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Subject: How can we have a utopia and see evil today?
Posted by Angelblessings
Monday, April 09, 2007 at 09:36:42
Message:
Dearest friends and my fellow christians,
How can we see a utopia and then we look back and see evil violence and wickedness. But we had the Garden of Eden. Can we really have a utopia when christ returns that your question today? What do you think of what the earth is like the people of today not the christians the ones whom dont believe in a divine spirit like God and Jesus? For ages men have dreamed of a utopian paradise on earth.
Nations have struggled and millions have died in its quest. But utopia has eluded all the efforts of men. Why? Is utopia really possible? Are world peace and prosperity coming soon? And proverty and plagues and sickness ending? Here are the surprising answers from your Bible! Five years after the close of World War II, Winston Churchill declared in a speech in Copenhagen, "Unless some effective world super-government can be brought quickly into action, the proposals for peace and human progress are dark and doubtful." Well he is right about that the devil is at work people he is a real demonic fallen angel whether you believe in Christianity or not. He knows that his time is running out. He knows that the lord Jesus is coming back! What are you going to do about it? We sit and wait. Do you know Jesus as your lord and savior? Suppose if you were standing before God today and he said to you why shall I let you come and live with me in my kingdom? What would you say to him he knows your soul and your heart even your conscience. Dont you even dare lie to him!
God’s World Government
People today fail to recognize there is any power other than their own that can bring about a literal utopia on earth. What great power can, and will, do this?
GOD ALMIGHTY! He has the power and the wisdom to make utopia reality! This is the very message God sent Jesus Christ to proclaim to the world. It is the "Gospel"—the GOOD NEWS—that Christ will return with the power of God to give us universal peace and prosperity at last! Few today understand that God has allotted mankind six thousand years in which to rule himself. During this time, He has kept hands off the affairs of men. He has allowed man to pursue the course that seems right to him (Prov. 16:25). God has given man the opportunity to prove, by experience, the basic inadequacies of any form of human government—be it communism, fascism, socialism, or even democracy.
God is allowing the human race to prove to itself that NO human form of government can bring us world peace!
When Jesus Christ returns, He will establish the government of God on earth. Obedience to the laws of God will be taught throughout the world. And Christ’s government will possess the power and the wisdom to enforce His laws. It will prevent the strong from enslaving the weak—true justice will be received by all.
Your Bible shows a literal UTOPIA is ahead! It will be a time of spiritual and physical rejuvenation—one thousand years of boundless peace and prosperity! And with the help of this lesson, God has made it possible for you to peer into the future through His prophecies so you can know what that wonderful world tomorrow will be like!
We will all say the faithful will sing Jesus remember me when you enter your kingdom Jesus remember me when you enter your kingdom.
God created the earth and the universe. He made the heavens. (Gen 1:1) In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
(Gen 1:2) And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness {was} upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
(Gen 1:3) And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
(Gen 1:4) And God saw the light, that {it was} good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
(Gen 1:5) And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
(Gen 1:6) And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
(Gen 1:7) And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which {were} under the firmament from the waters which {were} above the firmament: and it was so.
(Gen 1:8) And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.
(Gen 1:9) And God said, Let the waters under the Heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry {land} appear: and it was so.
(Gen 1:10) And God called the dry {land} Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that {it was} good.
(Gen 1:11) And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, {and} the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed {is} in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
(Gen 1:12) And the earth brought forth grass, {and} herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed {was} in itself, after his kind: and God saw that {it was} good.
(Gen 1:13) And the evening and the morning were the third day.
(Gen 1:14) And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:
(Gen 1:15) And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.
(Gen 1:16) And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: {he made} the stars also.
(Gen 1:17) And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,
(Gen 1:18) And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that {it was} good.
(Gen 1:19) And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.
(Gen 1:20) And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl {that} may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.
(Gen 1:21) And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that {it was} good.
(Gen 1:22) And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.
(Gen 1:23) And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.
(Gen 1:24) And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.
(Gen 1:25) And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that {it was} good.
(Gen 1:26) And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
(Gen 1:27) So God created man in his {own} image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
(Gen 1:28) And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
(Gen 1:29) And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which {is} upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which {is} the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
(Gen 1:30) And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein {there is} life, {I have given} every green herb for meat: and it was so.
(Gen 1:31) And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, {it was} very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
The Bible tells us that under the leadership of Jesus Christ, God’s government will produce a UTOPIAN PARADISE on earth. Beginning with the descendants of the children of Jacob, and using them as a model and example, God will rebuild and bless ALL nations! Let’s study this exciting truth. 1. In the Bible, what does God specifically say regarding the descendants of Jacob? Isa. 27:6; Ezek. 36:8-11; Zech. 8:7-8. Also read Amos 9:7-12.
COMMENT: After His return, Jesus Christ will lead the descendants of ancient Israel out of great tribulation and into the Holy Land where they will be resettled.
2. Will the devastated cities be rebuilt? Amos 9:14-15; Ezek. 36:33-35. (Be sure to read all of chapter 36. Notice that when this regathering and rebuilding occurs, Israel will never again practice heathen ways, or be removed or be in trouble or captivity again.) Will there be happiness in these cities? Jer. 33:10-14; Zech. 8:4-5.
COMMENT: Today’s vast pollution-laden, overpopulated metropolises are rampant, with racial tentions and every kind of evil. These conditions will not exist in tomorrow’s cities. Cities in the Millennium will be decentralized. They will be small enough to promote healthy, happy family life, yet large enough for a proper balance between industry and those essentials which promote joyous living.
3. Will Christ make Jerusalem the capital of the earth—the world head-quarters of His government? Zech. 8:3; Jer. 3:17. Will it be an example to the entire world? Isa. 62:1-2, 7.
COMMENT: Being near the geographical center of the land surface of the earth, Jerusalem is the ideal focal point for world control. It will be rebuilt to absolute perfection. It will become the future MODEL CITY—the pattern for cities throughout the world tomorrow.
4. Will the descendants of ancient Israel dwell in safety in their ownland?Ezek. 28:25-26. Will there be world peace? Isa. 2:1-4; Micah 4:1-4.
5. Will God cause the laws of nature to function for the benefit of His people? Deut. 28:12; Isa. 41:18.
COMMENT: God originally promised to bestow great blessings upon ancient Israel if they would only obey Him (Lev. 26; Deut. 28). The Bible shows they disobeyed and were PUNISHED. In the Millennium, the descendants of ancient Israel will obey God and therefore will receive these tremendous blessings!
6. The Middle East is now a relatively barren region. Prophecies show, however, that after Christ returns it will see the most dramatic change of any land. Will the waste places become fertile, and will beautiful forests spread in the Millennium? Isa. 41:14-20; 35:1-2, 7.
COMMENT; Can you imagine such a fabulous scene? Deserts becoming green, fertile gardens of trees, shrubs, bubbling springs and brooks; mountains brought low and made inhabitable.
Forests interspersed with cultivated fields will also cause the climate to become more healthful and invigorating Lumber, becoming scarce today due to man’s exploitation, will again increase as the population increases, making it possible for all to have beautiful homes and furniture.
7. Will God transform "Zion" and the surrounding area into a place resembling the Garden of Eden? Isa. 51:3.
COMMENT: Zion is a hill within the city of Jerusalem. It is the original area of the city—called the "city of David." Since it will be the location of the capital city, "Zion" here represents the entire land of all the tribes of Israel.
WILL All Nations to Be Blessed?
Prophecies show that the rest of the earth will share in the great prosperity Christ will bring to Jerusalem and the descendants of Jacob. The whole earth will undergo remarkable changes. 1. Will all nations become submissive—obedient—to Christ? Isa. 2:1-3.
2. Since the Gentiles will obey Christ in the Millennium, will they belong to Him—be His subjects and servants? Rom. 6:16.
3. Will the Gentiles therefore become Abraham’s "children," spiritually speaking? Gal. 3:29. And what was promised to Abraham’s physical descendants? Read both Leviticus 26:1-13 and Deuteronomy 28:1-14. COMMENT: Ancient Israel was never able to claim all the blessings of Deuteronomy 28 and Leviticus 26 over long periods of time because the people were not faithful in their obedience to God. But with Christ ruling in the Millennium, all nations will be obedient and therefore will also partake of the tremendous blessings originally promised to the tribes of Israel.
Language, Liberty and Superabundance
One of the major barriers to mutual understanding and cooperation between peoples has been the language barrier. When men cannot understand one another, they can’t freely exchange ideas, philosophies, concepts or opinions. Misunderstandings often lead to conflict.
Can you imagine what a world of ONE LANGUAGE would be like? Think what a huge step forward it would be if people everywhere were liberated from the language barrier—spoke and read and wrote the same language—werebound together in common understanding for the first time since the tower of Babel!
1. Will God give all the world ONE pure language so all can serve and worship Him with one accord? Zeph. 3:9.
COMMENT: Man was once bound together by a common tongue. But he used his knowledge for EVIL—for an attempt to begin the very civilization that would have ended by DESTROYING ITSELF! (See Genesis 11.) When God divided the languages at the tower of Babel, He was merely forestalling that eventual time of world chaos which even now threatens the annihilation of humanity!
In the Millennium, with Christ as the supreme, all-powerful ruler, this danger will be eliminated. And so Jesus Christ will usher in an era of total literacy and total education by giving the world one pure language!
2. There will be a tremendous amount of reconstruction to be done in the Millennium. But how hard will this work seem after people are delivered from the suffering, sorrow and hard bondage of today’s evil world? Isa. 11:10; 14:3. Will submission to Christ and His laws bring the blessing of liberty and rest to the minds and bodies of mankind? Matt. 11:28-30.
COMMENT: God will make life enjoyable, comfortable and satisfying for people in the Millennium—as long as they continue to obey His laws. God’s way of life truly is the way of LIBERTY—the way of FREEDOM from the drudgery and toil of the ways of this world. But mankind today is not convinced that it is. God is now letting man find out, by experience, how difficult his own ways really are!
3. Much is said today against private ownership of property. Communists and socialists are particularly against it, partly because men have abused it. Does God think private ownership of property is wrong? Micah 4:4; Isa.62:8-9.
COMMENT: People will own their property in the Millennium. They will be liberated from governments which deprive them of the righteous rewards of their own toil! And God will not allow private ownership to be abused.
4. What about health in tomorrow’s world? Will God also liberate man from sickness and disease? Isa. 33:21-24; Jer. 30:17; Isa. 35:3-6; 58:8.
COMMENT: The combined force of right education about true health and instant HEALING of all sickness will mean PERFECT HEALTH for everyone!
