Heaven and hell seem to be forgotten

The Church reaffirmed in the document Dominus Iesus the Scriptural essential that Jesus alone is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

As an evangelical protestant I am very glad to hear that. I had gotten the wrong impression by reading things that apparently are not true. If there is some other way to attain salvation besides faith in Jesus Christ, then He left His home with the Father and Holy Spirit in heaven, came into the world via the virgin birth, and died on a cruel Roman cross needlessly.

Now if the document would have added; "no man cometh to the Father but by me" I would be even gladder. But even so, the part of the verse that you quoted states the truth well enough.
(is gladder a real word?)

"It was the Catholic Church that gave us the canon of Sacred Scripture, the Bible."

It's interesting, but not surprising, that you give the credit to the Catholic Church for the Bible, instead of the Holy Spirit.

2Ti 3:16 All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

While I admit to not being an expert on the history of canonization, you seem to have your emphasis in the wrong place. The early (2nd and 3rd century) Christians didn't give us the NT, they recognized what God had given through the Holy Spirit. You give more homage to the early "church fathers" instead of the Holy Spirit, which is disrespectful in my opinion.

However, if you truly believe that the "church fathers" wanted us to have these scriptures, then shouldn't you study them?

2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

When you study them, you find that the Holy Spirit is the one who makes the Scriptures clear to you.

Jhn 14:26 But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

1Cr 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

1Cr 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned.

Sincerely

After reading more of the thread (I first replied to #3) I am not so sure that I can agree with the entire statement I praised before.

I believe that Islam is a demonic false religion which counterfeits Christianity and worships a demonic spirit, aka a fallen angel, who represents himself to his worshipers as God. I can't accept that a Muslim who sincerely believes in his or her false god is saved and will be spared from hell. That contradicts the bible's (Ro 10:9) clear and plain teaching that confession of and belief in Jesus Christ as one's Lord and Savior is the only way to gain eternal life.

I believe that not only Islam, but also Hinduism, Buddhism, Shintoism, Zoroastrianism, and all other false religions are demonically inspired and worship either a demon or Satan himself, and are leading literally billions of people into hell. No amount of good works, good intentions, or faith in a false god will save a man or woman from eternal separation from God in a place Jesus called hell. Jesus said; "I am the way, the truth, and the light, no man comes to the Father but by me"

"It's interesting, but not surprising, that you give the credit to the Catholic Church for the Bible, instead of the Holy Spirit."

You're splitting hairs here. The Universal (Catholic) Church was founded by Jesus Christ and is guided by the Holy Spirit.

The Council (comprised of Churchmen), prompted by the Holy Spirit, decided which books were inspired and which were not. The Council decreed the canonical books of both the Old and New Testaments that we know today.

"When you study them, you find that the Holy Spirit is the one who makes the Scriptures clear to you."

2 Peter 3:16 states: "..certain things are hard to be understood, which the unlearned and unstable distort, as they do also the other scriptures, to their own destruction."

And that is why there are thousands of Protestant denominations each interpreting scripture base on individual inspiration, but only one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church .

"When Jesus commands us to drink his blood in John 6:53-57, this command then supersedes any prior command concerning drinking blood. The command against drinking blood, like all of the Old Testament dietary regulations, has passed away.

Colossians 2:17 states: "These are only a shadow of what is to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink."

Your responses would be amazing if I hadn't seen it before. Your desire to cut and paste without regard to the whole of the chapter or book or other books, is consistant with placing Catholic dogma as primary, but ignores the whole of Scripture.

You choose to ignore all of the references to salvation through belief, even in the same chapter (John 6:47), and cling to a salvation through cannabalism. This is even when the number of references to former greatly outnumber the latter.

Your reference to Colossians chapter 2 is interesting on a couple of levels. One, the verse you quote does relate to OT dietary laws, but says nothing about eating other humans or God or directly talk about communion. Two, it has other verses you seem to ignore....

Col 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

Your belief of salvation through cannibalism of a real actual Christ over, and over, and over, again, is a tradition of man, and contrary to Scripture.

Rom 6:9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.

Rom 6:10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

Sincerely

"2 Peter 3:16 states: "..certain things are hard to be understood, which the unlearned and unstable distort, as they do also the other scriptures, to their own destruction." "

Second Peter chapter 3 is talking about end times and the return of Jesus. This has to do with prophecy, which can cause distortions, and is warned about not being for personal interpretation.

