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Jesus guides St. Faustina as to how to make a good Confession to His Catholic Priest Representative.

Steven Merten

Active Member
Divine Mercy in My Soul

By St. Faustina​

I want you to be open and simple as a child with My representative just as you are with Me; otherwise I will leave you and not commune with you. (diary 494)​


Jesus guiding St. Faustina as to how to make a good confession, to His Catholic Priest representative amazes me. Why would not Jesus Himself hear St. Faustina’s confession and absolve her of her sins directly?


What does everyone think?
 

Steven Merten

Active Member
During the apparitions in Fatima, the Blessed Mother had the seers warn those in a state of sin to stand back from her until they go and receive the Sacrament of Confession.
 

Glaurung

Denizen of Niflheim
Why would not Jesus Himself hear St. Faustina’s confession and absolve her of her sins directly?
Why should Saint Faustina be exempt from the ordinary channels of sacramental grace? Our Lord instituted the sacraments, thus he is very much involved whenever they are effected.
 
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Steven Merten

Active Member
Why should Saint Faustina be exempt from the ordinary channels of sacramental grace? Our Lord instituted the sacraments, thus he is very much involved whenever they are effected.

Divine Mercy in My Soul
By St. Faustina​

... Oh, how miserable are those who do not take advantage of the miracle of God's mercy! You will call out in vain, but it will be too late. (Diary - Divine Mercy in My Soul, 1448)​

Hello Musing, I am not so much preaching to the choir, but more concerned for the Protestants and non-practicing Catholics. There are a great number of Christians out there who think that Jesus continually, automatically, forgives them for their every unrepentant sins. There are also a great number of Christians out there who believe that they can attain absolution from sins directly from Jesus, without going through a Catholic Priest in the confessional.

Jesus and the Blessed Mother have warned us that we must warn people to prepare for Jesus’ Second Coming. Jesus and the Blessed Mother tell us that Jesus is not coming as merciful Savior but instead as Just Judge. Jesus (Second) Coming as Just Judge, to hurl the unrepentant wicked into hell, is a good time to be washed in the Blood of the Lamb, through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

We must warn our Protestant brothers and sisters, and non-practicing children, it is time to come home to Holy Mother Church, the Catholic Church, where Jesus has placed His great gift of mercy, His Power and Authority to absolve them of their sins.

The Blessed Virgin Mary :

... you have to speak to the world about His great mercy and prepare the world for the Second Coming of Him who will come, not as a merciful Savior, but as a just Judge. Oh, how terrible is that day! Determined is the day of justice, the day of divine wrath. The angels tremble before it. Speak to souls about this great mercy while it is still the time for [granting] mercy. If you keep silent now, you will be answering for a great number of souls on that terrible day. ... (Diary - Divine Mercy in My Soul, 635)

Jesus looked at me and said, Souls perish in spite of My bitter Passion. I am giving them the last hope of salvation; that is, the Feast of My Mercy. If they will not adore My mercy, they will perish for all eternity. Secretary of My mercy, write, tell souls about this great mercy of Mine, because the awful day, the day of My justice, is near. (Diary - Divine Mercy in My Soul, 965)

I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which grace flow are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet. (Divine Mercy in My Soul, 699)

Matthew 25:1 The Parable of the Ten Virgins.
“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones, when taking their lamps, brought no oil with them, but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps. Since the bridegroom was long delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight, there was a cry, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise ones replied, ‘No, for there may not be enough for us and you. Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.’ While they went off to buy it, the bridegroom came and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him. Then the door was locked. Afterwards the other virgins came and said, ‘Lord, Lord, open the door for us!’ But he said in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’

Matthew 13:47 Parable of the Net
"The reign of God is also like a dragnet thrown into the lake, which collected all sorts of things. When it was full they hauled it ashore and sat down to put what was worthwhile into containers. What was useless they threw away. That is how it will be at the end of the world. Angels will go out and separate the wicked from the just and hurl the wicked into the fiery furnace, where they will wail and grind their teeth."
 
