DaveM said:

biggest issue for me was going to Priest to ask forgiveness of sin, and never being freed from the enslavement of that sin, only Jesus frees us from the enslavement of sin, only Jesus gives us a new heart, a new spirit, going to priest to confess your sins is 100% worthless, and has no spiritual power at all. Only Jesus can free you from sin, only Jesus grants us eternal life by the father.

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I would encourage you to read the letter to the Hebrews. Especially chapter 10.

Catholics believe, as do Protestants that Jesus paid the price for our sins, and it is by His sacrifice that we are reconciled to God. We cannot work our way to heaven.

At the moment we are born again in baptism, all of our past and present sins are forgiven and our soul is cleansed. We are a new creature, and we are able to begin to walk as He walked.

Scripture says nothing about future sins, once we believe. It does not say rest easy, don’t worry about your sinful behavior, you are a believer now. It actually says the opposite.

Once we believe, our sins are forgiven, and we are supposed to stop sinning. As Jesus said to the woman caught in adultery, go away and don’t sin anymore. Scripture even explicitly warns us not to rely on Jesus’ sacrifice if we sin once we become believers. That would be presumption

Hebrews 10:26 says “For if we sin willfully after having received the knowledge of the truth, there is now left no sacrifice for sins.” That includes Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, which becomes of no effect if we choose to sin. Once we are born again, we are obligated to stop sinning.
If we are born again, we are dead to sin. If we are dead to sin, how can we live any longer therein? If we sin with impunity once we claim to know Jesus, it make Him a joke and brings Him to open shame. We are weak, what then can we do?


Jesus knows our flesh is weak, and it is very hard to walk the path that leads to life, yet we are called to walk the narrow way and enter the straight gate.

He gave His apostles the power to forgive sins on earth, they are the priests.

Our sin after we have been born again greatly offends God. It is as if we were at His passion spitting on Him, mocking Him, beating Him, killing Him. Hey thanks for cleansing my sin Jesus, why don’t I just laugh and continue sinning while I watch you bleed, you have forgiven me so it’s no big deal, right?
Do you really think that is how God would react to the previous absurd statement?


If we sin in weakness, our fear of the Lord causes us to feel sorrow and we seek out Christ’s representative to apologize and ask for grace to abandon our sin. That is what the priest is for. He does not forgive us our sin of his own accord, but by the authority of Christ vested in him. We are apologizing to Jesus for having wounded Him. Going to confession also gives us grace to give up our sin and detach our hearts from material things and esteem of the world.
Jesus also gives us His body and blood in the Eucharist, and regular worthy consumption gives us the grace to overcome sin. Confession and the Eucharist are acts of humility not magical substitutes for Christs death on the cross.

Scripture says that if we sin after we are born again, we should have a sense of dread of punishment, not arrogant presumption.
We sin after we are born again, what are we to do?

I don’t known about you, but I am going to confess to one of Christ’s ambassadors, and I will consume Christ’s body and blood to strengthen me against sin. Life is hard, and God has given us the gift of Confession and Eucharist to help us. They should not be mocked or squandered

My single one-day awakening happened this way:

For many years, I experienced and believed Christianity had no real down side. It was a happy, easy and rewarding life, everyone should jump in. It was a fun easy life for me and I had a great resume and wanted to add prison Bible teaching.

I use to teach “we (Christians) all sin lots of times especially lusting and cannot keep from it, but we are constantly being washed by the blood of Christ, so we are without sin in that case.” That was before I met a group of Christians that risked death for themselves and others by sinning, just any sign of not doing what Christ would be doing in that moment could result in being beaten to death. Here is what happened:

