Thousands gather as Virgin Mary set to make major statement at Knock shrine
Thousands of Irish people claim to have witnessed apparitions of the Virgin Mary in the skies over Knock shrine in Co Mayo.
About 5,000 people gathered at the holy Catholic shrine earlier this month amid a Dublin-based clairvoyant's predictions that an apparition would appear on October 11.
They reported that they could see images of the Virgin Mary shimmering in the sky as the sun danced nearby.
Another apparition has been predicted by the same clairvoyant, Joe Coleman, for this weekend and several thousand people are expected to make the pilgrimage to Knock....
Bert....How are we saved ? How are we going to have eternal life?
It certainly cannot be from any action we perform because we are dead. The only way we can be saved is if God saves us. It is entirely God’s action. We read in Galatians Chapter 2, verse 16: Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. We are saved by the faith of Christ. Christ was faithful. Before the foundation of the world, God named those whom He planned to save, and He obligated Himself to save them. God works through the Gospel, as it goes out into the world, to seek and to save the lost. We read in Luke Chapter 19, verse 10: For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. Salvation requires the miracle of life, and the only giver of life is God. We cannot make ourselves live. We had nothing to do with our first birth; we did not make a decision to be born, and we do not make a decision about our rebirth. When we become saved, God has done everything to save us.
The Bible prohibits that idea. We are not saved by any work that we do. We read in Romans Chapter 3, verses 10 to 12: As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. We are spiritually dead; we are a spiritual corpse. There is no way that we can turn to God. Only in spiritual blindness do people say they have free will.
Bert..as others on this site have said ,take a bit of time off and read and study the word of GOD
The Bible says that before we are saved, we are in rebellion against God. God says in Psalm 107, verses 10 and 11: Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron; Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High. We will never turn to God of ourselves. We do not have free will. Our will has been sold out to sin and to Satan, but a great many theologians and Bible teachers do not want to admit that this is true. Many people like the idea that, “I can turn to God when I want to turn to God. My will is free. I am not in bondage to sin to the degree that I cannot turn to God.” That might be a neat salvation program, if it were true, because, “it would put me in charge of when I would be saved, and I would not have to depend 100% upon God. God has to do some of the work, but I will finish the work when I turn to Him.” However NOT TRUE.
The term “free will” is used frequently in religious circles. The theological meaning of “free will” is that mankind was designed in such a way that in and of his own will, if he wants to turn to God, he is free to turn to God. It means that of himself, with no outside help, there is nothing to keep him from turning to God. The fact is that mankind does not have that kind of free will. We have a free will to decide, with no outside help, what color tie to wear ,what time to go to bed, and what to have for lunch,what to do on saturday and things of that nature. When it comes to a relationship with God, the Bible says that before we are saved, we are enemies of God. We read in Romans Chapter 5, verse 10: For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
I rather think, after reading this tiny section of Frenchie's commentary on Acts 2:38, that you have not really comprehended what the word "works" actually means. I will recommend you to read the entire section, which may help you to see something good.
"Furthermore, because the inward conversion of the heart ought to bring forth fruits in the life, repentance cannot be rightly taught unless works be required, not those frivolous works which are only in estimation amongst the Papists, but such as are sound testimonies of innocence and holiness."
Referring to Rome as a cult is important because it deceives, eg., Mark 16:16, they take out of context and only use the first half of the verse and convince their adherents to do likewise.
We may take this a verse at a time if you prefer.
Acts 2:38 The word "for" is the greek preposition, eis. It may also be translated "because of". Notice the repentance at Ninevah.
Matt. 12:41 "The men of Nineveh shall stand up with this generation at the judgment and shall condemn it, BECAUSE they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here."
Eis is the word translated as because. They repented BECAUSE of the preaching of Jonah.
According to, "Wuest's Word Studies" from the Greek New Testament for the English Reader, the correct and more clear translation of Peter's plea at Pentecost is,"Repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ BECAUSE of the remission of sins."
As you will see this is in total harmony with the rest of Scripture.
"He that BELIEVETH on the Son 'HATH' eternal life : and he that 'BELIEVETH NOT' the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."
Belief in Christ alone gives eternal life immediately(hath or has)no baptism or any other external rites.
DisplacedMaritimer(Bert) wrote: He **chooses** to give us free will - He waits for *us* to make the first move towards Him. **THEN** He will bathe us with His Power and Love and guide us safely Home.
Bert; THAT is the formula for converting the RIGHTEOUS; - not for converting the sinner. Christ Jesus came to save sinners - not righteous people.
The mortal is DEAD in sin till grace and the Holy Spirit MAKE ALIVE.