5. The agricultural wealth of a nation is generally the greatest physical asset it can possess. Today, most of the earth is unproductive—only about ten percent of the land surface is actually tillable. There are many deserts, mountainous regions and wildernesses. The exact opposite will be true in the utopia of tomorrow as God begins to bless the entire world! Will He cause the rains to fall at the right time? Ezek. 34:26; Isa. 30:23.
COMMENT: Farmers have had to gamble with the weather throughout the centuries. About the most thrilling news they could hear is that their work would always be successful—as long as they obey God:
6. Will there be great rejoicing over the abundance of crops God will bestow in the wonderful world tomorrow? Jer. 31:12. Will there actually be a superabundance of food? Amos 9:13.
The Great River
1. What will happen when the feet of the returning Christ touch the Mount of Olives? Zech. 14:4.
2. Will the great valley thus formed become the channel of a mighty riverwhich will arise in Jerusalem? Verse 8. Will one half of this mighty river flow eastward toward the Dead Sea, and the other half flow westward toward the Mediterranean Sea? Same verse.
3. Is the eastern channel of this river—in which "living waters" flow into the Dead Sea—the same as the river described in Ezekiel 47:1-12? Does verse 8 show that when the fresh or "healing" water from this life-giving river begins to flow through the desert into the Dead Sea, the Dead Sea will then be able to support LIFE, thus being "healed"? Will it contain a great multitude of fish? Verse 9. Will this river also give life to the barren places through which it flows? Verse 12.
COMMENT: The Dead Sea, 1286 feet below sea level, is the lowest spot on earth. Look at any map of the Holy Land and notice that the Jordan River constantly empties into the northern extremity of the Dead Sea. Even though the Dead Sea has no outlet, the water level remains fairly constant. This is because hot weather causes the waters to evaporate at about the same rate water flows into the Dead Sea.
The water in this sea is so salty that no plant or marine life can survive in it. But when this new river—the river of "living waters"—begins to empty into the Dead Sea, its waters will rise until they overflow southward through the desert. The overflow will probably carry into the Gulf of Aqaba. Everywhere along the overflow area (except for certain salt swamps and marshes which shall be formed—verse 11) plant and fish life will multiply.
4. Does this river of "living waters" proceed from the spot where God’s Temple will stand—from Christ’s very throne? Ezek. 47:1, and latter part of verse 12; Joel 3:18, last part. Is the Holy Spirit compared to "living waters"? John 4:10; 7:37-39. Then isn’t this river clearly a physical counterpart of God’s Holy Spirit?
COMMENT: The Holy Spirit, like the physical river, will go forth from Jerusalem and will "heal" the mental and spiritual problems of mankind!
Clearly, the world tomorrow will be a utopian-paradise of peace, prosperity, and beauty! All nations will share in the great blessings of God. The whole world will be at peace. During that Millennial age, most of the earth’s land surface will be cultivable. Beautiful forests, agricultural areas, fish-filled lakes and streams will be found all over the world—with no more barren tundras, polluted rivers, ravaged landscapes, hostile deserts or waste places.
But how will such a world be ushered in? Exactly how will such vast changes come about?
Let’s see what the Bible has to say about the way utopia will come, and who will be involved. Believe it or not, you can have a part in bringing about that wonderful world tomorrow!
The Coronation of THE KING IN THE WORLD AHEAD
Consider for a moment what the angelic messenger said to Mary, the mother of Jesus: "Thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great... and the Lord God shall give unto him the THRONE Of his father David: and he shall REIGN over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end" (Luke 1:31-33).
Notice also the account in John 18:37: "Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world...."
Jesus was born to rule and reign as King over all nations of the earth. Nearly 2000 years ago, Jesus qualified to become this world’s ruler by conquering Satan the devil (Matt. 4:1-11). But He did not remove and replace Satan at that time. He was not crowned King while a human being(John 18:36). He was CRUCIFIED! Jesus was not to assume the responsibilities of His new office as world ruler at that time.
When Jesus’ disciples assumed the Kingdom of God would be set up in their day, He gave them a parable to explain when He would begin ruling the world.
1. According to this parable in Luke 19:12-17, where did Jesus go after His death to obtain the office of King and to receive the Kingdom? Did He go to Caesar at Rome? Did He go to the people to have them induct Him into office? Verse 12. Who only has the authority to make Jesus the "King of kings"? Rom. 13:1.
COMMENT: Jesus was showing His disciples He would have to ascend to His Father in heaven (the "far country" in the parable of Luke 19) to receive authority to rule the nations.
2. After Jesus ascended to heaven and had been there for approximately sixty years, He revealed Himself to the Apostle John. Was there a crown on Jesus’ head when John saw Him? Rev. 1:12-18. Doesn’t this indicate Jesus may not yet have been crowned after His arrival in heaven? What has Jesus been "crowned" with thus far? Heb. 2:9
3. But will Jesus have been crowned by the time He returns? Rev. 14:14. What scripture describes Jesus’ actual receiving of the Kingdom which He went to heaven to obtain? Dan. 7:13-14.
COMMENT: Here is depicted the actual coronation of Jesus Christ. The "Ancient of Days" is the heavenly Father. The title "Father" was not, used because Jesus had not yet been begotten as a human being when Daniel saw this vision.
Notice also that "one like the Son" appeared before the "Ancient of days" to receive the Kingdom. The Logos or "Word" (John 1:1) was like the Son of man. He was not yet born as a son, but since He would later become a son of man, He was, in Daniel’s day, "like the Son of man"—the Jesus who was to be born of a human mother.
Crowned "KING of Kings"
1. How many great crowns will Jesus have? Rev 14:14. But what about the "many crowns" mentioned in Rev. 19:12?
COMMENT: Jesus will have only one great golden crown. That crown will designate Him as Supreme King over all nations—over all the world. The proper translation of Revelation 19:12 is: "And on his head are many diadems." A diadem is a small crown or headband signifying royal office. The smaller crowns or diadems symbolize the lesser royal offices Jesus will hold.
2. What will Christ’s official title be when He returns? Rev. 19:16. But who are these other "kings"? Let’s understand.
3. Are Christians also to receive everlasting crowns—if they overcome? I Cor. 9:25. Will those who qualify in this life rule over the nations as KINGS with Christ? Rev. 2:26-27; 3:21; 5:10; 20:4; Dan. 7:22, 27.
4. When do the "saints"—Christians—receive the reward of crowns and offices of rulership? II Tim. 4:8. Compare also Revelation 11:15, 18; 22:12 with Isaiah 40:10.
COMMENT: Jesus went to heaven to be crowned by the Father. but one of the reasons Jesus will return to earth is to bring rewards of rulership to His resurrected saints!
5. What did Christ say would be the reward of those who manage wisely theabilities God has given them now? Luke 19:16-19.
6. Will the resurrected saints also be priests? Rev. 5:10; 20:6. And judges? Verse 4.
COMMENT: Resurrected Christians will be kings and priests, and will judge among the peoples of the earth during the Millennium.
Perfect, Powerful Government
Christ’s government will begin at Jerusalem, where His headquarters will be located (Jer. 3:17). As His rule spreads over the whole earth, all rebellious nations will be brought into line.
1. How will Christ deal with those nations which refuse to come to Jerusalem to worship God the way he commands? Zech. 14:16-19.
2. What will be Christ’s general policy for governing the nations? Rev.12:5; 19:15. Note the words "rod of iron." COMMENT: When God set His hand to save mankind, He will use a "rod of iron," symbolizing absolute authority. He will rule with power, and He will not hesitate to use it when necessary! Man, influenced by his old habits and attitudes formed in this present evil world, must be held under control until he learns his lesson and comes to see that God’s way of living is best for all.
Jesus Christ will be in absolute control of the earth, but He will rule with perfect justice and mercy, having once been human Himself (Heb. 2:9-10; 4:15). He will at first literally have to FORCE men to be happy! He will impose His merciful rule on rebellious stiff-necked mankind, and bring the world COMPULSORY JOY!
Although God will rule with power and authority, He does not intend to "cram His religion" down the throats of people. He will not force anyone to accept His truth in the sense of spiritual conversion—repentance, baptism, etc.
God is not a stern, cruel monster as some agnostics have falsely implied. God wants man at all times to be really happy! But God knows the only way to lasting happiness is obedience to His laws!
Gradually, as men obey God’s laws they will wake up to the wisdom and justice of God’s rule and will submit gladly to His authority, and a "rod of iron" will no longer be necessary.
Re-education in the Millennium
Speaking of the Millennial rule of Christ, the Bible declares: "The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea" (Isa. 11:9).
During the Millennium God will TEACH mankind the laws that produce happiness. He will give each individual the CHOICE, after learning His laws and seeing the happiness they produce, of whether to obey God’s laws or not. The vast majority of mankind will see God’s way is truly best and will voluntarily choose to OBEY Him.
But before men can really choose they must clearly see the alternatives. They must be RE-EDUCATED so they can see through old prejudices and discern true values.
Education will play a vitally important role in the Millennium. A Gallup Poll once revealed that only two percent of Americans thought education is their most vital concern. But in the world tomorrow it will receive TOP PRIORITY! Exactly why is education so important? Let’s understand.
1. Is faulty education, which has befogged the world’s understanding, likea veil that hides the mind from truth? Isa. 25:7.
2. Who is fundamentally responsible for deceiving the whole world? Rev.12:9. Doesn’t that make him the real author of wrong education? John 8:44. Will the devil be allowed to deceive the nations when Christ commences to re-educate the world? Rev. 20:1-3.
3. Has the devil deceived the nations largely by means of false religion—including false religions that PROFESS Christ, but DENY Him by their works? II Cor. 11:13-15; Titus 1:16.
4. What kind of knowledge is most lacking in the world today? Is it spiritual knowledge? Hosea 4:6. What is the tragic result of this dearth of spiritual knowledge? Same verse.
What Is True Education?
1. What does God think of the wisdom of the world? I Cor. 3:19. Where does this world’s wisdom lead? Prov. 14:12.
2. But what is truth? John 17:17. What will truth do for people in the world tomorrow? John 8:31-32.
COMMENT: A common, but false, concept in the world today is that education should have nothing to do with a "way of life." Many believe education should teach you only how to earn a living, but NOT how to live! Not so at Ambassador College. Here students are also taught to "recapture true values" from the FOUNDATION of knowledge—the Bible!
3. Do we have a written record that the true apostolic church preached God’s "way" of life? Acts 19:9, 23. Does the world approve of God’s "way"? Acts 24:14.
