I am not making fun of what I believe are Roman catholic misguided teachings.
You can laugh or be sarcastic, but how about praying for those who are taken by such things?
I am not making fun of what I believe are Roman catholic misguided teachings. I am as a Reformed Protestant saying what I believe to be the truth. As I said I believe as a Protestant that the veneration of Mary is something that I reject in all respects. I honor her role in the incarnation as unique and wonderful but I felt uncomfortable for a long time even while I was still a practicing Roman Catholic with the veneration of Mary, the rosary, etc., as well as the adoration of the breadwafer outside the Roman mass, which I now as a Reformed Protestant prefer to call the Lord's Supper.
I believe my journey in faith has been an ongoing process and discovery for a long time. I think that process started in college and has been going on through much of my life. I have shared my story with many and I think some understand I did not just wake up one day and say I am going to convert to Protestantism and become a Presbyterian.
My beliefs on sacrament, worship, authority and the church, have led me to conversion of mind and spirit which is why I now profess my Christianity as a Protestant and a Presbyterian. I believe I am a Protestant partly today through Sanctification or the state or process of being set apart for special use. In Christian theology,it is in reference to the change brought about by God in the believer which began at the point of salvation (justification) and continues throughout the life of the believer until the final state of glorification. The word (hagiasmos=sanctifcation/holiness) occurs several times in the NT (e.g., Rom. 6:19,22; 1 Cor. 1:30; 1 Thess. 4:3,4,7; 2 Thess. 2:13; 1 Peter 1:2).
I believe there are many things I can relate to and comprehend perhaps more so than cradle Protestants because of the process of sanctification that I believe God has infused into my life. Roman Catholicism sees and teaches that Reformed Protestants are furthest from the true teachings of the true church. I guess that is why I initially became an Episcopalian for a while after formally leaving Roman Catholicism in 2006. However my studies on Luther led me beyond Luther and the Lutheran theology which I see as more in line with Roman Catholicism when I discovered the writings and teachings of John Calvin and the Reformed Protestant thinkers and theologians.
A Presbyterian friend had sent me the following thought and I also concur now as a Presbyterian Protestant completely with this thought.
"Calvin passionately sought for the restoration of the Church Catholic of the Apostles and the Fathers, I wish more Presbyterians laid hold of this. That Presbyterianism is the restoration of and old religion not the innovation of a new religion. Our greatest fault is that we are not connected with the ancient faith as he was."
I responded to the above thought in this way. Amen! I am not anti Roman Catholic. I am today a Reformed Protestant who left the Roman church and became a Presbyterian because I believe Presbyterianism is the restoration of the ancient faith of the true Christian church founded by Jesus Christ and his apostles. I renounce the papist Roman teachings which continue to be apostasy and corrupt the Gospel and the truth of the scriptures. I am a staunch Protestant, Presbyterian and a Calvinist because I believe Presbyterianism is the restoration of and old religion not the innovation of a new religion as Roman Catholicism teaches. We Reformed Presbyterian Protestants I also believe are the heirs of the ancient and true faith. I renounce the pope and Roman Catholicism as did John Calvin and all the reformers. I wish more Protestants would understand and accept this fact. I have found that more ex Roman Catholics like myself who have become Reformed Protestants do understand that fact better than many cradle Protestants.
May we all be Sons of the Reformation and continue to proclaim what it means to be Reformed Presbyterian Protestant Christians !!!!
In grace,
Dudley
