The PuritanBoard - View Single Post

Grimmson · #20 (**permalink**) 07-01-2009, 07:33 PM

At this point to answer the question I think it is important to make some distinctions. 1) to seperate out the theological system of Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox with a more orthodox theological system and 2) the culture that Rome and the Eastern churches produce. One, in my option, can be saved and believe in the True Christ and the True Gospel while falling into these systems, but that is despite of these systems. Likewise it is true with our systems one may be lost but adhere to the points of doctrine. but still be lost. We need to be careful to remember that we are not saved based on our parents, our hertiage, or our theolgical system, but based on the grace of God through faith. I am not down playing the use of doctrine for I see it as a tool to dertermine who is in the faith and who is not. There are many roman Catholics today that do not agree with Rome on many points, and if we are to condem them for being a part of Rome, then also condem the church next door and those who attend there for haveing the same doctrine of salvation, I'm leaving out justification for now. We all know Rome goes with the times and they are extremely liberal, however this liberalism in a way could be a blessing for the return to true orthodox when the bad arguments are striped away like for example Limbo and possibly Purgatory soon. I have meet those who had faith in Christ alone and did not really know what Rome taught offical and heard a wide variety of things. I once got into an argument with a past Roman Catholic on the histoical position of Rome on reading their Bible, where this person who was Roman atholic was being told by the priest they should read their bible. So there are elments of possiblity that exists for real christians and Rome is not consistant with themselves, their main argument agaist denominations. We just need to teach the bible plainly and be paitent for those coming to a fuller knowlege of the faith.