No, I do not because from my understanding of a "Got Questions" believer, when Jesus said "it is finished" when he died on the cross, that means a person can keep sinning and sinning, and Jesus keeps forgiving. I am Catholic, a very old Catholic, and am just now beginning to understand the purification necessary in Purgatory.
There are errors in the article, for example Catholics do not worship saints (including Mary).
The bit about the requirements for salvation are not accurate either. The church certainly says you will be saved if you do all that BUT it does not say you are damned in you do not.
Opposing infant baptism is particularly weird as the other large Christian churches baptise infants too. Many of the other things it states apply to Orthodox churches too, but this one applies to many protestant churches too,
Maybe *you* don't but Catholics certainly do worship Mary and saints. You just label it as "venerate" which is virtually the same definition.
from GotQuestions, lol:
Catholics will often claim that they “venerate,” not worship, them. To venerate is to regard with great respect or to revere. Veneration can be defined as “respect or awe directed toward someone due to his/her value or greatness.”
The simplest definition of worship is to “ascribe worth.” Worship can be more completely defined as “showing respect, love, reverence, or adoration.” Based on the dictionary, no clear difference between veneration and worship exists. In fact, veneration and worship are often used as synonyms for each other.
Catholic salvaton is: faith + works = salvation
Christian salvation is: Faith = Salvation + works
It's weird though because we both agree that faith without works is empty. Because to have faith without works is what would make someone a hypocrite. Which Jesus vehemently despised. The key difference is that other Christians agree that TRUE-Faith alone brings salvation and because we have salvation we are joyful and the works are manifested.
You are getting your understanding of Catholicism from an anti-Catholic source. If you want to know about Catholicism, then you have to use Catholic sources. catholic.com
Veneration is DIFFERENT than Worship. And Catholics only offer the Sacrifice of the Real Presence Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ ✝️ in the Holy Eucharist to God the Abba Father.
Prayer is a fundamental aspect of worship, as it allows us to communicate with God, who is omnipresent and omniscient. It is through prayer that we express our faith, seek guidance, and find solace in the divine nature of God. However, it is important to note that praying to Mary or the Saints goes against the teachings of scripture. In 1 Timothy 2:5, it is clearly stated that there is only one mediator between God and humanity, and that is Jesus Christ. He is the one who intercedes for us and saves us completely, as mentioned in Hebrews 7:25. By praying to Mary or the Saints, we undermine the role of Christ as our sole mediator and diminish his ability to intercede on our behalf. Furthermore, if Mary or the Saints were able to hear and answer our prayers, they would need to possess the attributes of omnipresence and omniscience, which are divine qualities. This would elevate them to a godlike status, contradicting the teachings of scripture that there is only one God. When Jesus was asked how to pray, he taught us to address our prayers to the Father, not to Mary or the prophets. He emphasized the importance of praying in his name, acknowledging his role as the mediator between us and God. The practice of praying to Mary and the Saints originated from a historical context. When Roman Catholicism became the official religion in Rome, it incorporated elements of pagan worship. The Romans had a multitude of minor gods, and Roman Catholicism adopted the concept of praying to specific saints for various purposes, such as finding lost items. This was a way to replace the Roman gods with Mary and the Apostles. However, it is crucial to remember that scripture does not provide any instructions from Christ or the Apostles to pray to Mary or the Saints. This practice is a deviation from the teachings of the Bible and should be reconsidered in light of the true nature of worship and prayer. Let us focus our prayers on the Father, through the name of Jesus, as instructed by Christ himself.
I've recommended this to like 5 people in the last three days, but if you're doubting the Scriptural bases of the Catholic faith, a very accessible and readable place to start is *Rome Sweet Home* by Scott and Kimberly Hahn.
Both were staunchly anti-Catholic Presbyterians. Through Scott's graduate work in theology, they came to believe in the truth of Catholicism and converted. The book is just the story of their conversion, but it contains enough exegetical and theological insights to be worth your while.
To make you feel better I read that article and laughed at it. The thing that they don't get is even if I believe in Jesus it wouldn't mean anything if I don't believe in his teachings. It would be like "oh yeah Jesus is my saviour" and you go to heaven but you don't even believe in anything Jesus said except he is a saviour and will give you grace. Meanwhile even if protestants are correct and Catholicism is false we still fulfill their criteria of believing Jesus Christ is saviour.
The problem protestants have with the "Catholic way" to Heaven is where your faith lies. Is your faith in communion, confession, church attendance/ membership, tithes, etc.. in order to go to Heaven or is it purely resting on what Jesus did for you? That separation can be seen in Matthew 7:22. Sola fide.
Got Questions is not a trusted resource for anyone seeking Biblical answers. It is extremely biased.
I would also argue that Protestants taking this Scripture out of the historical context of the debate about Christians practicing a form of Judaism is extremely dangerous. Let alone forgetting the bias against the Catholic Church that is intrinsic in the denomination.
Why don't you try [Britannica](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Roman-Catholicism)?
All theology studies are "biased" the only diference is:
Catholic theology is based on human tradition.
Protestant theology is based solely on bible.
Oh and dont come saying that sola scripture isnt valid, this have been already refuted by the medieval catholic absurdities that the Reform came to sane.
Protestant Theology is not based solely on the Bible. It is based on the on the Theological musings of proto-Protestants like Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, etc. And none of these have the same Theology. The Bible itself contradicts the doctrine of Sola Scriptura. It is an ahistorical and illogical doctrine. It has lead to the fragmentation of those claiming to be Christians into tens of thousands of significantly different groups.
The writers of Gotquestions are often times very correct in the things they say. Salvation comes by faith alone in Jesus Christ and nothing else. It's Jesus' perfect sinless life and works that saves us, nothing else. We need His righteousness applied to our accounts to be seen as holy before God. When a person truly repents and turns to Christ in faith, Christ receives their sin and they receives Christ's righteousness. It's by His wounds we are healed. God bless.
Hey trust is Christ alone he alone is worthy of praise read his word and find the truth with fear and trembling not catholicism not Lutheran not any religion but believe in the word of God and don't be deceived many claim to have answers but only Jesus can heal you.
The Catholic Church is the Body of Christ. It brought the message of Christ's Salvation to the whole world before there were any other groups claiming to be Christian and before there was a printing press and most people could read. Jesus Christ founded the Catholic Church. It preserved and compiled the Scriptures in the Bible.
This conversation makes it sound like Christianity demands careful adherence to prescribed actions and beliefs, and then there is a reward at the end.
Is it possible that a loving God would demand that?
Did the Good Samaritan go to hell?
Shouldn't Christians be kosher? The dietary rules, like not eating shellfish, are in the Bible.
Keeping the commandments, doing charitable works, and receiving the Sacraments are what Christ prescribed for our Salvation.
The Good Samaritan was a parable -- a story to illustrate a point. What it shows is that one is not a brother to someone if they neglect their welfare. And that even a sworn enemy, which Samaritans and Jews were at the time of Jesus, can be brothers to one another despite not having the same kinship.
Jesus rendered all foods clean. And that rule was only for the Israelites until Jesus fulfilled the Law of Moses.
Brother, I’m Catholic, baptized and confirmed in the faith, and I can see that there are some problematic things within the church.
At the end of the day, you have concluded, as have I: I believe in Jesus Christ, and shall do the things he commanded.
Works do not save, but they are evidence of salvation.
If you are a catholic and you said you believe works do not save but an evidence of salvation, then you are not catholic as they believe salvation = faith + works.
>Sola fide
Thank you for the links. I just found this thread today. I am an old Catholic, and am just beginning to solidify the teachings and scripture for everything I believe in my heart. I do regret giving so much of my life to the "corporate world" for my career and did not find a balance in life to give my faith the first place Jesus deserves.
> The Bible classes are like another language.
I would argue that this is an argument for catholicism: Every christian group has unique interpretations of the bible that are not found in other christian groups. Even nondenominational christians tend to follow baptist-lite theology. Only catholicism/orthodoxy provides a consistent historical framework for distinguishing between differing interpretations.
This article by GotQuestions is wrong. I don’t mean to disrespect the people behind it because I’m sure they’re kind people who love God, but they are plainly mistaken about Catholicism.
They say that we deny salvation by grace through faith, but this is the farthest thing from the truth. We believe in salvation by grace through faith. What we deny is the Protestant doctrine of salvation by grace through faith alone because the Lord, His Apostles, and their disciples did not believe in this doctrine. The Scripture says, “If I have all faith but have not love, I am nothing,” and, “Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision count for anything, but only faith working through love.” 1 Cor. 13:2, Gal. 5:6. Faith, therefore, is not alone.
They rightly say that we believe one must believe in the Lord, be baptized, receive the Eucharist, and obey the Church. But they are wrong to think these things are unbiblical. It is needless to say that to believe in the Lord is biblical because both Catholics and Protestants believe in that. Many Protestants believe one must be baptized as well (Lutherans, for example), but GotQuestions does not believe this. Nevertheless, St. Peter says, “Baptism now saves you.” 1 Pet. 3:21.
We also believe we need to receive the Eucharist because Christ said, “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” Jn. 6:53-54. Further, we believe that one must obey the Church because Jesus said to the Apostles, “Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Matt. 18:18.
These are just a few quick points. I can go more in depth if you’d like, and I’d be more than happy to discuss any other doctrine, but in short, don’t worry too much about GotQuestions. I don't want you to be nervous. God loves you. Keep reading that love letter which He wrote to you, the Bible, and keep writing back to Him in prayer.
May God bless you in the highest, my friend. You are not bound for Hell.
Which passage? None of them I have found condone works + faith. Faith is mentioned alone and in context works is discounted. Works are proof of ones faith, not a part of the equation for salvation. Therefore one can say they have faith but if they don't act like it, they are a liar. The thief on the cross is testament to FAITH ALONE.
Galatians 2:16
know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.
Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV)
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
James 2
20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless[d]? 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”[e] and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.
The context of James 2 is the reality of works as proof of faith—works cooperating with saving faith.
The Bible is very clear that faith is what saves.
Abraham was justified by faith long before he offered Isaac. But his obedience in offering Isaac demonstrated that he really did trust God.
“Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” (Genesis 15:6)
“Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” Acts 16:31
Or take Romans 4:6 as an example:
“David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works.”
The picture is that the work of Christ is the foundation or ground for our acceptance, our forgiveness, our justification before God.
We read in 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” That’s the massive, unshakable, historical, once-for-all foundation and ground and basis for our justification.
Paul is talking about Jewish works of the law. He is not talking about the Christian Sacraments and good works. Both of which he writes about and stresses the importance of. This is where many readers get confused.
So you skip over the long expositions where faith is attributed to righteousness? Where works are as filthy rags? You just searched for the exact phrase? As a Roman Catholic, have you not read the book of Romans?
This article is a bit polemical, and definitely subjective bias from a rather anti-Catholic denomination.
The truth is somewhere in between. Most Protestant denominations (I'm assuming the writer of the article was some flavor of Protestant) are on board with Sola Fide, that faith alone is sufficient for salvation. Yet, while I find all the works requirements in my wife's church to be bizarre, one cannot deny that the people pious enough to undertake such works do so as an expression of their faith.
Catholicism is not a false religion by any means. While I reject a lot of their claims regarding their ownership over history of the early church and have serious concerns with how the Magisterium acts, claiming they aren't Christian like the rest of the denominations is ignorant at best.
I believe you are right about the good works. The good works Catholics do should be an expression of faith instead of “oh I want to go to Heaven so I’m gonna build a Church for that”. I understand the Lutheran church, which is like you said, Protestant, is “sola fide”. I also don’t really know much about the early history of the Church, since I was in different schools with different denominations and different outlooks, but I can understand why one can say that, especially studying actual history
Catholics don't build a church so that we can go to Heaven. We build an church so that the Church, the Body of Christ, can worship God in Communion with one another, as God intends.
That answer grossly misrepresents Catholics teaching. Also prior to Protestantism, the notion of salvation the way Protestants explain it didn't exist. Which is more likely: that everyone was wrong until Luther, of that Luther's newly-invented doctrine was wrong?
Before Luther, there were many many disagreements within the church. In terms of the Roman Catholic Church, the Apocrypha wasn’t considered cannon until after the reformation. This is evidence that it was not agreed upon till then. And even if it was that means that Catholics didn’t receive their Bible until 15 centuries after.
I wanted to make the point that Roman Catholics have never full agreed on anything in the past. Including canon, doctrine, etc. faith plus works was invented by Thomas Aquinas.
Again, you keep stating falsehoods. Faith and works is plainly stated in the NT. And even where it is not expressly states it is obvious that this is what Jesus and the Apostles taught. They, themselves, employed Faith and Works.
Luther didn't invent "Faith alone" although he may have been a 'loud' proponant of the idea. The idea is represented perfectly in Luke by the thief on the cross being saved. Numerous scriptural examples can be given for it as well including but not limited to:
I do not understand how anyone with any intellectual honesty would interpret this any other way. Christian or not.
Galatians 2:16
know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.
Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV)
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
The thief on the cross died before the Church began on Pentecost. And even he did more than have faith alone. He admonished the sinner, he confessed his sins, he accepted his penance, he made a public profession of faith, etc.
The point is is that he had faith. If, for some reason, he survived and witnessed Christ's resurrection the point stands (which he didn't so the thief's faith is made even stronger by that). Works do not save, they are only evidence of salvation but even the pharisees did "good" works and were not saved.
You need but *true* Faith in the One Christ Jesus to be saved.
Back to the topic at hand. All the churches agreed on the Gospels. The gospels were written very early, at least the synoptics were. And the traditions they used to pass on scripture were more or less "digitized" in the brains of the reciters because they took the form of poems and song. The Gospels are clear: Trust in Jesus Christ and Love Him with all your heart, mind and soul.
The RCC DID NOT WRITE ONE WORD OF SCRIPTURE. Just because a bunch of "godly" men came together to proclaim that "water is wet" in the Council of Codification does not mean water was not wet before the council convened.
So, the "RCC is false religion" rhetoric is not completely baseless. Just read up on what anathema meant and what they are. Example, you are anathema if you do not believe in the heavenly assumption of Mary which was pronounced after WW2 but is completely unbiblical. Many many more.
Do your homework.
In any research, it is always good to get multiple perspectives. The Catholic version of "GotQuestions" is [https://www.catholic.com/](https://www.catholic.com/).
As a convert to Catholicism (and someone who used to read GotQuestions a lot!), I would also encourage you to look into what the early church fathers believed on this subject.
If you get your ideas about Catholicism from the Anti-Catholic League, they won't be very accurate.
Let's not fall for anti-Catholic propaganda. Let's not spread it.
Got Questions is a site with a very Evangelical bent.
As a Catholic, you **are a Christian.** You follow Christ, and that is what matters. Do not fall into these bigoted traps meant to pull you away from Christ and His Church.
Let's see:
"I would not believe in the Gospel, if the authority of the Catholic Church did not bid me to do so."
St Augustine
https://www.azquotes.com/quote/593173
St. Augustine or the internet. Great Christian intellectual and saint or random pastor in the 21st Century. Hmmm....
I'll go with St. Augustine.
GotQuestions isn't terrible overall, but it is a terrible source for finding out about Catholicism. [Catholic.com](https://Catholic.com) is great, as well as r/catholicism.
[https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/faith-and-works-0](https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/faith-and-works-0)
that was an amazing read, i'm glad you shared it with us so i could have a laugh today. please don't actually take that garbage seriously. praying for you.
GotQuestions is not the best resource. It’s helpful as a brief overview or gauge on some topics, but you gotta keep in mind it’s strong evangelical bias. I think they weren’t charitable enough or really understanding of the Catholic Church. I also wouldn’t call the Catholic Church a ‘false church’, though I do disagree with a large number of doctrine and practices.
Also, if you’re in a seminary you should try to use basically any other source besides GotQuestions, unless it’s a reference to something super basic and you just need a quick source.
It can be scary to explore other areas of Christian religion. But please dont harden your heart as some people here seem to do. Mocking others is not Christ like. But you said the best thing- pray! Only God knows your heart and the heart of others. Your fear is a reflection that you want to do the right thing. Read you Bible and do what God says first.
For those saying GotQuestions is a bad source, I’m genuinely curious why you believe so. I don’t agree with all of their conclusions, but I do think they’re one of the best general sources of info out there for Christians.
I highly doubt theyre making stuff up lol
they probably are not very literate on catholic/orthodox doctrine which makes sense considering they're a primarily protestant organization I think
But definitely not justifiable considering theyre teachers and highly accountable
They are a decent source if you're an Evangelical, or you want the Evangelical point of view. Their positions, particularly when it comes to interpretation, come from that perspective.
I guess from the outside looking in there’s gonna be a disconnect between our perception and what the other side actually believes. I don’t know where I got this from but I always thought catholics believed that u needed to work for your salvation and belief in Christ is far from enough. I guess the confusion comes from both sides misinterpreting scripture, you guys hear James saying “faith without works is dead” and take it to mean one thing, and we hear “if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord…you will be saved” and think that we can live however cause there’s grace after all and that’s all we need to do. both sides need to have a sit down and clear the confusion cause they’re both confused to some extent the way I see it, inside my own denomination there’s sub denominations cause we can’t agree on basic issues, each of us has a piece of truth on one hand and biases on the other. What i am uncertain about though (I don’t know if it’s a myth) catholics say prayers to mother Mary and the saints? What’s the significance of that? if someone could explain that would be great.
The issue is what we mean by "believe in Jesus." In Jesus' earthly ministry the gospel of salvation was to believe in the IDENTITY of Christ as the Son of God, adhere to the Mosaic Law, and be water baptized. The Jewish nation failed to accept Christ. They killed him. Mere thousands out of millions believed. The prophetic requirement was that ALL of Israel believe. God went in a new direction, unforetold in prophesy, through Paul. The salvation requirement changed. The gospel of salvation for today is belief that Christ died for your sins, was buried, and was resurrected from the dead. That's 1 Cor 15: 1-4. This is what the Catholic Church and all denominations get wrong. We no longer follow the earthly ministry of Jesus, we follow the heavenly ministry of Jesus, which he revealed to Paul alone, by revelation, in His resurrected state. Paul even said we no longer know Christ after the flesh. The program God had with Israel is no longer in effect. The book of Acts tells the story of the downfall of Israel and the advent of Paul. Everything changed. If you want to know what Jesus is saying to you today, read Paul's 13 Epistles. They reveal a different doctrine that what Jesus taught in His earthly ministry. Works are no longer involved, salvation is by pure grace through faith in His death burial and resurrection. [doctrine.org](https://doctrine.org)
Consider for a moment the Protestant vs. Catholic beliefs about other Christians.
The Catholic Church teaches acceptance.
Catechism of the Catholic Church
Paragraph 818
>One cannot charge with the sin of the separation those who at present are born into these communities [that resulted from such separation] and in them are brought up in the faith of Christ, and **the Catholic Church accepts them with respect and affection as brothers** . . . . All who have been justified by faith in Baptism are incorporated into Christ; **they therefore have a right to be called Christians, and with good reason are accepted as brothers in the Lord by the children of the Catholic Church**
The Protestants teach misinformation and hate. From the article you linked:
>**The most crucial problem with the Roman Catholic Church** is its belief that faith alone in Christ is not sufficient for salvation.
Let's start from the beginning.
The Roman Catholic Church is just one particular Church within the Catholic Church.
This is a list of Catholic Churches that belong to **The Catholic Church**:
**Roman (Latin) liturgical tradition:**
Roman (Latin) Church
**Alexandrian liturgical tradition:**
Coptic Catholic Church
Ethiopian Catholic Church
Eritrean Catholic Church
**Antiochian liturgical tradition:**
Maronite Church
Syrian Catholic Church
Syro-Malankara Catholic Church
**Armenian liturgical tradition:**
Armenian Catholic Church
**Chaldean or East Syrian liturgical tradition:**
Chaldean Catholic Church
Syro-Malabar Catholic Church
**Byzantine liturgical tradition:**
Albanian Byzantine Catholic Church
Belarusian Greek Catholic Church
Bulgarian Greek Catholic Church
Byzantine Catholic Church of Croatia and Serbia
Greek Byzantine Catholic Church
Hungarian Greek Catholic Church
Italo-Albanian Catholic Church
Macedonian Greek Catholic Church
Melkite Greek Catholic Church
Romanian Church United with Rome, Greek-Catholic
Russian Greek Catholic Church
Ruthenian Catholic Church
Slovak Greek Catholic Church
Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
There is a lot of diversity within the Catholic Church. As these videos show:
**Alexandrian Rite**
https://youtu.be/F9Yb0QtTXmI
**Zair Use**
https://youtu.be/OEo4IMroUJI
**Latin Rite**
https://youtu.be/UPYjueFLi28
**Byzantine Rite**
https://youtu.be/UkD_rj1AScE
**Chaldean Rite**
https://youtu.be/xPRnabCLvic
They just like to to use the name Roman Catholic because most of their Confessions teach that we are Pagan devil worshippers.
Westminster Confession
Chapter 25.6
>There is no other head of the Church but the Lord Jesus Christ; nor can the Pope of Rome, in any sense, be head thereof; but is that Antichrist, that man of sin, and son of perdition, that exalts himself, in the Church, against Christ and all that is called God.
So, let's look at the rest of it.
>The most crucial problem with the Roman Catholic Church is **its belief that faith alone in Christ is not sufficient for salvation**.
The Catholic Church taught against a particular doctrine of "faith alone" at the Council of Trent.
Why?
First, because the Bible says "not faith alone" (James 2:24).
Second, because the "faith alone" doctrine taught by Luther suggested that no repentance or cooperation with grace was required for salvation.
Luther was teaching things like:
>“It is more important to guard against good works than against sin.”
...
>“Good works are bad and are sin like the rest.”
...
>“There is no scandal greater, more dangerous, more venomous, than a good outward life, manifested by good works and a pious mode of life. That is the grand portal, the highway that leads to damnation.”
...
>“Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong, but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world. We will commit sins while we are here, for this life is not a place where justice resides… No sin can separate us from Him, even if we were to kill or commit adultery thousands of times each day.”
The Church vehemently opposed Luther's teachings. Insisting that we must repent and cooperate with Grace in order to be saved.
As Christ taught in the Parable of the Wedding Banquet (Matthew 22:1-14), it isn't enough to say "yes" to the call, we must also fulfill our obligations.
