How much of the Bible is necessary?

Oh I agree and I do read the scriptures daily. They fit perfectly with my Catholic faith. Thank you.

Tell me, do you ever find things in your Church that are taught incorrectly because you see there are thousands of denominations out there and they all in one point or another contradict eachother. Contradiction, of course is not of God. I find it doudtful if your pastor has everything correct. So how do you know when he is in error? Have you had such an instance and told him as such? If you don't have knowledge and understanding and the scriptures tell you not to trust in your own understanding (Prov 3:5) and someone gives you false understanding how can you understand that what you don't understand is what you are supposed to be given to understand?

By the way, do you search the Old Testament to see if what you are being taught is correct, because that is what the Bereans did. </font>[/QUOTE]I assume you are Roman Catholic, not catholic as universal. I am interested to know what you may believe and your Scriptural basis for the following:
1. Mass? What is it? What does it mean? What is the Biblical basis?
2. Praying to the Virgin Mary? Whereas she was blessed and exalted of God, she was a sinner such as you and I. What special merit does she have?
3. Prayers and merit of the Saints, so-called?
4. Salvation? Is salvation through the Sacrements? Can a person be justified by faith alone?
5. The Pope? Is he infallible? What is your Scriptural basis for his power and authority. BTW, Christ's statement to Peter was about truth, not Peter.
6. Is the teaching and tradition of the Roman Catholic organization to be believer over Scripture or is Scripture supreme?
7. Is the truth fixed or relative. It seems that the RC doctrine and practice varies greatly by geographic location. Its teachings are syncretic and take the form of the local area incorporating the local religions. If so, then how can it have truth that is unified and universal?

Generalities are one thing but it is entirely a different matter to deal with specific issues and compare them to Scripture.

 

Paid,

You ask questions that you provide answers for. That can only mean one thing: You are interested in differing answers. So why ask the question?

If you want to tell us something, tell it. Don't dress it as a question that you have no intention of hearing an answer.

 

" I assume you are Roman Catholic, not catholic as universal. "

Actually I am both.


I am interested to know what you may believe and your Scriptural basis for the following:
1. Mass? What is it? What does it mean? What is the Biblical basis?

Scott Hahn when he was still a Protestant was sitting in Mass for the first time and as he was sitting there it dawned on him. This is the book of revalatoins going on before me. The reading of the scrolls, vestments, candles, incense (rev 5,8) invoking of the saints (rev 5,8), etc. etc. with the summit being the wedding supper of the lamb (rev 19). So I would start with the whole book of revalations of which I only touched on a very bit of his book. Then I would go to John 6, Matt 26, the manna in the desert, the pascal sacrifice of Ex 12 in which the lamb had to be eaten before the dawn of the next day. 1 Cor 11 and much much more. As you can see I have far too much scripture to fit it all in one post. I do recommend Hahn's book, "The Lamb's Supper". Should be readily availible on Amazon or most larger book stores.

2. Praying to the Virgin Mary? Whereas she was blessed and exalted of God, she was a sinner such as you and I. What special merit does she have?

Once again far too much Biblical support for the Cathoic view than I can do in one post. 2 Sam 6 parrelled with Luke 1 for starters. David says "How can the ark of the Lord come to me" Elizabeth says "How is it that the Mother of My Lord should come to me", David leaps and dances before the Ark, John Leaps in Elizabeth's womb before Mary. The ark stays with Obemedon for 3 months. Mary stays with Elizabeth for 3 months. Both episodes happen in Judah. Coincidence? Godincidence I believe. Mary is the Ark of the New Covenant. The God bearer. Once you see this you see the great purity of ark parrellels the great purity of the vessel the Father chose for his son. You see in Joshua 7 where the people bow before the Ark and pray for victory in battle. Was Mary a sinner? Well grace prevented her from sin or she would have sinned but I disagree that she was a sinner for the scripture tell us she was "full of grace". To be full of grace leaves no room for sin.

3. Prayers and merit of the Saints, so-called?

Not sure what you mean here. Our merrit is in Christ. We cannot claim the good that we do for it is his grace working in and through us (Eph 3 I believe). Don't you believe in prayer?

