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| "Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you realize that we will be judged more strictly". James 3:1 |
Dear Steve;
You ended the conversation rather abruptly. Before you did you said something that I would
like to address in this note. If I remember correctly, you said; 'Phil you have your opinion and I
have mine...". There is more to what you said but this is the part that I have to address.
I was talking with a man at the gym the day after Thanksgiving. He said that he didn't practice
any faith but that he was brought up among Christians and Muslims. He said that when he
was little all the children would celebrate the Christian holidays with the Christians and Muslim
holidays with the Muslims. He said that it should be that way now. Because as far as he could
see no one group could say that they could speak with the authority of God.
I, of course, said that I could. The following is my reasoning:
I asked him if he believed that there was a God.
He said that he thought there was a God.
I asked him if he thought that God was loving and caring.
He said that he thought God was a loving and caring God.
I asked him if he thought that a loving and caring God would communicate with mankind. If
God would show mankind how to live happily here on earth and then be with Him forever in
heaven.
He agreed with all of this.
My next point is very simple.
If there is a loving and caring God who wishes us to be happy here on earth and with Him
forever in heaven He would have to reach out to mankind in a sure way. I mean God would
have to communicate His thoughts to us in such a way that we could know beyond any
shadow of a doubt the 'Will of God'.
If he doesn't give mankind a sure way of knowing 'truth' then we can conclude that either
there is no God, or that , if He does exist, He is not loving.
If anyone can make up their theology as they walk down the street then there would be cause
for despair because that would mean that there could never be a sure way of knowing God's
Will!
But, on the other hand, if God is loving then he must reach out to mankind in a singular,
decisive way.
What would that way be?
In the beginning God chose to reach out to mankind through one group of people, the Jews,
His Firstborn. Then He sent His Son to bring Salvation to all mankind. The call to Salvation
became 'universal' or 'catholic'.
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the
Father except through me."
and 1Timothy 2:4 "who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth."
I've been through all this before. The Catholic Church was established by Christ and I can
prove that. So, the Church speaks for Christ!
When I quote Church teaching and you disagree, it is not my opinion verses yours, it is your
opinion verses God's Will!
The only thing that I really do of value is share Christ with others. I do this often and I don't
stop when I have to say something someone doesn't want to hear, because then I would be in
trouble and I wouldn't be showing the person I am talking with true love. The kind of love
where you are willing to lay down your life and your friendship, if it comes to that, for your
friend.
John 15:13 "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends."
I will end with this defense for anything that I may have said.
Eze 33:8 "If I tell the wicked man that he shall surely die, and you do not speak out to
dissuade the wicked man from his way, he (the wicked man) shall die for his guilt, but I will
hold you responsible for his death. 9 But if you warn the wicked man, trying to turn him from
his way, and he refuses to turn from his way, he shall die for his guilt, but you shall save
yourself."
Your brother in Christ;
Your Godfather Philip
PS If there is another church that says it can speak for God then let them prove it and I would
like to see the proof. Look for yourself in any encyclopedia, try Encarta online. Look up the
word Catholic and see what history says about the Catholic Church.
There is only "One Truth"!
THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH!
Authority to Teach - By Jim Blackburn
You ended the conversation rather abruptly. Before you did you said something that I would
like to address in this note. If I remember correctly, you said; 'Phil you have your opinion and I
have mine...". There is more to what you said but this is the part that I have to address.
I was talking with a man at the gym the day after Thanksgiving. He said that he didn't practice
any faith but that he was brought up among Christians and Muslims. He said that when he
was little all the children would celebrate the Christian holidays with the Christians and Muslim
holidays with the Muslims. He said that it should be that way now. Because as far as he could
see no one group could say that they could speak with the authority of God.
I, of course, said that I could. The following is my reasoning:
I asked him if he believed that there was a God.
He said that he thought there was a God.
I asked him if he thought that God was loving and caring.
He said that he thought God was a loving and caring God.
I asked him if he thought that a loving and caring God would communicate with mankind. If
God would show mankind how to live happily here on earth and then be with Him forever in
heaven.
He agreed with all of this.
My next point is very simple.
If there is a loving and caring God who wishes us to be happy here on earth and with Him
forever in heaven He would have to reach out to mankind in a sure way. I mean God would
have to communicate His thoughts to us in such a way that we could know beyond any
shadow of a doubt the 'Will of God'.
If he doesn't give mankind a sure way of knowing 'truth' then we can conclude that either
there is no God, or that , if He does exist, He is not loving.
If anyone can make up their theology as they walk down the street then there would be cause
for despair because that would mean that there could never be a sure way of knowing God's
Will!
But, on the other hand, if God is loving then he must reach out to mankind in a singular,
decisive way.
What would that way be?
In the beginning God chose to reach out to mankind through one group of people, the Jews,
His Firstborn. Then He sent His Son to bring Salvation to all mankind. The call to Salvation
became 'universal' or 'catholic'.
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the
Father except through me."
and 1Timothy 2:4 "who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth."
I've been through all this before. The Catholic Church was established by Christ and I can
prove that. So, the Church speaks for Christ!
When I quote Church teaching and you disagree, it is not my opinion verses yours, it is your
opinion verses God's Will!
The only thing that I really do of value is share Christ with others. I do this often and I don't
stop when I have to say something someone doesn't want to hear, because then I would be in
trouble and I wouldn't be showing the person I am talking with true love. The kind of love
where you are willing to lay down your life and your friendship, if it comes to that, for your
friend.
John 15:13 "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends."
I will end with this defense for anything that I may have said.
Eze 33:8 "If I tell the wicked man that he shall surely die, and you do not speak out to
dissuade the wicked man from his way, he (the wicked man) shall die for his guilt, but I will
hold you responsible for his death. 9 But if you warn the wicked man, trying to turn him from
his way, and he refuses to turn from his way, he shall die for his guilt, but you shall save
yourself."
Your brother in Christ;
Your Godfather Philip
PS If there is another church that says it can speak for God then let them prove it and I would
like to see the proof. Look for yourself in any encyclopedia, try Encarta online. Look up the
word Catholic and see what history says about the Catholic Church.
There is only "One Truth"!
THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH!
Authority to Teach - By Jim Blackburn
