-—The teaching that the Bible contains in it all that a person need to find salvation and live a life pleasing to God is EXACTLY what St. Paul taught the early Christians.-—
Was St. Paul speaking of the entire NT, including the books that had not yet been written?
—You are free to choose not to believe St. Paul if you wish.——
More fundamentally, How do you know that these are the words of St. Paul, if the Church that wrote, preserved and canonized these Scriptures is fallible?
Am i free to reject your fallible interpretation of St. Paul?
16All Scripture is God-breathed...
Yes, but this begs the question of What constitutes Scripture? Catholics offer a coherent answer: The Church that Christ founded tells us.
...and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
“Is useful for” does not mean “all that is necessary for.”
17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Who is “the man of God”? Some believe that this is a reference to priests. Is it possible to be thoroughly equipped, but not sufficiently equipped to do a good work? For example, a soldier may be thoroughly equipped for combat, yet still lack the will to fight.
Are good works alone sufficient for salvation?
Because this passage does not refer to faith, which is also necessary for salvation, this passage does not prove that scripture alone can supply us with everything that is necessary for salvation.
Finally, this passage again begs the question, What constitutes Scripture? The answer to this question requires an extra-biblical authority.
http://www.catholicsource.net/articles/ssmadrid.htm
OTOH, I am puzzled by the fact that Protestants ignore the following words of Jesus: “If he refuses to listen to the Church, treat him as a pagan or tax collector.”
Additionally, the Church is referred to in Scripture as the, “the pillar and foundation of truth.”
Who does Peter say are priests?
1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
That is really, really easy...Your Church did not exist when the disciples wrote the scriptures...
Your religion did not preserve anything...It almost did not even preserve a major portion of your Catholic manuscripts since they were dug out of a trash can just prior to being destroyed...
The fact that your religion created its own canon proves that it is fallible...
“Was St. Paul speaking of the entire NT, including the books that had not yet been written?”
He was speaking, I am sure, to the Scripture that existed at that point.
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“More fundamentally, How do you know that these are the words of St. Paul, if the Church that wrote, preserved and canonized these Scriptures is fallible?”
I recognize the the early church was give the privilege of identifying the presence of God’s Spirit in the sacred writings - much like John the Baptist was give the privilege of recognizing Jesus as the Messiah. But note: John the Baptist did not have the authority to choose the Messiah - only to recognize the one God had already chosen. Likewise, the church conferred nothing on the Scripture except to recognize the presence of God’s Spirit therein.
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“Am i free to reject your fallible interpretation of St. Paul?”
You are. Freedom of conviction is something strongly present in the New Testament - and sadly lacking in the Catholic Church. There is always the implied threat of violence with the Romans.
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“Yes, but this begs the question of What constitutes Scripture? Catholics offer a coherent answer: The Church that Christ founded tells us.”
Now to turn your argument on itself...
How do you KNOW that Christ founded the church and gave it the claimed authority - apart from the Scriptures?
Because the Church says that He did?
Circular reasoning.
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“Who is “the man of God”? Some believe that this is a reference to priests.”
Ah yes! Those who are paid to be “good” while the rest can relax and act like the sons of the devil. No doubt the Priests put forth this idea. Sorry, there are now “tiers” is Christianity, remember when Jesus said, “...and ye are all brothers.”
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““Is useful for” does not mean “all that is necessary for.””
“But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.”
Specifically:
“equipped for every good work”
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“Because this passage does not refer to faith, which is also necessary for salvation, this passage does not prove that scripture alone can supply us with everything that is necessary for salvation.”
It does. Here...
“from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through FAITH in Christ Jesus.”
All this aside...
I am so DAMN MAD about what Obama is doing to you Catholics with this HHS issue I think my head could explode.
We may have serious theological differences, but I stand with you against this monstrous evil.