British take on American Christianity

Suffice to say, Many churches, including many Baptist Churches, look like "pastor-papacy."

 

Nothing there I disagree with.

 

Jesus said he hated the deeds of the Nicolaitans.

Revelation 2:6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

Revelation 2:15 So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.

The word "Nicolaitan" is (or can be) a word with a semantic bent in the direction of "captivating the people".

Personally I agree with this view but IMO it is a rebuke to the earliest forms of the emergence of an heretical "sacerdotal" priesthood which grants the pastor ( "priest") special powers to forgive sin and/or perform sacramental ritual.

And following - it is a long read - heavily dispensational.

The Doctrine of the Nicolaitans

Now this does not mean that every "bossy" pastor is a Nicolaitan. No and perhaps some local churches may well need a bossy pastor .

I suppose there is a "line in the sand" which a pastor could take that would propel him into the Nico-laity domain but it would be very difficult indeed in a Baptist local church - but not impossible of course.

 

Huh? How is it is a "British take".

 

Yes, as those types seem to stack up all family members as Elders and decision makers!

 

Just as a point of interest: the word "church", or a derivative, appears eighteen times in the article. It is only capitalized (five times) in the paragraph related to the RCC.

 

From the op:

What a bunch of inflammatory characterizations.

 

We know the "true Church" cannot be defeated "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

In the Sinai desert communities needed high walls built to protect the population.

High walls need gates which can be secured at night or when under attack.
Gates to a city became synonymous with the authority of that city.
Within these gates were designated places where sat the princes, generals and priests who allowed or disallowed entry of sojourners.

Through these gates the armies of the city-state passed through to make war upon its enemies.

The gates of hell - Jesus said they would not prevail showing us that they would certainly try.
The most deadly strategy - the infiltration of the tares (Matthew 13).

The biggest church split in the history of the world is coming, probably soon.

Matthew 13
41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

 

Apparently, McCarrick, accused of 45 years of abuse, was a link to the Clinton campaign for Pope Francis. Needless to say, Pope Francis was not happy to see President Trump at the Vatican and could hardly welcome Trump. Whenever the left mentions what they think are the ills of the church, they attack Fundamentalism and Evangelicalism for politics, but there is no attack of Episcopal posturing in theological terms for open borders or Presbyterian USA open endless complaints about the joos and other political activities of the leftist churches.

Today the states of New Jersey, New Mexico, and New York began legal investigations in the Roman Catholic Church. Also, the US DOJ is looking at a memo calling for RICO investigation coordinating all of the state investigations. The RCC may have violated federal law when they aided male prostitutes from Mexico, Colombia, and the Philippines to enter the US to attend their seminaries and essentially lied to the federal government.

 

Please elaborate. Is the use of the small "c" in church of any significance? Are you referring to the called-out assembly?

 

Wesley please go back and read the scripture I provided, that explains it all.

church Church, what is the difference, read the scripture I provided. Thanks