COMMENT: God’s way of life is the result of right education. It is based upon the bedrock of TRUTH. But God’s truth has been totally rejected by this world. The Bible has been completely disregarded by modern education!
4. The world is fast approaching a smashing climax which will shock people into a realization that something is radically wrong with our modern way of life. What will people then acknowledge? Jer. 16:19. Would they desire to learn another way if their present way were better?
COMMENT: The people of this world have inherited lies from birth—profitless ideas that have been funneled into their unquestioning minds. As adults they continue accepting fallacies learned in childhood, and build their lives around biases and prejudices.
When Christ rescues the world from annihilation, people will acknowledge their ignorance—their lack of sound education. This confession of error is actually the first step toward "repentance"!
5. What does repentance really involve? Isa. 55:6-9. Isn’t it clearly turning from the wrong way one has been living? Verse 7.
COMMENT: Repentance clearly involves the forsaking of all wrong concepts about life we have always taken for granted without proof, and turning to God’s truth!
6. Will re-education in the Millennium necessarily remold man’s methods of doing business? II Cor. 8:21. Will it remold the social order? I Peter 4:3-4. And all other phases of life in general? I Cor. 10:31.
God’s System for Re-education
The evils in the world today can be laid at the doorstep of false education. Many educators are finaly waking up to the fact that our great universities have FAILED! They have been hotbeds of discontent, strife, revolt and sedition. This system of education obviously needs to be changed! What kind of system will replace it?
1. In addition to ruling as supreme King over all the nations, will Christ also be the supreme teacher? Isa. 2:3; Ps. 25:8-10.
COMMENT: Christ will unite these two functions in Himself. How plain that in God’s pattern for world rule, religion and government are not separate!
2. Under Christ, who will rule over the modern descendants of Jacob? Jer.30:7-9. What did Jeremiah mean by "raise up"? I Cor. 6:14. Will David be a prince over Israel? Ezek. 34:23-24.
COMMENT: David will be resurrected to rule over the physical descendants of ancient Israel. His office will include the responsibility of TEACHING the people the laws of God.
3. Will the twelve apostles be placed over each of the twelve tribes of Israel? Matt. 19:28. Will each apostle have a throne? Luke 22:29-30. Will they then TEACH the individual tribes of Israel God’s TRUTH? Matt. 28:19-20.
COMMENT: The apostles preached the gospel to the nations 1900 years ago, and God’s Church is preaching it to the nations today. But think how much more all the nations and the whole earth will hear God’s truth proclaimed during the Millennium!
4. Who else will rule and teach in the world tomorrow? Rev. 2:26; 5:10.
COMMENT: The resurrected Christians mentioned in Revelation 5:10 are to be "priests" as well as kings. And the true function of a priest is to teach. (Mal. 2:7).
When God intervenes in human affairs, it will not be left up to the people to vote in their own rulers or choose their own teachers. In the world tomorrow GOD will appoint His resurrected saints as the rulers and educators, and not lobbyists or other pressure groups will be able to corrupt them. They will teach the people all His laws and His statutes which are the way to peace, prosperity and happiness!
5. Will the resurrected saints be able to appear in a material body at will? Isa. 30:20-21. What will they do? Verse 21.
COMMENT: In the world tomorrow. those now qualifying to rule under Christ will be ever-present and ever-ready to speak or act, both to teach and to nip in the bud any attempted act of disobedience.
Because they will be composed of spirit, they will be able to come and go as necessary, to pass through walls, or simply disappear, just as Christ was able to after His resurrection (John 20:17, 19, 25-27; Luke 24:31).
Results of sweeping Education
1. Will people come to see eye to eye as they learn of God and His way?Isa. 52:7-8. Will the whole world come to know His truth? Hab. 2:14; Isa.11:9; Jer. 31:34. Will even those who grumbled against God learn His truth? Isa. 29:24.
2. Will the Egyptians "know the Lord" in that day? Isa. 19:21. How will the Egyptians, as well as all other people, really come to know God? Isa. 55:6-7; I John 2:3-4. Will Ethiopia also seek to gain the benefits of an obedient relationship with Christ? Ps. 68:31.
COMMENT: The nations near Israel spoken of in the Bible are types of all nations in the world tomorrow. All the nations of the world will learn that true Christianity really pays!
3. Will Gentile rulers bring presents to Christ in acknowledgment of His educational and material benefits? Ps. 68:29. Upon what conditions has God always promised to shower great material prosperity? Mal. 3:10-12.
COMMENT: Obedience to God’s laws is what will produce universal prosperity, peace and happiness in the world tomorrow! Isn’t it plain that the basis of right education is the knowledge of God and His laws?
Will there be New Natures?
1. Will God change the natures of animals in the Millennium? Isa. 11:6-8;Hosea 2:18. Will all creatures be peaceful? Ezek. 34:25.
2. In the Bible God speaks of the heart of man as being symbolic of his mind. What is man’s heart—his mind—really like today? Jer. 17:9. Is man’s mind naturally submissive to God and His law? Rom. 8:7.
3. What does God say He will add to the minds of people in the Millennium to CHANGE the basic attitude of man? Ezek. 36:26-27; Jer. 31:33.
COMMENT: As God is going to change the lion’s inborn desire for flesh food to an appetite for vegetation and is going to give peaceful natures to all other creatures, so He will make a truly marvelous and miraculous CHANGE in man’s hostile mind. This change in the mind will be brought about by repentance and the receiving of God’s HOLY Spirit! This is what will actually make the wonderful world tomorrow a literal UTOPIA! By a miracle, God will place His very own nature of outgoing love within mankind (Rom. 5:5). True love will thus be manifested in human beings through the Holy Spirit of God. People will then love their fellowmen and strive to make them happy!
It would require a thick book to begin to describe the wonderful conditions which could prevail on this earth—and which will finally prevail when the human heart is HUMBLED, CONVERTED by the Holy Spirit—given the very nature of God! (II Peter 1:4.)
God’s Way BEST After All!
Do you grasp the significance of what you have studied in your Bible with this lesson? God prophesied long ago of a time when He would cause this earth’s inhabitants to possess magnificent abundance. It is then that the world will wake up to a great truth—that GOD’S WAY IS BEST AFTER ALL!
The time is almost here when "The LORD of hosts [shall] make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations"—their spiritual blindness (Isa. 25:6-7).
God will soon halt this world’s mad plunge toward nuclear cosmocide. He will send Jesus Christ to intervene in world affairs and put down all rebellion. Then He and His saints will begin teaching the nations God’s truth and His laws, His ways that bring blessings, prosperity, peace and happiness.
The utopian paradise which mankind has always longed for will finally be ushered in. Men will at long last WAKE UP! He will finally see through the veil of prejudices which have prevented he him from following the WAY which would bring them all of their true desires.
No one in that wonderful world tomorrow will be deceived as the vast majority of mankind today! There will be no devil around to lead people astray. ALL will know the TRUTH! There will be no more religious confusion.Eyes will be Opened to God’s revealed truth. Humans will become TEACHABLE. People will start living God’s WAY—the way of outgoing concern for others—the way of TRUE VALUES—the way of PEACE, of HAPPINESS Of WELL-BEING, of JOY!
Crime, sickness, disease, and suffering will be GONE! Poverty and ignorance will be banished. SMILES will enlighten human faces—countenances will radiate with sparkling JOY! Wild animals will be tame. Air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution will be no more! There will be crystal-pure water to drink; clean, crisp, pure air to breathe; rich fertile soil producing full-flavored foods where deserts once existed, producing full-flavored foods; and fantastic BEAUTY in flowers, shrubs, trees.
Isnt God wonderful :) I love JESUS CHRIST.
The millennial world will be filled with HAPPY people guided, helped, protected and ruled by Christ and the saints—and all human beings will learn that they, too, are called by God to inherit EVERLASTING LIFE in supreme happiness and thrilling Joy!
WHAT A FABULOUS WORLD THAT WILL BE!
Although a utopian paradise is indeed impossible by the hands of men—although none of this world’s governments can bring us true peace, prosperity and abundance—your Bible shows THE GREAT GOD OF HEAVEN AND EARTH CAN AND WILL PRODUCE UTOPIA ON EARTH... SOON! May God speed that glorious day!
MINIQUIZ - TEST YOUR MEMORY
This quiz is designed to help you remember the important facts you learned in the lesson. You simply circle, or underline each correct answer. After you’ve finished, check your choices with the correct answers listed at the end of the test, and then rate yourself.
1. How will a "utopia" of world peace and prosperity finally become reality? A. By a worldwide revival in all churches. B. Through a strengthened NATO and UN. C. Only by the rule of a divine world government. D. By men learning to control the weather and the population explosion.
2. The wonderful world tomorrow will A. have no cities. B. become reforested on a grand scale. C. not be very prosperous, except in God’s model nation. D. lack rainfall in desert areas.
3. The life-giving stream which will flow east and west from Jerusalem A. symbolizes the tears Jesus shed over Jerusalem. B. will not literally exist. C. will quickly be swallowed up and lost in the southern desert. D. symbolizes the "healing" of the nations by God’s Holy Spirit.
4. Jesus’ actual coronation A. took place when He ascended to heaven. B. will take place before His second coming. C. takes place after He conquers all nations. D. took place when He conquered the devil.
5. As "King of kings," how many great crowns will Jesus have? A. Three: for heaven, hell and earth. B. Seven. C. One. D. Many.
6. When will the "saints" receive their crowns? A. After they prove their ability to rule the nations. B. At the "rapture." C. After Jesus has conquered, completely reorganized and rebuilt this world, and solved its problems. D. At Christ’s return.
7. David will A. remain dead in his grave during the Millennium B. rule as king over the descendants of Jacob in the Millennium. C. rule over theGentiles. D. have less authority over Israel than the twelve apostles.
8. In the Millennium, Christ will A. govern gently at all times. B. never deal severely with the rebellious C. not be concerned about education. D. teach mankind God’s way of life.
9. The goal of Christ’s re-education program will primarily be to A. reform the economic system. B. teach man how to fulfill his democratic responsibility. C. remold the social life of the community. D. develop the whole character of man—perfect his physical, mental, emotional and spiritual life.
10. The most important change destined to occur in tomorrow’s world will be in A. man’s hostile attitude. B. the nature of animals. C. the weather. D. the languages.
