Deepening my faith
I just came from a Bible study from CCF last night. I find their teachings inspiring and I love hearing and studing the Word of God but there's just something that conflicts with what I believe with what they are teaching. So the questions begin: why do Born-Again Christians, Catholics and other religions who believe in Jesus Christ have to be divided? Is there a way to unite them since they all believe in the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ? I know they have set of beliefs that is conflicting but is there a way to resolve them once in for all? I know it's far from happening right now but I know it can happen someday.
I'm born as a Roman Catholic and I chose to be one. I was raised in a Catholic family and environment. The schools that I attended are all Catholic: OLLC, SMACC (also know as OLGA), and DLSU-Manila. But I do have friends, colleagues, relatives that are both Catholic and Born-Again Christians. I attended and still continue to attend (for some) several recollections, retreat, Bible study, Mass from different groups: both Catholic and Born-Again Christians such as The Feast of Bo Sanchez, CCF, Destiny, Victory Church, Legion of Mary, Catholic Sunday Mass, Catholic retreat and recollections, Opus Dei recollections in Belair, etc. I intended to attend both because I want to know both their beliefs and be convinced and convicted to what I will truly belief in the end. I want to deepen my faith and believe it by heart. I want to know God more and know what He wants me to do.
And so I researched. The main issues I was looking for are the idea of Heaven-Hell and Purgatory (for Catholic alone), and how will we have eternal life (with Faith alone, or Faith + Good works) etc. I stumbled upon sites that I find interesting:
Is Purgatory Found in the Bible?
http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/2005/0511sbs.asp
Comparing catholic and protestant’s view on good works:
http://vivacatholic.wordpress.com/2007/09/30/comparing-catholic-and-protestants-view-on-good-works/
Salvation through good works?
http://thiscatholicjourney.com/2006/11/salvation-through-good-works.html
These verses caught my attention:
Ephesians 2:8-10
For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.
1 Corinthians 13:13
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
John 14:15
If you love me, you will obey what I command.
Matthew 19:16-17
16 Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"
17 "Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."
And Jesus is telling us about the Love commandment to simplify the 10 Commandments.
Actually, I value the beliefs of other people. I know we are subject to our own interpretation of God's word but one thing I know is:
All boils to our love and faith to God. If we really love Him, good works follow and we will follow Jesus' steps. So the question is not how we will be saved but what we can do to please and honor God out our love for Him. What is important is we enter a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ and be like Jesus in a way.
Please feel free to comment. I know this is a subject that is hard to discuss. But I'm still in the phase of deepening my faith more so I want to understand. I also don't want to be swayed easily by what I just hear. I want to not just follow something I don't believe in. I hope God will give me the wisdom and His grace. :)
I'm born as a Roman Catholic and I chose to be one. I was raised in a Catholic family and environment. The schools that I attended are all Catholic: OLLC, SMACC (also know as OLGA), and DLSU-Manila. But I do have friends, colleagues, relatives that are both Catholic and Born-Again Christians. I attended and still continue to attend (for some) several recollections, retreat, Bible study, Mass from different groups: both Catholic and Born-Again Christians such as The Feast of Bo Sanchez, CCF, Destiny, Victory Church, Legion of Mary, Catholic Sunday Mass, Catholic retreat and recollections, Opus Dei recollections in Belair, etc. I intended to attend both because I want to know both their beliefs and be convinced and convicted to what I will truly belief in the end. I want to deepen my faith and believe it by heart. I want to know God more and know what He wants me to do.
And so I researched. The main issues I was looking for are the idea of Heaven-Hell and Purgatory (for Catholic alone), and how will we have eternal life (with Faith alone, or Faith + Good works) etc. I stumbled upon sites that I find interesting:
Is Purgatory Found in the Bible?
http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/2005/0511sbs.asp
Comparing catholic and protestant’s view on good works:
http://vivacatholic.wordpress.com/2007/09/30/comparing-catholic-and-protestants-view-on-good-works/
Salvation through good works?
http://thiscatholicjourney.com/2006/11/salvation-through-good-works.html
These verses caught my attention:
Ephesians 2:8-10
For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.
1 Corinthians 13:13
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
John 14:15
If you love me, you will obey what I command.
Matthew 19:16-17
16 Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"
17 "Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."
And Jesus is telling us about the Love commandment to simplify the 10 Commandments.
Actually, I value the beliefs of other people. I know we are subject to our own interpretation of God's word but one thing I know is:
All boils to our love and faith to God. If we really love Him, good works follow and we will follow Jesus' steps. So the question is not how we will be saved but what we can do to please and honor God out our love for Him. What is important is we enter a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ and be like Jesus in a way.
Please feel free to comment. I know this is a subject that is hard to discuss. But I'm still in the phase of deepening my faith more so I want to understand. I also don't want to be swayed easily by what I just hear. I want to not just follow something I don't believe in. I hope God will give me the wisdom and His grace. :)