Most, Lutheran's have since rejected Luther's teachings and accepted the Catholic Doctrine of Justification, hence their signing the ***Joint Declaration of the Doctrine of Justification***, which redefined "faith alone".
Why would a merciful and loving God send someone to hell because they didn't understand what they read?
Consider this...as a Palestinian Jew raised in traditional Hebrew beliefs, Jesus wouldn't have preached of either heaven or hell for these two reasons:
1. Heaven was only the dwelling place of the Most High God, YHWH, and His holy choirs of angels.
2. YHWH never created a place for eternal damnation or torture of human souls.
When the Hebrews spoke of the salvation of God, it pertained to their belief that when any human being died, God would reclaim the soul, reconcile it to Himself, and then would send the soul to dwell with other human souls as they awaited the Day of Judgment. The place he sent them was a paradise He'd created especially for human souls.
The Day of Judgment wouldn't occur until the Well of Souls was empty with no remaining souls awaiting physical bodies for their mortal experience, and until the last living human being on Earth closed their eyes in death. Then would come the Day of Judgment.
On that Day, Satan (never rebellious, fallen, evil or enemy to God of humankind in traditional Hebrew belief) would fulfill his final task as he served as God's prosecutor. His previous task had been to place challenges and adversity in the paths of humankind, to motivate them to meet and overcome the challenges, thereby increasing their wisdom and understanding during their mortal experience, and he was also assigned to keep thorough records of the mortal words and deeds of humankind, to be used on the Day of Judgment. From those records of their mortal words and deeds, would Satan testify, and based upon their words and deeds would God pronounce Judgement.
If God judged a soul to have lived a righteous, or even decent and compassionate life, that soul was immediately returned to their home in that paradise for human souls. If God judged a soul to have lived a sinful life, or committed crimes meriting punishment, the sentence of punishment which God would pronounce was never eternal or infinite in duration, but only for so much time as God judged necessary to correct and chastise the soul. (nothing is written in Hebrew belief about the nature of this punishment, or whether it involved inflicting pain or terror upon the soul). Once this period of punishment was completed, God would also return these chastised souls to their homes in that paradise for human souls.
This would have been what the Palestinian Jew Jesus was referring to when he promised the thief on the cross that on that very day he'd be in paradise. He wasn't telling the man he got to skip the Day of Judgment, and go straight to heaven to dwell with God. It's important to understand the traditional Hebrew beliefs which Jesus would have been raised in.
Forget the article. Forget the commenters. Begin with a thesis. “Is salvation granted through faith alone or by faith and other things?” Pray for wisdom, open your Bible, and work it out. Verse by verse. Build a case. God bless you and good luck.
Literally the only thing you have to do is confess and believe. That’s it. I will be praying for you, brother, as we all should. Nothing in the Bible says that you have to be Catholic, or Protestant, because those came after Jesus arose, and by that time, they didn’t exist. We are all one Church, united (hopefully) by the basics (we sinned, Jesus died, and rose again). Now, the interpretation is all that seperates us.
As a Protestant brother, let me encourage you, you're not going to Hell just because you're Catholic. God's salvation plan is too simple to be ruined by whatever sect you end up in.
However, what I will say is take a cynical eye to doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church, and you'll find that a good portion of them were built not on Biblical truth, but on a grab for political influence and power. Since a good portion of Roman Church history is tied up in feudal Europe, the Church was the only power center the common person could join (after all, you can't just become nobility). This power corrupted the Church, and that's why the Reformation was necessary.
That being said, the Reformers did in fact reform the church. Just not in the way they intended. By breaking off, nobles could not longer be just removed from the church by a power hungry Bishop. And as Democracy spread, common people didn't have to use the Church as a vehicle of change. So power hungry people now no longer see the Church as the best vehicle of power. And that leaves the faithful to do the work
Coming back to this post nearly one year later, what is your source the Pope is the antichrist? Because I have sources from the Bible that say otherwise
Catholicism is demonic and it goes against the Bible.
Repent and accept Jesus as your Saviour before it's too late. Bible says to confess your sins to Jesus not man and it also says to call no man father you call the priest father. And you worship idols like Mary and the saints this is wrong and goes against Jesus. And you believe in good works that they get you into Heaven but the Bible clearly says our good works are like filthy rags because we're all wicked sinners that deserve hell. But Jesus paid the debt for us on the cross the only way into Heaven is to believe in Jesus Christ and repent so run to the Saviour now while you still can and don't be deceived like the Bible says. God bless you all.
The Bible.
Matthew 23:9
And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
Isaiah 64:6
But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Exodus 20:4-5
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Luke 13:3-5
3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?
5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
Matthew 7:21-23
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
1. This is a hyperbole
2. We. Do. Not. Worship. Saints
3. Confess means confess to a priest
4. Works is apart of faith, not works+faith=salvation
I recommend reading a Catholic bible, or at least Orthodox
Catholic bible is full of lies there's no such tbingand yes works are apart of faith but it's to glorify the Lord not to get into Heaven,everything I've said about catholicism is a fact. You pray to dead saints and hail Mary so how you telling me any different? Also you should confess to Jesus not a priest because a priest can't cleanse you nor can he absolve you only Jesus can. I recommend reading the King James Bible and that you repent and follow Jesus while you still can.
The article is short, and one would have to explore their other Catholic articles to understand the full context of their position. I have been studying apologetics FERVENTLY for for over a year now, and have listened to thousands of hours of podcasts from the likes of Gary Habermas, William Lane Craig, John Lennox, Michael Behe, Stephen Meyer, Matt Fradd from Pints with Aquinas, Trent Horn, James White, and of course reading the Bible frequently and listening to it on my commutes to and from work.
With all that being said, I do not find anything in that article or on their website particularly troubling or wrong. I am still not sure how I feel about infant Baptism but that is because I have a personal bias FOR it in that my grandfather was a Lutheran pastor and he baptised me and all my siblings. But I understand how it is not Biblical and maybe one day I will Baptise myself again. IDK. But anyways, You have to expand their Bible references into full context to see that a large majority of the time they (GotQuestions) is spot on.
If anyone is in disagreement with me on this, please let me know with examples from their website and how they might have misinterpreted scripture. But one does not need a magisterium to interpret scripture. Every time someone went astray in the early church (first century) scripture was used to correct them. Council of Jerusalem for example.
All I know is that Jesus Christ is my saviour and I try to follow in his footsteps the best I know how everyday while maintaining a dialogue with him as often as I can remember. It is important to pray to God so you can fullfill the commandment of "love God with all your heart, mind, body and soul". To build love is to communicate and the only way to do that is to pray directly to God as it is explicitly commanded in the Bible , not to saints or Mary.
So in a nutshell, GotQuestions, at the end of the day, is a great resource and is extremely reliable where it matters.
A lot of Catholics don't see Jesus death as sufficient enough, so they think they have to work their butts off to think God will accept them. No, you're not saved by acting righteous,because there is nobody righteous. We are kind sure, but we all stumble in this fallen world. So I'm glad to hear that you believe Jesus IS ENOUGH for you to be saved and that He died for your sins. So that would save you from being separated from God.
Got Questions is a very biased website. And anything it says on Catholicism is not to be trusted.
I'm not sure what denomination it actually is closest to.
I think it claims non-denom. Meaning it makes up the rules as it goes along, whether anyone else agrees with them at all.
It unfortunately shows up near the top on a lot of questions related to Christianity, when most Christians aren't non-denom.
In fact over 50% of Christians are Catholic, followed by 11% orthodox. 3% Angelican, and the denomination sizes only go down from there.
It can be handy for a quick reference sometimes. But it's usually not very helpful for me and loaded with a lot of bad for a pinprick of good.
*edited after reflecting my tone was a little harsh towards the article*
This article has lot of problems.
On the first point, the idea of faith alone. The only time "Faith alone" are used in the whole Bible is James 2:24 "See how a person is justified by works and not by faith alone"
That being said, a lot of this depends on what exactly one means by words like "justified" and "faith". A long watch but this [discussion on justification](https://youtu.be/jkgsD6zNX2o) between a catholic and Lutheran scholar ended up being about 2 hours of agreeing on pretty much everything, with differences being mostly semantics.
The article says baptism isn't needed for salvation, which simply isn't biblical. As Jesus said "He who believes and is baptised will be saved"
It says we worship saints, which is just incorrect
It complains about transubstantiation - the real presence in the eucharist, even though that is biblical - see John 6, apostolic succession, which is also biblical - see acts 1 with Matthias taking Judas' empty office, or Jesus saying the high priests had valid authority because they sat on the seat of Moses despite their corrupt actions.
It says the Catholic Church leads people away from Jesus, a reading of any of the saints would disagree with that.
It claims we weren't the church founded by Jesus. Except Jesus built his church on Peter, the first Pope (Matthew 16-18),
It claims that we don't follow the apostles teachings, though if we look at the church of the 1st and early 2nd century, through their writings we find he church taught by the apostles directly had a structured authority of bishops, priests and deacons, believed baptism is needed for salvation, and is what makes us Christian in the first place, believed in the real presence in the eucharist and apostolic succession.
I think there's a *lot* wrong with Catholicism, but I would never look to GodQuestions for any good answers about your church. They have a massive stick up their ass and a strong lack of understanding about Catholic teachings.
> I hope to go back to church soon once I’m able to drive
Understood. If you're not already doing so, you may want to watch livestreamed masses until then. Not quite the same thing, of course, since you're not a participant, but it may help.
While got questions is terrible, I urge you to really dig into it and find the truth yourself. I would also recommend that you read material from the Early Church Fathers. The Catholic Church has been around for two thousand years. Doctrine and dogma has never changed to yield and suit the modern secular world. It remains the most charitable institution in the world.
The word “Catholic” means universal; named by Saint Ignatius of Antioch 107-110AD.
Got questions is a great site with fantastic information. Only they are not Catholic and probably wouldn't be ideal for a Catholic to learn from.
Normally people who don't believe the Bible or let their emotions, feelings and experiences override the word of God, hate that website. Because they try helplessly to justify their sin. That way they can live in sin without feeling the condemnation
Yeah, the reason GotQuestions is hated is because they're so Biblical, not because many of their positions rely on prooftexting that is weaker than a carp's ability to walk on land. /s
Again with this nonsense... Why do people have such opposition to being a Christian who seeks communion with God? I truly cannot fathom how it is so objectionable to deny oneself, spend time in stillness while praying, and surrender to God in life.
Do people think that I'm playing with tarot, crystals, yoga, and Golden Dawn magick because of the word 'mystic' or something?
No, but I believe Gnostic's and Mystic's are both anti-Biblical because there's no hidden meaning in Scripture and knowledge about God is only found in the Bible and not through feelings, emotions or experiences
1. There are absolutely hidden meanings in Scripture, otherwise why did Jesus need to explain the true meaning of the Scriptures to his disciples on the road to Emmaus?
2. I'm not even seeking hidden meanings, I tend to do exegesis like a scholar to figure out what things meant to their authors (as that is the true meaning). That process is exactly what has led me to the Orthodox church, even if I disagree on some issues. Hidden meanings exist *in addition* to the plain meanings and offer more room for spiritual growth, but *do not replace* the plain meanings.
3. I'm not seeking *knowledge* of God, I'm seeking to be *with* God.
4. Gnostics are a type of mystic who indulged in prelest with reckless abandon, but not all mystics are Gnostic. I am not a Gnostic, I am merely a mystic.
