The Catholic Church does not teach grace alone when it comes to salvation.

Catholics who claim that we are saved by grace alone are simply using the same illogical formulary that Protestants use when they say that:

We are saved by faith alone but the faith by which we are saved is not alone.

That is self contradicting whether you use the word faith or grace.  And two contradicting statements can not be true at the same time.

Now they want to claim that we cooperate with grace alone.  And they call that the Catholic doctrine of grace alone.  It is false.

Yes, it is true that ALL IS GRACE.   Because God caused everything by His grace.  But the Catholic Church has always made a distinction between Creation (Monergism) and Salvation (Synergism).  It is most clearly explained by St. Augustine.

1847 "God created us without us: but he did not will to save us without us." To receive his mercy, we must admit our faults. "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

The Catholic Church does not teach monergism when it comes to salvation.  The Catholic Church does not teach grace alone when it comes to salvation.

The true understanding of Scripture is taught by the Catholic Church

Buctus:

OK.... you live by other mans interpretations even though you clearly wrote....

2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,

Got it. sigh

I live by the true understanding of Scripture taught by the Catholic Church:

Ephesians 3:10

King James Version (KJV)

¹⁰ To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

An understanding which does not deny Tradition:

2 Thessalonians 2:15

King James Version (KJV)

¹⁵ Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.

As do the Protestants in their false teaching of Scripture alone.

Sincerely,

De Maria

Priests for life update - January 12, 2015

Prayer service and other activities next week – PriestsForLife.org/MarchForLife.

For Churches – alert them to PreachingOnAbortion.com for preaching, prayer, and educational materials for Sanctity of Life Sunday, which many observe this coming weekend.

During the World Meeting of Families, Priests for Life will be organizing an event on the theme of pro-life forWednesday evening, September 23. If you are planning to come to Philadelphia, please mark that date.

Please leave comments on the following two articles:

National Review
NationalReview.com/corner/395739/cuomo-church-and-abortion-fr-frank-pavone  

Our press conference about our new initiative Healing the Shockwaves of Abortion -- Washington Times
WashingtonTimes.com/news/2015/jan/8/project-helps-family-members-grieving-loss-by-abor/ 

Thanks

Fr. Frank
National Director, Priests for Life

Former abortionist to discuss leaving the business on 'Gospel of Life'

History will be made at this year’s March for Life when a former abortionist marches with the women and men of the Silent No More Awareness Campaign. Dr. Anthony Levatino will carry a sign that reads “I Regret Performing Abortions” as he takes part in a new initiative called Healing the Shockwaves of Abortion.

Dr. Levatino will be Janet Morana’s guest on Radio Maria’s “Gospel  of Life” at 6 p.m. ET Tuesday, Jan. 13.  Listeners are invited to call in to ask a question on the air during the show by calling 1-866-333-6279. 

Those who would prefer to email a question in advance may do so at info@gospeloflife.com.

Dr. Levatino began doing abortions in 1977 during his obstetrical residency. He performed both first- trimester suction abortions and second -trimester saline abortions. Over the next five years, he performed approximately 1,200 abortions, including 100 second-trimester D&E abortions up to 24 weeks.

His personal and professional lives began to intersect when he and his wife were told they likely would not be able to conceive a child of their own, and they began looking for a baby to adopt.

“It was during that time that I had my first doubts about performing abortions,” Dr. Levatino says. “I felt like I was throwing children in the garbage at the same time we were trying so hard to find a child to love and care for as our own.”

A month after they adopted a baby girl they named Heather, Dr. Levatino’s wife conceived a child and later gave birth to a son. He repressed his doubts about abortion, until the day his daughter was hit by a car and killed just two months before her sixth birthday.

“I stopped doing second-trimester abortions soon after she died,” he recalls. “For a few months I continued to perform early first- trimester abortions but a change had occurred that I couldn’t take back.  When I came to the realization that killing living children in the second trimester was wrong, it took only a little while longer to realize that killing all children is wrong no matter how big or small they are.”

Dr. Levatino became involved in the pro-life movement within the next year.

“It has helped me heal and to find forgiveness,” he says. “How do you make up for 1,200 dead kids? You can’t, not without the grace of God.”

