I was born and raised in a Catholic family.  At the age of three weeks I received the first of the seven sacraments required by the Catholic doctrine; this was Baptism.  The Catholics believe that Baptism cleanses the spirit from original sin, removes other sin and its punishment, provides spiritual rebirth or regeneration, begins the process of justification, and is necessary for salvation.

 

At the age of seven years I received the second sacrament required by the Catholic doctrine; this was Penance (Reconciliation), which removes the penalty of sins committed after baptism.

After receiving the sacrament of Penance, I was entitled to receive the third sacrament of the Catholic doctrine; which was The Holy Eucharist (Communion).  This is where Christ is resacrificed and the benefits of Calvary are continually applied anew to the believer.  The Catholic doctrine requires an individual to receive the sacrament of Penance (Confession) prior to receiving the sacrament of The Holy Eucharist (Communion).

At the age of thirteen, I received the fourth sacrament of the Catholic doctrine; which was Confirmation.  This is to bestow the Holy Spirit on the Catholic, leading to an increasing of sanctifying grace and the gifts of the Holy Spirit as well as other spiritual power and a sealing to the Catholic Church.

Several years after receiving the sacrament of confirmation, I allowed my fleshly desires and wants to take over my life and drifted away from the Church. However, on occasion I had thought at times that I should start attending church again, but did not.  After this, I had several episodes of “bad things” starting to happen in my life.  I kept asking God “Why Me”?  “What have I done?”  Several people kept asking me if I had thought of going back to church.  I just kept telling these people no.  I did not tell anyone that I was actually “Angry” at God for allowing these “Bad” things to happen in my life. 

In 1987 I got married for the second time to my current wife, Betty.  She had two children from a previous marriage and I had a son from my previous marriage.  At times we talked about attending church; again I did not even attempt to try.  Knowing that we were both divorced and the Catholic Church would not recognize our marriage I honestly did not know what to do.  So to be honest, I avoided the subject.  All I could focus on was all the bad things that were happening in our lives and turning to God was the last thing on my mind. 

In August, 2006 Betty decided that she was going to start attending church.  She asked me if I wanted to go with her and again, I said “NO.”   I told her that I did not have time. I felt that God had forsaken me by allowing all the so called “bad things” to happen in our lives.

As the weeks went by, and Betty kept attending services at Bible Baptist Temple, I saw a big change in the way she handled matters and acted.  I began to question my decision about attending church.  I also questioned my thought about “God forsaking me.”  However, I still refused to attend church.

In February, 2007 Betty asked me if I would attend the “Annual Sweetheart Dinner” at the Cottage Corner Restaurant, sponsored by “Bible Baptist Temple.”  I decided to attend this event with her.  When we arrived there, Betty introduced me to several people, who made me feel like they knew me all my life.  Also, other people just came up to me and started talking to me as if they always knew me.  I had one of the best times of my life that evening.  After that evening, I decided to attend the Sunday service, on February 11, 2007; to see what it was like.  I was very nervous and hesitant, due to being raised in the Catholic Religion. After listening to this service, I decided to attend the next Sunday.

After attending services the next few weeks, reading the Bible and comparing the Doctrine of the Independent Bible Baptists to the Catholic Religion, I finally understood that I had been relying on my own righteousness and religious efforts and not upon the completed and sufficient sacrifice of Jesus Christ.  It also helped me realize the importance of the Bible in determining what we believe.  The Catholic religion had never taught me that our own righteousness is fleshly and not acceptable to God, or that we need to trust in his righteousness alone.   I was relying on the sacraments I received to give me grace and to save me.

 

So, on March 4, 2007 I decided to accept “God’s Gift” of Eternal Life and Accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior.  There was no doubt in my mind that I had been mislead by the Catholic Religion pertaining to salvation.  The Catholic tradition maintains that salvation can only be obtained through the practice of the sacraments.  Because of this, Catholics do not believe that anyone can be assured of their salvation.  In the Catholic doctrine, the sacraments instill the Catholic with grace. 

 

The sacraments prescribed by the Roman Catholic Church did not help me to come to know Christ or find salvation.  I now realize that the required sacraments of the Catholic Church were nothing but false security.  Instead of following the Christianity taught in the Bible, as Catholics we were lead to focus on the worship of statues and their local patron saints.  In time I realized that not only are these beliefs not in the Bible, they are actually contrary to the clear teaching of Scripture.  The Catholic doctrine is not simply Scripture, but Scripture and tradition.

 

The Catholic Church teaches that souls burdened with venial sins or temporal punishment enters purgatory at the time of death.   According to the Bible, the “Word of God”; that there is no purgatory but rather that when we die to either go to heaven or hell.

 

Among The Roman Catholic’s have few opponents or critics; it is a very different matter.  Ignorance and superstition and idolatry are everywhere, and little effort, if any, is made to change the situation.  In general, whenever the Vatican Council changes, then rules and regulations are changed.   

The Catholic Church adds works, and makes you do specific things such as keeping its laws, rule and regulations in order to be saved, whereas the Bible says in Ephesians 2:8-9 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, least any man should boast.”