Catholic Revelation

For many of our Christian brothers and sisters in Christ, a simple confession of faith with one’s lips is all that is necessary to be saved once and for all.  I have heard many denounce the works of Catholics as no more than a futile attempt to earn salvation.  Some common and typical responses I hear are, “Jesus did all the work, now all you have to do is accept it”, or one of the most recent is, “The commandments are no longer necessary, they are of the Old Testament, but the only rule we need in the New Testament is, to love Jesus as He loves us, or to love one another as we love ourselves”.

My reason for bringing  all of this up is not as another prelude for arguing against the false doctrine of “Once Saved, Always Saved”.  Rather, I have a different reason this time, and it has to do with what Catholics believe Jesus really means when he commands us to love one another.   Is a simple verbal confession of faith in one’s love for Christ, the type of love Jesus not only speaks of, but models for us in the Gospels?

As we reflect upon the death and resurrection of Christ this Lenten season, we might want to think about what loving Christ really means, and I have spent some time doing just this.  I have reflected most particularly on the Gospel of John, and some very telling passages that relate to how we are called to live as Christians today.  I wanted to share some thoughts I had. Read more...