Good News Of Great Joy???

[WebersHome]

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● Luke 2:8-12 . .And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby,
keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to
them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

. . . But the angel said to them; "Don't be afraid. I bring you good news of
great joy that will be for all the people. Today, in the town of David, a savior
has been born to you; he is Messiah, the Lord."

Not every Christian denomination heralds a Xmas message that qualifies as
"good news of great joy". Several announce a version that is neither good
nor joyful at all; but is actually bad news indeed because their message--
although adequately announcing the reality of divine retribution --fails to tell
of a guaranteed fail-safe, sin-proof, human nature-proof, Ten
Commandments-proof, bad behavior-proof, apostasy-proof, reprobate-proof,
God-proof, Devil-proof rescue from the wrath of God. Roman Catholicism,
the very centerpiece and public image of Christianity, can't even guarantee
safety for its own Popes nor for its outstanding nuns.

Friday, April 8, 2005; millions of Catholics around the world-- including
Cardinals, Bishops, and Monsignors --prayed for Karol Wojtyla during his
funeral. Let me point out something that should go without saying: if
someone has already gone on to eternal life; is it really necessary to
continue praying for them? Of course not. They'd be home free. The millions
of Catholics left behind would be the ones in need of prayer; not Mr.
Wojtyla. But the sad reality is: no Catholic, not even a Pope, knows for sure
where they're going when they cross over to the other side.

If Popes and super-duper nuns like Mother Teresa are in danger of missing
out on eternal life, then what "great joy" does news like Rome's gospel have
to offer John Q and Jane Doe pew warmer? None, no joy at all. The best
they can do is cross their fingers and pray for the best while in the backs of
their minds dreading the worst.

The angel announced the birth of a savior. Webster's defines a "savior" as
one who rescues. You've seen examples of rescuers-- lifeguards, firemen,
cops, emergency medical teams, Coast Guard units, snow patrols, and
mountain rescue teams. Rescuers typically save people who are facing
imminent death and/or grave danger and utterly helpless to do anything
about it.

Of what real benefit would the rescuer of Luke 2:8-12 really be to anybody if
he couldn't guarantee a fail-safe, sin-proof, human nature-proof, Ten
Commandments-proof, bad behavior-proof, apostasy-proof, reprobate-proof,
God-proof, Devil-proof rescue from the wrath of God? He'd be of no benefit
to anybody. No; he'd be an incompetent ninny that nobody could rely on.

But, if a rescuer were to be announced who guaranteed anybody who wants
it, a completely free of charge, no strings attached, guaranteed fail-safe, sin
proof, human nature-proof, Ten Commandments-proof, bad behavior-proof,
apostasy-proof, reprobate-proof, God-proof, Devil-proof rescue from the
wrath of God, and full-time protection from future retribution; wouldn't that
qualify as good news of great joy? I think just about everybody would have
to agree with me that news like that would not only most certainly be good;
but also cause for celebration, and for ecstatic happiness.

/

 

[Preacha24-7]

Your information is incorrect. Catholics are not Christians. The Roman Catholic
Church practices idolatry. God said to worship no one except Him. Praying to
Mary is wrong.Mary can't save you, the pope can't save you, Allah can't save
you, Buddha can't save you, and the Watchtower Track Society(Jehovah
Witness) can't save you. Jesus is the only way to God. Any other way
is false and will send you straight to hell.
1. The only way to God is through Jesus John14:6
2.Eternal life is only found in Jesus John17:3
3. Saved by Grace (works can't save you) Ephesians 2:8-9
4.God's Love John3:16-17, and Romans5:8
5.all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God Romans3:23
6.Wages of Sin is death gift of God is eternal life through Christ
Jesus our Lord Romans6:23
7. Assurance of Salvation Romans10:9-10,John5:24, 1John5:13, John20:31
8. All may be saved Rev3:20, and Romans10:13
Its time for Christians to stand up for our faith and stop being afraid.
9. But ye shall receive power, after the Holy Ghost has come upon you
Acts1:8
To God be the Glory
Preacha24-7 Evangelist to the Streets (Street Ministry)

 

[oldethennew]

there is an Holy Order and there are Holy Rules and Commands...

we both are all in for them...all the way, until the very end, which is course is a very New-Beginning!
...

