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Hi Ben,
Thanks for the question.
You said:
I am a Seventh Day Adventist and there is a longing in my heart for more of God. Though I do have to deal with a mental illness, I feel like my sins pull me away from God, especially those from my tongue and my sexual sins. I know the root of the problem are my sins but I also feel like there is something missing in my life.
- Can you suggest anything for me?
- What can I do to feel closer to God?
First, thank-you for the very good questions. Assuming that you have always been a Seventh Day Adventist, you were never baptized into the Body of Christ.
Trinitarian baptism will transform your whole life. That's not to say your struggles with sin will immediately go away — they won't, but once you understand Christian theology and the Christian battle you are involved in, you will be able to cope with them much, much better.
While there are many Protestant denominations that administer a valid Trinitarian baptism, they still reject major teachings Jesus wants us to believe as Christians and none of them have a valid priesthood. This is very important because only a valid priesthood can administer the sacraments of the Church: the spiritual dynamite that greatly helps us in the spiritual battle.
Our team consists of Catholic apologists. A Catholic apologist gives visitors good reasons to become Catholic Christians. While we always respect our visitors free will to disagree with our answers (which are only a reflection of the Church's teachings and answers), we encourage and give good reasons to become a Catholic but never force, in a coercive manner, someone to join the faith.
For that reason, I would suggest or encourage you search around for a faithful Catholic parish and make an appointment with a priest to discuss what it takes to become a Catholic.
The Catholic Church is the only Church that can traces its Apostolic roots to Jesus and St. Peter, on which He founded His only Church.
- There is no such thing as an invisible church otherwise how could we find it in order to join it?
People, including Jesus, are flesh and blood people. It would certainly not fit God's job description, to ascend into Heaven, leaving an invisible church:
- no one knew how to find or
- discern which one was really His.
If Trinitarian baptism will transform your whole life, the sacraments of the Catholic Church will super charge your spiritual life. Sure, you could get the same sacramental life in the Orthodox Churches but you would be missing out on teachings they still don't believe in.
Final Note:
With time and grace, the sins of the tongue can be removed from your life.
The sexual sins are another matter. The only time we won't struggle with the sins of the flesh is when we are six feet under the ground : ) so don't be to rough on yourself, especially since you have a mental illness to deal with. The Lord knows your good heart more than anyone on my team. Know that He loves you more than you can imagine. Even when we are sinning he still loves us.
Because He was a Man like us in all things but sin, so He understands our struggles especially in lieu of our mental illness.
If you decide to become a Catholic, going to Mass on a weekly, and if possible daily, basis and going to Confession on a regular basis will be a big help with this struggle.
I hope this helps,
Mike
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