God is One,but not solitary

The Church's relationship with the Muslims:''The plan of Salvation also include those who acknowledge the Creator,in the first place amongst these are the Muslims;these profess to hold the faith of Abraham,and together with us adore the one,merciful God ,mankind's judge on the last day.'' Catholic Catechism.

Tatian the Syrian"We are not playing the fool, you Greeks, nor do we talk nonsense, when we report that God was born in the form of a man" (Address to the Greeks 21 [A.D. 170]).

In this post I will discuss the differences between Christianity and Islam.I am not interested in a
'debate' but I will instead: ''Be ready at all times to answer anyone who asks you to explain the hope you have in you,but do it with gentleness and respect'' 1 pet.3:15.A Muslim friend of mine once asked ''if God is One why do you worship three?.....and if God is the Father who was his wife?'' Such odd questions for a Christian to answer I suppose but here I will attempt to answer these and other issues and questions. Let,s however agree on one thing Mary was a virgin when she gave birth to Jesus (God who saves) Luk.1:34. He had no human Father. God would be His Father ''He said to me you are my Son today I have begotten you'' ps.2:7 .Nothing perverted here Mary was indeed a 'virgin' when she gave birth ,but the Holy Spirit 'overshadowed' her which means to eclipse or to take over ; so that's what God did,He took over her womb and became Incarnate.In the Koran it says ' We breathed in to her of our spirit' 21:19 and 'We breathed into her body of our spirit' 66:12 in the book of Mary.It also says that he would be a 'holy son'19:16-21,who can be holy but God alone? How can he be no more than a messenger? And why does God speak in the third person? see Gen.1:26. O foolish and unwise people...Is he not your Father who created you? Deut.32:6O...people of the book(christians) do not exaggerate in your Religion nor utter aught concerning Allah save the truth. The Messiah Jesus,son of Mary was only a messenger of Allah,and His word which he conveyed to Mary and a spirit from him.So believe Allah and his messengers and say not ''three''cease! It is better for! Allah is only One God.Far is it removed from his transcendent majesty that he should have a son.He is all that is in the heavens and that is in the earth.And Allah is sufficient as it,s defender.'' ch.4:Surah 171.But it says here that Jesus was the 'Word' of God and the 'spirit' of God. Look at what it says in Gen.1:1-2,3 In the beginning....and the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters.And God said ''Let there be light'' and there was light. Which is the same as in John 1:1,5....In the beginning was the Word....The light shines in the darkness,and darkness was not able to over come it.....and the Word was made flesh (a human being)...In :18 it says No one has ever seen God;the only Son who is in the bosom of the Father he has made him known.And in :32,34 it says And John bore witness,''I saw the spirit descend as a dove from heaven and it remained on him...and I have seen and bore witness that this is the Son of God.'' Now Muslims believe that the scriptures were corrupted but how? Who can write like this ? And for what purpose? Nothing offended the Jews more that this;'Hear, O Israel ,the Lord our God the Lord is One.' Deut.6;4 and in Mat. 26:63 ,64 it says: ''I charge you under oath by the living God:Tell us if you are the Messiah the Son of the God." Jesus replied ''Yes it is as you say''... they said ''Blasphemy'' and ''He is worthy of death'' Who can make up such a thing? And look at the scene in John 8:52-58....you say that if anyone keeps your word, he will never taste death....Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died and so did the prophets.Who do you think you are?......''I tell you the truth,'' Jesus answered ,'' before Abraham was, I AM!'' At this they picked up stones to stone him but Jesus hid himself,slipping away from the temple grounds.Let,s look at another passage from the Koran; And when Allah said ''O Jesus,son of Mary did you say unto mankind:Take me and my mother as two gods besides Allah ? He said be glorified it was not mine to utter that to which I had no right. (surah5:116) Here it is suggesting that Christians misunderstood Jesus ...''it was not mine to utter such things"...But look at what Jesus really says in Luk.24,42
...He explained to them what was said in all the scriptures concerning himself....and he opened their minds so they could understand..and what about John the baptist and his testimony? Are we to discard it as corrupt in which twice it said ''John bore witness" ? Is there any reason not to trust him? Look at another testimony in Mat.16:13-17....''who do people say the Son of Man is?'' and they said.....''one of the prophets''...''But what about you? who do you say that I am?'' Peter answered ''you are the Christ,Son of the living God.'' Jesus replied ''Blessed are you..for this was not revealed to you by man but by my Father in heaven.'' And in 2 Pet.1:16-18, it says ''We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were EYEWITNESSES of his majesty.For we received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory,saying 'This is my Son,whom I am well pleased'.We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with Him on the sacred mountain.'' see also Transfiguration mat.17:1-
