The Problem with Going to Heaven

Glory to God for All Things ^ | Fr Stephen Freeman

[stonehouse01]

“...How dare we...”

The doctrines found in Catechism of the Catholic Church are perfectly cross referenced and backed by scripture, the writings of the earliest Church Fathers and Doctors, including from the First Century .

Serious Catholics read the Catechism and the bible and have no problem with excerpts being posted. Keep posting the CCC. Why on earth would it bother us?

At issue is the deliberate parodying and twisting of the Catholic position (non Catholics have no idea what they are talking about) and then mocking the parody set up. This tactic is similar to the bait and switch unsavory method sometimes found in sales.

[j.argese]

Problems with Heaven
1. Are you awake all the time or is there time set aside for sleep?
2. I'm sure there's an "A-list". There will be the peasantry and red velvet ropes.
3. There will be guys who let their girlfriends climb onto their shoulders to "get a better look".
4. Will you have to acknowledge everybody you knew?

[Salvation]

Or they have already crashed the thread. LOL! Prayers for their souls.

[ravenwolf]

I doubt if very many of us will have to worry about it.

[af_vet_1981]

But within the New Testament and in the long history of Christian teaching, there is a perfectly acceptable use of the phrase. In 2 Peter we read:

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (2Pe 1:2-4 NKJ)

This is synonymous with concepts such as being “transformed” into the image of Christ (Ro. 8:29; 2Cor 3:18). But the right understanding of this “divinization” is not a transformation into a pagan deity, nor a rivaling of the One God. Indeed, the Fathers, with later theological precision, are careful to say that we become “by grace” what God is “by nature.”

But it is utterly essential to the Christian telling of the gospel, that our salvation should be understood in terms of transformation, of an inner metamorphosis towards the image of Christ. Salvation is not a mere change in location (going to heaven).

Excellent observations and in conformity with many other passages of scripture, including:

Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.
John, Catholic chapter seventeen, Protestant verses twenty to twenty six, as authorized by King James

[tophat9000]

Correct.. Christ is the model we strive to emulate we will alway fall short being man but we still strive towards our model in Christ we strive to become Christ-like God-like in our spirit and thinking...that’s not the same as saying I am Christ I am God... we are not God in our will rules.. we do not lead... we follow God as a template to be like God.. God is the template ..he “is”

[stonehouse01]

“...We cannot pretend religiosity...”

Is imitating Christ “pretending religiosity”?

Scripture instructs us to imitate Christ, so I certainly hope that is not what we are getting at.

Christ finished His work on the cross in order that we might now cooperate with that work by using our own free will not to continue to sin.

Matthew 10:38

Luke 14:27

1 Peter 2:21

If following Jesus is “religiosity” then “religiosity” must be OK.

[StoneWall Brigade]

I noticed that too.

[StormPrepper]

There is a context issue. It’s not “become God”, it’s “become a god.”

Little “g”. It matters.

“a god” as in a perfect person with all power that “God” gives to those He exalts.

God the Father will always be God the Father. His greatest reward is to raise up His children to be like Him.

Romans 8:17

And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Joint-heirs with Christ, glorified together with Christ.