 
Obedient Children of a Loving Father

A Bible Study

Betty Gravlin

Table of Contents

Copyright Page

Foreword

Chapter 1 - Benefits of Obedience

Chapter 2 - Objections to Obedience

Objection 1: Refusal to Believe the Gospel

Objection 2: Refusal to Believe the Gospel Matters

Objection 3: Culture Does Not Support the Christian Life

Objection 4: Belief That Sin Is More Fun or an Easier Way to Live

Objection 5: Don't See the Value of Obedience

Objection: 6 Don't Understand Catholic Church's Authority

Objection 7: Don't Trust Catholic Church's Authority

Objection 8: Don't Believe God's Mercy - Fear

Chapter 3 - How To Become A Child Of God

Step 1 - Pray for Guidance

Step 2 -Humble Surrender

Step 3 -Change of Heart and Behavior

Step 4 -Overcome Doubts

Step 5 -Overcome Fear of Rejection from Culture

Step 6 -Overcome Fear of God

Step 7 -Find Catholic Church in Bible, Compare to Other Faiths

Step 8 -Submit to Catholic Church's Authority

Step 9 -Grow in Knowledge of Church by Reading the Catechism

Step 10 -Serve the Church and Neighbor

In Summary

##  Copyright Page

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass ̶̶ What Difference Does it Make?

Copyright © 2012, Betty J. Gravlin, St. Louis, MO,  
Smashwords Edition, All rights reserved.

ISBN: 9781301800308

Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

## Foreword

CCC 1828 The practice of the moral life animated by charity gives to the Christian the spiritual freedom of the children of God. He no longer stands before God as a slave, in servile fear, or as a mercenary looking for wages, but as a son responding to the love of him who "first loved us":1 Jn 4:19

"If we turn away from evil out of fear of punishment, we are in the position of slaves. If we pursue the enticement of wages, . . . we resemble mercenaries. Finally if we obey for the sake of the good itself and out of love for him who commands . . . we are in the position of children." St. Basil, Reg. fus. tract., prol. 3:PG 31,896B.

Romans 1:5 "Through him [Jesus Christ our Lord] we have received the grace of apostleship, to bring about the obedience of faith, for the sake of his name, among all the Gentiles,..."

St. Paul has three things in mind in his definition of faith: intellectual agreement with what the Church teaches, hope in Christ's promises, and "the obedience of faith." It is this later element that is the focus of this writing. I

I outlined this book while sitting at a St. Louis Cardinal game that they were losing 13-0 to the Houston Astros, May 5, 2007. St. Louis Cardinals won the World Series in 2006, so fan's expectations were high for them as the season started, but on this day, they went into last place in the National Division Central and finished the year with a losing, below .500 season.

My dear St. Louis Cardinal's situation seems an appropriate metaphor for the American Catholic Church after Vatican II. The Catholic Church seemed a winner when I was growing up, but now seems stripped of its glory. For example, the second largest religious group in the US is non-practicing Catholics. I pray that situation will be turned around soon.

How could this have happened? I have thought about this and what can be done to reverse this state. I have a great zeal for evangelization, so I think often about what I can do to spread the Gospel. I thought that if the message was sent out loud and strong, the converts would come knocking the doors of the Church down. I have knocked on doors for over ten years now to invite everyone who lives in my parish to come to Mass. So far, the results have been a lot of seeds sown, but little to show for the effort. Catholic TV and radio stations haven't brought a flood of converts either.

Why is the seed falling on rocky ground, as the parable in Matthew's Gospel says? Why are Catholic's so poor at evangelization? Why are young people not continuing in the faith they grew up with? Did they ever really understand the faith?

It seems to me that there is a rebellion against God and his Church that is at the heart of the problem of evangelizing Catholics. The pre-Vatican II attitude of obedience, while some thought it to be crippling, had kept the laity in line out of fear of hell. Vatican II promoted a more positive theology that taught the laity about morality as being obedient children of a loving father, instead of a fear and guilt approach. It seems the laity were expected to immerge overnight from being told what to do by a parent figure to being treated as adults. That didn't happen. It seems the American Catholic Church has been stuck in rebellious adolescence since 1968 when Humanae Vitae was published. But is that encyclical the watershed event? I don't think so. I believe it is a storm that has been brewing since 1517 when Martin Luther posted his 95 theses on the doors of the Castle Church in Wittenberg. This was the beginning of the Protestant Reformation, or Protestant Revolt as others call it.

I cannot speak for other faiths, but it seems that rebellion is also a problem with other denominations. I see multiple non-denominational mega-churches growing, while mainline denominations are splitting into liberal and conservative factions. What started as Luther splitting off from the Catholic Church has now resulted in 25,000 Protestant denominations in the US. What will solve the problems of this constant division? Will there ever again be unity within the body of Christ?

With the Protestant Reformation came a questioning of everything considered true up till that time. Philosophers proposed one idea after another that seemed to make man the arbitrator of what was considered truth. There was a progressive evolution of theistic philosophers to atheistic post-modern philosophers that have won the hearts and minds of the culture. An underlying assumption became that if one's senses cannot perceive something, then it is not real.

The so-called Sexual Revolution was ushered in on the back of the artificial contraception pill introduced in the 1960's and legalization of abortion in 1973. Freedom from responsibility came when the unintended consequences could be eliminated, exactly what was predicted in Humanae Vitae. The answer to the Sexual Revolution was Pope John Paul II's Theology of the Body, from his General Audiences, from September 1979, intermittently over a period of three years, and again in 1988. Unfortunately, this information did not filter down to the laity until the publication of Christopher West's The Good News about Sex and Marriage in 2000 and Theology of the Body for Beginners: A Basic Introduction to Pope John Paul II's Sexual Revolution in 2004.

How can the American Catholic Church turn the tide? This Bible Study is my attempt to answer this question.

#  Chapter 1 - Benefits of Obedience

Maybe, just maybe, there might be something good about obeying God, but you don't what it is. Do the words Joy and Obedience seem like opposites?

There is more than one way to look at obeying God. One way is to think of it as something to do so you can check off an item in your "To Do" list. Another way is to do it resentfully out of obligation or fear of the consequences.

There is a more positive way to look at obeying God. Here are some of them:

#### You will know joy.

What does the Bible say about joy?

John 15:10-12 "If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and remain in his love. "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I love you."

Matt. 11:28-30 "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for your selves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."

Ps. 45:7-8 "You love justice and hate wrongdoing; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellow kings. With myrrh, aloes, and cassia your robes are fragrant. From ivory-paneled palaces stringed instruments bring you joy."

Deuteronomy 6:1-6 "These then are the commandments, the statutes and decrees which the LORD, your God, has ordered that you be taught to observe in the land into which you are crossing for conquest, so that you and your son and your grandson may fear the Lord, your God, and keep, throughout the days of your lives, all his statutes and commandments which I enjoin on you, and thus have long life. Hear then, Israel, and be careful to observe them, that you may grow and prosper the more, in keeping with the promise of the LORD, the God of your fathers, to give you a land flowing with milk and honey. "Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone! Therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength. Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today."

Questions for Discussion:

Has obeying God caused joy in your life?

Did obeying God cause some difficulties for you?

Was the joy greater than the price it cost you?

#### You will know love.

What does the Bible say about love?

Romans 8:35. 37- 39 "What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword? No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Rom. 5:8 "But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us."

Ex 19:3-6 "The LORD called to him [Moses] and said, "Thus shall you say to the house of Jacob; tell the Israelites: You have seen for yourselves how I treated the Egyptians and how I bore you up on eagle wings and brought you here to myself. Therefore, if you hearken to my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my special possession, dearer to me than all other people, though all the earth is mine. You shall be to me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation. That is what you must tell the Israelites."

2 John 1:4-6 "I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth just as we were commanded by the Father. But now, Lady, I ask you, not as though I were writing a new commandment but the one we have had from the beginning: let us love one another. For this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, as you heard from the beginning, in which you should walk."

Questions for Discussion:

When have you experienced God's love?

Do you believe that God loves you as you are?

Have you felt more love when you were obeying God than when you weren't?

What does loving others have to do with obeying his commandments? Does that love also come to us when we obey God?

#### You will know peace.

What does the Bible say about peace?

1 Pet. 5:7 "Cast all your worries upon him because he cares for you."

Is. 48:18 "If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea."

John 14:27 "Peace 12 I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid."

Phil 4:7 "Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."

Questions for Discussion:

When have you experienced a peace that surpasses understanding?

Have you experienced difficulty in casting your cares upon the Lord?

#### You will be forgiven

What does the Bible say about forgiveness?

Romans 8: 1 –2 "Hence, now there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has freed you from the law of sin and death."

Luke 7:47-50 "So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little." He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." The others at table said to themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?" But he said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

John 3:16-18 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God."

Questions for Discussion:

Have you ever experienced the joy of being forgiven by God?

Have you ever experienced the joy of being forgiven by others?

What is the relationship between love and forgiveness?

#### You will be healed.

What does the Bible say about healing?

Psalm 34: 18 – 20 "When the just cry out, the LORD hears and rescues them from all distress. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted, saves those whose spirit is crushed." Many are the troubles of the just, but the LORD delivers from them all."

Psalm 103:2-5 "Bless the LORD, my soul; do not forget all the gifts of God, Who pardons all your sins, heals all your ills, Delivers your life from the pit, surrounds you with love and compassion, Fills your days with good things; your youth is renewed like the eagle's."

