Universal Reconciliation and the Roman Catholic Church

[Bubba]

I understand that being uncivil is a good reason to terminate discussion about a given subject, yet last year when I was visiting the forum, the whole Roman Catholic debate often became uncivil. Why does one group get banned and not the other?
Bubba

 

[Catholic Crusader]

You might want to read this: viewtopic.php?f=14&t=24945

 

[Bubba]

Yes, I did read the moderator's comment. Again, be it freewill vs God's sovereignty, annihilation vs eternal punishment, individuals sometimes get carried away. Banish the individual not the whole group.
Bubba

 

[Catholic Crusader]

Well, I don't really know that much about it. But from what little I know, it seems my Church is in sort of a middle ground.

From what I have gathered, there are Fundamentalist Christians who say that if you haven't accepted Christ as your savior, you're going to hell. Cut and dry. I, and the Church, reject that notion.

Again, from what I have gathered, the Universal Reconciliation folks think that everyone will be saved. I, and the Church, reject that notion also.

It is true that God wills the salvation of all men. Therefore, we believe that, since this is His will, he will give graces to all men so that they can be saved. So, if a little 5-year-old Muslim boy dies in a village AND NEVER GOT TO HEAR ABOUT JESUS, this being no fault of his own, he too can be saved if he lived according to whatever light God showed him. (Of course, his salvation is still because of the sacrafice of Christ.)

However, if a person does not respond to the graces God gives them - or - if they are fully aware and understanding of the Christian faith and still reject it, damnation will probably be their fate. (Of course, only God know this for sure.)

That's about all I know. Since this is apparently a forbidden subject though, thats all I'm going to say, so please don't ask me anymore about.

 

[Rick W]

This is the Statement of Faith of our forums, and of our leadership.

There is one true God, eternally existing in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The bible is the inspired, infallible and authoritative Word of God.

Jesus Christ, God's only Son, was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born a virgin birth, lived a sinless life, died an atoning death upon a cross, raised from the dead, and ascended to the right hand of the Father where He will one day return to the earth.

That man is in a lost and depraved condition by nature, and is in need of the new birth by the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit.

In justification by faith apart from the works of the law.

That salvation comes through Jesus Christ alone, to whom we must respond with repentance, faith, and obedience. Through Christ we come into a right relationship with God, our sins are forgiven, and we receive eternal life.

I would like to add a little more to our statement of faith and expand a little to what Logan has posted......

Doctrinal Statement

We believe that the Bible is inspired by God in its entirety, and is without error in the original autographs, a complete and final written revelation from God.

We believe that there is only one God, who is eternal and immutable, and manifests Himself in three distinct Persons; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

We believe that Jesus of Nazareth is the promised Messiah, born of a virgin, totally without sin, God in human flesh, the One Who died on the cross for our sins, was buried, rose again from the dead on the third day, and ascended to the right hand of the Father in heaven, where He now intercedes for us who believe in Him.

We believe that all humanity is lost and born with a sinful nature, and can only be saved by a personal faith in the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, and not by any human merit or performance.

We believe in a personal devil, called Satan, who, along with all his angels, called demons or evil spirits, are destined to spend eternity in hell, and now seek to deceive the world, defeat the believers, and destroy the work of God, but can be resisted by believers, who are protected by God and the intercession of Jesus Christ our Lord.

We believe that heaven is a real place where the saved will dwell forever, and that hell is a literal place of torment where unbelievers will be punished.

We believe that genuine believers are born again by the Holy Spirit of God, and are indwelt, baptized into the body of Christ, the true church, and sealed by the Holy Spirit, and thus, unable to be separated from the love of Jesus Christ.

We believe that all believers need to be filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit to live a godly life and to be bold in our witness for the Lord.

We believe in the spiritual unity of all genuine believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.