Also on Tuesday’s “Gospel of Life,” Father Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life, will join Janet to talk more about Healing the Shockwaves of Abortion and its official debut at the March for Life on Jan. 22in Washington, D.C.

For a list of Radio Maria stations or to tune in to “Gospel of Life” on the Internet, go to the Radio Maria website.  Tablet and smart phone users also can download a free Radio Maria app so they can listen to the show wherever they go.

The show will be rebroadcast at 2 a.m. ET Thursday and midnight ET on Sunday. All the shows are archived at PriestsForLife.org/radiomaria.

Please tune in to our other TV and Radio shows and special appearances this week:

Defending Life TV/Radio 

Airing on EWTN: Wednesday, January 14th at 2:30 am.  Listen on EWTN Radio Saturday at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday at 5 a.m. (All times Eastern).

This Week's Topic: I Aborted Motherhood, and Helped Others do the Same 
Janet Morana and Fr. Denis Wilde invite Catherine, a former Planned Parenthood employee as she shares a first-hand account of working there.

The Catholic View for Women

Airing on EWTN: Friday, January 16th at 10:30 am

This Week's Topic: Pope Francis and the Deeper Theology of Women 
The trio welcomes theologian Monica Migliorino Miller, PhD to discuss what Pope Francis means by this new theology of women.

Gospel of Life TV

Airing Schedule: Watch on  National Religious Broadcasters network (NRB), Wednesday, January 13th at 4:30 pm ET. The NRB Network is on DIRECTV, channel 378. Also airing on SkyAngel 2 onFriday, January 15th at 6 am. ET.

This Week on NRB: King, Roe and Unity

This Week's Topic on SkyAngel: Forgiven and Set Free

Kevin Burke will be interviewed by Toni Berry and Dawn Nelson for the Immaculate Heart Radio station broadcasting from Las Vegas, NV.  Topic: Rachel’s Vineyard/Post Abortion Healing. The interview will air on Saturday January 17, 2014 at 12pm and on Monday January 19, 2014 at 1pm (Pacific Time Zone). The show will also be available to stream. To hear the show go to http://ihradio.com/listen/stations/nevada-stations/las-vegas-nv-970-am/  and click on the Listen Live button. 

See our online media schedule for more information and for the airing times of our Spanish programming.

The Catholic Church does NOT teach grace alone

Apparently, some Catholics believe that the Catholic Church teaches grace alone.  It doesn't.

Grace alone and irresistible grace are the same doctrine and they deny the Catholic Teaching of freedom of will which man can exercise in cooperation with God to achieve his salvation.  Protestants coined the term grace alone to directly contradict the Teaching of the Catholic Church. And the Catholic Church condemned that teaching in the Council of Trent.

Canon 4.If anyone says that man's free will moved and aroused by God, by assenting to God's call and action, in no way cooperates toward disposing and preparing itself to obtain the grace of justification, that it cannot refuse its assent if it wishes, but that, as something inanimate, it does nothing whatever and is merely passive, let him be anathema. 

In debates with Protestants concerning grace, they frequently charge Catholics as being pelagian or semipelagian because we don't embrace grace alone.  But the Catholic Church has condemned all three.  I didn't realize that some Catholics have fallen into the trap of accepting this Protestant formulation.  To me, it indicates that those Catholics who are fooled into this trap simply don't understand that which the Church has condemned nor that which the Church teaches. 

The Catholic Church condemns all three as false doctrines. The Catholic Doctrine of synergism is not equivalent to pelagianism or semipelagianism.

Here is the meaning of semi Pelagianism from the Catholic Encyclopedia.  Note that it distinguishes between Pelagianism, semipelagianism and the true Catholic Doctrine:

1. In distinguishing between the beginning of faith (initium fidei) and the increase of faith (augmentum fidei), one may refer the former to the power of the free will, while the faith itself and its increase is absolutely dependent upon God;

So, semipelagianists taught that conversion was initiated by the free will of the man. Whereas, the Catholic Church teaches that the prevenient grace also known as the call of God to conversion is completely God’s initiative.