1 Peter 2:24 "He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross, so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed."

Questions for Discussion:

Have you ever been brokenhearted or crushed? Does your spirit need healing?

Has your spirit ever been healed? What helped you the most?

#### You will find strength and protection from temptation

What does the Bible say about this?

Ephesians 6:10-18 "Finally, draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power. Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens. Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground. So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate, and your feet shod in readiness for the gospel of peace. In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all (the) flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and supplication, pray at every opportunity in the Spirit."

Matthew 4:8-11 "Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence, 9 and he said to him, "All these I shall give to you, if you will prostrate yourself and worship me." 5 10 At this, Jesus said to him, "Get away, Satan! It is written: 'The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve.'" 11 Then the devil left him and, behold, angels came and ministered to him."

Matthew 6:11-15 "Give us today our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and do not subject us to the final test, but deliver us from the evil one. If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions."

Questions for Discussion:

Have you ever asked God to help you when you were tempted to do something wrong?

Did it help?

#### You will gain wisdom

What does the Bible say about wisdom?

Wisdom 1:1-6 "Love justice, you who judge the earth; think of the LORD in goodness, and seek him in integrity of heart; Because he is found by those who test him not, and he manifests himself to those who do not disbelieve him. For perverse counsels separate a man from God, and his power, put to the proof, rebukes the foolhardy; Because into a soul that plots evil wisdom enters not, nor dwells she in a body under debt of sin. For the holy spirit of discipline flees deceit and withdraws from senseless counsels; and when injustice occurs it is rebuked. For wisdom is a kindly spirit, yet she acquits not the blasphemer of his guilty lips; Because God is the witness of his inmost self and the sure observer of his heart and the listener to his tongue."

Proverbs 4:3-9 "When I was my father's child, frail, yet the darling of my mother, He taught me, and said to me: "Let your heart hold fast my words: keep my commands, that you may live! "Get wisdom, get understanding! Do not forget or turn aside from the words I utter. Forsake her not, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will safeguard you; The beginning of wisdom is: get wisdom; at the cost of all you have, get understanding. Extol her, and she will exalt you; she will bring you honors if you embrace her; She will put on your head a graceful diadem; a glorious crown will she bestow on you."

Questions for Discussion:

Have you ever read something in the Bible that had a special meaning because you could apply it to a situation you were in at the time?

Have you ever experienced an insight that seemed so much wiser than anything you have thought of before? Was it so amazing that you sensed it came from God?

Have you heard a homily that touched you because of its wisdom?

"Keep my commands, that you may live!" What does this verse mean to you?

#### Obedience to God's law gives you a sense of right living.

What does the Bible say about this?

1 Peter 3:12 –15 "For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears turned to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against evildoers." Now who is going to harm you if you are enthusiastic for what is good? But even if you should suffer because of righteousness, blessed are you. Do not be afraid or terrified with fear of them, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts."

John 3:21-22 "Beloved, if (our) hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence in God and receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. And his commandment is this: we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as he commanded us."

Heb. 10: 19 –25 "Therefore, brothers, since through the blood of Jesus we have confidence of entrance into the sanctuary by the new and living way he opened for us through the veil, that is, his flesh, and since we have "a great priest over the house of God," let us approach with a sincere heart and in absolute trust, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. Let us hold unwaveringly to our confession that gives us hope, for he who made the promise is trustworthy. We must consider how to rouse one another to love and good works. We should not stay away from our assembly, as is the custom of some, but encourage one another, and this all the more as you see the day drawing near."

Questions for Discussion:

Do you have confidence that God hears your prayers? Does your heart condemn you when you are in sin?

The Catholic Church says we have to have an informed conscience so that we know what sin is? What can you do to help inform your conscience?

Have you ever been blessed because you suffered because of righteousness? How?

#### Obedience to God's law gives you a sense of integrity and unity with God.

What does the Bible say about this?

1 John 2:4 "The way we may be sure that we know him is to keep his commandments. Whoever says, "I know him," but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him. This is the way we may know that we are in union with him: whoever claims to abide in him ought to live (just) as he lived."

1 Kings 9:1-5 "After Solomon finished building the temple of the Lord, the royal palace, and everything else that he had planned, the Lord appeared to him a second time, as he had appeared to him in Gibeon. The Lord said to him: "I have heard the prayer of petition which you offered in my presence. I have consecrated this temple which you have built; I confer my name upon it forever, and my eyes and my heart shall be there always. As for you, if you live in my presence as your father David lived, sincerely and uprightly, doing just as I have commanded you, keeping my statutes and decrees, I will establish your throne of sovereignty over Israel forever, as I promised your father David when I said, 'You shall always have someone from your line on the throne of Israel."

1 Chronicles 29:16-19 "O Lord our God, all this wealth that we have brought together to build you a house in honor of your holy name comes from you and is entirely yours. I know, O my God, that you put hearts to the test and that you take pleasure in uprightness. With a sincere heart I have willingly given all these things, and now with joy I have seen your people here present also giving to you generously. O Lord, God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, keep such thoughts in the hearts and minds of your people forever, and direct their hearts toward you. Give to my son Solomon a wholehearted desire to keep your commandments, precepts, and statutes, that he may carry out all these plans and build the castle for which I have made preparation."

Questions for Discussion:

What does integrity and uprightness mean to you?

Has choosing to do the right thing brought you closer to God and others?

#### God blesses you according to the degree of your obedience.

What does the Bible say about this?

James 4:1-10 "Where do the wars and where do the conflicts among you come from? Is it not from your passions that make war within your members? You covet but do not possess. You kill and envy but you cannot obtain; you fight and wage war. You do not possess because you do not ask. You ask but do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. Adulterers! Do you not know that to be a lover of the world means enmity with God? Therefore, whoever wants to be a lover of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you suppose that the scripture speaks without meaning when it says, "The spirit that he has made to dwell in us tends toward jealousy"? But he bestows a greater grace; therefore, it says: "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." So submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you of two minds. Begin to lament, to mourn, to weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into dejection. Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you."

Proverbs 10:7-9 "The memory of the just will be blessed, but the name of the wicked will rot. A wise man heeds commands, but a prating fool will be overthrown. He who walks honestly walks securely, but he whose ways are crooked will fare badly."

Proverbs 11:2-10 "When pride comes, disgrace comes; but with the humble is wisdom. The honesty of the upright guides them; the faithless are ruined by their duplicity. Wealth is useless on the day of wrath, but virtue saves from death. The honest man's virtue makes his way straight, but by his wickedness the wicked man falls. The virtue of the upright saves them, but the faithless are caught in their own intrigue. When a wicked man dies his hope perishes, and what is expected from strength comes to nought. The just man escapes trouble, and the wicked man falls into it in his stead. With his mouth the impious man would ruin his neighbor, but through their knowledge the just make their escape. When the just prosper, the city rejoices; and when the wicked perish, there is jubilation."

Questions for Discussion:

Have you been more blessed when you were obeying God than when you weren't? What does it mean "to be a lover of the world means enmity with God?"

What does this verse mean? "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you."

What does this verse mean? "You ask but do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions."

Do you agree with this verse? "He who walks honestly walks securely, but he whose ways are crooked will fare badly."

#### You get freedom from having to figure out what is right all by yourself.

What does the Bible say about this?

1 John 2:3 – 6 "The way we may be sure that we know him is to keep his commandments. Whoever says, "I know him," but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him. This is the way we may know that we are in union with him: whoever claims to abide in him ought to live (just) as he lived."

Isaiah 48:17-18 "Thus says the LORD, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I, the LORD, your God, teach you what is for your good, and lead you on the way you should go. If you would hearken to my commandments, your prosperity would be like a river, and your vindication like the waves of the sea;"

Questions for Discussion:

How do you feel when you are confident that you are on the right track?

Do you agree with the statement, "To choose evil is an abuse of freedom."

#### Those who have lived it think it is a good idea.

What does the Bible say about this?

Philippians 3: 7 – 15 "(But) whatever gains I had, these I have come to consider a loss because of Christ. More than that, I even consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things and I consider them so much rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having any righteousness of my own based on the law but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God, depending on faith to know him and the power of his resurrection and (the) sharing of his sufferings by being conformed to his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. It is not that I have already taken hold of it or have already attained perfect maturity, but I continue my pursuit in hope that I may possess it, since I have indeed been taken possession of by Christ (Jesus). Brothers, I for my part do not consider myself to have taken possession. Just one thing: forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead, I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God's upward calling, in Christ Jesus. Let us, then, who are "perfectly mature" adopt this attitude. And if you have a different attitude, this too God will reveal to you."

Questions for Discussion:

How can we benefit from the experience of others who follow the Lord?

"For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things and I consider them so much rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him..." What does this verse say to you?

#### You set a good example for others.

What does the Bible say about setting a good example?

Titus 2:1 – 8 "As for yourself, you must say what is consistent with sound doctrine, namely, that older men should be temperate, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, love, and endurance. Similarly, older women should be reverent in their behavior, not slanderers, not addicted to drink, teaching what is good, so that they may train younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, chaste, good homemakers, under the control of their husbands, so that the word of God may not be discredited. Urge the younger men, similarly, to control themselves, showing yourself as a model of good deeds in every respect, with integrity in your teaching, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be criticized, so that the opponent will be put to shame without anything bad to say about us."

John 13:13-15 "You call me 'teacher' and 'master,' and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I [Jesus], therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another's feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do."

