Originally posted by A_Christian:
The reason seems difficult, and yet I believe that the answer is very simple.
GOD wants "Christians" to place their faith and trust in HIM and HIM alone through Jesus Christ and the leading of the Holy Spirit.
It is very easy accept, & the Jews fell into the mistake of believing that their affiliation would save them, their heritage would save them, their priests and rituals would save them.
Jesus' remarks to the rabbinical crowd and the story of the rich man and Lazarus most definately tell a different story. GOD looks on the Heart of each INDIVIDUAL through the blood of Jesus.
GOD wants us to depend entirely on HIS leading and HIS teaching. GOD doesn't want people to feel safe because they attend the "Correct Church". This is a smack-down against Roman Catholicism and Mormonism that both proclaim to be the "correct church". This is fundamentally a teaching in error to what Christ proclaimed.
Actually, God wants unity, and according to Scripture, all who leave the original group do so to their own destruction.... that's pretty strong words for not wanting One Faith....
Acts 20:29-30
For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
How do we know who is speaking perverse things? How do we know who is interpreting Scripture properly?
Christ tells us in John's Gospel that the Spirit of Truth will guide the Church.
John 14:16-17, 26
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
[Even] the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
If the Holy Spirit is guiding the Church, as Jesus promised, then we must find that Church... because Truth cannot contradict Truth, and to have more than one faith means that there is a contradiction.
God Bless,
Sirach