Adam and Jesus:
When God created man,he made him in his own likeness and image....When Adam lived 130 years,he had a son in his own likeness,in his own image...Gen.5:1-3 Here we learn that to be in the 'likeness' and 'image' of someone, signifies sonship or next of kin. "He is the image of the invisible God..for by him all things were created...he is before all things." Col.1;15-17....Adam was a figure of the one to come.But the two are not the same because God's gift is not like Adam's sin. Rom.5:14,15. .In 1 Cor.15:22 says "For as in Adam all die so in Christ all will be made alive." 1 Cor.15:47 says "The first man was of the dust of the earth,the second man from heaven." In Heb.2:14 it says "Since the children have flesh and blood,he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death. In Rev.1:17,18 Jesus says ''Do not be afraid.I am the First and the Last.I am the living one;I was dead and behold I am alive forever and ever!
Isaac and Jesus:
Some time later God tested Abraham.He said to him ''Abraham!'' Here I am he replied.Then God said ''Take your son,your only son whom you love and go the region of Moriah.Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.'' When they reached the place where God had told them about...he bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar,on top of the wood.Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son....but God said...''Do not lay your hand on the boy.'' he said ''Do not do anything to him.Now I know that you fear God,because you have not withheld your son from me,your Only son. Gen.22 :1-19. Now Muslims will argue 'this is proof that God would never allow such a sacrifice' But why not ? It was a burnt offering not a 'murder' and besides God was only testing Abraham ''Now I know that you fear God....'' .12.But God accepted it as a sacrifice....you have not withheld your son from me,your Only son.'' .16.Notice a parallel in Rom.8:32 "He who did not spare his own son but gave him up for us all....and in John 3:16 "For God so loved the world he gave up his one and only son.... Christians see this as a prophecy of Jesus' sacrifice ''God himself will provide the Lamb...'' Gen.22:8. "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." John 1:29 .The relationship between Abraham and Isaac is seen in the likeness of God the Father and his son ''the only Son who is in the bosom of the Father...'' John 1:18.What about Ishmael you may ask? And Abraham said to God ''If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!'' Then God said ''Yes,but your wife will bear you a son and you will call him Isaac I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant....as for Ishmael I will surely bless him...but my covenant will be with Isaac." Ishmael was not the son God wanted for Abraham whom he bore with Hagar (a substitute wife when Sarah couldn't conceive) see Gen.15:4 ,17:16.His son by the slave woman was born in the ordinary way;but his son Isaac was a result of a promise....Now you brothers (Christians),like Isaac,are children of promise.Gal.4:23,28 .
Abraham could never have two wives at the same time, it went against God's Covenant with Adam and Eve..."Haven't you read......that at the beginning the Creator made them male and female..they are no longer two but one''.....Mat.19:4-6.Let's look at one more passage in regards to Jesus's sacrifice.First of all Jesus comes to us in the likeness of Moses ''The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your own brothers;you must listen to him." Deut.18:15 But Jesus was greater than moses ''A man who builds a house receives greater honour than the house it,s self.In the same way Jesus is worthy of a much greater honour than Moses.'' Heb.3:3 Indeed in accordance to the Law sins are forgiven only if blood is poured out.Heb. 9:22. Why is this so difficult for Muslims to except? Sin is indeed ugly,"For the life of the flesh is in the blood and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar;it is the blood the makes atonement for one's life.Lev.17:10.But it was necessary...You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways you inherited from your fathers,not with perishable things such as silver or gold,but with the precious blood of Christ,like a lamb without blemish or spot. 1 Pet.1;18,19."These words are faithful and true" Rev.22:6, "I Jesus,have sent my angel to testify to you...Rev.22:16.The Christian faith is more than a 'religious belief',rather it is a relationship with the living God based on a binding promise called a Covenant with the one mediator of the Covenant Jesus Christ who sealed this in his own blood.Through this Covenant (a sacred bond) God has made us his family (Ummah) "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us,that we should be called children of God! 1 jh 3:1.
Now this is the Catholic faith: We worship one God in the Trinity and the Trinity in the unity;In the Incarnation, God's Son reveals that God is the eternal Father and the Son is consubstantial with the Father,which means that,in the Father and with the Father the Son is one and the same.Catholic Catechism