1 Corinthians 11:1-2 "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold fast to the traditions, just as I handed them on to you."

1 Timothy 1:15-16 "This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Of these I am the foremost. But for that reason I was mercifully treated, so that in me, as the foremost, Christ Jesus might display all his patience as an example for those who would come to believe in him for everlasting life."

Questions for Discussion:

What does "so that the word of God may not be discredited" mean to you?

What does "so that the opponent will be put to shame without anything bad to say about us" mean to you?

What does "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ" mean to you?

#### Obedience frees you to become an excellent person – virtuous and holy.

What does the Bible say about this?

Peter 1:14-19 "Like obedient children, do not act in compliance with the desires of your former ignorance but, as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in every aspect of your conduct, for it is written, "Be holy because I (am) holy."

2 Pet. 1:3-8 "His divine power has bestowed on us everything that makes for life and devotion, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and power. Through these, he has bestowed on us the precious and very great promises, so that through them you may come to share in the divine nature, after escaping from the corruption that is in the world because of evil desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, virtue with knowledge, knowledge with self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with devotion, devotion with mutual affection, mutual affection with love. If these are yours and increase in abundance, they will keep you from being idle or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Psalm 25:20-21 "Preserve my life and rescue me; do not let me be disgraced, for I trust in you. Let honesty and virtue preserve me; I wait for you, O Lord."

Questions for Discussion:

Do you want to be holy? Why or why not?

What role does grace have in making us holy?

#### You get eternal salvation

The best part about eternal life is you get to enjoy it for a lot longer than all the material wealth you can possibly accumulate while on earth. That even beats sleeping late on Sunday!

What does the Bible say about eternal salvation?

1 Cor 2:9 "But as it is written: "What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what God has prepared for those who love him"

Revelation 21:1-5, 27 "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, God's dwelling is with the human race. He will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will always be with them (as their God). He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, (for) the old order has passed away." The one who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new. but nothing unclean will enter it, nor any (one) who does abominable things or tells lies. Only those will enter whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life."

Phil 3:20-21 "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself."

Questions for Discussion:

What do you think heaven will be like?

Does the promise of eternal salvation of those who remain faithful motivate you to obey God? What else does?

#  Chapter 2 - Objections to Obedience

Question Authority! Isn't that the slogan of Americans these days? What fruit has this attitude given us? Has it resulted in a better society? Has it benefited those that believe in it? Has it helped anyone become more virtuous? If it has not, then why does this attitude persist?

What does it matter whether we obey authority or not?

At one time, it mattered a lot to Americans whether one was going to heaven or hell. Sermons were routinely given on hellfire and damnation. Church attendance was much higher than today. Protestants had 44 percent attendance and Catholics reported a 75 percent weekly attendance in 1958. Then the Baby Boom generation took control. By November 2003, the figure for Catholics was 45%, while Protestants' church attendance is actually slightly higher at 48%.i

When one is young, questions of eternal salvation seem irrelevant because death seems far away. If death is something that also happens to young people, shouldn't it matter?

Americans are constantly busy and surrounded by noise that crowds out the deeper questions of life and examination of conscience. They constantly seek new ways to relieve boredom.

Is there something that angers you when you think about obeying God or his church? Perhaps that is something you need to think about.

I think there is an underlying rebellion against God and the Catholic Church that has these symptoms:

* Refusal to believe the Gospel

* Refusal to believe the Gospel matters

* Culture does not support the Christian life

* Belief that sin is more fun or an easier way to live

* Don't see the value of obedience

* Don't understand Catholic Church's authority

* Don't trust Catholic Church's authority

* Don't believe God's mercy – fear

##  Objection 1: Refusal to Believe the Gospel

Is there some part of the basic Gospel message that you don't accept as true?

#### Objection: Evolution explains all of creation, so God does not exist?

What is the Catholic position regarding evolution? Humani generis is a papal encyclical that Pope Pius XII promulgated on 12 August 1950. The encyclical took up a nuanced position with regard to evolution. It distinguished between the soul, held as created divinely, and the physical body, whose development may have evolved. It rejected polygenism, the scientific hypothesis that mankind descended from a group of original humans (that there were many Adams and Eves.)

According to Dr. Richard Geraghty, PhD:

"What is the attitude of the Catholic Church towards the theory of evolution?

Considered strictly as a scientific theory, evolution starts with the hypothesis or conjecture that higher forms of life have developed from lower forms over a period of millions of years. The scientist then tries either to prove or disprove this hypothesis by searching for evidence to be found in the geological record. If he can show that there is a record in the rocks which shows the development of some lower form of animal into a higher form, he has proven his hypothesis. Consequently, there has been a great effort among scientists to search the geological record for evidence that modern man has indeed descended from the lower animals like the ape. There are, however, too many missing links in the record to allow any reputable scientist to claim that evolution is a proven fact.

Since, however, the cultural elite of today have a strong bent towards atheism or at least agnosticism, they push the theory of evolution as a proof that the world has not been created by God and that man is simply a higher animal without an immortal soul. In this propaganda effort they have taken a scientific hypothesis and turned it into a philosophy. They claim that their beliefs are somehow more rational or scientific than the belief of Christians. A true scientist, however, will recognize that physical science has nothing to do one way or another with proving or disproving the existence of God or the immortality of the soul. A true scientist will stick to his trade and recognize that such matters are beyond his competence as a scientist. If he is of the opinion that there is no God he will hold it as his personal belief and not as a proven scientific fact.

Obviously, those who embrace evolution as a philosophy oppose Christianity. Thus today there is a struggle in the public schools between the "Creationists" and the "Evolutionists." The Creationists, who are those Protestants holding for a strictly literal interpretation of the account of creation in the Bible, oppose evolution not only as a philosophy but as a scientific theory. Holding the God created man directly from the earth, they insist that the hypothesis of man descending from the apes must be wrong. Hence they regard the teaching of evolution even as a scientific hypothesis as anti-Christian.

The Catholic Church is united with these Christians in opposing evolution AS A PHILOSOPHY. With the Protestants, the Church insists that God created the world and that man has an immortal soul. The Church, however, does not oppose evolution AS A SCIENTIFIC THEORY. The reason is that she does not hold for an absolutely literal interpretation of those chapters of Genesis. Thus the Church sees no necessary conflict between the belief that God created the world from nothing and the scientific hypothesis that the world has evolved over millions of years. Again, the Church sees no necessary conflict between the belief that God created directly the souls of Adam and Eve and the scientific hypothesis that Adam and Eve descended from non-human ancestors. Thus even if can be proven scientifically beyond a reasonable doubt that man has descended from some lower animal like the ape, the Church will not have to change its position. Thus the Church is content to let the scientists go about their business and will only react when some step beyond the limits of science in making the claim that the theory of evolution has made Christianity obsolete."

Is there a way to reconcile evolution and faith? Consider this:

Dr. Francis Collins, head of the Human Genome Project, author of Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief (Publisher: Simon & Schuster Trade) says Faith in God and faith in science can be harmonious. He proposes a theory of theistic evolution, which he calls "BioLogos." On page 229, Collins says "science is not the only way of knowing. The spiritual worldview provides another way of finding truth. Scientists who deny this would be well advised to consider the limits of their own tools..." On page 205 Dr. Collins conjectures this about the randomness of evolution:

"But how could God take such chances? If evolution is random, how could He really be in charge, and how could He be certain of an outcome that included intelligent beings at all?

"The solution is actually readily at hand, once one ceases to apply human limitations to God. If God is outside nature, then He is outside space and time. In that context, God could in the moment of creation of the universe also know every detail of the future. That could include the formation of the stars, planets, and galaxies, all of the chemistry, physics, geography and biology that led to the formation of life on earth, and the evolution of humans, right to [the present] and beyond. In that context, evolution could appear to us to be driven by chance, but from God's perspective the outcome would be entirely specified. Thus, God could be completely and intimately involved in the creation of all species, while from our perspective, limited as it is by the tyranny of linear time, this would appear a random and undirected process."

On page 202, Dr. Collins says that Pope John Paul II offered a defense of theistic evolution, but quoted Pope Pius XII: "If the origin of the human body come through living matter which existed previously, the spiritual soul is created directly by God." He is referring to the encyclical Humani Generis.

One can easily accept Dr. Collins' concept of God being not limited by time and space. This must be so for God to be eternal and all powerful. Yet one should understand that God does intervene in human events. God has designed the world so that some things will happen if we pray, while other events will happen if we do not pray. Either way, God sees good things coming from either alternative. God could have designed the universe differently, but He chose this one we know.We are not predestined by fate because we have free will.

The great Catholic thinker, philosopher and theologian St. Thomas Aquinas summarized his cosmological argument in the _Summa Theologia_. In this theological masterpiece, St. Thomas writes five "ways" that we can know God exists. His first three ways deal with the cosmological argument:

1. St. Aquinas argues that there are things in the world in motion (this simply means that things are changing) and that whatever is in motion must have been put in motion by another thing in motion. Aquinas holds that, "whatever is in motion must be put in motion by another," and that, "this cannot go on to infinity, because then there would be no first mover." Hence St. Thomas argues that in order to eliminate the infinite chain of motions, there must be a first mover and source of all motion, God.

2. The second way is very similar to the first. It argues that," In the world of sense we find there is an order of efficient causes. There is no case known (neither is it, indeed, possible) in which a thing is found to be the efficient cause of itself; for so it would be prior to itself, which is impossible." By this he means that any thing, circumstance or event cannot change itself, but can only change something else (concept of efficient cause). Since there is a string of causes in which the string cannot be infinite (see premise #1), then all causes must attribute themselves to a first cause: God.