 

[Yonah]

I don't think it wise to pass such harsh judgment upon many who are really living according to what they have been taught (in some cases all their lives) the father sees all and is well able to judge righteously, if one is led by His spirit but resist , that's between them and him....

 

[dcontroversal]

Nice......I like it......!

 

[dcontroversal]

Your information is incorrect. Catholics are not Christians. The Roman Catholic
Church practices idolatry. God said to worship no one except Him. Praying to
Mary is wrong.Mary can't save you, the pope can't save you, Allah can't save
you, Buddha can't save you, and the Watchtower Track Society(Jehovah
Witness) can't save you. Jesus is the only way to God. Any other way
is false and will send you straight to hell.
1. The only way to God is through Jesus John14:6
2.Eternal life is only found in Jesus John17:3
3. Saved by Grace (works can't save you) Ephesians 2:8-9
4.God's Love John3:16-17, and Romans5:8
5.all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God Romans3:23
6.Wages of Sin is death gift of God is eternal life through Christ
Jesus our Lord Romans6:23
7. Assurance of Salvation Romans10:9-10,John5:24, 1John5:13, John20:31
8. All may be saved Rev3:20, and Romans10:13
Its time for Christians to stand up for our faith and stop being afraid.
9. But ye shall receive power, after the Holy Ghost has come upon you
Acts1:8
To God be the Glory
Preacha24-7 Evangelist to the Streets (Street Ministry)

If you knew him you would understand that his facts are correct...and he uses sarcasm in a most excellent way.....

 

[WebersHome]

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I grew up a Catholic boy and attended catechism to the level of
Confirmation. I must not have been paying attention to the nuns who taught
the classes because for quite a few years I was under the impression that
Christ was a tragic victim of circumstances beyond his control and that his
crucifixion served no practical purpose except to make me pity the man.

I mean; every Sunday I looked around the church at the gloomy stations of
the cross hanging on the walls. How was I supposed to derive good news of
great joy from those? And it seems that every artistic representation of
Jesus' mom-- the statues and the paintings --depict her as blue, sorrowful,
forlorn and depressed. Not even so much as a lick of optimism.

The lack of cheer in Catholicism is prevalent at every turn: even the
communion service is a downer; and it really shouldn't be. According to John
6:54, Jesus' flesh and blood is supposed to endow people with eternal life. I
should think that would certainly make people happy, but no; it doesn't.
They all return to their seats looking as if they were just sentenced to ten
years in prison for bank robbery.

Well; you can imagine my delight, as well as my relief, to finally learn that
the purpose of Christ's death was to satisfy justice on my behalf in such a
way as to spare me the inconvenience of dying for my sins in the reservoir
of brimstone depicted at Rev 20:11-15 where people are on track to be
terminated by a mode of death akin to a foundry worker falling into a kettle
of molten iron.

According to Dan 12:2 and John 5:28-29, there is only one resurrection
allotted per person; which means that people sentenced to death in the lake
won't be coming back because they will have used up their one resurrection
to face justice at the Great White Throne event.

FYI: Though people will die in the lake, their remains won't be totally
incinerated but instead will be preserved as perpetual nourishment for a
curious species of fire-proof worm.

● Isa 66:22-24 . . All humanity will come to worship me from week to week
and from month to month. And as they go out, they will see the dead bodies
of those who have rebelled against me. For the worms that devour them will
never die, and the fire that burns them will never go out. All who pass by
will view them with utter loathing.

