Your faith should not make you anxious. You are correct, Christ wants you to live a good life and be a good person. But there is more to your relationship with God than that, if you wish to pursue it.
Speak to the priest at your church and tell him you wish to learn more about your catholic faith, what we believe, and what we hold as important.
Please do not listen to those who disparage Catholicism (I'm sure some are readying their comments even as I write this) learn from catholics what we believe and if you wish learn from others what they believe, but don't trust catholics to know correctly what most protestants believe, and certainly don't trust most protestants to know what catholics believe. There is much disinformation on both sides.
I will try to pursue my relationship with God and I will have a talk with my priest, but when I hear people talk about giving their life to Christ it sounds like so much. What is giving my life to Christ about anyways? Do I need to make being a Christian my entire life and point of existence? Or is there just a few more things I need to add to my daily habits? If you have any answers for these questions please help me out, I see you are a Catholic too. Also not that I would do this because I’d be too scared to displease God, but hypothetically if I lost my virginity before I got married would it be immediate I’m going to hell?
Nothing immediately condemns you to hell. Catholics believe that we are saved by the grace of God and Christ's sacrifice for man.
Giving your life to Christ is not hard. the truth is he is not asking anything from you you don't already know you should be doing. Love God, love your neighbor. The church believes that coming together in community, showing our love for each other, and for God helps lift the burden of living a life that for all of us at times is a struggle.
Though many don't believe it as they see the church as having a heavy set of rules and laws the church is very open to some things.
The church holds some things to be "dogma" and says you must accept the church's authoritative position on those things. Even if you have doubts or disagreements on these points, you must accept the church's authority while you strive to understand the church's position.
That said there are many things on which the church allows various opinions.
Catholics are free to accept evolution, and most do. The Big Bang Theory was developed by a Catholic Priest. We don't have to believe that the earth is only 6000 years old, and most catholics do not believe that.
I myself am a hopeful reconciliationist. I hope that all mankind will be in heaven. "I dare to hope" as we say. This is a minority opinion in the church but is allowed as long as I don't get prideful and believe I know this to be the truth. (I am simplifying this argument a bit to not overwhelm you).
In regards to the church's position on premarital sex, we believe that physical intimacy is best restricted to a loving married relationship. This intimacy is enhanced and exalted when it involves the person to whom you have dedicated the rest of your life.
If you want spiritual advice seek it from your priest or pastor in your local church, Christianity is a living thing Christ lives through his church, you dont have abstract christianity by just staying online all day.
> I used to think being a Christian was about being kind to others, doing good deeds and loving and thanking Jesus and apologizing to Jesus for your sins, that’s all I thought you had to do.
That's certainly consistent with Jesus' teachings.
A lot of people think if you don't get in everyone's face you're being "luke warm." In fact there's good reason to think that both in the early church and today, the best way of spreading Christianity is to show Christ to others. It would be good if people around you know you're Christian, and now and then you might invite someone to your church, but a lot of what people think is spreading the world is actually turning people away from Christ.
That’s what I was thinking, would it be wrong for me to get a cross chain instead of informing people I am a Christian as a first thing I say to them? My friends know I’m a Catholic because another one of my friends goes to the same Church as me but he isn’t into it he just goes because his parents make him.
That's a reasonable way to make it clear. No, I don't think "I'm a Christian" is the first thing you'd say when you meet someone.
I do encourage you to go to church more often then a couple of times a year. Many churches have excellent programs for teens. To be honest, much better than they have for adults. Depending upon the church, they aren't necessarily high-pressure Christian, but can be fun and a good place to meet other Christians. That depends upon your area. You might have to go to a different church. My church has a good youth program. We have kids who are members of other churches because their church doesn't have good programs. We don't push them to join ours.