I got thrown into (volunteered to substitute teach) with the youth (13-21 age) prisoners program teaching Bible (one hour on Sunday morning to a group of 14 with three other Christians teaching groups of 14) and I was teaching three groups of “Christians”. The first group were guys (“going to school”, it is called), they start out causing trouble and getting thrown in the tank. Then they start increasingly attending the Bible services, carrying their Bible, being nice, eventually being baptized and saying they are Christian. By the time the parole board meets, they have this glowing report showing continued improvement tied to their increased spirituality and are released. These guys still carry weapons, are members of a gang, and every prisoner knows they just “went to school” to get out. The second group were converted before they went to prison (granny conversions), but on their first day they are seen watching raunchy TV, hanging with a loss group, laughing at off colored jokes, they were not always talking about Jesus and were not trying to convert others. On their first day in prison the snitches see this, the snitches talk to the Bulls who then approach these “Christians” saying: “you are not a Christian” (doing everything Christ would do) and make them a slave (often sexual) or at best a gang member. They still come to Bible study on Sunday, so they can tell Granny (who visits them Sunday afternoon) what they learned, but they are slaves (sometimes sexually) to some bull. The third group is fanatical, they stick close to each other, they: study, pray, witness to everyone, and avoid even a hint of insincerity that the snitches could see. They carry no weapons, but step between those that are being beaten especially persecuted. This group had grown over the last 3 years from just a couple of guys to now 42, but it came at a high price. Each convert had on the day he was baptized, given up the protection of his gang membership, turned over his weapons along with all his possessions (the gang owns everything including them), they were beaten if not by the gang they left, then by other gangs looking for payback and then they were watched constantly looking for any sign the snitches might interpret as weakness (anything less than what Christ would do in the situation, would result in a beating and it could lead to death). There is absolutely no privacy and these Christians never wanted to be found alone. They slept in barracks where at least one stayed awake all night praying over the others, so they could sleep without the fear of being smashed in the head in the middle of the night. These guys believed and counted on power from the Holy Spirit, I did not know existed. They come battered and bruised each week hungry for some real meaningful Christ like lesson that goes beyond their group study of 40+hours that week on the same subject, which I could not provide. They mostly helped me with my poor example of Christianity and lack of knowledge and lack of wisdom. They mentored me even though they were only Christian for a few months, but I was a poor disciple and could not keep up with them. I don’t know if I could go through what they went through.

I had many hard nights praying and crying over those young men. I Loved them and empathetically to some degree suffered with them.

Love365 said:

What Hollywood movies have normal Russian characters?

What Hollywood movies have positive Russian characters?

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Hollywood is fiction, international diplomacy is reality.

Apples, oranges.

Pope Leo XIV warned new archbishops on Sunday against following “the same old pastoral plans without experiencing interior renewal and a willingness to respond to new challenges.”

Speaking on the June 29 solemnity of Peter and Paul — saints recognized by the Catholic Church as pillars of the faith and venerated as patrons of the city of Rome — the pope also called for maintaining ecclesial unity while respecting diversity.

“Our patron saints followed different paths, had different ideas, and at times argued with one another with evangelical frankness. Yet this did not prevent them from ... a living communion in the Spirit, a fruitful harmony in diversity,” the pope said.

During Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica, where he bestowed the pallium on 54 new metropolitan archbishops, including eight from the U.S., Leo urged them to “find new paths and new approaches to preaching the Gospel” rooted in the “problems and difficulties” arising from their communities of faith.

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Kendra Beigel was 14 years old when her family life took a turn for the worse. In her small-town Minnesota home, she was used to her parents arguing, but her family situation further disintegrated when her mother intervened in her father’s alcohol issues and her parents went to court.

“It was like the whole town decided to take a side and get involved in our family business,” recalled Beigel, who was raised Catholic. “I had to grow up quickly… Each stage of the initial separation and how it comes out of the blue, then the divorce and everything that it brings, and then the subsequent annulment; each brought its own hurts and difficulties and it never was easier.”

Now an adult, Beigel remembers thinking back then, “How can you just be a kid anymore?” Navigating child custody routines, “you [the child] have to be the one to pack the suitcase and to move and uproot your life.”

“I threw myself into academics and extracurriculars,” she said. “No one on the outside could tell how much I was hurting because I was excelling externally… You start to really put a lot of blame and guilt on yourself when you have no one to talk to, no one thinks to bring it up with you, and you’re really just trying to run away.”

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After a decade of painstaking restoration, the imposing Hall of Constantine in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace, which houses Raphael’s masterpiece depicting Constantine’s victory over Maxentius at the Milvian Bridge, has been returned to its original splendor.

This space, the largest of the well-known Raphael Rooms, was partially closed to the public in 2015 due to delicate conservation work that ultimately culminated in a result described as “exemplary” by Vatican Museums.

“In a way, we have rewritten the history of art,” explained Barbara Jatta, director of the Vatican Museums, during a June 26 presentation to the press held at the Vatican Museums. She was joined by Fabrizio Biferali, supervisor of the art department for the 15th and 16th centuries; Fabio Piacentini and Francesca Persegati from the Painting and Wooden Materials Restoration Laboratory; and Fabio Morresi, head of the Scientific Research Office, who emphasized the scientific, technical, and symbolic value of a project that has brought to light revolutionary discoveries about the techniques and methods of the Renaissance master.

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This will be superfluous in a long debate already, but I'll make two comments -

1. We haven't had Guy Fawkes night in Australia for decades for practical reasons. The firecrackers used to sometimes start fires, they scared the hell out of pets, they could be used dangerously eg. firiing rockets through neighbours windows, and there were usually accidents. As far as the kids were concerned it was just an excuse to let off bungers and rockets - we had no knowledge of the historical background and wouldn't have cared less if we had.

