What Jesus Means to Me

What Jesus Means to Me

When I was a child in bed at night and all was dark and scary. I sang songs to Him and the angel He gave me and soon I was no longer scared. I asked him if I could marry Him. And I wondered when He would come and make all the bad things in life go away. I wanted Him to make mean people good. I wanted all my family to not have pain and go to heaven.

One night when I was in fifth grade my friend got shot in the stomach and he almost died and I determined to stay awake all night praying for him, I fell asleep on my knees and felt so guilty in the morning. But my friend lived and I realized that no matter how hard I tried to keep a promise to Jesus, I was going to fail but that Jesus wouldn’t.

When I was a teenager in the 1970’s my friends scared me. They started taking drugs and trying to be cool and listening to bad, harsh music. I was very lonely and felt so nerdy. I was mocked because I liked musicals and classical music and old movies. I was terrified of smoking and dating and rock stars that painted their faces and stuck out their tongues. I put on that I was better than them, but really I was just scared of things I knew to be sin and stupidity.

I told Jesus that He didn’t have to pay attention much to me. I saw all the problems in the world and knew He was too busy for my silly complaints. He had blessed me so much that I carefully kept from complaining to Him. I wanted to be one of those people that never caused Jesus to cry. And my parents had taught me that when people sin, it makes Jesus cry.

As a teenager I loved reading the Bible and craved to know all about Him. He was so good and so kind. I loved to see pictures of Him carrying a lamb on His shoulders. I loved teaching in Kindergarten Sabbath school and singing in choir. Sabbath for me was a very, very happy day. I loved every Sabbath. I felt close to Jesus on that day like He came and placed a special invisible arm of love around me. It was romantic and fun--a great family day. A day to be intimate with God and your fellow man.

Adventists didn’t talk much about their relationship to Jesus. I had never been around it. So I kept it to myself except at Sabbath School. Then it was usually discussions about theological points instead of a relationship with Jesus. I always thought it was because it was assumed everyone had a relationship with Jesus. We were all past the milk and needing the meat.

Jesus was in each bright, warm sunrise and at each cozy, mysterious bedtime. He was in my heart when I was happy and He was there when I was terrified. My faith was weak... my love was strong, but mostly my faith was weak. Lots of things didn’t make sense, but I knew he was there. He was my knight in shining armor, my invisible friend, my Mr. Rogers in my little Christian neighborhood.

Some years, He was so close I felt Him talking to me all day, smiling at me all day. I felt His close, loving presence.

Some years, He was a distant friend who seemed too busy to write or call, but I tried to understand. And I knew He loved me, even if He was busy.

My life hasn’t been easy, but it has been easier than most. I have experienced happiness that I doubt very many people have gotten to experience. I have seen much. And I have experienced sorrow that almost all of us have had to deal with--life tragedies that almost kill you.

But one thing, I have been blessed because I have been near Him my whole life.
Christians today have all these great stories of conversion... You know them. “I was a terrible sinner and then I got saved.” Well, my story is nothing like that. I wasn’t a terrible sinner and I never have felt overwhelming guilty about much. I guess it is because I have always tried so hard to be obedient to him. I never wanted Jesus to cry over what I had done. I sinned, but before the guilt could get strong I immediately repented. I sinned for sure... but nothing of note--nothing to make a good conversion story out of.

But what Jesus has been to me is a friend for my fears and my pain. I have desperately needed a savior from myself. Not because of my great sins, but because of my great terrors of life and death. My fear when I watched my sister getting into the car that she would be in a wreck and I would never see her again. Fear that someone I loved would not be saved. Fear that my mother would come down with cancer or my father would die in a plane crash or drowning. Fear that my wonderful blessed life would disappear with a poof.

I needed Christ to survive my life. He taught me that I would survive my fears and suffering even when He didn’t magically make them go away. He taught me to be brave during those times and that He would be with me.

One of the greatest things that has ever happened to me spiritually is the crucifix. When I have been my lowest, cowering alone with excruciating pain and agony, unable to swallow, vomiting with the trauma of life’s tragedies, I have been able to grab a crucifix and look at what Christ has gone through and know that He knows. He knows and He knows and He knows. That has given me strength to survive the pain.

I have spent much of my life feeling very isolated, misunderstood, dismissed. What made it all well is that moment I imagined seeing my Jesus face to face. That is all I needed of heaven and I all expect of heaven, that for one moment I may look into His eyes and our eyes will lock and I will see in His eyes that He knew how MUCH I tried not to make those eyes cry. And His eyes will say to me, “You never made me cry with pain.” And then I will cry with joy.

Jesus I love you.

The Catholicism in II Chronicles 18

Background: The Davidic Kingdom has divided...

There is a King in Judah (from the lineage of David) named Jehoshaphat--a good guy and a King of Israel, Ahab--not such a good guy. At the moment they are allies because of marriage.

Ahab (king of northern Israel) asks the Jehoshaphat (king of Judah) to campaign with him against Ramoth-gilead and Jehoshaphat goes up and meets with Israel's King but first wants to make sure it's God's will.

"Please inquire first for the word of the LORD." 5 Then the king of Israel assembled the prophets, four hundred men, and said to them, "Shall we go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I refrain ?" And they said, "Go up, for God will give it into the hand of the king." 6 But Jehoshaphat said, "Is there not yet aprophet of the LORD here that we may inquire of him?" 7 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the LORD, but I hate him, for he neverprophesies good concerning me but always evil. He is Micaiah, son of Imla." 

Here's some more interesting background: Jeroboam, the original leader that split the kingdom after Solomon died. (Rehoboam, son of Solomon taking the territories of Judah and Benjamin--including Jerusalem and the temple.) Jeroboam, King of Israel (the Samaritan territory) threw out ALL the Levities and priests and set up his own temple and sacrifices and priesthood. So the northern Kingdom didn't have any of the authentic priests, holy fire, sacrifices, the temple, etc. They were worshipping falsely even if they were claiming to worship God!

So, now note what was going on in the text above. The king of Judah, with the legitimate priesthood and sacrifices and prophets, wanted to know if the northern Kingdom had ANY legitimate prophets of Yahweh left as he recognized the four hundred prophets were bogus. However, note the response of the King of Israel. He actually says "There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord." Hummm... is he coming right out and admitting there is only one true prophet or is the "yet" significant. Does the King mean to imply that ALL of the prophets are claiming to speak for Yahweh but one extra--one additional can be heard but always gives bad prophecies?

