Doubting Thomas
Active Member
Thanks.Originally posted by Matt Black:
Thomas, wow! Great post!
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Thanks.Originally posted by Matt Black:
Thomas, wow! Great post!
There was much more to his point. The point is to not condemn your brother because he has a different view of some issue, or scriptural interpretation than you do. Let him have his convictions. (Surely you dont think these people were not consulting the scriptures of that time, those on both sides, to support their views, do you?)"In historical context, these "hot button" topics were during a transition period between when the Church being exclusively made up of Jews to a body where there was neither Jew nor Greek. Paul's point is that keeping these Jewish festivals and dietary laws had no bearing on salvation."
And they were told to let the other have his convictions. Its perfectly OK for their to be different interpretations on non-foundational issues. Just as today."Jews were neither commended nor condemned for merely continuing to observe these practices (unless they were claiming these practices were necessary for salvation)."
And we...using the scriptures alone...have no problem identifying cults for what they are...with no Truth Gestapo."Clearly, this is a different issue entirely from false teachers that distort the true nature of God, Christ, and/or salvation.""
Every promise given to the Apostles is also given to every born again person on earth today...regarding the promise of the Holy Spirit guiding them into all truth."God invested the Apostles and the visible church they founded with the authority to bind and loose and the promise that the Holy Spirit would guide them (collectively) into all truth."
The "Truth Gestapo" of the Catholic Church...and every other organisation that is usurping the Holy Spirits ministry in the life of every believer...is not deserving of respect. And the ones who will have to stand naked before God one day will be those who are actively involved in such devilish devices as the Catholic Church of Rome."If you want to disparage the exercise of this authority as a "truth gestapo", I suppose you will have to answer to God for that some day."
The church...all born again people on earth, NOT any particular organisation...is indeed the "ground and pillar of truth" because every single believer has the Lord Jesus Christ indwelling them,("I am the way the truth and the life"), through the ministry of the Holy Spirit,(who is called the "Spirit of Truth"), and because we have in our posession the scriptures of God.("They word is Truth")"The Apostles and early Christians would find your charge absurd given that the Church is the ground and pillar of truth (not "truthS"), and they were to contend earnestly for the faith (not "faithS")."
Oh really? On foundational issues?"That's really a non-answer. Besides it doesn't address the fundamental issue of Calvism and Arminianism ascribing mutually contradictory attributes to God as we'll see below...Again a meaningless non-answer. These arguments have not led to a consensus. Each side is firmly entrenched in their respective positions with their mutually contradictory views of God."
Then wich one is getting people saved, and which one is sending people to hell?"They differ on the most fundamental issue of all--the character of GOD."
And both are free to their convictions. According to God that is."One side's "god" is the god who monergistically determines whom he will bestow eternal life upon irrespective of any will, desires, or response of his creatures--his creatures basically have no choice in the matter. The other side's "god" is the one who truly offers salvation to everyone but allows creatures to receive or reject His offer based on the free will He created in them."
False. Only in some respects. There is wonderful truth to be found in both groups. And there are some who have come to convictions that allow them to blend the 2 together into a composite view."So the two ascribe mutually contradictory characteristics to "god" (and to man as well). If position A is true about God, then position B is necessarily false (and vice versa)."
There is one God, who is so far above us in every respect that its beyond comprehension. None of us have perfect hearing or perfect sight."Therefore the alleged commonality of "faith" breaks down at the very point of the object of that faith as there are two rival concepts of "God" being expoused."
Then why are those in both camps being used of God to bring multitudes into the body of Christ?"No amount of kum-bah-ya relativism can reconcile these mutually contradictory "gods"."
Of course we are visible. We dont become invisible when we become born again. Thats all the church is on earth...all the born again people on earth. There are some in every group lifting up Christ, along with a bunch of lost people."He promised He'd guide the Church founded by the apostles--which was (and still is) a visible, organized community, mind you--into all truth."
"Inspired Scripture commands us to keep the Tradition whether delievered orally or written (2 Thess 2:15). The visible historic Church has kept this authentic Tradition since the days of the Apostles who enjoined them to keep it.
No...that is not included. That is falsehood. Its a lie."True, Scriptures must be approached with humility and a teachable heart. But part of that humility and teachableness is recognizing the God ordained authority of the Apostolic Church and the Apostolic tradition."