2. the gratuity of grace is to be maintained against Pelagius in so far as every strictly natural merit is excluded; this, however, does not prevent nature and its works from having a certain claim to grace;

Unlike strict Pelagianism, semipelagianists claim that grace is free. Still, they claim that doing good works forces God to provide grace.  The Catholic Church teaches similarly and this is probably the biggest source of confusion.

The best way to explain it to you is to show the example of the Old Testament Jews.  Notice that in Scripture, the faithful Jews did not enter heaven until Jesus Christ died upon the Cross.  

Hebrews 11:39-40
39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

So, it didn't matter how much they did.  Even though God approved of them, He did not admit them to His presence until Christ died upon the Cross.  And it is the same for us.  Unless Christ died upon the Cross, we would not be accepted into heaven.  No matter how much we do.  Do you see how our works do not leverage our salvation?  If Christ had not died for us, we could not be saved.  
That doesn't mean our works are not important.  No one can be saved who does not obey the Son of God:

Hebrews 5:9

9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

3. as regards final perseverance in particular, it must not be regarded as a special gift of grace, since the justified man may of his own strength persevere to the end;

As in #1, they claimed that a man may persevere of his own will and strength. This they held in common with Pelagianists. And it is against Catholic Teaching since we believe that without God’s grace a man can not persevere to the end.

4. the granting or withholding of baptismal grace in the case of children depends on the Divine prescience of their future conditioned merits or misdeeds.

I don’t understand that one. But I don’t need it in order to distinguish between it and Catholic Doctrine on grace.

Rejecting grace alone does not make the Catholic Church pelagianist or semipelagianist.  Don't buy into that Protestant lie.  Grace alone contradicts Catholic Teaching on free will and cooperation with God's grace.  Grace alone is a Protestant heresy.

Response to Jessie - Did the Catholic Church give us the Bible?

De Maria has left a new comment on the post "DID THE CATHOLIC CHURCH GIVE US THE BIBLE?":

Jessie-don't respond unless you have something reasonable to come up with.

My response will be more reasonable than yours.

Anonymous
December 31, 2014 at 11:57 AM
Hello De Maria,

As you can see, I DEMAND EVIDENCE; not your cheap tricks.

Evidence has been provided.

The Catholic Church came about HUNDREDS of years after the New Testament was completed (established by Constantine). 

The Catholic Church was established by Jesus Christ.

Stop arguing in a circle and take a challenge like a man!

ok.

Vatican admits connection with CAESAR:

"...superior papal authority and dominion is derived from the law of the Caesars." Lucius Ferraris,...

Papal authority is derived from Jesus Christ. It is He who said to Simon:

Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

"...the appellation of God had been confirmed by Constantine on the Pope, who being God, cannot be judged by man." Pope Nicholas I, quoted in History of the Councils, vol. IX, Dist.: 96, Can 7, "Satis Evidentur Decret Gratian Primer Para", by Labbe and Cossart.

Well, yeah, that's true. Its just that you don't like it because you don't believe the Word of God:

2 Corinthians 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

The Catholic Church and that includes the Pope and her Bishops, is the presence of God on earth.

The Catholic Church takes seriously the Word of God and believes it.

"Long ages ago, when Rome through the neglect of the Western emperors was left to the mercy of the barbarous hordes, the Romans turned to one figure for aid and protection, and asked him to rule them; and thus, . . . commenced the temporal sovereignty of the popes. And meekly stepping to the throne of Caesar, the vicar of Christ took up the scepter to which the emperors and kings of Europe were to bow in reverence through so many ages."--American Catholic Quarterly Review, April, 1911. ....

Pope Pius IX, in his "Discorsi" (I., p. 253), said: "The Caesar who now addresses you, and to whom alone are obedience and fidelity due."

All those are also true. Long ago, in a more spiritual age, the people turned to the Catholic Church for protection against earthly despots.

[Speaking of the time, about 500 A.D., when the Roman Empire was crumbling to pieces:] "No, the [Catholic] Church will not descend into the tomb. It will survive the Empire . . . At length a second empire will arise, and of this empire the Pope will be the master--more then this, he will be the master of Europe. He will dictate his orders to kings who will obey them"--Andrea Lagarde, The Latin Church in the Middle Ages, 1915 p. vi.