A worm that thrives in fire is pretty amazing, but not unreasonable. The 4
inch Pompeii worm lives in sea water temperatures of 176° Fahrenheit: hot
enough to kill salmonella and sanitize an egg. So I guess if God could create
a worm like the Pompeii, it shouldn't be too difficult for Him to create worms
that like it even warmer.

But then, the properties of fire are easily circumvented by the genius who
created them. For example: fire totally incinerated the cities of Sodom and
Gomorrah but left unscathed a desert shrub that Moses encountered in the
Sinai outback while tending his father-in law's sheep. (Ex 3:1-3)

Compare Dan 3:8-27 where a blistering hot fire didn't even so much as
singe the clothing of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego while slaying the
guards that threw them in the furnace.

Isa 66:22-24 suggests that the worms will never run out of something to
eat; which means that the human remains upon which they'll feed will never
be used up. How so?

There are incidents in the Bible where small amounts of foodstuffs were
miraculously extended. One example is 1Kgs 17:8-16 where a tiny bit of
flour and oil nourished Elijah and a widow woman, and her son, for a good
many days during a time of prolonged drought.

Another incident is at 2Kgs 4:1-7 where a certain widow's husband died and
left her deeply in debt. God extended her last pot of oil sufficiently to sell off
enough to retire her debts, thereby saving her two sons from slavery.

All those human remains floating around out there in the lake of brimstone
will likely resemble a ghastly cranberry bog at harvest time. That should be
quite a scene to behold.

/

 

[oldethennew]

any one who acknowledges their Lord and Saviour will NEVER BURN anywhere.
it's those who hate and mock our Creator that will suffer and become 'ashes'...

 

[WebersHome]

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I was loyal to Rome and its doctrines until I was 24. But though I cast a vote
of confidence in Rome's doctrines, I was mostly lapsed and didn't practice
them.

My eldest brother went on to become a priest, and today he's a semi-retired
Friar who is no longer confident that a hell exists. I don't know why he feels
that way; we don't talk much about things like that.

But unlike my eldest brother, I have never even one single moment in my
entire 72+ years doubted the existence of hell and eternal suffering.
Ironically, it was my dread of that very thing that led me to part company
with Rome.

President Obama published a book in October of 2009 whose title includes
the words: The Audacity Of Hope.

The usual understanding of hope is something like crossing your fingers and
praying for the best while in the back of your mind dreading the worst. An
audacious hope is sort of like that. It's a hope against hope; viz: an
irrational pursuit of something out of reach on the slim chance you might get
lucky and actually attain it.

The apostle Peter's understanding of hope was very different.

● 1Pet 3:15 . . Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks
you for a reason for your hope.

The Greek word for "hope" in Peter's command is elpis (el pece') which
means to anticipate (usually with pleasure) and to expect with confidence.
Note the elements of anticipation, and expectation, and confidence.

In other words: Peter's hope wasn't audacious. No, he wasn't crossing his
fingers and praying for the best while in the back of his mind dreading the
worst and/or irrationally pursuing something out of reach on the slim chance
of attaining it. Not Peter, no, he looked forward to an excellent afterlife; and
he fully expected to get it; no problem.

So, unless someone knows for proof-positive, beyond even the slightest
glimmer of sensible doubt, that their afterlife future is safe and secure, then
of course it is impossible for them to comply with Peter's instructions seeing
as they would not yet have the kind of hope about which he wrote.

● Rom 12:12 . . Rejoicing in hope.

When people are praying for the best, while in the back of their mind
dreading the worst, they have absolutely no cause for rejoicing; no; but they
do have plenty of cause to fear the unknown.

Writing to his friends in Ephesus, the apostle Paul said:

"Remember that at one time you, Gentiles in the flesh, were without hope"

How many hopeless Gentiles are we talking about? Well, for starters; as of
2014, there were approximately 1.3 billion Roman Catholics worldwide. None
of them, not even the Pope, had the kind of hope that Peter had. In point of
fact, Catholics are not allowed to believe themselves to have heaven in the
bag.