Well, if we read on we will find out that these northern prophets are using the name of Yahweh. 

"...all the prophets were prophesying before them. 10 Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made horns of iron for himself and said, "Thus says the LORD, 'With these you shall gore the Arameans until they are consumed.' " 11 All the prophets were prophesying thus, saying, "Go up to Ramoth-gilead and succeed, for the LORD will give it into the hand of the king."

Please note that these are illegitimate prophets (not ones appointed by God who have gone wrong) but actually self-appointed or appointed by an unauthorized leader who are claiming to be prophets of Yahweh. Not only are the prophesies going to be false, but they came out of false shepherds who were never a part of those appointed by God.

God's chosen prophet, Micaiah, is dragged before the two Kings and asked about the battle. And after cajoling the prophets says this:

"I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, Like sheep which have no shepherd; And the LORD said, 'These have no master. Let each of them return to his house in peace.' " 

Now it's really going to get interesting... and so Catholic: 

Micaiah said, "Therefore, hear the word of the LORD. I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing on His right and on His left. 19 "The LORD said, 'Who will entice Ahab king of Israel to go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead ?' And one said this while another said that. 20 "Then a spirit came forward andstood before the LORD and said, 'I will entice him.' And the LORD said to him, 'How?' 21 "He said, 'I will go and be a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' Then He said, 'You are to entice him and prevail also. Go and do so.' 22 "Now therefore, behold, the LORD has put adeceiving spirit in the mouth of these your prophets, for the LORD has proclaimed disaster against you." 

What's so Catholic about that? 

God sent someone else to do His bidding. He asked for volunteers... and then let them decide how to do it. 

Catholics believe that angels and saints in heaven are called upon to do the will of God. God also gives them the opportunity, with His permission, to be creative in how they do it. When Catholics ask the saints in heaven to help them, they are doing nothing more than we see here in scripture. They are performing the works of God at His request.

As prophesied, King Ahab of Israel died in battle. 

So, here--in the whole context of this story--not just what we posted here (you'll have to read all of it to get this --as well as it's counterpart in I Kings 22) we find several things. 

There are God-appointed priests and prophets. Any self-appointed or appointed by any other group or leader are not genuinely of God and cannot speak for Him.

There are New Testament prophets. How do we know they are of God? There are two clues given here. One, they are not appointed by the true church/people of God. Two, they give false prophecies. Not all who give true prophecies are necessarily from God. Some false prophets have given true prophecies. You have to have both things--be appointed by God's people and prophesy 100% correctly.

Just the fact that these prophets claimed to be speaking for Yahweh doesn't mean they were. There was a complete false system of worship set up in the Northern Kingdom that mimicked the true worship of God's people in Jerusalem. 

They may have been truly sincere. They may have been really nice people. But their worship was false. 

Now I am sounding like a Seventh-day Adventist. Which makes the irony of this quite funny! 

I'm not saying these people are not in heaven. I am just simply pointing out a very interesting and very Catholic story in the Old Testament.

Termites

Reflections on a Family Reunion

Our family gets together every two years for a family reunion--from Texas, Colorado, Tennessee and Virginia. There are two parents, six siblings and their spouses and almost twenty grandkids. This Thanksgiving, we rented a lodge for five nights.

Our group makes up not only a wide diversity of ages, but of world views: atheists, agnostics, Seventh-day Adventists, non-denominational members, Presbyterians and Catholics. With zealots among them--me being one! (And if you know anything about SDA prophecy, having a Catholic family member can make some interesting conversations and cause some theological misunderstandings.)

I have the highest opinion of my family. They are wonderful, brilliant, and devoted--and for the most part tolerant. This isn’t about my family but about the problems of family reunions. Reunions are difficult even among the best of us. And though most of those attending will not relate to my observations, it is because, being the oldest sister of the siblings, I was privileged to listen to many private hurts and complaints that others were not aware of. 

Having their memory so fresh, I thought I would jot down some easily and not so easily avoided pitfalls not only for those of you who might find it beneficial but for me personally to review before the next family reunion. (I tend to mentally edit out all but the most fun parts. So I need to get it down on cyber-paper now before anything I need to work on and pray about disappears from my radar.)

One quick note: This is advice for Christian family reunions--those who have a vibrant relationship with Christ and that is most of my family. If you aren’t a Christian, then I don’t expect we will have the same world view and the same values. No criticism, just making clear who I am writing for. I respect atheists and agnostics. 

10. People need to state their expectations before the reunion.

We stayed late Sunday to clean up the lodge after everyone left, (accidentally missing mass! Note to self-- go to confession). From the moment the last family members drove off I sobbed. I sobbed intermittently from Branson, MO all the way to the miraculous placement of the chapel of the Monastery of the Immaculate Conception in Ferdinand, Indiana where we took a stop and prayed. 

For a distraction from my intermittent sobbing, my husband and I played a game as to how to title this latest family reunion. My immediate reaction was, “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” for most of the reunion I wanted to know where my family was! These people didn’t seem to be the people I remembered. Other titles were from several episodes from the Twilight Zone, including “the Monsters are due on Maple Street.” My expectations had not been met. I didn’t relate to the people I was seeing or hearing.

I just assumed because my family are conservatives and we are devastated by the election we would all commiserate together. This would be a reunion of wailing and crying for the fall of our country and banding together with hugs and encouragement. 

Add to this that my husband and I are in the process of moving out of the country and I have an overwhelming fear that I may not be able to afford coming to another family reunion and thus may not see certain family members for many years, if at all. I expected that I would be hysterically sobbing from the moment I laid eyes on my family to when I left. Other family members are also having personal crises, some quite serious. These stresses I thought would bond us in talking and grieving together.

Who would have thought I needed to actually state that expectation? It seemed the most obvious thing in the world. And yet I should have stated it because I was informed later that others were needing this to be a silly reunion free of stress. So expressing those expectations clearly would have helped. 

Which brings me to the next point.

