Assurance of Salvation

[jcrichton]

Originally Posted by zrs6v4

Second, im also a protestant, so i want to be open there and I know this is a hot discussion. I joined the board a couple of years ago to better understand catholicism and that meant reading and respectfully staying out of debate when possible. Now there are 1,000 breads of protestant nowadays so dont look at us all as one clump . I would not encourage you to try to stay faithful to any branch or religious system before God. This is a downfall to all systems we try to defend our systems not how we hear God. Good systems come from that foundation (bible) even though many claim to. We follow jesus and he is who we look to and directly under him are the apostles.

...but is this proliferation of "churches" or "bodies of Christ" not a direct result of man's reengineering Christ's Church, in his own image?

...have you not noticed that by asserting that the Church founded by Christ is part of many beliefs "systems" you are, in essence, claiming that man, not Christ, founded the "Church?"

Originally Posted by zrs6v4

Anyway, id let her hearts concern soak in a bit in line with the reality you believe. Heaven, hell, God dying on a cross for you, living for Him, the second coming, etc. i then would encourage you to look into the scriptures and let your belief (Spirit willing) come from there rather than someones interpretation. Im not againts others interpretations but they must be secondary and used with good judgment.

...so the Apostles and their successors got it wrong... there was no founding of Christ's Church nor did Christ send the other Paraclete to Dwell in her and Guide her... instead God relies on a "spiritual connection" with each individual human being?

Originally Posted by zrs6v4

As for your debate, i think its ok, just realize what you guys are talking about and how serious it actually is. I think you speaking to her or her to you is a must based on the weight of it.

...so when they (or any other debaters) meet, how is it determined that one was right and the other wrong since both (all) will be using Sacred Scriptures for prooftexting and both can claim that it is their belief "system" that is "Spirit willing?"

...and what if several others join in and they determine that they are both wrong on certain issues and that they are both right in other issues... would then a collective bargaining based on "majority rule" determine what Yahweh God truly means to Reveal?

(I apologize for any perceived derision; please do not take my queries as an assault, I truly like to know how non-Catholics reason.)

Maran atha!

Angel