3. The third way also argues using the notion of a chain of causes. St. Thomas notes that things in our world owe their existence to something else in the world. Aquinas calls this the way of "possibility and necessity," meaning that all things made possible, necessarily attribute their existence to some pre-existing thing. Only God can be the source of all things since he is a being having its own necessity and does not need a pre-existing thing to cause him to exist. All things existing can trace themselves in a chain back to God.

A second shorter version of the cosmological argument can be formulated as:

1. Every being (that exists or ever did exist) is either a dependent being or a self-existent being.

2. Not every being can be a dependent being.

3. So there exists a self-existent being. We call this being God.

Source: <http://www.saintaquinas.com/philosophy.html>

Questions for Discussion:

In Genesis 1, it says the sun was created on the fourth day. If we use the sun to measure time, then how long were the first three days?

Does this indicate that the author of Genesis is not speaking as a scientist, but rather is telling the spiritual truths of creation in a poetic format?

How plausible is the argument that the author wanted to imply that, since God worked six days and rested on the seventh, we ought to also rest one day a week?

Does it really matter how long it took God to create the earth?

What do you think about evolution as a philosophy?

Can science prove something that is beyond space and time like God is?

Can you scientifically prove that science is the only way to know truth or is that an assumption?

What do you think about Dr. Collins' theory of "BioLogos"? Does the theory of "BioLogos" help you balance faith and science?

Does evolution being guided by God help you to accept the story of creation in Genesis, and therefore, to obey the authority of the Bible or does it harm your faith? Why?

What do you think about St. Thomas Aquinas' five "ways" that we can know God exists?

#### Objection: Jesus is not really God?

What does the Bible say about Jesus' divinity/

John 20:26 - 29 "Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe." Thomas answered and said to him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed."

Questions for Discussion:

Jesus came to earth to tell us he is God. His apostle, Thomas, called him God. As C.S. Lewis says, Was Thomas a lunatic? Was he a liar? Or is Jesus really Lord?

If someone said you are not what you say you are, would you be more than a little ticked off? Would you think, "Who are they to say that?"

#### Objection: Jesus didn't really die and rise?

What does the Bible say about this?

1 Corinthians 15:3-8 "For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures; that he was buried; that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures; that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. After that he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one born abnormally, he appeared to me."

Questions for Discussion:

Five hundred something witnesses? How can that many people see the same thing if it was a hallucination?

It only takes one eye witness to convict someone of murder in our court system, so can you believe 500 witnesses who say something is true when they were willing to die as martyrs to defend that fact?

#### Objection: Jesus' miracles have natural explanations?

What does the Bible say about this?

Isaiah 35:5-6 "Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared; then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the mute will sing."

Luke 1: 37 "for nothing will be impossible for God."

John 14:10-13 "Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father. And whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son."

Questions for Discussion:

If the miracles of Jesus were just natural events, why would anyone bother to write about them?

Why would anyone be willing to die for the truth of them?

Why would God have prophesied through Isaiah that the Messiah would work miracles?

Why have these stories been passed on to us for 2000 years if they were no big deal?

Have you, or anyone you know, seen or heard of a miracle?

What do you think about "nothing will be impossible for God"?

#### Objection: Hell doesn't exist.

Ezekiel 18:26–32 "When a virtuous man turns away from virtue to commit iniquity, and dies, it is because of the iniquity he committed that he must die. But if a wicked man, turning from the wickedness he has committed, does what is right and just, he shall preserve his life; since he has turned away from all the sins which he committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die. And yet the house of Israel says, "The Lord's way is not fair!" Is it my way that is not fair, house of Israel, or rather, is it not that your ways are not fair? Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, each one according to his ways, says the Lord God. Turn and be converted from all your crimes, that they may be no cause of guilt for you. Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed, and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies, says the Lord God. Return and live!"

Questions for Discussion:

If God is all good, then the continuum that goes from good to worse would indicate there is a state of absolute evil. Is Hell logical?

The problem of evil is real. Would a just God let evil go unpunished?

Would that be unfair?

It seems some people want to find out the hard way that hell is real. Isn't it a safer bet to take God's word for it?

## Objection 2: Refusal to Believe the Gospel Matters

Do you believe:

#### A man that died 2000 years ago can't have any importance to life today?

John 20: 30-31 "Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of (his) disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may (come to) believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name."

John 14:6 "I am the way, the truth and the life"

Questions for Discussion:

Do you agree with this statement? "Humans still want to know the truth. Humans still long to be loved, just as they did 2000 years ago. Humans still want to find the meaning of life. Humans still want to make a difference in the world. We still wonder if there is something beyond this life that is eternal."

What is "life in his name"?

#### Objection: The Ten Commandments are an out-dated artifact that deserves to be thrown on the garbage heap of history?

Deuteronomy 5:6-21 "'I, the LORD, am your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery. 7 You shall not have other gods besides me. 8 You shall not carve idols for yourselves in the shape of anything in the sky above or on the earth below or in the waters beneath the earth; 9 1 you shall not bow down before them or worship them. For I, the LORD, your God, am a jealous God, inflicting punishments for their fathers' wickedness on the children of those who hate me, down to the third and fourth generation 10 but bestowing mercy, down to the thousandth generation, on the children of those who love me and keep my commandments. 11 'You shall not take the name of the LORD, your God, in vain. For the LORD will not leave unpunished him who takes his name in vain. 12 'Take care to keep holy the sabbath day as the LORD, your God, commanded you. 13 Six days you may labor and do all your work; 14 but the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD, your God. No work may be done then, whether by you, or your son or daughter, or your male or female slave, or your ox or ass or any of your beasts, or the alien who lives with you. Your male and female slave should rest as you do. 15 For remember that you too were once slaves in Egypt, and the LORD, your God, brought you from there with his strong hand and outstretched arm. That is why the LORD, your God, has commanded you to observe the sabbath day. 16 'Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD, your God, has commanded you, that you may have a long life and prosperity in the land which the LORD, your God, is giving you. 17 'You shall not kill. 18 'You shall not commit adultery. 19 'You shall not steal. 20 'You shall not bear dishonest witness against your neighbor. 21 'You shall not covet your neighbor's wife. 'You shall not desire your neighbor's house or field, nor his male or female slave, nor his ox or ass, nor anything that belongs to him.'"

Questions for Discussion:

Most people think that honoring your parents, telling the truth, respecting human life, being faithful to one's spouse, and being content with what you have are good things. If those things are right, wouldn't that part about honoring God and keeping the Lord's Day holy be true also? Can you trust that the first three commandments are a good idea too?

How are the Ten Commandments like dead end signs along the path of life?

How do the Ten Commandments tell you what roads won't get you where you want to go so that you don't have to figure it out for yourself?

Do they keep us on the road to excellence and virtue?

Are progressive, new ideas always better than the old, traditional ones? What should be kept?

## Objection 3: Culture Does Not Support the Christian Life

#### Do you fear what others will say or do if you live a virtuous life?

What does the Bible say?

Ephesians 4: 15-25 "Rather, living the truth in love, we should grow in every way into him who is the head, Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, with the proper functioning of each part, brings about the body's growth and builds itself up in love. So I declare and testify in the Lord that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds; darkened in understanding, alienated from the life of God because of their ignorance, because of their hardness of heart, they have become callous and have handed themselves over to licentiousness for the practice of every kind of impurity to excess. That is not how you learned Christ, assuming that you have heard of him and were taught in him, as truth is in Jesus, that you should put away the old self of your former way of life, corrupted through deceitful desires, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new self, created in God's way in righteousness and holiness of truth. Therefore, putting away falsehood, speak the truth, each one to his neighbor, for we are members one of another."

Acts 4:27-31 "Indeed they gathered in this city against your holy servant Jesus whom you anointed, Herod and Pontius Pilate, together with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do what your hand and (your) will had long ago planned to take place. And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and enable your servants to speak your word with all boldness, as you stretch forth (your) hand to heal, and signs and wonders are done through the name of your holy servant Jesus." As they prayed, the place where they were gathered shook, and they were all filled with the holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness."

Wisdom 1:1-4 "Love righteousness, you rulers of the earth, think of the Lord with uprightness, and seek him with sincerity of heart; because he is found by those who do not put him to the test, and manifests himself to those who do not distrust him. For perverse thoughts separate men from God, and when his power is tested, it convicts the foolish; because wisdom will not enter a deceitful soul, nor dwell in a body enslaved to sin."

Questions for Discussion:

Do you trust the Holy Spirit to give you boldness and the right words to say if peers confront you?

Are you convinced that the Wisdom of God is superior to the "wisdom" of the world?

#### It is more important to be accepted by peers than to live the truth?

What does the Bible say?

Ephesians 5: 5-13 "Be sure of this, that no immoral or impure or greedy person, that is, an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the disobedient. So do not be associated with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light, for light produces every kind of goodness and righteousness and truth. Try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the fruitless works of darkness; rather expose them, for it is shameful even to mention the things done by them in secret; but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that becomes visible is light."

Psalm 145:18 -19 "You, LORD, are near to all who call upon you, to all who call upon you in truth. You satisfy the desire of those who fear you; you hear their cry and save them."