9. Everyone should have realistic expectations.

We cannot expect magic. People who are silly and superficial are not going to turn into Peter Kreeft or Thomas Aquinas, just as people who love to talk religion and politics are going to suddenly turn into the Three Stooges. We need to love and respect our differences and rather than become frustrated at people for being themselves, create spaces for different needs--like fun rooms and serious rooms, so that no one need feel forced upon. 

We cannot force our expectations on others, but in a loving and respectful family, each need should be accommodated as much as possible.

8. The Funny Things Stress Can Do

People revert to childhood stereotypes at reunions. I could palpably feel the frustration of some who fought hard not to be seen in their childhood “label”. Successful adults want to be seen for who they are not who they were. We all need to be able to grow and change but when we encounter such an overwhelming childhood environment with people treating us as they did when we were kids, then we react like we did when we were children. Rather than get too upset, I think we should just laugh. 

Which brings me to my next point.

7. We need to Respect Each Other

First and foremost we as Christians are commanded to honor our parents. We live in wickedly terrible egalitarian times in which children have no respect for their parents. Whatever you did in the past that was disrespectful to parents, stop doing it. Start anew and watch what respecting your parents will do for your own children when they see you. This is a most evil age in this regard. Love had grown cold. And as a Christian we must honor our parents. 

NO teasing. period. Parents cannot tease their children and children cannot tease their parents. It doesn’t work, nor did God intend this to happen. It teaches disrespect and gives incredibly hurt feeling no matter how people try to seem nonchalant or brave. 

If one must tease, tease someone on your own authority level. Siblings can tease each other, but that’s the extent. And teasing gets old and creates stress--not matter who gives and gets it. One person starts the ball rolling with critical teasing and it just spreads like a plague and what was a fun time is ruined by hurt feelings.

Some people think we should just tough out teasing, but in a family reunion with so many people you haven’t seen in a long time, uplifting words are so much more important. Family reunions should be encouraging times and not times when people have to steel themselves for the onslaught of teasing.

6. Subtile Judgmentalism Isn’t Healthy

I don’t think most people are aware that they do this. They speak harsh judgements in candy-coated words and think somehow the person is too stupid to understand the insult. It makes it impossible to be honest and say the comment was hurtful because the victim of judgement will be accused of misunderstanding or being too sensitive. 

For example, someone says to a person who struggles with their weight at breakfast when donuts are served, “You’ve always been such a connoisseur of pastries!” or “We always appreciate your plumpness!”

And when it comes to differences in politics and religion the judgmentalism can be in mocking expressions or laughs. Again this returns us to the need for respect as well as a good dose of humility.

5. We are Christians, We need To Trust Each Other

When someone would make a statement such as, “John is a great golfer” I repeatedly heard responses (both to tease and in seriousness) such as, “I don’t believe that” or “that’s just plain silly” (or worse).

In a large family reunion of thirty, if you say even one thing negative or mistrusting to each person, everyone will feel humiliated thirty times during the course of a few days. How much better to save criticisms, teasing and distrust for other times and say things that show appreciation so that each person could hear a flood of thirty positive things each family reunion.

And as Christians, we need to trust people are telling us the truth--even if you think what they said was wrong. Trust first and then verify later in private. Because our family is of such diverse theological differences, we can have some heated discussions and great misunderstandings. Don’t let that keep you from trusting each other. 

4. Reunions are desserts, not the main course of family relationships. 

It is especially hard to intimately connect with family members you haven’t seen for many months. Keep in frequent contact between reunions.

3. Forgive

This is the key for Christians. People under stress act out of control. By in large people mean well. As irritating and infantile and out of control they act, Christians really are trying. Forgive, for you will also need that forgiveness sometime in the course of the family reunion. Whether you meant to or not your words or acts WILL hurt someone, so readily forgive as you would like to be forgiven. 

And when passions or emotions flair remember there is a REASON and emotion isn’t the worst thing in the world. Stress happens. God has placed each of us, like gemstones in a rock tumbler in order to knock us about to bring out our beauty and shine us to perfection. Don’t run from stress, learn to deal with it.

And for those who drink, I think a piece of good advice is, begin each day of your reunion with worship and end each with a shared dinner with a glass of wine. For those who don’t drink... well, there’s always a Valium and a Prilosec!

2. Patience

St. Paul wrote to the church at Corinth that patience is the first definition of love. People do not feel loved if you are not patient with them. Don’t interrupt. Be a patient listener. Our family is verbal. Genetically programmed for weakness in lip discipline. While we excel in other types of patience, really listening without interrupting the speaker would be a miracle of love in our family for each other.

Listen or watch other people’s passions with patience. Don’t allow stubbornness, selfishness or pride to demean other people’s interests. All should be in some way placed in the mix of activities. If say, politics or religion or sports or ranching are among member’s passions... have enough patience to engage in or watch someone if they ask you to. 

1. Family Worship

If I could identify one thing that is essential to all Christian family reunions is that you should have family worship every day. It doesn’t have to be long, but it is absolutely vital to frequently remind everyone just what is the most important reason we are together. 

Even if doctrinal differences are there, worship should focus on what you do have in common. It will help build unity and trust. It will foster forgiveness and patience. Sing a hymn, read scripture. 

If someone must proselytize, do it at another time. I know exactly how it feels to deeply worry about someone’s soul, so I can sympathize. If a family member believes they must correct another Christian’s theology for the sake of their eternal souls, realize it is going to happen and allow time in private for it. Just don’t proselytize in family worships or people won’t come.

I hope if my family reads this they will not take it as a criticism. It certainly isn’t. I am more preaching to myself than anyone. My family members are kind and loving. And the hurt feelings that were shared with me, I am sure will be easily forgiven and forgotten.

St. Paul tells Christians that we must strive to be unified and one in heart and mind. Saying that and doing it are wildly different things and one can only achieve any kind of holiness by struggling against the flesh within the grace abundantly poured out by Christ. I will be praying for that courage and grace that I might be even more holy and Christ-like the next time God gives me the great privilege of attending another family reunion.

Catholic Bishops in Baltimore

The Aftermath of the Election

This program is from ChurchMilitant.TV

How Catholics Think: Creation is Good

Religious Freedom and the HHS Mandate

Revelation 14 and Adventism

Interview with George Weigel

This is an excellent interview, I don't know how to clip it so just fast forward if you wish:

How Catholics Think: Vocabulary

Because WE VOTED!

