adult is that I do not know the bible. I feel very sad and ashamed to say that. Being raised as a Catholic, as you know, it was always the
weekly missalette readings. I did order and receive 2 King James Bibles in April. I am struggling as to where to begin. I know that there is the first page, of the bible. But with all that is happening in this world right now, I more than ever want to educate myself as does my husband. Do you have any advice that you would or could give us as to where a good place to start would be? I am a very passionate person when it comes to my faith with God our Lord. As I stated previously, I talk to, cry to and even have been angry with God. But my faith has never faltered I just want to have what so many others that I know personally have within their hearts. A fullness!
Thank you again for your response. It was as if you were inside my head and knew exactly what was in there.
Teresa
Teresa,
What I wanted to add is that when you do begin your study, do not let it discourage you if don't understand everything you read. I've yet to meet anyone who can honestly say they know the entire bible. If we knew it all, we wouldn't have to study. When I first began, it was on and off that I would pick up the bible and read it. After a while, I developed a hunger for it and could not stay away for very long. You will probably experience that also. That's a good thing because that hunger and desire comes from God's Spirit drawing you to His word and giving you that hunger.
But when I began, I wanted to know it all. I used to get frustrated when I didn't understand what I was reading. There are still things I can read and not understand fully. I am going to say that that's normal and here's why: I come to realize that God is only going to reveal to me what He knows I am ready to handle.
Before you begin, it is important to open your study in prayer asking the Lord to reveal to you what He wants you to know. I stopped getting frustrated when I couldn't understand something, even after asking God to reveal it to me. Why? Because I know knowledge only comes through Him, and if I don't get it, it's because He knows I'm not ready for it yet. And I am at peace with that.
I tried sending you a link to my webpage where I presented a bible study of the entire New Testament but this site will not let me send a link. I thought I would give it a try since not too long ago someone was able to share their YouTube page here. However, I need to abide by the rules of this site.
God Bless!!!
I am more than happy to help both you and your husband out. You mention being passionate when it comes to your faith in the Lord. But I have to ask, have you ever received Christ? Have you been born of His Spirit? That has to come first. I say this because in all the years I spent in church, I never knew what it meant to receive Christ.
Those in the church would say that they receive Him every week during communion, but that is not what the bible teaches. In order to fully understand scripture, a person must be born of God's Spirit. The bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 2:14 that the natural man (unsaved) cannot understand the things of God because they are spiritually discerned. This tells us that only God's Spirit can reveal to us the things of God.
As far as where to begin in the bible, I can only suggest what worked for me. I began with the New Testament. Even today, that is where I spend most of my time. The gospels would be a good place. John is my favorite of the gospels. John Chapter 15 is my favorite chapter in John. It speaks about Jesus being the genuine vine, and we being the branches, and apart from Him, we cannot do one thing. Basically, apart from Him, we are spiritually dead. It's such a beautiful chapter. As far as salvation goes, the book of Romans lays it all out. The book has been called "The Constitution of The Christian Faith" by some. If we only had the book of Romans, we would have everything we need.
You and your husband's salvation are very important and you both need to know in your heart that you are saved. I think any believer here would agree that the greatest love we can show to you is to be concerned for your spiritual welfare. That is called Agape love. It is the love that Jesus Christ gives us. He gives us Himself. And only through Him can we share that love with others.
I'm out of space so I will send another page.
I am overwhelmed by the kindness that you both has bestowed upon me. I would very much appreciate being taught through your knowledge.
If space becomes a issue. I am more than happy to communicate via email. Being that there is no character counts.
Again, thank you from the bottom of our hearts
Teresa
For Teresa and family, many prayers are with you this very day.
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