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Steven Merten

Active Member
Matthew 6:13 The Lord’s Prayer
Subject us not to trial but deliver us from the evil one.

New American Bible, Notes for Matthew 6:13
Jewish apocalyptic writings speak of a period of severe trial before the end of the age, sometimes called the 'messianic woes.' This petition asks that the disciples be spared that final test.

Revelation 7:3
Do not damage the land or the sea or the trees until we put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God....

...Then one of the elders spoke up and said to me, 'Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from'? I said to him, 'My lord, you are the one who knows.' He said to me, 'These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb'.




Divine Mercy in My Soul

By St. Faustina


Febuary 22, 1931 In the evening, when I was in my cell, I saw the Lord Jesus clothed in a white garment. One hand (was) raised in the gesture of blessing, the other was touching the garment at the breast. From beneath the garment, slightly drawn aside the breast, there were emanating two large rays, one red, the other pale. In silence I kept my gaze fixed on the Lord; my soul was struck with awe, but also with great joy. After a while, Jesus said to me, Paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the signature: Jesus, I trust in You. I desire that this image be venerated, first in your chapel, and (then) throughout the world. (Divine Mercy in My Soul, 47)

The two rays denote Blood and Water. The pale ray stands for the Water which makes souls righteous. The red ray stands for the Blood which is the life of souls... These two rays issued forth from the very depths of My tender mercy when My agonized Heart was opened by a lance on the Cross. These rays shield souls from the wrath of My Father. Happy is the one who will dwell in their shelter, for the just hand of God shall not lay hold of him. (Divine Mercy in My Soul, 299)

Psalms 91
You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shade of the Almighty, Say to the LORD, “My refuge and fortress, my God in whom I trust.”
My image already is in your soul. I desire that there be a Feast of Mercy. I want this image, which you will paint with a brush, to be solemnly blessed on the first Sunday after Easter; that Sunday is to be the Feast of Mercy. (Divine Mercy in My Soul, 49)

I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which grace flow are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet. (Divine Mercy in My Soul, 699)
 
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Steven Merten

Active Member
So what does everyone think, of my previous post #5? In the Lord's Prayer, Jesus has us praying that we will not be put on trial upon His Second Coming as Just Judge, at the 'end of the age'. How many bazillion Our Fathers has the Catholic Church prayed over the last two millenniums, requesting that we not be subjected to trial, by God, when Jesus (Second) Comes to earth as Just Judge?

The Book of Revelation and Old Testament talk of the survivors who put their trust in the Lord upon the Great Chastisement. Through St. Faustian, Jesus tells us what we should now be doing to prepare for Jesus imminent Coming as Just Judge, and that is to immerse ourselves in the mercy of His Blood through Jesus' Catholic Sacraments. As of the year 2000, Jesus has given us, His Catholic Church, His Divine Mercy Feast Day, the second Sunday of Easter, as the way He Wills us to prepare for His imminent Second Coming as Just Judge.

What do you think?

Divine Mercy in My Soul

By St. Faustian​


He who refuses to pass through the door of My mercy must pass through the door of My justice... (Divine Mercy in My Soul, 1146) Today I heard a voice in my soul: Oh, if sinners knew My mercy, they would not perish in such great numbers. Tell sinful souls not to be afraid to approach Me; speak to them of My great mercy.

Tell sinners that no one shall escape My Hand; if they run away from My Merciful Heart, they will fall into My Just Hands. (Divine Mercy in My Soul, 1728)

Souls who spread the honor of My mercy I shield through their entire lives as a tender mother her infant, and at the hour of death I will not be a Judge for them, but the Merciful Savior. At that last hour, a soul has nothing with which to defend itself except My mercy. Happy is the soul that during its lifetime immersed itself in the Fountain of Mercy, because justice will have no hold on it. (Divine Mercy in My Soul, 1075)

Speak to the world about My mercy; let all mankind recognize My unfathomable mercy. It is a sign for the end times; after it will come the day of justice. (Divine Mercy in My Soul, 848)

