Originally posted by Frank:
W Putnam:
The scrioptures were around along time before any body COLLECTED THEM.
The Old Testament? Of course!
The New Testament? Yes, they were around and extant, within a sea of other competing writings that others clamored to be included in a new book called the New Testament.
So to "collect them," they to already exist, right? But to separate the "wheat from the chaf" in the contempory writings of the times was the job of the Church, the only authority around who could do such a task.
God had already authenticated them. He did so by miraculous power. Irrefutable manifestationos of the Spirit. Mark 16;17-20, Mat. 10:8 etc.
Acting as a "devil's advocate" here, how do you know that, Frank? Did the Dove of the holy Spirit alight upon your shoulders and give you a private revelation, whispering into your ears that fact you state?
We BOTH believe God already authenticated, the providence of God being active. But I believe it from other reasons, the holy Spirit acting through Christ's church to so bring the New Testament forth, along with the Old Testament, of course...
Furthermore, these inspired docouments were delivered to the various congregations of the church. I Thes. 5;27, Col. 4:16. Therefore, men had all the evidence for the scriptures they needed. They were eyewitnesses to it!! see II Pet.1;16,17. They demonstrated it. Acts 20:10,11. it was established by two or three witnesses. II Cor. 11:1,2.
Yes, one church may have a copy of a copy of a copy of the Gospel of Matthew, while another had the "Gospel of Thomas" (Part of that long list I gave in a previous post) while another had what Luke wrote.
I am glad you said "church" here, obviously local and regional churches who were a part of THE CHURCH that Christ established. And it was that Church who brought all of those inspired texts together in one book called the New Testament.
Your councils came a little to late my friend. and, by the way who authorized them?
Actually, they were local synods, convened by local or regional bishops who have that authority, but their findings had the approval of guess who, Frank? The Bishop of Rome! And there, my friend, where the
authority came from!
Your point about the unbiblical term trinity is another case in point for a little too late. God has already revealed the truth about the three that bear record in heaven. I John 5:7, Genesis 1;1,2,27, John 1:1,14;10;30, Mat. 3:16,17. JUST BECAUSE MEN REJECT TRUTH ABOUT THE SUBJECT DOES NOT CHANGE IT! JOHN 12:48. Who is to say one man is not right or wrong over the next man or council.
You and I are in perfect agreement here, Frank, because of course, God does everything through the very Church His Divine Son established! Also, if it is "too late," why then the convening of these synods if there were not a dispute as to the canon of scripture? The answer is, they were convened to settle it - and the New Testament canon was formed!
The answer is simple The Word of God.
Which records the very human institution, members being as fallible as all of us, into an institution that was promised by
Christ that "
...the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
Check out Matthew 16:18-19 and rejoice in the awesome power and authority, Jesus gives to His church through the "keys of the kingdom" and the power to "bind and loose."
Men must accept the truth as it is. In Luke 10;25, the Bible says, ¶And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
26 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?
27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. This man using the good mind God gave him GOT IT RIGHT. He interpreted the scriptures correctly. This is the responsibiltiy of the individual, not a magisterium. This concept of an interpretive body such as magisteriums is unbiblical.
The individual can discern the truth of all things Christian, on his own, all by himself in the corner of his bedroom? Frank, even Christian denominations, sects and creeds cannot do it! Else why the diversity in utter confusion that we see? Why are they not in total union in one Church?
I follow the new testament of Christ because of The irrefutable internal evidence of the book. The historical accuracy of it. The verifiable and harmonious testimony of the eyewitnesses. The documented and irrefutable miraculous proofs contained in the book.
A stand I have totally and completely refuted! But I am not glib of tongue enough to convince you otherwise, and actually, I should not attempt to do that anyway, come holy Spirit.
On the other hand, I reject all councils of men who simply cannot meet the standard of divine inspiration that confirmed the word of God. This includes the magisterium, the synods, conventions, and high councils.
I have already noticed that you reject the very Church Christ established with the authority you reject!
So, M. Putnam, you can follow the traditons of men if you wish. I will take the complete and all-sufficient word of God. II Tim. 3:16,17. Excuse my logic but those others just do not measure up to the Word of God. John 17:17. What is new is not true and what is true is not new!
I will continue to follow the very Church established and upon which He gave awesome authority! That also includes the scripture as well, in synbotic relationship with the teaching magisterium of the Church, the same Church Christ founded, the only Church who can trace her history back to Christ Himself!
God bless,
PAX
Bill+†+
"Gloria in excelsis Deo"
(Intoned by the celebrant of the Mass.)
(The choir response.)
Et in terra pax homininus
bone voluntatis
Laudamus te
Benedicimus te
Adoramus te
Glorificamus te,
Gratias agimus tibi propter
magnum gloriam tuum.
Domine Deus, Rex Coelestis,
Deus Pater omnipotens
Domine Fili unigenite
Jesu Christe Domine Deus
Agnus Dei Filius Patris
Qui tollis peccata mundi
miserere nobis.
Qui tollis peccata mundi,
suscipe deprecationem nostram.
Qui sedes ad dexteramPatris,
miserere nobis.
Quoniam tu solus Sanctus,
Tu solus Dominus
Tu solus Altissimus
Jesu Christe.
Cum Sancto Spiritu
in gloria Dei Patris
Amen.
-
The Ambrosian Gloria -
http://www.solesmes.com/sons/gloria.ram
(Real monks chanting....)
Gregorian Chant -
God's music!