I. FOR WHAT END ARE WE ON THIS EARTH?
II. HOW ARE WE TO ATTAIN TO ETERNAL HAPPINESS?
III. CAN WE ATTAIN PERFECT HAPPINESS ON EARTH?
I. THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.
II. DIVINE REVELATION.
III. THE PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL.
IV. HOLY SCRIPTURE AND TRADITION
V. THE CHRISTIAN FAITH.
VI. THE MOTIVES OF FAITH.
VII. ON THE ABSENCE AND LOSS OF FAITH.
VIII. ON THE DUTY OF CONFESSING OUR FAITH.
IX. THE SIGN OF THE CROSS.
"The Sign the Cross"
http://www.amazon.com/The-Sign-Cross-Francis-Sales/dp/1933184973
http://www.bible.ca/cath-sign-of-cross-history.htm
Sign of the cross in its present form, did not exist before 9th century. In about 200AD, the most anyone ever did was sign the cross with their finger on their forehead.
There is absolutely no use of the “sign of the cross” in Apostolic times or the Bible.
The magic virtues attributed to the so-called sign of the cross, the worship bestowed on it, never came from such a source. The same sign of the cross that Rome now worships was used in the Babylonian Mysteries, was applied by Paganism to the same magic purposes, was honoured with the same honours. That which is now called the Christian cross was originally no Christian emblem at all, but was the mystic Tau of the Chaldeans and Egyptians—the true original form of the letter T—the initial of the name of Tammuz—which, in Hebrew, radically the same as ancient Chaldee, as found on coins, was formed as in No. 1 of the accompanying woodcut (Fig. 43); and in Etrurian and Coptic, as in Nos. 2 and 3.
That mystic Tau was marked in baptism on the foreheads of those initiated in the Mysteries, * and was used in every variety of way as a most sacred symbol.
* TERTULLIAN, De Proescript. Hoeret. The language of Tertullian implies that those who were initiated by baptism in the Mysteries were marked on the forehead in the same way, as his Christian countrymen in Africa, who had begun by this time to be marked in baptism with the sign of the cross.
Once again a Catholic is exalting their elitist institution and impugning Protestants, and thus once again her presumptions will be exposed.
The idea that Protestants pay no honor to the holy cross by refusing to make the Sign of the Cross is absurd, for the same charge could be laid upon the apostles and NT church, for the Holy Spirit - who cannot be charged with neglect of anything needful - says absolutely ZERO about this being a done by anyone. And instead, they manifested God's " word thru preaching, " (Titus 1:3) which historically Protestants have preached majored on, and not with 10 minute sermonettes.
This does not mean there is anything wrong with making the sign of the cross, which originally was just in the forehead, and rather than Prots later adapting it, Luther's Small Catechism stated that it was expected before the morning and evening prayers.
But making this outward display either to be required or into signifying a superior spirituality is wrong.
To Jews and Turks the cross is an object of hatred and contempt;
For which he insolently fails to mention any culpability for why, as if the actions of Rome played no part.
Holy water has a special power to defend us against all attacks of the devil. When we make the sign of the cross with holy water, we gain each time an indulgence of one hundred days (Pius IX., March 23, 1876)
Holy water has a special power to defend us against all attacks of the devil. When we make the sign of the cross with holy water, we gain each time an indulgence of one hundred days (Pius IX., March 23, 1876)
That also is not found in Scripture, as it does not teach of a distinct class of believers called "saints, " and only clearly refers to the postmortem place of the believers as being with the Lord. (Luke 23:43; Acts 7:59; 2 Cor 5:8; Phil. 1:21-23) Thus if the Lord returned in their lifetime they would henceforth be with the Lord from that moment. (1 Th 4:17; 1Cor. 15:52; 1Jn. 3:2)
Rome's purgatory is a tradition of men which even the EOs reject as contrary to Tradition, and which RCS try to erroneously extrapolate support for from texts which either refer to eternal damnation or in this life, or the loss of believers rewards.
And at a 100 days off a time, then in the course of a lifetime a RC could get more years off than might pass before the Lord's return and all go to be with the Lord.
Do we read anywhere in the new testament of the apostles or anybody else doing the sign of the cross? No. This, among a hundred other things, were added by the papists centuries later.
Similar to the Judaizers Paul addressed in the book of Galatians, who added elements of the law to the gospel, the RCC outdoes them, adding a great many things to the gospel, the sign of the cross but one of them (used like something magical, like an amulet).
Roman Catholicism has a sacramental treadmill for salvation. I look at their sacrament of the Mass and wonder, what ever happened to the sufficiency of grace, the finished work of Christ? Their Mass amounts to a continual sacrifice of Christ. They make the Judaizers look like pikers in comparison.