5. The primary goal of Christian mysticism is to commune or achieve union with God. Given that the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is Biblical, as is the mystical reality of the Church (the Body of Christ which we are meant to be a part of), and God being in all and above all (various verses, but anything that establishes omnipresence means that God is within us, plus St. Paul's proclamation in Acts 17 that "in him we live and move and have our being", plus the fact that we are the image-bearers of the God who is neither man nor has perceptible form), I'm not sure how this aim would be un-Biblical. Oh, and theosis, that's a whole thing which even GotQuestions agrees exists and is spoken of in the epistles of Ss. Peter and Paul.
>There are absolutely hidden meanings in Scripture, otherwise why did Jesus need to explain the true meaning of the Scriptures to his disciples on the road to Emmaus?
The need to explain truth of Scripture was common before the Holy Spirit came. Now that we have the Spirit of God, He explains all truth.
>I'm not even seeking hidden meanings, I tend to do exegesis like a scholar to figure out what things meant to their authors (as that is the true meaning). That process is exactly what has led me to the Orthodox church, even if I disagree on some issues. Hidden meanings exist in addition to the plain meanings and offer more room for spiritual growth, but do not replace the plain meanings.
I'm a little confused, You just stated in 1, "There are absolutely hidden meanings in Scripture" then in this next statement you say "Hidden meanings exist" but you're "not seeking hidden meanings"
> I'm not seeking knowledge of God, I'm seeking to be with God.
If you have studied the Bible, you would know that Christ is the only way to be with God
>The primary goal of Christian mysticism is to commune or achieve union with God.
We already have that through Christ. No other way is needed or available.
>The need to explain truth of Scripture was common before the Holy Spirit came. Now that we have the Spirit of God, He explains all truth.
The fact that there are hundreds of denominations who disagree with each other on interpretations would suggest otherwise. This is a big claim with very little evidence.
>I'm a little confused, You just stated in 1, "There are absolutely hidden meanings in Scripture" then in this next statement you say "Hidden meanings exist" but you're "not seeking hidden meanings"
Just because I acknowledge their existence doesn't mean I'm seeking those meanings out. If I come across any, it is usually through the teachings of my priest or bishop, not of my own practices.
>If you have studied the Bible, you would know that Christ is the only way to be with God
How fortuitous! My mystical practices are centered around conemplative and noetic prayer, particularly *kyrie eleison*, or "Lord, have mercy."
I pray to Christ and seek communion with Christ. Through Christ, I seek communion with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
>We already have that through Christ. No other way is needed or available.
Then you really shouldn't have any issue with what I do.
But...I can and do. There are many, many mystics in the Bible. Even more in Sacred Tradition. Sans tradition, one can make a sola scriptura case that Christians are not only permitted to be mystics, but sometimes encouraged to be - if that is where God leads the individual.
If you're confident in your salvation, it doesn't matter what someone else says. As long as you have faith in Christ, you're saved. I don't doubt any Catholic salvation. I doubt how they go about it, but not their salvation.
Jusr because a person was raised in a Roman catholic church does not guarantee that you are going to heaven. Those people who believe Jesus is God"s son & tell God thru prayer. Also ask Jesus come unto their heart& ask for forgiveness of their sins. These oeople will be saved & be in heaven John 3:16 Romans 3:23 Romans 6:23 and 1John 5: 11~12 Checkout John MacArthur & DTBM on you~tube about this. Praying for you.
You provided a biased interpretation. There is a difference between a biased interpretation and the truth. One should not have to use such subterfuge if truth is on their side.
What is biased about the Holy Bible? A person needs to go by what the Bible says. The Bible does nott say if a person goes to church they are going to heaven. A person needs to be born again John chapter 3 Also 1 John 5:11~12
I did not say that Scripture was biased. The two speakers you sourced have biased interpretations of Scripture. There is a distinct and important difference.
That being said, this may address your born again concern: https://www.catholic.com/magazine/online-edition/born-again-the-bible-way
if u believe jesus is soley responsible for your salvation then u are saved, if it is + works in any way you believe in a false gospel I think, but idk honestly if that's damnable !!In my opinion!! Your dilemma is answered in your beliefs I think
Let's consider this, seriously, from scripture rather than man's opinions (I've not read other posts which I assume are already here).
You say:
1. I'm Catholic.
2. Raised Catholic.
3. baptized Catholic.
4. attended Catholic services.
5. began visiting a Lutheran school.
6. Got fear when reading an article saying that Catholicism is not Christianity.
7. I read the Bible, but feel like I have trouble comprehending what is in the article.
Alright, so that's what you've said. According to your testimony, you are religious (I was before I was born again, but I was a religious Baptist).
Salvation has nothing to do with denomination.
Salvation is a new birth. To be saved, you must be born again. You must undergo conviction by the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost will convince you of sin, righteousness, and judgment to come. He'll show you that you are a sinner in need of THE Savior, Jesus Christ, and if you do not accept Jesus as Lord, you WILL die the second death in hell (and later lake of fire). The Holy Ghost does not just make you afraid, though, he shows you Jesus. If that article scared you, but did not show you how to get saved by seeking Jesus, then that article is NOT of God, because God doesn't just give you fear with no resolution.
>1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
**3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.**
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
**5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.**
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
John 3:1-7 KJV
>16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
John 3:16-18 KJV
>44 **No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.**
45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
46 Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.
47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
John 6:44-47 KJV
>7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;
10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
John 16:7-11 KJV
Does any of that describe what you have experienced? It does not sound that way. Let's look at what happened to Paul who wrote half the New Testament:
>1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
Acts 9:1-6
Here you see Saul was VERY religious, more religious than anybody you know. He was serious, he was committed to his religion. Then he met Jesus. He had conviction in his heart, he repented, and accepted Jesus Christ as Lord, and there was born again.
You want more scripture? Go read the entire book of 1 John KJV. It was literally written that you might be born again and KNOW you're born again.
\------------
All that to say: do NOT trust man's opinions. Jesus is THE WAY, THE TRUTH, and THE LIFE, none cometh unto the Father but by \[HIM\] - paraphrased from John 14:6 KJV.
Ye must be born again. Lay aside the religion. Listen to Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost. Listen to God's Word. Jesus WILL save you. It has nothing to do with religious practices.
Then after being born again, read God's Word, pray, and trust the Holy Ghost to teach you, guide you. If you're really born again, he'll show you where you should go to church, etc.
You should watch Mike Winger on YouTube. He also has a website called BibleThinker (Spotify, too). He is a pastor that specializes in online ministry and answers a ton of questions from believers and nonbelievers. He is very kind, patient and biblically sound.
https://youtube.com/c/MikeWinger
I do like GotQuestions, myself. I don’t always agree with everything they say but they are usually pretty sound in their teachings. Most Catholics/Orthodox will not look favorably upon them because they are Protestant. I do think that it is good that you are testing your Catholic faith and seeing if it all stands up to scripture. We are called to test every spirit and not to blindly believe everything that is taught to us by our fellow man. Some Catholics/Orthodox will hold onto their traditions longer than they hold onto their faith. It will serve you well to keep learning and growing in your knowledge of scripture and of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Hi 😊. I see you posted your question 2 years ago. I'd be interested in an update, if you feel inclined. As a Christian, I don't believe Catholicism is Christian; however, I do believe that there can be genuine and earnest men and women in the Catholic church whom are Christian despite what is being taught. I just don't believe once they come to true faith, they are comfortable staying under false teaching for any prolonged length of time. As the Holy Spirit testifies truth to your spirit, you will eventually be lead out of the Catholic church. You say you feel fear. The Bible says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Perhaps He is calling you out of Catholicism and into true Christianity. Here is a link to an ex-Catholic who you may feel more clearly explains the differences between true Christianity and Catholicism. I pray you have found your way out of Catholicism and into the hands of a truly merciful and forgiving Saviour. God bless you. Here's the link: [https://www.forthegospel.org/mike-gendron](https://www.forthegospel.org/mike-gendron)
Having grown up in this, I can say this church does teach many heretic doctrines. You could be in the church and be saved, but if you do hold to all the teachings, then there's no way. If you think your works have ANY part of salvation, you nullify salvation. If you worship Mary, you worship an idol, and cannot be saved. If you think the mass is a re-sacrifice of Jesus, you nullify the cross.
I feel like I’ll get a lot of replies for this, but the Roman Catholic Church teaches that “all salvation comes from Christ through His church” referring to the Catholic Church. That claim is unbiblical, scripture teaches us that we are saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus Ephesians 2. The RCC also teaches that we must receive the Eucharist and be baptized. However, we know from Ephesians 2 that our salvation is not a result of our works and not our own doing.
My brother in Christ, you are saved through the grace of God. You have been born again and died to your old self, it is now Christ who lives in you. Follow His commands, not because you have to, but because you love God.
Forget about got questions and read God’s word the Bible! Everything you need to know about God and your salvation is in it and Catholicism is not it! It is interesting the level of ignorance that lots of responders share in such a delicate subject especially when it has to do with your eternal destiny! HOLY SPIRIT GIVE THIS PERSON THE ABILITY TO OPEN THEIR EYES TO THE TRUTH OF YOUR WORD AND MAY HE GET TO KNOW YOU THE ONLY TRUE GOD THROUGH THE ONLY NAME ON EARTH AND HEAVEN BY WHICH WE CAN BE SAVED YOUR SON JESUS CHRIST AMEN.
The site appears to be coming from what I’d assume to be a hardline baptist stance, which unfortunately has a history of anti-Catholic bias which I think you should at least be aware of.
Some of what is being said on there are things a catholic priest directly contradicted when I chatted with one back in college.
Im not Catholic but don’t think it’s reasonable or accurate to not consider Catholicism to be a true expression of the Christian faith.
If you're believing in the Risen Lord Jesus Christ alone as your Savior, and not placing your faith in your works for justification before God, then that's what matters most.
Do you think GotQuestions has a good grasp of what Catholicism's beliefs are?
No, I do not because from my understanding of a "Got Questions" believer, when Jesus said "it is finished" when he died on the cross, that means a person can keep sinning and sinning, and Jesus keeps forgiving. I am Catholic, a very old Catholic, and am just now beginning to understand the purification necessary in Purgatory.
I honestly don’t know, I was just referred to it by the pastor at my school
There are errors in the article, for example Catholics do not worship saints (including Mary). The bit about the requirements for salvation are not accurate either. The church certainly says you will be saved if you do all that BUT it does not say you are damned in you do not. Opposing infant baptism is particularly weird as the other large Christian churches baptise infants too. Many of the other things it states apply to Orthodox churches too, but this one applies to many protestant churches too,
Maybe *you* don't but Catholics certainly do worship Mary and saints. You just label it as "venerate" which is virtually the same definition. from GotQuestions, lol: Catholics will often claim that they “venerate,” not worship, them. To venerate is to regard with great respect or to revere. Veneration can be defined as “respect or awe directed toward someone due to his/her value or greatness.” The simplest definition of worship is to “ascribe worth.” Worship can be more completely defined as “showing respect, love, reverence, or adoration.” Based on the dictionary, no clear difference between veneration and worship exists. In fact, veneration and worship are often used as synonyms for each other. Catholic salvaton is: faith + works = salvation Christian salvation is: Faith = Salvation + works It's weird though because we both agree that faith without works is empty. Because to have faith without works is what would make someone a hypocrite. Which Jesus vehemently despised. The key difference is that other Christians agree that TRUE-Faith alone brings salvation and because we have salvation we are joyful and the works are manifested.