2. The death toll from the Spanish Inquisition is often vastly overblown. I lifted the following paragraphs from this source -

On page 87 of his book, Dr. Peters states: “The best estimate is that around 3000 death sentences were carried out in Spain by Inquisitorial verdict between 1550 and 1800, a far smaller number than that in comparable secular courts.” Likewise, Dr. Kamen states in his book:

Taking into account all the tribunals of Spain up to about 1530, it is unlikely that more than two thousand people were executed for heresy by the Inquisition. (p. 60)

. . . it is clear that for most of its existence that Inquisition was far from being a juggernaut of death either in intention or in capability. . . . it would seem that during the 16th and 17th centuries fewer than three people a year were executed in the whole of the Spanish monarchy from Sicily to Peru, certainly a lower rate than in any provincial court of justice in Spain or anywhere else in Europe. (p. 203)

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Compare this to the blood letting of the founder of English Protestantism, that paragon of personal virtue, King Henry VIII, just in his lifetime alone.

Henry VIII (1491 – 1547) is perhaps the most well known of all England’s monarchs, notably for the fact that he had six wives and beheaded two of them. Besides presiding over sweeping changes that brought the nation into the Protestant Reformation and changed England’s faith, the infamous monarch, ridiculed for his obesity, was also subject to raging mood swings and paranoia. It is estimated that during his 36 years of rule over England he executed up to 57,000 people, many of whom were either members of the clergy or ordinary citizens and nobles who had taken part in uprisings and protests up and down the country.

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The Via della Conciliazione, the grand avenue leading to St. Peter’s Square, was transformed this Sunday into a vibrant tapestry of color laid over the asphalt, with dozens of floral artworks created by master artisans and volunteers from across Italy.

These floral works, rich in religious symbolism, decorated the spiritual heart of Rome as part of a new edition of the Infiorata Storica (Historic Flower Festival).

Murals made of flowers adorned The Via della Conciliazione, the grand avenue leading to St. Peter’s Square, which was transformed on Sunday into a vibrant tapestry of color. June 29, 2025. Credit: Hannah Brockhaus

This year’s 12th edition centered on the theme of the Jubilee of Hope, expressed through floral arrangements, each covering more than 500 square feet. The art works were made using dried flower petals, wood shavings, colored sand, salt, sugar, and natural pigments.

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RileyG said:

I’m getting 36 hours next week! And 7 after that. Ugh

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Thanks be to God for the first week at least, but we thank him for all things when it rains and when it shines.

chevyontheriver said:

It IS a prison.

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Yes it is. We need better choices. In the meantime the public is being molded by these parties. 2 sides of the same coin.

A top Syrian Christian leader publicly rebuked President Ahmed al-Sharaa during a funeral service last Tuesday, blaming his administration for failing to protect religious minorities after a suicide bombing at a Damascus church left at least 25 dead.

The attack, carried out during a Sunday mass, marked the deadliest strike on Christians in Syria since the fall of the Assad regime.

Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch John (X) Yazigi addressed mourners gathered at the Church of the Holy Cross, where nine victims were laid to rest in white coffins covered with flowers.

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Voting machines are like lottery machines... You never know what they'll do.

Lady Bug said:

I'm concerned that the answers I want to give are not what I prefer and I'm terrified to ask for help because I'm apprehensive that I may not be able to follow the advice. I did want to bump the thread again but I thought people would be tired of it.

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People want to know how you are doing LB. There is no reason to be fearful of discussing things.

It has been basic understanding though that Luke was evangelized by Paul. A quick AI search says there is a theory that Joanna is also Junia mentioned by Paul in Romans I think. It seems pretty thin & my break is over.

rturner76 said:

Just another of the long list of felonious actions taken by the guy who is going to make America great again. I really can't fathom why members of his cult who are so proud to be American would support a president who engages in criminal activities. The "Christian Right" has no moral leg to stand on but they claim to have superior morality to the left.

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Let’s see who has moral standing. The left in general supports, killing babies in the womb, castrating children while promoting transgender ideology, supporting the illegal presence of gang members who murder, rape, Sell drugs, and human traffick . And some want to dig up allegations long debunked just to get Trump. Just look at what is going on in NY. Growing support by liberals for an openly socialist and some say even communist who wants to tax white neighborhoods and make billionaires illegal, have government run grocery stores. The left have lost their way and have no standing to criticize conservatives.

rjs330 said:

Then it guess the whole school should just opt out of any of that curriculum. It would make it easier on them. Since we are so worried about the burden it places on them.

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I'm sure that's what they were hoping for. I'm surprised you support the chilling of free speech though.

Ask a teenager today what they want most out of life, and chances are, their answers will sound ambitious and perfectly reasonable.

