And if they make a promise and a commitment and ARE relying on Jesus, then what?
That is not how making a promise or a commitment mean.
When God makes a promise and said He is going to do it, then all that requires from us is to believe Him. Trusting Him at His word is how and why by faith in Jesus Christ as our Good Shepherd,we are pleasing God.
God told us in according to His word, what it means to make a promise or commitment to God; and when it is your promise; you are to do ALL that proceeds out of your mouth. Numbers 30:2
That is why we are to be careful about making promises because we are required by Him to keep them; that means it cannot remain undone or unfinished; that also means no one should make a promise that is so generalized that no one can say it is finished.. like making a promise to be a GOOD FATHER. Who is good, but God?
Ecclesiastes 5:5-6 testifies that God is angry with unpaid vows. He also points out that a vow is a testimony of the man's work; not God's. And what is clear also is that a vow can cause the flesh to sin, because by that vow is the knowledge of sin.
Jesus spoke of how people of old times had performed their oaths to the Lord, but He said not do it at all; not even by swearing; Matthew 5:33-34 The reason why is because we can't make one hair on our head, white or black; Matthew 5:36 Again, a man's oath is the work of his hands. Therefore trusting Jesus to finish what He has started in us Philippians 1:6 is the call to every believer to live by faith in the Son of God rather than by keeping their promises as if the power for living the christian life came from doing that.
2 Timothy 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, ......., boasters, proud,......,3 ....., trucebreakers, ...., despisers of those that are good, 4 ......, heady, highminded, .....5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
2 Corinthians 11:20 For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, ....
Romans 10:2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. 5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.
Supposing someone makes a commitment to increase their offering by 5% per week over the previous year? Anything wrong with that? Suppose someone makes a commitment to go on a missions trip?
You can set goals and say God be willing, you shall reach that goal, but not by a pledge or commitment.
James 4:13 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: 14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. 15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.
James wasn't even talking about making pledges either, but just everyday communication., but he did warn against it.
James 5:12 But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.
What is it with your Promise Keepers obsession? Anyway, if someone asks the Lord to help them to keep the promises of the Promise Keepers that would be OK in your view?
Again, it would not be okay in God's view in according to His words.
You are contradicting yourself. If a believer trusts in Jesus only, but remains in the Catholic church, he is not staying there because he thinks he needs to stay in there to be saved, he must be staying in there for some other reason. If you don't think a truly saved person that continues to attend a Catholic church cannot show his faith in Jesus, you are limiting the power of an almighty God. I believe that person should come out of the Catholic church, but still, they can be a testimony to other Catholics while still in there.
If that believer trusts in Jesus only, and yet is a member of the Catholic church which is part of the works of catholicism in saving yourself, other Catholics will have a hard time believing him or her. In other words, that believer may say He trusts in Jesus Christ as His Savior that he is saved simply by believing in Him, but all Catholics is going to see is someone weak in faith because he is still in the Catholic church. That believer will come across as someone that says he does not believe catholicism is necessary, but then he is still there as if playing it safe in case he is wrong. So his faith is like a lamp being under a bushel. It gets worse if he participates in the Mass too. Catholics will think "oh yeah.. sure you do. You don't really believe that you are saved by faith in Jesus Christ after all."
You seem to think you have a firm grasp on how other people will perceive what a true Christian is. I would submit most people who see a person that does not attend church will not perceive that person as having faith in Jesus.
No one can know what a person believes until they share their faith. I doubt church members talk about their faith in general before or after church services. It's usually just social chatter and small talk. Not all the time, mind you, but again, you do not know until people start sharing their faith in Jesus Christ.
