What does a Roman Catholic need to do to join the Orthodox Presbyterian Church?

The Orthodox Presbyterian Church ^ | 09/11/2005

[Alex Murphy]

Question:

What would a baptized and confirmed Roman Catholic need to do in order to join the Orthodox Presbyterian Church?

Answer:

Allow me to answer you question with a brief autobiographical anecdote. I was born, baptized, raised, confirmed, and educated in the Roman Catholic system. In fact, it was while I was at a Roman Catholic college (of all places) that I was converted by the grace of God. After realizing how different the teachings of the RCC are from Scripture, I joined with a Baptist church. And that church required that I be rebaptized as an adult. So, I went through that process and became a member. Several years later I came to understand the doctrine of the Bible as it was taught in Reformed churches like the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC). Joining them was quite easy. I went before the session (a group of men who are officers in the church) where they interviewed me to make sure I had a credible profession of faith in Jesus Christ. The following Sunday they put me before the congregation where I publicly professed my faith in Jesus Christ in the form of several membership vows. And that was it. I was a member!

So, being baptized and confirmed in the RCC is no big obstacle if you want to become a member of the OPC. As long as you have come to trust in Jesus Christ alone for your salvation, and you trust not in any of your works. When asked the question "What must I do to be saved?", the response of Paul and Silas was "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31), and that is still true today. What is important is to put your full trust in Jesus. If you have done that, if you have repented of your sin and trust in Jesus alone, you are welcomed into the fellowship of the OPC. There is no need to be re-baptized and there is no need to renounce your confirmation.

At this point I would strongly encourage you to seek out the pastor of a local OPC, and he can guide you through the details of the steps toward membership in the OPC. If you need assistance finding an OPC in your area, you can check out our Directory of Churches. May God bless you and may you "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 5:18). If we can be of further assistance, just let us know!

[narses]

Well my goodness, that is truly a worldwide church.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthodox_Presbyterian_Church

Orthodox Presbyterian Church

Classification Protestant
Theology Reformed Evangelical
Governance Presbyterian
Associations North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council, International Conference of Reformed Churches
Origin June 11, 1936
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Separated from Presbyterian Church in the United States of America
Separations Bible Presbyterian Church
Congregations 275
Members 30,279

Does this mean that not even 144,000 go to heaven but only 30,279 members of the OPC?

ROTFL

7 posted on 7/26/2013 3:07:07 PM by Not gonna take it anymore (If Obama were twice as smart as he is, he would be a wit)

[BipolarBob]

2 Thessalonians 2:15

This is what you were referring to?? Wowsa. You sure do get yourselves all tied up in knots over the smallest details, do you not? I might've figured it was something like this. Okay, his audience (the Thessalonians) were to hold fast to what they were taught. Whether verbally or written. He is clarifying they have the same weight. I don't see a problem with this verse and me in any way. But I don't have Catholic colored glasses on, so I don't see what you're seeing.

[narses]

[BipolarBob]

Every word of significance of the apostles is written.

"18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book."
Everything we need to know is recorded in the Bible.

[BipolarBob]

I get a kick out of that cereal box every time I see it. That just means they’re getting low on argument fodder. I see this time they’re reviling ML.

[BipolarBob]

Once again you post it and I have to bring the fire hose.

[editor-surveyor]

I feel so sorry for you!

[editor-surveyor]

It’s also written, the very same admonishment, in Deuteronomy, at the end of Torah.

He means it.

[BipolarBob]

He means it.

Of course, He means it. That's why these man made "traditions" are so dangerous. They corrupt the meaning and message that God has sent. I guess I shouldn't waste my time with the Catholic posters here but I wish they could see that their Church has made a simple service into a complicated legalistic formality it was never meant to be. We are supposed to worship God. It's not complicated.

[rwilson99]

The Church certainly assembled the canon of the New Testament.

You have to give the monks who hand wrote out copies for around 1000+ years credit for that.

[metmom]

You are ok betting your salvation on a self authenticating document? Wow.

Now that's funny coming from a Catholic whose church is self-authenticating.

The Catholic church is infallible because she speaks infallibly when declaring her infallibility.

Or she's infallible according to the Scripture the Catholic church claims responsibility for writing.

Or some such nonsense.

Talk about self-authenticating.....

And you're betting your salvation on THAT?

[metmom]

You will of course chastise metmom for post #61.... Oh wait you can't because she isn't Catholic.

Man, it's just not possible to please a Catholic.

Disagree with them and you're damned. Agree with them you're damned.

It's a lose/lose situation.

[metmom]

Well, you’ve decided all on your own that the Bible is authentic.

Likewise, your decision, like anyone's, that the Bible is authentic (or whatever you want to call it) is yours.

Whether the decision is based on the witness of the Spirit within you, your own decision, or the decision of others, you still have to accept the decision of others, thus making it ultimately your own decision to trust THEM.

And how do you know THEY are correct? Did you decide all on your own that they are trustworthy? Or are you simply taking their say so on the matter of their trustworthiness?

How is trusting men any better?

[metmom]

So where do you get the authority to interpret scripture? Since scripture warns against private interpretation and all.

Who is going to interpret to you THEIR interpretation?

If you are incapable of correctly interpreting Scripture for yourself, what makes you qualified to correctly interpret their interpretation?

Don't you then need to have someone interpret their interpretation of Scripture?

And so it goes, turtles all the way down........

[metmom]

The Bible commands you to hold unwritten teachings given by the apostles. But you cannot, because you dismiss sacred tradition. So you don’t keep the commands of the new testament even on the terms you profess. And then treat it as a joke.

Well, if they are unwritten, there is simply no way of verifying them, now is there?

The only thing left is to take the say so of the Catholic church that those teachings "sacred tradition" was passed on faithfully.

And just what assurance do we have that they were?

[metmom]

*Me, too. Me, too......*

Attempts at one upmanship are so much fun to watch.

[HarleyD]

Depending on the version of the Bible you are reading, the word predestined is used 4-5 times.

The word predestination is used only about 4-5 times.

Act 4:27-28 for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.

The word elect is used about 15 times.

Rom_11:7 What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened,

The word chosen by God is more difficult to determine but eyeballing it is used at least 50-60 times throughout scripture.

Rom_11:5 So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.

If you want to talk about the concept of God actively and purposely calling out a people to Himself, then you would have to include the entire scriptures for that is precisely what the nation of Israel is all about.

1Pe_2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

[HarleyD]

2 Thessalonians 2:15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions

Let's not forget other verses such as:

Mat_15:3 He answered them, "And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?

...

Mat_15:6 he need not honor his father.' So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God.

The Pharisees thought traditions were far more superior to God's word as well.

[HarleyD]

I am Catholic and every time I enter a Catholic Church I have a sense of God’s presence there. It is the Holy Eucharist which causes me to have this feeling.

This is where Catholics and Protestants would differ. Catholics might feel a sense of God's presence in a church building and the Eucharist. No disrespect but the Jews felt the same presence in the temple and the show bread. It is only natural that we should look at the works of our hands. The disciples marveled at how nice the temple was.

Instead, God wants us to glory in His word and spend time with Him.

1Ti 4:4-6 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer. If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed.

The failure of Christians today is that we simply don't spend time with His word and talking to Him. Buildings and other things in this life are gifts to us.

[BipolarBob]

You have to give the monks who hand wrote out copies for around 1000+ years credit for that.

Fine I have no problem with that and while we're at it kudos to Gutenberg, King James translators and the Associated Press and whoever else comes to mind.