Matthew 10:22,26, 31-33, 38-40 "You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved. "Therefore do not be afraid of them. Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father's knowledge. Even all the hairs of your head are counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father. and whoever does not take up his cross 15 and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. "Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me."

Mark 6:1-6 "He departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples. When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished. They said, "Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him? What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands! Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him. Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house." So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, 5 apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith."

Questions for Discussion:

Jesus was disrespected in his hometown. Do you think Jesus knows how you feel?

If part of your body were rotten, would you not cut it off? Sometimes the people around us are like an arm with gangrene that is poisoning us, so some surgery is necessary. Most of the time that isn't necessary because if people really love you, they will accept you as you are. If they don't, are they really your friends?

Which is more important - following your friends or following the truth?

Are you willing to look for new friends if your current friends are leading you away from the truth?

Do you trust God to give you new friends?

Can you be at peace with yourself if you are living a lie?

#### Don't want others to think you are too holy to be friends with you?

What does the Bible say?

Matthew 5:10-12 "Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you (falsely) because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

Galatians 4:8-9 "At a time when you did not know God, you became slaves to things that by nature are not gods; but now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and destitute elemental powers? Do you want to be slaves to them all over again?"

Galatians 5:22 -25 "In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ (Jesus) have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit."

Questions for Discussion:

Are you strong enough to stand up to the judgment of friends?

Will God give you the strength if you ask?

#### It would cause conflict in my family?

What does the Bible say?

Matthew 12:50 "For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother."

Matthew 19:29 "And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life."

Ephesians 6:5-9 "Slaves, be obedient to your human masters with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ, not only when being watched, as currying favor, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, willingly serving the Lord and not human beings, knowing that each will be requited from the Lord for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. Masters, act in the same way toward them, and stop bullying, knowing that both they and you have a Master in heaven and that with him there is no partiality."

Questions for Discussion:

It is important to obey those in authority, but isn't it more important to obey God?

It is important for both you and your family to have the right attitude, also. In what ways can the church help your family to reach an agreement?

## Objection 4: Belief That Sin Is More Fun or an Easier Way to Live

Do you believe:

#### That life is more fun if you do sinful, taboo things?

What does the Bible say?

Romans 6:21-23 "But what profit did you get then from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been freed from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit that you have leads to sanctification, and its end is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Galatians 5:13-14 "For you were called for freedom, brothers. But do not use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh; rather, serve one another through love. For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

1 Peter 2:16 "Be free, yet without using freedom as a pretext for evil, but as slaves of God."

Job 20:4-7 "Do you not know this from olden time, since man was placed upon the earth, That the triumph of the wicked is short and the joy of the impious but for a moment? Though his pride mount up to the heavens and his head reach to the clouds, Yet he perishes forever like the fuel of his fire, and the onlookers say, "Where is he?"

Proverbs 12:20-21,28 "Deceit is in the hands of those who plot evil, but those who counsel peace have joy. No harm befalls the just, but the wicked are overwhelmed with misfortune. In the path of justice there is life, but the abominable way leads to death."

Questions for Discussion:

God created the world to be naturally good. Sin is disordered, so will you find real peace if your life is not in the proper order?

#### Going to Mass takes up too much time?

Only one hour a week? Come on. That is not asking a lot compared to what you get from it – the grace to live better the rest of the week. Of course, if you really love God, one hour seems like the bare minimum. Challenge yourself to give more. You'll get out of it what you put into it.

#### You would prefer to sleep late on Sunday so going to Mass is out of the question?

Remember when you were young that your mother made you brush your teeth? You didn't want to do it. You didn't see why you had to do it. Was your Mom looking out for your welfare? Yes, you didn't understand that, but she knew that what was good for your teeth was also good for you. Brushing your teeth not only is good for your teeth, it is also good for your heart. The same germs that cause tooth ache can attack the heart. Neglecting to brush your teeth could kill you.

Going to Mass each week may seem like a small, unimportant thing also. Perhaps it's a good idea to trust that your Mother the Church is telling you to come every week not just because it will strengthen your daily life, but also because it is good for your eternal life.

What does the Bible say?

Hebrews 3: 12-19 "Take care, brothers, that none of you may have an evil and unfaithful heart, so as to forsake the living God. Encourage yourselves daily while it is still "today," so that none of you may grow hardened by the deceit of sin. We have become partners of Christ if only we hold the beginning of the reality firm until the end, for it is said: "Oh, that today you would hear his voice: 'Harden not your hearts as at the rebellion.'" Who were those who rebelled when they heard? Was it not all those who came out of Egypt under Moses? With whom was he "provoked for forty years"? Was it not those who had sinned, whose corpses fell in the desert? And to whom did he "swear that they should not enter into his rest," if not to those who were disobedient? And we see that they could not enter for lack of faith."

Hebrews 4:4-11 "For he has spoken somewhere about the seventh day in this manner, "And God rested on the seventh day from all his works"; and again, in the previously mentioned place, "They shall not enter into my rest." Therefore, since it remains that some will enter into it, and those who formerly received the good news did not enter because of disobedience, he once more set a day, "today," when long afterwards he spoke through David, as already quoted: "Oh, that today you would hear his voice: 'Harden not your hearts.'" Now if Joshua had given them rest, he would not have spoken afterwards of another day. Therefore, a sabbath rest still remains for the people of God. And whoever enters into God's rest, rests from his own works as God did from his. Therefore, let us strive to enter into that rest, so that no one may fall after the same example of disobedience."

Questions for Discussion:

What are your priorities in life?

## Objection 5: Don't See the Value of Obedience

Do you believe:

#### It doesn't make any difference whether one obeys Gods law because God is merciful?

What does the Bible say?

Rev 21:27 "but nothing unclean will enter it [heaven], nor any (one) who does abominable things or tells lies. Only those will enter whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life."

Rev 22:10 "Then he said to me, "Do not seal up the prophetic words of this book, for the appointed time is near. 11 Let the wicked still act wickedly, and the filthy still be filthy. The righteous must still do right, and the holy still be holy." "Behold, I am coming soon. I bring with me the recompense I will give to each according to his deeds. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." Blessed are they who wash their robes so as to have the right to the tree of life and enter the city through its gates."

Questions for Discussion:

What does the word "presumption" mean?

#### Isn't it enough to just agree that the doctrines of the church are true? I'm a good person.

We are called to be holy and without blemish. We are supposed to be great people. Disobedience to God keeps us from being holy.

What does the Bible say?

Matthew 7:21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven."

1 Peter 1:14-16 "Like obedient children, do not act in compliance with the desires of your former ignorance but, as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in every aspect of your conduct, for it is written, "Be holy because I (am) holy."

Ephesians 1:1-4 "Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the holy ones who are (in Ephesus) faithful in Christ Jesus: grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him."

Questions for Discussion:

What do I think holiness means?

#### Anti-establishment sentiment makes you think authority can't be right?

What does the Bible say?

Numbers 27:20 "You [Moses] shall give him [Joshua] some of your authority, so that all the congregation of the Israelites may obey." (RSV)

When Jesus came, the Pharisees assumed authority had to have a source, so they asked Jesus,

Matthew 21:23-27 "And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, "By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?"

2 Timothy 4:3-4. "For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine but, following their own desires and insatiable curiosity, will accumulate teachers and will stop listening to the truth and will be diverted to myths."

Questions for Discussion:

Do you think humans have always doubted authority or is that only a trend in modern times?

Is going against authority always a good idea?

What would help people be more critical of a culture that says authority is always wrong?

The Bible shows a long history of giving authority to men. The Lord instructed Moses to lay hands on Joshua, son of Nun. How is that authority present in the Catholic Church today?

The United States values equality. How does this conflict with the idea that we need authority?

## Objection 6: Don't Understand Catholic Church's Authority

Do you believe any of these:

#### Jesus didn't found a Church to carry on his teachings?

What does the Bible say?

1 Timothy 3:14 "I am writing you about these matters, although I hope to visit you soon. But if I should be delayed, you should know how to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of truth."

Question for Discussion:

Have heard of and read the Early Church Father's writings?

#### Were is the Scripture that supports having a Pope in the Bible?

What does the Bible say?

Matt 16:16 "Simon Peter said in reply, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." Jesus said to him in reply, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

This passage is a reference to Isaiah 22:20-25 "On that day I will summon my servant Eliakim, son of Hilkiah; I will clothe him with your robe, and gird him with your sash, and give over to him your authority. He shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah. I will place the key of the House of David on his shoulder; when he opens, no one shall shut, when he shuts, no one shall open. I will fix him like a peg in a sure spot, to be a place of honor for his family; On him shall hang all the glory of his family: descendants and offspring, all the little dishes, from bowls to jugs. On that day, says the LORD of hosts, the peg fixed in a sure spot shall give way, break off and fall, and the weight that hung on it shall be done away with; for the LORD has spoken."

Eliakim was the new prime minister in King David's kingdom. God is giving him authority to rule in the King's name.

Questions for Discussion:

What does the Catholic Church teach about the Pope?

#### The Church went off track at some point in history?

What does the Bible say?

Matt 16:18 "upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it."

If hell can't win against the Catholic Church, how can man destroy it? Many have tried, but no one has succeeded. It is still teaching the same things it did in the beginning and it always will.

Question for Discussion:

If you think the Church went into apostasy, exactly when did this happen? Who was responsible? What teaching was involved?

#### What right have they got to tell me I have to go to Church every week?

What does the Bible say?

