Be careful about works-based theology (did I do good enough? Am I sinning too much? Can I lose my salvation?)
The Bible declares the good works of men as pleasing to God as if they were soiled rags (literally menstrual rags).
Accepting Jesus as Lord of your life and believing in His Resurrection ensures your place in heaven. The reason Christians sin less (or should sin less), is because they understand that Jesus has paid the penalty for their sin with His own death on a cross. Continuing to sin runs up the bill even higher, and you wouldn't want to do that to someone who's essentially paid the ransom for your eternal soul.
Additionally, if you follow God's commandments, you'll avoid a great many pitfalls in life. Ex. You're less likely to catch STDs if you only have sex with your spouse.
14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without [a]your works, and I will show you my faith by [b]my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is [c]dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made [d]perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was [e]accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
Right. This means that if you have real faith, you will feel an obligation to do the work Jesus would want you to do.
If you say you have faith, but don't do the work, then did you really have faith to begin with?
It is faith that saves, and a consequence of true faith is works. It is not the works that save, because we can see a lot of people without faith do good works, and they definitely will not be saved without faith in Jesus.
In my view, Catholics can still meet the requirements for salvation, which the Apostle Paul and Silas stated in the book of Acts:
Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
Rom2:13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
Rom2:14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
Rom2:15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)
In short, all are welcome in the kingdom of heaven. At least, all those who live by the laws laid down by our creator. The title of your religious practice is inconsequential. All that matters is what's in your heart.
Actually most of the apostles went on missionary travels, with some staying or martyred (eg St Thomas in India). St Peter certainly lived a number of years in Rome and was the first bishop there, before being martyred. You will never guess where he was buried. :). There is a fascinating book called The Bones of St Peter, by Walsh I believe. Reads like a dectective story and with surprise ending.
“Welcome to the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America, an Archdiocese of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East. We trace our roots to first century Antioch, the city in which the disciples of Jesus Christ were first called Christians.
“Sometimes called the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Orthodox Church is the first Christian Church, the Church founded by the Lord Jesus Christ and described in the pages of the New Testament. Her history can be traced in unbroken continuity all the way back to Christ and His Twelve Apostles. For twenty centuries, she has continued in her undiminished and unaltered faith and practice. Today her apostolic doctrine, worship and structure remain intact. The Orthodox Church maintains that the Church is the living Body of Jesus Christ.
“The Church of Antioch was established by the Apostles Paul and Barnabas in 42 A.D., with St. Peter serving for the next eight years as its first prelate. The Church of Antioch is one of the five ancient Patriarchates of the Christian Church, along with Alexandria, Constantinople, Jerusalem, and Rome. We are in full communion with our brothers and sisters in various other Orthodox Christian jurisdictions, such as the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and the Orthodox Church in America. Together we work to nurture the Orthodox Christians of this land—whether immigrants or native-born, cradle Orthodox, or converts—and to bring America to the ancient Orthodox Christian Faith.”
Be careful about works-based theology (did I do good enough? Am I sinning too much? Can I lose my salvation?)
The Bible declares the good works of men as pleasing to God as if they were soiled rags (literally menstrual rags).
Accepting Jesus as Lord of your life and believing in His Resurrection ensures your place in heaven. The reason Christians sin less (or should sin less), is because they understand that Jesus has paid the penalty for their sin with His own death on a cross. Continuing to sin runs up the bill even higher, and you wouldn't want to do that to someone who's essentially paid the ransom for your eternal soul.
Additionally, if you follow God's commandments, you'll avoid a great many pitfalls in life. Ex. You're less likely to catch STDs if you only have sex with your spouse.
Faith Without Works Is Dead [James 2:14-26]
14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without [a]your works, and I will show you my faith by [b]my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is [c]dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made [d]perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was [e]accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James%202:14-26&version=NKJV
Right. This means that if you have real faith, you will feel an obligation to do the work Jesus would want you to do.
If you say you have faith, but don't do the work, then did you really have faith to begin with?
It is faith that saves, and a consequence of true faith is works. It is not the works that save, because we can see a lot of people without faith do good works, and they definitely will not be saved without faith in Jesus.
In my view, Catholics can still meet the requirements for salvation, which the Apostle Paul and Silas stated in the book of Acts:
https://bible.com/bible/59/act.16.30-31.ESV
I may disagree with some aspects of Catholicism, but Catholics are still frens we'll see in heaven.
Rom2:13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
Rom2:14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
Rom2:15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)
In short, all are welcome in the kingdom of heaven. At least, all those who live by the laws laid down by our creator. The title of your religious practice is inconsequential. All that matters is what's in your heart.
Indeed. God bless you, fren.
Actually most of the apostles went on missionary travels, with some staying or martyred (eg St Thomas in India). St Peter certainly lived a number of years in Rome and was the first bishop there, before being martyred. You will never guess where he was buried. :). There is a fascinating book called The Bones of St Peter, by Walsh I believe. Reads like a dectective story and with surprise ending.
“Welcome to the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America, an Archdiocese of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East. We trace our roots to first century Antioch, the city in which the disciples of Jesus Christ were first called Christians.
“Sometimes called the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Orthodox Church is the first Christian Church, the Church founded by the Lord Jesus Christ and described in the pages of the New Testament. Her history can be traced in unbroken continuity all the way back to Christ and His Twelve Apostles. For twenty centuries, she has continued in her undiminished and unaltered faith and practice. Today her apostolic doctrine, worship and structure remain intact. The Orthodox Church maintains that the Church is the living Body of Jesus Christ.
“The Church of Antioch was established by the Apostles Paul and Barnabas in 42 A.D., with St. Peter serving for the next eight years as its first prelate. The Church of Antioch is one of the five ancient Patriarchates of the Christian Church, along with Alexandria, Constantinople, Jerusalem, and Rome. We are in full communion with our brothers and sisters in various other Orthodox Christian jurisdictions, such as the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and the Orthodox Church in America. Together we work to nurture the Orthodox Christians of this land—whether immigrants or native-born, cradle Orthodox, or converts—and to bring America to the ancient Orthodox Christian Faith.”
https://antiochian.org/dashboard?name=About