Son of David, Son of Abraham

The relationship of the Church with the Jewish people:When she delves into her own mystery, the Church the people of the New Covenant, discovers her link with the Jewish people,the first to hear the Word of God.The Jewish faith unlike other non-Christian religions is already a response to God's revelation in the Old Covenant.To the Jews belong the 'sonship,the glory,the Covenants,the giving of the Law,the worship and the promises';to them belong the patriarchs and of their race according to the flesh is the Christ,for the gifts and call of God are irrevocable.Catholic Catechism.

Pope Clement I"What think you, beloved? Did not Moses know beforehand that this would happen? Undoubtedly he knew; but he acted thus, that there might be no sedition in Israel, and that the name of the true and only God might be glorified; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen" (Letter to the Corinthians 43 [A.D. 80]).

And he came to Nazareth,where he had been brought up;and he went to the synagogue as his custom was,on the sabbath day.He stood to read;and there was given to him the book of the prophet Isaiah.He opened the book and found where it was written,''The spirit of the Lord is upon me to preach good news to the poor,He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind,to set at liberty those who are oppressed,to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.''And he closed the book,and gave it back to the attendant and sat down and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.And he began to say to them,''Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing'' Luk.4:18-21.Here Jesus declares himself the Messiah and look at what they said in Luk.4:22 .All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips, ''isn't this Joseph's Son?'' they asked. That,s a good question,who was Joseph?...'he belonged to the line and of the house of David' Luk.2:4.Well that's important because in order for Jesus to be the Messiah he was to be of the tribe of Judah and the House of David ''But you,Bethlehem Ephrathah,though you are small among the clans of Judah out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel,whose origins are from old,from the ancient times''. Mic.5:2 Notice his origins 'from old...the ancient times ' He would be eternal..Ps.2:7.'he said to me' 'You are my Son today I have begotten you ' Here we learn that Joseph was not his biological Father,God said 'I have begotten you' to beget is to make offspring. Joseph was only engaged to Mary....before they came together,she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit...and notice Joseph's reaction...he did not want to expose her to public disgrace,he had in mind to break the engagement quietly. Mat.1:18-19 He obviously didn't understand what was going on and was embarrassed about it (any man would be) and then an angel appeared to him in a dream and said ''Joseph son of David do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife because what is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit''. Mat.1:20-21 This child would be special The virgin will give birth to a Son and they will call him Immanuel which means 'God with us' Is.7:14.

The Covenant with Abraham:

The call...''Leave your country and your people and your fathers household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and will bless you;I will make your name great and you will be a blessing, I will bless those who bless you and whoever curses you I will curse and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you''. Gen.12:1-3.The promise... ''Look up at the heavens and count the stars-if need you can count them'' Then he said to him ''So shall your offspring be'' Gen.15:5. The covenant oath...''your name will Abraham,for I have made you a father to many nations...I will bless her and will surely give you a Son by her.I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations,kings of peoples will come from her.....my covenant I will establish with Isaac whom Sarah will bear to you..." Gen.17:2-16 'Here God makes 3 promises to Abraham,to make him a great nation,to give him a great name and to make him a blessing for all nations.He later upgrades these promises into a Covenant and swears an oath to Abraham to make him a great nation and kingdom..'kings of peoples will come from her'God fulfilled his first promise under Moses when he delivered them out of Egypt and into their own land....''to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey''...Ex.3:8.God's second promise is fulfilled under David ''Your house and kingdom will endure forever before me,your throne I will establish forever.'' 2 Sam.7:16 And God's third promise is fulfilled at the coming of Christ,Luk.1:68-74 "Praise be to the Lord,the God of Israel because he has come and has redeemed his people.He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago)...to show mercy to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant,the oath he swore to our father Abraham:to rescue us from the hand of our enemies"...The relationship between Abraham and Isaac is in the likeness of the relationship between God the Father and his Son Jesus...the only Son who is in the bosom of the Father...John 1:18..He who did not spare his own son but gave him up for us all..Rom.8:32 and "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son...John 3:16,which is the same as in Gen.22:12....you have not withheld from me your son,your only son.'' And in Gen.49:10 it says.... 'The scepter will not depart from Judah nor the rulers staff from his between feet until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his.''
The Covenant with Moses: '' When Israel was a child, I loved him and out of Egypt I called my Son'' Hos.11:1. Now God is ready to fulfill his promise to Abraham,he is going to make his name great and make him into a great nation.He identifies himself to Moses as '' I AM the God of your father,the God of Abraham...So now,go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt. And why did Matthew quote Hos.11:1 in his Gospel ? The Child Jesus had to escape to Egypt because King Herod gave orders to kill all boys under two just like Pharaoh instructed the midwives to kill all the Hebrew boys that were being born.Here we begin to see God as Father..''Israel is my first born son....let my son go'' Ex.4:22 Is he not your Father who created you? Deut.32:6 Israel was God's first born son as Jesus was God's one and only Son.Now on the night God was to bring then out he commanded them to slaughter a lamb,take some of the blood and...put it on the tops and the sides of the doorframes...that same night they are to eat the flesh...with unleavened bread.Ex.12:7 .This would become 'the feast of passover' for when God saw the blood he passed over the house of Israel.This was a prefigure of Christ the Lamb of God...but with the precious blood of Christ,a Lamb without blemish or defect.1Pet.1:19 ...for Christ our passover has been sacrificed.1 Cor.5:7....he was led like a Lamb to the slaughter...Is.53:7....he will sprinkle many nations..Is.52:15.When the Israelites passed through the Red Sea it would be a prefigure of baptism...they were all baptized into Moses...in the sea...1 Cor.10:2 .And when they were hungry God gave bread from heaven to eat Ex.16:16,Jesus would be ''the true bread from heaven...who comes to give life to the world''.John 6:32,33.As Moses delivered the Israelites out of slavery,so too would Jesus..''I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin...So if the Son sets you free you are free indeed.'' John 8:34,36.When God gave Moses the Law on Mount Sinai it says...Then moses went up to God...Ex.19:3,just like Jesus went up on a mountainside an sat down.Mat.5:1.He did not..come to abolish the Law or the Prophets,but to fulfill..Mat.5:17.He would be in the image of Moses, ''The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me....you must listen to him.'' Deut.18:15 but would be greater,Heb.3:3. Jesus has been found worthy of a greater honour than Moses....After the Law was given ,the people swore an oath saying ''We will do everything the Lord said;we will obey.'' Moses than took the blood,sprinkled it on the people and said ''This is the blood of the Covenant that the Lord has made with you....'' Ex.24:7,8. In Luk.22:7,20 it says Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed....after supper he took the cup and said ''this is the New Covenant in my blood,which is poured out for you''
