It must seem awfully odd to not have the support and comfort of the Church in trying to live as a Christian. I was trying to imagine myself just sitting in a room reading a Bible and making up doctrine from it. There are so many directions one could go in! Amazing to be foolish enough to consider one's own self capable of developing doctrine.
Sanctus, I don’t have anything against the Catholic Church. In fact I am grateful for the church as been the originators of the bible.
But the key figure in this whole religious scenario is Jesus. And that is what I focus on regardless of how I worship Him.
It is like parents of six children. They are all children regardless of how they show their love for the parents.
The focus is on love for the parents not how that love is exercised.
I have mentioned many times before that I desire no one to change who or what they are unless God moves them to.
Not everybody has the same level or degree of faith. So, there must-needs-be those who can relate to all those levels in order to be able reach them for Christ. Some require reigid structure, other don't.
God can not be boxed into one religion. But there can be one faith, one spirit and one God.
In the Catholic discussion thread, I posted a website. This website details the discussion of universal salvation as well as other topics. Heaven: and hell too.
When God touches the heart, it doesn’t matter what religion we are of, or not.
If and when God moves in ones heart, He will direct our paths to maximize the our best efforts on His behalf.
God works through us as vessels to demonstrate His power and His glory to His praise.
He is the Potter we are the clay, He moulds us and shapes us to what He desires of us.
And those vessels of clay can be anything He wants, Mormons, Baptist, Catholics, etc.
We all are going through the fiery furnace, (The world) tested and true, to come out at the end a complete and purified vessel.
If our works are made of wood or stubble, they shall be burned and we shall suffer loss.
But if our works are made of silver or gold, then the fire will only refine it and make it a joy.
The works I speak are as to what motive is behind them that drives us to either suffer loss of joy, or gain joy and contentment in Gods honoring us as with His blessings.
There should be no argument between us really, because we believe in the same Lord and God.
We should be of the same spirit even though we practice honoring God differently.
That should be not a problem because we love each other as brothers and sisters.
You worship how you like, I worship how I like as long as we both love God and brethren, which is in harmony with the two great commandments that Jesus left us with.
Unity of spirit does not mean unity of religions.
Peace>>>AJ:love9: