Catholics Who Receive Christ As Their Savior

[RobertMazar]

As a Catholic who received Christ as my Savior during an Altar Call at my brothers Non Denominational Church by praying to Christ and asking Him to become my Savior I do not believe that Catholics who receive Christ as their Savior have to leave the Catholic Church and join a Protestant Church because even if they do not leave the Catholic Church they will still gain entrance into Heaven because they received Christ as their Savior which is the only requirement there is for gaining entrance into Heaven. Baptism, the Sacraments and church membership are all totally superfluous in terms of gaining entrance into Heaven. 8-)

 

[stovebolts]

Hi Robert,
I liked you post, thanks for taking the time to share.

Could I ask you one question? Why do we focus so hard on the future event of heaven when we are currently tasked with our fathers work here on earth?

James says, "James 4:15 For you ought to say, If the Lord wills, we shall live, and do this, or that."

Is it possible that sometimes we look so far forward, we loose track of where we are now and the purpose it holds in God's kingdom?

If our walk with our Lord is a relational walk, then isn't it also about the journey?

 

[francisdesales]

Hi Robert,
I liked you post, thanks for taking the time to share.

Could I ask you one question? Why do we focus so hard on the future event of heaven when we are currently tasked with our fathers work here on earth?

James says, "James 4:15 For you ought to say, If the Lord wills, we shall live, and do this, or that."

Is it possible that sometimes we look so far forward, we loose track of where we are now and the purpose it holds in God's kingdom?

If our walk with our Lord is a relational walk, then isn't it also about the journey?

Stovebolts,

That is an excellent point. We are healed in THIS world and even now begin our sanctification for the purpose of drawing all things to Christ as part of His Body.

As to Baptism being "superfluous", then what do you think, Robert, about Jesus' statements about the necessity of being baptized, born again, to receive "eternal life", which is Christ? Baptism has always been seen as the door into the Church, the Body of Christ, by the Church Fathers. I won't list the details or their quotes, unless you want some examples of what THEY believed about the necessity of the sacrament.

Regards

 

[Guest]

With all due respect the order is belief and then baptism.

 

[stovebolts]

With all due respect the order is belief and then baptism.

So, do you believe that baptism holds a purpose for the believer only. What about the community, are they also impacted by an individual baptism and if so, how? In other words, how does baptism edify the Body of Christ if at all?

Or is it a simple rite that we do just to go through the motions and really isn't needed one way or the other?

I'm just curious, not here to argue.

 

[Fnerb]

Baptism, the Sacraments and church membership are all totally superfluous in terms of gaining entrance into Heaven. 8-)

I somewhat agree with you.

I also believe however that baptism, the Lord's Supper and His word are all a means of grace. Each is a way that the Holy Spirit uses to create and sustain our saving faith.

I don't want to turn this into another efficacy of baptism thread, howerver I think it's important to not discount the sacriments as means of coming to faith.

 

[Guest]

So, do you believe that baptism holds a purpose for the believer only. What about the community, are they also impacted by an individual baptism and if so, how? In other words, how does baptism edify the Body of Christ if at all?

Or is it a simple rite that we do just to go through the motions and really isn't needed one way or the other?

I'm just curious, not here to argue.

As an Anabaptist, I believe that baptism is an outward sign of a personal inward decision. Baptism affects the community in that the community is able to rejoice with the celebration of baptism - another person professing faith in Jesus Christ.

Just as the angels rejoice when someone is 'saved' - so too does the local body of believers rejoice at baptism!

 

[stovebolts]

Very well said, aLoneVoice and I agree that baptism is all those things.

Can I ask you one more question? You said,
"I believe that baptism is an outward sign of a personal inward decision. "

Do you believe that the Community at large played any role of the individual's personal inward decision?

 

[sisterchristian]

As a Catholic who received Christ as my Savior during an Altar Call at my brothers Non Denominational Church by praying to Christ and asking Him to become my Savior I do not believe that Catholics who receive Christ as their Savior have to leave the Catholic Church and join a Protestant Church because even if they do not leave the Catholic Church they will still gain entrance into Heaven because they received Christ as their Savior which is the only requirement there is for gaining entrance into Heaven. Baptism, the Sacraments and church membership are all totally superfluous in terms of gaining entrance into Heaven. 8-)

But don't you think that if they were truly saved that they would want to find a Bible teaching church so that they can grow in their faith? I would think it would make no sense to stay in a church where they teach lots of false doctrine.