He is right that the Catholic Church is infallible. Jesus Christ declared it so (Matt 16:18-19).


cont'd

"The Bible was not intended to be a textbook of Christian religion." -Catholic Facts, p. 50

I disagree with that. In my opinion, it is the first Catholic Catechism.

Your religion hates the Bible and is not the one found in the New Testament

On the contrary, the Catholic Church wrote the New Testament and put the Bible together. And the Catholic Church is the Church which is described in Scripture:

First, Jesus Christ appointed a Pastor as head of the entire Church: 
John 21:17 

Second, Jesus Christ said that the Pastor over His Church would be infallible: 
Matthew 16:17-19 

Third, Scripture describes the Church as infallible: 
Ephesians 3:10 

4th, Scripture says that Jesus Christ established one Church. 
Matt 16:18

Those four alone disqualify any Protestant Church. Add these other distinctives:

The Church which is united (Eph 4:5).
The doctrines of the Catholic Church which are distinctive from other churches:
Purgatory (1 Cor  3:15)
Eucharist (1 Cor 11:23-27).
Communion of Saints (Rom 12:12-20).
The Mass and the necessity to attend (Heb 10:25-31).
The Sacrament of Confession (Heb 13:17)
The Sacrament of Holy Orders (1 Tim 4:14)
The Sacrament of Baptism (Titus 3:5).
Justification and salvation by faith and works (Rom 2:1-13).

And it is undeniably the Catholic Church which is described in Scripture. 

Teams of Our Lady - Married Spirituality

What is Teams of Our Lady?

 

We are a movement of "Married Spirituality" which brings together Christian couples united by the Sacrament of Marriage; and who wish, together, to deepen the graces of their Sacrament of Marriage. 

A Way to Grow...

Teams of Our Lady was founded by Father Henri Caffarel in France in 1947 and has spread to over 10,000 Teams world-wide. Teams came to the United States in 1958 where there are currently over 700 Teams. Teams Of Our Lady is a lay movement officially recognized by the Holy See under the Pontifical Council for the Laity.  A team is a group of five to seven couples and a spiritual advisor who meet once a month to share, pray and discuss challenges of living a Christian marriage and life. Couples use a time-tested format to meet their needs and desires of growing closer in love and faith through Teams of Our Lady and in the process they discover support for one another and for their marriage. 

 

To learn more about Teams of Our Lady contact us at: info@teamsofourlady.org

Joy Pinto - Journey Home

January 11, 2015 - The Baptism of the Lord

Lectionary: 21

The Baptism of the Lord is the day that Jesus Christ came before St. John the Baptist and was baptized of water.  St. John, on his part, did not want to baptize Jesus, but wanted to be baptized by Him.  But our Lord insisted, saying, "allow it now, to fulfill all justice".  Meaning, that although He had committed no sins for which to repent, as a human being walking in the flesh, He must submit to every precept of man in order to fulfill His Father's just requirements.

Reading 1 IS 42:1-4, 6-7

Thus says the LORD:

The Lord has revealed to Isaiah

Here is my servant whom I uphold,

The coming of the Saviour

my chosen one with whom I am pleased,

The One whom He loves:

Matthew 3:17 And a voice came from the heavens, saying, “This is my beloved Son,[a] with whom I am well pleased.”

upon whom I have put my spirit;

Who by the Holy Spirit was born of the Virgin Mary

he shall bring forth justice

He will establish the Sacraments within which the Justice of all mighty God will be poured into the hearts of the faithful.  

to the nations,

 In His time, salvation will be opened to the Gentile nations.

not crying out, not shouting,
not making his voice heard in the street.
a bruised reed he shall not break,
and a smoldering wick he shall not quench,

He will come upon the scene as a Suffering Servant.  

until he establishes justice on the earth;
the coastlands will wait for his teaching.

And when He is raised up, He will draw all men to Himself.  The justice of all mighty God will be poured out of Him like blood and it is by His blood that men will be justified in the eyes of God the Father. 

I, the LORD, have called you for the victory of justice,
I have grasped you by the hand;
I formed you, and set you
as a covenant of the people,
a light for the nations,
to open the eyes of the blind,
to bring out prisoners from confinement,
and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.

God has done this because He loves mankind:

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave[a] his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. 

Or IS 55:1-11

This is one of those days where the Local Priest may choose from a selection of readings.