Council of Trent Session 6, Chapter 16, Canon 16: If anyone says that he
will for certain, with an absolute and infallible certainty, have that great gift
of perseverance even to the end, unless he shall have learned this by a
special revelation, let him be anathema.

To top that off: according to the Catechism, CCC 1035, Catholics are just
inches from the worst, because should they leave this life with just one un
absolved mortal sin on the books, they go directly to Hell and eternal
suffering; no stop-over in a purgatory. No, their trip is a direct flight. Even if
they've been a faithful Catholic for 49 years, they will miss the boat just as if
they had been a Hindu, or a Muslim, or an atheist. All their years as a
faithful Catholic will be stricken from the record and count for naught.

I am pretty much forced to conclude from Peter's and Paul's writings about
elpis hope that Roman Catholicism is a religion very much like the one
described in Rev 3:14-22 where Christ is depicted standing outside a church
banging on the door trying to get someone's attention to let him in because
a church without elpis hope is a church without God.

● Eph 2:11-12 . .Remember that at one time you, Gentiles in the flesh, were
without hope and without God in the world.

/

 

[oldethennew]

boy, they sure did a bang-up-awful-job on you Brother...
as the web unweaves, a heart will grieve...

 

[WebersHome]

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Q: How did the apostles Paul and Peter obtain elpis hope? Upon what did they
base their confidence?

A: Their confidence was based upon trust. Let me explain.

I have no truck with the Watchtower Society, but there is one area of their
belief system where they and I are in total agreement: Jesus is not a failure.
In other words: Jesus was, and he still is, a faithful and reliable servant in all
with which God has assigned him.

● John 5:30 . . I do not seek my own will but the will of the One who sent
me.

● John 6:38 . . For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but
the will of Him that sent me.

● John 8:29 . .The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone,
because I always do what is pleasing to him.

Now with that; here is one of Jesus' assignments with which I have the
utmost in confidence that he will not fail.

● John 6:39 . . This is the will of the One who sent me, that I should not
lose anything of what He gave me

Were Jesus to lose even just one head of the sheep that his Father gave
him; he would fail to satisfy the will of the One who sent him.

FYI: Sheep don't just wander into Jesus' fold. No; God rounds them up and
drives them to His son for safe keeping.

● John 6:44 . . No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw
him

● John 6:37 . . Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I
will not reject anyone who comes to me,

The major difficulty thwarting the anti-OSAS crowd is their inability to trust
God's son. It's really just that simple; and their inability to trust him clouds
their judgment to the point that they actually end up insinuating that God's
son is not the good shepherd he claims to be. In their minds eye, he is an
incompetent slacker whose shepherding skills could use some improvement.

Q: Why is it that so many people identifying themselves as Christians are
unable to rely upon Christ's competence as a shepherd?

A: Because they are not his sheep.

● John 10:26 . . You do not believe, because you are not among my sheep.

You see; in order to get into Jesus' sheepfold, it is absolutely essential to
believe in him. It's the one prerequisite that can't be waived. I don't mean
just to believe the things you hear about him and/or that you read about
him, but to believe in him as a reliable person.

This is similar to what intelligent people do at election time. They cast their
vote for the candidate that they most believe in. Not everyone votes like
that of course. The dummies often vote for candidates merely on the basis
of their gender and/or the color of their skin regardless of the candidate's
trustworthiness and/or the quality of their executive abilities.

People unable to believe in Jesus' shepherding competence are of course not
his sheep-- quite the contrary; they're slated for the lake of brimstone
depicted at Rev 20:10-15 where, along with the anti-OSAS zealots, they will
be summarily terminated via a mode of death akin to a foundry worker
falling into a kettle of molten iron.

● John 3:18 . .Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever
does not believe has already been condemned,

/

 

[WebersHome]

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● Matt 19:16-17 . . Now someone approached him and said: Teacher, what
good must I do to gain eternal life? He answered him: If you wish to enter
into life, keep the commandments.

