I get an absolute TON of e-mail every day, and there are so many interesting, uplifting, and even challenging messages to go through. I am sometimes approached for help, sometimes asked for guidance, sometimes attacked for my beliefs, sometimes accused of being anti-catholic (which you already know is not the case at all). And sometimes I receive simple, emotional, wonderful messages of thanks. Such is the case recently, and I thought I would share this very happy message with you:

“Thank you for posting your testimony here. God is using your story to
affect many lives. I came here as a Christian looking for more information
on Catholicism and how it differs from Christianity, so that I may share
it with my loved ones. I pray that God will work in their hearts as He did
in yours. Thank you once again.”

You’re very, very welcome.

It happens that at times when I talk to others about my catholic Christian journey, they sometimes try and categorize my message as a Christian vs catholic attack. I think some of that may be rooted in the fact that I spend a lot of time speaking to catholics directly about my transformation from catholic to christian, and I’m quite certain that they are immediately on the defensive because I’m telling them things that challenge their long-standing beliefs.

I know what they’re feeling, because remember that I was on the opposite end of that debate myself.

I have never, ever considered this online ministry to be a catholic vs. christian battle, but rather my intent is that perhaps through my story — as a former life-long catholic of 44 years — some who are currently a part of the church of Rome, a church which calls itself the catholic church, will begin to look at their church with a new perspective and will challenge the things this “religion” has taught them.

Unfortunately, catholics have generally been told that they are to strictly follow the teachings of the Roman church and to deviate from them would lead to dire consequences. I believe that it is this teaching, a teaching that prevents many practicing catholics from exploring the Holy Scriptures fully, which forms the basis of this impression that I’m setting up some sort of a Christian vs. catholic attack.

It isn’t true.

I know for certain that the vast majority of practicing catholics are sincere about their faith. I know this, because I was one for 44 years. I know for certain that the vast majority of lay people who have advanced into leadership positions within their parishes are sincere about their faith and their leadership roles. I know this, because I was one for nearly 30 years. I know that those in local parishes who teach others about the catholic religion are sincere as well, because I was one of those too, for many, many years.

So this isn’t a Christian vs catholic argument. My ministry, inspired by the Holy Spirit, isn’t set up to be a catholic vs. christian debate. In no way do I intend this to be a christian vs. catholic attack on another’s beliefs. Instead, I mean this to be a method for delivering my personal catholic to christian transformation story, and in the process of revealing my journey, I hope that others who are currently practicing catholics will take a step back and open themselves up to the fullness of God’s Word. If they do that, they will discover that God’s plan for salvation is a simple plan for salvation.

Remember, too often those who are members of the so-called catholic church believe that their religion should not be challenged. The Roman church has claimed for itself the sole right to “interpret” Holy Scriptures, and because of that many practicing catholics are simply too afraid or too accepting to compare the teachings of their church to the Word of God. The Holy Scriptures tell us that we should use the Scriptures to test what we are taught, not that we should accept without question what we are told and to be afraid to test it against the Word of God.

It seems more and more these days that people are attempting to place their trust in others instead of just realizing that they must Trust in Christ Alone for the Eternal Salvation. I know that it can be a hard thing to understand, but once understood, it is difficult for one to even fathom how we may have believed otherwise.

To Trust in Christ Alone means to completely surrender your trust in anything or anyone else. That means you can’t trust in yourself to try and save yourself (it is impossible, there’s nothing you can do of your own accord that will give you eternal life), you can’t trust in a priest or an organized religion like the catholic church or catholicism to save you (they aren’t able to do that, either), and you can’t trust in the words or actions of any other human being to save you.

It’s all up to you, and only you. God’s plan for Eternal Salvation isn’t complicated.

You must put aside your past beliefs and surrender your trust to Christ and to Christ Alone. Once you are able to do that, then you will open the door to your Eternal Salvation. It is then that you will begin to see how organized religion can get things all messed up, then you will be able to understand what is the difference between catholic and christian.

It isn’t easy, I struggled with this myself as I made my journey from catholic to christian, so I fully understand. I only ask you to remember this: if you cannot Trust in Christ, then in whom can you trust?

I’m often asked a question:

What is the difference between catholic and Christian?

I understand why there would be confusion. On the surface, the question may sound odd or even silly. Many folks will respond: there is no difference between catholic and Christian. Catholics believe in Christ, that makes them Christians.

Well, unfortunately, that answer isn’t necessarily accurate. First, simply “believing” in Christ isn’t sufficient to make on a Christian. It goes a lot deeper than that. If you wish, you can read a post of mine on the subject, called Believing in Christ Doesn’t Make You a Christian.

