Pillar Of Fire, Pillar of Truth
Here's an excerpt from a booklet called "Pillar Of Fire, Pillar of Truth."
"The Catholic Church teaches what the apostles taught and what the Bible teaches: We are saved by grace alone, but not by faith alone... When we come to God and are justified (that is, enter a right relationship with God), nothing preceding justification, whether faith or good works, earns grace. But thten God plants his love in our hearts and we should live out our faith by doing acts of love (Gal 6:2).
"Even though only God's grace enables us to love others, these acts of love please him, and he projises to reward them with eternal life (Rom. 2:6-7, Gal 6:6-10). Thus good works are meritorious. When we first come to God in faith, we have nothing in our hands to offer him. Then he gives us grace ot obey his commandments in love, and he rewards us with salvation when we offer these acts of love back to him (Rom. 2:6-11, Gal. 6:6-10, Matt. 25:34-40).
"Jesus said it is not enough to have faith in him; we also must obey his commandments in love, and he rewards us with salvation when we offer these acts of love back to him (Luke 6:46, Matt. 7:21-23, 19:16-21).
"Jesus said it is not enough to have faith in him; we also must obey his commandments. 'Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' but do not do the things I command?' (Luke 6"46, Matt 7:21-23, 19:16-21).
"We do not 'earn' our salvation through good works (Eph. 2:8-9, Rom 9:16), but our faith in Christ puts us in a special grace-filled relationship ith God so that our obedience and love, combined with our faith, will be rewarded with eternal life (Rom. 2:7, Gal. 6:8-9)."
posted by She who is by birth... at 8:19 PM
2 Comments:
The four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John were transcribed after 40 years of being transmitted orally.
Over time the gospels could have been changed in some manner.
Aside from their questionable authenticity, you notice there is no written record by Jesus himself.
This is because he was either a fictional character or, most likely an outspoken activist that tried to change Judaism from within but did not put pen to paper.
Yet the early Christians decided to make him into the son of the god of Christianity.
Other Gospels have surfaced that originated from the Gnostic sect but they have been dated 200 years after common era.
The historian Josephus wrote of Jesus, he is definitely not a fictional character.
Plenty of modern scholars will argue that Jesus was a real person, whether they believe he was the son of God or not. More believe that the resurrection did occur as the accounts are eye witness accounts, and the creeds were already in use.
They were already worshipping him alongside God, the father, a year after he was crucified.
As for the Gnostics, if they surface 200 years after the fact and start out with "the secret knowledge" how seriously do you expect people to take them?
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