That was a valid answer; and were someone to actually keep the
commandments, they'd be rewarded as Jesus said. But the catch is: one's
obedience has to be consistent. In other words: they can't get by on keeping
the commandments some of the time, nor even most of the time; no, it's all
the time or no time at all. God is not pleased with half-baked obedience.
Failure to obey the commandments at any time results in death rather than
life.

● Ezek 18:20 . .The one who sins shall die.

● Rom 6:23 . . For the wages of sin is death

● Rom 2:6-13 . . God will render to every man according to his deeds: to
them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and
immortality, eternal life. But unto them that are contentious, and do not
obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath.

. . .Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the
Jew first, and also of the Gentile; but glory, honor, and peace, to every man
that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: for there is no
respect of persons with God.

. . . For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law:
and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law. For not
the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be
justified.

Well; if you were to ask me; there's neither good news nor joy to be had in
that message; it sets the bar pretty high; but it gets worse.

● Matt 5:20 . . I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the
Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the
kingdom of heaven.

Actually the Pharisees, by and large, were ultra pious and very proficient at
keeping the commandments. For example the apostle Paul. He was a
Pharisee; and a really top notch one at that.

● Phil 3:6 . . As to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.

But the problem associated with the Pharisees is that their kind of
righteousness is a personal righteousness; which-- even as superior as
theirs was --is still not good enough to obtain salvation.

● Rom 10:1-3 . . Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God on their
behalf is for salvation. I testify with regard to them that they have zeal for
God, but it is not discerning. For, in their unawareness of the righteousness
that comes from God and their attempt to establish their own
[righteousness], they did not submit to the righteousness of God.

The righteousness of God is humanly impossible to duplicate, which is why
it's an imputed righteousness rather than a righteousness produced by
effort. In other words: the righteousness of God is an endowment; viz: it's a
gift free of charge with no strings attached.

● Rom 3:22 . . The righteousness of God is through faith in Jesus Christ for
all who believe. For there is no distinction; all have sinned and are deprived
of the glory of God. They are justified freely by His grace through the
redemption in Christ Jesus.

● Rom 3:9 . .And be found in him, not having any righteousness of my own
based on the Commandments,. but that which comes through faith in Christ;
the righteousness from God.

● 2Cor 5:21 . . For our sake He made him to be sin who did not know sin, so
that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

Now, with all that under our belts, it's very easy to see that some people's
interpretation of Php 2:12 is in error because nobody, not even Popes and/or
super duper nuns like Mother Teresa, no matter how devoted, nor how hard
nor how long they work at it, will ever succeed at producing a level of
righteousness equal to the righteousness of God because they're only human
while He's divine.

/

 

[WebersHome]

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Writing to his friends in Colossi; Paul said:

"For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." (Col 3:3)

The Greek word for "hidden" is krupto (kroop'-to) which means to conceal
(properly, by covering)

"you have died" catches my attention more so than krupto because it
indicates that the Bible's version of Christianity is a lethal religion. It quite
literally, in some mysterious way that I don't quite understand; made
Christ's believing followers participants in his crucifixion rather than merely
observers..

● Rom 6:3 . . Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into
Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?

● Rom 6:6 . . Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him

● Gal 2:20 . . I am crucified with Christ

● Col 3:3 . . For you died when Christ died

In other words; in lieu of facing justice at the Great White Throne event
depicted at Rev 20:11-15, God has given people the option of facing it on
the cross with Christ.

Q: How might somebody obtain this option about which you speak?

A: Easy. Just find yourself a private moment and pray something like this:

"God: I'm a sinner. I would like to take advantage of your son's death."

If perchance somebody out there in cyberspace is feeling a tug within
themselves to pray like that, don't stifle it because there's no telling if
and/or when you'll ever feel that tug again.

/

 

[mailmandan]

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I grew up a Catholic boy and attended catechism to the level of
Confirmation. I must not have been paying attention to the nuns who taught
the classes because for quite a few years I was under the impression that
Christ was a tragic victim of circumstances beyond his control and that his
crucifixion served no practical purpose except to make me pity the man.