Jo 6:63 It is THE SPIRIT THAT QUICKENETH; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
Ro 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, *HE* that raised up Christ from the dead SHALL also QUICKEN your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
Eph 2:1 And you hath *HE* QUICKENED, who were DEAD in trespasses and sins; _________
Mike wrote: from the ATASFIRBV (Add To and Subtract From Improperly Reformulated Bible Version)
Please read and digest the same point as written above.
Election by God is; - Providentially given the righteous position IN CHRIST before God! (Hearts wrought by Spirit alone) Otherwise they are in a state of sin from which THEY cannot spiritually decide to come to Christ.
Bert . . by way of postscript to my most recent post, I would add . . .
I thank God that I was not exposed to the terminology . . Calvinism . . Arminianism until a few years ago, and judging from the various posts here, I can only regard this as a great mercy from God.
Notwithstanding I thank God for His irresistable grace, His living Word and His quickening Spirit that lead me into Truth, the truth as it is in Jesus.
Bert, in that regard, I believe when Christ taught us to pray “Thy kingdom come . . thy will be done” it was this that He had in mind . . . “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me.” (John 6:37) All that God gave to Christ will at last be saved and brought into the Kingdom of God for this is HIS PLAN OF SALVATION and none can frustrate it.
For . . ."none can stay his hand, or say unto Him, What doest thou?" (Daniel 4:35)
The best advice I can offer you now would be to leave the forum for a time, that you might prayerfully read God's precious and living Word.
As Christ Himself declared: "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life." (John 6:63)
That is a beautiful testement of your Faith. I wish you well in whatever Church you find happiness. I am not trying to convert you back to the Catholic Church, although I wouldn't stop you if you wanted to come back There are two things that are important to me for someone in your situation:
1) I know that the official word from the Catholic Church is that you have to be Catholic to be saved. I used to believe that but I no longer do. The reason for my change of heart is that one day I was reading my Bible - the Gospel of John to be specific - and I came across Jesus' discourse in John 9:38-40. I had read those Passages many times before but for some reason (read Holy Spirit) they really touched me and I realized that Jesus was referring to people outside what was to become the Catholic Church. If you truly believe in Jesus, you can be saved regardless of which Church you belong to.
2) I have noticed many times over the years that people who leave the Catholic Church (or any organization for that matter) feel a certain amount of hatred towards the Church. Please don't let that happen to you. Hatred has only one origin: satan. No matter what happened in the past, try to love all Catholics and the Catholic Church. Don't do satan's bidding for him.
For God so love the elect, that he gave his only begotten Son, that the elect that believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Come unto me, all ye elect that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all the pre-chosen through him might believe.
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-elect, not willing that any of us-elect should perish, but that all of us-elect should come to repentance.
The pre-chosen shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole, if I was chosen to do so from before the foundation of the world.
For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon the few.
And whosoever, i.e., the pre-chosen, liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw some, not all, men unto me.
from the ATASFIRBV (Add To and Subtract From Improperly Reformulated Bible Version)
As you know, I was a R.C. By tradition, but made a Christian by the “new birth”(John 3:3-8)
My conversion followed on after a woman, who I knew only casually, gave me a Bible. I had never read God's precious Word before that time, some 20 years ago, but upon receipt of it,I found I could not put it down. His Word brought me under conviction of my sin and in time, came with converting power as well to my soul when I learned of Christ, and did by faith, lay hold of him as a refuge for my soul. For “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Rom. 10:17) and as it is written . . .”And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.” (John. 6:45) And while the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, it is the love of Christ that constrains me now. I love Him because He first loved me. (1 Jo. 1: 19) Bert, may it please God to make you “wise unto salvation through the Holy Scriptures through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 3:15) . . as He did me!
Truly the Scripture that reads thus . . “I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee” (Jer. 31:3) is my testimony.
John UK wrote: Arminists, and all others, portray God as weak, unable to save without human co-operation.
Oh dear, John
No, John, that is not correct. God **CAN** do anything he wants including dragging blasphemers kicking and screaming into Heaven. But, He **chooses** to give us free will - He waits for *us* to make the first move towards Him. **THEN** He will bathe us with His Power and Love and guide us safely Home.
John UK wrote: You portray God as sitting back, willing for people to repent, and crying when they refuse.
Exactly. God doesn't want a single soul to end up in hell. But He will not interfere in our lives. He waits patiently for us to come to Him.
John UK wrote: You imagine that his love is insufficient to woo his elect and win them.
His love is more than sufficient. But, again, He CHOOSES not to interfere.
John UK wrote: Thus you minimize his love, and reckon it be naught.
You misunderstand our position, John. God's love is eternal and ever powerful. He just chooses to let us make our own decisions.
That is what God did for those of us whom He saved. What an enormous love — that He would go through all of that for me! I did not deserve it. It is all by God’s sovereign decision. I have no idea why He chose me or anyone else.
