Posted on 09/07/2013 5:48:38 AM PDT by markomalley
Christians must never forget that the centre of their life is Jesus Christ. That was the message of Pope Francis at Mass this morning at the Casa Santa Marta. The Pope emphasised that we must overcome the temptation to be Christians without Jesus or Christians that seek only devotions, without Jesus.
Pope Francis dedicated his whole homily to the centrality of Jesus in the life of the Christian. Jesus, he said, is the centre. Jesus is the Lord. And yet, he maintained, this is not always understood well, it is not easily understood. Jesus is not a lord of this or that, but is the Lord, the only Lord. He is the centre that regenerates us, grounds us: this is the Lord, the centre. The Pharisees of todays Gospel, Pope Francis noted, make so many commandments the centre of their religiosity. Even today, if Jesus is not at the centre, there will be many other things, so that we meet many Christians without Christ, without Jesus:
For example, those who have the sickness of the Pharisees and are Christians that put their faith, their religiosity in so many commandments, so many. Ah, I have to do this, I have to do this, I have to do this. Christians of this attitude . . . But why do you do this? No, it must be done! But why? Ah, I dont know, but it must be done. And Jesus where is He? A commandment is valid if it comes from Jesus: I do this because the Lord wants me to do this. But if I am a Christian without Christ, I do this and I dont know why I have to do it.
There are, he added, other Christians without Christ: those who only seek devotions . . . But Jesus is not there. If your devotions bring you to Christ, that works. But if you remain there, somethings wrong. Theres another kind of Christian without Christ, he continued, those who seek things that are a little uncommon, a little special, that go back to private revelations, while the Revelation concluded with the New Testament. Pope Francis warned about the desire of these Christians to go to a spectacle of revelation, to hear new things. But, the Pope exhorted them, take the Gospel!:
But Father, what is the rule for being a Christian with Christ, and not becoming a Christian without Christ. What is the sign of a person that is a Christian with Christ? The rule is simple: only that which brings you to Jesus is valid, and only that is valid that comes from Jesus. Jesus is the centre, the Lord, as He Himself says. Does this bring you to Jesus? Go ahead. Does this commandment, this attitude, come from Jesus? Go ahead. But if it doesnt bring you to Jesus, and if it doesnt come from Jesus, but . . . if you dont know, its a bit dangerous.
And again the Pope asks, What is the sign that I am a Christian with Jesus? The sign, he said, is simple. It is the sign of the one born blind that prostrated himself before Jesus to adore Him:
But if you arent able to adore Jesus, youre missing something. A rule, a sign. The sign is: I am a good Christian, I am on the path of a good Christian if I do that which comes from Jesus and if I do that which leads me to Jesus, because he is the centre. The sign is: I am capable of adoring, the adoration. This prayer of adoration of Jesus. The Lord makes us understand that He alone is the Lord, the unique Lord. And He gives us, too, the grace of loving Him so much, of following Him, of going along the path that He has shown us.
I’m cynical enough to say “some of us realize that.” And the bottom line that I believe has been lost in this chain is the Pope’s call to ‘OVERCOME TEMPTATION.” There may be others who’ve posted here that don’t see “temptation” as an issue, but I face it all of the time.
Small wonder the focus of Satan's attack is on the word of God.
Did God REALLY say......?
You may be right.
>>And the bottom line that I believe has been lost in this chain is the Popes call to OVERCOME TEMPTATION<<
there is that for sure. The bottom line as I see it in this case is all the extraneous rituals, etc the RCC has added to the clear and simple gospel of salvation. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. I fear many who follow that religion have lost sight of that simple fact.
Your opinion and your opinion only.
You said: Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. I fear many who follow that religion have lost sight of that simple fact.
And, in my view, too many Protestants forget that without the Roman Catholic Church, there would be no Protestant churches today.
And the reforms that Luther demanded were met over the next 50-100 years, but by then, the internal religious schism had been grabbed by the political leaders of the time, who used it for their own ends. Just as we see politicians today either using or abusing the Christian faith at large (Protestant and Catholic) for their own ends.
Of course. Protestant organizations are after all daughters of the Catholic Church. Now if you are talking of the church that Christ is building then its a different story. The members of that church worship in many different places including some in churches that are not spoken of well in Revelation. And to give credit to the Catholic Church is an error in itself. It is God who builds His church and it is He who gets the credit and glory.
Just as, if there were no criminals there would be no police today...And it appears you are correct in that many Protestants refuse to acknowledge that the police and the criminals are not on the same side...
I remember John MacArthur saying something similar a very long time ago. He called it “Lordship Salvation” where you could be a Christian but not have Christ as the center of your life. Fortunately he publicly repented of this error and retracted this foolish idea. If you’re a Christian you’re a Christian...period.
Let’s see if the Pope repents.
Thus only Catholics who believe in and partake of the "Real Presence" are Christians, and saved. At least you are consistent with the RC use of Jn. 6:53, though physical consumption is not how souls obtained life in themselves in Scripture, but by believing the gospel message, (Acts 10:43; 15:7-9), and your view renders you to be akin to sedevacantists.
So you deny that Scripture was the transcendent supreme standard for obedience and establishing truth claims, as is abundantly evidenced , and that the Lord and His NT church established theirs upon Scriptural substantiation in word and in power?
Or would you argue that Rome, being the stewards of Divine revelation and inheritor of promises of God of His presence and preservation, and having historical descent, means she possesses infallibility and that one she rejects is to be followed?
“Pretty close. The Church is the body of Christ. Not the Bible. The Church is the pillar and foundation of the truth”
The church is not the “center” of the religion, or even the pillar and foundation. The church is made up of the individual members of Christ’s body, with Christ Himself as our head and the chief cornerstone, our pillar and foundation, with us, as Peter says in his epistle, as the little “stones” which build up that house. To say that the Church, which is merely a collection of men, is the pillar and foundation of truth, is to make men to be Jesus Christ. Paul is quite clear when He says that all scripture is inspired by God, and useful for doctrine, reproof, and instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect and thoroughly furnished unto all good works. Nowhere does Paul say that this completeness is, say, in an unwritten tradition outside of scripture, or that the inspired word of God is inferior to the teachings of your degenerate leaders. A tradition, by the way, which has evolved and changed over time, and is not the same one the early church possessed, or even the same one as held by the Eastern Orthodox, who claim that your religion is apostate and that their church is the one and only Apostolic church in the world.
Daniel1212-Thus only Catholics who believe in and partake of the "Real Presence" are Christians, and saved.
This is the conundrum Catholics have put themselves into. Either only Catholics are saved or they are following false doctrine. I'm pinging Mrs. Don-O to this comment for we were just talking about this.
BTW-In looking this passage up this morning "drink his blood" refers to the cup of blessing referred to by Paul.
I found it especially interesting what the Jews say about the cup of blessing. This comes from Gill's commentary:
"Three things (says R. Judah (d)) shorten a man's days and years; when they give him the book of the law to read, and he does not read, "the cup of blessing to bless with", and he does not bless, and when he accustoms himself to government.''
Matthew 26:27-29 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.
Mark 14:24-25 And he said to them, This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.
Luke 22:17-19 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves. 18 For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.
Based on what?
Surely not he Bible.
Are you really appealing to the Bible to say that appealing to the Bible is not Biblical?
I totally agree. I hope you don’t think I would think otherwise.
Not at all. I know you better than that.
Just offering a little Scriptural support.
The Bible itself says it isn’t the final word. I thought all Christians knew that.
I’m curious as to where the Bible says this. Could you let me know?
Me, too.....
And that settles it because it's in the Bible?
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