The Covenant with David: ''The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you...I will raise up your offspring to succeed you,who will come from your own body and I will establish his kingdom....I will be his Father and he will be my son...Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me;your throne will be established forever." 2 Sam.7:11-16 God chose David and anoints him as king ''The Lord has sought out a man after is own heart...'' 1 Sam.13:14 As opposed to Saul who ''rejected the word of the Lord'' 1 Sam.15:23.In his Covenant with David He promises him divine sonship,a Temple and a royal dynasty.Jerusalem is also described as ''the city of David'' 1 Sam.5:7,9 but also ''the throne of the Lord'' 1 Chr.25:8. Now David's first job as King was to restore the 'Ark of the Covenant' which was at the heart of Israel's worship and became the identity of the Temple that Solomon would build.And under Solomon the Kingdom reaches it's pinnacle.He was the 'son' who would build the Lord a house.The King was to be a 'priestly mediator' between the God and his people Ps.110 and was addressed simply as 'The Lord's Anointed' (Messiah),and would also have a 'queen' mother 1 kin.2:19.see also Rev.12:1.God fulfills yet another promise he made to Abraham...''kings of peoples will come from her.'' Gen.17:16.Within one generation the ''everlasting Kingdom had fallen''. Why?...the King must not take many wives,or his heart will be led astray.Deut.17:17 And what did Solomon do? King Solomon,however,loved many foreign women....1 Kin.11:1.''When he does wrong, I will punish him with rod the of men...'' 2 Sam.7:14,1 kin.11:31-39.After Solomon's death 1 Kin.11:43,the Kingdom split in two,ten tribes in the north (Israel) and two tribes in the south (Judah). In 722 B.C the Assyrians conquered the northern tribes and were never heard from again and in 586B.C. the Babylonians conquered the southern tribe of Judah but were allowed to return.The Judahites as they were called would be later be known as the Jews.But their Kingdom,national identity,and all hope was lost.During this dark time prophets were sent to remind the people of 'David's everlasting kingdom'In the last days,the mountain of the Lord's Temple will be established...The Lord will rule over them...the former dominion will be restored to you;Kingship will come to...Jerusalem. Mic.4:1-8 But who would rule? Remember David's Covenant was based on divine sonship and his throne was anointed by God himself thus 'The Lord's Anointed' would be known as 'Messiah.' His name would be Yehoshua (God who saves in Hebrew) Jesus (God who saves in Greek) Is.11:1-2. A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. It says in Is.9:6,7.....and the government will be on his shoulders...Of the increase of his government and peace there will no end. Jesus and David have many comparisons,seeLuk.6:3-4 and 1 Sam.21:2-7. David was a Sheppard 1 Sam.16:11,Jesus was the Good Sheppard 'who lays down his life for the sheep'. John.10:10.But Jesus was greater than David,''Brothers,I can tell you confidently that the patriarch,David died and was buried and his tomb is here to this day...God has raised this Jesus to life and we are witnesses of that. Acts.2:29,32. The fact that God raised him from the dead, never to see decay is stated in theses words:''I will give you the sure blessings promised to David'' So it is stated elsewhere ''You will not let your Holy One see decay'' Acts.13:34-35.Now Jesus came saying ''The time is fulfilled the Kingdom of God is at hand;repent and believe the good news.'' Mar.1:15 And in Mat.21:5 ''Say to the Daughter of Zion,See your King comes to you gentle and riding on a donkey on a colt,the foal of a donkey.'' But the Kingdom would be a present reality,within ''The Kingdom does not come with your careful observation.....because the Kingdom of God is within you.'' Luk.17:20-21.But also a future event;''For the Son of Man in his day will be like lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky one end to the other " Luk.17:24 ''But first he must suffer and be rejected by this generation.'' Luk.17:25''Therefore,let all Israel be assured of this God has made this Jesus,whom you crucified both Lord and Christ'' Acts.2:36 .But when will all this take place? ''So then,the days are coming declares the Lord'' Jer.23:7-8 He will bring them...''up out of the land of the north and out of the countries I have banished them'' ...''Then they will live in their own land''. In Is.11:12 it says, He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel;he will assemble the scattered people of Judah from the four corners of the earth. Are we living in those days? Let's pray and watch! Mar,13:33. Now like Solomon,Jesus would build a Temple John 2:19 ''Destroy this Temple and I will be build it in three days''.see also 1cor.3:10-11. Jesus would become the divine son of David,son of Abraham;Mat.1:1,he would become a priest king ''you are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek'' Heb.9:17 (ps.110:4) He would become the Lord's Anointed (Moshiach Ben David) Rev.11:15...''The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ;and he will reign for ever and ever.' I Jesus,have sent my angel to give this testimony....I am the Root and the Offspring of David,and the bright Morning Star.'' Rev.22:16.The angel said to me,''These words are trustworthy and true.'' Rev.22:6