2Pe 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

But doctrines, such as who is our mediator, are plainly spelled out in Scripture....

1Ti 2:5 For [there is] one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

"

And that is why there are thousands of Protestant denominations each interpreting scripture base on individual inspiration, but only one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church ."

The word we get church from is ekklesia. It is defined as an assembly in a public place for worship. There are many churches mentioned in the NT. Matthew 18:20 says that where two or three are gathered in his name, he is there. The woman at the well was concerned about the proper location to worship, but Jesus answered...

Jhn 4:24 God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth.

Your assumption of only one physical church isn't supported by Scripture.

Sincerely

"...cling to a salvation through cannibalism. This is even when the number of references to former greatly outnumber the latter."

In the other posts I did address all of John 6:24-71.

Again, it's not salvation through cannibalism. It's salvation through the Sacraments; the most important being the Eucharist. Cannibalism is what the Jews were talking about in John 6:52.

But our Lord has two natures: human and divine.

And the reason v53-57 are so important is that Jesus was not mincing words nor was he speaking figuratively. The verses before lay the groundwork for v53-57.

The verses after address the reaction to His teaching with: "Do you take offense at this?" and "...after this many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him." Continuing and to the twelve "Will you also go away?"

Anyway, Catholics believe that through the working of the Holy Spirit, bread and wine are transformed into the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity (transubstantiation) of Jesus Christ (under the physical appearance of bread and wine).

One either believes it, or rejects it.

"Your assumption of only one physical church isn't supported by Scripture."

The Catholic Church is not a "physical church".

At the very minimum, there was a 65 years interval between Jesus' Ascension and when the last of the New Testament scripture was written, yet the Universal (Catholic) Church was in existence.

The The Latin Vulgate (Bible) did not exist until 397 A.D. (Council of Carthage), yet the Catholic Church was growing and flourishing.

The Apostles managed to convert most of the known world (see: Acts of the Apostles), through oral tradition and without a bible.

"Second Peter chapter 3 is talking about end times and the return of Jesus."

No, it is not. 2 Peter is concerned with doctrinal error and moral laxity, or in other words "false prophets", "false teachers" and "the unlearned and unstable distort, as they do also the other scriptures, to their own destruction."

"Anyway, Catholics believe that through the working of the Holy Spirit, bread and wine are transformed into the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity (transubstantiation) of Jesus Christ (under the physical appearance of bread and wine)."

So you believe by having this physical eating of the Lord you help secure your salvation? That would be consistant with this....

"The Church affirms that for believers the sacraments of the New Covenant are necessary for salvation." Pg. 292, #1129

"There are seven sacraments in the Church: Baptism, Confirmation or Chrismation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony." Pg. 289, #1113

But it is contrary to this....

Jhn 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Jhn 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Jhn 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Jhn 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

Jhn 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

Jhn 6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

Jhn 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Jhn 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

Act 2:21 And it shall come to pass, [that] whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Act 16:30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

Act 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

All your sacraments are works that we can do, and that is contrary to this...

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:

Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

"One either believes it, or rejects it."

I reject the doctrine of physically eating our savior through the unbiblical magic of transubstantiation for salvation.

Sincerely

I posted...."Second Peter chapter 3 is talking about end times and the return of Jesus."

You replied..." No, it is not. 2 Peter is concerned with doctrinal error and moral laxity, or in other words "false prophets", "false teachers" and "the unlearned and unstable distort, as they do also the other scriptures, to their own destruction."

This is 2 Peter Chapter 3...

2Pe 3:3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,

2Pe 3:4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as [they were] from the beginning of the creation.

2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

2Pe 3:11 [Seeing] then [that] all these things shall be dissolved, what manner [of persons] ought ye to be in [all] holy conversation and godliness,

2Pe 3:12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

Care to revise your statement?

Sincerely

Now if the document would have added; "no man cometh to the Father but by me" I would be even gladder.

That specific verse is not quoted.

Various other verses are, for example: "There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (quoted in paragraph 13) and "no one knows the Son except the Father and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him" (quoted in paragraph 5).

And the document clearly states at the end of paragraph 11: "No one, therefore, can enter into communion with God except through Christ by the working of the Holy Spirit."

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