4. Salvation? Is salvation through the Sacrements? Can a person be justified by faith alone?

Well the scriptures speak of faith 273 times in the NT and only once does it place the word faith in the same sentence as alone. That of James 2:24. But it won't help you much because it says "not by faith alone". The sacrements are grace for us. Jesus himself said "unless you eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood YOU SHALL NOT HAVE LIFE WITHIN YOU". MY FLESH IS TRUE FOOD, MY BLOOD IS TRUE DRINK.". Don't you believe him?

5. The Pope? Is he infallible? What is your Scriptural basis for his power and authority. BTW, Christ's statement to Peter was about truth, not Peter.

Don't know how you can say that "Peter YOU ARE ROCK and on this ROCK I will build my Church" does not implicate authority on Peter as do the keys of the kingdom which only he was given. Jesus says "WHATEVER you bind on earth will be bound in heaven". Now God cannot bind a lie so I think whatever generally means that whatever Peter spoke was bound in heaven and by the Power of the Holy spirit was true. Now the keys in the verse also indicate succession. This verse also closely parrellels Is 22 with Shebna taking over as Steward after the wicked steward Shebna was demoted. This has great implications on succession as played out in 2000 years of Popes.

6. Is the teaching and tradition of the Roman Catholic organization to be believer over Scripture or is Scripture supreme?

Not over, it goes hand in hand with as shown in 2 Thes 2:15 HOLD FAST to the TRADITIONS you have recieved, whether by WORD OF MOUTH or in WRITING from us.

Note that both the oral and the written (writen also interestingly enough identified as a tradition) are authoritative and to be held to.

7. Is the truth fixed or relative. It seems that the RC doctrine and practice varies greatly by geographic location. Its teachings are syncretic and take the form of the local area incorporating the local religions. If so, then how can it have truth that is unified and universal?

Fixed. Your perception of the worldwide Catholic Church is wrong. There are differences in practice but doctrinally I can go anywhere in the world and find the same doctrine taught. Practice is of course what Jesus condemned the Pharisees for being too rigid on and elevating it so there can be variations in practice.

"Generalities are one thing but it is entirely a different matter to deal with specific issues and compare them to Scripture."

No generalities here. Do you want to be more specific please.

Blessings

 

Please pray for Mike Monroe. He had a moter cycle wreak and is suffering from internal injurys.

 

this is a beatufuil song you can listen to it on

http://songsofpraise.org/pages.htm
In The Pages of the Bible

by Joy Chastagner and Elton Smith

Joy sent me these wonderful lyrics. Many people have asked for some more traditional "gospel" music and I think maybe this fits the bill. Many thanks to Larry Holder for the choral music score. - Elton, April 23, 1999


Download the midi file (23K)
View the Choral Music Score (PDF format)
Translations
Afrikaans German Russian




(Introduction)

(Verse 1)
Does your heart ache to know God?
Are you waiting to hear Him?
Do you look to the heavens
Seeking a sign?
Are you anxious for answers?
Are you frightened and weary?
Do you sense that something is missing inside?

(Chorus)
In the pages of the Bible,
I have heard God’s voice whispering there.
In the pages of the Bible,
I have walked with my Savior,
And found my way home.

(Verse 2)
Come and open the pages,
You can hear Jesus calling.
There are glimpses of glory
Waiting there.
In the words He has written
Lonely hearts find a Savior.
Come and drink from the fountain
And meet Him in prayer.

(Repeat Chorus)
In the pages of the Bible,
I have heard God’s voice whispering there.
In the pages of the Bible,
I have walked with my Savior,
And found my way home.

(Raise key and repeat chorus)
In the pages of the Bible,
I have heard God’s voice whispering there.
In the pages of the Bible,
I have walked with my Savior,
And found my way home.
I have walked with my Savior,
And found my way home.
I found my way home.


Copyright © 1999 by Joy Chastagner and Elton Smith

 

Re: Catholics comments.
Was it not the Catholics that had teachings in the churches,that the people or purtians, demanded change because of corruption in there doctrines, or is history wrong?
Thank God! for the people!
John 3:16 works for me.