And when one considers the future,God's people of the Old Covenant and God's people of the New Covenant tend towards similar goals:expectations of the coming or return of the Messiah. But one awaits for the return of the Messiah who died and rose again from the dead and is recognized as Lord and Son of God,the other awaits the coming of a Messiah,whose features are hidden until the end of time and accompanied by the drama of not knowing or misunderstanding Christ Jesus. Catholic Catechism

One Lord,One Body

The Church of Christ is truly present in all legitimately organized local groups of the faithful, which, in so far they are united in their pastors are also quite appropriately called the Church of the New Testament...In them the faithful are gathered together through the preaching of the Gospel of Christ and the mystery of the Lord is celebrated...In these communities,though often they are small or poor or existing in the diaspora,Christ is present through whose power and influence the One,Holy,Catholic and Apostolic Church is constituted. Catholic Catechism.

Irenaeus"The blessed apostles [Peter and Paul], having founded and built up the church [of Rome] . . . handed over the office of the episcopate to Linus" (Against Heresies 3:3:3 [A.D. 189]).

''I have given them the glory that you gave me,that they may be one as we are one". John 17:22.In this post I would like discuss the differences between Catholics and Evangelicals:"But do this with gentleness and respect.... 1 pet.3:15 ...."Love each other as I have loved you ". John.15:12.

The Mass: Let us begin with the Catholic mass and it's origins:Jesus comes to us in the image of Melchizedek ''You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek''. Heb.17:7.As Melchizedek brought bread and wine to Abraham Gen.14:18,so too does Jesus to his children . While they were eating,Jesus took the bread gave thanks and broke it and gave it to his disciples saying '' Take and eat;this is my body''.Then he took the cup,gave thanks and offered it to them,saying,''Drink from it all of you.This is my blood of the covenant,which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.''All Christians recognize this ritual as the Lord's supper or Holy Communion.But as Catholics we specifically call it the Eucharist (thanksgiving in Greek) which is equivalent to the Todah(thanksgiving in Hebrew).The Todah was a thank offering associated with the passover;it would be a sign of gratitude towards God for his deliverance.(see David's psalm of thanks in 1 chr.16:8.) It was to be practiced regularly 1 Chr.16:37,38.The Passover meal and Todah sacrifice were one in the same:the bread and wine along with the roasted flesh of the lamb were then celebrated with Psalms of thanksgiving;Ps.113-118. When they sung a hymn,they went out to the mount of olives.Mat.26:30.This is why Jesus gives thanks when he breaks the bread and offers the wine and in Luk.22:19 He says ''Do this in remembrance of me''.We are to remember regularly his love and deliverance.Now we Catholics also believe in the real presence of Jesus in the Bread when he said "take and eat;this is my body " and "drink...This is my blood" is there any reason why we shouldn't take this literaly? "Is not the Cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ?" "...is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?" 1 Cor.10:16. Jesus never said this is a 'symbol' of my body or this is a 'symbol' of my blood,he didn't even call it bread or wine instead he said ''This is my body'',''This is my blood'' and we are to ''take and eat'',and we are to ''drink''. ''If anyone eats of this bread he will live forever .This bread is my flesh,which I will give for the life of the world.'' John 6:51. Again we see him here describing his body as bread which leads to life.No reason to think it was symbolic ''How can this man give us his flesh to eat''? They said,and he didn't correct them instead he took it further ''I tell you the truth,unless you eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood you have no life in you.Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life,and I my self will raise him up on the last day.For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink". John 6:53-55. ''Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I in him'' (his presence). And they said ''This is a hard teaching ,who can accept it?'' They didn't believe him symbolically,but literaly.So then the Mass is a reflection of the Gospel: We are to abide in his word John.8:31 and to remember his sacrifice with thanksgiving.Luk.22:19.We then experience his grace through his Word and his Presence in the Eucharist until the day of Resurrection John.6:53-55 ''My name will be great among the nations,from the rising to the setting of the sun.In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to my name,because my name will be great among the nations.'' Mal.1:11

Justification by faith alone:No doctrine separates the Catholics from Protestants than justification by faith alone,the key word is alone.For Catholics and Protestants both believe we are justified by faith,Rom.5:1. "Justification is the passage from sin to the state of grace,through which the sinner becomes reconciled to God ".CCC "And We have no merit before God except as a result of God's free plan to allow us to share in his grace".CCC. Catholics believe salvation is a gift and not to be earned.However we do believe that true faith should express good works. You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. Jam.2:24.Rev.2:2 ''I know your deeds,your hard work and your perseverance.'' Rev.3:21 "To him who overcomes,I will give the right to sit down on my throne...'' "but he endures to the end will be saved" Mat.24:13. On immorality Paul said (to the church) ''I warn you,as I did before those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God" And Peter said ''You ought to live holy and Godly lives...2 pet.3:11. We believe that justification leads to sanctification...but you were washed,you were sanctified,you were justified...1 Cor.6:11.Therefore justification isn't merely a legal document that says because 'I received Christ as Lord' I am justified,rather justification should sanctify us and wash us that we may live holy lives for it is by grace alone rather than faith alone in which we are saved Fo''For it is by grace you have been saved..for we are God's workmanship,created in Christ Jesus to do good works..." Eph.2:8,10