 

[sisterchristian]

So, do you believe that baptism holds a purpose for the believer only. What about the community, are they also impacted by an individual baptism and if so, how? In other words, how does baptism edify the Body of Christ if at all?

Or is it a simple rite that we do just to go through the motions and really isn't needed one way or the other?

I'm just curious, not here to argue.

Baptism is the first step after salvation. But while baptism has no merit in securing ones salvation, this act of obedience is a "badge of discipleship" in which a believer publicly identifies with Christ and his church

 

[golfjack]

reply

Right on Sister.


May God bless, Golfjack

 

[Solo]

Agreed!!!

 

[Devekut]

I for one, was baptized as an infant. Growing as a child in the Church I can tell you it did and continues to have an effect on me. I was enermously curious about the day I was baptized, I would look at the photos and secretly pry into the drawer where my special baptismal candel was kept. Even though I don't remember the event of being baptized, as I grew I could always grasp something of its significance.

I left the Church in my early teenager years, but recently I have been moving to closer communion with it and have started re-attending Mass. I like walking into the Church, looking around and knowing this is my home, this is my tradition, this is what I was baptized into and it is now my privlege to be part of the Church that I was initiated so long ago.

I have a very strong pull towards traditional religions. In the past year I have been drawn, not only to Eastern Orthodoxy but as well as Orthodox Judaism to the point that I was considering converting to Judaism. In the cases of both of these I was always discouraged to an extent, because I was very aware that these were not the traditions of my family and that I could not partake authentically in them without actually converting and going through all kinds of "hoops" so to speak.

On a recent trip to Europe, seeing some of the most gorgeous Catholic cathedrals and pilgrim sites, I realized that this was indeed my root. In my baptism I was already a part of the Church, part of the continuity with my family and community and that, in my baptism, I was heir to a 2000 year Christian tradition.

For some of us, the feeling of finding our place in history is a very powerful feeling, and something that the Church, being so old, can offer. Its traditions also make membership a strong bond. I hope you can see from this post that, at least for Catholics, there is high value in infant baptism, especially for those of us that have a tendency to wander.

 

[stovebolts]

Baptism is the first step after salvation. But while baptism has no merit in securing ones salvation, this act of obedience is a "badge of discipleship" in which a believer publicly identifies with Christ and his church

Well,... while I don't entirely disagree with what you've said, I'd really enjoy hearing a direct response to my inquiry.

So, do you believe that baptism holds a purpose for the believer only.

What about the community, are they also impacted by an individual baptism and if so, how? In other words, how does baptism edify the Body of Christ if at all?

Or is it a simple rite that we do just to go through the motions and really isn't needed one way or the other?

 

[ThreeInOne]

But don't you think that if they were truly saved that they would want to find a Bible teaching church so that they can grow in their faith? I would think it would make no sense to stay in a church where they teach lots of false doctrine.

Couldn't agree more.
After my conversion from Catholicism to Christianity, I stayed in the Catholic church briefly (mainly to please my parents who were very upset that I was now "born again") but a couple months after sitting there, I wasn't being fed in any kind of way. It was the same ritual week after week after week. And boring enough to kill ya!
I left and found a real bible believing church and it was as if I woke up for the first time!
I'd never go back.

 

[sisterchristian]

Couldn't agree more.
After my conversion from Catholicism to Christianity, I stayed in the Catholic church briefly (mainly to please my parents who were very upset that I was now "born again") but a couple months after sitting there, I wasn't being fed in any kind of way. It was the same ritual week after week after week. And boring enough to kill ya!
I left and found a real bible believing church and it was as if I woke up for the first time!
I'd never go back.

I agree, It can bore you to tears! :

 

[ThreeInOne]

Baptism is the first step after salvation. But while baptism has no merit in securing ones salvation, this act of obedience is a "badge of discipleship" in which a believer publicly identifies with Christ and his church

That's correct! :angel:

 

[jgredline]

That's correct! :angel:

I concur

 

[ThreeInOne]

Even though I don't remember the event of being baptized, as I grew I could always grasp something of its significance.

And isn't being baptized something you'd WANT to remember?

 

[jgredline]

Folks...

As soon as one is born again, one is baptized ''into Christ''...This is what Peter is talking about when he says..Baptism now saves us...He is talking about Christ, not water baptism...