- Sep 11, 2022
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Disclaimer: I do not identify as a "Catholic". When talking with my family, I learned that one of my family members recently converted to Catholicism. Now, on the Tentmaker forum, I’ve seen members who call themselves the title “Catholic” who believe in the truth, that is
1) Faith alone in Jesus Christ saves a person from the wages of sin, death.
2) Eventually, everyone will become believers in Christ Jesus in the above 1) way and everybody will go to Heaven.
Denomination titles don’t matter. Someone could call themselves a “Protestant” or “Orthodox” and have those same beliefs too. Here, I am rebuking the beliefs of the Catholic Church organization.
First, when talking with them, they mentioned how this family member had to pass classes, go through a whole education system and follow all these lengthy steps in order to become recognized as a member of the Catholic Church. The truth is that the only thing a person needs to do is to believe in Jesus Christ with faith alone. That alone is enough to wash away all sins.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Romans 3:28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.
Going through this lengthy enrollment process also gives the Catholic Church this feeling of “exclusivism”, yet Christ came to save everybody, whether or not they are in the Catholic Church. That’s why I say the titles of denominations doesn’t matter. You don’t need to be called a “Catholic” or “Protestant” or “Orthodox” to be saved, but rather believe in Jesus Christ with faith alone.
Continuing that train of thought, to be saved we must believe only in Jesus Christ alone! They said this family member also prays to a human called “Mary”. The Catholic Church promotes the worship of Mary, who is just a human sinner like all other humans. Those who call themselves “saints” or “angels” or “gods” will not save us, only the one true Lord of Lords and God, Jesus Christ. We as believers in Christ have the confidence to pray to Jesus directly and ask the Father what we need with guidance from the Holy Spirit within us.
Ecclesiastes 7:20 Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins. [Adam = Man in Hebrew. All descendants of man sin, Christ was born a virgin and has no sin]
Psalm 14:3 They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one. [aka not even Mother Mary, as she was born from Adam, not a virgin]
Now, are there people in the Catholic Church who believe in sola fida and universal reconciliation? Yes, as those two beliefs are correct. Then I rebuke here all things that contradict those two ideas. Some Catholics believe in a purgatory that allows for the existence of a forever hell that people who are not randomly “good” enough go to, which is false. Purgatory cannot cleanse us of our sins, only faith alone in Christ Jesus washes away all our sins, permanently.
From a Christian Universalist perspective, we realize the truth, that hell (aka sheol, the realm of the dead) is indeed temporary mental anguish, similar to purgatory. But that temporary length of time and it taking place after death is among only the few similarities between the two. That “temporary mental anguish” in Sheol is a result of the guilt people feel for their sins, the bad feeling you get when you do something bad, the law of reaping and sowing. People will continue to feel sad about their evil doings until they recognize their need for a saviour, as their own “good works” can’t save them. That is, they accept Jesus Christ as their saviour and all that guilt, all that sin, is washed away.
1 Samuel 2:6 The Lord kills and he gives life, he sends down to Sheol, he can bring the dead up again.
Psalm 16:10 You will not leave my soul in Sheol.
Psalm 86:13 For thy true love stands high above me; thou hast rescued my soul from the depths of Sheol.
Interestingly, this family member called himself the title “Christian” before converting to the title “Catholic”. I don’t know his personal beliefs about 1) and 2), all I know is this title change, which is meaningless. So, in this case, I rebuke “Catholic” beliefs that conflict with 1) and 2) just like how there are many “Christian” beliefs that conflict with 1) and 2).
Now, the question on all of your minds is, “Why did this family member convert to Catholicism?”. It’s because he married a devout Catholic woman and had kids with her. Thus, a word of advice I say to you all, choose who you marry wisely, or be like Paul, and do not marry at all, each of us is given our own gifts after all.
1) Faith alone in Jesus Christ saves a person from the wages of sin, death.
2) Eventually, everyone will become believers in Christ Jesus in the above 1) way and everybody will go to Heaven.
Denomination titles don’t matter. Someone could call themselves a “Protestant” or “Orthodox” and have those same beliefs too. Here, I am rebuking the beliefs of the Catholic Church organization.
First, when talking with them, they mentioned how this family member had to pass classes, go through a whole education system and follow all these lengthy steps in order to become recognized as a member of the Catholic Church. The truth is that the only thing a person needs to do is to believe in Jesus Christ with faith alone. That alone is enough to wash away all sins.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Romans 3:28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.
Going through this lengthy enrollment process also gives the Catholic Church this feeling of “exclusivism”, yet Christ came to save everybody, whether or not they are in the Catholic Church. That’s why I say the titles of denominations doesn’t matter. You don’t need to be called a “Catholic” or “Protestant” or “Orthodox” to be saved, but rather believe in Jesus Christ with faith alone.
Continuing that train of thought, to be saved we must believe only in Jesus Christ alone! They said this family member also prays to a human called “Mary”. The Catholic Church promotes the worship of Mary, who is just a human sinner like all other humans. Those who call themselves “saints” or “angels” or “gods” will not save us, only the one true Lord of Lords and God, Jesus Christ. We as believers in Christ have the confidence to pray to Jesus directly and ask the Father what we need with guidance from the Holy Spirit within us.
Ecclesiastes 7:20 Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins. [Adam = Man in Hebrew. All descendants of man sin, Christ was born a virgin and has no sin]
Psalm 14:3 They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one. [aka not even Mother Mary, as she was born from Adam, not a virgin]
Now, are there people in the Catholic Church who believe in sola fida and universal reconciliation? Yes, as those two beliefs are correct. Then I rebuke here all things that contradict those two ideas. Some Catholics believe in a purgatory that allows for the existence of a forever hell that people who are not randomly “good” enough go to, which is false. Purgatory cannot cleanse us of our sins, only faith alone in Christ Jesus washes away all our sins, permanently.
From a Christian Universalist perspective, we realize the truth, that hell (aka sheol, the realm of the dead) is indeed temporary mental anguish, similar to purgatory. But that temporary length of time and it taking place after death is among only the few similarities between the two. That “temporary mental anguish” in Sheol is a result of the guilt people feel for their sins, the bad feeling you get when you do something bad, the law of reaping and sowing. People will continue to feel sad about their evil doings until they recognize their need for a saviour, as their own “good works” can’t save them. That is, they accept Jesus Christ as their saviour and all that guilt, all that sin, is washed away.
1 Samuel 2:6 The Lord kills and he gives life, he sends down to Sheol, he can bring the dead up again.
Psalm 16:10 You will not leave my soul in Sheol.
Psalm 86:13 For thy true love stands high above me; thou hast rescued my soul from the depths of Sheol.
Interestingly, this family member called himself the title “Christian” before converting to the title “Catholic”. I don’t know his personal beliefs about 1) and 2), all I know is this title change, which is meaningless. So, in this case, I rebuke “Catholic” beliefs that conflict with 1) and 2) just like how there are many “Christian” beliefs that conflict with 1) and 2).
Now, the question on all of your minds is, “Why did this family member convert to Catholicism?”. It’s because he married a devout Catholic woman and had kids with her. Thus, a word of advice I say to you all, choose who you marry wisely, or be like Paul, and do not marry at all, each of us is given our own gifts after all.