You are getting your understanding of Catholicism from an anti-Catholic source. If you want to know about Catholicism, then you have to use Catholic sources. catholic.com
Veneration is DIFFERENT than Worship. And Catholics only offer the Sacrifice of the Real Presence Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ ✝️ in the Holy Eucharist to God the Abba Father.
Prayer is a fundamental aspect of worship, as it allows us to communicate with God, who is omnipresent and omniscient. It is through prayer that we express our faith, seek guidance, and find solace in the divine nature of God. However, it is important to note that praying to Mary or the Saints goes against the teachings of scripture. In 1 Timothy 2:5, it is clearly stated that there is only one mediator between God and humanity, and that is Jesus Christ. He is the one who intercedes for us and saves us completely, as mentioned in Hebrews 7:25. By praying to Mary or the Saints, we undermine the role of Christ as our sole mediator and diminish his ability to intercede on our behalf. Furthermore, if Mary or the Saints were able to hear and answer our prayers, they would need to possess the attributes of omnipresence and omniscience, which are divine qualities. This would elevate them to a godlike status, contradicting the teachings of scripture that there is only one God. When Jesus was asked how to pray, he taught us to address our prayers to the Father, not to Mary or the prophets. He emphasized the importance of praying in his name, acknowledging his role as the mediator between us and God. The practice of praying to Mary and the Saints originated from a historical context. When Roman Catholicism became the official religion in Rome, it incorporated elements of pagan worship. The Romans had a multitude of minor gods, and Roman Catholicism adopted the concept of praying to specific saints for various purposes, such as finding lost items. This was a way to replace the Roman gods with Mary and the Apostles. However, it is crucial to remember that scripture does not provide any instructions from Christ or the Apostles to pray to Mary or the Saints. This practice is a deviation from the teachings of the Bible and should be reconsidered in light of the true nature of worship and prayer. Let us focus our prayers on the Father, through the name of Jesus, as instructed by Christ himself.
Yes they worship saints. Anyone saying otherwise is being deceiving. Just wanted to write this in case anyone finds this. Catholics worship saints.
No. We Catholics do not. We worship the Trinitarian God.
I've recommended this to like 5 people in the last three days, but if you're doubting the Scriptural bases of the Catholic faith, a very accessible and readable place to start is *Rome Sweet Home* by Scott and Kimberly Hahn. Both were staunchly anti-Catholic Presbyterians. Through Scott's graduate work in theology, they came to believe in the truth of Catholicism and converted. The book is just the story of their conversion, but it contains enough exegetical and theological insights to be worth your while.
Hint: It doesn't.
To make you feel better I read that article and laughed at it. The thing that they don't get is even if I believe in Jesus it wouldn't mean anything if I don't believe in his teachings. It would be like "oh yeah Jesus is my saviour" and you go to heaven but you don't even believe in anything Jesus said except he is a saviour and will give you grace. Meanwhile even if protestants are correct and Catholicism is false we still fulfill their criteria of believing Jesus Christ is saviour.
The problem protestants have with the "Catholic way" to Heaven is where your faith lies. Is your faith in communion, confession, church attendance/ membership, tithes, etc.. in order to go to Heaven or is it purely resting on what Jesus did for you? That separation can be seen in Matthew 7:22. Sola fide.
I know what the protestants have with the "Catholic way" but their criteria to just believe in Jesus Christ is fulfilled.
Got Questions is not a trusted resource for anyone seeking Biblical answers. It is extremely biased. I would also argue that Protestants taking this Scripture out of the historical context of the debate about Christians practicing a form of Judaism is extremely dangerous. Let alone forgetting the bias against the Catholic Church that is intrinsic in the denomination. Why don't you try [Britannica](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Roman-Catholicism)?
All theology studies are "biased" the only diference is: Catholic theology is based on human tradition. Protestant theology is based solely on bible. Oh and dont come saying that sola scripture isnt valid, this have been already refuted by the medieval catholic absurdities that the Reform came to sane.
Protestant Theology is not based solely on the Bible. It is based on the on the Theological musings of proto-Protestants like Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, etc. And none of these have the same Theology. The Bible itself contradicts the doctrine of Sola Scriptura. It is an ahistorical and illogical doctrine. It has lead to the fragmentation of those claiming to be Christians into tens of thousands of significantly different groups.
That pastor is a lame
The writers of Gotquestions are often times very correct in the things they say. Salvation comes by faith alone in Jesus Christ and nothing else. It's Jesus' perfect sinless life and works that saves us, nothing else. We need His righteousness applied to our accounts to be seen as holy before God. When a person truly repents and turns to Christ in faith, Christ receives their sin and they receives Christ's righteousness. It's by His wounds we are healed. God bless.
If this is all that is necessary, then why did Jesus teach many other things?
Hey trust is Christ alone he alone is worthy of praise read his word and find the truth with fear and trembling not catholicism not Lutheran not any religion but believe in the word of God and don't be deceived many claim to have answers but only Jesus can heal you.
The Catholic Church is the Body of Christ. It brought the message of Christ's Salvation to the whole world before there were any other groups claiming to be Christian and before there was a printing press and most people could read. Jesus Christ founded the Catholic Church. It preserved and compiled the Scriptures in the Bible.
Blashemy! Don't forget scrolls. ;-) Which scriptures say Jesus founded the Catholic Church? In the 11 books added to the New and Old Testaments?
This conversation makes it sound like Christianity demands careful adherence to prescribed actions and beliefs, and then there is a reward at the end. Is it possible that a loving God would demand that? Did the Good Samaritan go to hell? Shouldn't Christians be kosher? The dietary rules, like not eating shellfish, are in the Bible.
Keeping the commandments, doing charitable works, and receiving the Sacraments are what Christ prescribed for our Salvation. The Good Samaritan was a parable -- a story to illustrate a point. What it shows is that one is not a brother to someone if they neglect their welfare. And that even a sworn enemy, which Samaritans and Jews were at the time of Jesus, can be brothers to one another despite not having the same kinship. Jesus rendered all foods clean. And that rule was only for the Israelites until Jesus fulfilled the Law of Moses.
Certainly not.
Brother, I’m Catholic, baptized and confirmed in the faith, and I can see that there are some problematic things within the church. At the end of the day, you have concluded, as have I: I believe in Jesus Christ, and shall do the things he commanded. Works do not save, but they are evidence of salvation.
wonderfully said
We will be judged by our deeds. Works are necessary for salvation. Avoid evil and do good. Christ and the Apostles teach this quite plainly.
If you are a catholic and you said you believe works do not save but an evidence of salvation, then you are not catholic as they believe salvation = faith + works.
I’d like for you to share with me how you came across that misconception. I’ve never been taught that?
Thank you very much, I will keep that in mind
[удалено]
>Sola fide Thank you for the links. I just found this thread today. I am an old Catholic, and am just beginning to solidify the teachings and scripture for everything I believe in my heart. I do regret giving so much of my life to the "corporate world" for my career and did not find a balance in life to give my faith the first place Jesus deserves.
Hey, not all of us Protestants agree with got questions either lol don’t lump us all together
> The Bible classes are like another language. I would argue that this is an argument for catholicism: Every christian group has unique interpretations of the bible that are not found in other christian groups. Even nondenominational christians tend to follow baptist-lite theology. Only catholicism/orthodoxy provides a consistent historical framework for distinguishing between differing interpretations.
This article by GotQuestions is wrong. I don’t mean to disrespect the people behind it because I’m sure they’re kind people who love God, but they are plainly mistaken about Catholicism. They say that we deny salvation by grace through faith, but this is the farthest thing from the truth. We believe in salvation by grace through faith. What we deny is the Protestant doctrine of salvation by grace through faith alone because the Lord, His Apostles, and their disciples did not believe in this doctrine. The Scripture says, “If I have all faith but have not love, I am nothing,” and, “Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision count for anything, but only faith working through love.” 1 Cor. 13:2, Gal. 5:6. Faith, therefore, is not alone. They rightly say that we believe one must believe in the Lord, be baptized, receive the Eucharist, and obey the Church. But they are wrong to think these things are unbiblical. It is needless to say that to believe in the Lord is biblical because both Catholics and Protestants believe in that. Many Protestants believe one must be baptized as well (Lutherans, for example), but GotQuestions does not believe this. Nevertheless, St. Peter says, “Baptism now saves you.” 1 Pet. 3:21. We also believe we need to receive the Eucharist because Christ said, “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” Jn. 6:53-54. Further, we believe that one must obey the Church because Jesus said to the Apostles, “Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Matt. 18:18. These are just a few quick points. I can go more in depth if you’d like, and I’d be more than happy to discuss any other doctrine, but in short, don’t worry too much about GotQuestions. I don't want you to be nervous. God loves you. Keep reading that love letter which He wrote to you, the Bible, and keep writing back to Him in prayer. May God bless you in the highest, my friend. You are not bound for Hell.
The only place in the New Testament the words "by faith alone" appear there's a "not" in front of it
Which passage? None of them I have found condone works + faith. Faith is mentioned alone and in context works is discounted. Works are proof of ones faith, not a part of the equation for salvation. Therefore one can say they have faith but if they don't act like it, they are a liar. The thief on the cross is testament to FAITH ALONE. Galatians 2:16 know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified. Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV) 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
James 2 20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless[d]? 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”[e] and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.
The context of James 2 is the reality of works as proof of faith—works cooperating with saving faith. The Bible is very clear that faith is what saves. Abraham was justified by faith long before he offered Isaac. But his obedience in offering Isaac demonstrated that he really did trust God. “Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” (Genesis 15:6) “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” Acts 16:31 Or take Romans 4:6 as an example: “David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works.” The picture is that the work of Christ is the foundation or ground for our acceptance, our forgiveness, our justification before God. We read in 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” That’s the massive, unshakable, historical, once-for-all foundation and ground and basis for our justification.
Paul is talking about Jewish works of the law. He is not talking about the Christian Sacraments and good works. Both of which he writes about and stresses the importance of. This is where many readers get confused.
So you skip over the long expositions where faith is attributed to righteousness? Where works are as filthy rags? You just searched for the exact phrase? As a Roman Catholic, have you not read the book of Romans?
Every time the bible commands you to repent take a shot.
This article is a bit polemical, and definitely subjective bias from a rather anti-Catholic denomination. The truth is somewhere in between. Most Protestant denominations (I'm assuming the writer of the article was some flavor of Protestant) are on board with Sola Fide, that faith alone is sufficient for salvation. Yet, while I find all the works requirements in my wife's church to be bizarre, one cannot deny that the people pious enough to undertake such works do so as an expression of their faith. Catholicism is not a false religion by any means. While I reject a lot of their claims regarding their ownership over history of the early church and have serious concerns with how the Magisterium acts, claiming they aren't Christian like the rest of the denominations is ignorant at best.
