I have a Very Legalistic friend

Sounds like possibly a bad companion for you? It’s biblical.

HopeSings said:

All churches are blind. This isn't legalism. It's a fact. They're divided over religion and politics. They don't see how wrong it is. This has been prophesied in scripture

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Are you the friend that he is referring to?

BPPLEE said:

Are you the friend that he is referring to?

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No. I'm just a guy who sees the truth

I have no advice really for you and your anti-catholic, anti-denominational friend to come to peace and accord on these matters. Our Blessed Lord Himself prayed to the Father that we in the body of Christ be one, as He and the Father are One. Our only method of help. The only tool we have in our tool belt is prayer. Always pray for all Christian brothers and sisters that we can all stand firm against the glamours and deceptions that have descended upon the world. Maranatha.

Asking for God's help to remove your friend's blinders as He did with us.

"...for their minds have been blinded by the god of this age, leaving them in unbelief. Their blindness keeps them from seeing the dayspring light of the wonderful news of the glory of Jesus Christ, who is the divine image of God." (II Cor 4:4).

Ask your friend how one reaches the point of salvation from one's works.

Works show if a person has found salvation. A point many do not want to confront preferring to claim salvation without verification. However agreed, many will do works to give the impression of salvation while pursuing worldly interests. It's the same as those who use God rather than change themselves to suits God's will.

timothyu said:

Works show if a person has found salvation. A point many do not want to confront preferring to claim salvation without verification. However agreed, many will do works to give the impression of salvation while pursuing worldly interests. It's the same as those who use God rather than change themselves to suits God's will.

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I'm pretty sure the only thing the individual can do is to realize the length that he has fallen and to wait on the redemptive work of God.

Which is why I can curse God, myself and any person that I want, and then realize that this is pretty much the full capacity that I have.

jonojim1337 said:

I'm pretty sure the only thing the individual can do is to realize the length that he has fallen and to wait on the redemptive work of God.

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Yes we need to realize we and the entire world run on the backwards principles of self, just as God said. Redemption through the Kingdom came already, previously unavailable until the resurrection of Jesus. There was no Kingdom to come until that time. That event does not mean we are automatically given access to eternal life as the Lord lords find out. We have to reject those backways ways of self and align ourselves not with the will of man as Christianity did 1700 years ago with the Empire, but with the will of God. God tells us to focus on the well being of all to take the focus of of our own selfishness.

timothyu said:

Yes we need to realize we and the entire world run on the backwards principles of self, just as God said. Redemption through the Kingdom came already, previously unavailable until the resurrection of Jesus. There was no Kingdom to come until that time. That event does not mean we are automatically given access to eternal life as the Lord lords find out. We have to reject those backways ways of self and align ourselves not with the will of man as Christianity did 1700 years ago with the Empire, but with the will of God. God tells us to focus on the well being of all to take the focus of of our own selfishness.

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What are you talking about? The Christening of Rome was a great victory for the gospel, no less for the Christians who no longer had to be persecuted. It was almost like the second coming of Christ, where the beast was defeated. A shadow if you will.

I will reitirate that there is nothing a man can do to do the will of God. He has to thoroughly die, and the Spirit of God has to do all the work.

You may recall Jesus said His Kingdom was not of this world. Creating a kingdom here using God as an excuse is not the same as paving the way for the Kingdom to come, a Kingdom that operates on principles opposite to the will and ways of man. What was created was an alliance with a world that opposed the Kingdom and does to this day. That was by no means the fulfillment of Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven. It was just the opposite as it accepted the 'all this can be yours deal' rejected by Jesus.

Luke 16:15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

James 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

timothyu said:

You may recall Jesus said His Kingdom was not of this world. Creating a kingdom here using God as an excuse is not the same as paving the way for the Kingdom to come, a Kingdom that operates on principles opposite to the will and ways of man. What was created was an alliance with a world that opposed the Kingdom and does to this day. That was by no means the fulfillment of Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven. It was just the opposite as it accepted the 'all this can be yours deal' rejected by Jesus.

Luke 16:15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

James 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

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I don't think even the Catholics as deluded, to think that their Church is the Kingdom of God on earth. It clearly says on his hat, Vicar for Christ, that is, ruler until he is come.

Pray for him and ask God to help him see his truth.

Kenzin said:

I have this VERY legalistic friend.

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I thought legalism is when people make up a lot of rules for outward stuff, then judge you by if you make the outward show that their church is putting on. This person seems different than that.

Kenzin said:

He believe that ALL church are evil because of the Book of Revelations Talking about the Babylon Church Being the Catholic Church and that the Protestants and other Churches are the harlot offspring of the Catholic Church.