... Oh, how miserable are those who do not take advantage of the miracle of God's mercy! You will call out in vain, but it will be too late. (Divine Mercy in My Soul, 1448)
 
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Steven Merten

Active Member
Divine Mercy in My Soul

By St. Faustina​


Souls who spread the honor of My mercy I shield through their entire lives as a tender mother her infant, and at the hour of death I will not be a Judge for them, but the Merciful Savior. At that last hour, a soul has nothing with which to defend itself except My mercy. Happy is the soul that during its lifetime immersed itself in the Fountain of Mercy, because justice will have no hold on it. (Divine Mercy in My Soul, 1075)


I work hard to spread Jesus’ gift of His Divine Mercy Feast Day. Divine Mercy Feast Day is the second Sunday of Easter. Jesus Promises us that those who receive His Sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Eucharist will be fully prepared for His Second Coming as Just Judge. Through St. Pope John Paul II, Jesus initiated His gift of His Divine Mercy Feast Day, in the year 2000.

Jesus and the Blessed Mother told St. Faustina that she must tell people about Jesus Divine Mercy. St. Faustina, a Catholic cloistered nun, began to pack her bags and leave the convent to spread Jesus’ Message of Divine Mercy. Jesus stopped St. Faustina from doing so. Jesus told St. Faustina he wanted her to stay in her cloistered convent. I have taken St. Faustina’s mission from Jesus upon myself. I believe this is what Jesus Wills us to do. We Catholics are to take Jesus Message of Divine Mercy, given through St. Faustina, and spread it to the world, in St. Faustina’s place.

Jesus tells us that for those who spread His message of Divine Mercy Feast Day, He will not be Just Judge too, but He will be Merciful Savior to them. Do any of my fellow Catholics here also wish to help Jesus by spreading His Message of Divine Mercy Feast Day?

The Blessed Virgin Mary :

... you have to speak to the world about His great mercy and prepare the world for the Second Coming of Him who will come, not as a merciful Savior, but as a just Judge. Oh, how terrible is that day! Determined is the day of justice, the day of divine wrath. The angels tremble before it. Speak to souls about this great mercy while it is still the time for [granting] mercy. If you keep silent now, you will be answering for a great number of souls on that terrible day. ... (Diary - Divine Mercy in My Soul, 635)
 
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pearl

Well-Known Member
The Book of . Through St. Faustian, Jesus tells us what we should now be doing to prepare for Jesus imminent Coming as Just Judge, and that is to immerse ourselves in the mercy of His Blood through Jesus' Catholic Sacraments. As of the year 2000, Jesus has given us, His Catholic Church, His Divine Mercy Feast Day, the second Sunday of Easter, as the way He Wills us to prepare for His imminent Second Coming as Just Judge.

What do you think?

I think these are private interpretations and are not part of the 'deposit of faith' requiring belief. Also it is not the Catholic Church that saves, it is God who saves, as Christians we acknowledge all salvation is through Christ, even for those who do not acknowledge Christ as their savoir.
 

Steven Merten

Active Member
I think these are private interpretations and are not part of the 'deposit of faith' requiring belief.


Greetings pcarl,

In the year 2000, St. John Paul II canonized St. Faustina and initiated Divine Mercy Sunday, as our Lord Jesus Christ requested of the Church. You are correct. Because the messages of St. Faustina are ‘private revelation’, we as Catholics, are not required to believe them or practice the ‘Divine Mercy Chaplet’, or venerate the ‘Image of Divine Mercy.’ I would think we are obligated to observe ‘Divine Mercy Sunday’, the second Sunday of Easter, as a Catholic Feast Day, as St. John Paul II initiated it so in the year 2000.

We as Catholics are free to reject all St. Faustina’s messages from Jesus and the Blessed Mother. We as Catholics are also free to practice, share and promote the messages of St. Faustina. There are a great number of Catholic parishes praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet, with Jesus’ ‘Image of Divine Mercy’ hanging on their walls, which they venerate. There are also a great number of Catholics receiving Jesus' gift of Divine Mercy Feast Day, and spreading Jesus' messages which He gave through St. Faustina.