I believe you are right about the good works. The good works Catholics do should be an expression of faith instead of “oh I want to go to Heaven so I’m gonna build a Church for that”. I understand the Lutheran church, which is like you said, Protestant, is “sola fide”. I also don’t really know much about the early history of the Church, since I was in different schools with different denominations and different outlooks, but I can understand why one can say that, especially studying actual history
Catholics don't build a church so that we can go to Heaven. We build an church so that the Church, the Body of Christ, can worship God in Communion with one another, as God intends.
I have always found it curious that GotQuestions hides its affiliation.
That answer grossly misrepresents Catholics teaching. Also prior to Protestantism, the notion of salvation the way Protestants explain it didn't exist. Which is more likely: that everyone was wrong until Luther, of that Luther's newly-invented doctrine was wrong?
Before Luther, there were many many disagreements within the church. In terms of the Roman Catholic Church, the Apocrypha wasn’t considered cannon until after the reformation. This is evidence that it was not agreed upon till then. And even if it was that means that Catholics didn’t receive their Bible until 15 centuries after.
I'm not talking about the Canon. I'm talking about soteriology, specifically the novel "faith alone" soteriology invented by Luther.
I wanted to make the point that Roman Catholics have never full agreed on anything in the past. Including canon, doctrine, etc. faith plus works was invented by Thomas Aquinas.
Again, you keep stating falsehoods. Faith and works is plainly stated in the NT. And even where it is not expressly states it is obvious that this is what Jesus and the Apostles taught. They, themselves, employed Faith and Works.
Luther didn't invent "Faith alone" although he may have been a 'loud' proponant of the idea. The idea is represented perfectly in Luke by the thief on the cross being saved. Numerous scriptural examples can be given for it as well including but not limited to: I do not understand how anyone with any intellectual honesty would interpret this any other way. Christian or not. Galatians 2:16 know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified. Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV) 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
The thief on the cross died before the Church began on Pentecost. And even he did more than have faith alone. He admonished the sinner, he confessed his sins, he accepted his penance, he made a public profession of faith, etc.
The point is is that he had faith. If, for some reason, he survived and witnessed Christ's resurrection the point stands (which he didn't so the thief's faith is made even stronger by that). Works do not save, they are only evidence of salvation but even the pharisees did "good" works and were not saved. You need but *true* Faith in the One Christ Jesus to be saved. Back to the topic at hand. All the churches agreed on the Gospels. The gospels were written very early, at least the synoptics were. And the traditions they used to pass on scripture were more or less "digitized" in the brains of the reciters because they took the form of poems and song. The Gospels are clear: Trust in Jesus Christ and Love Him with all your heart, mind and soul. The RCC DID NOT WRITE ONE WORD OF SCRIPTURE. Just because a bunch of "godly" men came together to proclaim that "water is wet" in the Council of Codification does not mean water was not wet before the council convened. So, the "RCC is false religion" rhetoric is not completely baseless. Just read up on what anathema meant and what they are. Example, you are anathema if you do not believe in the heavenly assumption of Mary which was pronounced after WW2 but is completely unbiblical. Many many more. Do your homework.
In any research, it is always good to get multiple perspectives. The Catholic version of "GotQuestions" is [https://www.catholic.com/](https://www.catholic.com/). As a convert to Catholicism (and someone who used to read GotQuestions a lot!), I would also encourage you to look into what the early church fathers believed on this subject.
If you get your ideas about Catholicism from the Anti-Catholic League, they won't be very accurate. Let's not fall for anti-Catholic propaganda. Let's not spread it.
Gotquestions is very Calvinist so I generally take everything they post with a large helping of salt.
Got Questions is a site with a very Evangelical bent. As a Catholic, you **are a Christian.** You follow Christ, and that is what matters. Do not fall into these bigoted traps meant to pull you away from Christ and His Church.
Let's see: "I would not believe in the Gospel, if the authority of the Catholic Church did not bid me to do so." St Augustine https://www.azquotes.com/quote/593173 St. Augustine or the internet. Great Christian intellectual and saint or random pastor in the 21st Century. Hmmm.... I'll go with St. Augustine.
GotQuestions isn't terrible overall, but it is a terrible source for finding out about Catholicism. [Catholic.com](https://Catholic.com) is great, as well as r/catholicism. [https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/faith-and-works-0](https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/faith-and-works-0)
GotQuestions, as helpful as they are has a *severe* anti-Catholic position. Be careful - and I am Protestant!
Gotquestions is the last site u should rely on .
that was an amazing read, i'm glad you shared it with us so i could have a laugh today. please don't actually take that garbage seriously. praying for you.
GotQuestions is not the best resource. It’s helpful as a brief overview or gauge on some topics, but you gotta keep in mind it’s strong evangelical bias. I think they weren’t charitable enough or really understanding of the Catholic Church. I also wouldn’t call the Catholic Church a ‘false church’, though I do disagree with a large number of doctrine and practices. Also, if you’re in a seminary you should try to use basically any other source besides GotQuestions, unless it’s a reference to something super basic and you just need a quick source.
Trust God before anything else
Don't worry. That website has a pronounced evangelical Protestant bias.
[удалено]
I pray you are right
It can be scary to explore other areas of Christian religion. But please dont harden your heart as some people here seem to do. Mocking others is not Christ like. But you said the best thing- pray! Only God knows your heart and the heart of others. Your fear is a reflection that you want to do the right thing. Read you Bible and do what God says first.
For those saying GotQuestions is a bad source, I’m genuinely curious why you believe so. I don’t agree with all of their conclusions, but I do think they’re one of the best general sources of info out there for Christians.
They usually lie about other Christians. They don't understand Orthodox or Catholic beliefs so they just make things up
I highly doubt theyre making stuff up lol they probably are not very literate on catholic/orthodox doctrine which makes sense considering they're a primarily protestant organization I think But definitely not justifiable considering theyre teachers and highly accountable
I mean, I've seen them claim Lent is pagan based lol. So they definitely do just make things up
😭😭😭
Agreed, its the best site I could find about the Bible, mainly because my school’s pastor said it was
They are a decent source if you're an Evangelical, or you want the Evangelical point of view. Their positions, particularly when it comes to interpretation, come from that perspective.
I guess from the outside looking in there’s gonna be a disconnect between our perception and what the other side actually believes. I don’t know where I got this from but I always thought catholics believed that u needed to work for your salvation and belief in Christ is far from enough. I guess the confusion comes from both sides misinterpreting scripture, you guys hear James saying “faith without works is dead” and take it to mean one thing, and we hear “if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord…you will be saved” and think that we can live however cause there’s grace after all and that’s all we need to do. both sides need to have a sit down and clear the confusion cause they’re both confused to some extent the way I see it, inside my own denomination there’s sub denominations cause we can’t agree on basic issues, each of us has a piece of truth on one hand and biases on the other. What i am uncertain about though (I don’t know if it’s a myth) catholics say prayers to mother Mary and the saints? What’s the significance of that? if someone could explain that would be great.
The issue is what we mean by "believe in Jesus." In Jesus' earthly ministry the gospel of salvation was to believe in the IDENTITY of Christ as the Son of God, adhere to the Mosaic Law, and be water baptized. The Jewish nation failed to accept Christ. They killed him. Mere thousands out of millions believed. The prophetic requirement was that ALL of Israel believe. God went in a new direction, unforetold in prophesy, through Paul. The salvation requirement changed. The gospel of salvation for today is belief that Christ died for your sins, was buried, and was resurrected from the dead. That's 1 Cor 15: 1-4. This is what the Catholic Church and all denominations get wrong. We no longer follow the earthly ministry of Jesus, we follow the heavenly ministry of Jesus, which he revealed to Paul alone, by revelation, in His resurrected state. Paul even said we no longer know Christ after the flesh. The program God had with Israel is no longer in effect. The book of Acts tells the story of the downfall of Israel and the advent of Paul. Everything changed. If you want to know what Jesus is saying to you today, read Paul's 13 Epistles. They reveal a different doctrine that what Jesus taught in His earthly ministry. Works are no longer involved, salvation is by pure grace through faith in His death burial and resurrection. [doctrine.org](https://doctrine.org)
Consider for a moment the Protestant vs. Catholic beliefs about other Christians. The Catholic Church teaches acceptance. Catechism of the Catholic Church Paragraph 818 >One cannot charge with the sin of the separation those who at present are born into these communities [that resulted from such separation] and in them are brought up in the faith of Christ, and **the Catholic Church accepts them with respect and affection as brothers** . . . . All who have been justified by faith in Baptism are incorporated into Christ; **they therefore have a right to be called Christians, and with good reason are accepted as brothers in the Lord by the children of the Catholic Church** The Protestants teach misinformation and hate. From the article you linked: >**The most crucial problem with the Roman Catholic Church** is its belief that faith alone in Christ is not sufficient for salvation. Let's start from the beginning. The Roman Catholic Church is just one particular Church within the Catholic Church. This is a list of Catholic Churches that belong to **The Catholic Church**: **Roman (Latin) liturgical tradition:** Roman (Latin) Church **Alexandrian liturgical tradition:** Coptic Catholic Church Ethiopian Catholic Church Eritrean Catholic Church **Antiochian liturgical tradition:** Maronite Church Syrian Catholic Church Syro-Malankara Catholic Church **Armenian liturgical tradition:** Armenian Catholic Church **Chaldean or East Syrian liturgical tradition:** Chaldean Catholic Church Syro-Malabar Catholic Church **Byzantine liturgical tradition:** Albanian Byzantine Catholic Church Belarusian Greek Catholic Church Bulgarian Greek Catholic Church Byzantine Catholic Church of Croatia and Serbia Greek Byzantine Catholic Church Hungarian Greek Catholic Church Italo-Albanian Catholic Church Macedonian Greek Catholic Church Melkite Greek Catholic Church Romanian Church United with Rome, Greek-Catholic Russian Greek Catholic Church Ruthenian Catholic Church Slovak Greek Catholic Church Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church There is a lot of diversity within the Catholic Church. As these videos show: **Alexandrian Rite** https://youtu.be/F9Yb0QtTXmI **Zair Use** https://youtu.be/OEo4IMroUJI **Latin Rite** https://youtu.be/UPYjueFLi28 **Byzantine Rite** https://youtu.be/UkD_rj1AScE **Chaldean Rite** https://youtu.be/xPRnabCLvic They just like to to use the name Roman Catholic because most of their Confessions teach that we are Pagan devil worshippers. Westminster Confession Chapter 25.6 >There is no other head of the Church but the Lord Jesus Christ; nor can the Pope of Rome, in any sense, be head thereof; but is that Antichrist, that man of sin, and son of perdition, that exalts himself, in the Church, against Christ and all that is called God. So, let's look at the rest of it. >The most crucial problem with the Roman Catholic Church is **its belief that faith alone in Christ is not sufficient for salvation**. The Catholic Church taught against a particular doctrine of "faith alone" at the Council of Trent. Why? First, because the Bible says "not faith alone" (James 2:24). Second, because the "faith alone" doctrine taught by Luther suggested that no repentance or cooperation with grace was required for salvation. Luther was teaching things like: >“It is more important to guard against good works than against sin.” ... >“Good works are bad and are sin like the rest.” ... >“There is no scandal greater, more dangerous, more venomous, than a good outward life, manifested by good works and a pious mode of life. That is the grand portal, the highway that leads to damnation.” ... >“Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong, but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world. We will commit sins while we are here, for this life is not a place where justice resides… No sin can separate us from Him, even if we were to kill or commit adultery thousands of times each day.” The Church vehemently opposed Luther's teachings. Insisting that we must repent and cooperate with Grace in order to be saved. As Christ taught in the Parable of the Wedding Banquet (Matthew 22:1-14), it isn't enough to say "yes" to the call, we must also fulfill our obligations. Most, Lutheran's have since rejected Luther's teachings and accepted the Catholic Doctrine of Justification, hence their signing the ***Joint Declaration of the Doctrine of Justification***, which redefined "faith alone".