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I think this is different than legalism. Revelation, by the way, does not directly name Roman Catholicism. And, technically, Catholics are not known for selling slaves, and slaves are mentioned in Revelation as one of the things of commerce in Babylon . . . right? But he might have an explanation for this.

I do understand how a number of Protestants loved a lot of the Catholic things, but they did not want to be ruled by a pope. You can still see some similarity between Catholic communion service and how certain Protestant groups have communion and make it the center of their worship.

Kenzin said:

He think all spiritual gifts are evil because the Bible says in the end times there will be signs and wonders from the Devil.

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Satan has counterfeits. This does not mean there is not the real thing. Counterfeit money is not evidence that there is no real money.

"As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." (1 Peter 4:10)

As I get this, any real gift of God ministers God's own grace to change us into how Jesus is and how He has us pleasing God while loving as His family and ministering this to help to save lost people so they join us in this sharing as family with God. So, yes Satan's counterfeits do not minister this, plus some amount of church culture does not so minister God's own grace. But each of us in Jesus is able to minister God's own grace, I would say, through gifts and our prayer and good example.

And as we grow in Jesus, we grow in all His ability of God's own character of love.

So, if your friend does not minister this to you - - minister this to him, by prayer and example and whatever you can say to encourage the person.

Kenzin said:

He also wont say "I' or "Me" because he feels that it doesn't respect God.

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Paul our Apostle uses "I" and "me", doesn't he?

Kenzin said:

He doesn't capitalize any words accept for God and Jesus. He is one of those people who spells God as G-d. What's worse is he is constantly asking me to believe what he believes and tells me to not go to Church. It's awful. I get into arguements with him often and it is starting to get annoying. I've been praying but he hasn't changed. What can I do?

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You feed on God's word and keep changing, and be his good example of how to be gentle and humble and creative instead of arguing. And talk with him about how Jesus gives us rest for our souls (Matthew 11:28-30); and offer how we are commanded to be ruled by God's peace in our hearts > Colossians 3:15 > so we are personally ruled all the time by God's own peace keeping us with Him and making us creative for how to love each and every person while sharing and caring as His family..

And you yourself share with church people who help you with this, so you can learn in real life how to grow and relate as family in God's love.

com7fy8 said:

I thought legalism is when people make up a lot of rules for outward stuff, then judge you by if you make the outward show that their church is putting on. This person seems different than that.

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It is of course very meek of him to no not count himself as worthy to utter the name of "G-d". Has he come to a realization of the truth, or does he seek a piety before men?

com7fy8 said:

I think this is different than legalism. Revelation, by the way, does not directly name Roman Catholicism. And, technically, Catholics are not known for selling slaves, and slaves are mentioned in Revelation as one of the things of commerce in Babylon . . . right? But he might have an explanation for this.

I do understand how a number of Protestants loved a lot of the Catholic things, but they did not want to be ruled by a pope. You can still see some similarity between Catholic communion service and how certain Protestant groups have communion and make it the center of their worship.

Satan has counterfeits. This does not mean there is not the real thing. Counterfeit money is not evidence that there is no real money.

"As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." (1 Peter 4:10)

As I get this, any real gift of God ministers God's own grace to change us into how Jesus is and how He has us pleasing God while loving as His family and ministering this to help to save lost people so they join us in this sharing as family with God. So, yes Satan's counterfeits do not minister this, plus some amount of church culture does not so minister God's own grace. But each of us in Jesus is able to minister God's own grace, I would say, through gifts and our prayer and good example.

And as we grow in Jesus, we grow in all His ability of God's own character of love.

So, if your friend does not minister this to you - - minister this to him, by prayer and example and whatever you can say to encourage the person.

Paul our Apostle uses "I" and "me", doesn't he?

You feed on God's word and keep changing, and be his good example of how to be gentle and humble and creative instead of arguing. And talk with him about how Jesus gives us rest for our souls (Matthew 11:28-30); and offer how we are commanded to be ruled by God's peace in our hearts > Colossians 3:15 > so we are personally ruled all the time by God's own peace keeping us with Him and making us creative for how to love each and every person while sharing and caring as His family..

And you yourself share with church people who help you with this, so you can learn in real life how to grow and relate as family in God's love.

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The harlot has multiple meanings. Only one is the manifestation of her on the earth.

But, who has great merchants, that can trade even the souls of men? But, who says they have to be many.

After all, Judas only traded one soul. And he is considered perhaps the greatest merchant. *chuckles*

Observing the law and being saved by obeying the law are not the same concept. Being sensitive to sin within the church is good. However, cutting off all communication channels may lead to extreme isolation, and the harm may outweigh the benefits.