"To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.” and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe him whom he has sent. Completely unguided by the Holy Spirit.

 

Catholic responses to the Booklet: “Answers to my Catholic Friends” by Thomas F. Heinze    part 3

A Catholic reply to Protestant “[mis]- Understandings” Part 3

“WHERE Do the Differences Between Catholics and Come From?”

His final statement in this section proclaims: 

It is at the end of these points where Thomas Pontificates: “that each of us must decide what he will do.”

Sin has three sources: 1. The world we live in and it’s sinful influence; 2. Our “flesh /Passions”; 3. and the Devil. All three have a part in the lack of RIGHT understanding of the Bible.

1. Those around us “naturally” influence our way of thinking [or NOT thinking for ourselves]. 

Most of us are reluctant to “buck the popular trends” for fear of personal embarrassment, stemming from a lack of understanding and faith in God.

2. Our passions; this time in the form of “Pride”  is one of Satan’s favorite and most utilized tools. 

“Knowing more than; or knowing better than” God, the Catholic Church,

 Every Pope and even History, as well as the Bible all  take a lesser place of significance to Protestant secular “logic”. 

 Our “right to our own opinion” often negates and exceeds the reality of the truth

3. The Devil is Real, active, cunning, duplicitous and builds on all three vehicles to aid God in blocking RIGHT understanding of the Bible. God with His motive and satan with his own reasons. “One’s right” of self interpretation; despite it being clearly denied in the bible itself, is ignored and denied.

2^nd. Peter 1: 16-21  “You will do well to pay attention to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation,  because no prophecy ever came by the impulse of man, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”

Matt.13:9-12 “He who has ears, let him hear." Then the disciples came and said to him, "

Why do you speak to them in parables?" And he answered them,

 "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven,

 but to them it has not been given.”  For to him who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. “

2^nd. Peter 3: 14-17  “Therefore, beloved, since you wait for these, be zealous to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. And count the forbearance of our Lord as salvation. So also our beloved brother Paul wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, speaking of this as he does in all his letters.

 There are some things in them hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other scriptures. You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, beware lest you be carried away with the error of lawless men and lose your own stability

John 5: 37 “And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness to me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen; 

 and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe him whom he has sent.  

You search the scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life;  

and it is they that bear witness to me;  yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life [Speaking of accepting the entire WORD of GOD]. 

I do not receive glory from men .[Meaning disobedience is rampant!]  But I know that you have not the love of God within you.  I have come in my Father's name, and you do not receive me” [Listen to or Obey Me!]

Our Catholic Catechism # 1849 defines “sin” as follows: “Sin is an offense against reason, truth, and right conscience; it is failure in genuine love for God and neighbor caused by a perverse attachment to certain goods. [PRIDE]  It wounds the nature of man and injures human solidarity. It has been defined as "an utterance, a deed, or a desire contrary to the eternal law."

Pope Saint “Basil The Great” say’s this about sin:

“Sin is the misuse of powers granted by God for God’s Good and Glory, and used contrary to the manner God himself commands“.

James 1:12-17 “Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness [OBEDIENCE] have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all men generously and without reproaching, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways, will receive anything from the Lord. … Blessed is the man who endures trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted with evil and he himself tempts no one; but each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. [One’s own will and PRIDE] Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin; and sin when it is full-grown brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.   Every good endowment and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” 

It ought not be a surprise that each of Thomas’ positions is based on a continuation of secular-humanistic-logic. 

Completely unguided by the Holy Spirit.  

There can only be a single truth per issue [applying logic here], so the position of Thomas seems to be that there was no biblical truth prior to the formation of our  Brethren’s Protestant faith’s [plural], and there newly discovered  and uncovered “truths‘ after a period of about ONE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED YEARS of ONLY one Faith; the Faith of the Catholic Church. Their first error is again; denial of Christ in the Eucharist, and the FACT that as Jesus Himself assures us;  “I AM God and I AM Present“, He therefore deserves and commands the place of honor afforded to Him in Catholic Practice. That is why the altar if Sacrifice in located front and center. God becomes Preset on it!

Second; on the issue of “authority.” Thomas [and most Protestants] are not recognizing what the Bible ACTUALLY say’s about the Catholic Church teachings Authoritatively, because it alone is Christ Own Church, and the One set of faith-beliefs taught and protected by God himself. The issue is further solidified by the fact that the Bible remains a Catholic Book, in collection, and in origin of the entire New Testament which explains then why God ONLY guides the CC in granting His “FULL TRUTH“, and CORRECT UNDERSTANDING of His Word.

It is extremely important; even vital to recognize that the Protestant claim that the bible; for them, “acts for “as their “god,” This is based on a complete and total falsehood. Because God” is not with them in the same manner He IS with us Catholics. The Bible Alone” then acts as the “only and final authority“, leading Protestants to consistent errors and numerous disagreements within even there own non-catholic ranks.” YET that same “final authority” is NOT fully accepted, and is often rejected, with amazing consistently, as “common self- selectively” is regularly applied on all of their following positions which are taught in the Bible.

1. Only One God; Only One set of Faith beliefs, and Only one church approved, guided and guarded organization as was set up by Christ. [John 14:16-17; John 17:15-19; John 20-19-22; Matt. 28:16-20, Matt. 16:18-19].

2. The Primacy of Peter. Jesus gave the key’s to heavens access to Peter and the CC alone.

3. The denial of the proper place and absolute need for the CC as The Primary and Guided Teacher chosen by God

4. The essential Role of grace , especially “sacramental grace“ in BOTH Faith and salvation

5. Salvation issues and how salvation might be possible [clearly NOT OSAS] which denies God’s Divinity and humanities freewill, mind and intellect.

6. Predestination as part of salvation is NOT God’s way [nor the bibles, IF correctly understood.

7. The Seven Sacraments ALL instituted by Christ [explicitly or implicitly] for our benefit.

8. Forgiveness of Sins and how it  MUST happen, because God Himself say’s so.

9. That reading the Bible while a good thing;

 OFTEN [as evidenced by the MULTITUDE of Protestant denominations and varying faith-beliefs] ;

 is dangerous when not done in full-accord with the One Authority guided and honored by God; thee CC.

 [Mt.16:15-19; Mt.28:16-20; John 14:16-17; John 17:15-19, John 20:19-22; Eph. 4:1-7, Acts 20:29, Rom. 3:2; Jer. 3:15; 1 John 4:4-5;  2^nd. Cor. 11:12-13, All of John chapter six; Mt. 7:21-23, 2^nd. Tim. 4:1-4, 2^nd. Tim.3:16-17, and 2^nd. Peter 2:1-2.] AND THIS IS only A PARTIAL LIST OF BIBLE PASSAGES THEY DO NOT ACCEPT., so it seems foolish to spend more time on this topic.

10.  Traditions: Which is interesting from two perspectives. As the Bible was not completely written until the end of the First Century; and even then, it was not collected or widely available, although some individual writings were referenced from time to time, so the Early Church HAD TO rely on Traditions and personal accounts [inspired by the Holy Spirit [John 14:26] ; and the second point is the VERY Bible, they claim to follow admonishes the early Church to FOLLOW Traditions.

2 Thess. 2: 13-15 “But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

 So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter.”

2 Thess. 6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is living in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us