Understanding Divine Mercy Sunday

Thus, it remains true that no one is required by the Holy See, on Mercy Sunday, to pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, or venerate the Image of The Divine Mercy, or do anything else that springs from St. Faustina’s revelations. No priest could be called a “heretic”, or in any way disobedient to liturgical law, for ignoring these things entirely.”

“In short, what is not required--i.e., not a matter of law or precept-- can still be a matter of good counsel. Given the fact that our chief shepherd and pastor, Pope John Paul II, has strongly encouraged the whole, universal Church, on several occasions, to pay heed to the messages and revelations given to St. Faustina as a special call to our time to turn back to the God of merciful love – and given that the Pope has also recommended both the Image and the Chaplet as helpful means to that end -- it would surely be rash and imprudent to ignore those exhortations from the Vicar of Christ.”



Divine Mercy in My Soul

By St. Faustina


Febuary 22, 1931 In the evening, when I was in my cell, I saw the Lord Jesus clothed in a white garment. One hand (was) raised in the gesture of blessing, the other was touching the garment at the breast. From beneath the garment, slightly drawn aside the breast, there were emanating two large rays, one red, the other pale. In silence I kept my gaze fixed on the Lord; my soul was struck with awe, but also with great joy. After a while, Jesus said to me, Paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the signature: Jesus, I trust in You. I desire that this image be venerated, first in your chapel, and (then) throughout the world. (Divine Mercy in My Soul, 47)

The two rays denote Blood and Water. The pale ray stands for the Water which makes souls righteous. The red ray stands for the Blood which is the life of souls... These two rays issued forth from the very depths of My tender mercy when My agonized Heart was opened by a lance on the Cross. These rays shield souls from the wrath of My Father. Happy is the one who will dwell in their shelter, for the just hand of God shall not lay hold of him. (Divine Mercy in My Soul, 299)

My image already is in your soul. I desire that there be a Feast of Mercy. I want this image, which you will paint with a brush, to be solemnly blessed on the first Sunday after Easter; that Sunday is to be the Feast of Mercy. (Divine Mercy in My Soul, 49)

I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which grace flow are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet. (Divine Mercy in My Soul, 699)

Jesus looked at me and said, Souls perish in spite of My bitter Passion. I am giving them the last hope of salvation; that is, the Feast of My Mercy. If they will not adore My mercy, they will perish for all eternity. Secretary of My mercy, write, tell souls about this great mercy of Mine, because the awful day, the day of My justice, is near. (Diary - Divine Mercy in My Soul, 965)
 

Steven Merten

Active Member
it is not the Catholic Church that saves, it is God who saves, as Christians we acknowledge all salvation is through Christ, even for those who do not acknowledge Christ as their savoir.


Hello pcarl,

Are you sure you are Catholic? You are sounding a bit Protestant. Are you in communion with the Church, on “No Salvation outside the Church”? Yes, all Salvation comes from God through the blood of Jesus. All God's Salvation flows through Christ’s Church, the Catholic Church, to mankind.

Thus, Jesus' Divine Mercy Feast Day, which Jesus has gifted to all mankind, in order for all mankind to prepare for Jesus' Second Coming as Just Judge, Jesus has placed in and through His Church, the Catholic Church.

There Is No Salvation outside the Catholic Church
To state “there is no salvation outside the Catholic Church” does not mean that no Protestant, Jew, Muslim, etc., could be saved, but if he were saved, it would be by virtue of the Catholic Church and not his erring sect or religion. If he were saved, it would be because he was, by grace (or in the case of Protestants, by baptism), a member of the Catholic Church. Everyone who is in heaven is a member of the Church Triumphant and, ipso facto, a Catholic.
I do not think many people will deny that there are good and holy people in other religions. But this does not lessen the importance of the fact that all the graces in the world enter the world through the Catholic Church.