I mean; every Sunday I looked around the church at the gloomy stations of
the cross hanging on the walls. How was I supposed to derive good news of
great joy from those? And it seems that every artistic representation of
Jesus' mom-- the statues and the paintings --depict her as blue, sorrowful,
forlorn and depressed. Not even so much as a lick of optimism.

The lack of cheer in Catholicism is prevalent at every turn: even the
communion service is a downer; and it really shouldn't be. According to John
6:54, Jesus' flesh and blood is supposed to endow people with eternal life. I
should think that would certainly make people happy, but no; it doesn't.
They all return to their seats looking as if they were just sentenced to ten
years in prison for bank robbery.

I grew up in the Roman Catholic church and I can completely relate to what you are saying here!

 

[JesusRules1]

I grew up in the Roman Catholic church and I can completely relate to what you are saying here!

My grandparents were Catholic,and were zealous about it,and I was proud to say I am a Catholic when I was a child,which goes to show you what you can believe unless you actually read the Bible.

 

[mailmandan]

My grandparents were Catholic,and were zealous about it,and I was proud to say I am a Catholic when I was a child,which goes to show you what you can believe unless you actually read the Bible.

It was through reading the Bible that led me away from Roman Catholicism.

 

[WebersHome]

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God credited Abraham with righteousness as per Gen 15:5-6 for doing
nothing more than believing a divine promise made to him concerning his
progeny. That incident set a precedent that extends all the way to the New
Testament because belief in a divine promise is still to this day a viable way
for people to have God credit them with righteousness. For example the
promise below:

● John 3:14-17 . . And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so
must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may
have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only son, so
that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal
life. For God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world, but
that the world might be saved through him.

Long story short: Yhvh's people became weary of living in the desert and
eating manna all the time at every meal. But instead of courteously, and
diplomatically, petitioning their divine benefactor for tastier food and better
accommodations, they became hostile and confrontational.

In response to their insolence; God sent a swarm of deadly poisonous
reptiles among them; which began striking people; and every strike was
100% fatal, no exceptions. In no time at all, much people of Israel died.
Then those not yet dead got nervous and appealed to Moses for help. In
reply; the Lord instructed Moses to construct a model of the beasts and hoist
it up on a pole in plain view so that everyone dying from venom could look
to it for a cure.

Now the key issue here is that the model was the only God-given remedy for
the people's terminal condition-- not purity, not sacrifices and offerings, not
tithing, not church attendance, not missionary work, not confession, not holy
days of obligation, not the Sabbath, not charity, not scapulars, not self
denial, not self control, not good deeds, not good behavior, not piety, not
Bible study and Sunday school, not catechism or yeshiva, not one's religion
of choice, not suffering, not self denial and/or self control, not the so-called
golden rule, not vows of poverty and/or chastity, not the Ten
Commandments, not the Eucharist; no, none of that: not even prayers. The
model was it; viz: the model was all or nothing at all-- there was no other
option. Whoever failed to look to that model for immunity died: no
exceptions.

Here's another divine promise intimately related to John 3:14-17.

● John 5:24 . . Amen, amen, I say to you: whoever hears my word, and
believes in the One who sent me, has eternal life and will not come to
condemnation, but has passed from death to life.

Note the grammatical tense of the promise. It's present tense rather than
future; indicating that the instant people believe Jesus' promise-- the
promise he made in John 3:14-17 --they immediately obtain eternal life and
pass from death into life sans any good works whatsoever. This is a
tremendous piece of good news to anyone and everyone looking for a way to
escape a death sentence in the lake of brimstone depicted at Rev 20:10-15.

Now as to those who refuse to believe the promise, they are quite doomed
already; no delay and no waiting period. Disbelievers are dead on the hoof;
just as dead on the hoof as those Jews bitten by the poisonous snakes.

