 |
| Author | Post |
|---|
Darlene
Member
| Joined: | Mon Oct 9th, 2006 |
| Location: | Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania USA |
| Posts: | 868 |
| First Name: | Darlene | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Christian, trusting His love and forgiveness |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Wed Dec 20th, 2006 01:57 am |
|
Hello Folks,
My husband and I were having a chat this morning about visiting our Pentecostal friends next week. We have known them for many years. Actually, they were in the "cult" with us at the same time we were there so even though we may not agree on everything doctrinally, we have a close bond with them. Kind of like old war buddies.
After my husband was finished talking to the husband, he told me a little bit about his conversation. I think I mentioned that this brother was in a car accident in March of this year and is now a para-plegic. Anyway, we have had a burden for this brother and have wanted to visit him and his wife for some time. My husband related to me how this brother is now able to pray and study the Bible more than ever before and what a blessing it is for him. He told my husband about various people that have been praying for him and visiting with him. Then my husband said, "Even a Catholic couple are coming to visit our brother. They have been praying and fellowshipping with him and recently they accepted Christ, but they still haven't left the Catholic Church." At first I didn't believe him. I thought he was just telling me a story to debate Catholicism again. Then he reassured me by saying, "No, I'm telling you the truth. A Catholic couple have been visiting our friends. They read about our brother's accident and felt called to visit him. And they prayed with him to accept Christ. Even though they were raised as Catholic, they didn't know Jesus."
That last part about them not knowing Jesus bothered me so I protested. "What do you mean when you say they did not "know" Jesus? And who are you to say that they did not know Jesus? How do you actually know that?" Now our daughter was able to hear our conversation and she said, "Mom, I was just thinking the exact same thing as you." Well, my husband never answered the question because I suppose he couldn't or didn't want to. Besides we were all going in different directions and he had to leave the house for awhile.
I was able to be so direct because I sensed that the Holy Spirit emboldened me. Now I didn't say it in anger or aggressively, just assertively. Anyway, after my husband left, I started to talk with our daughter a little bit about some of the changes that I am going through, without mentioning the Catholic Church specifically. I did say to her that I am beginning to see just how black and white my her Dad is in regard to his faith and that he doesn't ever want to bend. The description "staunch Protestant Evangelical" accurately describes him. She said "I've just accepted that is the way Dad is. I don't know if he'll ever change."
Then later in the day we had another conversation, when the subject of Catholics came up again. (He brought it up not me) We were talking about Eternal Security and why it isn't scripturally accurate. By the way, it is good that we can both agree to disagree with this false doctrine. That gives us some unity, right? Anyway, he said something to the effect of what he thought Catholics believe in regard to Eternal Security and he was dead wrong. I don't remember the exact words except that he was trying to say that Catholics pretty much believe in the same thing. That was when I disagreed with him and the Lord gave me the grace to express just exactly what Catholics believe in this regard. He replied by saying, "Well, I never met a Catholic that was ever able to express what they believe and why they believe it." That is when I said to him that the ignorance of any denominations' members doesn't nullify the doctrines their faith adheres to. Regardless of how little the members of a certain faith know about their church's teaching doesn't prove that the doctrines of that faith are necessarily erroneous. Afterall, I pointed to our church and said, "How many even in our church could be able to defend the Christain faith and express accurately what our Church's doctrines are?" He agreed that many of the members in our church know little about what they believe and why they believe it. Then I told him that if we went around to all of the Protestant churches in our area and asked several of the members what they believed and why, many wouldn't be able to defend their faith. Again he agreed with me. Basically the conversation ended with me saying "Remember Jesus said, "Let the wheat and the tares grow together." And there are tares in every church, not just the Catholic Church."
Sorry to ramble. I thought some of you might find our conversations amusing or at least entertaining or perhaps just interesting. One thing about our household is that we are able to have conversations about our beliefs and our faith very easily. It is just about as easy and natural for us to talk about spiritual things as it is for the general population to eat. I think that is a good thing, don't you?
God Bless You,
Darlene
____________________
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. II Corinthians 13:14
|
|
|
CajunRick
Guest
| Joined: | |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | |
| First Name: | | | Gender: | | | Faith History: | |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Wed Dec 20th, 2006 02:08 am |
|
| It is definitely a good thing that you are able to have faith discussions on a spiritual and intellectual level, without resorting to anger. A very positive development!
|
|
|
twiggymoo
Member
| Joined: | Fri Oct 13th, 2006 |
| Location: | Maryland USA |
| Posts: | 38 |
| First Name: | Twiggymoo | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Nazarene, Free Methodist, Baptist..Romeward bound |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Wed Dec 20th, 2006 01:35 pm |
|
Hi Darlene,
That is a blessing that you can dialogue with your spouse although there is disagreement. It's not ideal for you but it is a start and your husband may even begin to question what he's been taught about Catholics.
|
|
|
Current time is 10:26 am | |
|
|
|
|
|
