For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him may not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:16
Going therefore, teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world .
Matthew 28:19
“He who does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake shall find it”.
Matthew 10:38
Today, the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast day of the exaltation of the Holy Cross. It is an acknowledgment of the great sacrifice God endured and allowed, so that anyone, longing to attain Heaven, could join themselves with this pure sacrifice, this sacrificial lamb, the Son of God, through His Body, the One Holy Apostolic Catholic Church,and have the very real hope of salvation. It is a reminder of the deep and abiding love of God, who would undergo such humiliation and suffering, even on a cross, for the sake of the few who would actually, of good will, do ALL that is believing in Him. Believing in Him, being more than a fleeting acknowledgement, or a rote prayer recited, then forgotten. Believing in Him, is believing EVERYTHING he taught, as he commissioned His Apostles,Going therefore, teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.Teaching them to observe ALL things whatsoever I have commanded you: and behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world. As it is only through joining ourselves with the Body of Christ, the One Holy Apostolic Catholic Church, that we can ascend into Heaven,
John 3:13-17
No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from heaven, the Son of man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life."
So, we must BELIEVE in Him, this believing in Him, is observing ALL things whatsoever God commanded the Apostles... It is specific Dogma, it is not just make believe theory, or make it up as you go along and you will get to Heaven.It is observing ALL things, do you see?? And, ONLY, the Catholic Church through the Holy Ghost can infallibly declare how we are to do this.. It is a confidence well placed, when you know that Jesus built His Church upon the rock, giving to him the Keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, this rock, being the foundation under which the Catholic Church, stands, with Jesus as the chief cornerstone, this Church, that is the Pillar and Ground of the truth, 1Timothy 3:15!!!!! So, yes, we can have hope of salvation, because, God did give His only begotten son, so that whosoever believeth in Him may have eternal life, and not parish, but, we must not err, as so many do, when assuming that this belief is just an empty word, as our world so commonly does, acting like, we on our part, have nothing to do, except know, somewhere in the regions of our minds, that Jesus is Lord(Lord being a word of command, a word, describing someone we are to obey, and serve, which, does mean, we must DO something, and not just something vague, or guessed at). So, for those Protestants, perhaps, even those who call themselves Catholic, I am hoping that I have communicated that it is not merely faith alone, which many believe, where, belief, or simple knowledge of the Diety or resurrection of Jesus, will save you, but, it is, by Grace, through right Faith, in right works, that all can be saved..... And, it is only in this way, that we can lift up Jesus upon the cross as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so that we may die triumphant, gaining Heaven at our deaths! Thanks be to God!
There is a great article regarding the false teaching of "faith alone", you can find it at my husbands website, http://www.theepistemologicworks.com/
In the books and articles section there is a book entitled "The Dogma of Baptism Upheld & the Lie of ‘Faith Alone’ Cast Down".