Deuteronomy 5:12-14 "Take care to keep holy the Sabbath day as the LORD, your God, commanded you. Six days you may labor and do all your work; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD, your God."

Exodus 20:8-10 "Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD, your God."

Genesis 2:2-3 "Since on the seventh day God was finished with the work he had been doing, he rested on the seventh day from all the work he had undertaken. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work he had done in creation."

Numbers 3:4 "But Nadab and Abihu died in the presence of the LORD when they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD in the wilderness of Sinai; and they left no sons."

God tells us to honor the Lord's Day. Don't shoot the messenger. Take a day to get to know God.

Questions for Discussion:

Does God have the right to have an opinion about how we should worship him?

#### How do I know the Catholic Church is the true church? Other people don't seem to think that and they're doing OK.

What does the Bible say?

Matthew 18:15 "If your brother sins (against you), go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that 'every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.' If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector."

Questions for Discussion:

Which church does "tell the church" mean? Who has the final authority?

Which church has the authority to decide who is right and wrong?

The Catholic Church was founded in 33 AD. Wouldn't it be logical that the oldest Christian church would be the one Christ authorized to decide doctrine?

#### Isn't loving Jesus enough?

What does the Bible say?

Matt 7: 21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven."

Luke 10:25-28 "There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test him and said, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus said to him, "What is written in the law? How do you read it?" He said in reply, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself." He replied to him, 'You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.'"

James 2:14-24 "What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well," but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead. Indeed someone might say, "You have faith and I have works." Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works. You believe that God is one. You do well. Even the demons believe that and tremble. Do you want proof, you ignoramus, that faith without works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by the works. Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called "the friend of God." See how a person is justified by works and not by faith alone."

John 6:53-57 "Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me."

2 Peter 3:1 "This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the _commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles_."

Questions for Discussion:

What is "the will of my Father"?

What does "love your neighbor as yourself" mean?

Can we say we are doing the will of the father if we don't care about the needs of others?

What is the relationship between the will of the father and "love your neighbor as yourself"?

## Objection 7: Don't Trust Catholic Church's Authority

Do you believe this?:

#### The sex scandals that rocked the Catholic Church in early 2002 made it impossible to believe priests can be trusted?

What does the Bible say?

Mark 2:16-17 "Some scribes who were Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors and said to his disciples, "Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?" Jesus heard this and said to them (that), "Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners."

Questions for Discussion:

What has the Catholic Church done to protect children since 2002? What were other organizations doing before 2002?

There was a well-deserved outcry in the media about homosexual activity by priests with adolescents; yet on the other hand, there is a movement to legalize homosexual relationships? Is this inconsistent? Why or why not?

Planned Parenthood covers up pregnancy in minors instead of reporting statutory rape or sex trafficking. Is this inconsistent?

#### They say they care, but all the Church wants is money?

What does the Bible say?

Sirach 35:1-12 "To keep the law is a great oblation, and he who observes the commandments sacrifices a peace offering. In works of charity one offers fine flour, and when he gives alms he presents his sacrifice of praise. To refrain from evil pleases the LORD, and to avoid injustice is an atonement. Appear not before the LORD empty-handed, for all that you offer is in fulfillment of the precepts. The just one's offering enriches the altar and rises as a sweet odor before the Most High. The just one's sacrifice is most pleasing, nor will it ever be forgotten. In a generous spirit pay homage to the LORD, be not sparing of freewill gifts. With each contribution show a cheerful countenance, and pay your tithes in a spirit of joy. Give to the Most High as he has given to you, generously, according to your means. For the LORD is one who always repays, and he will give back to you sevenfold. But offer no bribes, these he does not accept! Trust not in sacrifice of the fruits of extortion. For he is a God of justice, who knows no favorites."

2 Corinthians 9:6-10 "Consider this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work. As it is written: "He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his righteousness endures forever." The one who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness."

Hebrews 13:16 "Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have; God is pleased by sacrifices of that kind."

Mark 12:41-44 "He sat down opposite the treasury and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. 42 A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents. 43 Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them, "Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury. For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood."

Questions for Discussion:

How much does your parish need to collect each week to meet expenses?

Have you carefully looked at the collection statistics in the bulletin or financial statements? Why does it cost so much to operate a parish?

What other ministries could your parish or diocese offer if there were sufficient resources?

How can you give of your time, talent and treasure to your parish?

#### If the Church teaches that artificial birth control is wrong, I don't want to be Catholic.

What does the Bible say?

Genesis 1: 27- 28 "God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them, saying: "Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and all the living things that move on the earth."

It is only _artificial_ birth control that is immoral. Women have natural periods of infertility that can be used when there is grave reason to avoid pregnancy in a marriage.

Questions for Discussion:

What did Onan do in Genesis 38:9 that incurred God's punishment?

Does abstinence really make the heart grow fonder?

Our culture has become anti-child. Babies are seen as financial burdens, not a gift from God? What needs to change for the culture to be more open to life?

Have you studied the Church's reasons for using only natural family planning, such as the encyclical Humanae Vitae or John Paul II's Theology of the Body?

#### If the Church teaches that women can't be priests, I don't approve of that.

What does the Bible say?

Titus 1:5-6 "For this reason I left you in Crete so that you might set right what remains to be done and appoint presbyters in every town, as I directed you, on condition that a _man_ be blameless, married only once, with believing children who are not accused of licentiousness or rebellious."

Questions for Discussion:

Should the Catholic Church change when the political and social climate changes?

In the sacraments, the priest acts "in the person of Christ." This means it is the same as if Christ was doing the action. Why would "in the person of Christ" mean that a priest must always be male? If the person doing the sacrament is a woman, does or doesn't that mean that Christ is a woman?

What is the God-given role for women? For men?

#### If the Church teaches that priests can't be married, I don't think that is right.

What does the Bible say?

Matt 19:12 "Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so; some, because they were made so by others; some, because they have renounced marriage for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Whoever can accept this ought to accept it."

1 Corinthians 7:8 "Now to the unmarried and to widows, I say: it is a good thing for them to remain as they are, as I [Paul] do,"

Questions for Discussion:

Can priests relate well with married couples if they aren't married? Can priests can be more objective about marriage if they are not married?

No one forces anybody to be a priest. Men know it is a package deal before they apply for the seminary. What does "for the sake of the kingdom of heaven" mean?

How is the celibacy of priests a gift to the Church?

#### What gives the Church the right to say I can't remarry without an annulment?

What does the Bible say?

Genesis 1:27 "God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them."

Matt 19: 3-9 "Some Pharisees approached him, and tested him, saying, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever?" He said in reply, "Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female' and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, no human being must separate." They said to him, "Then why did Moses command that the man give the woman a bill of divorce and dismiss (her)?" He said to them, "Because of the hardness of your hearts Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) and marries another commits adultery."

Questions for Discussion:

Who is Jesus referring to when he says "from the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female'"?

If males and females are created in God's image, should they break promises? If God is faithful to his covenants with humans, should humans also be faithful to the covenant of marriage?

#### I don't need forgiveness from any Church. I can decide what is right and wrong for myself.

What does the Bible say?

John 20:20-23 "The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. (Jesus) said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.""

James 5:13-16 "Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone in good spirits? He should sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint (him) with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful."

1 John 5:16-17 "If anyone sees his brother sinning, if the sin is not deadly, he should pray to God and he will give him life. This is only for those whose sin is not deadly. There is such a thing as deadly sin, about which I do not say that you should pray. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that is not deadly."

Questions for Discussion:

Who did Jesus give the authority to forgive sins?

How can the priests, who are the successors of the apostles, forgive or retain sins if they do not hear what needs to be forgiven?

Has the Sacrament of reconciliation given you joy?

Can we always be objective about what is "deadly sin"?

Do people sometime rationalize their behavior? Why?

#### It might be OK for you, but that doesn't mean it is right for me.

What does the Bible say?

Proverbs 2:6 "For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding."

John 18:37-38 "So Pilate said to him, "Then you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice." Pilate said to him, "What is truth?"

John 16:13 "But when he [the Advocate] comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming."

1 John 5:20 "We also know that the Son of God has come and has given us discernment to know the one who is true. And we are in the one who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life."

Questions for Discussion:

If something is true, isn't it true for everyone and at all times and places?

Do you agree with this statement: "Truth doesn't change, so it is absolute, not relative. One's opinion about it does not change truth." Why or why not?

## Objection 8: Don't Believe God's Mercy – Fear

Do you believe:

#### The hell fire and damnation stuff is wrong. They're trying to scare me straight and I won't let them.

What does the Bible say?

Ezekiel 3:18-21 "If I say to the wicked man, You shall surely die; and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his wicked conduct so that he may live: that wicked man shall die for his sin, but I will hold you responsible for his death. If, on the other hand, you have warned the wicked man, yet he has not turned away from his evil nor from his wicked conduct, then he shall die for his sin, but you shall save your life. If a virtuous man turns away from virtue and does wrong when I place a stumbling block before him, he shall die. He shall die for his sin, and his virtuous deeds shall not be remembered; but I will hold you responsible for his death if you did not warn him. When, on the other hand, you have warned a virtuous man not to sin, and he has in fact not sinned, he shall surely live because of the warning, and you shall save your own life."

1 Corinthians 13:6 "It [love] does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth."

Psalm 34:7-10 "In my misfortune I called, the LORD heard and saved me from all distress. The angel of the LORD, who encamps with them, delivers all who fear God. Learn to savor how good the LORD is; happy are those who take refuge in him. Fear the LORD, you holy ones; nothing is lacking to those who fear him."

