Saturday, October 17, 2015

Trafficking in the Gospel


I'm becoming convinced, after decades of study and reflection, that there is one and only one heresy in the Christian faith:  the heresy that being a Christian consists of a trusting  relationship with  Jesus Christ AND SOMETHING ADDITIONAL.

It is not a trusting relationship with God in Christ AND a belief that the Bible is inerrant.

It is not a trusting relationship with God in Christ AND a belief in the infallibility of official Church teaching in those Christian churches that share communion with the Roman Catholic Bishop of Rome, Pope Francis.

It is not a trusting relationship with God in Christ AND a belief that only sexual relationships that are capable of being "fecund" in principle due to the complimentary nature of the genders involved are valid.

Nor, for that matter, is it having a trusting relationship with God AND a belief that it is okay - or NOT okay - to terminate a pregnancy under any  or all conditions.

If anyone is telling you this, they suffer from the worst of heresies: Simony.

And the saddest aspect of this heresy is that when unbelievers encounter someone selling a particular belief or ethic or duty or ANY OTHER THING that they must "buy" or sacrificially serve to have access to the salvation of God in Christ AND THEY REJECT IT, they believe  they have rejected the good news of God in Christ.

They have not.

In fact, they have not so much as HEARD it because whoever is giving  them these burdens without a lifting a finger to help HASN'T EVEN SHARED IT WITH THEM.

What these unbelievers have rejected, plain and simple, is an invitation to idolatry.

Is it permissible to sell items such as rosaries, medals, Bibles, etc., that have been blessed?

No comments:

A 13 year old kid has a few items on his shopping list

  A 13 year old kid has a few items on his shopping list: Beer ❌ Cigarettes ❌ Racy Magazines ❌ Lottery Tickets ❌ Gun — No Problem! Another ...