Please note: I am responding to a CALLER who spoke to Michael Voris on his talk show Mic'D Up... I am not talking about Michael, he already said he would vote... People are misunderstanding... Sorry, should have been clearer.

Quote From Bishop Sheridan

"Any Catholic politicians who advocate for abortion, for illicit stem cell research or for any form of euthanasia ipso facto place themselves outside of full communion with the church and so jeopardize their salvation."

Bishop Michael Sheridan Colorado Springs

Did the Catholic Church "Change the Sabbath"?

http://www.ncregister.com/blog/jimmy-akin/did-the-catholic-church-change-the-sabbath

JimmyAkin

Did the Catholic Church "Change the Sabbath"?

BY JIMMY AKIN Thursday, October 11, 2012 9:17 PM Comments (3)

Did the Catholic Church "Change the Sabbath"?

You sometimes encounter the charge that the Catholic Church wrongly "changed the sabbath" from Saturday to Sunday. This claim is often made by Seventh-Day Adventists, for example. But even if one isn't accusing the Church of wrongdoing, the question can still arise: Why do Catholics worship on Sunday rather than Saturday? Here's the story . . .

What Day the Sabbath Is

First, let's clear away a potential source of confusion. While it's true that people sometimes speak of Sunday as "the Christian sabbath," this is a loose way of speaking. Strictly speaking, the sabbath is the day it always was--Saturday--though it should be noted that traditionally Jewish people have celebrated the sabbath from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday. Sunday is a distinct day, which follows the sabbath. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains:

2175 Sunday is expressly distinguished from the sabbath which it follows chronologically every week; for Christians its ceremonial observance replaces that of the sabbath. In Christ's Passover, Sunday fulfills the spiritual truth of the Jewish sabbath and announces man's eternal rest in God. For worship under the Law prepared for the mystery of Christ, and what was done there prefigured some aspects of Christ.

Why We Celebrate Sunday

That same paragraph explains why we celebrate on Sunday. For Christians the ceremonial observance of Sunday replaces that of the sabbath. Properly speaking, we're not celebrating the sabbath on Sunday. We're celebrating something else, but it's something that the sabbath points toward. As the Catechism says, the Jewish sabbath announces man's eternal rest in God and prefigures some aspects of Christ. Sunday thus fulfills what the sabbath pointed toward.

The Lord's Day

What we are celebrating instead of the sabbath is "the Lord's day." That's something Christians have celebrated since the first century. In fact, in the very first chapter of Revelation, we read that John experienced the inaugural vision of the book on "the Lord's day." He writes:

I John, your brother, who share with you in Jesus the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet [Revelation 1:9-10].

And he goes on to describe the vision of Jesus Christ he received. For our purposes, the important thing to note is that he speaks of the Lord's day as an already-established thing. He expects his readers to know what it is. So, when is it?

 

Read more: http://www.ncregister.com/blog/jimmy-akin/did-the-catholic-church-change-the-sabbath#ixzz295mwrVDc

Christian Bashing....

Unity III: The Theory of Everything

The Bearable Lightness of Being

Employing a crude and wildly cliche Bunyonesque metaphor, I was just talking to hubbie about our Christian burdens. Let's face it, either by our rotten, immature or culturally-driven bad decisions or by being a victim of another's rotten, immature and culturally-driven bad decisions we all carry around burdens. Even when something happens to us like genetic-related health problems that had nothing to do with decisions at all, we carry burdens around.

And the older we become the heavier they get. Why do you think we have a culture of Peter Pan wannabes? Everyone wants the freedom to fly and its hardly possible when you have a couple hundred pounds of troubles on your back. We have all we can carry and with the extreme stresses of today's America, we are all stressed out and looking for someone else we can unload on. And as the Body of Christ we should expect others to help us.

[L]ove one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Rom. 12: 10-15

So, with everyone carrying more than they can possible carry (or at least it feels that way) how can we help others? Who isn't carrying enough and is calling out to us that they are able to carry some of our burdens? Any volunteers?

I want to volunteer but I'm telling you, it gets hard when I see so many and I am so weak. I might be able to handle a half-ounce more. Yeah, that's hardly helpful.

So what to do?

Get rid of your burden. Not all of us can, of course, but most of us can. How does one get rid of troubles and worries and expectations, etc? Well, the only way one can do it is through Christ. Get to confession. Get to mass and receive Christ, take advantage of the sacraments and sacramentals and live life close to Christ. He will carry your burdens for you so that you can then go out to those who have not yet been close enough to Christ to trust Him with their burdens.

As a Protestant, I learned to give my burdens to Christ, but when others needed help I pointed them to Christ. But, you know, often these people's burdens were SO enormous they blocked their vision and they couldn't see that far. They even tried, but it didn't work.

Sometimes we must be Christ to others. Sometimes some people are not close enough to Christ to trust Him and so we must be the go-between. We need to be Christ and pick up those burdens for them and then they will be able to see and more freely come to Him. (See-- the Unbearable Lightness of Being and realize that is really, for mankind, the Unbearable Heaviness of Being! Yes, yes--mixing of epistemological metaphors.)

We can't be Christ if we aren't close to Him ourselves.

If you are a Christian don't give your burdens to those who don't know Him. They are probably too overwhelmed to handle it. Seek to be so close to Christ that you can take other's burdens on yourself. Learn to lift up your troubles in such trusting sacrifice to Him, that you can, more and more, feel that peace and joy and lightness of being!

For Jesus said, "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11: 28.

Time for all who are believers to be like Bunyan's Christian and leave our burden's at the foot of the cross and go and serve others. Get close to Jesus so that we can feel His Eternal Lightness of Being... 

Unity Vs. Conscience

Unity Part 2 from Arthur Beem on Vimeo.

"No Faithful Catholic Can Vote For President Obama"

This program is from ChurchMilitant.TV

Jimmy Aiken and Mark Shea

Does anyone get these two mixed up? I suggest that one of them shave their beard or die their hair black. The Catholic Blogosphere is confusing enough! (smile...)

Because I Wish It....

"Daddy, why must I come when you call?"
"Because I wish it."

Okay, before I get to the point I want to take a few meandering trails that all lead back to this, so pardon me as I come to the conclusion from several different directions.

