Greetings

[Bill]

Howdy! My name is Bill.  I am a recent college grad and convert to the Catholic faith from Evangelical Protestantism.  The main reason I converted was because of a study of what the Church Fathers taught concerning doctrine and finding out how weak the biblical support for Sola Scriptura and Sola Fide really is.   I've been a Christian for about 5 years and majored in Broadcasting in college.  I wish all of you great blessings in Christ.

Sincerely,
Bill

[Symphony]

Hi, Bill.  Welcome.

You sound like you've already made up your mind.  Certainly "evangelical Christianity" has its problems.  I'm not sure I'm following you on your doctrinal concerns--I'm not very well versed in some of the fine distinctions.

The main concern I have about the Catholic approach, and maybe many also of the Protestant ones, for that matter, is the jurisdiction that is laid on the individual participant.  That is, in the Catholic, it seems  an indivdiual, or a hierarchy, holds an inordinate amount of control and jurisdiction of the individual believer.  Maybe it's a question of degrees.  But for sure, most every congregation, tends towards a spirit of jealousy, over other congregations, regardless of the creed or stripe.

But for me, the approach isn't a very complicated one, although it easily becomes that.  With the practical concerns of day to day living--work, bills, sickness, hardship--I'm not sure how critical doctrinal differences are, beyond some of the obvious basics, that is.

Right now we're praying for a memeber here, tigerlily, who has been a regular contributor, a young mother, and is suffering from an advancing, debilitating illness.  Please join us in prayer for her, and pass the word along to one or more members here, by IM if you can, please, that we are praying for her healing, inJesus' Name...

Thankyou, Bill...

[Bill]

The main concern I have about the Catholic approach, and maybe many also of the Protestant ones, for that matter, is the jurisdiction that is laid on the individual participant.  That is, in the Catholic, it seems  an indivdiual, or a hierarchy, holds an inordinate amount of control and jurisdiction of the individual believer.  Maybe it's a question of degrees.  But for sure, most every congregation, tends towards a spirit of jealousy, over other congregations, regardless of the creed or stripe.

Actually Authority and the Scriptures was one of the main reasons why I converted.  This is because there needs to be authority in interpreation of scriptures, moral issues and complex doctrinal issues, otherwise there is nothing but chaos and the truth of Christianity becomes nothing but a "fif" (funny feeling inside).

Right now we're praying for a memeber here, tigerlily, who has been a regular contributor, a young mother, and is suffering from an advancing, debilitating illness.  Please join us in prayer for her, and pass the word along to one or more members here, by IM if you can, please, that we are praying for her healing, inJesus' Name...

no problemo!  I'm on it!

Sincerely,
Bill

[Symphony]

Thank you, Bill...

[Ambassador4Christ]

Howdy! My name is Bill.  I am a recent college grad and convert to the Catholic faith from Evangelical Protestantism.  The main reason I converted was because of a study of what the Church Fathers taught concerning doctrine and finding out how weak the biblical support for Sola Scriptura and Sola Fide really is.   I've been a Christian for about 5 years and majored in Broadcasting in college.  I wish all of you great blessings in Christ.

Sincerely,
Bill

WOW!!! I will be praying for you Billy

Once Saved Always Saved  

[lltimbs]

Bill, I see your problem. Man's theology is always questionable. That is why we should just read the bible and go from there. In heaven there will be no separate denominations just christians. Denominations just separate and divide us. We are only one body of Christ. Alot of views that we grow up with we really get from others theology and there actually not even biblical. Like for instance: God only helps those who help themselves- That's wrong- God only helps those who cannot help themselves. I had to start reading,and studying the scriptures and let the holy spirit teach me the truth not men.

[Jon-Marc]

Every now and then a new one slips by me, but here is my belated welcome, Bill--better late than never. 

[nChrist]

Bill, I see your problem. Man's theology is always questionable. That is why we should just read the bible and go from there. In heaven there will be no separate denominations just christians. Denominations just separate and divide us. We are only one body of Christ. Alot of views that we grow up with we really get from others theology and there actually not even biblical. Like for instance: God only helps those who help themselves- That's wrong- God only helps those who cannot help themselves. I had to start reading,and studying the scriptures and let the holy spirit teach me the truth not men.

Hello Lorrie,

I'm replying to your post because it's interesting. I also wanted to tell you that the person you are replying to hasn't been here in 5 years. But, I guess they could come back and read your reply.

The main reason why I replied to your post is the interest in how different people process information in different ways. This is a fascinating thing about people - they all think differently. A perfect example is your quote:

God only helps those who help themselves- That's wrong- God only helps those who cannot help themselves.

I'm thinking this would mean something different to every person hearing it. It's fascinating just to think about it, so that's why I mentioned this.

Example - You're standing on the railroad tracks with a train coming. You have the physical and mental abilities to do the common sense thing - get off the tracks. Instead, you pray that GOD will protect you from the train and stand there. The examples would be endless, but I'll let you use your imagination with folks refusing to work, folks refusing to pray, folks refusing to study their Bibles, folks determined to continue with dope or alcohol, folks determined to remain in sin because they like it, folks refusing wise counsel on any number of problems, etc., etc., etc. Some of these same folks might try to blame GOD for their problems, and that's not the way things work from a Biblical perspective. As the biggest and most important example:  people are lost because they refuse and reject CHRIST!

The Holy Bible has much to say about the lazy, the idle, the gluttons, the drunkards, those without diligence, and all kinds of problems associated with men who really make their own problems. It's wrong for these people to blame GOD for some self-imposed problem.

Now, back to your quote:

God only helps those who help themselves- That's wrong- God only helps those who cannot help themselves.

I've seen, heard, or read something just like this several times in the last week. I can think of examples where this statement would be true, but we should easily be able to think of many situations where it wouldn't be true at all. I didn't mention this to argue or debate, rather for thought. I also wondered about what many lost people would think when reading a statement like this. Work, desire, effort, diligence, prayer, praise, and worship are the normal things associated with a Christian receiving blessings from GOD. We are HIS servant - not the other way around.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Ephesians 1:18-23 NASB I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.