THE TESTIMONY OF AN EX-CATHOLIC
BASED ON THE WORD OF GOD
By: A. R. (Tony) Gajewsky
Member Of
Calvary Baptist Church
C.a. Thomas, Pastor
212 West Miller St.
Angleton, Texas 77515
MY PAST EXPERIENCE AS A CATHOLIC
I would like now to share with you my past experience as a Catholic and my personal testimony of how the Lord saved me, then we will go to God's word and let God reveal to you the great and vital truth as He revealed them to me, after accepting Him as my Saviour.*
*Or made a confession of "Believing in the Lord Jesus Christ." This is the term Jesus and his disciples used whenever the question arose of how one is saved - believe in Jesus Christ - that is believe what He did for us because He knew we could not do what God required of us ourselves, that is live a perfect life with no sin ever charged against us. So we must first acknowledge our own hopelessness in this effort and put our trust in what Jesus did for us. He kept the law to God's satisfaction and imputes HIS righteousness to us. At the same time our sins our imputed to Him (Jesus) and He dies on the cross to bear the punishment due each of us. This is plainly stated in the following scriptures - ACTS 8:37, JOHN 3:15-16, ACTS 16:31
This is what "believe in the Lord Jesus Christ means and the confession of our accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour refers too. DAS
I was born into a Catholic family and brought up in the Catholic religion. I can say that I was given a religion and was also taught about God, that there was a Holy Spirit and I also learned that Jesus died on the cross. My family and I went to church regularly and I went through all the training instructions which started at an early age. This training was to show us when to kneel and when to stand; the memorizing of the Ten Commandments, also memorizing of prayers, such as praying to Mary (or Hail Mary's), the Model Prayer (Revised). The Confession prayer (for going to the confession box to confess your sins to the priest), and also memorizing the Prayers of the rosary (or beads, a prayer for each bead). Of course all of this comes in different stages. First you undergo instructions for your First Communion. This is at about age six. Then at age ten you start preparing for Confirmation Services. After this, if you wanted to become an Altar Boy, you had more training so you could follow the ceremonies.
I remember back when I was small, and how I looked at the beautiful, life sized statues of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus and also the beautiful paintings of the saints and all the gold candle holders and Crucifix. Everything was so nice to look at. I remember when I prayed I looked at these things of beauty. Yes, we had a very beautiful church and a beautiful religion.
Remember now, I know from past experience how you relate to these objects of beauty and how you look to them for deliverance of sins, and to keep you out of harm's way. For a time I also looked to them for these things. I always carried my St. Christopher's medal when I went on trips, so that no harm would come to me. I also prayed to the saint that I was named for. I even had a picture of him. I had also, a small gold Crucifix that had been blessed by the Priest that I wore around my neck, expecting this to keep me safe from all harm.
On the dash of my parents' car was a plastic image of Christ which was to protect us from harm as we were driving. There is more I could say on this subject; but why? You know them, for this is part of the Catholic religion.
I never owned a Bible because I didn't need one. The priest and the nuns always told us what to do and when to do it. I didn't have to think about anything, just go through the motions. We did not use a Bible in church services. We were led to believe that only the priest or heads of the church had the power to understand and interpret the Bible so why waste our time reading it ourselves.
The ceremonies were never understood because of the use of the Latin language in the church services at that time. That's why we were instructed when to kneel and etc.
The church had also seen to it that I was baptized. This was done in the usual manner of the church, by sprinkling the head of the infant with holy water, (blessed by the priest). Also a part of the baptismal ceremony was the appointing of a godfather and godmother.
There were a few rules to being a good Catholic such as not eating meat on Fridays and not eating before receiving holy communion. (Although at this writing some changes have been made regarding some of their rules).
So at this point you can see that I had been given a "religion." At about the age of fourteen I had my fill of church or "religion." As most people would, I disliked having to "confess" my sins to the priest. I also resented the idea of fasting and not being able to eat meats or whatever I wanted on Fridays. To get to the point, I couldn't understand why these things were done (or not done). I did not understand the meaning for the things we did.
I had done as my parents wished, I went through all the training and instructions as they and their parents had also. But here I was after all this time still not understanding why we did, what we did. As far as I could see, if this was serving God, I had done my share and I was alright. There were other reasons for me to think this way and I will try to show you the reasons why I thought so.
I had attended many church functions with my family such as bazaars and barbecues. Everyone seemed to have such a good time at these get-togethers. We would see many members of the church at these functions while we very seldom saw them in church. There were games for almost every member of the family, bingo for the adults and other games for children.