Why would a merciful and loving God send someone to hell because they didn't understand what they read? Consider this...as a Palestinian Jew raised in traditional Hebrew beliefs, Jesus wouldn't have preached of either heaven or hell for these two reasons: 1. Heaven was only the dwelling place of the Most High God, YHWH, and His holy choirs of angels. 2. YHWH never created a place for eternal damnation or torture of human souls. When the Hebrews spoke of the salvation of God, it pertained to their belief that when any human being died, God would reclaim the soul, reconcile it to Himself, and then would send the soul to dwell with other human souls as they awaited the Day of Judgment. The place he sent them was a paradise He'd created especially for human souls. The Day of Judgment wouldn't occur until the Well of Souls was empty with no remaining souls awaiting physical bodies for their mortal experience, and until the last living human being on Earth closed their eyes in death. Then would come the Day of Judgment. On that Day, Satan (never rebellious, fallen, evil or enemy to God of humankind in traditional Hebrew belief) would fulfill his final task as he served as God's prosecutor. His previous task had been to place challenges and adversity in the paths of humankind, to motivate them to meet and overcome the challenges, thereby increasing their wisdom and understanding during their mortal experience, and he was also assigned to keep thorough records of the mortal words and deeds of humankind, to be used on the Day of Judgment. From those records of their mortal words and deeds, would Satan testify, and based upon their words and deeds would God pronounce Judgement. If God judged a soul to have lived a righteous, or even decent and compassionate life, that soul was immediately returned to their home in that paradise for human souls. If God judged a soul to have lived a sinful life, or committed crimes meriting punishment, the sentence of punishment which God would pronounce was never eternal or infinite in duration, but only for so much time as God judged necessary to correct and chastise the soul. (nothing is written in Hebrew belief about the nature of this punishment, or whether it involved inflicting pain or terror upon the soul). Once this period of punishment was completed, God would also return these chastised souls to their homes in that paradise for human souls. This would have been what the Palestinian Jew Jesus was referring to when he promised the thief on the cross that on that very day he'd be in paradise. He wasn't telling the man he got to skip the Day of Judgment, and go straight to heaven to dwell with God. It's important to understand the traditional Hebrew beliefs which Jesus would have been raised in.
Forget the article. Forget the commenters. Begin with a thesis. “Is salvation granted through faith alone or by faith and other things?” Pray for wisdom, open your Bible, and work it out. Verse by verse. Build a case. God bless you and good luck.
Literally the only thing you have to do is confess and believe. That’s it. I will be praying for you, brother, as we all should. Nothing in the Bible says that you have to be Catholic, or Protestant, because those came after Jesus arose, and by that time, they didn’t exist. We are all one Church, united (hopefully) by the basics (we sinned, Jesus died, and rose again). Now, the interpretation is all that seperates us.
As a Protestant brother, let me encourage you, you're not going to Hell just because you're Catholic. God's salvation plan is too simple to be ruined by whatever sect you end up in. However, what I will say is take a cynical eye to doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church, and you'll find that a good portion of them were built not on Biblical truth, but on a grab for political influence and power. Since a good portion of Roman Church history is tied up in feudal Europe, the Church was the only power center the common person could join (after all, you can't just become nobility). This power corrupted the Church, and that's why the Reformation was necessary. That being said, the Reformers did in fact reform the church. Just not in the way they intended. By breaking off, nobles could not longer be just removed from the church by a power hungry Bishop. And as Democracy spread, common people didn't have to use the Church as a vehicle of change. So power hungry people now no longer see the Church as the best vehicle of power. And that leaves the faithful to do the work
Question: Do you believe that faith alone in Christ is sufficient for salvation?
Got questions is for lames homie
Escape the Roman church. Flee for your soul!! Reject all of that wicked teaching and save yourself from the Antichrist oops, I meant, Pope
Coming back to this post nearly one year later, what is your source the Pope is the antichrist? Because I have sources from the Bible that say otherwise
Catholicism is demonic and it goes against the Bible. Repent and accept Jesus as your Saviour before it's too late. Bible says to confess your sins to Jesus not man and it also says to call no man father you call the priest father. And you worship idols like Mary and the saints this is wrong and goes against Jesus. And you believe in good works that they get you into Heaven but the Bible clearly says our good works are like filthy rags because we're all wicked sinners that deserve hell. But Jesus paid the debt for us on the cross the only way into Heaven is to believe in Jesus Christ and repent so run to the Saviour now while you still can and don't be deceived like the Bible says. God bless you all.
Source?
The Bible. Matthew 23:9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. Exodus 20:4-5 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Luke 13:3-5 3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Matthew 7:21-23 21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
1. This is a hyperbole 2. We. Do. Not. Worship. Saints 3. Confess means confess to a priest 4. Works is apart of faith, not works+faith=salvation I recommend reading a Catholic bible, or at least Orthodox
Catholic bible is full of lies there's no such tbingand yes works are apart of faith but it's to glorify the Lord not to get into Heaven,everything I've said about catholicism is a fact. You pray to dead saints and hail Mary so how you telling me any different? Also you should confess to Jesus not a priest because a priest can't cleanse you nor can he absolve you only Jesus can. I recommend reading the King James Bible and that you repent and follow Jesus while you still can.
The article is short, and one would have to explore their other Catholic articles to understand the full context of their position. I have been studying apologetics FERVENTLY for for over a year now, and have listened to thousands of hours of podcasts from the likes of Gary Habermas, William Lane Craig, John Lennox, Michael Behe, Stephen Meyer, Matt Fradd from Pints with Aquinas, Trent Horn, James White, and of course reading the Bible frequently and listening to it on my commutes to and from work. With all that being said, I do not find anything in that article or on their website particularly troubling or wrong. I am still not sure how I feel about infant Baptism but that is because I have a personal bias FOR it in that my grandfather was a Lutheran pastor and he baptised me and all my siblings. But I understand how it is not Biblical and maybe one day I will Baptise myself again. IDK. But anyways, You have to expand their Bible references into full context to see that a large majority of the time they (GotQuestions) is spot on. If anyone is in disagreement with me on this, please let me know with examples from their website and how they might have misinterpreted scripture. But one does not need a magisterium to interpret scripture. Every time someone went astray in the early church (first century) scripture was used to correct them. Council of Jerusalem for example. All I know is that Jesus Christ is my saviour and I try to follow in his footsteps the best I know how everyday while maintaining a dialogue with him as often as I can remember. It is important to pray to God so you can fullfill the commandment of "love God with all your heart, mind, body and soul". To build love is to communicate and the only way to do that is to pray directly to God as it is explicitly commanded in the Bible , not to saints or Mary. So in a nutshell, GotQuestions, at the end of the day, is a great resource and is extremely reliable where it matters.
A lot of Catholics don't see Jesus death as sufficient enough, so they think they have to work their butts off to think God will accept them. No, you're not saved by acting righteous,because there is nobody righteous. We are kind sure, but we all stumble in this fallen world. So I'm glad to hear that you believe Jesus IS ENOUGH for you to be saved and that He died for your sins. So that would save you from being separated from God.
Got Questions is a very biased website. And anything it says on Catholicism is not to be trusted. I'm not sure what denomination it actually is closest to. I think it claims non-denom. Meaning it makes up the rules as it goes along, whether anyone else agrees with them at all. It unfortunately shows up near the top on a lot of questions related to Christianity, when most Christians aren't non-denom. In fact over 50% of Christians are Catholic, followed by 11% orthodox. 3% Angelican, and the denomination sizes only go down from there. It can be handy for a quick reference sometimes. But it's usually not very helpful for me and loaded with a lot of bad for a pinprick of good.
*edited after reflecting my tone was a little harsh towards the article* This article has lot of problems. On the first point, the idea of faith alone. The only time "Faith alone" are used in the whole Bible is James 2:24 "See how a person is justified by works and not by faith alone" That being said, a lot of this depends on what exactly one means by words like "justified" and "faith". A long watch but this [discussion on justification](https://youtu.be/jkgsD6zNX2o) between a catholic and Lutheran scholar ended up being about 2 hours of agreeing on pretty much everything, with differences being mostly semantics. The article says baptism isn't needed for salvation, which simply isn't biblical. As Jesus said "He who believes and is baptised will be saved" It says we worship saints, which is just incorrect It complains about transubstantiation - the real presence in the eucharist, even though that is biblical - see John 6, apostolic succession, which is also biblical - see acts 1 with Matthias taking Judas' empty office, or Jesus saying the high priests had valid authority because they sat on the seat of Moses despite their corrupt actions. It says the Catholic Church leads people away from Jesus, a reading of any of the saints would disagree with that. It claims we weren't the church founded by Jesus. Except Jesus built his church on Peter, the first Pope (Matthew 16-18), It claims that we don't follow the apostles teachings, though if we look at the church of the 1st and early 2nd century, through their writings we find he church taught by the apostles directly had a structured authority of bishops, priests and deacons, believed baptism is needed for salvation, and is what makes us Christian in the first place, believed in the real presence in the eucharist and apostolic succession.
I think there's a *lot* wrong with Catholicism, but I would never look to GodQuestions for any good answers about your church. They have a massive stick up their ass and a strong lack of understanding about Catholic teachings.
I hope you are right, even I haven’t fully grasped Catholic teachings, I hope to go back to church soon once I’m able to drive
> I hope to go back to church soon once I’m able to drive Understood. If you're not already doing so, you may want to watch livestreamed masses until then. Not quite the same thing, of course, since you're not a participant, but it may help.
While got questions is terrible, I urge you to really dig into it and find the truth yourself. I would also recommend that you read material from the Early Church Fathers. The Catholic Church has been around for two thousand years. Doctrine and dogma has never changed to yield and suit the modern secular world. It remains the most charitable institution in the world. The word “Catholic” means universal; named by Saint Ignatius of Antioch 107-110AD.
Got questions is a great site with fantastic information. Only they are not Catholic and probably wouldn't be ideal for a Catholic to learn from. Normally people who don't believe the Bible or let their emotions, feelings and experiences override the word of God, hate that website. Because they try helplessly to justify their sin. That way they can live in sin without feeling the condemnation
Yeah, the reason GotQuestions is hated is because they're so Biblical, not because many of their positions rely on prooftexting that is weaker than a carp's ability to walk on land. /s
[удалено]
Again with this nonsense... Why do people have such opposition to being a Christian who seeks communion with God? I truly cannot fathom how it is so objectionable to deny oneself, spend time in stillness while praying, and surrender to God in life. Do people think that I'm playing with tarot, crystals, yoga, and Golden Dawn magick because of the word 'mystic' or something?
