Protestantism validates vanity. In every generation, a horde of Pastor Bobs tells donors: “I can see that you are a good person. You are very intelligent. You are going to Heaven! I will keep telling you that as long as you give me money.”
Not long ago, the Pastor Bobs boiled down their promise of getting into Heaven by breathlessly asking: “Are you born again?”
Today, Protestantism validates vanity with a new talking point. It is popular among The Marketing Plan Denominations to ask: “Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus?”
The lower-end groups pronounce it differently: “Do you have a personal relationship with Jeee-sus?”
In both cases, the question is ridiculous.
The vain believe they may demand“the keys to The Kingdom of Heaven.” They do not recognize how colossal that vanity is.
They are smart enough to not go to their employer and announce: “I have a personal relationship with you. You must give me more money!”
But, they say to Jesus, “I claim to have a personal relationship with you. You must open the gates to The Kingdom of Heaven for Me!”
Jesus did say, “You are My friends if you obey My commands.”
To be saved, we must strive to obey all that He taught, including The Decree by which He brought The Only Church He Founded Into Being:
“Verily, verily I say unto you thou art Peter and on this rock I build My Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I give you the keys to The Kingdom of Heaven.”
Catholics obey His Decree. Protestantism validates vanity by encouraging donors to ignore The Only Church Jesus Founded.