Ps 111:10 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; prudent are all who live by it."

Psalms 112 1-4 "Hallelujah! Happy are those who fear the LORD, who greatly delight in God's commands. Their descendants shall be mighty in the land, generation upright and blessed. Wealth and riches shall be in their homes; their prosperity shall endure forever. They shine through the darkness, a light for the upright; they are gracious, merciful, and just."

Deuteronomy 6:24- 25 "Therefore, the LORD commanded us to observe all these statutes in fear of the LORD, our God, that we may always have as prosperous and happy a life as we have today; and our justice before the LORD, our God, is to consist in carefully observing all these commandments he has enjoined on us.'"

Proverbs 3:6-8, 11-12 "In all your ways be mindful of him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes, fear the LORD and turn away from evil; This will mean health for your flesh and vigor for your bones. The discipline of the LORD, my son, disdain not; spurn not his reproof; For whom the LORD loves he reproves, and he chastises the son he favors."

Deuteronomy 10:12-13 "And now, Israel, what does the LORD, your God, ask of you but to fear the LORD, your God, and follow his ways exactly, to love and serve the LORD, your God, with all your heart and all your soul, to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD which I enjoin on you today for your own good?"

James 5:19-20 "My brothers, if anyone among you should stray from the truth and someone bring him back, he should know that whoever brings back a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins."

If you were in great danger, would you want to know? If you know, perhaps you could change your behavior and avoid the danger.

Questions for Discussion:

Would you want to be warned about spiritual dangers too? Is it an act of love to warn those who are in danger of losing eternal life?

#### I don't need God's forgiveness because I never sin.

What does the Bible say?

John 8: 7 "But when they continued asking him, he [Jesus] straightened up and said to them, "Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her."

Romans 3:23 "all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God."

Romans 1:5-7 "Through him we have received the grace of apostleship, to bring about the obedience of faith, for the sake of his name, among all the Gentiles, among whom are you also, who are called to belong to Jesus Christ; to all the beloved of God in Rome, called to be holy."

Questions for Discussion:

What is the relationship between obedience and faith?

Paul says we are "called to be holy." What is necessary to be holy?

#### I'm too far gone. God will never forgive me.

What does the Bible say?

Sirach 17:19-25 "To the penitent God provides a way back, he encourages those who are losing hope! Return to the LORD and give up sin, pray to him and make your offenses few. Turn again to the Most High and away from sin, hate intensely what he loathes; Who in the nether world can glorify the Most High in place of the living who offer their praise? No more can the dead give praise than those who have never lived; they glorify the LORD who are alive and well. How great the mercy of the LORD, his forgiveness of those who return to him! The like cannot be found in men, for not immortal is any son of man."

Matthew 18:12-14 "What is your opinion? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray? And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray. In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost."

Hebrews 4:12-16 "Indeed, the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart. No creature is concealed from him, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account. Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin. So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help."

Questions for Discussion:

Does the conditional love of people make it hard for us to believe in the unconditional love of God?

How is your image of God shaped by the people in your life?

Scripture tells us of the mercy of God. Can you think of other places in the Bible that show his mercy?

#### What kind of God would make me suffer like this?

What does the Bible say?

Isaiah 43:1-5 "But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, and formed you, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name: you are mine. When you pass through the water, I will be with you; in the rivers you shall not drown. When you walk through fire, you shall not be burned; the flames shall not consume you. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your savior. Because you are precious in my eyes and glorious, and because I love you, I give men in return for you and peoples in exchange for your life. Fear not, for I am with you;"

1 Peter 4:12-13 "Beloved, do not be surprised that a trial by fire is occurring among you, as if something strange were happening to you. But rejoice to the extent that you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that when his glory is revealed you may also rejoice exultantly."

Matt 5:10 "Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you (falsely) because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

2 Cor. 4:7-10 "But we hold this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being given up to death for the sake of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you."

Questions for Discussion:

The poem, Footprints in the Sand, says that God carries us when we are suffering. Have you ever experienced this?

Has anyone you know experienced this?

#  Chapter 3 -How To Become A Child Of God

So far, we have looked at the good things that come from obedience to God and the objections to obedience. This is where there is a fork in the road. Everyone must make a decision about which path they will follow. In the end, everyone is responsible for the decision they made when they get to the pearly gates. If you take the wrong road, you will end up at the wrong place.

Some people may stand at the fork in the road a long time. Some may decide that it is impossible to know whether God is real, whether Jesus is the Messiah, or whether it matters what one believes. Some may sense that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, but are reluctant to decide.

Does obedience sound like the best path? There must be some catch to all those good things we've studied.. Well, yes, there is. It means you have to open yourself to God's grace and doing what he wants you to do. When you were baptized, God gave you a present. Have you unwrapped it?

The ten steps below outline how to unwrap the gift and become a child of God.

## Step 1 - Pray for Guidance

The first step to becoming a child of God is praying for guidance. What does the Bible say?

Psalms 28:6-7 "Blessed be the LORD, who has heard the sound of my pleading. The LORD is my strength and my shield, in whom my heart trusted and found help. So my heart rejoices; with my song I praise my God."

Philippians 4:6-7 "Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."

Luke 11:9-10 "And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."

Archbishop Fulton Sheen once said that if you know God loves you, obeying him becomes easy. It become easy to lay down your life for one you love. Get to know Jesus as a brother and friend who loves you so much he suffered and died for you.

Questions for Discussion:

Can you trust that God will guide you if you ask for help?

What ways are most helpful to you in getting to know Jesus as a friend?

## Step 2 - Humble Surrender

The next step to becoming a child of God is humble surrender. What does the Bible say?

Micah 6 "You have been told, O man, what is good, and what the LORD requires of you: Only to do the right and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God."

Rev 3:20 "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, (then) I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me."

Romans 6:15-17 "What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered."

**1 Peter** _5:5_ "Likewise, you younger members, be subject to the presbyters. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility in your dealings with one another, for: "God opposes the proud but bestows favor on the humble."

James 4:6-10 "But he bestows a greater grace; therefore, it says: "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." So submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you of two minds. Begin to lament, to mourn, to weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into dejection. Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you."

Luke 14:11 "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted."

Matthew 18: 1 "At that time the disciples approached Jesus and said, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, "Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

Questions for Discussion:

Does being humble mean having poor self-esteem?

In a society that values power, being humble goes against the grain. Yet there is something good about not having to be in control of the universe. There is real freedom. What if surrendering control of your life was like putting Jesus in the driver seat of your life. As a passenger, you have the freedom to enjoy the scenery unlike you would if you had to concentrate on the road. That would be freedom, right?

## Step 3 - Change of Heart and Behavior

The next step to becoming a child of God is a change of heart and behavior. What does the Bible say?

Psalm 51: 7 - 15 "True, I was born guilty, a sinner, even as my mother conceived me. Still, you insist on sincerity of heart; in my inmost being teach me wisdom. Cleanse me with hyssop, that I may be pure; wash me, make me whiter than snow. Let me hear sounds of joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Turn away your face from my sins; blot out all my guilt. A clean heart create for me, God; renew in me a steadfast spirit. Do not drive me from your presence, nor take from me your holy spirit. Restore my joy in your salvation; sustain in me a willing spirit. I will teach the wicked your ways, that sinners may return to you."

2 Timothy 2:22, 25-26 "So turn from youthful desires and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord with purity of heart. It may be that God will grant them repentance that leads to knowledge of the truth, and that they may return to their senses out of the devil's snare, where they are entrapped by him, for his will."

John 12:24-26 "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me."

Questions for Discussion:

Can you imagine being a better person than you are now? It is possible if you are a frog. Huh? Frog stands for Fully Rely On God. If you do that, God can make you a different person.

## Step 4 - Overcome Doubts

Some people have doubts about Jesus, but don't continue to seek the answers to their doubts. The next step to becoming a child of God is overcoming doubts. What does the Bible say?

John 20:24-29 "Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe." Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe." Thomas answered and said to him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed."

Hebrews 9:23-25 "Let us hold unwaveringly to our confession that gives us hope, for he who made the promise is trustworthy. We must consider how to rouse one another to love and good works. We should not stay away from our assembly, as is the custom of some, but encourage one another, and this all the more as you see the day drawing near."

Jude 1:20-25 "But you, beloved, build yourselves up in your most holy faith; pray in the holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in the love of God and wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. On those who waver, have mercy; save others by snatching them out of the fire; on others have mercy with fear, abhorring even the outer garment stained by the flesh. To the one who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you unblemished and exultant, in the presence of his glory, to the only God, our savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord be glory, majesty, power, and authority from ages past, now, and for ages to come. Amen."

Questions for Discussion:

Do you agree with the statement, "Doubts are the fertilizer of belief."

How can reason help you to grow in faith?

## Step 5 - Overcome Fear of Rejection from Culture

Some people are afraid of being rejected and alone if they follow Christ. The next step to becoming a child of God is overcoming fear of rejection from culture What does the Bible say?

Matthew 5:10-12 "Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you (falsely) because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

Acts 5: 28-33,40-42 "We [the Sanhedrin] gave you strict orders (did we not?) to stop teaching in that name. Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and want to bring this man's blood upon us." But Peter and the apostles said in reply, "We must obey God rather than men. The God of our ancestors raised Jesus, though you had him killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand 5 as leader and savior to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins. We are witnesses of these things, as is the holy Spirit that God has given to those who obey him." When they heard this, they became infuriated and wanted to put them to death. [The Sanhedrin] had them flogged, ordered them to stop speaking in the name of Jesus, and dismissed them. So they [the apostles] left the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name. And all day long, both at the temple and in their homes, they did not stop teaching and proclaiming the Messiah, Jesus."