We never seemed to have much money when I was at home but we some how always had money to spend at the church bazzaars. There was plenty of food and drink at these affairs. I remember that many there became drunk on the beer they drank and as a result a few family arguments started. It was also not unusual to see the parish priest drinking the beer along with the others. I had also observed his drinking when attending our family barbecues.
So you can see how a small boy should mistakenly think that he was alright with God. If it was alright for adults to drink to excess in order to have a good time, including the priest, to avoid church except on social occasions and to spend their money on a good time instead of giving it to the Lord's work, then surely I was alright because I did none of these.
Now, do not for a moment thing that children growing up do not observe the actions of their parents and other church members. Because I did and in doing so I thought that it was alright to become drunk and disorderly in public, to skip church and to spend my money on enjoyment for myself rather than giving it to the church, for surely hadn't I seen it done by the members of my church and the priest also on occasions?
So at the age of fourteen I went on my way thinking everything was alright and that all these things were acceptable.
Well, I had gone my own way until the age of twenty-six. I was never really satisfied with anything, although I had a lot of everything. This is when the Lord started to deal with me. About this time I had noticed a change in a friend of mine on the job. One night I called him and we began to talk and I asked him about the change I had noticed. We talked for three hours and at the end of this talk I accepted Jesus as my personal saviour. (Made a confession that he now put his trust for salvation in the works of Jesus Christ rather than his own works) The Lord had used my friend as an instrument to lead me to Him. My friend had only been saved for two months himself.
I remember very clearly what went through my mind. I felt so undone and ashamed after hearing how my Lord had died for me. I also remember the tears that flowed after I had accepted Jesus openly (made my confession of believing in Jesus - Acts 16:31 - And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.) to my friend and how we both cried after his prayer. Those were tears of joy, both of us rejoicing in my salvation through Jesus my Lord. I know also that my friend cried because the Lord had used him in a great and wonderful way and I cried too because the Lord had saved someone as unworthy as me.
Let me take time at this point to explain my feelings of joy and pure happiness. I only felt this joy after I accepted Jesus. (Made his confession of trusting in Jesus' work and not his own) I did not have a "religious experience" or have a voice speak to me out of a bush. I did not accept Jesus from any special feeling that came over me as some want to believe. I accepted the Lord (made my confession of faith) because I was shown by God's own word (the Bible) that I was a sinner, that I was lost and undone, and was made aware for the first time in my life that without Him I was nothing. I accepted Jesus (put my trust in Jesus - believed in Jesus) because He died for me, just as He died for you, on a cruel cross to remove the sin that separates us from God. I had fully realized that I could not by any works, or any feeling that I could produce, save myself. My feelings came after He had forgiven me my sins and provided me a home eternally with Him. There were no doubts in my mind about this because I had put my full trust in Him to do so. Yes, I shed some tears, tears of happiness and of gratitude and unworthiness. Unworthy because He had died for me, because He loved me first, not because I loved him first. Unworthy? Yes, because He offered all for me because He loved me before I ever knew Him.
That night, I told my wife what had happened to me and I asked her for her Bible, for I had never owned one. I did a lot of reading that night and the Lord brought me out of the darkness in many ways. I now realized that all the religion that I had received, all the memorized prayers, all the fasting and other ceremonial practices I went through were for nothing. For with all these things they had not told me that all I needed was Jesus. All the statues, the gold trimmings, and beautiful ceremonies would not save me. I was never told that the only important thing for the salvation of my souls was to accept Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour. ( Believe in, or put my trust in what Jesus did for me-did what I couldn't do-John 3:15-16 - That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, what whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.)
Look with me again back to my religious upbringing, I had training by the nuns in memorizing the rosary, I had been taught when to kneel during ceremonies, I had also been "Baptized", but was still going to hell. Why? Because they left Jesus out of my life. You may ask how someone can go through religious training for so many years and not receive the good news of Jesus Christ and the remission of sins through faith in Him. I will try to explain how this is done.
Part of our instructions had been not to listen to people of other religions, also not to attend other churches without the permission of the priest and as stated previously if there was something I did not understand to go to the priest with it. I learned not to listen to anyone else and that our religion was right and all others were in error.
So you can see that although I had married a Christian girl, I wouldn't listen to her or anyone else. If the subject of religion came up I would tell them to believe their way and I would believe mine. Although I was never given anything to believe in.