Is Heaven What We Think It Is?
There is the general idea that heaven is an eternal place of getting to do what you want to do. Total, absolute freedom to pursue your own will.

Maybe.

But if it is total freedom then it is still not quite what we as Americans think of as total freedom.

Why Are Christians Here?
As a kid, I wondered why God didn't come right after the Cross. If, after all, it was finished, why keep us in this world of torturous sin and confusion? Why not just start the world over and bring into this new heaven and earth all those who accepted the cross without having to go through the sin? Many Protestants don't get the whole point of life after the Cross. I mean, once we're saved? If we were predestined?

In any case, God KNEW who was going to accept Him? So, then why are we here?

What if we are here on this earth to learn to love heaven? What if heaven doesn't really look that good to eyes clouded by original sin? What if heaven isn't what we think it is? And God is taking those who love Him through a process of changing us internally so that we WILL choose heaven, for those who do not love Him will surely hate heaven and find hell much more to their liking than an eternity with God.


Stages of Christian Development
First we learn to obey our parents, because they say so. We are in a sense, forced to trust them because they are bigger than us and can do what we can't do and we will die without them. This is a vital beginning point to understanding heaven.

The second stages would be that once we begin to reason, we want to know why. This is good. We demand answers that are logical to us. We begin doing certain right things that are personally sacrificial because they are logical. Then, as we mature, we do right things because they are an honorable duty and bring to us a sense of virtue by doing them.

These are good stages, but they are not complete. There is a final stage that we must come to in order to be prepared to enjoy heaven. It requires these stages as a foundation. We get a glimpse of this stage, in some instances, through marriage.

The final stage is when we trust someone so implicitly, we have walked with them and been in the foxhole of life with them, that we do not expect a logical response when asked to do something. We respond to their request with an utter sense of love. It goes beyond nobility and honor, beyond duty and a sense of virtue. We act out of total love.

That is where God is taking us in this life. That is the purpose of the Christian walk here and now-- To walk so closely with God that to obey Him is our greatest desire because our union with Him is love.

Perhaps you have discovered this with your spouse. After thirty years of marriage, your husband looks over at you and asks you to go with him on a weekend away hunting. Even though you hate hunting, and it's cold and it would be the last thing on earth you would choose, you go.

You lean over to your husband and say, "Why do you wish me to come?"

And he smiles and says, "Because I wish it."

There is nothing more that needs to be said. Your years of love have brought both of you to a place where you know your husband would never hurt you or ask you to do something you would despise. Your relationship has gone past blind obedience, or logic or honor or duty.

You know somehow your husband will keep you warm with something he has concocted in his plans. And you go, you obey his wish, just because he wishes it. For that wish is based in love for you and your answer is based in love for him.

Because I Wish It
To say that God wants us to come full circle back to a child's expectation of doing something just because daddy said so, doesn't really express what happens. While some theological discoveries just seem to recycle in our experience, it doesn't mean we go back to where we once were. Wisdom is like a theological spiral reaching up to the heavens, each time you come back to where you were before you are so much higher and can see so much more. Even the simplest of thoughts grow excitingly new and complex as we journey through the Kingdom of God.

God gave us parents to obey, that we would learn obedience to Him. It is the most simple of matters. When you are too small to reason, obedience is simply because your parent tells you to. From our young perspective, we cannot see how it is for our good, only that it is what our parents wish. It is their arbitrary choice for us to obey them. But eventually, God says that same thing to us. We obey Him simply because He wishes it.

That is what Heaven is going to be like. We will not demand answers of God. He will not give us explanations of why. He will ask the questions, like He did with Job. "Where were you when I was creating the fountains of the deep?" God expects total obedience and He expects us to come to a place where we accept what He demands without explanation. In heaven, we will just know, because we know, because we know Him. We know He is good and that is enough.

Heaven is an eternity of loving obedience to God. That is why we are here now and not in heaven. We are to be developing that loving trust. Then, and only then-- when our wills are perfectly aligned with His that His desire is our pleasure, obedience is our joy and peace--will we choose heaven.

Heaven WILL be total freedom, for our choices will be His choices. Unity with Him will be supernatural freedom.

We are learning that type of love now:

If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. I John 4: 20

Do you wish an eternity of obedience to God? Does that idea sound marvelous in your heart?

Our hearts naturally reject this, for we thought heaven was an eternity of getting to do what we wanted, not what God wanted. Yikes. All of a sudden, just how much you love God is made clear.

Fear not, this love and trust of God will come if you continue giving your will to God now. Obey Him now and it will become habit. Then, as He floods you with grace and glory, you will suddenly, surprisingly begin obeying from trust. And then love. As you open yourself up in obedience, His love pours into you, breathing life into you, awakening that perfect love that sin marred. It is HIS power, His glory given freely to you. All you must do is make Him Lord of your life and humbly obey.

I'm not saying it's easy. Your part stings at times and even feels like an act of sheer will. But keep praying and staying close to Him and His love IN YOU will come through that journey of faith with God.

God bless you all.

Why Many Catholics are... Rotten Catholics

This has bugged me, really bugged me since I began studying Catholic theology--way before considering becoming Catholic. .... Most Catholics are not religious or even moral people. At least my experience with them made me think this growing up.

As I was studying Catholic doctrine, and found it to be the most surprisingly astounding stuff I had ever encountered, it still dug at my soul. Why are Catholics, who have the Eucharist and have all this fabulous doctrine.... so.... against all I believe to be good and right? Why are Catholic girls the sluttiest? Why are they the ones getting divorced and remarried and feminists and pro-choice? Why do nuns today look like radical lesbians? Why do they promote Communism and Marxism?

Even though I had a limited experience with Catholics, the ones I did meet were scary! And not very nice.... and used the Lord's name in vain and cussed like a sailor and drank like a fish, etc... etc... etc.

RCIA did little to change my opinion, and my husband and I walked into Catholicism with love for the doctrines and our radar up against these reprobate Catholics.

So, through the years I pondered and prayed upon the subject. While I think I might have an answer to explain some of these people; the heretical priests and nuns--I'm still baffled.

My Answer:

I think the conclusion I am coming to is that Catholicism isn't something you add to your life, like a hobby or being a fan of a sports team. Catholicism fails utterly when it doesn't become who you are. It is a totalitarian belief system that takes control of everything or it is ineffective.