1 John 1:5-9 "Now this is the message that we have heard from him and proclaim to you: God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all. If we say, "We have fellowship with him," while we continue to walk in darkness, we lie and do not act in truth. But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, then we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin. If we say, "We are without sin," we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing."

1 Thessalonians 5:8-11 "But since we are of the day, let us be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love and the helmet that is hope for salvation. For God did not destine us for wrath, but to gain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live together with him. Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, as indeed you do."

Questions for Discussion:

In the United States, our Constitution guarantees us freedom of religion. Many immigrants fled to our shores to enjoy this freedom. Many soldiers have died to defend this freedom. Most of us will never have to make such sacrifices as they did. What are you willing to sacrifice for the right to live your faith?

Does the way you vote reflect your religious values?

Sometimes it is easier to get new friends than remain uncomfortable with friends that disagree about religion. Sometimes it is better to agree to disagree. And sometimes it is better to keep quiet about your faith. Which of your friends are in each of these categories?

How can you avoid being tempted by those who lead you into sin?

## Step 6 - Overcome Fear of God

Some people are afraid of God when their fears have nothing to do with guilt. The next step to becoming a child of God is overcoming fear of God. What does the Bible say?

Romans 13:5 "Therefore, it is necessary to be subject not only because of the wrath but also because of conscience."

Job 11:13 –19 "If you set your heart aright and stretch out your hands toward him, If you remove all iniquity from your conduct, and let not injustice dwell in your tent, Surely then you may lift up your face in innocence; you may stand firm and unafraid. For then you shall forget your misery, or recall it like waters that have ebbed away. Then your life shall be brighter than the noonday; its gloom shall become as the morning, And you shall be secure, because there is hope; you shall look round you and lie down in safety, and you shall take your rest with none to disturb."

Psalm 91:1-16 "You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty, Say to the LORD, "My refuge and fortress, my God in whom I trust." God will rescue you from the fowler's snare, from the destroying plague, Will shelter you with pinions, spread wings that you may take refuge; God's faithfulness is a protecting shield. You shall not fear the terror of the night nor the arrow that flies by day, Nor the pestilence that roams in darkness, nor the plague that ravages at noon. Though a thousand fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, near you it shall not come. You need simply watch; the punishment of the wicked you will see. You have the LORD for your refuge; you have made the Most High your stronghold. No evil shall befall you, no affliction come near your tent. For God commands the angels to guard you in all your ways. With their hands they shall support you, lest you strike your foot against a stone. You shall tread upon the asp and the viper, trample the lion and the dragon. Whoever clings to me I will deliver; whoever knows my name I will set on high. All who call upon me I will answer; I will be with them in distress; I will deliver them and give them honor. With length of days I will satisfy them and show them my saving power."

James 4:8-10 8 –10 "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you of two minds. Begin to lament, to mourn, to weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into dejection. Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you."

Questions for Discussion:

Do you really believe in God's love and mercy? Why?

## Step 7 - Find Catholic Church in Bible, Compare to Other Faiths

The next step to becoming a child of God is finding the Church Christ established. To do this, they need to find the Catholic Church in Bible, and then compare it to other faiths. What does the Bible say?

Matthew 16: 17 – 19 "Jesus said to him in reply, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

Luke 22:28-32 "It is you who have stood by me in my trials; and I confer a kingdom on you, just as my Father has conferred one on me, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom; and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. "Simon, Simon, behold Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat, but I have prayed that your own faith may not fail; and once you have turned back, you must strengthen your brothers."

Questions for Discussion:

**In the** encyclical, **Fides et ratio** **, Pope John Paul II says faith and reason are like two wings. How is the Catholic faith rational?**

Is your faith based on opinions, emotions or personal experiences, or is it founded on rational reasons for it being credible?

## Step 8 - Submit to Catholic Church's Authority

The next step to becoming a child of God is submitting to the Catholic Church's authority. What does the Bible say?

1 Timothy 3:14:15 "I am writing you about these matters, although I hope to visit you soon. But if I should be delayed, you should know how to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of truth."

Hebrews 13:17 "Obey your leaders and defer to them, for they keep watch over you and will have to give an account, that they may fulfill their task with joy and not with sorrow, for that would be of no advantage to you."

Acts 1:3 "He [Jesus] presented himself alive to them by many proofs after he had suffered, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God."

Matt 16:17, 19 "Jesus said to him in reply, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven.

Mark 10:14-15 "When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, "Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it."

Questions for Discussion:

Jesus reestablished the kingdom of David after his resurrection. The Catholic Church is his kingdom on earth. How can you grow in acceptance of his kingship over you?

Do you agree with the statement, "The antidote to rebellion is worship."

## Step 9 - Grow in Knowledge of Church by Reading the Catechism

The next step to becoming a child of God is growing in knowledge of Church by reading the catechism. What does the Bible say?

Proverbs 4:3- 13 "When I was my father's child, frail, yet the darling of my mother, He taught me, and said to me: "Let your heart hold fast my words: keep my commands, that you may live! "Get wisdom, get understanding! Do not forget or turn aside from the words I utter. Forsake her not, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will safeguard you; The beginning of wisdom is: get wisdom; at the cost of all you have, get understanding. Extol her, and she will exalt you; she will bring you honors if you embrace her; She will put on your head a graceful diadem; a glorious crown will she bestow on you." Hear, my son, and receive my words, and the years of your life shall be many. On the way of wisdom I direct you, I lead you on straightforward paths. When you walk, your step will not be impeded, and should you run, you will not stumble. Hold fast to instruction, never let her go; keep her, for she is your life."

Ephesians 1:15-23 "Therefore, I, too, hearing of your faith in the Lord Jesus and of your love for all the holy ones, do not cease giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation resulting in knowledge of him. May the eyes of (your) hearts be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call, what are the riches of glory in his inheritance among the holy ones, and what is the surpassing greatness of his power for us who believe, in accord with the exercise of his great might, which he worked in Christ, raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens, far above every principality, authority, power, and dominion, and every name that is named not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things beneath his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way."

Questions for Discussion:

Have you read the catechism? What insights did you gain from it?

## Step 10 - Serve the Church and Neighbor

The next step to becoming a child of God is serve the Church and your neighbor. What does the Bible say?

Luke 10: 25 – 29 "There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test him and said, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus said to him, "What is written in the law? How do you read it?" He said in reply, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself." He replied to him, "You have answered correctly; do this and you will live."

Matthew 25:31-46 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations 15 will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.' Then the righteous 16 will answer him and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?' And the king will say to them in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.' Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.' Then they will answer and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?' He will answer them, 'Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.' And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

Questions for Discussion:

How can you love your neighbor?

## In Summary

Hopefully, reading these Scriptures and answering these questions has been profitable.

###
End Notes

One of the key indicators for this rebellion is attendance at Church on Sunday. What are the reasons people give for not attending church? These are the results of a Gallup poll in March 2007.

**Reasons for Not Attending Church**

http://www.galluppoll.com/content/?ci=27124&pg=2

Americans who say they attend church only seldom or never -- a little over 40% of the adult population -- give a variety of reasons for their non-attendance.

_(Asked of adult who seldom or never attend church services)_ _What is the most important reason why you do not attend church or synagogue?_ _[OPEN-ENDED]_

**BASED ON 439 ADULTS WHO SELDOM/NEVER ATTEND CHURCH**

2007 Mar 26-29

THOUGHT-OUT, RATIONAL REASONS %

Don't agree with organized religion/

what they preach 24%

Don't believe in going to church 16%

Atheist/Don't believe in God10%

Church wants/asks for too much money 3%

PRACTICAL OR "DEFAULT" REASONS

Don't have time/Don't get around to it 21%

Don't have a church I connect with 9%

I'm lazy 6%

Poor health/Disabled 2%

Family members are different religions 1%

Other 5%

No reason in particular 6%

No opinion 3%

There are two groups of reasons why Americans seldom or never attend church. The first is what can be called "rational" reasons, or reasons based on more explicit decisions or patterns of belief. These include such things as disagreement with organized religion and what it preaches, a basic lack of belief in going to church, and a straightforward statement of being an atheist or not believing in God.

The second set of reasons are practical, and don't by themselves signify any specific opposition to attending church, but rather an acknowledgment that respondents' life situations get in the way of their going to religious services. These include such basic responses as "don't have time" or "don't get around to it," not having a church they like, being lazy, and a few other specific reasons.

i Gallup poll _conducted Nov. 10-12, 2003._ <http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1043849/posts>

In another poll, there was a comparison of Catholics versus Protestants in Church Attendance, reported on April 9, 2009.

 http://www.gallup.com/poll/117382/church-going-among-catholics-slides-tie-protestants.aspx

"On the basis of these 10-year snapshots of church attendance, the percentage of Catholics saying they went to church in the past week is essentially unchanged between 1995 and today. That's an extremely important finding given the upheaval in the U.S. Roman Catholic Church caused by the sexual abuse scandals that erupted earlier this decade. Gallup polling in 2002 and 2003 found a decline in the percentages of Catholics saying they had attended church in the past week; however, attendance rebounded by the end of 2003 and has since remained on par with its pre-scandal level of about 45%."