Occasionally I would attend church services with my wife just to keep her happy. Even though I was in the church I never listened to the sermons because I didn't want to and also because I never really understood what was being said. I didn't understand because first of all I was lost and second because these things I heard were unfamiliar to me. I had never been instructed from the Bible because we were taught from prepared booklets that contained a few Scriptures that had been taken out of context from the Bible. We relied on the Priest to lead and guide us and to answer any questions that we might have. Essentially, I had put my full trust in men and did what they instructed me to do, thinking surely this was the way to heaven and of course I did so because I knew no other way, I did this in ignorance.
I have said that the Lord brought me out of darkness and into the light. He did this when He forgave my sins and saved my soul. Because this is the condition of every lost soul, they are in darkness and know not the light; for the Lord is the Light. And didn't the Lord show me His great and vital truths? Yes, He did; because the Truth is the Lord.
I know that many who read this, will accuse me of preaching one church against another. That is not my intention. My aim is to show those members of the Catholic religion who can identify with my upbringing and my feeling on religion that they might see the wrong in their life and try to right it by accepting Jesus Christ as their Saviour (confess their belief in what JESUS DID for them, and not trust in their own works) and turn from darkness to the Light. To stop putting your trust in men and put your whole faith and trust in Jesus. To study a Bible and learn the truths that God has given you through His written word.
My purpose is to show you that Jesus saves, and that no works, you or anyone else can perform will give you the peace that He can give. If you will only trust in Him to take away your sins and give you life eternal with Him in heaven.
You may not want to admit that you are lost or that you have been in error in your beliefs. No one likes to admit they are wrong but God's word can show you if you will only open your heart and your mind to the truth.
HEBREWS 4:12 - "for the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."
In other word it cuts off ignorance from understanding.
Here is another of God's vital truths: 2 TIMOTHY 3:16 - "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness"
Now I ask you, do you accept this? Do you believe the Bible is God's Holy Word? I ask you this because if you do not believe the Bible is God's Word, how can you expect to understand what God has to tell you? He has many things He wants you to know and I would like to point out some of God's truths to you through His Word.
As you continue to read, I hope you will see that I have not omitted any of the great truths because as a minister, I am commissioned by my Beloved Saviour, Jesus, to show you all of His truths.
ACTS 26:18 - "To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me."
The verse of scripture above is part of Jesus Christ's commission to His apostle Paul. This verse shows us that Paul was sent not only to open their eyes for the present but to keep them open. It states "to turn them from darkness to light." That is from following false and blind guides, their oracles, divinations, and superstitious usages received by tradition from their fathers, and corrupt notions and ideas they had of their gods, to follow a divine revelation of unquestionable certainty and truth.
This was turning them from darkness to light, from the ways of darkness to light of truth of Jesus to instruct the ignorant, and to rectify the mistakes of those who are in error, that things may be set and seen in true light.
So as Paul was commissioned by Jesus to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and to testify the gospel of the grace of God, so should every true minister of today do likewise, for they too, are commissioned by Jesus Christ.
No, as I said earlier we will take you to God's word and let Him reveal to you the truths He has already shown to me.
SEEKING ANSWERS TO IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
The following are questions I sought answers to and God gave me these answers through His Holy Word in the Bible.
The first question is on that I want you to ask yourself, for it is the most important question that you will ever be asked.
1. Have you accepted Christ Jesus as your Person Saviour?
(Or as Philip asked the eunuch - If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God. - Acts 8:37)
Let's see what God would have you to know about yourself. In Romans 3:23 it states - "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."
You can see that you are a sinner and that you need a Saviour to save you from your sins.
In Matthew 23:28, Christ states at the last supper - "For this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."
The Lord was talking of His death that was to come and of His blood that was to be shed upon Calvary's cross. He tells us that His blood is to be shed for the remission of sins. Only through the shed blood of Jesus Christ do we receive remission or forgiveness of our sins. So we know that we must come to Jesus asking His forgiveness for our sins and believing that he died for us and shed His blood that we may receive this forgiveness. We must believe that He is able to wash away our sins with His blood that was shed for us.
He tells us in St. John 3:16 that - ""God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
In this verse we see God's great love for us. We see the supreme sacrifice that He offered us, His only begotten son, Jesus. We also see the assurance of ev3rlasting life through our acceptance (believing in) of Jesus, for the Scripture says that "whosoever BELIEVETH in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
In St. John 3:18 and 36 God tells us what will happen if we do not accept (believe in) Jesus as our personal Saviour. 18. "He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten son of God. 36. He that believeth on the son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."
These Scriptures make it plain to see that if you accept (believe in ) Jesus you have forgiveness of your sins and eternal life. If you do not accept (believe in) Jesus you do not have eternal life, you are condemned and the wrath of God abideth on you.