No, belief is not enough. So what else is there? What more must one do to actually become a Christian? The key word is:

Trust.

You must TRUST in Christ. And not only trust in Christ, but you must trust in Christ ALONE for your Eternal Salvation. You must trust that His sacrifice on the cross at Calvary paid your sin debt in full — which it did — and trusting in that payment means releasing your own need to have to “pay” for something that Christ Himself has already paid. His death released you from your debt.

It isn’t about “accepting” Christ or “believing” in Christ or “asking Christ into your heart”. It is only about trust and placing your trust FULLY in Him, your Savior. So what is the distinction between belief and trust? My brother likes to describe it this way:

“You believe in the chair that you are sitting on. You trust that the chair will carry your weight and support you”.

It wasn’t until I actually TRUSTED in Christ Alone that I received the Gift of Eternal Life. If you haven’t yet read my story, please take a few minutes to do so. That moment was a life-changing event, for both my earthly life and my eternal life.

So then what is the difference between catholic and Christian?

Most catholics have placed their trust in things other than Christ for their Salvation. This isn’t necessarily their fault directly, they’ve been raised that way. I know, I was raised that way myself and I was totally and completely sincere about my belief in Christ and that He died for my sins. But, like most other catholics, I also believed that I had to trust in the church of Rome for assistance in achieving Eternal Salvation. I had to trust in the leaders of the church to provide me with proper doctrine, in the priest in the confessional to ensure that I received absolution for my sins, in the wafer of bread that was supposedly transformed into the Body of Christ (something I now know is preposterous and not supported by Scriptures), and trust in the church of Rome’s claim to apostolic succession (read my post: Dispelling the Myth of the “Rock” Peter) to provide the authority to dictate to me what I must believe.

Catholics believe in Christ, as do true Christians. Christians TRUST in Christ Alone. Catholics, most of them anyway, trust in Christ plus, plus, PLUS. The Body of Christ is the one True Church and not a wafer of bread. Do not place your trust in something or someone other than Jesus Christ for your Eternal Salvation. It is through His sacrifice alone that you may have (not “will have” some time in the future) Eternal Life.

John 5:24

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

Is it possible for a practicing catholic to be a Christian? Of course anything is possible with God, but I would have say it is unlikely. Why? Because I was there, I was a part of that church, I was an educator in that church, and once I received the Gift of Eternal Salvation and received the counsel of the Holy Spirit, I saw that the catholic church as we know it is not Christ’s One True Church and as someone who had become a true Christian I realized that I had to remove myself from it to be a full part of the One True Church, Christ’s Body.

Again, if you haven’t read my Christian catholic journey, please check it out.

One of my wonderful supportive sources provided me a link to a catholic Web site which expounded on the fact that they believe that catholics, members of the Roman church, are quite “obviously” Christian because they believe in Christ. My how wrong they are without even knowing. This is the power of evil at work in their “church”. They are being deceived, being led astray by false teaching, and they have no idea that their Eternal Salvation is at risk. Let me put this as bluntly as possible:

Believing in Christ is NOT the criteria necessary to be a Christian. Believing in Christ DOESN’T make you a Christian.

Judas believed in Christ, but betrayed Him. Would we call him a Christian? Of course we wouldn’t.

What it takes to be a Christian is to totally Trust that Christ paid our sin debt in full (past, present, and future sins) on the cross. His sacrifice is all that is necessary for us to receive the gift of Eternal Salvation. If something more were required of us, then this would negate Christ’s sacrifice and would render this Gift from God something to be earned, rather than simply received.

For the Word of God tells us:

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

“And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.” (Romans 11:6)

It cannot be more clear than this, yet there are millions who erroneously believe otherwise. The only thing that we can do as horrible sinners and mere mortals is to Trust in Christ Alone and we will then receive the Gift of Eternal Salvation.

I drove by a church that had a sign out in front that said only this: “Keep Christ in Christmas”. Well, any devout Christian would know that Christ was NEVER in christmas, and we shouldn’t try and put him there. Jesus wasn’t born anywhere near December 25th, and it is silly to try and force that date on Him. The day of His birth isn’t nearly as significant to us as the day of His death, because His sacrifice on the cross is what paid our sin debt in full.

Instead of keeping Christ in christmas, we should all keep Christ “in” every day. Every single day.

I went into a restaurant today to have lunch, and what did I see as soon as I walked through the door? A big nativity scene. Immediately I started to shake my head at the graven images. In fact, a nativity scene with wise men in it isn’t even historically accurate, as the wise men arrived years after the birth of Jesus and went to his home, not his birthplace.

Anyhow, I walked out and this business lost my patronage for the day.