Testimony of the former Roman Catholic priest
The love of Christ compels me to testify of my conversion from the Roman Catholic priesthood to the life of a man born again in Jesus Christ. For 25 years I followed as a Roman Catholic priest conscientiously the rituals of a system that surrounded me like a huge and impossible to control fortress in which darkness reigns and in which the written Word of God is not heeded.
The Lord teaches me
I baptized many babies, pouring water on their heads. We officiated public processions in honor and veneration of the dead "saints," carrying their wooden statues, although God's second commandment strictly forbids even the making of such sculpted images or faces. I held the liturgy every day, which I mistakenly believed was the repetition of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ at Golgotha, and I believed that the bread and wine truly became the flesh and blood of Jesus. Only later, after studying and praying about Jesus' words as recorded in the Bible, did my eyes open. The Lord taught me that there could be no repetition of the sacrifice made on the cross, nor the fact that Jesus truly changed the bread and wine into His body and blood when He instituted the Lord's Supper.
I sought with great earnestness, perseverance, and sincerity the intercession of the dead "saints," and prayed for the dead in purgatory, not knowing what the Bible teaches: "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy). 2: 5). He alone died in the place of the believer and paid the full ransom for sin. Because this is true, we understand why nothing is mentioned in the Bible about a place of purification called purgatory, from which souls are let go as a result of the suffering and prayers of those who live on earth. As a sincere Roman Catholic, I had great faith in the worship of relics and sacraments, which are attributed divine power when used for spiritual purposes.
Only God can forgive sin
As a priest, I have heard many confessions and "absolved" others of their sins, knowing nothing of the biblical teaching that only God can forgive sin. The Bible says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness " (1 John 1: 9).
I adhered to these teachings and practices, as well as others not only because I was born and raised in this traditional system, but especially because I was obliged to obey, because I believed the lie that “outside the Roman Catholic Church there is no salvation. “. The teaching of the Church, called the magisterium, based on tradition, was accepted as the final authority, not the written Word of God, the Bible (which was a closed book, even for those preparing to become priests).
Only with God is there peace
My training to become a priest was done in Rome. In 1954 I received my doctorate in theology, and after that I did postgraduate studies in economics in Canada.
For eight years I was a professor of economics at BCM College in Kottayam, India. I was also the director of St. Stephen's College in Uzhavoor for nine years.
These were high positions that brought me prestige in society and material prosperity. During my 25 years as a priest, I did not have spiritual joy or peace of mind even when I performed the various rituals. There was a growing feeling of darkness and emptiness in my soul, until I finally felt it was pointless to baptize infants, listen to confessions, ask for the "real presence of Christ" in the wine and host of the liturgy, or perform any other ritual.
I did not know what to do. I turned my attention to smoking, drinking, eating, going to the theater, and other worldly activities in search of happiness and peace. But none of this could give me what my spirit needed. There have been years of torment and spiritual unrest.
What I needed was eternal salvation.
Your word is a light on my path
Somehow, I began to turn my attention to the Bible. Some verses caught my eye. "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away" (Mark 13:31). I realized that this was true because “all Scripture is inspired of God and useful for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for instruction in righteousness [according to the divine standard] , that the man of God may be perfect, fully equipped for every good work ” (2 Timothy 3: 16-7).
I thank God for bringing into my life a few newborn people who helped me study. The word of God became "the lamp of my feet" and "the light of my path . " I knew now why I was so dry and empty in spirit and soul. “Whosoever committeth sin, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. But he that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son ” (2 John 9). Even though I was very religious, I did not remain in the teaching of Christ. But now my eyes have been opened to the teaching of Christ as it is revealed in the Bible, the only "power of God unto salvation . " Matthew 16:26 resounded in my ears:"For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Through the Word of God, I became convinced that something more than baptism was needed to make someone a Christian. Certainly the infant's baptism cannot do this. An infant cannot believe, be convinced of his sin, nor acknowledge his sin; he cannot trust Jesus Christ and cannot receive Him as a personal Savior. I soon realized what was the cause of my spiritual need; I was convinced of my sinfulness and the righteousness of Christ.
A new creature
I praise the Lord for giving me the courage and strength to leave everything behind and trust in Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and Lord. This day was April 5, 1980. After I was born again by His Spirit and baptized in water, the Lord filled me with divine peace, joy in my heart, and a new meaning for my life. That emptiness in my soul that had tormented me for so long is gone, and now I know what it means to become a new creature. The old things are gone; behold, all things are become new.
However, Satan did not forget me. He circled around me like a roaring lion. He began using his agents to persecute me through physical assault, isolation, outlawry, and false accusations. I suffered the persecution described in Psalm 69: 4,8,12. However, in all this, the Lord remained my comfort and strength. He never left me and never left me. His words in Psalm 27:10 and Luke 6: 22-23 strengthened my confidence, gave me courage and even joy.
The Lord has blessed me with a Christian wife, who had previously been a nun for twelve years, and since then we have lived in faith and served the Lord. I have traveled to many places in India and abroad to preach the truth about the saving power of Jesus Christ, and I have testified about my conversion. I visited many families and individuals in an effort to bring them to the Lord. It seems like a miracle how the Lord has taken me and my family from place to place, despite persecution. Finally, in 1987, He opened the way for me to move with my family to America.
Through Dr. Bart Brewer of Mission to Catholics International, I met Pastor Ted Duncan of Liberty Baptist Church in San Jose, California. I will always be grateful to these men for their kindness and for the spiritual help they have given me. They were indeed good "Samaritans." My wife and I were blessed with a son and a daughter. We live in San Jose and attend the Liberty Baptist Church .
Dear reader, look at Jesus Christ. In His shed blood for atonement for our sins is the power to wash away your sins as He washed away my sins. No one can limit the effectiveness of the precious blood of Christ. Trust only in Him and be "justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:24).
Simon Kottoor is now serving the Lord from his local church in San Jose, California. He testified in many churches and explained the biblical faith. He has a big heart to help Catholics who seek the biblical faith.
(Translator: Olimpiu S. Cosma)
[Source: https://bereanbeacon.org/ro/exista-putere-in-sangele-ispasitor-al-lui-cristos/]
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