God even instructs you what to do, and the conditions are very simple. Romans 10:9-10 says --
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
Let's look at St. John 14:6 to see what Jesus has to say, for He is the speaker in this vers. "Jesus saith unto Him, I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me."
Jesus tells us here that there is no other way to get to Heaven but through our acceptance (believing in-putting our trust in) Him as our personal Saviour. You can live a good life doing for others, you can be a faithful church member, you can receive all types of religious training and instructions, but if you fail to accept (put your trust in-believe in) Jesus you will die and go to hell. You cannot get to heaven by doing good works for Jesus has told us that He is the way, the truth and the life and you can come to the Father (God) only through Him. Nothing else will save you.
After reading these Scriptures ask yourself again if you are saved, if you have really accepted (believe in-put your trust in the works of) Jesus Christ as your Lord and all sufficient Saviour
2. Why put all your trust and confidence in the wisdom of men? Does your Salvation come from men?
Psalms 118:8 states - It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man." Also we find in 1 Corinthians 2:5 - "That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." Jonah 2:9 states - "But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord."
Salvation is believing in the Lord and cannot be obtained through man-made doctrines.
If we do not accept (believe-trust in) Jesus while we yet live, after death it is too late. No amount of money can pay one's way out of hell or into heaven. The choice of accepting (believing in-trusting) Jesus must be a personal and cannot be made after death. This being the most important event in ones life why put your trust in the wisdom of men for something so vital? Do not let men rob you, or keep you in darkness about your salvation. For there are many ways that seem right to men, but the ends thereof are death.
3. Are You Confused and do not Understand Why You do What you do Pertaining to Your Religion?
It is your duty to know how the Lord wants you to serve Him, not how man wants you to serve Him. Ecclesiastes 12:13 says - "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man."
In God's Word He gives us direct commands on how to worship Him and how to serve Him. So if you do not understand why you do certain things or conform to certain practices in your religion you should study God's Word to see if you are following God's commands or men's commands in your service to God.
Colossians 2:8,20,21,22 - Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 20. Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, 21. (Touch not; taste not; handle not; 22. Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?"
Your worship and your service to the Lord are very important; do not take it lightly for it is your duty to keep His commandments and you are to turn yourself over to them.
This does not mean just the ten commandments, it is all God's commandments. Read, study, and meditate on God's word to better know God's will for you. Test all things to see if they stand in the true light of God.
If your religious practices do not stand up to the ways of the Lord, you are wasting your time. If what you are doing is not the Lord's way, how can you be following Him and if you accept the Lord (believe in or trust) as your Saviour you are commanded to follow Him. We are told this in Colossians 2:6 - "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him." Seek the wisdom of the Lord and not of man.
4. Why do you Confess Your Sins to the Pries? Can He Forgive You of Your sins?
God tells us in 1 Timothy 2:5 - "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus."
No one man is given the power to mediate for us except Christ Jesus. The priest has not been given this power. We may come to God in prayer only through Christ Jesus.
5. Why do you Call The Priest Father?
God's Word tells us in Matthew 23:9 - "And call no man your Father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven."
You have only one Father and that one is God. He can only be called our Father if we have become a child of His by accepting (believing in-trusting in) His son Jesus as Saviour and Lord of our lives. For one person to use "Father" as a title is to exalt himself above God.
We can also find in the book of Judges 17:10 where the word Father refers to idolatrous title of priests. You find a King James version Bible and read about it yourself.
6. Why are the Clergy (Priests and Nuns) Forbidden to Marry, By Order of the Catholic Church?
1 Corinthians 7:28 - "But and if thou marry, thou has not sinned: and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you." 1 Corinthians 7:2- "Nevertheless, to avoid fornication let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband."
Hebrews 13:4 - "Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whore mongers and adulterers God will judge."
God tells us that it is not a sin to marry, only that we will have trouble in the flesh. But He will spare us. He also gives His approval of marriage. So you can see that God justifies and sanctifies marriage, not men.
7. Why are You commanded to Fast? Why are You Commanded to Abstain from eating Meats?
Genesis 1:29 - "And God said, behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for mean."
Genesis 9:3 - "Every moving thin that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the tree herb have I given you all things."
Colossians 2:16 also states - "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or the new moon, or of the Sabbath days."
These Scriptures tell us that no one has the right to tell us what foods we may or may not eat. When men start doing this to other men, are thy not setting themselves up as having the same powers as God? Whom do you give thanksgiving too, men? The above Scripture plainly states, every creature is created by God, they are his and not man's. God has sanctified them and has given them to be meat for us.
8. Why do Your Church Ordinances Keep Changing with the Times?
God does not change nor does His Word, as the following verses of Scripture will tell us: Psalms 119:89 - F\"For ever, O Lord, Thy word is settled in Heaven."