There is nothing wrong with considering the wisdom found in good books, good preaching, joing bible studies, listening to those more learned than the new believer. (Or an old believe)"It's pride that deludes people in thinking that they can arrive at the correct interpretation outside the life of the Holy Spirit in the Apostolic Church which has kept the "rule of faith" delivered by the Apostles and indeed from Christ Himself."
(By the way, a "quote box" is to be just that. A quote. You removed my inclusion of the Catholic church in that. I put it back. Please do not alter what I said when you QUOTE me in a quote box.)All one has to do is look at the mess that happens when that principle is ignored...
Jehovahs Witnesses.
Jim Jones.
Mormons.
Christian Science.
Catholic Church
David Koresh
You keep throwing out that canard.[/quote
Because all of those groups/leaders all employ the same tactic. Subplanting themselves into Gods place as the one who interprets truth for the believer.
I dont grade on the curve. All of these groups fail."These are groups which are even more extreme in rejecting the Apostolic Tradition and replacing it with their own man-madetraditions."
We do not have a low view of Gods church. Gods church is all of the people born of the Spirit on earth. Not any particular organisation."Herein lies the crux of the matter. You and other modern day sola Scripturists seemingly have a high view of Scripture (while manipulating it to arrive at their desired conclusions), yet you have a low view of the historic church founded by Christ and the Apostles"
Not when you say that tradition trumps it...in spite of Christ scathing rebuke to anyone who heeds tradition of Gods scriptures."(those who are in the tradition of the "magesterial Reformation" may be the exception). Those of us who recognize the historic apostolic Church have a high view of both Scripture and the Church,"
Oh great. I was hoping that one wouldnt be regurgitated."....which wrote the New Testament Scriptures"
The Catholic Church wrote the bible. In spite of the fact that there was no Catholic Church when the scriptures were recorded in the 1st century.
My my my my my."...(and proclaimed the Christological interpretation of the Old), defined the limits of the canon, and which has guarded the correct interpretation of it as found in the Apostolic tradition.
Very sadly,
Mike
For No 2.Originally posted by Matt Black:
Thomas, wow! Great post!
Eliyahu, following your numbered paragraphs:-
1. Yes
2. No they're not - or if they are they are doing so in disobedience to or in ignorance of Catholic dogma.
3. No
4. No. Mistaken in part, as all ecclesial bodies who possess only part of the Apostolic Tradition are, but heretical, no.
The Catholic Church does not teach that Catholics should offer prayers to Mary.
Eliyahu, you are correct in the fact that Mary is treated as a goddess by the RCC laity under the direction of the priesthood and the various orders of nuns.Pope John Paul II on March 31, 1985 as part of the Angelus prayer: "May Mary our Protectress, the Co-Redemptrix, to whom we offer our prayer with great outpouring, make our desire generously correspond to the desire of the Redeemer."
Found online in the public domain at : http://www.ourladyswarriors.org/abtmary.htm
His Holiness Pope Pius XII
Encyclical on Proclaiming the Queenship of Mary
Promulgated October 11, 1954
To the Venerable Brethren, the Patriarchs, Primates, Archbishops, Bishops and other Local Ordinaries in Peace and Communion with the Holy See.
Venerable Brethren, Health and Apostolic Blessing.
From the earliest ages of the Catholic Church a Christian people, whether in time of triumph or more especially in time of crisis, has addressed prayers of petition and hymns of praise and veneration to the Queen of Heaven.
The New Advent, Catholic Encyclopedia online found in the Public domain at http://www.newadvent.org/library/docs_pi12ac.htm
The Catholic Church does not teach that Catholics should offer prayers to Mary.
Man, wake up people! The church and it's "tradition" do not outweigh God's Word!One can only pray to God. That is what the Catholic Church teaches too.
Convictions about food and Jewish feast days, again, are far cry from differing scriptural interpretations leading to false teachings about God, Christ, and salvation. Listen to the Apostle Peter:Originally posted by D28guy:
There was much more to his point. The point is to not condemn your brother because he has a different view of some issue, or scriptural interpretation than you do. Let him have his convictions.
And which are the "non-foundational" issues? Different groups come up with different answers. Where in the Bible does it specifically make this distinction? One group's "foundational" issue is another group's "non-foundational" issue. How does one determine which is the case without begging the question?Its perfectly OK for their to be different interpretations on non-foundational issues. Just as today.