Thus says the LORD:

The Lord revealed to Isaiah, the coming of the Saviour

All you who are thirsty,
come to the water!

He will provide living water (John 7:38)

You who have no money,
come, receive grain and eat;
come, without paying and without cost,
drink wine and milk!
Why spend your money for what is not bread,
your wages for what fails to satisfy?
Heed me, and you shall eat well,
you shall delight in rich fare.

He will feed the multitudes (John 6:27)

Come to me heedfully,
listen, that you may have life.
I will renew with you the everlasting covenant,
the benefits assured to David.

He will fulfill the promises of the Old Testament (Heb 9:15) and establish a new one in His Blood (2 Cor 5:15).

As I made him a witness to the peoples,
a leader and commander of nations,
so shall you summon a nation you knew not,
and nations that knew you not shall run to you,
because of the LORD, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, who has glorified you.

And the Gentiles will be drawn to Him (Acts 13:46).

Seek the LORD while he may be found,
call him while he is near.
Let the scoundrel forsake his way,
and the wicked man his thoughts;
let him turn to the LORD for mercy;
to our God, who is generous in forgiving.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD.
As high as the heavens are above the earth
so high are my ways above your ways
and my thoughts above your thoughts.

Therefore, God calls His people to repentance that they may live.

For just as from the heavens
the rain and snow come down
and do not return there
till they have watered the earth,
making it fertile and fruitful,
giving seed to the one who sows
and bread to the one who eats,
so shall my word be
that goes forth from my mouth;
my word shall not return to me void,
but shall do my will,
achieving the end for which I sent it.

Therefore, the Word of God, Jesus Christ, came forth from the Father and was made man, in order that He might die and bring salvation to the nations.

Responsorial Psalm PS 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10.

R. (11b) The Lord will bless his people with peace.

Peace is a gift of the Holy Spirit and it is granted to all who turn to God in faith.

Give to the LORD, you sons of God,
give to the LORD glory and praise,
Give to the LORD the glory due his name;
adore the LORD in holy attire.

It is our first duty to worship God.

R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.

The voice of the LORD is over the waters,
the LORD, over vast waters.
The voice of the LORD is mighty;
the voice of the LORD is majestic.

God is sovereign over all the earth.

R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.

The God of glory thunders,
and in his temple all say, “Glory!”
The LORD is enthroned above the flood;
the LORD is enthroned as king forever.

God is the King of kings and Lord of lords.  God is the King of heaven and earth.

R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.

Or IS 12:2-3, 4BCD, 5-6.

R. (3) You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.

Jesus Christ is the fountain from which we will draw living water (John 4:10).

God indeed is my savior;
I am confident and unafraid.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
With joy you will draw water
at the fountain of salvation.

Jesus Christ is God the Son who was sent by the Father to bring salvation.

R. You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.

Give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name;
among the nations make known his deeds,
proclaim how exalted is his name.

Eucharist means to give thanks.  And, we give thanks to God by not forsaking His Mass, wherein He gives us to drink of His saving grace by the power of the Holy Spirit in the Eucharist (Heb 10:25-31).

R. You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.

Sing praise to the LORD for his glorious achievement;
let this be known throughout all the earth.
Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,
for great in your midst
is the Holy One of Israel!

Bring about then, the reign of Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist, where He is enthroned amongst His people.  

R. You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.

Reading 2 ACTS 10:34-38

Read the story of the Baptism of St. Cornelius, the Just Centurion, in Acts 10.  What a humble and faith filled servant of God.  Protestants frequently use these verses to try to deny the efficacy of Baptism.  But they read the denial into the verse.  What God emphasizes here, is the freedom of the Holy Spirit to blow where it will.  As the Catholic Church teaches, "God has bound salvation to the sacrament of Baptism, but he himself is not bound by his sacraments (CCC#1257)."

Peter proceeded to speak to those gathered
in the house of Cornelius, saying:
“In truth, I see that God shows no partiality.

St. Peter noted that God isn't prejudiced.

Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly
is acceptable to him.

All who do His will are righteous in His eyes.

You know the word that he sent to the Israelites
as he proclaimed peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all,
what has happened all over Judea,
beginning in Galilee after the baptism
that John preached,
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Spirit and power.
He went about doing good
and healing all those oppressed by the devil,
for God was with him.”

