Darrell and all anti-Catholics,
First, I am not a Protestant.
Secondly, I am not anti-Catholic.
Third, I am not anti-Protestant either, lol. Just wanted to throw that out there to avoid the displeasure of our Protestant brethren.
you really just haven't any biblical understanding.
How would you know, really? You refuse to examine the bible, preferring instead to post that said by other men you see as capable of interpreting properly, and not realizing the hypocrisy of that position.
So how do you know my, or the other interpretations presented...are in error?
[prime example, none of you Protestants can agree on Bible interpretation ]
Again, not a Protestant, but just like the reason many join the Catholic Church, so too many join a Protestant fellowship because their is an order.
In regards to agreement among them, apart from secondary issues, there is a uniform agreement which has perpetuated the feud between them and Catholics.
The Catholic interpretation of the Bible stood for 1500 years.
You may want to check your math.
You cannot possibly create a 1500 year history for the Catholic Church.
Secondly, to assume that the Catholic Church maintained a consistent teaching throughout her history would also be to assume too much.
Show me indulgences in the early Catholic organization, for example. Show me a doctrine of Purgatory taught in the early Church.
There was no distinction between Christianity and Catholicism.
Scripture denies that. We see the differences of doctrine among the various and widespread fellowships addressed by Paul, Peter, John, and Jude. Not all erred according to the same fashion. The doctrines that might have taken hold in some of those fellowships were corrected by these men. That which we do not have record of surely following the same pattern of Doctrine revealed by God to holy men instrumental to the founding of the Church and churches.
Martin Luther gave peasant Europe an excuse to rail against the set society, including the church.
And what was his motivation? First, Luther saw an abuse of power and a fleecing of the "sheep." Again, show me a consistent teaching of indulgences by the Catholic Church.
The second point I would make would be to remind you that Luther did not have intention of destroying the Catholic Church...but reforming it.
That's why it is called the Reformation.
Personally, if I were able to sit down with him in doctrinal discussion, the conversation would likely be very reminiscent of our own. I reject Luther's views on certain matters, purgatory being one of them, and while I have been told he recanted that position it is, for all history, there to be seen in the 95 Theses he presented.
Ever read it? You guys have quite a bit in common. Today, if he were still possessed of the doctrinal views he had when he began his protests, you and he would be closer in view than you and I are.
You don't seem to understand that you are vilifying...a Catholic Priest. Shame on you.
There was power grab after power grab and by the end of Martin Luther's life there were over 30 Protestant religions.
Isn't that typical among men? Especially when they have a foundation of a very confused doctrinal platform?
Luther re-interpreted the Bible,
So you say, yet you have disqualified yourself as being someone who can actually levy that charge, though you don't realize it.
So you cannot know who reinterpreted what. All you can go on is the cumulative conclusion of your own denominational affiliation, which you may not admit, but should be excluded as biased. This is just setting your own position into a context that is relevant to the issue.
You are...disqualified. And you have...disqualified yourself by your own testimony.
heretically, to serve his own purposes.
This might be said to be true. I think Luther was genuinely appalled at the notion of money for purging of sins. Even in a post-Cross context, meaning that which pertains within our salvation rather than the attaining of salvation, this is itself not only heretical but undermines the Glory of the Cross and Christ.
He probably dressed funny too, but that is for another discussion.
Catholicism is the only religion that does not fundamentally go against the Bible it professes.
So show me how the Protestant goes against the Bible. You won't do that by denying the Solas (and you realize there is no sola sola, though we have available Pizza! Pizza! (sorry, in a facetious mood this morning, please forgive me...I'll try to do better)).
The truth is that you can't, because you refuse to address the doctrinal issues, instead preferring to maintain a Martyr Complex, dismissing any relevant or reasonable address and clinging to the interpretations...of men.
Maybe if you would also believe the bible, I mean the whole Bible, i.e. { John 20:30 }
Something you overlook is that John points out that Scripture is distinctive from...everything else. He makes Scripture exclusive, and one error of the Catholic Church, as a doctrinal organization, is their acceptance of the authority of man over the Word of God. We are made guardians, not masters...over the Word of God.
do you think the author that wrote that verse was just blowing hot air or filling up an empty space?
God is the Author, but John, no, John held respect for the Word of God and kept a right perspective concerning the role of man in relation to the Word of God.
It means not "everything" that happened during Jesus along with His Apostles ministry is not recorded in the Holy Bible.
But what is recorded was recorded because God intended us to have the record of that which He felt we needed to know.
Now I ask you again, and you can look at Catholic commentaries if you like, what does this verse...
Hebrews 10:14
King James Version (KJV)
14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
...mean.
It is not the Spirit of God that leads you to refuse to answer, my friend.
If you are not ready to answer, get ready. even if you don't answer me, at least find that answer for yourself.
God bless.