Problem is, the lists of which groups are actually a "cult" vary. You obviously think the RCC is a cult. Other sola Scripturists would disagree. Many consider Oneness Pentecostals a cult; others (including the Oneness Pentecostals themselves--who are "sola Scripturists") do not. Some consider Seventh Day adventists a cult; others (including the SDAs themselves--who are "sola Scripturists") don't. Mormons are considered by many to be a cult, but they consider themselves to just be "Christian".And we...using the scriptures alone...have no problem identifying cults for what they are...with no Truth Gestapo.
Which begs the question about how exactly one is "born again"? Some "sola Scripturists" believe Baptism is necessary for regeneration ("born of water and the spirit"); others do not. They both can't be right...who decides? Is it Mike (with his private interpretation) who is the final arbiter on which position is correct?Every promise given to the Apostles is also given to every born again person on earth today...regarding the promise of the Holy Spirit guiding them into all truth.
This "us" is collective; it's the Church. The Holy Spirit does not reveal contradictory "truths" to individual believers. If you believe that you might as well join the Ba'hai faith.But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
Yet many of these who claim spiritual discernment disagree on what exactly are the "things of God".But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."[/i]
The church...all born again people on earth, NOT any particular organisation...</font>[/QUOTE]Yet the Church is the visible, organized bodyfounded on the Apostles with Christ being the Chief cornerstone. There's one Truth and one Faith, not conflicting "truths" and conflicting "faiths".</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />"The Apostles and early Christians would find your charge absurd given that the Church is the ground and pillar of truth (not "truthS"), and they were to contend earnestly for the faith (not "faithS")."
Oh really? On foundational issues?</font>[/QUOTE]Yes, really--on the foundational issue of the character of GOD. One's god geniunely loves everyone and genuinely wants to save everyone and creates people with the ability to respond to his grace either in the negative or the affirmative. The other's "god" makes it impossible for fallen creatures to ever repent unless he monergistically causes them (a select few) to do so. The two cannot be both true about the same god.</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />"That's really a non-answer. Besides it doesn't address the fundamental issue of Calvism and Arminianism ascribing mutually contradictory attributes to God as we'll see below...Again a meaningless non-answer. These arguments have not led to a consensus. Each side is firmly entrenched in their respective positions with their mutually contradictory views of God."
You're begging the question. True they're bring folks into schismatic fellowships with their gospels (since it's debatible whether they are preaching the same "good news"). Whether they are bringing people into the historic Church--the Body of Christ is what is being debated.Why then are both sides responsible for bringing millions of lost people into the body of Christ through the years? Must be that they are proclaiming the same gospel.
Muslims and Mormons and other cultists claim to be blessed and enlightened by their respective teachers...so what's your point? Subjective "blessings" are no proof in and of themselves of objective TRUTH.Why is it that I, and millions of others, have been blessed and enriched greatly by books, radio messages, tv broadcasts, and preachers whom I have heard or known from both camps?
If there is indeed a "Harvest" it's by the mercy of God and inspite of kum-bah-ya relativism and heretical views about Him preached by one camp or the other. There's still no excuse for contradictory teachings about God, Christ, and/or salvation.Why is it that both groups have bible colleges and seminaries that produce great men of God who are working together in the work of bringing in the Harvest...in spite of their different views?
(Gnostics and other heretics both believed they were getting people "saved", as they saw it, as well.) Again, if folks are getting "saved" in schismatic fellowships (and I'll be happy to concede that there's a good chance of that being the caseBOTH sides are getting people saved because BOTH sides are proclaiming the same gospel of Jesus Christ, and are growing up believers into fruitful believers. They simply see somethings as working themselves out differently. I have been blessed greatly by teaching on both sides.
And both are free to their convictions. According to God that is. </font>[/QUOTE]Garbage. I guess anyone is free to have any conviction about "god" that they want, including Unitarians, Mormons, Hindus, and Buddhists, but that doesn't change the fact that mutually contradictory views about God cannot both(or all) be true. If the Arminian belief about God's omnibenevolence in genuinely offering salvation to everyone is correct, then the Calvinist belief about "god" is false.</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />"One side's "god" is the god who monergistically determines whom he will bestow eternal life upon irrespective of any will, desires, or response of his creatures--his creatures basically have no choice in the matter. The other side's "god" is the one who truly offers salvation to everyone but allows creatures to receive or reject His offer based on the free will He created in them."