There Is No Salvation outside the Catholic Church - OnePeterFive


Pope Francis is under attack for saying that outside the Church there is no salvation: it’s a “poke in the eye” says one Presbyterian. Here is why he’s wrong

Catechism of the Catholic Church

846 How are we to understand this affirmation, often repeated by the Church Fathers? Re-formulated positively, it means that all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is his Body: Basing itself on Scripture and Tradition, the Council teaches that the Church, a pilgrim now on earth, is necessary for salvation: the one Christ is the mediator and the way of salvation; he is present to us in his body which is the Church. He himself explicitly asserted the necessity of faith and Baptism, and thereby affirmed at the same time the necessity of the Church which men enter through Baptism as through a door. Hence they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it or to remain in it.

CCC Search Result - Paragraph # 846
 

pearl

Well-Known Member
Are you sure you are Catholic? You are sounding a bit Protestant.

This explains all. I am sorry you do not recognize that the Church of Vat II is one and the same Church. You would have to pose the same question to Pope John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis, do you also question their loyal to the Catholic faith. We are one teaching Church. The cry 'turned into Protestants' was the response of those who refused to accept the authority of the Council.

Normally, “it will be in the sincere practice of what is good in their own religious traditions and by following the dictates of their own conscience that the members of other religions respond positively to God’s invitation and receive salvation in Jesus Christ, even while they do not recognize or acknowledge him as their Saviour (cf. Ad gentes, nn. 3, 9, 11)” (Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue – Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, Instruction Dialogue and Proclamation, 19 May 1991, n. 29; L’Osservatore Romano English edition, 1 July 1991, p. III).
Indeed, as the Second Vatican Council teaches, “since Christ died for all, and since all men are in fact called to one and the same destiny, which is divine, we must hold that the Holy Spirit offers to all the possibility of coming into contact, in a way known to God, with the paschal mystery” (Gaudium et spes, n. 22).

We now come to the Second Vatican Council, where nearly 1900 years of theological development was crystallized. Referring to non-Catholic Christians, the Decree on Ecumenism stated, "The brethren divided from us also carry out many of the sacred actions of the Christian religion. Undoubtedly, in ways that vary according to the condition of each church or community, these actions can truly engender a life of grace, and can be rightly described as capable of providing access to the community of salvation . . . It follows that these separated churches and communities, though we believe they suffer from defects already mentioned, have by no means been deprived of significance and importance in the mystery of salvation. For the Spirit of Christ has not refrained from using them as means of salvation which derive their efficacy from the very fullness of grace and truth entrusted to the Catholic Church."
 

exchemist

Veteran Member
This explains all. I am sorry you do not recognize that the Church of Vat II is one and the same Church. You would have to pose the same question to Pope John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis, do you also question their loyal to the Catholic faith. We are one teaching Church. The cry 'turned into Protestants' was the response of those who refused to accept the authority of the Council.

Normally, “it will be in the sincere practice of what is good in their own religious traditions and by following the dictates of their own conscience that the members of other religions respond positively to God’s invitation and receive salvation in Jesus Christ, even while they do not recognize or acknowledge him as their Saviour (cf. Ad gentes, nn. 3, 9, 11)” (Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue – Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, Instruction Dialogue and Proclamation, 19 May 1991, n. 29; L’Osservatore Romano English edition, 1 July 1991, p. III).
Indeed, as the Second Vatican Council teaches, “since Christ died for all, and since all men are in fact called to one and the same destiny, which is divine, we must hold that the Holy Spirit offers to all the possibility of coming into contact, in a way known to God, with the paschal mystery” (Gaudium et spes, n. 22).