● John 3:18 . .Whoever believes in him will not be condemned; but whoever
does not believe has already been condemned.

/

 

[JesusRules1]

I don't think it wise to pass such harsh judgment upon many who are really living according to what they have been taught (in some cases all their lives) the father sees all and is well able to judge righteously, if one is led by His spirit but resist , that's between them and him....

I do not agree with a lot of the Catholic Church,but want to point this out.

The Bible says is a person offends in the least of the law,which it is talking the moral laws,then they offend in all,which the Bible says all sin is unrighteousness.

Protestants believe confess Christ as Lord and Savior,and that His blood washes away sins.

But some of them say that having sin in your life will not affect your salvation for it is covered by the blood.

If that is the case,a sin is a sin,and if you offend in the least of the moral laws,you offend in all.

So if the Catholics confess Jesus as Lord and Savior,and His blood washes away their sins,then why would Protestants be on their case if they do not do things a certain way,if a sin is a sin,and sin does not affect your relationship with God.

If sin does not affect our relationship with God,the Catholic Church can be in whatever they want,as long as they confess Jesus as Lord and Savior,and His blood washes away our sins,which some Protestants say that is all you have to do,and sin does not affect our relationship with God.

And if they say the Catholics are not saved,who confess Jesus as Lord and Savior,and His blood washes away our sins,then they would have to change their position to,sin does affect our relationship with God.

I might be going out there a bit,but if they say sin does not affect our relationship,a sin is a sin.

 

[WebersHome]

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● Rom 3:21-24 . . But now the righteousness of God has been manifested
apart from the law, though testified to by the law and the prophets, the
righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For
there is no distinction; all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God.
They are justified freely by His grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus

That paragraph is loaded with goodies. First off it speaks of a righteousness
that's available to all who believe, and then it speaks of a gracious
justification; which is translated from the Greek word dikaioo (dik-ah-yo'-o)
which means to render (i.e. show or regard as) just or innocent.

Both those benefits-- the righteousness and the innocence --are said to be
made available via the redemption in Christ Jesus.

Redemption is translated from the Greek word apolutrosis (ap-ol-oo'-tro-sis)
which means to ransom in full.

Paul then goes on to say that that Christ Jesus is an expiation (vs 25) which
is translated from the Greek word hilasterion (hil-as-tay'-ree-on) which
means; an expiatory (place or thing). Webster's defines expiatory as
something that serves to expiate; which is defined as: to extinguish incurred
guilt and/or to make amends.

All those amazing benefits are unearned and unmerited. They are acts of
charity; bestowed upon believers by the kindness and generosity of God
made possible by the cross.

I had the good fortune back in the decade of the 1970's to meet an ex
Catholic priest who, at one time, was stationed in the Vatican where a
portion of his duties was to conduct daily masses. Well; for some reason,
while stationed there, he got a yen to begin reading the book of Romans in
his spare time; and it led to a Martin Luther moment where he realized that
his Church-taught concept of the divine plan was terribly wrong. Can you
just imagine being a priest in the Vatican itself and coming to that kind of a
realization?

Well of course that priest had to break with the Catholic church because he
could not, in all good conscience, remain affiliated with an agency that he no
longer trusted. He was barely forty at the time. My eldest brother, at 76, is
still a Friar. He and I are both getting up in years and old enough to die of
natural causes. I worry all the time that my brother will pass away before
having a Martin Luther moment of his own.

/

 

[oldethennew]

one doesn't consider how righteous they are, there's no scale, there's only Faith, Trust and always Hope,
for what lies ahead in the journey as we learn to live His 'new-way, in submission and obedience to our
Heavenly Master,..there's no old baggage or old memories or even abuse that cannot be done away
with through the Love of Jesus and through
our Love for Him...

He offers us His mantle and we have to have what it takes to put it on...He believes in us and so we
must hear/believe/do...His Will...

like it is written, 'put you on The Lord Jesus Christ...