False. Only in some respects. There is wonderful truth to be found in both groups. And there are some who have come to convictions that allow them to blend the 2 together into a composite view.</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />"So the two ascribe mutually contradictory characteristics to "god" (and to man as well). If position A is true about God, then position B is necessarily false (and vice versa)."
There is one God, who is so far above us in every respect that its beyond comprehension. None of us have perfect hearing or perfect sight.</font>[/QUOTE]This one God, however, wants to be worshipped in Spirit and in TRUTH. Two mutually contradictory viewpoints about God cannot both be TRUE.</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />"Therefore the alleged commonality of "faith" breaks down at the very point of the object of that faith as there are two rival concepts of "God" being expoused."
Praise God \o/ we have the privilege and responsibility hold the traditions whether delivered orally or written and that we have the Holy Spirit collectly guiding us in the Church to the same TRUTH.Praise God \o/ that we have the priviledge of having this unfathonable God literally indwell each one of us individually and become our teacher!
And Mormons have God in their midst too right? Afterall, they are the "Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints". There are many who proclaim that they are gathering in the name of Jesus Christ, yet who have false concepts about Him, God, and salvation. We shouldn't delude ourselves that such groups actually have Christ in their midst if they aren't worshipping Him in Spirit and in TRUTH."Whereever 2 or 3 are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them"
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />"Inspired Scripture commands us to keep the Tradition whether delievered orally or written (2 Thess 2:15). The visible historic Church has kept this authentic Tradition since the days of the Apostles who enjoined them to keep it.
No...that is not included. That is falsehood. Its a lie. </font>[/QUOTE]Sorry...but it is indeed true. Scriptures are quite clear that Christ has invested the visible body He established beginning with the Apostles authority to bind and loose. True Christians are enjoined to submit to this God ordained authority. Likewise, Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit commanded believers to keep the traditions delivered to them whether orally or written (2 Thess 2:15)"True, Scriptures must be approached with humility and a teachable heart. But part of that humility and teachableness is recognizing the God ordained authority of the Apostolic Church and the Apostolic tradition."
But according to the Scriptures, the Church (which was and still is visible and organized) founded on the Apostles is the "truth dispenser" as she is the repository of Truth, indeed, the "pillar and ground of truth" (1 Timothy 3:15).But we are to never...never...NEVER...NEVER...consider ANY group to be the God anointed truth dispenser for the lowely masses.
Actually, we're more susceptible to cults when we ignore the "rule of faith" bequeathed from the apostles in the Church.We enter the world of the cults when we do that.
(By the way, a "quote box" is to be just that. A quote. You removed my inclusion of the Catholic church in that. I put it back. Please do not alter what I said when you QUOTE me in a quote box.)</font>[/QUOTE]I removed the Catholic Church because it's not historically accurate to include them along with the other groups mentioned. Despite my disagreements with Rome on some things, she still has apostolic roots and has maintained most of the Apostolic Tradition without subtraction. But point taken--in the future I'll leave them in the quote box...I'll just put an (*) by them.</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />All one has to do is look at the mess that happens when that principle is ignored...
Jehovahs Witnesses.
Jim Jones.
Mormons.
Christian Science.
Catholic Church
David Koresh
Because all of those groups/leaders all employ the same tactic. Subplanting themselves into Gods place as the one who interprets truth for the believer. </font>[/QUOTE]The difference is with the Apostolic Church, Christ has promised that the Holy Spirit would guide them into all truth. All those other groups you keep lumping in with the Catholics are not apostolic churches.</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />You keep throwing out that canard.
I dont grade on the curve. All of these groups fail.</font>[/QUOTE]You may not "grade on a curve", but obviously groups vary in their degree of error depending on how far they depart from the fullness of the Apostolic faith--whether it's Baptists, Presbyterians, Anglicans, Methodists, Campbellites, SDAs, Oneness Pentecostals, Unitarians, Mormons, JWS, etc.....</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />"These are groups which are even more extreme in rejecting the Apostolic Tradition and replacing it with their own man-madetraditions."
Wrong--as pointed out repeatedly, the Church, established by the Apostles in the Power of the Spirit under the Authority of Christ, is both visible and organized. The fact that there exists some dead branches inside of her (which unfortunately will be ultimately cast out and burned) doesn't change this fact."We do not have a low view of Gods church. Gods church is all of the people born of the Spirit on earth. Not any particular organisation."