A recent Pew Research poll titled “Teens’ Future Plans and Goals” found that 86% of teens say it’s extremely or very important to them to have a job or career they enjoy. Sixty-nine percent say close friendships matter deeply. And 58% say it’s very important to make a lot of money.

With high school and college graduation season nearly over, most commencement addresses will likely reflect advice helping a young person to think about flourishing in one of these areas.

Yet, while these areas are certainly good and worthy pursuits, they don’t hit at the pursuit most likely to lead to the greatest source of happiness.

But what about marriage? Just 36% of teens say getting married is very important.

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A coalition of Catholic bishops and Evangelical Latino leaders has formally opposed President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” warning that its provisions on immigration and artificial intelligence threaten both moral values and civil liberties.

In a joint letter to the U.S. Senate, the faith leaders called on lawmakers to reject the legislation, citing its potential to harm immigrant families, weaken poverty assistance programs and erode states’ rights.

Signed by more than 40 senior religious figures, including Cardinal Robert McElroy of Washington, D.C., and the Rev. Gabriel Salguero of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition, the letter criticizes the bill’s allocation of billions for a nationwide deportation campaign and expansion of border wall infrastructure.

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A coalition of Catholic bishops and Evangelical Latino leaders has formally opposed President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” warning that its provisions on immigration and artificial intelligence threaten both moral values and civil liberties.

In a joint letter to the U.S. Senate, the faith leaders called on lawmakers to reject the legislation, citing its potential to harm immigrant families, weaken poverty assistance programs and erode states’ rights.

Signed by more than 40 senior religious figures, including Cardinal Robert McElroy of Washington, D.C., and the Rev. Gabriel Salguero of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition, the letter criticizes the bill’s allocation of billions for a nationwide deportation campaign and expansion of border wall infrastructure.

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Michie said:

WASHINGTON — Speaking before an Evangelical political conference, President Donald Trump's spiritual advisor Paula White-Cain, a Florida televangelist who helps lead the White House Faith Office, claimed the president's survival of an assassination attempt last year was "God's sovereign divine miracle" and far from a "coincidence."

White, the Charismatic movement leader who co-founded Without Walls International Church in Florida and led the Trump evangelical advisory board during his 2016 campaign, spoke to a crowd of Christian conservative activists gathered at the Faith & Freedom Coalition's 2025 Road to Majority Conference in Washington, D.C. on Friday.

Delivering her speech alongside White House Faith Office's Faith Director Jennifer Korn, White reflected on the unsuccessful July 2024 assassination attempt against Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

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Paula White tells Evangelicals Trump's survival is 'God's sovereign divine miracle'

Speaking before an Evangelical political conference, President Donald Trump s spiritual advisor Paula White-Cain, a Florida televangelist who helps lead the White House Faith Office, claimed the

www.christianpost.com

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I wonder if she also believes that it was God's will that the firefighter die instead.

I know I need to love my God more
Because I feel that
I don't love God enough
I know that in the mornings
I have the blues that I hate
I know that I should be grateful
That I have health
I know that I Iove the sun
I know that I will be happy
When Spring will be here
I know that I need to go to sleep
Early every night
So, I can get a proper night's sleep
I know that I should look
After my health
I know that I should look after
My hygiene better
I know that I need to pray more
I know that I should love myself more
I know that I should speak up for myself

For me, its my eyes. And my ears of course. Just got to try and keep my paws clean though. Nothing worse than dirty paws!

Guojing said:

Another way to understand why no one is operating in that gift of healing today, is because it is no longer given, during the fall of Israel (Romans 11:11).

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Or,....... you can trust the words of GOD and what Jesus confirms to you instead of being an unbeliever over it.

Guojing said:

But since you believe that gift is for today, together with your conclusion that there is no one operating in that gift today, I can understand why you would think it must be harder to be healed, than to be saved.

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Was it easy for Jesus to receive? That was His ministry upon the earth, did He receive that gift/ministry instantly from GOD just because He believed?

Shalom

This weekend, evangelistic meetings are taking place here in Salzburg, Austria.

In addition, the brothers and sisters here regularly hold book tables and distribute evangelistic literature.

We ask for your support in prayer in Jesus' name.

And may God continue to draw the people we have already reached to Himself in Jesus' name, Amen (John 6:44; 1 Corinthians 3:6).

Thank you for your prayers!

May the Lord bless you abundantly (Luke 6:38; Job 42:10) and may He bless Israel in Jesus' name, Amen!

Soli Deo Gloria

PS And I pray that the Lord will send out harvesters into His harvest (Matthew 9:38).

Heavenly Father I thank you for Jesus Christ your Son you gave for us!
Please bless everybody who prayed for because of Lk 6:38 and Job 42:10 in Jesus name Amen.