TRUE OR FALSE
11. The one problem today that will continue on over into the world tomorrow will be the multiplicity and corruption of languages and dialects.T F
12. In the Millennium, work will seem like rest compared to the suffering, sorrow and hard bondage of this world’s ways. T F
13. Resurrected "saints"—Christians—will be "priests," as well as "kings" under Christ. T F
14. False education is an unfortunate curse, but thankfully it does not enslave mankind. T F
15. The Millennium will become a literal utopia because man’s efforts will finally make it so. T F
This is a small test above. But in the milestone while we wait for our Lord and savior, Learn to read the bible please learn how to live in prosperity and abundance, even in everlasting joy and happiness and no guilt and sin. Once you ask Jesus into your life you will never be the same you will thirst for him and hunger for him you will want to know about him and his life even you would want to get rid of the things of satan do this wont you my friends I am just trying to spread the Gospel and teach others about the good news Jesus isnt DEAD HE IS ALIVE HE IS THE SAME AS YESTERDAY TODAY AND FOREVER! HE WILL NEVER CHANGE HE IS A MERCIFUL LOVING CARING COMPASSIONATE GOD would you answer him he is knocking at your door think about this amen.
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 | RE: How can we have a utopia and see evil today?
Posted by Elizabeth
Tuesday, April 10, 2007 at 04:30:31
Reply:
Dear Angelblessings,
Due to lack of memories, even though I was taught in an all girls Catholic School by Nuns, a lot of what you have said has gone right over the top of my head sorry. But I really tried to read it all. I really tried. You gave me one memory. When I finished the college the teacher wrote on the lackboard beside each students name a saying or quote from the bible or something.
Mine was, You hold the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven.
I do not understand it as Ihave no concept or background knowledge to be able to figure it out.
She never sanswered me when I asked her what she meant. I was upposed to know.
Anyhow.
I dont have the memories but I do have feelings and seeing about some of the things you say and ask.
I hope you do not mind me sharing them with you.
I see Eden as being everywhere. It is here now. It is our perception of Eden that is different from the reality. I am trying to say this really nicely and I do not know how.
We poohed on the earth and the creator when we found by the apple knowledge and intellect. We left our intelligence, our indigenous wisdom behind and wanted more once we saw through the apple.
I am in Eden now. Where ever there is love, unity, respect and acceptance, forgiveness etc etc, there is Eden.
It doesnt matter what little I have, it is enough, and always room for improvement by using my intelligence and not ittelect to attain an acceptance of the bad and the good.
I am not saying that murder rape etc is good so accept it.
But if you learn from it, then you are moving forward with the forgiveness that the Angels say to do. And Jesus and God and the disiples and the rest of the world that is conciuos of it.
After 11 years of being raped in a marriage, I still believed in love, gentleness that could be out there.
It is me that I have to work on, my fears, as my only knowledge is pain, not tenderness.
I studied after leaving my husband, what this tenderness is that you see on movies, or in someone walking down the steet looking at each other.
I do not know even after three pregnancies what it is like to be held or the child wanted by the other half, but see it around me and do not know what it could possibly feel like. I am past the breeding age now and will never know. Except in dreams.
But I still believe that it is possible. Love.
Utopia, Eden, Paradise????
How can you find it on the outside if you cannot find it on the inside.
I have studied Budhism, Islam, Christianty and the Dabrowski's Positive 'disintergration and many scientific researches to try and find an understanding of the world and its occupants.
i se globally and not singularily and I cant spell properly so forgive the mistakes please and I hope you can understand them.
Eden is within us. The creator is within us. The essence is in all of us.
Just at varying degres of awareness.
So I see the Eden youspeak of as the unity of the all, the thought form, the individual essences all combined and this is the one language.
Yes I have visions. I am learning to come to accept them. I see Uluru surrounded by grass. Not like the lawns in gardens but native grass.
I see the frequency changes, the alteration of the world countries and the water levels. Where was once ocean sahll be ocean again and to the levels it once was. Rivers will be back where it is dry. But not as we know it in our times or even 200 years ago. But further back.
And then there will be the return of the Mayans, etc.
I also understand and see the altered perceptions of reality, due to the changes and the lights etc and the children.
We are all right as long as we feel the changes, listen to the changes and grow.
We will be one again. And be able to make choices to stay or leave.
I better go. Children to see to.
Respect
Elizabeth
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| RE: How can we have a utopia and see evil today?
Posted by Angelblessings
Tuesday, April 10, 2007 at 08:13:42
Reply:
When I finished the college the teacher wrote on the lackboard beside each students name a saying or quote from the bible or something.
Mine was, You hold the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven.
I do not understand it as Ihave no concept or background knowledge to be able to figure it out.
She never sanswered me when I asked her what she meant.
Dear Elizabeth,
What she meant that about the keys to the kingdom of heaven is she is simply stating about the pope St. Peter Jesus apstole has the keys to the kingdom of heaven he gave them to him and said what ever you bound on earth shall be bound in heaven and what ever you loose on earth shall be lost in heaven. This is stating him to be the first pope of the catholic church. See I respect your answers but as a christian I cannot accept abortion killing babies, or violence even sickness and diaseases. I am sorry but I think good is better and bad is bad, Bad belongs to the devil and good belongs to God. I just am a christian trying to spread the word to all. If no one follows the Lord Jesus Christ the most high God surely I say unto you you will be bound with sin unless you repent to Jesus and ask for his forgiveness. You said: You have studied Budhism, Islam, Christianty and the Dabrowski's Positive 'disintergration and many scientific researches to try and find an understanding of the world and its occupants. Umm hun Budhism is not from God and sorry to burst your bubble but sweety I can only accept Christianity and other stuff is out of the question beware of cults Elizabeth God loves you I am not being rude or mean I am speaking from the truth.
Jesus is not just a prophet he is truly God and truly man he is God! He died on the cross for your sins please turn back to him and dont let satan give you false teachings and lies he is the father of lies, Jesus is a prince of peace. I want to help those who are lost and you seem lost to me. I am catholic and Catholic means Universal Jesus founded a church not a book God inspired those to write the bible yes but Jesus started Catholicism. Come back to God come back to Jesus Christ.
AND IN ROMANS 3:20 IT SAYS FOR ALL HAVE FALLIN SHORT IN THE GLORY OF GOD.
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| RE: How can we have a utopia and see evil today?
Posted by Angelblessings
Thursday, April 12, 2007 at 09:39:05
Reply:
My bad I thought Romans 3:20 said that sorry it talks about the law.God will judge the secrets of men through christ. being filled with all unrighteousnesss such as wicknedness greed malice full of envy murder strife deceit they are gossips, slanders haters of God insolent arrogant boastful inventors of evil disobedient to parents without understanding untrustworthy of death they those who practice the same but also give hearty approval to those who practice them. This is in Romans the first chapter.
St. Catherine of Siena knew that she was a sinner, as are all human beings, offending God with their pride and selfishness. She correctly believed that God knows everything past, present and future. Putting these two truths together, she asked God why He would even create human beings, knowing that they would offend Him in sin? The answer she received was that God acted as if He did not see the sinfulness of mankind: "Even though You saw that we would offend You, Your charity would not let You set Your eyes on that sight. No, You took Your eyes off the sin that was to be and fixed Your gaze only an Your creature's beauty. For if You had concentrated on the sin, You would have forgotten the love You had for creating mankind. Not that sin was hid from You, but You concentrated an the love because You are nothing but a fire of love, crazy over what You have made." (Prayer XIII)
There is something about human beings in and of themselves that is attractive to God, so much so that it distracts His attention from the horror of the sins that they commit against Him. The beauty of human beings overshadows the ugliest and most numerous of their sins. That beauty inspires love in God for human beings, indeed, for the very idea of them. And nothing can alter the fact of God's love for them, nothing can make it grow less, not even sin. God cannot NOT love mankind.
What else could explain why God, knowing that mankind would sin against Him, would create them in His own Image and likeness, except that He fell in love with the very idea of them? What else but love could explain God becoming a man with flesh and blood just so that His flesh could be nailed to a Cross and His blood be poured out to make up for the punishment due to the sins of mankind? Love alone can explain the Holy Spirit coming to sinful man to give the gift of Sanctifying Grace through the sacraments. Only love explains why God keeps mankind in existence by constantly thinking of them, or why He provides for all their needs, or why He shows them mercy again and again, or why He is patient with an eye to their salvation.
God's love defies all human logic and reason. At least that is how St. Catherine of Siena describes God's love: "O unutterable love, even though You saw all the evils that all Your creatures would commit against Your infinite goodness, You acted as if You did not see and set Your eye only an the beauty of Your creature, with whom You had fallen in love like one drunk and crazy with love." (Prayer XIII)
The beauty of a human being overshadows the ugliest and most numerous of sins, and that beauty inspired God's love for man. Nevertheless, do not underestimate the horror of sin. In fact, it is ugly most especially an account of God's love for man. What a poor return for so rich a love! Some people ask, if God is all-powerful and all-loving (and He is), why would He allow people to offend Him with sin or to hurt other people? Why doesn't God just stop them before they sin? The answer has to do with freedom and love.
Moved by love, God created man to love: to love God first and most, to love his neighbor, and to love himself In order to love something or someone, a person needs an intellect and the free will to choose. The intellect is man's ability to know what is worthy of love. The intellect tells the free will what to love and the will then reaches out to possess the thing. God could have programmed human beings like robots to love what He loves and as He loves, but that would not be love. Love can only be love if it is freely given.
Free will means that it is always possible for a person to choose among at least two things, like good and evil, or the truth and a lie. God does not want people to choose evil, He did not create them for that, but that is one of the consequences of freedom. The free will choice to desire, say, or do something that God considers evil or false is the misuse of freedom. That is called sin: disobedience to God.
The Original Sin
The first people to sin were Adam and Eve, the parents of all human beings. Their sin is called the "original sin" because it was the first. Adam and Eve were created as friends with God, sharing His life. God allowed Adam and Eve to eat the fruit from every tree in the garden of Paradise, except the fruit that came from the "tree of the knowledge of good and evil." (Genesis 2:17) Their freedom was not absolute. The forbidden fruit represents the limits that God places on man's freedom. Obedience to God's will is the greatest expression of man's love for God.
In order to test their love, God permitted Adam and Eve to be tempted. He allowed the devil to try to talk them into eating the fruit from the "tree of the knowledge of good and evil." The devil told Adam and Eve that nothing would happen to them if they ate the fruit, that the reason God did not want them to eat it was that they would become like Him. Adam and Eve believed the devil's lie that they could be like God without having to be obedient to Him. They were no longer content with friendship with God on His terms, and so they freely chose to sin. One might ask: Why would Adam and Eve do that? It is a mystery why they would trade friendship with God for independence from God, but then it is also a mystery why their descendants, present day sinners, continue to do the same.