Not when you say that tradition trumps it...in spite of Christ scathing rebuke to anyone who heeds tradition of Gods scriptures. </font>[/QUOTE]First, Apostolic Tradition doesn't "trump" Scriptures as Scriptures are certainly the central and normative core of Apostolic Tradition. Scripture and Apostolic Tradition are inseparable...or are meant to be at least. When folks do attempt to wrest Scripture from its apostolic ecclessial context, they are susceptible to creating or succumbing to all sorts of false teachings. They are the ones in danger of wresting and twisting Scripture to their own destruction as Peter warned.</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />"(those who are in the tradition of the "magesterial Reformation" may be the exception). Those of us who recognize the historic apostolic Church have a high view of both Scripture and the Church,"
Oh great. I was hoping that one wouldnt be regurgitated.</font>[/QUOTE]"Regurgitated" or not, it's true. The Apostles were part (indeed, the foundation) of the Church, were they not?</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />"....which wrote the New Testament Scriptures"
Sure there was. The catholic (meaning "according to the whole") Church was there from the beginning. It was established by the Apostles.The Catholic Church wrote the bible. In spite of the fact that there was no Catholic Church when the scriptures were recorded in the 1st century.
My my my my my.</font>[/QUOTE]You may pooh-pooh the facts but it doesn't change the veracity of them.</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />"...(and proclaimed the Christological interpretation of the Old), defined the limits of the canon, and which has guarded the correct interpretation of it as found in the Apostolic tradition.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________Originally posted by Matt Black:
The Catholic Church does not teach that Catholics should offer prayers to Mary . [/QB]
Strictly speaking, we're told to pray to God the Father (in Jesus' name). Yet many Christians pray to Jesus and/or the Holy Spirit without giving it a second thought. We'll tell a Catholic they shouldn't ask St Elsewhere to pray for them, and then we turn around and pray in a manner not instituted in scripture.Originally posted by Eliyahu:
Can RC not pray directly to Jesus or to God ?
That literally stuns the mind. Incredible."I was raised a Catholic and have two uncles who are priests in that Church, so I am aware of what the Catholic Church teaches on this subject.
The Catholic Church does not teach that Catholics should offer prayers to Mary."
Absolutly true.Eliyahu, you are correct in the fact that Mary is treated as a goddess by the RCC laity under the direction of the priesthood and the various orders of nuns.
I was too."As a child and as part of my grade-school education, I was taught under the auspices of the RCC.
I was taught to pray directly to Mary as if she had the deity attributes of all-hearing, omni-presence, ever/always-present."
Whenever I hear that "dulia vs "hyper-dulia" nonsense I find myself thinking about how incredible it is that there is even one person on this planet that is capable of buying such absurdity."The double-speak of the Catholic theologians concerning latria vs. hyper-dulia was never mentioned."
The mind just reels....."One can only pray to God. That is what the Catholic Church teaches too. One may petition her under Catholic doctrine, but only in the same way that I might petition you to pray for me if eg: I was unwell."
Greetings to you."As a former Roman Catholic myself, who has seriously struggled in his breakaway from the Roman Catholic Institution, I shouldn't even bother with this argument, since it does rile up some old bitterness and feelings. In fact, I think that D28Guy is feeling the same things that I once felt before I let them go. Perhaps he left Roman Catholicism just recently."
I have no bitterness towards the Catholic Church now. I simply recognise it now for what it is. A supposed christian denomination that is filled with blasphemy, idolatry, pagansin, goddess worship(Mary), and the proclaimation of the very false gospel that God places his curse upon."I hope he finds peace with this bitterness."
What you call "slinging KJV verses" God calls using His scriptures to expose the darkness, as He has directed us to do. Almighty God blesses His "living" and "active", and "sharper than a two edged sword" scriptures as it is shared with those who need to hear it."Sharing the faith isn't about slinging KJV verses..."
I've never passed one out."or passing out Chick Tracts."
(Wish I didnt have to go to work now.)"We need to stop repeating one things. Catholics do not worship anyone other than God. We can debate the incorrectness of praying to others besides God, and those debates are worthy. But we cannot, with any accuracy, say that Catholics worship any other God besides the Almighty God."