Then he proceeded to tell St. Cornelius and his whole cohort of Roman soldiers about the salvation brought about to the nations by Jesus Christ.

Or 1 JN 5:1-9

Beloved:
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is begotten by God,

The Baptized are born again, children of God because they believe in the Faith of Jesus Christ (Acts 22:16).

and everyone who loves the Father
loves also the one begotten by him.

Everyone who loves the Father, loves His Son, Jesus Christ and loves also his brethren who are born of the Holy Spirit.

In this way we know that we love the children of God
when we love God and obey his commandments.

All who love God, love their brethren and keep the Commandments.

For the love of God is this,
that we keep his commandments.

Because when we keep the Commandments, we proclaim our love for God.

And his commandments are not burdensome,
for whoever is begotten by God conquers the world.

And His Commandments are not difficult.

And the victory that conquers the world is our faith.

By faith in God, we can do anything.

Who indeed is the victor over the world
but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

By our faith in God, we have victory over sin.

This is the one who came through water and blood, Jesus Christ,
not by water alone, but by water and blood.

Jesus Christ is the 2nd Person of the Holy Spirit who took on flesh and become man.

The Spirit is the one who testifies,
and the Spirit is truth.

No one calls Jesus Christ Lord but by the power of the Holy Spirit.

So there are three that testify,
the Spirit, the water, and the blood,
and the three are of one accord.

This is a metaphor of the Holy Trinity.

If we accept human testimony,
the testimony of God is surely greater.
Now the testimony of God is this,
that he has testified on behalf of his Son.

St. John, St. James and St. Peter all heard the voice upon the mountain, which said,

2 Peter 1:17  For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

 

Alleluia CF. MK 9:7

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

The heavens were opened and the voice of the Father thundered:
This is my beloved Son, listen to him.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Or: CF. JN 1:29

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

John saw Jesus approaching him, and said:
Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MK 1:7-11

This is what John the Baptist proclaimed:
“One mightier than I is coming after me.
I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals.
I have baptized you with water;
he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

In the days when St. John the Baptist, the Precursor, was baptizing all of Israel.

It happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee
and was baptized in the Jordan by John.

Jesus, the Son of God, came to be baptized by St. John.

On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open
and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him.

And when Jesus had been baptized, St. John saw the heavens open and the Holy Spirit of God come down and rest upon Our Lord.

And a voice came from the heavens,
“You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

And all present heard the voice of God proclaiming His love for His Son.

Response to Ken concerning the "The Protestant Fallacy That Threatens to Undermine Christianity"

Over at Shameless Popery, Ken commented in the

The Protestant Fallacy That Threatens to Undermine Christianity

Ken wrote:  January 10, 2015 at 10:26 AMI don't agree with the acid illustration 

I disagree with that illustration also Ken.

 it is not that way for true believers (true sheep, elect, regenerated people). There are many Evangelical Protestants (Baptists, Presbyterians, conservative Anglicans, conservative Lutherans, others) who have true faith in Christ and trust in God and the Scriptures as infallible (hold on the 2 aspects of faith that you discussed), 

Agree.  I realize that Protestants believe in God and desire to obey God.  Just as do Catholics.

and also submit to their local church and elders/overseers/pastors,

I disagree with you there.  I don't believe that any Protestant submits to the local church and overseer in accordance to the Teaching of Scripture.  This is what Scripture says regarding obedience to your Rulers in the Church:

Hebrews 13:17King James Version (KJV)

17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

To which overseer do you submit and obey with the firm knowledge that they watch over your soul and give an account to God?  You don't believe in confessing to human beings.  Therefore, you don't give an account to any man so that he may then give an account to God.  Because you don't believe, as Scripture teaches, that the Church represents God.

2 Corinthians 5:20King James Version (KJV)

20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

but don't have to believe that they are infallible, 

We don't believe our local rulers are infallible either.  But the Magisterial Church teaching in union with the Pope and the Bishops in matters of Church and morals.  Or the Pope, teaching the entire Church from the See of Peter.