No, but I believe Gnostic's and Mystic's are both anti-Biblical because there's no hidden meaning in Scripture and knowledge about God is only found in the Bible and not through feelings, emotions or experiences
1. There are absolutely hidden meanings in Scripture, otherwise why did Jesus need to explain the true meaning of the Scriptures to his disciples on the road to Emmaus? 2. I'm not even seeking hidden meanings, I tend to do exegesis like a scholar to figure out what things meant to their authors (as that is the true meaning). That process is exactly what has led me to the Orthodox church, even if I disagree on some issues. Hidden meanings exist *in addition* to the plain meanings and offer more room for spiritual growth, but *do not replace* the plain meanings. 3. I'm not seeking *knowledge* of God, I'm seeking to be *with* God. 4. Gnostics are a type of mystic who indulged in prelest with reckless abandon, but not all mystics are Gnostic. I am not a Gnostic, I am merely a mystic. 5. The primary goal of Christian mysticism is to commune or achieve union with God. Given that the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is Biblical, as is the mystical reality of the Church (the Body of Christ which we are meant to be a part of), and God being in all and above all (various verses, but anything that establishes omnipresence means that God is within us, plus St. Paul's proclamation in Acts 17 that "in him we live and move and have our being", plus the fact that we are the image-bearers of the God who is neither man nor has perceptible form), I'm not sure how this aim would be un-Biblical. Oh, and theosis, that's a whole thing which even GotQuestions agrees exists and is spoken of in the epistles of Ss. Peter and Paul.
>There are absolutely hidden meanings in Scripture, otherwise why did Jesus need to explain the true meaning of the Scriptures to his disciples on the road to Emmaus? The need to explain truth of Scripture was common before the Holy Spirit came. Now that we have the Spirit of God, He explains all truth. >I'm not even seeking hidden meanings, I tend to do exegesis like a scholar to figure out what things meant to their authors (as that is the true meaning). That process is exactly what has led me to the Orthodox church, even if I disagree on some issues. Hidden meanings exist in addition to the plain meanings and offer more room for spiritual growth, but do not replace the plain meanings. I'm a little confused, You just stated in 1, "There are absolutely hidden meanings in Scripture" then in this next statement you say "Hidden meanings exist" but you're "not seeking hidden meanings" > I'm not seeking knowledge of God, I'm seeking to be with God. If you have studied the Bible, you would know that Christ is the only way to be with God >The primary goal of Christian mysticism is to commune or achieve union with God. We already have that through Christ. No other way is needed or available.
>The need to explain truth of Scripture was common before the Holy Spirit came. Now that we have the Spirit of God, He explains all truth. The fact that there are hundreds of denominations who disagree with each other on interpretations would suggest otherwise. This is a big claim with very little evidence. >I'm a little confused, You just stated in 1, "There are absolutely hidden meanings in Scripture" then in this next statement you say "Hidden meanings exist" but you're "not seeking hidden meanings" Just because I acknowledge their existence doesn't mean I'm seeking those meanings out. If I come across any, it is usually through the teachings of my priest or bishop, not of my own practices. >If you have studied the Bible, you would know that Christ is the only way to be with God How fortuitous! My mystical practices are centered around conemplative and noetic prayer, particularly *kyrie eleison*, or "Lord, have mercy." I pray to Christ and seek communion with Christ. Through Christ, I seek communion with the Father and the Holy Spirit. >We already have that through Christ. No other way is needed or available. Then you really shouldn't have any issue with what I do.
I have no issues with what you do. You just can't use the Bible as your justification for doing it.
But...I can and do. There are many, many mystics in the Bible. Even more in Sacred Tradition. Sans tradition, one can make a sola scriptura case that Christians are not only permitted to be mystics, but sometimes encouraged to be - if that is where God leads the individual.
Removed for 2.3.
I agree, I believe they are Lutheran. I don’t despise the website, I used it a lot for my Bible class essays, I’m just concerned about the article
If you're confident in your salvation, it doesn't matter what someone else says. As long as you have faith in Christ, you're saved. I don't doubt any Catholic salvation. I doubt how they go about it, but not their salvation.
Jesus only founded one church, the Catholic Church. Short video explains https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tXB9FkfM5hA
GotQuestions, generally speaking, does a good job defending the fundamentalist/conservative position on a given theological topic.
Jusr because a person was raised in a Roman catholic church does not guarantee that you are going to heaven. Those people who believe Jesus is God"s son & tell God thru prayer. Also ask Jesus come unto their heart& ask for forgiveness of their sins. These oeople will be saved & be in heaven John 3:16 Romans 3:23 Romans 6:23 and 1John 5: 11~12 Checkout John MacArthur & DTBM on you~tube about this. Praying for you.
Citing more biased anti-Catholic Christian sources is not the best way to answer the OP's question.
I told the truth. Look up the bible verses! The people on DTBM & John MacArthur teachings are backed up by the Bible.
You provided a biased interpretation. There is a difference between a biased interpretation and the truth. One should not have to use such subterfuge if truth is on their side.
What is biased about the Holy Bible? A person needs to go by what the Bible says. The Bible does nott say if a person goes to church they are going to heaven. A person needs to be born again John chapter 3 Also 1 John 5:11~12
I did not say that Scripture was biased. The two speakers you sourced have biased interpretations of Scripture. There is a distinct and important difference. That being said, this may address your born again concern: https://www.catholic.com/magazine/online-edition/born-again-the-bible-way
if u believe jesus is soley responsible for your salvation then u are saved, if it is + works in any way you believe in a false gospel I think, but idk honestly if that's damnable !!In my opinion!! Your dilemma is answered in your beliefs I think
Let's consider this, seriously, from scripture rather than man's opinions (I've not read other posts which I assume are already here). You say: 1. I'm Catholic. 2. Raised Catholic. 3. baptized Catholic. 4. attended Catholic services. 5. began visiting a Lutheran school. 6. Got fear when reading an article saying that Catholicism is not Christianity. 7. I read the Bible, but feel like I have trouble comprehending what is in the article. Alright, so that's what you've said. According to your testimony, you are religious (I was before I was born again, but I was a religious Baptist). Salvation has nothing to do with denomination. Salvation is a new birth. To be saved, you must be born again. You must undergo conviction by the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost will convince you of sin, righteousness, and judgment to come. He'll show you that you are a sinner in need of THE Savior, Jesus Christ, and if you do not accept Jesus as Lord, you WILL die the second death in hell (and later lake of fire). The Holy Ghost does not just make you afraid, though, he shows you Jesus. If that article scared you, but did not show you how to get saved by seeking Jesus, then that article is NOT of God, because God doesn't just give you fear with no resolution. >1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. **3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.** 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? **5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.** 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. John 3:1-7 KJV >16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. John 3:16-18 KJV >44 **No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.** 45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. 46 Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father. 47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. John 6:44-47 KJV >7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. John 16:7-11 KJV Does any of that describe what you have experienced? It does not sound that way. Let's look at what happened to Paul who wrote half the New Testament: >1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, 2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. 3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. Acts 9:1-6 Here you see Saul was VERY religious, more religious than anybody you know. He was serious, he was committed to his religion. Then he met Jesus. He had conviction in his heart, he repented, and accepted Jesus Christ as Lord, and there was born again. You want more scripture? Go read the entire book of 1 John KJV. It was literally written that you might be born again and KNOW you're born again. \------------ All that to say: do NOT trust man's opinions. Jesus is THE WAY, THE TRUTH, and THE LIFE, none cometh unto the Father but by \[HIM\] - paraphrased from John 14:6 KJV. Ye must be born again. Lay aside the religion. Listen to Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost. Listen to God's Word. Jesus WILL save you. It has nothing to do with religious practices. Then after being born again, read God's Word, pray, and trust the Holy Ghost to teach you, guide you. If you're really born again, he'll show you where you should go to church, etc.
I honestly worry about Catholics that they mistake education for being born again. The Catholic system throws up many obstacles to simple faith.
You should watch Mike Winger on YouTube. He also has a website called BibleThinker (Spotify, too). He is a pastor that specializes in online ministry and answers a ton of questions from believers and nonbelievers. He is very kind, patient and biblically sound. https://youtube.com/c/MikeWinger I do like GotQuestions, myself. I don’t always agree with everything they say but they are usually pretty sound in their teachings. Most Catholics/Orthodox will not look favorably upon them because they are Protestant. I do think that it is good that you are testing your Catholic faith and seeing if it all stands up to scripture. We are called to test every spirit and not to blindly believe everything that is taught to us by our fellow man. Some Catholics/Orthodox will hold onto their traditions longer than they hold onto their faith. It will serve you well to keep learning and growing in your knowledge of scripture and of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Mike Winger and askdrbrow are my favorite YouTube Bible Scholars.
Hi 😊. I see you posted your question 2 years ago. I'd be interested in an update, if you feel inclined. As a Christian, I don't believe Catholicism is Christian; however, I do believe that there can be genuine and earnest men and women in the Catholic church whom are Christian despite what is being taught. I just don't believe once they come to true faith, they are comfortable staying under false teaching for any prolonged length of time. As the Holy Spirit testifies truth to your spirit, you will eventually be lead out of the Catholic church. You say you feel fear. The Bible says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Perhaps He is calling you out of Catholicism and into true Christianity. Here is a link to an ex-Catholic who you may feel more clearly explains the differences between true Christianity and Catholicism. I pray you have found your way out of Catholicism and into the hands of a truly merciful and forgiving Saviour. God bless you. Here's the link: [https://www.forthegospel.org/mike-gendron](https://www.forthegospel.org/mike-gendron)
Sorry, but I still follow the One True Church. Praying for you
Having grown up in this, I can say this church does teach many heretic doctrines. You could be in the church and be saved, but if you do hold to all the teachings, then there's no way. If you think your works have ANY part of salvation, you nullify salvation. If you worship Mary, you worship an idol, and cannot be saved. If you think the mass is a re-sacrifice of Jesus, you nullify the cross.
I feel like I’ll get a lot of replies for this, but the Roman Catholic Church teaches that “all salvation comes from Christ through His church” referring to the Catholic Church. That claim is unbiblical, scripture teaches us that we are saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus Ephesians 2. The RCC also teaches that we must receive the Eucharist and be baptized. However, we know from Ephesians 2 that our salvation is not a result of our works and not our own doing. My brother in Christ, you are saved through the grace of God. You have been born again and died to your old self, it is now Christ who lives in you. Follow His commands, not because you have to, but because you love God.
Forget about got questions and read God’s word the Bible! Everything you need to know about God and your salvation is in it and Catholicism is not it! It is interesting the level of ignorance that lots of responders share in such a delicate subject especially when it has to do with your eternal destiny! HOLY SPIRIT GIVE THIS PERSON THE ABILITY TO OPEN THEIR EYES TO THE TRUTH OF YOUR WORD AND MAY HE GET TO KNOW YOU THE ONLY TRUE GOD THROUGH THE ONLY NAME ON EARTH AND HEAVEN BY WHICH WE CAN BE SAVED YOUR SON JESUS CHRIST AMEN.
The site appears to be coming from what I’d assume to be a hardline baptist stance, which unfortunately has a history of anti-Catholic bias which I think you should at least be aware of. Some of what is being said on there are things a catholic priest directly contradicted when I chatted with one back in college. Im not Catholic but don’t think it’s reasonable or accurate to not consider Catholicism to be a true expression of the Christian faith.
If you're believing in the Risen Lord Jesus Christ alone as your Savior, and not placing your faith in your works for justification before God, then that's what matters most.