I was raised Catholic

"I was raised Catholic."

This was the answer I found myself giving one day when someone asked me how I knew the stories from the Bible so well.

Yes, I had studied the scriptures, and I could have said that I knew them simply from reading the Bible… but the truth is that I was raised Catholic and had attended Catholic school all through high school.  So every day I had religion class.  And I learned about Abraham, Noah, and Jonah and their stories.

I was raised Catholic.  Along with the stories from the Bible I also learned about the Catholic tradition, the teaching, and the doctrine. 

As the single largest denomination in Christianity I not only run in to more Catholics than any other when I am talking about God, I am also asked if I am Catholic more than I am any other. 

When people asked me now if I am Catholic I say, “I was raised Catholic but I am not a practicing Catholic.”

You see… there are certain doctrines that I do not hold to and so I cannot, in good conscience, say that I am Catholic.  Just as there are certain doctrines or traditions in other denominations of Christianity that draw me to the conclusion that I am not those either. 

We cannot continue to define ourselves by what makes us different from our brothers in Christ…

We cannot continue to try to prove anyone right or wrong.

We must be one.  We must join hands and lock arms around the camp.  “Is Christ divided?” (1 Cor 1:13)

I am not a practicing Lutheran, or Presbyterian, or Pentecostal, or Anglican, or Methodist, or …

Truth is I don’t want to be a practicing anything.

I want to be a LIVING EXAMPLE of the love, and grace, and truth of the gospel.

I want people to see Jesus in me… not a set of rules or obligations.

No matter who’s they are.

I am not religious.  But if I appear to be because of my consistency or my spiritual disciplines… then praise be to God!  Because He is consistent.

No matter what denomination a person belongs to, no matter where they choose to worship, or where they are comfortable… if they do what they do out of gratitude for what Jesus has done… if they know that it is not what they do… but what He has done… that gets them into heaven… but they can’t help but do what they do BECAUSE they realize this…

AMEN! AMEN! AND AMEN!

Wherever you are… be there for Jesus.  Be a LIVING EXAMPLE.

We are to be ONE.  Our differences are not as important as the ONE we have in common.

If you call on the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, if you know Him as Savior… you are my brother in Christ.

When you meet others who do the same… please see them as brothers as well.  We are going to have an eternity together… may as well get use to each other now.

SDG