Sin is Punished
One consequence of free will is that people are responsible for their choices. The more freedom people have in making choices, the more they are responsible for their choices. People must take personal responsibility for their choices, either receiving praise or blame, reward or punishment. Even though Adam and Eve were tempted by the devil, they were free to say "no" to his seduction. They freely chose to disobey God, and so in justice they would have to accept the blame and the punishment.
Adam and Eve's new found independence from God was a poor trade for what they lost as punishment for their sin. They lost everything: the body rebelled from the soul; the relationship between man and woman became strained; work became difficult; suffering became a companion to life on earth; and, as God warned, life ends in death. The worst punishment of all was that Adam and Eve lost the gift of Sanctifying Grace. God's punishment of sin is just, but it is also merciful. Moved by love, God never punishes sinners as much as their sins deserve.
The Loss of Sanctifying Grace
At first glance it would appear that losing the gift of Sanctifying Grace was no big deal compared to everything else Adam and Eve lost as punishment for their sin. However, Sanctifying Grace is everything! God designed human life so that man cannot be what he is meant to be without Sanctifying Grace. God created human beings to share in His divine life, to be His children, and to live with Him forever in Paradise - Sanctifying Grace alone makes this possible.
Man can only have Sanctifying Grace when he lives his life in the obedience of faith according to God's laws. When man sins it is as if he says to God: "I don't need You; I will not submit to You; I can make it an my own!" Nothing could be further from the truth. If as punishment for sin man can only eat his bread by the sweat of his brow, how much more frustrating is it for man to strive for the goal of eternal life without Sanctifying Grace, and never be able to achieve it? This is the source of man's greatest suffering!
The Hope of Salvation
Even though Adam and Eve's relationship with God was strained, He did not stop loving and caring for them. The Bible tells how God Himself made clothes for them and protected them from doing further harm to themselves (Genesis 3:21-24). God also gave them hope that the debt of punishment owed for their sins would one day be pardoned. God gave them hope for salvation. From the beginning of human history, God promised to send a Savior who would have final victory over sin and death: "I will put enmity between you (the devil) and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel." (Genesis 3:15) Mankind needs a Savior, and Jesus is the One who crushes the head of the serpent, pardoning the debt of punishment owed for sin, and making Sanctifying Grace and Heaven available to man once again.
Sin is an offense against the infinitely good God who is deserving of love, and so, in justice, sin deserves infinite punishment. Human beings, because they are finite, could never make up for the punishment their sins deserve. Only God, who alone is infinite, could suffer the punishment for sin, but God as God cannot suffer. So, moved by love, God became man so that in His human nature He could suffer the punishment for sin and reconcile man to Himself. That is what Jesus taught Nicodemus when He said: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." (Joint 3:16) It would be like a victim of a violent crime saying to the condemned criminal: "I will take your place in the electric chair to pay for the crime that you committed against me." That is what Jesus did for each person.
St. Paul describes Jesus as the "second Adam" who made up for what the "first Adam" did: "God shows His love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us...as one man's trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one man's act of righteousness leads to acquittal and life for all men." (Romans 5: I2, 18) Mankind is reconciled to God by believing that Jesus is the Son of God and Savior of the world, and by being baptized. The waters of Baptism wash away original sin and give the person the gift of Sanctifying Grace.
It was not only Adam and Eve who needed a Savior, but all human beings. Just as the original blessings Adam and Eve received from God were intended not only for themselves, but for human nature itself, so their fallen human nature is transmitted to all their descendants (except to the Blessed Virgin Mary, who by a singular grace and privilege granted by Almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, was preserved free from all stain of original sin from the first instant of her conception). Like a child that is born with a congenital disease, every human being born since the fall of Adam and Eve is afflicted with ignorance, suffering, death, and with an inclination to sin called "concupiscence." They are also born without the gift of Sanctifying Grace, with the gates of Heaven closed to them. It is not that a newborn child is guilty of personal sin. Rather, the child is born into a state of sin with a fallen human nature.
Personal Sin
Baptism takes away original sin and gives Sanctifying Grace, but otherwise fallen human nature remains the same. The baptized person is no longer a "slave to sin" but is inclined to the selfishness of sin because of concupiscence. Therefore, Christians must "work out (their) own salvation with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12) by cooperating with God's Grace to avoid sin and practice virtue.
The sins that the baptized person commits are called personal or actual sins: unlike original sin, the human person actually commits the sin. All sins are a misuse of freedom, but there are different kinds of sin, depending on what is actually done, how much deliberation or thought goes into it, and how free the person is to choose. They also differ, then, by the punishment they deserve. The two main kinds of actual sins are called mortal sin and venial sin.
Venial Sin
A sin is called venial, from the Latin meaning pardonable, when either what was done is not serious, or if it was serious, there wasn't full knowledge or complete consent of the will. A person does not lose the gift of Sanctifying Grace by committing a venial sin. However, he does receive a temporal punishment which is made up for during life an earth by doing penance, works of charity and by saying prayers, or else after a person's death by the sufferings of Purgatory. One who is guilty of venial sin also finds it more and more difficult to practice virtue and to resist the temptation to commit mortal sins, which do deprive a person of Heaven.
Mortal Sin
A sin is called mortal, meaning deadly (see 1 John 5:16-17), when what was done is serious, and when it was done with both full knowledge and complete consent of the will. The Catholic Church alone has the authority to determine what kinds of desires, words and actions are serious in and of themselves. The Catechism teaches that the Ten Commandments name what is seriously wrong. (CCC 1858) Why a person does something (his motive), and circumstances like who is offended, or where, or when, or how, can make a sin more or less serious, but it can never make something which is sinful acceptable. One may not do evil, not even a venial sin, in order to bring about something that seems good: the end does not justify the means.
It is possible for a person to desire, to say or to do something that is sinful in and of itself, but not know that it is sinful. God does not hold a person responsible for something he did not know was wrong. However, God does hold all people responsible to learn what is good to do, and then to do it. It is also possible for a person's ability to act with complete consent of the will to be lessened or even destroyed by things like force, fear, or habit. But that same person is responsible to, for example, break the habit that affects his freedom.
A person is guilty of mortal sin when he desired, said or did something that was seriously wrong, knowing that it was a sin, freely choosing to do it anyway. This sin is called mortal because it is punished with the "death" of the life of Sanctifying Grace in the soul of the sinner. Without Sanctifying Grace a person cannot gain any merit for the good things he might do, nor may he receive Holy Communion without first going to Confession. (see 1 Corinthians 11:28) Worst of all, if he dies without repenting of his mortal sin and asking God for forgiveness, he will be judged worthy of eternal damnation in Hell. Be careful here, for while it is possible to say whether or not a desire, word or action is mortally sinful, only God can judge whether or to what extent a person is guilty of mortal sin.
That is because only God can judge a person's mind and heart to know whether or not he acted with full knowledge and complete consent of the will.
Other Kinds of Sin
Besides these two very familiar kinds of actual sins, there are a few others. Jesus refers to the unforgivable sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. (Mark 3:29) This is understood as a refusal to repent of one's sins, or a rejection of the forgiveness of sins and salvation offered by the Holy Spirit. God respects our freedom, and so will not dwell in a soul where He is not invited or where He is not made welcome.
The Bible also mentions sins that cry out to heaven for vengeance: Brother killing Brother (Genesis 4:10); sodomy (Genesis 19:13); Oppression of a foreigner, a widow, or an orphan (Exodus 22:20-22); and, injustice to laborers (James 5:4).
Some sins are called capital sins because they lead people to commit other sins. There are seven capital sins: pride, avarice, envy, wrath, lust, gluttony and sloth. For example, the capital sin of envy led King Saul to hate David, and to be sad at his success in war and his fame with the people. Saul hated David and tried to kill him. (1 Kings 18: 6-9)
Lastly, a vice is a sinful habit that is developed over time by repeating a sin. The first time a sin is committed it is difficult because of the natural fear and shame that people have. However, each time the sin is repeated it weakens resistance until it can be done with ease and without much attention. Vice is gradually overcome by practicing virtue, which is the habit of doing good.
WHY DID JESUS START THE SACRAMENT OF CONFESSION?
It is said that if someone believes that God is distant, it is not God who moved. God never stops loving His creation, especially human beings made in His image and likeness. Moved by love, He always provides men and women with all good things. And when they sin and turn away from God, He does not abandon them. Like the Good Shepherd, God goes in search of sinners to call them to conversion. (see Luke 15:4-7) As man can do nothing to save Himself, God always makes the Grace of conversion available to all people. But Grace is not magic; it bears no fruit without a person's free and deliberate cooperation to repent, confess his sins, and try to change his life.
The first conversion of a sinner to God occurs when he comes to believe that Jesus is the Son of God and Savior of the world, and is baptized. Every time a sinner commits a sin after Baptism, he must repent, be sorry for his sins, confess them to a priest (if they are mortal sins), and try to change his life again, and again, and again, as many times as necessary. St. Catherine of Siena refers to the sacrament of Confession as "an on-going Baptism" where sinners are washed clean again in the Blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God. (Dialogue, chapter 75) Christians are always in need of repentance and conversion as long as they live.
Because God takes "no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live" (Ezekiel 33:11), Jesus established the sacrament of Confession so that sinners in every time and place could repent, confess their sins, and try to change their lives.
Only God can forgive sins. The Lord Jesus, because He is God, could therefore say to the man who was paralyzed: "My son, your sins are forgiven." (Mark 2:5) Jesus also has the authority, as God, to grant others the power to forgive sins. On Easter night, Jesus appeared to the Apostles, "breathed on them, and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.'" (John 20:22-23) And because sin offends not only God, but also the members of the Mystical Body of Christ, the Church, Jesus gave Peter and the Apostles the authority to reconcile sinners to the Church when He said: "Whatever you bind an earth
shall be bound in Heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven." (Matthew 16:19; 18:18)
Only God forgives sins, but He does it "through the ministry of the Church." The Lord Jesus gave the Apostles and their successors, the Bishops of the Catholic Church, and the priests who work with the Bishops, the power to forgive sins in His name. When a priest absolves a person of his sins, he is not merely announcing the Good News of God's forgiveness, or that God has forgiven his sins. The sinner receives pardon from God through the ministry of the Church, that is, through the absolution given by the priest in Confession. As the Church is also offended by sin, that same prayer of absolution reconciles the sinner with the Church.