Those are the conditions for infallibility.

but trust their ministry through their godly character  

That's another point at which we disagree.   It forces everyone of you to judge the merit of your minister.  But Scripture says:

1 Corinthians 4:2-4King James Version (KJV)

2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.  3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.  4 For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.

And again:

Romans 14:4
Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.

You can't read anyone's heart, therefore you can't judge their holiness.  You can't even judge your own.  That is why you need an entity outside of you to pray for you in Christ's stead.

and exegesis.

Protestant exegesis is flawed.  You don't understand Scripture because you have cast aside the Traditions of Jesus Christ which are the basis of the New Testament.  Jesus Christ taught and commanded the Church to teach what He taught.  It is based upon His Teachings that the New Testament is written.  But, Protestants, for the most part, have cast those Traditions aside and interpreted the Scriptures according to their own whims.  That is why you have so many denominations today.

Lots of regular church members rely on the pastors-teachers-elders to interpret the Bible and sit under their teaching. (Ephesians 4:11-12; Acts 14:23; Titus 1:5-7; 1 Peter 5:1-4; Acts 20:17, 28) 

Lots of members is not the point.  What does your tradition teach?  Does it teach what Scripture truly says or are you following traditions of men?

My opinion is that you follow traditions of men.  For instance.  When we say that the Church speaks for God, Protestants reply, "Blasphemy!"  No man can speak for God.  When we say that you must confess your sins to a priest, Protestants object, "Blasphemy! We won't submit to any man!"

But Scripture is clear!

2 Corinthians 5:20King James Version (KJV)

20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

We can use our minds to discern; the spiritual (2 Cor. 2:14) and mature (Hebrews 5:14) person can discern. "Let each person be convinced in his own mind" (Romans 14:5) 

Again, you are judging yourself.  But we also judge by your fruits.  Look at the thousands of dissenting denominations which are the result of your theology.

We have the advantage now of looking back on church history and can easily see that the Roman Catholic is not infallible and the Pope is not either. 

Yeah, look back at Church history and notice that the one, holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church has stood for 2000 years.  Longer than any man made institution.  And it has weathered every storm producing saints in every generation and continues strong.

But if you continue to look at history from Satan's point of view, you will revile the institution which Jesus Christ established because Satan has put that in your mind.  He wants you to reject Christ and the Church which He established and in doing so promised that it would stand for all time.

Matthew 16:18King James Version (KJV)

18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

You go ahead and deny the promise of Christ. But we stand with Him and believe Him.

In fact there was no such thing as a Pope, either in Scripture, and arguably, it was not in church history in the RC sense until after 1054 in the split with the orthodox. 

Again, because you don't understand Scripture nor the power of God, you don't understand that Jesus Christ established the Papal office and sat upon it, Simon Bar Jonah to be the Shepherd of His flock:

John 21:17King James Version (KJV)

17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

The whole Papal claim is completely anachronistic. Even Cyprian and 86 other bishops from all over the Mediterranean Christian world agreed that Stephen, bishop of Rome, around 255-258 AD was wrong to claim he was "the bishop of bishops". 

St. Cyprian was not a Pope nor was he talking about the Pope.  If read in context with his other writings concerning Papal authority, St. Cyprian meant that no other Bishop could confer on himself authority over Bishops, because that was already conferred upon the Pope by Christ.  Example:

"[After quoting Matthew 16:18f; John 21:15ff]...On him [Peter] He builds the Church, and to him He gives the command to feed the sheep; and although He assigned a like power to all the Apostles, yet he founded a single Chair, and He established by His own authority a source and an intrinsic reason for that unity. Indeed, the others were that also which Peter was; but a primacy is given to Peter, whereby it is made clear that there is but one Church and one Chair. So too, all are shepherds, and the flock is shown to be one, fed by all the Apostles in single-minded accord. If someone does not hold fast to this unity of Peter, can he imagine that he still holds the faith? If he desert the chair of Peter upon whom the Church was built, can he still be confident that he is in the Church?" (Cyprian, The Unity of the Catholic Church [first edition] 4, c. AD 251)

It seems that Leo 1 (440-461 AD), and Gregory 1 (600 AD) are the earliest bishops of Rome that really come close to claiming and exercising universal jurisdiction, but the east was still regarding the bishop of Rome as "first among equals" in honor, not in jurisdictional authority to dictate to other churches. the Eastern Orthodox to this day still object to the claims of Rome. 