While Protestantism can succeed with a partial dedication to it, Catholicism collapses. Protestantism is malleable and personal, you can kinda make it up as it goes and decide for yourself; true Catholicism is a take it or leave it covenant. You are not being employed by God and if you don't like the working conditions--you can quit or just be lazy. Being Catholic means you are adopted as a child and can never renounce it. Well, technically, you can, but it is that type of commitment--there is no divorce between God and His Bride and those who wish to be His Bride are full time wives, not part-time help.

Kinda like being overweight. If you wish to be successful and lose weight, you can't have just a one morning a week health plan. Dieting once a week and eating what you want the other six days will get you no where. Your lifestyle has to change completely, every day.

Kinda like working up to running a marathon. You can't expect to make it and be a success if you only practice running once a week.

Catholicism is like that. Catholics who don't make it their life, who they are, live it moment by moment and have it permeate every thought and action--will eventually fail. Catholicism is not something added to you, it is who you are totally.

We can't be Christians one day a week, we have to let Christ be our dictator. We are to be utterly obedient to Him in every single aspect of our lives. We have to be "all out" for the Lord--reading scripture, daily prayer and communion with Him, researching our faith and living it in our actions. Those who have the mindset that it is a hobby, or something you advocate or cheer on like a favorite sports team-- will fail. They will never be the players but only the fans onlooking and shouting from the stands.

Christ demands that we die daily and live with Him, in Him. This is total devotion and obedience. Most Catholics don't make Catholicism their lives, even when they claim to be Catholic. They wear the team jersey, but don't play for the team.

God Bless the Catholics Who Make These Commercials!

Paul Ryan's Social Policy

Are We Going Back To Eden?

As a Protestant I thought all history was heading the human race back to Eden.... perfection... the pristine and naked innocence of the garden. We are heading back to Genesis where things are simple, uncomplicated, just God and my husband and me in our own little world of fruits and waterfalls, a mossy earth to lay our heads on and perfect weather so we need no shelter.

Well.... actually...

That isn't really what the Bible describes. Revelation tells us rather than moving back into the garden we are going from Genesis to Revelation, from the alpha to the omega, from the garden to the Kingdom of Heaven.

We aren't going backwards, we are going forward.

Eden was perfect but it isn't our destiny. When God told Adam to go and subdue the earth, it was wild. It wasn't civilized. Adam was to make a kingdom. He was to bring creativity and order to the world. All the beautiful raw materials of trees, dirt, rock, marble, gemstones, animals and eventually children were given to Adam and Eve to make more than just a garden paradise but to found a civilization. They were to build, develop, create, fail and do it again until they make their kingdom.

The Genesis Theology

So often Protestants believe that, if we are to get it right, if we are to do God's will we should look to Eden or even the early church.

For those who have this Eden (or early church) theological perspective, they want all, everything we need for today somehow given in the early church. But that is not what God set up. God set up a kingdom. The early church was given the power to develop and even create. They are making and building God's Kingdom on earth. We know this kingdom started as a seed and will see its fulfillment when Christ comes again bringing the great City of Jerusalem, the Kingdom's capital.

This Genesis theology is a real problem when it comes to explaining Catholic thought to a Protestant. They want everything to be clearly seen in the seed. They think the seed is where we are supposed to be. When we speak of the development of doctrine, they look back at the earliest church and if it is not plainly written out in its full form, then somehow it is sinful. No development of Christianity, no building theology, no expanding a garden into a city.

Catholics see the truths of God's kingdom just as the kingdom itself. It started very small, with just twelve men and rapidly expanded. It was the mustard seed. It was the baby. It was the beginning, the alpha and the Genesis of truth. Perfect, simple, pristine (and a little wild and chaotic at times.)

Christ placed men in charge of this Kingdom and told His princes to go and develop, subdue and build in this Kingdom with all the raw materials He provided. Take the cedars of Lebanon and build castles, cathedrals, cottages. Take the written words of the Apostles--make a Bible. Take what you know of Christ and develop the doctrines of the nature of Christ and the Trinity. Dig deep and find the gemstones of the meaning of marriage. Drink the water and eat the bread and gain a greater understanding of the Eucharist.

Take the beauty that you have been freely given and freely make more beauty. Take the gift of sex and be fruitful and multiply! It is the same with doctrines and rites and rituals. God's kingdom is a true kingdom and we are to rule as Princes and Princesses.

His church, the Kingdom of Heaven, is given to us that we may explore and find meaning with a surprise around every corner. Our theology is also to go from Genesis to Revelation, from the garden to the shining city on a hill.

And we can only do that if it is the TRUE Kingdom, the one He promised that He would never forsake, the one He gave the keys to Peter and promised that whatever Prince Peter (the Rock) would bind and loose, God Himself would honor. And remember Christ also promised that the Gates of Hell would not prevail against Peter's kingdom. He promised as He ascended into heaven that He would be with His Apostles.... even to the end of the age. That is the age of Peter and the Apostles' kingdom. The Kingdom of Heaven. What Genesis was created for.....

Father Barron Answers Skeptics

Favorite Catholic Speaker

http://brandonvogt.com/scsm12/
_________________________
Support a Catholic Speaker Month 2012
Now this is just the beginning. Support a Catholic Speaker Month wasn't designed to just create a nice list. The real fun starts now. It's time for you, and all other Catholic bloggers, to choose one of the speakers above to profile on your own site. Anyone with a blog or website is welcome to participate, but speakers will be claimed on a first-come, first-serve basis.

When choosing your speaker, don't just rush to claim one of the "big names." Rather, consider this an opportunity to learn about someone new, and to help an unfamiliar speaker gain more exposure.
________________________

That is from Brandon Vogt's Blog.

So, I am going to take this seriously. And for my life, very, very deeply seriously.

As wonderful as so many of these brilliant and dedicated speakers are: Dr. Alice von Hildebrand, Dr. Bill Donohue, Dr. Peter Kreeft, Dr. Scott Hahn, Father Benedict Groeschel, Fr. Frank Pavone, Fr. John Riccardo, Fr. Mitch Pacwa, Fr. Robert Barron, Jimmy Akin, Karl Keating, Marcus Grodi, Msgr. Charles Pope, Patrick Madrid, Robert Sungenis, Steve Ray, Tim Staples

The person I whole-heartedly choose as Catholicism's most effective speaker is; (drum roll)

Michael Voris.