We now come to the Second Vatican Council, where nearly 1900 years of theological development was crystallized. Referring to non-Catholic Christians, the Decree on Ecumenism stated, "The brethren divided from us also carry out many of the sacred actions of the Christian religion. Undoubtedly, in ways that vary according to the condition of each church or community, these actions can truly engender a life of grace, and can be rightly described as capable of providing access to the community of salvation . . . It follows that these separated churches and communities, though we believe they suffer from defects already mentioned, have by no means been deprived of significance and importance in the mystery of salvation. For the Spirit of Christ has not refrained from using them as means of salvation which derive their efficacy from the very fullness of grace and truth entrusted to the Catholic Church."
Quite. It all boils down to what is meant by "the Church". It is certainly not part of Catholic doctrine that only Catholics attain salvation.

(Fairly obviously, I would have thought.)
 
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Steven Merten

Active Member
Jesus and His Personal Relationship with His Bride, the Catholic Church.
During the Passover, maybe some of the first born of the Egyptians did end up going to heaven through the blood of Jesus. This can be argued over by debating “No Salvation Outside the Church” Catholic Doctrine. However, what interests me about the Passover, is that those of God’s Church, the Israelite Church, who painted lambs blood on their door posts, survived God's Woes of Exodus, poured out upon Egypt, during Passover. God had a Personal Relationship with His Church, the Israelite Church, and He protected them, and not other People.

I see Jesus wanting the same type of Personal Relationship with His Church, the Catholic Church, to protect His Church During the Woes of Revelation, during what seems to be a Second Passover. Instead of painting lambs blood on our door posts, we are to wash our robes white in Jesus Divine Mercy Feast Day, to be the survivors from the Woes of Revelation, when Jesus Returns as ‘Just Judge’.

It is through, and within, Christ’s Church, the Catholic Church, that Jesus has placed His gift of Divine Mercy Feast Day. Jesus tells us that those washed in His blood and through the Mercy of His Divine Mercy Feast Day will not be harmed during His Second Coming as Just Judge, aka The Woes of Revelation. Let us pray and work to bring our Protestant brothers and sisters home, so they too can share Jesus’ protection in His Divine Mercy Feast Day. All God's saving Grace flows through Christ's Church, the Catholic Church.

Jesus did not absolve St. Faustina from sin directly. Jesus absolves St. Faustina, of her sins, through His Catholic Sacraments of Reconciliation and Baptism, making her soul washed in the Blood of the Lamb, and pure white.

Revelation 7
'Do not damage the land or the sea or the trees until we put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.'...

...Then one of the elders spoke up and said to me, 'Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from'? I said to him, 'My lord, you are the one who knows.' He said to me, 'These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb'.

Revelation 19:6
Then I heard something like the sound of a great multitude or the sound of rushing water or mighty peals of thunder, as they said: "Alleluia! The Lord has established his reign, (our) God, the almighty. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory. For the wedding day of the Lamb has come, his bride has made herself ready. She was allowed to wear a bright, clean linen garment."
 
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Steven Merten

Active Member
Respectful question - Israelite Church?


Shalom RabbiO,

Respectful answer - I did not use the term ‘Jewish Church’, because I was talking about all Twelve Tribes of Israel, rather than just one Tribe, the Descendants of Judah. Are you suggesting I should have used the term ‘Hebrew Church’?

Judaism 101: Who Is a Jew?

The word "Jew" (in Hebrew, "Yehudi") is derived from the name Judah, which was the name of one of Jacob's twelve sons. Judah was the ancestor of one of the tribes of Israel, which was named after him. Likewise, the word Judaism literally means "Judah-ism," that is, the religion of the Yehudim. Other sources, however, say that the word "Yehudim" means "People of G-d," because the first three letters of "Yehudah" are the same as the first three letters of G-d's four-letter name.

Originally, the term Yehudi referred specifically to members of the tribe of Judah, as distinguished from the other tribes of Israel. However, after the death of King Solomon, the nation of Israel was split into two kingdoms: the kingdom of Judah and the kingdom of Israel (I Kings 12; II Chronicles 10). After that time, the word Yehudi could properly be used to describe anyone from the kingdom of Judah, which included the tribes of Judah, Benjamin and Levi, as well as scattered settlements from other tribes.

Quoted from:

Judaism 101: Who Is a Jew?
 
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