Deuteronomy 4:12 - "Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you."
Malachi 3:6 - "For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed."
Numbers 23:19 - "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent: hath He said, and shall He not do it? Or hath He spoken, and shall he not make it good?"
James 1:17 - "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."
More references are in Revelation 22:18-19
If your church ordinances keep changing to go with the times and to please people, your church is not pleasing God. For God's ordinances are not sent down from God to please men, but to please God
9. Why is the Pope the Head of all the Catholic Churches?
Let's look to God's Word to see who the head of the church is. Colossians 1:18-19 - "and He is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the first born from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell."
Ephesians 5:23 --For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and He is the saviour of the body."
Ephesians 1:22-23 - And hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all."
Christ Jesus is the head of the church for He founded the one and only true church. He gave Himself for the church. The church is His body. Who is your church founded by, man or God?
10. WHY DO YOU PAY MONEY FOR SPECIAL PRAYER SERVICES?
James 5:16 states - "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."
This scripture tells us to pray one for another. I find no where in God's Word where we are to pay for special prayers. When someone asks me to pray for them I do so willingly, and ask nothing in return, for God reveals to me through His Word that it is my duty to do so.
11. WHY DO YOU PRAY AND GIVE WORSHIP TO ANGELS AND DEPARTED SAINTS & MARY? WHY DO YOU WORSHIP & PRAY TO IDOLS & STATUES?
We are not to pray to a departed saint or an idol for God only hears prayer through our advocate Jesus.
1 Timothy 2:5 - "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus."
We are to pray only to God in the name of Jesus Christ. And now I will show you some Scriptures on idolatry.
Colossians 2:18 - "Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind."
1 Corinthians 10:14 - "Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry."
1 John 5:21 - "Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen."
Psalms 135:15-18 - "The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not; They have ears, but they hear not; they that make them are like unto them: so is every one that trusteth in them.?
God says not to let any man fool you or trick you into worshipping angels, or idols. If you check into the word "saint" you will find that this word is used in reference to the child of God, or one who has accepted(made a profession of believing in) Jesus as Lord and Saviour. So you see that departed saints are only men whose souls have passed from this life to a life with the Lord. These departed saints cannot answer prayer nor can they keep you out of harms way, there is only one who is able to do this the man Christ Jesus.
There are many questions I could ask and then answer with God's Word but I think I have given enough here for you to think about I pray that the Lord will use these words I have given you to bring you out of the darkness and into the Light. That it will be used for His glory and for His honor. I would like to end by giving you these Scriptures to read and meditate on.
St. John 1:1-14 - "In the beginning was the word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through Him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world and the world was made by Him, and the world knew him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God. Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."
Jesus Christ is the Light and the Truth of the world and only through Him do we receive the power to become the Sons of God. I would like you to know why I chose to leave the Catholic Church and become a Baptist. The reason is found in 1 John 2:6 - "He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked."
In other words a born-again believer should belong to a New Testament Church if he is going to follow in the steps of Jesus Christ.
A New Testament Church is "a local, organized body of baptized believers, equal in rank and privileges, administering its affairs under the headship of Christ, united in the belief of what Christ taught, covenanting together to do what He has commanded."
Christ established the church during His ministry and He is the head of it.
Baptist churches are New Testament churches. Baptist accept the Bible as the whole Word of God. Baptist teach everything that the Bible teaches. Every doctrine of Baptists is based on Scripture and they add nothing to it or take anything way from it. There are no man-made doctrines taught by it and it was not founded by men.
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ACTS 8:35-39 - Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, see, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, IF THOU BELIEVEST wth all thine heart, thou mayest. And He answered and said, I BELIEVE THAT JESUS CHRIST IS THE SON OF GOD. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went DOWN BOTH INTO the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when the were COME UP OUT of the water, the Sprit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.
JOHN 3:15-16 - That whosoever BELIEVETH IN HIM should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever BELIEVETH IN HIM should not perish, but have everlasting life.
ACTS 16:29-31- Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, BELIEVE ON THE Lord JESUS CHRIST, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
What must you believe about Jesus to be saved? You must recognize your own sinful self with no hope of salvation and getting to heaven by your own works, once that occurs (such as you see in the above examples) you must turn to Jesus Christ and believe in what HE did for you. HE kept the laws for you because God knows you can't do that yourself. Then on the cross Jesus bore the penalty charged against you for your sins. That sets you free of any guilt of sin and gives you your only hope of salvation and heaven/
BELIEVE IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST!!