There are some people who shy away from going to Confession because they have had the experience of a priest being angry and yelling at them. It is difficult to excuse such behavior in a priest: maybe he was having a bad day, or was bothered by something totally unrelated. Nevertheless, a priest in Confession must try to remember that he has received "the ministry of reconciliation" (2 Corinthians 5: 18), and is to be like the Good Shepherd who seeks the lost sheep, or the Good Samaritan who binds up wounds, or the Father who awaits the prodigal son and welcomes him on his return. The penitent, on the other hand, should try to forgive the human failings of the priest. He should also remember that, regardless of what kind of confessor the priest is, it is Jesus Christ that the penitent meets in the sacrament of Confession, and that the forgiveness of sins is not dependent an the goodness of the priest.
The Ten Commandments
First Commandment
"I am the Lord your God: you shall not have strange gods before Me."
+ Have I disobeyed the commandments of God or of His Catholic Church?
+ Have I refused to accept as true what God has revealed or what the Catholic Church proposes for belief?
+ Have I denied the existence of God?
+ Have I rejected the Christian faith, associating myself formally with another religion?
+ Have I formally associated myself with a non-Catholic denomination or sect?
+ Am I a member of a group which is forbidden to Catholics?
+ Have I given in to despair concerning the forgiveness of my sins or my salvation?
+ Have I presumed on God's mercy, expecting forgiveness without conversion and practicing virtue?
+ Do I love someone or something more than God?
+ Does someone or something other than God influence my choices?
+ Have I engaged in superstitious practices?
+ Have I consulted horoscopes, palm readers, fortune tellers, clairvoyants or mediums?
+ Have I involved myself in occult practices, such as seances, using a ouija board, or the worship of Satan?
Second Commandment
"You shall not take the Name of the Lord your God in vain. "
+ Have I used the name of God in cursing or blasphemy?
+ Have I failed to keep the vows or promises that I have made to God?
+ Have I spoken about the Church, the saints, or sacred things with irreverence, hatred or defiance?
+ Have I watched television or movies, or listened to music that treated God, the Church, the saints, or sacred things irreverently?
+ Have I used vulgar, suggestive or obscene speech?
+ Have I used speech to belittle others?
+ Have I been disrespectful in my behavior in church?
+ Have I misused places or things set apart for the worship of God?
Third Commandment
"Remember to keep holy the Lord's Day."
+ Have I set time aside each day for personal prayer to God?
+ Have I worshipped God at Mass on Sunday and the other Holy Days of Obligation?
+ Have I committed a sacrilege against the Blessed Sacrament?
+ Have I received a sacrament while in the state of mortal sin?
+ Did I habitually come late to and/or leave early from Mass without a good reason?
+ Did I do unnecessary shopping and business on Sunday and the other Holy Days of Obligation?
+ Did I do unnecessary labor on Sunday and the other Holy Days of Obligation?
Fourth Commandment
"Honor your father and mother."
+ If still under the care of my parents, did I obey all that they reasonably asked of me?
+ Have I neglected the needs of my parents in their old age or in their time of need?
+ If still in school, did I obey the reasonable demands of my teachers?
+ As a parent, have I neglected to give my children proper food, clothing, shelter, education, discipline and care?
+ Have I provided for the religious education and formation of my children for as long as they are under my care?
+ Have I taken care to see that my children still under my care regularly frequent the sacraments of Penance and Holy Communion?
+ Have I chosen a school for my children which corresponds to my religious convictions and which helps me in my role as the primary educator of my children?
+ If it is not possible to enroll my child in a Catholic school, have I seen to it that they attend religious instruction all through their school years, even after Confirmation?
+ Have I provided my children with a positive, prudent and personalized education in the Catholic teaching on human sexuality?
+ Have I given my children a good example of how to live the Catholic Faith?
+ Have I prayed with and for my children?
+ Do I live in humble obedience to those who legitimately exercise authority over me?
+ Have I broken the law?
+ Have I supported or voted for a politician whose positions are opposed to the teachings of Christ and His Catholic Church?
Fifth Commandment
"You shall not kill."
+ Have I unjustly and intentionally killed a human being?
+ Have I procured, performed, cooperated or advised another in the intentional killing of an unborn child through abortion?
+ Have I seriously considered or attempted suicide?
+ Have I supported, promoted or encouraged the practice of assisted suicide or mercy killing?
+ Have I deliberately desired to kill an innocent human being?
+ Have I unjustly inflicted bodily harm an another person?
+ Have I unjustly threatened another person with bodily harm?
+ Have I afflicted another person with verbal or emotional abuse?
+ Have I hated another to the point of wishing him evil?
+ Am I prejudiced or have I unjustly discriminated against others because of their race, color, nationality, gender or religion?
+ Do I belong to a hate group?
+ Did I purposely provoke another by teasing or nagging?
+ Did I, by my actions, recklessly endanger my life or health, or that of another person?
+ Did I operate any form of transportation recklessly or under the influence of alcohol or other drugs?
+ Have I abused alcohol or other drugs?
+ Have I sold or given drugs to others to use for non-therapeutic purposes?
+ Have I been immoderate in my use of tobacco?
+ Have I over-eaten?
+ Have I been immoderate in my use of diets or diet pills?
+ Have I encouraged others to sin by giving scandal?
Sixth Commandment
"Thou shall not commit adultery."
Ninth Commandment
"You shall not covet your neighbor's wife."
+ Do I make an effort to practice the virtue of chastity?
+ Have I given in to lust, the desire for sexual pleasure unrelated to spousal love in marriage?
+ Have I used artificial means of birth control?
+ Have I participated in immoral techniques for in vitro fertilization or artificial insemination?
+ Have I undergone an operation to render myself sterile for contraceptive purposes?
+ Have I willfully entertained impure thoughts?
+ Have I purchased or made use of pornography in any form?
+ Have I watched movies and television that involve sex and nudity?
+ Have I listened to music or jokes that are harmful to purity?
+ Have I committed adultery, having sexual relations with someone who is married, or with someone other than my spouse?
+ Have I committed incest, having sexual relations with a relative or in-law?
+ Have I committed fornication, having sexual relation with someone of the opposite sex when neither of us is married?
+ Have I committed sodomy, having sexual relations with someone of the same sex?
+ Have I raped someone?
+ Have I committed masturbation, using my sexual organs for my own sexual pleasure?
+ Have I engaged in sexual foreplay (petting) reserved for marriage?
+ Have I preyed upon children or youth for my sexual pleasure?
+ Have I engaged in unnatural sexual activities?
+ Have I engaged in prostitution, or paid for the services of a prostitute?
+ Have I set out to seduce someone, or allowed myself to be seduced?
+ Have I made uninvited and unwelcome sexual advances toward another?
+ Have I purposely dressed immodestly?
Seventh Commandment
"You shall not steal."
Tenth Commandment
"You shall not covet your neighbor's goods."
+ Do I try to live in a spirit of gospel poverty and simplicity?
+ Have I failed to practice the works of mercy?
+ Am I envious of others on account of their possessions?
+ Did I take something that doesn't belong to me against the reasonable will of the owner?
+ Did I deface, destroy or lose another's property without making restitution?
+ Did I cheat on a test, on my taxes, in business, or in games of chance?
+ Have I squandered money in compulsive gambling?
+ Did I make a false claim to an insurance company?
+ Do I pay employees a living wage, or fail to give a full day's work for a full day's pay?
+ Have I failed to honor my part of a contract?
+ Did I fail to make good on a debt?
+ Did I take advantage of another's hardship or ignorance by charging more for a product than it is worth?
+ Have I misused natural resources?
+ Have I treated animals cruelly, causing them to suffer or die needlessly?
Eighth Commandment
"You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor."
+ Did I knowingly and willfully deceive another by speaking a falsehood?
+ Did I perjure myself under oath?
+ Am I guilty of passing on gossip?
+ Am I guilty of detraction, destroying a person's reputation by telling others about his faults for no good reason?
+ Am I guilty of slander or calumny, telling lies about another person in order to destroy his reputation?
+ Am I guilty of libel, writing lies about another person in order to destroy his reputation?
+ Am I guilty of rash judgement, assuming the worst of another person based on circumstantial evidence?
+ Have I failed to make reparation for a lie I told, or for harm done to a person's reputation?
+ Did I fail to speak out in defense of the Catholic Faith, the Church, or of another person?
+ Did I betray another's confidence through speech?
Look go and turn back to catholicism! Catholicism is the only true church there is!
The Precepts of The Church
First Precept of the Church
"You shall attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation."
(see under the Third Commandment)
Second Precept of the Church
"You shall confess your sins at least once a year."
+ Have I made a good Confession of my mortal sins least once a year?
+ Did I purposely omit telling my mortal sins in my last Confession?
+ Did I perform the penance I was given?
+ Have I made reparation for any harm I have done to others?
Third Precept of the Church
"You shall humbly receive your Creator in Holy Communion at least during the Easter season."
+ Have I fulfilled my Easter duty to receive Holy Communion at least once between the First Sunday of Lent and Trinity Sunday?
+ Have I received Holy Communion while in the state of mortal sin?
+ Have I fasted an hour before receiving Holy Communion?
+ Have I received Holy Communion more than twice in one day?
Fourth Precept of the Church
"You shall keep holy the Holy days of Obligation."
(see under the Third Commandment)
Fifth Precept of the Church
"You shall observe the prescribed days of fasting and abstinence."
+ Do I do penance every Friday, if not abstaining from meat, then some other form of penance?
+ If I am 14 years of age or older, did I abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and the Fridays of Lent?
+ If I am between the ages of 18 and 59, did I fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday?
+ Do I try to spend time in prayer, doing spiritual and corporal works of mercy, and practicing self-denial?
Sixth Precept of the Church
"You shall contribute to the support of the Church."
+ Do I contribute a just amount of my time, talents and money to support my parish and the work of the Church?
Seventh Precept of the Church
"You shall observe the laws of the Church concerning marriage."
+ Am I living in a valid and licit marriage according to the laws of the Catholic Church?
+ Have I abandoned my spouse and family by separation or divorce?
+ Have I been keeping company with someone whom I cannot marry in the Catholic Church?
+ Have I given scandal by living with a member of the opposite sex without the benefit of a marriage blessed by the Catholic Church?
+ Have I entered into marriage with more than one person at the same time?
HOW TO MAKE AN INDIVIDUAL CONFESSION
The following is a step-by-step explanation of the ordinary way the Church has set down for an individual penitent to make his Confession. The penitent has the option of making his Confession while kneeling behind a screen so that the priest cannot know his identity, unless the penitent chooses to identify himself. Or, he may sit across from the priest, making his Confession face-to-face. If the penitent chooses to make his Confession face to-face, but the confessional in the church is not set up for it, he can arrange with the priest to make his Confession at another time and place. If the penitent is confessing his sins for the first time, or if it has been a long time since his last Confession, he should inform the priest and ask him for help in making a good Confession.