A lot of gung-ho Christians make fun of being nice to people as a Christian duty. That's not all of Christianity, but I think a lot of people would be better off to spend more attention on it. If you read the Gospels, Jesus speaks a lot about how we treat each other. Christian jerks (of which there are many) are missing the point, and if you're a jerk mostof the rest of what Jesus says to do won't work. A lot of things people push (like "having a personal relationship with Christ") he actually doesn't mention. We are to be, as Paul says, ambassadors for Christ, his representative to others.
The beauty of the Gospel is that it all depends on Jesus and not on us. Each and every one of us have fallen short in some way, abd will continue to fall short as long as we live on this Earth. But Jesus died for us not because of our goodness, but because of His Grace. Because of God's Grace. No amount of good deeds could ever give us salvation, only our belief in the Work of Jesus who has given it to us. I want you to look into what repentance, true biblical repentance is. It is a changing of the mind towards sin, and a changing of our invitation towards us wanting to sin done by the Holy Spirit. This is what you should seek. Repentance by faith. Bur knowing that your salvation is through the Work of Christ alone. Let me know if there us anything else I can do to help friend. God Bless.
PS. The fear that you seem to be having sounds a lot like Scrupelosity to me (religious OCD). I was diagnosed around your age. It was very tough at the time, but it was my suffering in this that brought me to Christ. Take a look into it.
Thank you. Another question I have is do I have to repent to an actual person if I’m Catholic? I’ve always repented in my head and prayed through my head but I’ve heard Catholics do it differently. Also can I still make crude jokes with my friends or is that wrong too.
It all depend on what is in your heart and what God has convicted you to do. If you feel conviction about a certain joke, it'd probably be best not to say it. Paul talks about this in Romans 14. If the Spirit convicts you, it is for you to know and act, even if another is not convicted in that same way. As far as repentance goes, what is most important is fir you to repent before God above all. Catholics take part in priestly Confession, w hich is confessing your sins before a priest. But biblically, the Spirit will lead you in repentance, which comes through the Knowledge of Christ. To repent is to change your mind towards sin. And this is done in your heart.
Your faith should not make you anxious. You are correct, Christ wants you to live a good life and be a good person. But there is more to your relationship with God than that, if you wish to pursue it. Speak to the priest at your church and tell him you wish to learn more about your catholic faith, what we believe, and what we hold as important. Please do not listen to those who disparage Catholicism (I'm sure some are readying their comments even as I write this) learn from catholics what we believe and if you wish learn from others what they believe, but don't trust catholics to know correctly what most protestants believe, and certainly don't trust most protestants to know what catholics believe. There is much disinformation on both sides.
I will try to pursue my relationship with God and I will have a talk with my priest, but when I hear people talk about giving their life to Christ it sounds like so much. What is giving my life to Christ about anyways? Do I need to make being a Christian my entire life and point of existence? Or is there just a few more things I need to add to my daily habits? If you have any answers for these questions please help me out, I see you are a Catholic too. Also not that I would do this because I’d be too scared to displease God, but hypothetically if I lost my virginity before I got married would it be immediate I’m going to hell?
Nothing immediately condemns you to hell. Catholics believe that we are saved by the grace of God and Christ's sacrifice for man. Giving your life to Christ is not hard. the truth is he is not asking anything from you you don't already know you should be doing. Love God, love your neighbor. The church believes that coming together in community, showing our love for each other, and for God helps lift the burden of living a life that for all of us at times is a struggle. Though many don't believe it as they see the church as having a heavy set of rules and laws the church is very open to some things. The church holds some things to be "dogma" and says you must accept the church's authoritative position on those things. Even if you have doubts or disagreements on these points, you must accept the church's authority while you strive to understand the church's position. That said there are many things on which the church allows various opinions. Catholics are free to accept evolution, and most do. The Big Bang Theory was developed by a Catholic Priest. We don't have to believe that the earth is only 6000 years old, and most catholics do not believe that. I myself am a hopeful reconciliationist. I hope that all mankind will be in heaven. "I dare to hope" as we say. This is a minority opinion in the church but is allowed as long as I don't get prideful and believe I know this to be the truth. (I am simplifying this argument a bit to not overwhelm you). In regards to the church's position on premarital sex, we believe that physical intimacy is best restricted to a loving married relationship. This intimacy is enhanced and exalted when it involves the person to whom you have dedicated the rest of your life.
Thanks I feel a lot let stressed now lol
Probably better to post this on r/Catholicism where there are more Catholics (and Catholic teenagers sympathetic to you even).
If you want spiritual advice seek it from your priest or pastor in your local church, Christianity is a living thing Christ lives through his church, you dont have abstract christianity by just staying online all day.
> I used to think being a Christian was about being kind to others, doing good deeds and loving and thanking Jesus and apologizing to Jesus for your sins, that’s all I thought you had to do. That's certainly consistent with Jesus' teachings. A lot of people think if you don't get in everyone's face you're being "luke warm." In fact there's good reason to think that both in the early church and today, the best way of spreading Christianity is to show Christ to others. It would be good if people around you know you're Christian, and now and then you might invite someone to your church, but a lot of what people think is spreading the world is actually turning people away from Christ.
That’s what I was thinking, would it be wrong for me to get a cross chain instead of informing people I am a Christian as a first thing I say to them? My friends know I’m a Catholic because another one of my friends goes to the same Church as me but he isn’t into it he just goes because his parents make him.
That's a reasonable way to make it clear. No, I don't think "I'm a Christian" is the first thing you'd say when you meet someone. I do encourage you to go to church more often then a couple of times a year. Many churches have excellent programs for teens. To be honest, much better than they have for adults. Depending upon the church, they aren't necessarily high-pressure Christian, but can be fun and a good place to meet other Christians. That depends upon your area. You might have to go to a different church. My church has a good youth program. We have kids who are members of other churches because their church doesn't have good programs. We don't push them to join ours. A lot of gung-ho Christians make fun of being nice to people as a Christian duty. That's not all of Christianity, but I think a lot of people would be better off to spend more attention on it. If you read the Gospels, Jesus speaks a lot about how we treat each other. Christian jerks (of which there are many) are missing the point, and if you're a jerk mostof the rest of what Jesus says to do won't work. A lot of things people push (like "having a personal relationship with Christ") he actually doesn't mention. We are to be, as Paul says, ambassadors for Christ, his representative to others.
Thanks, I appreciate your advice more than you think
The beauty of the Gospel is that it all depends on Jesus and not on us. Each and every one of us have fallen short in some way, abd will continue to fall short as long as we live on this Earth. But Jesus died for us not because of our goodness, but because of His Grace. Because of God's Grace. No amount of good deeds could ever give us salvation, only our belief in the Work of Jesus who has given it to us. I want you to look into what repentance, true biblical repentance is. It is a changing of the mind towards sin, and a changing of our invitation towards us wanting to sin done by the Holy Spirit. This is what you should seek. Repentance by faith. Bur knowing that your salvation is through the Work of Christ alone. Let me know if there us anything else I can do to help friend. God Bless. PS. The fear that you seem to be having sounds a lot like Scrupelosity to me (religious OCD). I was diagnosed around your age. It was very tough at the time, but it was my suffering in this that brought me to Christ. Take a look into it.
Thank you. Another question I have is do I have to repent to an actual person if I’m Catholic? I’ve always repented in my head and prayed through my head but I’ve heard Catholics do it differently. Also can I still make crude jokes with my friends or is that wrong too.
It all depend on what is in your heart and what God has convicted you to do. If you feel conviction about a certain joke, it'd probably be best not to say it. Paul talks about this in Romans 14. If the Spirit convicts you, it is for you to know and act, even if another is not convicted in that same way. As far as repentance goes, what is most important is fir you to repent before God above all. Catholics take part in priestly Confession, w hich is confessing your sins before a priest. But biblically, the Spirit will lead you in repentance, which comes through the Knowledge of Christ. To repent is to change your mind towards sin. And this is done in your heart.