Catholicism part 4 "The Church, Papacy, and Authority"

[bumperjack]

Silent No where does scripture state that in order to keep the Church from error the Authority of th apostles was passed on to those they ordained the idea behind Apostlic Succession but it is read . Into these scriptures Silent they are suppose to support Apostlic Succession doctrine 2 Timothy 2:2,4:2-5, Titus 1:5,2:1,2:15, 1Timothy 5:1972-22.Paul states that it is not who teaches,but what is being taught that is used to determine truth from error.You need 7 sacraments they are outward signs of inward grace instituted by Christ for your sanctification. All grace we will ever need is received the moment we trust Jesus Christ our Savior by faith (Ephesians 2:8-9) The saving grace that is granted at the moment of genuine faith is the only Saving grace God's word calls on us to receive. This grace is recieved by faith not by observing I rituals my brother grace is unmerited favor we do not have to earn it.So while the concepts of your 7 sacraments is conferring sanctifying grace is completely unbiblical.The problem I have is the Church is your Faith and thats ok but my faith is not belong to a Church ran by someone who claims to have the Authority as Christ on earth thats preposterous thats me brother,the reformation happened for a reason.Your Faith like mine is on belief only because you have to decide what you consider what the truth is,With respects bumperjack.

[MMRbkaRudog]

Once again I'm going to agree to disagree.

[bumperjack]

You have that right as we all do to agree and disagree Rudog,Im a student of Religion soon to have a Masters in theology by study,Just like a priest he has to go to school also,Im studying now there be a jails Chaplin is were my schooling after 4 years will take me.But I'm still a a student but first I'm a Christian I study everyday pray everyday and by that I grow spiritually and SILENT as . Well he has to study daily.

[bumperjack]

Yeah Silent is doing this because he has a strong passion for his faith and truly believes his accounts of study are the truth what he she's and me I'm in school in study to get a degree in theology is my reason for pushing my beliefs and my devout faith also as a Christian so it is a enjoyment and passion of mine Rudog you have vCard to study your faith to get a good . Understanding of it Nobody has all the answers believe that there are 4,200 Religions in the World claims are what folks have nobody has visual proof as we are not 2,000 Years old but History is what amazes me the way people cover things up,But today is another world and war on Religion it is what people believe . To be the truth even scholars and . Theologians are off everyone thinks that there church and Religion and faith is the right one and without there point of view your all damnation for the . Worst in Reality Nobody really knows until that day arrives . At your door ready to take you to two different addresses Heaven or Hell.When some Folks asked Mother Theresa if she was sure she was going to Heaven she told reporters she hopedshe was going to Heaven she had hoped she worked hard enough to gain entrance into heaven,she helped a lot of people in her lifetime but we don't have to work our way to Heaven.what most,we are saved by grace through faith grace is unmerited favor means its a free gift we do not have to do anything but bbc.co except that . Free gift.

[bumperjack]

Twho gave to alohis is what mother theresa thought that if she did enough works to get to heaven she wasnt sure because she wasnt certain of the doctrine she was taught by the catholic church,she was an amazing woman but she had no idea...?

1. If we can get to heaven by our own good works then why did Jesus have to suffer and die? Why did God the Father, send His only Son, Jesus Christ, to this earth to be born, not in a royal palace, but in a lowly manger? Why did the Father send His only Son, knowing beforehand that Jesus would be rejected by men, scorned, beaten, mocked, ridiculed, slandered, slapped, punched, spat upon, have his beard plucked out, and a crown of thorns pressed into his head? Why did the Father allow His only Son to be stripped naked, tortured, crucified, and to have a spear thrust into His side (God could have intervened) if it were possible for us to gain salvation apart from Christ? "I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!" (Galatians 2:21)

2. God hates when people boast about their good deeds. The Bible says "For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God's gift— not from works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)

3. We'll never know when we've done enough good deeds.

4. We can never do enough good deeds when the standard is perfection. "Nothing impure will ever enter it [heaven], nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life." (Revelation 21:27)

5. God sees the heart. What looks like a good deed on the outside, inwardly may be done with a selfish motive. "All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD." (Proverbs 16:2)

6. Not a single good deed amounts to anything for the unconverted. They are like filthy rags. "All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away." (Isaiah 64:6)

7. The Bible says that salvation is by the grace of God. "But we believe that through the grace of the LORD Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they." (Acts 15:11)