Born Again:Many evangelicals,will ask if Catholics are born again,"I tell you the truth,no can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.John.3:3.Actually Catholics are more familiar with the RSV. bible which says ''born anew'' or the NAB. bible which says ''born from above'' Catholics here believe Jesus was speaking about baptism "unless he is born of water and spirit.'' Notice in v.22 After this Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside,where he spent time with them and baptized.(the only time he baptized) In 1 pet.3:20,21 it says that in the time of Noah only ''eight people were saved through water''. ''and this water symbolizes baptism which now saves you''. "It (baptism) saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ..." In other words we are born again through baptism,you cannot receive a new birth without the sacrament of baptism see.Rom.6:4 ''We were therefore buried with him through baptism into his death in order that just as Christ was raised..we too may live a new life''. But why do Catholics baptize infants? Paul likens baptism to circumcision in Col.2:11 In him you were also circumcised..not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision by Christ,having been buried with him in baptism. Like infant Isaac who entered into a covenant with God so too do infant Catholics. But Catholics must ratify this rite as adults, "Those who belong to Christ through faith and baptism must confess their baptismal faith before men".CCC. "For this promise is for you and your children...." Acts.2:39 ''Let the children come to me and do not hinder them for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these''.Mar.10:31 In the early Church entire households were baptized;1 cor.1:16, acts.11:13-14,acts.16:30-32,act.18:18.We then ''receive the gift of the Holy Spirit'' Acts.2:38, confirmed by the ''laying on of hands'' but we ''must be rekindle the gift'' 1 Tim.1:6. Therefore "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved...." Mar.16:16.

Bible alone: Evangelical Protestants believe the bible is the only rule of faith and believe anyone can interpret the scriptures without a teaching authority.As Catholics we don,t agree; But know this first of all,that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation... 2 pet.1:21,but Catholics recognize the authority of Scripture; ''There are different human writers of Scripture who wrote under God's inspiration.But the true author of Scripture is God himself.Thus we can be sure that these writings contain without error,the truths of Salvation.'' CCC.But the bible is not the only authority.So then, brothers,stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you,whether by word of mouth or by letter. 2 Thess.2:15 The early Christians recognized Scripture as well as oral tradition. They devoted themselves to the Apostle's teaching... Acts.2:42.Cathoilcs call this Divine Revelation ,Scripture and Tradition which make up a single deposit of God's word.On the teaching authority of the Church Jesus said ''He who hears you hears me,and he rejects you rejects me and he who rejects me,rejects him who sent me'' Luk.10:16...''I pray also for those who will believe through their message''...John.17:20.Hence there exists a close connection and communication between sacred Scripture and sacred Tradition.For both of them flow from the same divine well spring,in a certain way merge into unity and toward the same end.For sacred Scripture is the Word of God inasmuch as it is consigned to writing under the inspiration of the divine spirit,while sacred Tradition takes the Word of God entrusted by Christ the Lord and the Holy Spirit to the Apostles and hands on to their successors in it's full purity,so that led by the light of the Spirit of Truth they may in proclaiming it, preserve this Word of God faithfully.Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation.The Pope and his Bishops therefore are not superior to the Word of God rather they are guardians and are led by the light of the Spirit of Truth,they proclaim it and preserve it and pass it on to the next generation without error and confusion.This is called Apostolic succession.

Therefore the Church urges all the faithful to learn by frequent reading of the divine Scriptures

the ''excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ'' Phil.3:8 ''For ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ'' St.JeromeThe Church knows she is joined in many ways to the baptized who are honoured with the name Christian,but do not profess the Catholic faith in it's entirety or have not preserved the unity or communion under the successor of Peter.Those who believe in Christ and have been properly baptized are put in a certain although imperfect,communion with the Catholic Church.Catholic Catechism.