That's not true.  St. Clement, the third Pope in Church history, very clearly wrote with understanding of the authority which He wielded.


Clement of Rome

Accept our counsel and you will have nothing to regret. . . . If anyone disobeys the things which have been said by him [Jesus] through us, let them know that they will involve themselves in no small danger. We, however, shall be innocent of this sin and will pray with entreaty and supplication that the Creator of all may keep unharmed the number of his elect (Letter to the Corinthians 58:2, 59:1[A.D. 95]).

The acid illustration may work for apostates and tares in the churches that eventually leave and leave the faith and prove they were never believers in the first place (Matthew 7:23; 1 John 2:19; Hebrews 6:4-6; 10:26-30), but it does not apply for true believers. 

Whether you are a true believer or not, is God's to judge.  Not you.

That (going into unbelief or liberalism (denying inerrancy and miracles), etc.) is exalting one's own mind and reason and private judgement above God and the Scriptures, 

I'm not sure what you're saying there.  Are you agreeing that following your private judgement of Scripture is the exalting of your own mind?

I agree.

but to be able to think and discern and judge that the Roman Catholic Church is wrong about many things

The Catholic Church speaks for Christ in this world.  And if you have in Christ, you would have faith in the Church He established and commanded to Teach and make disciples of the world in His name:

Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

 - over-exalting of Mary and the practices and dogmas surrounding her,

There is no way that anything we do can exalt Mary more than God has already done.  All that we, Catholics, can do is obey and honor that which God has done in Mary. <a href="http://washedsanctifiedandjustified.blogspot.com/2011/08/in-praise-of-mary.html">Praise Mary</a>

 statues, 

They are representations of those whom God loves.  Much like pictures of your loved ones in your wallet.

prayers to dead saints,

The New Testament is a <a href="https://catholicbibletalk.wordpress.com/2014/12/27/prayer-to-the-saints-in-the-new-covenant/">New Dispensation</a>.  We walk amongst the Saints and Christ has shown us that we can communicate with them.

 use of relics in worship,

Relics have been used from apostolic times.

Acts 19:12
So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.

 indulgences, 

Christ established the Doctrine of indulgences:
Matthew 6:20
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

Purgatory, 

Purgatory is the spiritual prison spoken of in Scripture:
1 Peter 3:19
By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

Transubstantiation, 

It is recorded in Scripture that Jesus Christ would give us the bread which is His flesh.

John 6:51
I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

treasury of merit,

Jesus Christ taught about that as well:
Matthew 19:21
Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

 the Pope,

Matt 16:18-19

 NT office of priests,

1 Timothy 4:14
Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.

ex opere operato powers, 

Ephesians 5:26
That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

etc. It is not rebellion nor trusting in our minds over God's, 

Yes.  It is.  It is the same mistake which the Israelites made when they decided to rebel against the Son of David and establish their own kingdoms.

because those things are clearly not Biblical 

Those things are biblical.  But your hermeneutic is to put your mind above God's wisdom.  Therefore, you discarded the plum line which Jesus Christ established that you would always be able to understand the Scripture correctly.

nor are they even in the earliest centuries of Christian history. 

Yeah, they are there.  But you don't recognize them because you are in rebellion with Christ.

(The earliest mistakes were calling presbyters priests, as was the mono-episcopate, baptismal regeneration and infant baptism, and penance over repentance.)

Again, you consider them mistakes because you have set aside God's word and imposed your own.

The method of your argumentation seems to be saying that it is arrogant that we can use our minds to judge and discern and think. I disagree. 

No.  It is arrogant to continue to use one's mind when it has been shown to be in disagreement with the mind of Christ.

We can have humble confidence in God and the Scriptures, (holding on to both aspects of faith that you mentioned, without the acid eating through), and have local church authority also and submit to elders-teachers-pastors. It is not arrogance to have confidence that we can think and discern and do exegesis and submit to local church Evangelical Protestant authorities.

It is arrogance that puts you at variance with Christ.  Christ sent the Church to Teach and you reject the Church, therefore, you reject Christ.

Luke 10:16
He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.