8. The Bible says that salvation is a free gift. We cannot earn it! "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23) "So then as through one trespass the judgment came unto all men to condemnation; even so through one act of righteousness the free gift came unto all men to justification of life." (Romans 5:18) "He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy." (Titus 3:5)

This is one of the major differences between Christianity and all other religions. All the other religions require that you work your way to heaven, paradise, nirvana, etc. Where they say "Do!", Christianity says "Done!" There is nothing that we can do to add to Christ's sacrifice on the cross. His work is sufficient! It's an offense to God the Father for us to think that somehow His Son's sacrifice wasn't enough. (See: Main Difference Between Christianity and Other Religions - Paul Washer)

When Jesus was hanging on the cross being sacrificed for the sins of all those who would believe - the Bible says this:
After This, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty." A jar full of sour wine was standing there; so they put a sponge full of the sour wine upon a branch of hyssop and brought it up to His mouth. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (John 19:28-30) [emphasis added] (See: “It Is Finished!”: Jesus Does Not Need Your Help by Tony Miano)
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But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. - Isaiah 53:5

Chuck Swindoll writes in his devotional Walk with Jesus: A 40-Day Journey to the Cross and Beyond, "With Jesus' last breath on the cross, He declared the debt of sin canceled, completely satisfied. Nothing else required. Not good deeds. Not generous donations. Not penance or confession or baptism or ...or ...or ...nothing. The penalty for sin is death, and we were all born hopelessly in debt. He paid our debt in full by giving His life so that we might live forever."

The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life. (Revelation 22:17)
We Are Saved By Faith. "[We] know that no one is justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ. And we have believed in Christ Jesus so that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no human being will be justified." (Galatians 2:16)

We are not saved by good works (Eph 2:8-9), but rather we have been created in Christ to do good works (Eph 2:10).
Another way to say it is: salvation is not a result of good works, but good works are a result of salvation.



See: Are we saved by faith alone, or do we need works, too? by Matt Slick
If you were to die today... where would you spend eternity? Are you sure?
(See: Why do so many people believe that we can be saved by works?)

If you were to die today...
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It's been said: "Good people don't go to heaven, forgiven people do!"

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[silentwssj]

Wow! Nice response Bumperjack! You are starting to do your homework and I like that! I have books in my possession that outline both sides of these issues, It is more educational for me to hear it directly from you though! My main reason for doing all of this is twofold! 1. I truly believe that Catholicism was founded by Christ! That is not to say that other groups are not Christian,. It is just that they are incomplete in my opinion and definitely lack most Sacraments! I seek to lead people back to the fullness of Christian truth! The way that God Himself willed it to be! That is why I am doing this. 2. I think that there is a lot of "Smut" and "Misinformation" about Catholicism out there! If I can correct peoples erroneous beliefs that is an accomplishment in it self! I truly believe that what most Anti Catholics believe about the Catholic Church is not at all what informed Catholics know their beliefs are! That is a very important factor. After all "Satan is the Father of all lies" I simply seek to speak the truth as plainly as I can. I am not saying that you are of the Devil either Bumperjack! So, please do not take it that way! What I am saying is that you obviously have an ingrained system of beliefs about Catholics! I personally notice that it does not mesh with what we believe about ourselves! All I can do is simply work through one subject at a time and hopefully expose you to new ideas and possibly make you understand where we are coming from! I spent about 8 hours typing yesterday and actually have the post on Salvation ready to upload right now! My plan was to expand it though. I want to try and at least add Confession to it! I may even try adding Purgatory as well! Hell if I really get Crazy we may even talk about Indulgences in this one! The problem is I got one more night out here and then I am going to be with my family for the next week and a half! If you can possibly allow me some patience on this one, I will definitely make it much better! The last post honestly I rushed in! I could have done much better if I allowed myself more time! Let me know what you guys want to do? I have the ability to post right now but it would be better if I waited! Anyhow, I address all the topics you brought up here. Justification, Sanctification, Faith and works! It is not you think at all Bumperjack! Catholics believe that we are saved by Grace and Grace only! You will also understand Mother Teresa's comment by the way I lay out Salvation. It is all Biblical to, so don't worry! Anyways, Peaceout and God Bless, Silent!

