Quote:
Originally Posted by 77150
The fact that this question is posted on this forum makes the LRC clearly the context. So if you change the question to "Can members of the LRC still be saved?" I find the question quite offensive and arrogant.
|
But it is interesting that for the few that continue to attempt to post a little on the new Bereans forum, they treat the LRC almost in the same category as the JWs and the Mormons. And they use the term "cult" for them all fairly freely.
Now there may be a reasonable basis for use of the term on the LRC, but it is almost entirely because of practices, not doctrines. When I made my first response, I realize that some may think I was a little soft on the JWs. And I probably was. But I do it because I have some uncertainty as to what constitutes a "different Jesus."
If someone doesn't actually put faith in Christ, then there is no question. The only question is that when they put their faith in Christ, they are actually putting their faith in someone else. If they believe in a Jesus who was not crucified, or that did not rise from the dead, then they are not talking about the same person that we call Jesus. But if they see clear references to "one God" and then Jesus calls the Father "God" and Jesus himself is referred to as the "Son" (who did die on the cross and was resurrected and is given a seat at the right hand of the Father) but they are not so sure that Jesus is actually God, but simply the "Messiah" sent by God, then I'm not sure that they are talking about someone different. Just not seeing all the facts about him clearly.
And when we talk about the RCC, despite some obvious problems, I do not agree that they teach a different Christ/Jesus. Instead, they teach that you really can't go straight to God. You need an intermediary. And they don't openly preach "believe and be saved." But do they teach in a way that ultimately results in belief? Even if they do not think of it in terms of "I started to believe on this date" is belief denied? Does the fact that they do works negate the belief they come to have in a different way from the Protestant path?
I will agree that there will be many from the RCC (and probably a lot of other places) that are going to be surprised when "the day" comes. But I also think that there are going to be a lot of Evangelicals that are going to be surprised how many of them (RCCs) that will
not be surprised on that day.
For the most part, this forum is not discussing any group that is not, at its core, Christian. And especially its primary focus, the LRC. For all its problems, it is very much within Christianity, and is mostly doctrinally sound as regards the actual core of the faith. It is the peripherals, plus their additional core (the ground) in which they have trouble. But not enough to send them to cultsville.
If you believe that Jesus was a good man that lived in the early first century AD, and eventually died and was buried, then you believe in a different Christ. If you believe in a Christ who cannot save, then you believe in a different Christ. If you have all the important things down right, then I don't think that misunderstanding the vague verses about being with God and being God (could be confusing) will doom your belief to the rubbish heap. You've got the right Man. He is the one sent to save his people from their sins. It would be nice if he had been more clear about how this Trinity things works. But he didn't so we are dicing and splicing. I think that we have somewhat correctly understood God a little better. I just hope we have not instead created a Frankenstein's monster that bears no resemblance with reality.