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IamaCatholic.WhyshouldIconsiderbecomingaChristian?PrinterFriendly

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Question:"IamaCatholic.WhyshouldIconsiderbecomingaChristian?"
Answer:First,pleaseunderstandthatweintendnooffenseinthewordingofthisquestion.
Wegenuinelyreceivequestions,fromCatholics,alongthelinesofWhatisthedifference
betweenCatholicsandChristians?InfacetofaceconversationswithCatholics,wehave
literallyheard,IamnotaChristian,IamCatholic.TomanyCatholics,thetermsChristian
andProtestantaresynonymous.Withallthatsaid,theintentofthisarticleisthatCatholics
wouldstudywhattheBiblesaysaboutbeingaChristianandwouldperhapsconsiderthat
theCatholicfaithisnotthebestrepresentationofwhattheBibledescribes.Asa
background,pleasereadourarticleonWhatisaChristian?
AkeydistinctionbetweenCatholicsandChristiansistheviewoftheBible.Catholicsview
theBibleashavingequalauthoritywiththeChurchandtradition.ChristiansviewtheBible
asthesupremeauthorityforfaithandpractice.Thequestionis,howdoestheBiblepresent
itself?SecondTimothy3:1617tellsus,AllScriptureisGodbreathedandisusefulfor
teaching,rebuking,correctingandtraininginrighteousness,sothatthemanofGodmaybe
thoroughlyequippedforeverygoodwork.ThistexttellsusthatScriptureisnotjustthe
beginning,orjustthebasics,orthefoundationforamorecompletechurchtradition.On
thecontrary,ScriptureisperfectlyandfullysufficientforeverythingintheChristianlife.
Scripturecanteachus,rebukeus,correctus,trainus,andequipus.BibleChristiansdo
notdenythevalueofchurchtradition.Rather,Christiansupholdthatforachurchtraditionto
bevalid,itmustbebasedontheclearteachingofScriptureandmustbeinfullagreement
withScripture.Catholicfriend,studytheWordofGodforyourself.InGodsWordyouwill
findGodsdescriptionof,andintentionfor,HisChurch.SecondTimothy2:15declares,Do
yourbesttopresentyourselftoGodasoneapproved,aworkmanwhodoesnotneedtobe
ashamedandwhocorrectlyhandlesthewordoftruth.
AsecondkeydifferencebetweenCatholicsandBibleChristiansistheunderstandingofhow
wecanapproachGod.CatholicstendtoapproachGodthroughintermediaries,suchas
Maryorthesaints.ChristiansapproachGoddirectly,offeringprayerstonooneotherthan
GodHimself.TheBibleproclaimsthatweourselvescanapproachGodsthroneofgrace
withboldness(Hebrews4:16).TheBibleisperfectlyclearthatGoddesiresustoprayto
Him,tohavecommunicationwithHim,toaskHimforthethingsweneed(Philippians4:6
Matthew7:781John5:1415).Thereisnoneedformediatorsorintermediaries,asChrist
isouroneandonlymediator(1Timothy2:5),andbothChristandtheHolySpiritarealready
intercedingonourbehalf(Romans8:2627Hebrews7:25).Catholicfriend,Godlovesyou
intimatelyandhasprovidedanopendoortodirectcommunicationthroughJesus.
ThemostcrucialdifferencebetweenCatholicsandBibleChristiansisontheissueof
salvation.Catholicsviewsalvationalmostentirelyasaprocess,whileChristiansview
salvationasbothacompletedstatusandaprocess.Catholicsseethemselvesasbeing
saved,whileChristiansviewthemselvesashavingbeensaved.FirstCorinthians1:2says,
TothosesanctifiedinChristJesusandcalledtobeholy.Thewordssanctifiedandholy
comefromthesameGreekroot.ThisverseisdeclaringthatChristiansarebothsanctified
andcalledtobesanctified.TheBiblepresentssalvationasagiftthatisreceivedthemoment
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5/27/2016

IamaCatholic.WhyshouldIconsiderbecomingaChristian?PrinterFriendly

apersonplacesfaithinJesusChristasSavior(John3:16).WhenapersonreceivesChrist
asSavior,he/sheisjustified(declaredrighteousRomans5:9),redeemed(rescuedfrom
slaverytosin1Peter1:18),reconciled(achievingpeacewithGodRomans5:1),
sanctified(setapartforGodspurposes1Corinthians6:11),andbornagainasanew
creation(1Peter1:232Corinthians5:17).Eachoftheseisfullyaccomplishedatthe
momentofsalvation.Christiansarethencalledtoliveoutpractically(calledtobeholy)what
isalreadytruepositionally(sanctified).
TheCatholicviewpointisthatsalvationisreceivedbyfaith,butthenmustbemaintainedby
goodworksandparticipationintheSacraments.BibleChristiansdonotdenytheimportance
ofgoodworksorthatChristcallsustoobservetheordinancesinremembranceofHimand
inobediencetoHim.ThedifferenceisthatChristiansviewthesethingsastheresultof
salvation,notarequirementforsalvationorameansofmaintainingsalvation.Salvationis
anaccomplishedwork,purchasedbytheatoningsacrificeofJesusChrist(1John2:2).God
offersussalvationandassuranceofsalvationbecauseJesussacrificewasfully,completely,
andperfectlysufficient.IfwereceiveGodspreciousgiftofsalvation,wecanknowthatwe
aresaved.FirstJohn5:13declares,Iwritethesethingstoyouwhobelieveinthenameof
theSonofGodsothatyoumayknowthatyouhaveeternallife.
Wecanknowthatwehaveeternallife,andwecanhaveassuranceofoursalvationbecause
ofthegreatnessofChristssacrifice.Christssacrificedoesnotneedtobereofferedorre
presented.Hebrews7:27says,HesacrificedfortheirsinsonceforallwhenHeoffered
Himself.Hebrews10:10declares,Wehavebeenmadeholythroughthesacrificeofthe
bodyofJesusChristonceforall.FirstPeter3:18exclaims,ForChristdiedforsinsoncefor
all,therighteousfortheunrighteous,tobringyoutoGod.Christsonceforallsacrificewas
absolutelyandperfectlysufficient.Jesusdeclaredonthecross,Itisfinished(John19:30).
Jesusatoningsacrificewasthefullpaymentforallofoursins(1John2:2).Asaresult,allof
oursinsareforgiven,andwearepromisedeternallifeinheaventhemomentwereceivethe
giftGodoffersussalvationthroughJesusChrist(John3:16).
Catholicfriend,doyoudesirethissogreatsalvation(Hebrews2:6)?Ifso,allyoumustdo
isreceiveit(John1:12)throughfaith(Romans5:1).Godlovesusandoffersussalvationas
agift(John3:16).IfwereceiveHisgrace,byfaith,wehavesalvationasoureternal
possession(Ephesians2:89).Oncesaved,nothingcanseparateusfromHislove(Romans
8:3839).NothingcanremoveusfromHishand(John10:2829).Ifyoudesirethissalvation,
ifyoudesiretohaveallyoursinsforgiven,ifyoudesiretohaveassuranceofsalvation,ifyou
desiredirectaccesstotheGodwholovesyoureceiveit,anditisyours.Thisisthe
salvationthatJesusdiedtoprovideandthatGodoffersasagift.

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