1. The priest welcomes the penitent, and then they make the Sign of the Cross, saying: "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit"
2. Using his own words or a prepared text from the Ritual, the priest exhorts the penitent to trust in God's mercy, to which the penitent responds: "Amen."
3. The priest or the penitent may read a text from Sacred Scripture.
4. The penitent then confesses his sins in the following manner:
The penitent may begin with these or similar words: "I confess to Almighty God, and to you, Father, that I have sinned." He then tells the priest his age, gender, state in life, how long it has been since his last Confession, and any other details that would help the priest.
The penitent may then say these or similar words: "I accuse myself of the following sins..." The penitent then tells all of his mortal sins in kind and number. He may also add his venial sins, but need not tell kind and number.
After telling all his sins, the penitent may say these or similar words: "For these and all my past sins I am truly sorry, and I beg pardon from God and penance and absolution from you, Father."
5. The priest may ask questions to help clear up any doubt about the nature of the sins confessed, or to determine if the penitent is truly sorry. The priest may also offer some advice as to how the penitent might amend his life.
6. The priest proposes an act of penance to the penitent, asking if he will accept it in order to make satisfaction for sin and to amend his life. If the penitent is not able to perform the proposed penance, he may ask for another.
7. The penitent then expresses his sorrow in an Act of Contrition, using either his own words, or one of the prayers in the Ritual, or the traditional formula.
8. The priest then extends his hands, or at least his right hand, and says the prayer of absolution, to which the penitent responds: "Amen."
9. After the absolution, the priest says: "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good." The penitent responds: "His mercy endures forever."
10. The priest dismisses the penitent, using these or similar words: "The Lord has freed you from your sins. Go in peace." The penitent may respond: "Thanks be to God. Thank you, Father."
11. The penitent should perform his penance as soon as possible after making his Confession.
PASSAGES FROM SACRED SCRIPTURE
Matthew 9:12-13 "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ' I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."
Matthew 26:75 And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, "Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times." And he went out and wept bitterly.
Mark 1:15 "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel."
Luke 7:44-48 Then turning toward the woman He said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house, you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much, but he who is forgiven little, loves little." And He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."
Luke 15:7 "I tell you, there will be more joy in Heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance."
Luke 15:11-24 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired servants." And he arose and came to his father. But while he was yet at a distance, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, "Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son." But the father said to his servants, "Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.
Luke 18:10-14 Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, "God, I thank Thee that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector...But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to Heaven, but beat his breast, saying, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!" I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.
Luke 19:5-10 And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today." So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. And when they saw it they all murmured, "He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner." And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any one of anything, I restore it fourfold." And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost.
Luke 23:39-43 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at Him, saying, "Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!" But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we are receiving the due reward for our deed; but this man has done nothing wrong." And he said, "Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingly power." And He said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
John 8:3-11 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst, they Said to Him, "Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such. What do you say about her?"..."Let he who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her ."...But when they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the eldest, and Jesus was left alone with the woman Standing before Him, Jesus looked up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you; go, and do not sin again."
John 20:21-23 "As the Father has sent Me, even so I send you." And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."
Romans 5:8 But God shows His love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.
PRAYERS
Acts of Contrition
O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, who art all-good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen. (partial indulgence)
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on me, a sinner. (partial indulgence)
Remember, Lord, Your compassion and mercy, which You showed long ago. Do not recall the sins and failings of my youth. In Your mercy remember me, Lord, because of Your goodness. Amen. (partial indulgence)
Wash me from my guilt and cleanse me of my sin. I acknowledge my offense; my sin is before me always. Amen. (partial indulgence)
Lord Jesus, You Chose to be called the friend of sinners. By Your saving death and resurrection free me from my sins. May Your peace take root in my heart and bring forth a harvest of love, holiness, and truth. Amen. (partial indulgence)
Lord Jesus Christ, You are the Lamb of God; You take away the sins of the world. Through the grace of the Holy Spirit restore me to friendship with Your Father, cleanse me from every stain of sin in the Blood You shed for me, and raise me to new life for the glory of Your name. Amen. (partial indulgence)
Lord Jesus, You opened the eyes of the blind, healed the sick, forgave the sinful woman, and after Peter's denial confirmed him in Your love. Listen to my prayer: forgive all my sins, renew Your love in my heart, help me to live in perfect unity with my fellow Christians that I may proclaim Your saving power to all the world. Amen. (partial indulgence)
Father of mercy, like the prodigal son I return to You and say: "I have sinned against You and am no longer worthy to be called Your son." Christ Jesus, Savior of the world, I pray with the repentant thief to whom You promised paradise: "Lord, remember me in Your kingdom." Holy Spirit, fountain of love, I call on You with trust: "Purify my heart, and help me to walk as a child of the light." Amen. (partial indulgence)
Other Prayers
Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God's love commits me here; ever this day be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen. (partial indulgence)
Eternal rest grant to them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of the faithful departed, I through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen. (partial indulgence, applicable only to the souls in Purgatory)
Psalm 130 Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive to my voice in supplication: if You, O Lord, mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand? But with You is forgiveness, that You may be revered. I trust in the Lord; my soul trusts in His Word. My soul waits for the Lord, more than sentinels wait for the dawn. More than sentinels wait for the dawn, let Israel wait for the Lord; for with the Lord is kindness and with Him is plenteous redemption; and He will redeem Israel from all their iniquities. (partial indulgence)
Lord, God Almighty, You have brought us safely to the beginning of this day. Defend us today by Your mighty power, that we may not fall into any sin, but that all our words may so proceed and all our thoughts and actions be so directed, as to be always just in Your sight. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. (partial indulgence)
Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, while before Your face I humbly kneel, and with burning soul pray and beseech You to fix deep in my heart lively sentiments of faith, hope and charity, true contrition for my sins, and a firm purpose of amendment, while I contemplate with great love and tender pity Your five wounds, pondering over them within me, calling to mind the words which David, Your prophet, said of You, my good Jesus: "They have pierced my hands and my feet; they have numbered all my bones". Amen.
(A plenary indulgence is granted an each Friday of Lent and Passiontide to the faithful, who after Communion piously recite the above prayer before an image of Christ crucified; on other days of the year the indulgence is partial)
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly to thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen. (partial indulgence)
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy; hail, our life, our sweetness, and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve! To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of' tears! Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us; and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus! O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen. (partial indulgence)
We fly to your patronage, O holy Mother of God; despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us always from all dangers, O glorious and blessed Virgin. Amen. (partial indulgence)
I love You, Jesus, my love, with all my heart. I am sorry for ever having offended You. Never permit me to offend You again. Grant that I may love You always, then do with me as You will. (St. Alphonsus Liguori)
St. Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle; be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou, O prince of the heavenly host, by the Power of God, thrust into Hell Satan and the other evil Spirits who prowl about the world for the ruin of souls. Amen.
Renewal of Baptismal Promises
A partial indulgence is granted to the faithful, who renew their baptismal promises according to any formula in use; but a plenary indulgence is granted, if this is done in the celebration of the Paschal Vigil or on the anniversary of one's baptism. What follows is one way to renew one's baptismal promises:
I, N.N., who through the tender mercy of the Eternal Father was privileged to be baptized "in the name of the Lord Jesus" and thus to share in the dignity of His divine Sonship, wish now in the presence of this same loving Father and of His only-begotten Son to renew in all sincerity the promises I solemnly made at the time of my holy Baptism.
I, therefore, now do once again renounce Satan; I renounce all his works; I renounce all his allurements
I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, Who was born into this world and Who suffered and died for my sins and rose again. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting.0
Having been buried with Christ unto death and raised up with Him unto a new life, I promise to live no longer for myself or for that world which is the enemy of God but for Him who died for me and rose again, serving God, my heavenly Father, faithfully and unto death in the holy Catholic Church.
Taught by our Savior's command and formed by the Word of God, I now dare to say:
Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
Visit to a Cemetery
An indulgence, applicable only to the Souls in Purgatory, is granted to the faithful, who devoutly visit a cemetery and pray, even if only mentally, for the departed. The indulgence is plenary each day from the 1st to the 8th of November; an other days of the year it is partial.
Adoration of the Cross
A plenary indulgence is granted to the faithful, who in the solemn liturgical action of Good Friday, devoutly assist at the adoration of the Cross and kiss it.
Exercise of the Way of the Cross
A plenary indulgence is granted to the faithful, who make the pious exercise of the Way of the Cross under the following conditions: made before stations of the Way of the Cross legitimately erected, with fourteen Crosses, with a pious meditation on the Passion and Death of the Lord, moving from one station to the next (or at least the one conducting the exercise to move from station to station). This is the one, holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church founded by Jesus Christ.
1.
We know because of the Promises of Perpetuality made by Truth Himself (John 14:6), Jesus Christ.
We know that He founded One Church only, as He stated in Matthew 16:18.
We know because He promised His Church would be defended from within and from without.
"And the gates of hell will NOT prevail against it." Matthew 16:18
We know because He promised to be with His Church until the end of the world, in Matthew 28:20.
We know because He promised He would not leave us orphans, in John 14:18.
We know because He promised the Spirit of Truth would dwell with it forever, in John 14:16.
We know because Saint Paul promised the Church will be with us forever." Ephesians 3:21
2.
We know because of Holy Scripture. The Catholic Church* is the only Church on earth which fits the pattern of the Church which Jesus Christ founded, and as Blueprinted for us in the Bible. There is not another Christian Church in the world that matches this plan as does the Catholic Church.
Compare your Church with what Holy Scripture has said it should be.
* The Catholic Church herein, includes all of the rites which have seven Sacraments and a valid Priesthood.
3.
We know because the Kingdom of GOD promised in Holy Scripture is the Catholic Church*.
Note: Saint Matthew most often used the term Kingdom of Heaven instead, as he directed his Gospel to the Jews, and they were forbidden to even say the name of GOD.
*Lumen Gentium I,3-5
Why did Jesus Christ become Incarnate in the first place? Was it to leave us with a book, or to establish a Church? Well, He just happened to tell us why:
"But He said to them, "To the other towns also I must PROCLAIM THE KINGDOM OF GOD, FOR THIS IS WHY I HAVE BEEN SENT"."
Luke 4:43
"But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Kingdom of GOD."
Luke 9:27
Jesus Christ founded His Church shortly after making this statement, and some to whom He spoke will live to see it.
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."
