1337 k4th0l1x0r Posted March 23, 2006 Share Posted March 23, 2006 This is targeted mainly toward current/former Baptists and Evangelicals. Whenever the Baptists come by to visit, I'm always asked, "Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior?" I say yes, but I'm curious as to the phrasing of the question. Why is the word "personal" put in front of Lord and Savior? I mean, He's not a lord and savior just to me nor did he die once for me and once for Billy and once for Susie, etc. I hear personal and I think something like a personal assistant. Sure my assistant may not assist only me, but he wouldn't be assisting others while he's assisting me. It just seems to me that emphasizing 'personal' takes away from how we're all to be united in Christ. Any thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lil Red Posted March 23, 2006 Share Posted March 23, 2006 hmmm, interesting thoughts to say the least. i would be interested to hear what others have to say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Adam Posted March 23, 2006 Share Posted March 23, 2006 (edited) As a former lutheran and baptist/fundamentalist, perhaps I can shed some light. They believe that you as a Catholic might say "I believe in Jesus" even "I have faith in Jesus" but the question is, have you truly prayed, yourself, as an individual, to "accept Jesus Christ into your heart by faith alone" which will be how you must be "saved". If you haven't made Jesus your "personal" Lord and Savior, you are not going to go to heaven. The personal part of it distinguishes them, they believe, from those who believe they are saving themselves by "works", "faith and works" "faith sans works", or who haven't genuinely accepted Christ as their Savior, even if they have no qualms about believing in Him. It is a question of, have you yourself been saved. Not is your mom going to heaven, or your wife, or your child, but they are attempting to get you to single yourself out and answer the question for yourself. Edited March 23, 2006 by Brother Adam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Era Might Posted March 23, 2006 Share Posted March 23, 2006 (edited) [quote] To place ourselves before Jesus in the Eucharist, to take advantage of our "moments of solitude'' and to fill them with this Presence, is to enliven our consecration by our personal relationship with Christ, from whom our life derives its joy and its meaning. --Pope John Paul the Great, "2005 Letter to Priests"[/quote] Also, I love this passage from St. John of the Cross: [quote]I abandoned and forgot myself Laying my face on my beloved All things ceased I went out from myself Leaving my cares forgotten among the lillies together[/quote] As someone once remarked to me, you can't get much more personal than rolling around in the lillies. Edited March 23, 2006 by Era Might Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1337 k4th0l1x0r Posted March 23, 2006 Author Share Posted March 23, 2006 So "personal" doesn't really mean personal? Is it really just a shorthand way of saying "Have you honestly and prayerfully on your accord accepted the salvation that Jesus provides to you at no cost and accepted him as Lord?" Or maybe personal should be changed to an adverb and modify the accepting part rather than the saving part. This would be consistent with their views on infant baptism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Extra ecclesiam nulla salus Posted March 23, 2006 Share Posted March 23, 2006 so if asked if i have accepted Jesus Christ as my personal savior should i say yes or no? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Era Might Posted March 23, 2006 Share Posted March 23, 2006 (edited) [quote name='Extra ecclesiam nulla salus' date='Mar 23 2006, 06:34 PM']so if asked if i have accepted Jesus Christ as my personal savior should i say yes or no? [right][snapback]919602[/snapback][/right] [/quote] Yes. Edited March 23, 2006 by Era Might Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Extra ecclesiam nulla salus Posted March 23, 2006 Share Posted March 23, 2006 thanks. i don't really know any hardcore protestants anyway so its not really an issue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Era Might Posted March 23, 2006 Share Posted March 23, 2006 Well, the next time someone you meet one, and they ask you "the question", answer them "Yes, I have, and I'm a hardcore Catholic". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lil Red Posted March 24, 2006 Share Posted March 24, 2006 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homeschoolmom Posted March 24, 2006 Share Posted March 24, 2006 I think a simple way to look at it is they are wondering if you have made your faith your own. Ie, are you trying to ride in on the coattails of your parents' faith or the fact that you may have been baptized? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironmonk Posted March 24, 2006 Share Posted March 24, 2006 [quote name='1337 k4th0l1x0r' date='Mar 23 2006, 06:20 PM']This is targeted mainly toward current/former Baptists and Evangelicals. Whenever the Baptists come by to visit, I'm always asked, "Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior?" I say yes, but I'm curious as to the phrasing of the question. Why is the word "personal" put in front of Lord and Savior? I mean, He's not a lord and savior just to me nor did he die once for me and once for Billy and once for Susie, etc. I hear personal and I think something like a personal assistant. Sure my assistant may not assist only me, but he wouldn't be assisting others while he's assisting me. It just seems to me that emphasizing 'personal' takes away from how we're all to be united in Christ. Any thoughts? [right][snapback]919576[/snapback][/right] [/quote] It's just more error my friend. There is nothing personal about Christ... He is everyone's Lord and Savior. Even if someone rejects Christ, Christ is still their Lord, it's just that they will not be saved... because they don't want to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Era Might Posted March 24, 2006 Share Posted March 24, 2006 [quote name='ironmonk' date='Mar 24 2006, 08:52 AM']There is nothing personal about Christ [right][snapback]920041[/snapback][/right] [/quote] Sure there is. [quote]The one God in whom Israel believes, on the other hand, loves with a personal love. ...A personal relationship with God and an abandonment to his will can prevent man from being demeaned and save him from falling prey to the teaching of fanaticism and terrorism. --Pope Benedict XVI, Encyclical Letter "Deus Caritas Est"[/quote] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dspen2005 Posted March 24, 2006 Share Posted March 24, 2006 Protestant understanding of human nature naturally leads to this notion that if I profess my belief with my lips that Christ is "Lord and Saviour" then that is all that I need to do. Their initial anthropology rests with the idea that was given to us by Luther and Calvin, that human nature is "utterly depraved". Catholic understanding is radically different and, of course, in keeping with the wisdom and teaching of the Church Fathers, and ultimately Christ, Himself. Holy Mother Church teaches us that human nature is "profoundly wounded". Beginning with this foundation, we can see why it is that there is an emphasis on the interior penetration of God's grace. Prots deny this aspect. They separate body and soul, as components of the human person -- in the sense, that the body is somehow separate and unaffected by the workings of grace. Imagine the ramifications of this perspective. In separating the workings of grace in body and soul, you deny the human person. the Prot understanding of the human person gives to them a superficial approach to the interior life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mateo el Feo Posted March 24, 2006 Share Posted March 24, 2006 If the word "personal" isn't in the Bible, does that make it a false doctrine, an extra-biblical protestant innovation, or a "tradition of men"? LOL...just having some fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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