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We Catholics believe that Christs` Bride, the Church, is protected from error on matters of Faith. Further, we believe that our understanding of Faith and Scripture can increase over time, just as the Faith of the Apostles increased from when first selected, to walking with the Lord, to witnessing His Death on the Cross, to being given strength by the Holy Spirit to carry out their works. Certainly their Faith and knowledge increased over time. So can ours, and so can our understanding of what Holy Scripture can hold for us

Christ through his teachings and then those of the apostles, gave us a simple formula to obtain salvation.

If we believe the Father sent his Son to experience humanity,
and to die for our sins,
and to be resurrected the third day,
and that his blood sacrifice would cleans us of all our sins,
if we repent and ask Christ to come into our lives,
and indwell us with his the Holy Spirit,
that will teach us and direct us in the way we should live..

That’s the plan of salvation, with no frills or complicated words. That’s all we need to be saved and inherit the kingdom of God.

In 1908, a man named Henry Ford introduced the first commercially built auto in history, and called it the “Model T” Ford.

It had an engine
A transmission
Drive train
Rear end
Wheels/tires
Brakes
Accelerator
Steering mechanism
A roof
A seat

These 10 essentials made up a car, that would take you from point A, to point B, and it was the basic ingredient of every car built since then.

The Model T, was a good example of simplicity, as was Christ plan of salvation, it was everything we needed to become mobile or saved.

Years later, Ford built the Model A, then later came other models, with bigger engines, more room, better riding, faster, an option of colors besides black, chrome bumpers and fender moldings and on and on, but it’s purpose was still to get you from point A, to point B.

Over the years, autos have gone from $360.00 for a new Model T, to upward of $100.000.00, and guess what they now have?

An engine
A transmission
Drive train
Rear end
Wheels/tires
Brakes
Accelerator
Steering mechanism
A roof
A seat

And it still simply gets us from point A, to point B.

The commercialized Churches have taken the simple basics of salvation, which was..

If we believe the Father sent his Son to experience humanity,
and to die for our sins,
and to be resurrected the third day,
and that his blood sacrifice would cleans us of all our sins,
if we repent and ask Christ to come into our lives,
and indwell us with his the Holy Spirit,
that will teach us and direct us in the way we should live..

They have added hundreds of accessories, beliefs, doctrine, customs and requirements, and it has become complicated and expensive, but it is still simply God’s plan of salvation, like the auto, that takes you from point A, to B, or from being a sinner to being saved.

Have a good Passover week, and Resurrection Sunday. (^g^) JH

Hi JH! The problem is, our faith isn't like a car, it's like an RV. Not only does it have to get us from point A to point B, but we need to live in it along the way. :)

Then, from your point of view J, I assume that you`re convinced that the Apostles themselves 'added' to what was the Plan? They argued, bickered, and even cast lots over what to keep in and what to cast out. They made decisions on positional authority in the church, (none of which was addressed by your Plan) , Who would go where to spread the Faith, (that wasn`t addressed either....) , whether Baptism was to be a 'requirement', let alone circumcision...(ouch)! Where is the Bride of Christ in your 'Plan'? I`m not sure which Faith your attest to, but, I would be willing to bet that it has a Hierarchy of Authority of some sort. And within that 'Hierarchy', do you place a certain amount of weight upon those who make decisions for your Congregation, Charge, District, Diocese, whatever you may choose to call it. Sorry, J, but had the Apostles simply looked at what you offered in your 'Plan' and did nothing else, they may have been 'saved', but what would have happened to the then non existant Church? Even the Apostles placed people that they instructed and recognized as Faithful and True Christians into positions of authority. In the First Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, Luke writes to Theophilus, a member of the 'Church' whom Luke has entrusted with some authority in the Church. In Romans, Paul sends greeting to all who are members of the 'Church' in Rome, but finishes up in Chapter 16 by pointing out several members of the 'Church' in a postion of authority. In Corinthians, Paul once again greets all members of the 'Church', but points out particular members of the 'Church' in Chapter 16, urging members of that 'Church' to SERVE UNDER such men as Stephanas. The 'Church' is shown to have great importance to the Writers of the Letters and Epistles found in the New Testament. And, within that 'Church' were those whom were given postions of Authority. Timothy held such a postion. Titus held such a position. Philemon held such a position. They didn`t simply see themselves as 'saved', but saw the need to guide and direct the Church. 'Salvation' isn`t all that the Church is supposed to be about. In fact, if your sole purpose or intent is simply to be 'saved', I submit that is selfish . In fact, I think it is a Red Herring. We shouldn`t necessarily do something just to get to heaven. It`s not an Algebriac equation. A (if I do this) + B (God is Watching) = Me getting into Heaven. (Wrong reasoning.) We should do it because it is the right thing to do.

If we believe the Father sent his Son to experience humanity, and to die for our sins, and to be resurrected the third day, and that his blood sacrifice would cleans us of all our sins, if we repent and ask Christ to come into our lives, and indwell us with his the Holy Spirit, that will teach us and direct us in the way we should live..

Joh 8:32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." !!!!!!!!!!!! ;^)