Before some of you out there roll your eyes, there is a very personal reason for me.

We had been Catholic for only a few months when a friend of ours suggested his website. As we began listening daily to his updates and the Vortex, I began to see a dramatic change in my husband. For the first time in my life, a man in my life started to show symptoms of.... well, manliness.

Michael is blunt. Michael aggressively confronts. Michael punches hard. And Michael accepts no excuses. If the sitting Pope Benedict was the JPII's pit bull, Michael is God's heavyweight champion.

And that is just what got to my husband and what gave him the courage to face some really tough things in his life. God reached out and shook him up through our angel Michael. And if I can, I am going to Michigan one day and give him a huge hug and maybe even kiss his feet. I LOVE this man, for he gave me a husband-- a real, live strong, courageous, tough and godly man.

Lots of Catholic apologists give us the blessing of truth and I am so grateful to all of them. They have given me courage and the backbone to walk with confidence as a Catholic.

But it is rare when someone's message reaches out into your living room and takes you by the throat and threatens that if you don't wake up and be a Catholic man you're going to burn. Rarely does a man stand so stubbornly and strongly without a hint of retreat or political correctness that it makes his listeners sweat.... Michael does that.

Maybe you don't need that. But my husband did and that is from his own mouth and he is as grateful to Michael as I am.

I like my husband a lot better now that he is a man of God... a manly man of God, a strong, confident, repentant, reconciled, uncompromising and full of faith man with powerful fruits of the Spirit.

If you need more of a kinder, gentler and non-offending apologist, then listen to Father Groeschel or Father Pacwa. I have been changed by their kindness and gentleness.

But if you need the power of truth, a slap-you-in-the-face wake up in your faith, watch Michael Voris.

He has a online Catholic station:

www.churchmilitant.tv

The best of the best stuff is getting a premier membership and the ten dollars a month is ridiculously cheap. I sent him a lot more each month.

THANKS MICHAEL!!

Catholic Relief Services Employee Rams Pro-lifers

http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/woman-who-rammed-pro-lifers-with-car-was-employee-of-catholic-relief-servic

Woman who rammed pro-lifers with car was Catholic Relief Services employee

BY PATRICK B. CRAINE

• Tue Aug 21, 2012 16:18 EST
• Comments (96)
• Tags: Catholic Relief Services

WASHINGTON, D.C., August 21, 2012 (LifeSiteNews.com) – As Catholic Relief Services responds to criticisms over its partnerships with pro-abortion anti-poverty groups, LifeSiteNews has discovered that the aid organization also has a history of hiring employees with strong ties to pro-abortion and pro-contraception organizations.

One CRS employee lists the pro-abortion Pro-Choice Resources and Institute of Women and Ethnic Studies as former employers on her LinkedIn resume, while another was hired by the Catholic aid organization directly from the pro-abortion Population Services International.

Former CRS employee Charisse Glassman was convicted of assault after driving her car into a crowd of March for Life participants.

Another former employee was convicted of assault last fall after ramming her car into a crowd at the DC March for Life in January 2011 as the pro-lifers traversed a crosswalk.

The latter employee, Charisse Espy Glassman, was a Democrat candidate for the DC school board as well as a legislative assistant with CRS-Haiti. Despite assault charges, she remained at CRS until August 4th, 2011. In a statement on Facebook responding to queries, CRS said they had “operated on the principle that people are innocent until proven guilty.” A victim of the assault, who suffered two herniated disks, reported that Glassman had seemed to laugh as she drove into the crowd.

CRS employee Dr. Amy Ellis joined the Catholic organization in October 2011 after working three years at Population Services International, a major advocate of population control through abortion and contraception.

Ellis, CRS’ Regional Technical Advisor for Health & HIV in Asia, represented PSI even after she had started working for CRS, giving a presentation on “global contraceptive needs” at the International Conference on Family Planning in Senegal from Nov 29 – Dec 2, 2011.

In May 2012, Ellis represented CRS at the Women Deliver conference in Bangladesh, a regular gathering of pro-abortion activists focused on achieving “universal access to reproductive health.” The session she joined included a focus on “revitaliz[ing] family planning.”

Ellis also worked at the Population Council, another pro-abortion population control organization, from 2001-2002.

CLICK ‘LIKE’ IF YOU ARE PRO-LIFE! 

Daphyne Williams, who has worked for CRS since 2008 and currently serves as the East Africa Regional Technical Advisor, interned at the Minneapolis-based pro-abortion group Pro-Choice Resources in 2001-2002, according to her LinkedIn page. The group is dedicated to expanding abortion access through programs such as the Hersey Abortion Assistance Fund, which provides “no-interest loans” and “grants” to help poor women pay for abortions.

From 2003-2004 Williams worked at the Sixteenth Street Community Health Center, which offers “the full range of reproductive health services including contraception.”  And from 2004-2005 she worked in STD prevention at the Institute of Women and Ethnic Studies, a national public health organization that advocates for abortion access and links to leading pro-abortion and pro-homosexual groups.

Dr. Pun Sok, CRS’ Health and HIV/AIDS Program Manager in Cambodia, joined the Catholic relief organization in 2008 after years working at CARE. A longtime partner and grant recipient of CRS, CARE has opposed restrictions on abortion and partnered with Marie Stopes International as well as promoted contraceptive initiatives in the Third World.

In 2011, Sok represented CRS on the steering committee of MediCam, an organizing body for Cambodian health NGOs that promotes contraception and abortion. He also joined a discussion of MediCam’s 2011 Position Paper as a member of the steering committee. The paper advocatedexpanded access to abortion and abortifacient contraception.

Notably, CRS’ Board of Directors includes Sister Carol Keehan, president of the Catholic Health Association, who famously defied the U.S. Bishops in 2010 when she endorsed Obama’s health care plan despite the bishops’ judgment that the plan included funding for abortion.

CRS communications director John Rivera did not respond to questions on the organization’s hiring practices by press time. However, on their website CRS explains that it “considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, national origin, religious beliefs, gender, age, marital status or physical or mental disability.”