[bumperjack]

Hey there silent you are great at informing us on your faith I had a idea is all Im learning I know my faith Grace ,salvation,Faith without works is dead spend time with your family brother,I enjoy studying Religion as I plan on becoming a Christian Chaplin,The Master of deception is the devil and He has Authority on Earth So we must be careful not to be decieved,family comes first brother& yes I understand your reason for possposting your faith I been studying along time brother and I see your side and . The other side it's very educational I admit I study daily because it's a must and to spiritually grow its . A must so I say post it later spend I time with your beautiful family my brother in Christ.L&R bumperjack

[MMRbkaRudog]

That is good you are studying at least bumper. Too many preaching without education. Do you think I don't have education? Mine started in the 80's as a child when it comes to religion. I didn't go to private school or go to college to learn religion, but through some years of my school years I did attend catechism. I also took the time throughout my life to hear about religion and read about it.

[bumperjack]

Rudog study just comes by digging into History books and looking at all sides of the issues at hand homeboy I understand I your Catholic also like Silent,Im studying because I want to be well rounded,and . Grounded,Your always welcome to get in on these post,I try and do my homework I have a ways to go but it's a . Daily commitment and I believe Religion can only be bbc.co tackled with a open mind because once you or your faith gets attacked it kind . Of blows . Everything I out of context.Religion takes a lot of studying and commitment and sacrifice.

[bumperjack]

Ambassadors for Christ By bumperjack
An ambassador is someone who represents his country in a distant land. The United States has ambassadors, or diplomats, in virtually every nation on earth. These ambassadors live and conduct their business in embassies. The rare exceptions to this are those really naughty countries who sponsor terrorism or demonstrate unbridled hostility toward the United States. In those countries ambassadors are withdrawn, and embassies are shut down.

Ambassadors play the essential role of representing our nation’s interests. They are the President’s voice to people in foreign lands. They are authorized to act on the President’s behalf. They have the power to negotiate treaties, solicit favors, extend sympathies, offer congratulations, give thanks, and right wrongs.

While he was Secretary of State during the Reagan administration, George Shultz kept a large globe in his office. When newly appointed ambassadors had an interview with him or when ambassadors were returning from their posts for their first visit with him, he would test them before they left his office. He would say, "You have to go over the globe and prove you can identify your country." Inevitably, they would go over and spin the globe and put their finger on the country to which they were being sent. They did this unerringly.

When Shultz's old friend and former Senate majority leader Mike Mansfield was appointed ambassador to Japan, even he was put to the test. This time however, Ambassador Mansfield spun the globe and put his hand on the United States. He said, "That's my country." On June 27, 1993, Shultz related this to Brian Lamb on C-Span's show, Booknotes. The Secretary said, "I've told that story subsequently, to all the ambassadors going out. 'Never forget you're over there in that country, but your country is the United States. You're there to represent us. Take care of our interests and never forget it, that you're representing the best country in the world.' "

Christians are ambassadors of Jesus Christ.

Being an ambassador of the greatest country in the world is a terrific honor, but as Christians we have an even greater honor. We are ambassadors of Jesus Christ. We are representatives of the greatest king and kingdom known to mankind. This is precisely how the apostle Paul sees himself in Ephesians 6:19-20 (NIV). "Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should."

We live in Sangamon County. We live in the state of Illinois. We live in the United States. But this is not our home. We are aliens and strangers in this foreign land. As Peter says in 1 Peter 2:11 (NIV) we are, "aliens and strangers" who must, "abstain from sinful desires that war against our souls." Philippians 3:20-21 (NIV) says,"But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body."

Residents of earth, but citizens of heaven.

We are citizens of heaven. We are Christ’s ambassadors, his representatives in this world. But is this how you see yourself? Is this how you conduct yourself in this world? Do you see yourself as a citizen of heaven? Or are you like those Paul describes in Philippians 3:19 (NIV)? "Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things."

We are of little use to God if we see ourselves as anything less than citizens of heaven and ambassadors of Christ in this world. In Ephesians 6:19-20 we get a snapshot of what it means to be Christ’s ambassador. First, consider the heart of an ambassador.

The heart of an ambassador— prayer.

The heart of an ambassador of Christ is a heart fully yielded to God in prayer. As of 2002, the United Nations recognized 193 independent sovereign nations on earth. Now there are immeasurably more tribes and states than that, but let’s go with the number 193. Imagine if the ambassadors to all those nations did their own thing. If, instead of communicating with the President of the United States, each ambassador did whatever he thought best or whatever was in his own self interest. The ambassador to China would do one thing, while the ambassador to Germany did another. What would become of this great nation of which we are a part? As you can guess, it is critical that every ambassador maintain direct lines of communication with the nation and administration he represents.