Luke 19:10
And how are we, who are the lost ones, to be saved?
It is through the Church which Jesus Christ founded here on earth.
"The Kingdom of GOD may be found where the Body of Christ shall be."
St. Alphonsus Liguori
"Where the Bishop appears, there let the people be, just as where Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church."
St. Ignatius of Antioch, Letter to the Smyrneans 8, 107 A.D..
Where Jesus Christ can be found in the Holy Eucharist, there is the Kingdom of GOD.
4.
We know because it is the Catholic Church which is the "Pillar and the Foundation of the Truth", not the Bible, as shown in 1Timothy 3:15. Not one non-Catholic church can make that claim, as not one of them even existed until almost 1500 years after 1Timothy was written.
5.
We know because the Catholic Church is firmly Implanted in Solid Rock.
"Everyone therefore who hears these My Words and acts upon them, SHALL BE LIKENED TO A WISE MAN WHO BUILT HIS HOUSE ON ROCK. AND THE RAINS CAME, AND THE WINDS BLEW AND BEAT AGAINST THAT HOUSE, BUT IT DID NOT FALL, BECAUSE IT WAS FOUNDED ON ROCK."
Matthew 7:24-25
For almost 2000 years the rains and the winds of enemy and heresy have certainly beat against the Church which Jesus Christ founded. However, His Church is firmly anchored in Rock and has endured the worst of these Storms.
"And I say to you, you are Peter, and UPON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH."
Matthew 16:18
Non-Catholics charge that Peter is not the "rock" because the Greek word used for "rock" in this verse means a little pebble. Right away, it is obvious from the very beginning, that there is a translation problem here. Scholars have determined that Matthew was not written in Greek, but in Aramaic, and was soon translated into Greek, so we have to go to the original written language to find the true meaning of this verse.
Peter was called "Cephas" or "Kepha(s)" in Aramaic, by Christ in Matthew 16:18, and it means a large massive stone or rock. Christ said this at Caesarea Philippi, the site of a large rock mass. See Matthew 16:13. The Aramaic word for a small stone or pebble is "evna". "Kepha", when translated to the Greek language means "Petra" (a large rock) or "Petros" (a small stone). However, unlike Aramaic words which have no gender, some Greek words do have gender, and "Petra" is feminine. Translators from the Aramaic to the Greek, changed the word to the masculine gender or "Petros" because they were unwilling to assign a name with feminine gender to a man.
In Matthew 16:18, it is correct to say that Jesus would have said, "You are 'Kepha', and upon this 'Kepha', I will build My Church." In Greek, it would translate to, "You are 'Petros', and upon this 'Petra', I will build My Church." It was the translation of the Aramaic word, "Kepha" (Cephas), into the Greek language that caused the confusion among some who look upon Peter as not being called "rock", but only a "pebble", and in so doing attempt to deny his Primacy.
Matthew 16:13, 18, John 1:42, 1Corinthians 1:12, 3:22, 9:5, 15:5, Galatians 2:8-9.
Some charge that Matthew 16:18 is based on the "confession" of Peter and not Peter, the person. First of all, the Context clearly shows that the verse is based upon the person of Peter, and not his confession of faith. In the previous verse 17, Jesus blessed the person. In verse 19, He blessed Peter, the person, a second time by giving him and him only the keys. Clearly, all three verses signify a great and special blessing was bestowed upon the person of Peter.
Secondly, the Catholic Church is built upon confessors, and not confessions.
"Where Peter is, there is the Church. And where the Church, no death is there, but life eternal."
Saint Ambrose, On Twelve Psalms, 40,30, 397 A.D.
"You are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets with Christ Jesus Himself as the Chief Cornerstone. In Him the whole structure is fitted together and grows into a temple holy in the Lord."
Ephesians 2:20-21
"And everyone who hears these My Words and does not act upon them, shall be likened to A FOOLISH MAN WHO BUILT HIS HOUSE ON SAND. AND THE RAIN FELL, AND THE FLOODS CAME, AND THE WINDS BLEW AND BEAT AGAINST THAT HOUSE, AND IT FELL, AND WAS UTTERLY RUINED."
Matthew 7:26-27
Other Christian churches have been buffeted and splintered into over 36,400* pieces because they were not founded by Jesus Christ and thus were not built upon Rock.
"Unless the Lord build the house, they labor in vain who build it."
Psalms 127:1
*World Christian Encyclopedia, 2001 edition, a Protestant publication.
6.
We know because only the Catholic Church has the Fullness of Truth.
"I am the way, and THE TRUTH and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Me."
John 14:6
Since Jesus Christ is the truth, then the Church which He founded and guides has all truth.
There can be only one truth. If all Christian Churches taught all truth, then there would be only one Christian Church. However, this is not the case, as there are literally thousands of Christian Churches today, with each teaching something different from the others. How can this be possible that each one of these plenitude of Churches has all truth? By reasoning, it is obvious that only one of these churches can have the fullness of truth. The trick is to find which one it is.
How do we find truth? We test for it.
"For whoever keeps the whole law, but offends in one point, has become guilty in all".
James 2:10
So we find the churches who do not keep the whole law, and by process of elimination, we can determine which Church has the fullness of truth.
I will pose just one test question which will eliminate 99% of the thousands of Christian Churches:
"So then, brethren, stand firm, and HOLD THE TRADITIONS THAT YOU HAVE LEARNED, WHETHER BY WORD OR BY LETTER OF OURS."
2Thessalonians 2:15
Obviously, BY WORD OF OURS, means to hold the Apostolic traditions. Every non-Catholic church which denies holding of these traditions, is thereby denying parts of Holy Scripture.
7.
We know because it is the only Church which has the Authority, Given to it by Jesus Christ Himself.
Christ did not leave the world devoid of His voice.
"He who hears you, hears Me; and he who rejects you, rejects Me; and he who rejects Me, rejects him who sent Me."
Luke 10:16
If you reject the Church which Jesus Christ founded, you reject Him, and in turn, the Father.
"But if your brother sin against you, go and show him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he does not listen to you, take with you one or two more so that on the word of two or three witnesses every word may be confirmed. AND IF HE REFUSES TO HEAR THEM, APPEAL TO THE CHURCH, BUT IF HE REFUSES TO HEAR EVEN THE CHURCH, LET HIM BE TO YOU AS THE HEATHEN AND THE PUBLICAN."
Matthew 18:15-17
So, to whom did Jesus Christ give the final authority? Did He give it to a book? No, He gave it to the Church which He founded.
"But for the authority of the Church, I would not believe the Gospel."
Saint Augustine, Against the Letter of Mani 5:6
8.
We know because the Catholic Church is a Living Body.
As we read the Acts of the Apostles we realize that from the moment the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles (Acts 2:1-4), He has remained in the Catholic Church (John 14:15-18), which is the Body of Christ, to make it a "Living Body".
"For He is not a GOD of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto Him."
Luke 20:38
If we have a "Living Head" in Jesus Christ, we also have a "Living Body" in the Church, a unity which the Holy Spirit makes possible by dwelling in it and by distributing His gifts so it can bear fruit.
Every member of the Catholic Church receives the Holy Spirit, the Giver of Life, with the Sacraments. At Mass the Catholic Church lives the death and Resurrection of Christ, and it is in the Holy Eucharist that we find the "Fountain of Life and Holiness". Read 1Corinthians 11:23-30.
"It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To him who thirsts I will give of the Fountain of the Water of Life freely."
Revelation 21:6
The Catholic Church works to bring Jesus to humanity. Scripture scholar Fr. Francis Martin wrote: "The Church is a Bride, and she shows to the world that her Spouse is alive by living by His power and receiving life from Him. If we yield to what the Lord has poured out upon us, His Spirit, the world will know that the Church is truly the spouse of a living GOD."
How does the Catholic Church make sure that it is a Living Body?
First through the Sacraments. We receive with each Sacrament, in our different capacities, the Paraclete, the Giver of Life, the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit there is no life.
9.
We know because The Catholic Church is the Mystical Body of Christ.
As such it is the visible hands and feet of the invisible GOD.
"If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole body were hearing, where would be the smelling? But as it is, GOD has set the members, each of them in the body as He willed. Now if they were all one member, where would the body be? But as it is, there are indeed many members, yet one body. AND THE EYE CANNOT SAY TO THE HAND, "I DO NOT NEED YOUR HELP"; NOR AGAIN THE HEAD TO THE FEET, "I HAVE NO NEED OF YOU"."
1Corinthians 12:17-21
"Because Christ the Head holds such an eminent position, one must not think that he does not require the help of the Body. What Paul said of the human organism is to be applied likewise to the mystical Body: "The head cannot say to the feet: I have no need of you". It is manifestly clear that the faithful need the help of the Divine Redeemer, for He has said: "Without me you can do nothing," and according to the teaching of the Apostle every advance of this Mystical Body towards its perfection derives from Christ the Head (Eph 4:16). Yet this, also, must be held, marvelous though it may seem: Christ has need of His members. First, because the person of Jesus Christ is represented by the Supreme Pontiff, who in turn must call on others to share much of his solicitude lest he be overwhelmed by the burden of his pastoral office, and must be helped daily by the prayers of the Church. Moreover as our Savior does not rule the Church directly in a visible manner, He wills to be helped by the members of His Body in carrying out the work of redemption. This is not because He is indigent and weak, but rather because He has so willed it for the greater glory of His spotless Spouse. Dying on the Cross He left to His Church the immense treasury of the Redemption, towards which she contributed nothing. But when those graces come to be distributed, not only does He share this work of sanctification with His Church, but He wills that in some way it be due to her action. This is a deep mystery, and an inexhaustible subject of meditation, that the salvation of many depends on the prayers and voluntary penances which the members of the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ offer for this intention and on the cooperation of pastors of souls and of the faithful, especially of fathers and mothers of families, a cooperation which they must offer to our Divine Savior as though they were His associates."
Mystici Corporis Christi (On the Mystical Body of Christ, paragraph 44)
Pope Pius XII, Encyclical Promulgated on 29 June, 1943
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10.
We know by its Visibility. One cannot govern an invisible Church, only a visible one.
"No man, when he has lit a candle, puts it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light."
Luke 11:33
Jesus Christ said, "A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden."
Matthew 5:14
"And in the last days, the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be prepared on top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow unto it. And many shall go, and say: Come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the GOD of Jacob, and He will teach us His ways, and we will walk in His paths, for the law shall come forth from Zion, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem."
Isaiah 2:2-3
There are many verses in Holy Scripture which refer to "The Mountain of the Lord", and of going up the mounta |
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