WORLD YOUTH DAY 2013!

Out of the darkness has come a great light!

Unity Through an Established Leadership

[Daily I discuss theology with Protestants. This post is compiled from my responses to discussions about unity in Christ.]

Most Protestants claim that since unity of doctrine seems utterly impossible among Christians, that we must take Christ's command to unify as some type of spiritual unity in heart, but not in unity of scriptural interpretation. 

I say, not so, that is not what Christ commanded and the Bible is overwhelmingly against such a notion.

Here I present a few texts (among hundreds) that would help refute this idea that we cannot be doctrinally united. Christ's intent included doctrinal agreement when He commanded unity.

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Ephesians 4

Christian unity isn't an option for Christians. It is not something we can put on our spiritual wish list and hope God does a miracle in our lives to suddenly unite us. This is a command by Christ that is just as vital as other moral commands in scripture. 

Because most Christians realize its importantance, we symbolize the meaning of God's words and default to the passive position of "Well, I guess we can unite in love and service because uniting in doctrine and under one head is just.... impossible." 

Is that opinion supported by the Word of God and the testimony of His Apostles? Look at parts of Ephesians 4:1-16---not just specifics but the overall thrust:

Therefore I ...implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. ...

Notice that the unity described here is not an invisible unity. Note also that it does include doctrinal unity.We are to be (not "will hopefully become", or "try to do if possible and keep your personal doctrines of faith") but we are commanded to be unified. 

Walking as Christians means that we are unified! "Be diligent to preserve unity of the Spirit." That doesn't mean have good, loving, gentle feelings about others. That's a good thing, but that is not the unity of the Spirit.

Remember what Christ told his Apostles recorded at the end of the gospel of John when Christ was about to enter the grave? His last plea was for His Apostles to be unified in truth and Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would come and recall to the Apostles minds' all He had taught them from the beginning so that they could be unified in Truth!

The Holy Spirit's unity is not about feelings or an invisible spiritual oneness, it is a real, tangible, doctrinal unity. This unity is to be in the physical body. Christ set up a real Kingdom when He was on earth, not an invisible one. This Kingdom was to be one in both physical body (organization), under one Lord (Christ) with one faith and one baptism. Yes, all this could be rendered symbolic. But if you read on... you will see that it was certainly not. (Verse 11 begins:)

And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

To make this one body, one faith, one baptism, possible, Jesus gave us leaders--not symbolic, but true, real leaders in a true, real church. It is through these God-appointed leaders that Christians are equipped for living Christianity. Christ gave us church authorities that we can attain the unity of faith.

Notice that it doesn't say that through love we will attain unity, but through leadership--apostles, prophets, evangelists and pastors--it is through this physical, organizational structure God set up that we will attain unity. And of equal importance notice that it is through God-ordained leadership that we will get knowledge of the Son of God and become mature!

Let's read that again to make sure we got it right..... "He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers ... until we all attain... the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man..." And just to be utterly clear that we are speaking of unity in doctrine, St. Paul writes in verse 14--that "as a result" of this leadership:

...we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

We build ourselves up in love, in unity, in body, in Spirit, in hope and in faith THROUGH God's chosen Apostles and leaders.

**************

Matthew 18: 15-17

If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed.....  If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 

Here, it would be hard to argue that Jesus is setting up an invisible, spiritual church based on a non-doctrinal unity.

The text describes a Christian who is sinning. How does one know what sin is except for what has been taught through God’s Word? If everybody gets to follow his or her personal convictions or their consciences I think this command would be written differently.

Jesus’ command would have been, “if your brother does something you think is sinful, pray for him, discuss it with him showing him what your interpretation of scripture is. Then allow the Holy Spirit to work in his heart and be at peace, your mutual love for Christ will keep you unified in spirit. Everyone is to tolerate other’s spiritual maturing.” That would be today’s answer.

But Christ did not command us in that fashion. He told us that if we see another brother sin, (this assumes moral agreement among Christians) we are to go to him in private and council him.

The scary part of this is that it is not left up to you to decide if you love him enough in your heart to not offend him in the confrontation. Neither does the command give us Christians the excuse that you are embarrassed, shy, don’t want to get involved. Jesus tells us that we are our brothers keeper quite clearly right here. Just do it. Get involved in your brother Christian’s life. It is your business... Jesus just made it your business.

If your Christian brother doesn’t listen, you are then let off the hook. You’ve done your duty and say "peace, godspeed" to him and go.

No.

That is not what Jesus command says. He says take two or three witnesses back to the person you saw sin and confront him again. Then, if he still refuses to listen.... what are we to do then?

Jesus commands that we take it to the church.

This assumes an established, visible church with leadership. If there is any way around this command being to an organized religion, tell me, because I can’t figure it out. How do you take someone you think is sinning to a group of people who are not organized and have differences of opinions about theology, what sin is,  or even who’s a true Christians?

You can’t take a sinner to a chaos to find repentance.

To establish that the church is the final authority in matters of sin (which is the foundational reason for doctrines--to define faith an morals) Jesus commanded we take the sinner to the established, visible church:

If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

Please note that Jesus establishes the church, not scriptures as the final authority.

So later when Paul tells us to be one in Body, one Lord, one Spirit, one faith, one hope and one baptism (part one, Eph. 4) it is under God’s ordained leadership and the religious structure already set up by Christ that Paul tells us that we have unity.

This unity is build upon the rock of Jesus and His established authority. Unity is based upon obedience to that authority and if you see a brother sin you are to go through these steps--the final authority being the established church.

This is a church that is:

• A visible organized church
• A church with clearly established authorities 
• A Church that has agreement on doctrinal issues of sin and morals
• We are obligated to take our brother to that established church if we see him sin 

and ...

Finally, if our Christian brother refuses to listen to the church (rather, he claims he must follow his own conscience) Christians are to treat him as a gentile and tax collector.

We could discuss how Jesus tells us to treat our enemies, but that is another subject. At the very least, Jesus tells us they are no longer a part of His established church nor to be considered a Christian. They are now outsiders and are to be kindly won back to the faith as an outsider who has rejected God’s authority.

These are Jesus’ words. Jesus has an established, visible church. And we are to be obedient to it, for it is the final authority. Under Christ's authority we can be unified.