How is this direct communication any less important or vital for the ambassador of Christ? For the ambassador of Christ, prayer is one of the most direct lines of communication to God’s throne room. We can pick up that phone any hour of the day or night and become fully engaged with God about his will.

Prayer grounded in the written word of God.

Beyond prayer, we also have the written word of God. We have God’s foreign policy that guides us in how we are to conduct ourselves as aliens and strangers in this world. In Ephesians 6:19 (NIV) Paul speaks the words of a dedicated ambassador, "Pray also for me." Prayer is where the ambassador of Christ aligns his purposes with God’s kingdom and where he discerns God’s will. There is no greater threat to God’s kingdom than prayer-less ambassadors, who in the name of Christ, go about doing their own will. They create confusion and chaos, disrupting God’s purposes in the world. The heart of an ambassador of Christ is a heart fully yielded to God in prayer. A heart fully pursuing God’s will. A heart aligned and in tune with God’s heart.

Are you someone who comes before God as his ambassador, eager to do his will? A lot of our prayers center on our will. "Lord, get me that job. Help me pay these bills. Make me healthy. Restore my family’s health. Take this burdensome situation away. Change my circumstances. Give me the desire of my heart." God is concerned about these things, but our prayers should transcend these things. In prayer, we should be seeing the bigger picture of what God wants to do through us as we represent him in the world. We should be gaining a clear sense of his will. And in our hearts, we should be deepening our resolve to be God’s man and God’s woman.

The words of an ambassador— gospel.

The ambassador has the important responsibility of speaking on behalf of another person. You can think of an ambassador as a translator. He must fully understand the message he has been given, but he must also interpret that message for those he has been sent to tell. You can imagine how challenging this is. A lot of important information can be lost in the process of translation.

When Kentucky Fried Chicken translated its slogan into Chinese it came out as, "Eat your Fingers Off." When Burger King translated its slogan for Australians it read, "Resistance is futile." When GM first introduced the Chevy Nova in South America, the cars didn’t sell very well. Evidently, in Spanish, "No Va" means, "Goes no where." An American T-shirt maker in Miami printed shirts for the Spanish market promoting the Pope's visit. Instead of the desired, "I Saw the Pope" in Spanish, the shirts proclaimed, "I Saw the Potato." In order to target American tourists, a Hong Kong tailor shop posted a sign on its door saying, "Women may have a fit upstairs." You can google and read thousands of these "lost in translation" mistakes.

The ambassador of Christ has the responsibility of speaking clearly and accurately on behalf of Jesus Christ. This is a responsibility that has to be taken seriously. In Ephesians 6:19-20 (NIV) Paul says, "Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should."

Ambassadors unlock the mystery of the gospel.

Do you realize that for billions of people around the globe, the gospel is a mystery? The gospel is also a mystery for a great number of Christians attending church every week. There is widespread confusion about who Jesus Christ is, what his relationship to God is, what kind of life he led, what kinds of things he taught, what kind of death he died, what kind of hope his resurrection produced, what kind of purpose he has for his people, and what he has said about his return, the coming resurrection, and judgement. The people of this world are oblivious to the cosmic purposes of God because so few Christians see themselves as ambassadors of Christ in the world.

The call to be an ambassador is not a matter of guilt, but of duty and privilege. In Romans 10:13 (NIV) Paul says, “ for 'Everyone who calls on name of the Lord will be saved.' " But in Romans 10:14-15 (NIV) he follows up with some questions. "How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!' "

Let me ask you. Who has the responsibility to preach the good news of Jesus Christ to your children? To your neighbor? To that family member? To that person you work with? It isn’t me. It is you! You are Christ’s ambassador. You’ve been put in your situation to obediently proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ! There is a remote possibility that people in your circle of influence may show up at church and hear the gospel preached, but it is not likely. God is sending you as his ambassador to unveil the mystery to them!

It is your privilege to speak on God’s behalf, and not just my privilege. What I do during this hour on Sunday morning, we all do throughout the week! But here is the good part. We can pray for God to give us the words that we need. If there is one prayer that God answers more than any other, it is the prayer for him to give us the right words for a particular person or situation. Just try it! The heart of the ambassador is a heart for prayer and for knowing and doing God’s will. The words of the ambassador are contained in the gospel. It is making known the mystery of Christ.