God’s justice cannot be violated in any way. As a matter of fact, those who do not become saved are not envious at all of those who do become saved. No one wants God’s salvation. The only reason anybody becomes truly saved is because God turns him around, breaks his will, and inclines his heart. God makes anyone who becomes saved a new creature and gives him a new resurrected soul. Otherwise, no one would want to go to God on His terms.
Bert ,it is not a matter of your choice rather it is GOD"S WILL !
Michael Hranek wrote: Bert You might tell by reading my posts I am NOT a Calvinist. And I do NOT believe "God forces anyone" to be saved.
Oh dear, Michael.
You've got your doctrine in a muddle again. I hope you're not getting all this from Ron Berrus.
And you are seriously misrepresenting what Calvinism is all about. There is not one Christian in the world who was *forced* to be saved.
Sadly you are not yet enlightened as to the great *love* of God in Christ. As the superb hymn says: "Oh love that wilt not let me go."
Oh brother, you see not the eternal love which God set upon his beloved and chosen people from before the foundation of the world. You imagine that such may yet be lost. Not true!
It is only in the Calvinistic interpretation of the scriptures that you will find the love of God in all its glory.
Arminists, and all others, portray God as weak, unable to save without human co-operation. You portray God as sitting back, willing for people to repent, and crying when they refuse. You imagine that his love is insufficient to woo his elect and win them. Thus you minimize his love, and reckon it be naught.
Oh but when God comes a-loving, he melts the decrepid human heart and wins it.
DisplacedMaritimer(Bert) wrote: That's what I have been saying all along, Wayne. God calls (draws, entreats) us to Jesus that we may believe and be saved. BUT, the decision to accept God's call or reject it is 100% ours. God does not force anyone.
Bert You might tell by reading my posts I am NOT a Calvinist. And I do NOT believe "God forces anyone" to be saved.
That said you are overlooking something. Fallen sinful (think thoroughly selfish and self centered) will NOT come to God on their own. The Spirit of God will not always strive with us. And if an individual continues to refuse to listen to God, continues to harden their heart against Him, continues to love the darkness and their sins and to NOT love Him. God will NOT let them decide to come to Him to save them when they want to, when it is convient to them.
Kind of like a marriage proposal. If a young man asked a young woman he loves and cares about to marry him and she says "Oh I'f really like to BUT not right now. My friends would make fun of me, my mother doesn't like you, and I want to go on vacation and go shopping at the Mall." Years later if she comes to him and say I'm ready now he may say "forget that."
Prayerfully, fearfully read Proverbs 1 and take it to heart.
DisplacedMaritimer(Bert) wrote: That's what I have been saying all along, Wayne. God calls (draws, entreats) us to Jesus that we may believe and be saved. BUT, the decision to accept God's call or reject it is 100% ours. God does not force anyone.
Bert,
That's not correct. I may not have made it clear.
Let me quote part of the Canons of Dort on this with Scripture reference.
"Election is the unchangeable purpose of God, whereby, before the foundation of the world, He has out of mere grace, according to the sovereign good pleasure of His own will, chosen from the whole human race, which had fallen through their own fault from their primitive state of uprightness into sin and destruction, a certain number of persons to redemption in Christ, whom He from eternity appointed the Mediator and Head of the elect and the foundation of salvation." Canons of Synod of Dort (1618-1619) Part of Art.7
"According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:" Ephesians 1:4
"In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:" Eph. 1:11
WayneM wrote: God entreats them to come to Christ, but He does not force them. God never takes delight in the fact some refuse to listen. (see Ezekiel 18:32; 2 Peter 3:9)
That's what I have been saying all along, Wayne. God calls (draws, entreats) us to Jesus that we may believe and be saved. BUT, the decision to accept God's call or reject it is 100% ours. God does not force anyone.
DisplacedMaritimer(Bert) wrote: Wayne & June, I still can't understand why God would create people solely for the purpose of serving satan.
Bert,
You said that God creates some to serve Satan, but I did not say or mean to imply that. There are some things difficult to understand. This is one of them. Remember Jesus said "you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life" John 5:40 This is because of their totally depraved nature.
We must remember first that the Bible teaches all have a fallen nature. God is not the cause of that. It is due to the fact Adam and Eve rebelled against God and as the federal head, Adam, represented the human race. Consequently, all are born with a totally depraved nature. God promised in the O.T. he would send a redeemer to redeem his people. We are not told why God chose certain individuals and not others. All are deserving of damnation. The fact that God saves some is only due to the mercy of God. Also note God does not owe this gift to anyone. It is dangerous thinking to believe He does. God entreats them to come to Christ, but He does not force them. God never takes delight in the fact some refuse to listen. (see Ezekiel 18:32; 2 Peter 3:9)
Sherlock is explaining it well.
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Dr. Alan Cairns | 8/3/2009
There are two things that are important to me for someone in your situation:
