[quote:28b5dztm]Yes you are. I would highly doubt it too because a true Christian has a changed heart to do what pleases God, not rob a bank and kill someone. If He was however perhaps that accident was not accidental at all for God disciplines His children….now don’t go away with out answering the question – what sins did Jesus not die for that you doubt His ability to clean one’s soul?[/quote:28b5dztm]

This does point out some of the problems inherent in Protestantism. The listing is not comprehensive.

1. The subjectiveness of the Protestant position, once again everyone his own Pope. The difference is there are no limits to what the individual Popes can say and do. In the Catholic Church the Pope is limited in his infallibility and Jurisdiction. While a Catholic Pope may proclaim solemnly based on evidence that someone is now among the blessed in Heaven, and place their name on the Canon of Saints, and may (as may a Council ratified by the Pope) pronounce an Anathema*, he does not proclaim someone to be in Hell, as only God can judge the internal motivation of someone. In Protestantism each person can simply pronounce, “He/She is (was) not a real Christian because He/She did not live up to what I define through my personal interpretation of the Scriptures.

2. Authentic interpretation of Scripture. In the Catholic Church, (we will set aside Oral Tradition for the moment) The Sacred Scriptures are preserved and studied in the context of (not an exaustive list, but the most important considerations) the language, culture and time they where written. Not equal to but important in deciphering what the Scriptures tell us, we have the writings of the Early Church and Church Fathers, these men where the desciples of the Apostles, or their immediate successors. They heard the explanation of the Faith, both of the Biblical and extra-Biblical accounts straight from the Apostles, and desciples who where first hand hearers of the words spoken by the Word. With regard to original languages, I’ve brought up before, the greek text as written by St. Paul, (confirmed by recent discoveries of first and second century fragments of the NT books) use the term [b:28b5dztm][u:28b5dztm]Is in the process of saving us[/u:28b5dztm][/b:28b5dztm] where the english translation is rendered saved. As Catholics we know that our salvation is not dependent on a split second “decision for Christ” and a one time “accepting Him as our Savior” but is rather begun at the waters of baptism, where supernatural grace and true faith is given us by the merits of Christ. The Sacraments, are external signs of what Christ promised in scripture He would do, and are also a sign of our submission to Christ and his instructions to the Apostles, as to what they are commissioned to do. “Go therefore and preach…baptizing…” knowing we would fall after coming to him because of our own weakness He gave us other helps for the journey of salvation, (or the good race as St. Paul calls it.) He gave authority for the Apostles to forgive sins, something He himself was questioned about by the religious authorities of His day.

Protestants vary, some say that study of the greek is essential, and understanding the culture and phrases of the day are helpful, others say only their translation and God’s inspiration of them is essential or proper.
The fruits of the second are Babble, One sect splitting off from the next, Churches composed of “Saved” and “Unsaved” upon which there is no agreement, and one can be denounced if they do or say something that “God inspired them to do” that is not communicated by God to another when he reads the same Scripture Passage. As an example the Disciples of Christ Sect. The sect split in the mid 20th Century when one faction decided that no musical instruments are mentioned in the NT, so it was a sin to use them. The other faction said that since some Insturments are mentioned in the OT they could be. The Sect split and one holds the other to be unsaved over the use of Musical Instruments. What does that say about Churches that use electronic organs, or electric guitars etc.? Based on this private interpretation which they hold as need informtaion on conduct to be saved, I guess it does not matter if one accepts Jesus, unless one accepts or rejects the acapella Jesus.

More later…