The faith of an ambassador— fearless.

There are some places where it might be fun to be an ambassador. But there are other places where being an ambassador may not be so much fun. Could you imagine being an ambassador to Afghanistan? North Korea? Iraq? Cuba? Generally, ambassadors are afforded respect and protection even while visiting hostile nations. But there are some hot spots around the world where not even ambassadors are welcome. Places where people are so hostile, the life of the ambassador is in danger.

This same thing is true even for the ambassador of Jesus Christ. It is easy to speak for Jesus Christ in a church service on Sunday morning among friends. But as ambassadors, we need to be willing to speak on behalf of God to Christ’s enemies. If only the church choir hears about Jesus Christ, how does that advance God’s purposes in the world? If this room is the only place Christ’s name is spoken, then what will become of all those places where people gather and never hear his name?

Presenting the gospel is always an act of faith.

I want you to pay very close attention to what Paul says in Ephesians 6:19-20. In Ephesians 6:19-20 (NIV) Paul says, "Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should." Do you want to know why Paul twice asks the Ephesians to pray for his ability to proclaim the gospel fearlessly as he should? The reason is because even the apostle Paul was scared to death about speaking on Christ’s behalf. Preaching is always an act of faith. Preaching always requires the ambassador to trust God. Preaching is always a step outside our comfort zone.

If you have trepidation and fear when proclaiming the mystery of Jesus Christ to your friends, you stand with a long succession of obedient ambassadors who have walked where you walk. Nothing raises my anxiety level higher than telling people about Jesus Christ. This is not because I doubt my message, but because I know what is at stake. And I want to be liked. I don’t want to be rejected. I don’t want to be the alien or stranger or odd man out.

Yet my personal apprehensions don’t change the fact that I am to be an ambassador. We have a duty, a responsibility, and a privilege to make known the mystery. God has sent us to be his representatives. To do his will. To speak his words. To trust him! Don’t let the fear of men keep you from being an ambassador for Jesus Christ and the greatest kingdom known to man.

I want to end this morning with Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 5:11-21 (NIV). "Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again."

"So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

[bumperjack]

SUPERNATURAL FAITH IS A STUDY IM WORKING ON NOW JUST WANTED TO SHARE IT WITH YOU GUYS

John 20:25 "The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe."

JOHN 20:25

Thomas refused to believe what He couldn't see or feel. Our five senses were given to us by God and are necessary to help us function in this life. But if we do not renew our minds to acknowledge the limits of our five senses, they will keep us from believing. Faith can perceive things that the senses cannot (Heb. 11:1).

There is a human faith and a supernatural, God-kind of faith. Human faith is based on physical things that we can see, taste, hear, smell, or feel. God's kind of faith believes independently of physical circumstances. To receive God's gift of salvation, we have to use the supernatural, God-kind of faith which isn't limited by our five senses. This is because, to be saved, we must believe for things that we can't see or feel. We haven't seen God or the devil. We haven't seen Heaven or Hell. Yet we have to believe that these things exist. Human faith can't believe what it can't see.

Man is so destitute that he can't even believe the gospel on his own. To receive God's gift of salvation, we have to receive the supernatural, God-kind of faith first. Where does this faith come from? How do we get it?

Romans 10:17 says, "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." God's Word contains His faith. As we hear the Word of God about salvation, We receive God's faith so that we can believe the good news of our salvation. We actually use God's faith to get saved.

This God-kind of faith doesn't leave us after our born-again experience.

God's faith becomes a fruit of the Spirit which is in our hearts. We never lose this supernatural faith. We just have to renew our minds to God's faith which is in us, and then learn how to use it.

[MMRbkaRudog]

Rudog study just comes by digging into History books and looking at all sides of the issues at hand homeboy I understand I your Catholic also like Silent,Im studying because I want to be well rounded,and . Grounded,Your always welcome to get in on these post,I try and do my homework I have a ways to go but it's a . Daily commitment and I believe Religion can only be bbc.co tackled with a open mind because once you or your faith gets attacked it kind . Of blows . Everything I out of context.Religion takes a lot of studying and commitment and sacrifice.

