Sirach,
I said...
Do you want me to show you where the Catholic Church condemns anyone who believes the gospel?
And you said...
Yes. With links to the Cathechism at
http://www.USCCB.org (it's just easier to read than the Vatican page)
Actually, I believe I can save us both a lot of time and effort regading this one.
You seem to be one who claims that you in fact
do know what the Catholic Church teaches, so I'll just ask you.
Here are some "tip of the iceberg" verses that make clear that we are justified in Gods eyes in only one way...faith.
And that is
faith alone.
(If you dont mind, I would ask you to please read each verse slowly in your mind, literally reading every word of each one of these verses. Thanks)
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John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life."
Rom. 3:22, "even the righteousness of God
through faith in Jesus Christ for
all those who believe; for there is no distinction."
Rom. 3:24, "being
justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;"
Rom. 3:26, "for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, that He might be just and
the justifier of the one who has
faith in Jesus."
Rom. 3:28-30, "For we maintain that a man is justified
by faith apart from works of the Law. 29Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30since indeed God who will
justify the circumcised by faith and
the uncircumcised through faith is one."
Rom. 4:3, "For what does the Scripture say? "And Abraham
believed God, and it was
reckoned to him as righteousness."
Rom. 4:5, "But to the one
who does not work, but
believes in Him who justifies the ungodly,
his faith is reckoned as righteousness,"
Rom. 4:11, "And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of
the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father
of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that
righteousness might be
imputed to them also,"
Rom. 4:16, "Therefore it is
of faith that it might be according
to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all."
Rom. 5:1, "therefore having been
justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,"
Rom. 5:9, "Much more then, having now been
justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him."
Rom. 9:30, "What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who
did not pursue righteousness, have
attained righteousness, even
the righteousness which is by faith."
Rom. 9:33, "just as it is written, “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, And he who
believes in Him will not be disappointed.”
Rom. 10:4, "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who
believes."
Rom. 10:9-10, "that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and
believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; 10 for with the heart man believes, resulting in
righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation."
Rom. 11:6, "But if it is by grace, it is
no longer on the basis of works, otherwise
grace is no longer grace."
Gal. 2:16, "nevertheless knowing that a man is
not justified by the works of the Law but
through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have
believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be
justified by faith in Christ, and
not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified."
Gal. 2:21, “I do not nullify the grace of God; for
if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.”
Gal.3:5-6, "Does He then, who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by
hearing with faith? 6Even so Abraham
believed God, and it was
reckoned to him as righteousness."
Gal. 3:8, "And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would
justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, "All the nations shall be blessed in you."
Gal. 3:14, "in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive
the promise of the Spirit through faith."
Gal. 3:22, "But the Scripture has shut up all men under sin, that the
promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who
believe."
Gal. 3:24, "Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be
justified by faith."
Eph. 1:13, "In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also
believed, you were
sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise."
Eph. 2:8, "For by grace you have been saved
through faith; and that
not of yourselves, it is the
gift of God."
Phil. 3:9, "and may be found in Him,
not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is
through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith."
1 Tim. 1:16, "And yet for this reason I found mercy, in order that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience, as an example for those who would
believe in Him for eternal life."
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I'll ask you.
Since you
do know what the Catholic Church "really" believes, you now have the opportunity to show us all that the Catholic Church
does indeed proclaim the true gospel, and does not
condemn those who believe it.
Does the Catholic church agree with Almighty Gods gospel, as has been
clearly articulated here by
God Himself...that we are
justified through
embracing Christ through faith alone?
Yes...or no?
God bless,
Mike