Yeah and I like some of the posts, but get tired of seeing some of them. I mean you guys are posting a lot and silent is probably having a hard time trying to address every little thing, because he can only address so much and I know he has the passion to want to address so much of it. I personally don't want to talk about it as much as he does, but sometimes would like to add something. I feel like sometimes he is going to be responding to these topics anyway, but at least he has someone that understands where he's coming from. Are you using auto correct? I noticed bbc.co popped up more than once on your posts and I didn't understand why.

[bumperjack]

Yeah I believe so Rudog!!! I got a new phone and I don't like that auto correct on there,yeah we are posting alot of material,We just got to take it slow He wants to post all this in a years time.It is apart of His passion for sure and He puts alot into his posts on Catholicism for sure.I understand your not wantingb to get really involved,but they say a faith worth having is a faith worth sharing.

[silentwssj]

Hey there, real quick! I am back home now with the Family! I like your Ambassador of Christ post Bumperjck! I definitely think that applies to all of us, Catholic or Protestant. We are all Ambassadors of Christ! There are a few areas that I need to work on to be a better Ambassador though. I would like to not just know Scripture but memorize large chunks of it! I am already at the point where I know the answers but I still have to look it up because it is not memorized! I have been thinking about writing one verse a day on my hand and looking at it as I work, so that I can commit it to memory! The other thing I need to work on is the Ministry of how you live your life! That is the biggest thing in my opinion! People who are not Christians look at those of us who are and Judge! Whether it is right or not it happens all the time! I always tell people that I Go to Church because I know that I am sick! If I was perfect there would be no need to go right. I feel that by participating to the best of my ability at least I am on the path. I may stumble and fall into various sins from time to time but at least I making an effort to be a part of the Body of Christ! I know that I will never be perfect but my goal is clean up life as much as is humanly possible! My opinion is that it speaks volumes to those people that know my story and where I once was and where I am now! That is the power of Christ and it speaks for itself! Anyhow, I spent about an hour adding more to the post two nights ago. Now that I am home my time will be very limited. I also, notice that I have more material here that I need to study. Lets just take a few weeks off and enjoy the holidays! I need to focus on family right now and I want to do a good job on this post. I will read more and add more slowly. After new years weekend, I will re-dedicate myself to all of this full time! I definitely welcome any and all criticisms to all of these posts. That it what it is all about in my opinion! I am not here to simply teach, I also want to learn as well. I have a lot of books on Catholicism and about 10 on Protestantism. When I get feedback I learn more about what the other side believes though and that makes it educational for all! I think the best course of action to take in future posts is not to be to arrogant and that goes for both of us Bumperjack! I think what Rudog is trying to say is that he gets frustrated by the way that we speak with each other from time to time! I feel that instead of trying to prove each other wrong we both need to focus on presenting our sides politely, respectfully, patiently and most of all in good taste! All I ask is to respect the fact that I am busy and definitely cant spend all day everyday on this! We should probably start to focus on quality instead of quantity in our responses to each other. I did not like the fact that I had to resort to posting articles all the time. I think there was some good ones though. To be honest, I just cant keep up with 4 or 5 posts a day though. I would much rather limit all of that and focus on giving my own answers. That takes time and patience though! Anyhow, to me this is not a contest! We are simply sharing different versions of the same Faith! After the new year passes lets try and do it slower and more thoroughly. Articles are cool and I will still use them from time to time, but It would be better if we could simply take the time to answer each others questions. That way we could limit the shear volume of posts that people have to read through. Anyhow, it is a free country and we can all do whatever we like! I am just making suggestions. I will definitely post articles here and there, I am just saying that it would be nice if we slowed down and focused more on writing our own stuff! Peaceout and God Bless! Silent!

[bumperjack]

Yes Silent I enjoy sharing my faith and yes you are right it is not a contest at all!!! It's sharing your faith!!! and it's not about who is right or who is off the mark!!! hate the sin not the sinner. I'm on board to slow it down also.Im a student and not a teacher or preacher even though I do in minister and teach those who want to get to know Christ or witnessing to the lost or broken souls,We will slow down and it's better to share than to push one's beliefs or faith which brings up a guard of one's heart or a defense,I believe us that are saved are Ambassadors of Christ Rudog is got a good point.I have 2 Ministry's now and they are very important with our spiritual growth & walk I agree.You enjoy your family and you & Rudog have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Years.God Bless you both.bumperjack

[MMRbkaRudog]

Happy holidays you two

[silentwssj]