Posted on 05/18/2015 6:05:47 PM PDT by Old Yeller
For years, growing up as a Roman Catholic, we were taught that we were members of the one true church. It was impressed upon us regularly by the parish priest during Mass while giving his homily; by the nuns all throughout my Catholic parochial school years of second through seventh grade.
It was impressed upon us during our preparation to receive for the first time the sacraments of Penance, Communion and Confirmation. And while attending CCD classes all the way through high school. (CCD is the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, an association established at Rome in 1562 for the purpose of giving religious education, normally designed for children.)
It was an established fact that we understood and we never questioned the validity of it. And to be honest, it was a matter of pride, that we were privileged enough to be members of the correct church, while all others had belonged to something else that didn’t quite measure up to the status of the Roman Catholic Church.
After all, how could it be possible that Roman Catholicism is not the one true church?
Look at what Rome has to offer: It has the priests, the nuns; the bishops; the cardinals; and of course, the Pope. They have the Sacraments; the statues; the holy water; the incense; the Stations of the Cross; the Eucharist - in which Chris supposedly physically manifests Himself into the wafer after the consecration by the priest during the Mass; the Marian apparitions—which appear mainly to Roman Catholics.
And they have the Vatican, where the Vicar of Christ (who they believe is Christ’s representative on earth), governs the faithful and makes infallible proclamations and doctrine. How can this not be the one true church? No other organization on the face of the earth comes close to offering to its flock what Rome provides for its faithful.
But, of course, to be true, one must adhere to what has been established as truth and not teach or practice what is contrary to the truth. We read in Scripture a few passages that declare what is truth and what is not. Jesus proclaimed in John 14:6:
“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me.”
Didn't think so. I eagerly await being dazzled by the theological depth which of course, I can't understand because I'm a mere Protestant. ;-)
James condemns all rich people without qualification - if you are rich, you are condemned. Indeed, James seems to have somewhat of a vendetta against the rich, impugning them on three separate occasions in his epistle:
Ja.1.10-11 But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.
Ja.2.6b-7 Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?
Ja.5.1-6 Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you.
But even Christ did not condemn all rich people:
Mt.19.24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
The "eye of a needle" that Christ referred to was a small door located in the major gates to the city. Although difficult, a camel could be forced through one if necessary. Christ's point was that it would be difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God, not impossible as is James' contention.
Matthew, one of the twelve, was a tax collector (Mt.9.9), a very high societal position. Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector and described as "wealthy" (Lk.19.1-9), and subsequently saved. Joseph of Arimathea is described as a "rich man" and a "disciple" (Mt.27.57). Jesus often portrayed God as a rich person in his parables - variously as kings, a vineyard owner, a master with servants who ran his affairs while he journeyed, as farmers, a money lender, a man throwing a "great banquet", the father of the prodigal son, and ironically enough as a "rich man". (See Mt.18.23-34, Mt.20.1-16, Mt.21.33-39, Mt.22.2-14, Mt.24.45-51, Mt.25.14-30, Lk.12.42-48, Lk.15.11-32)
James slanders all rich people and some fellow saints (and indirectly, God also) as condemned simply for being rich. In James' eyes the rich are rich because they are so evil that they are beyond the reach of his legalistic gospel.
Clearly, this is just more evidence that the epistle of James is not canonical.
How about not slicing a quote in such a way as to change the focus of the post?
>>>Didn’t think so. I eagerly await being dazzled by the theological depth which of course, I can’t understand because I’m a mere Protestant. ;-)<<<
I am not even up to the level of a Protestant. Imagine how dazzled I will be. LOL!
The real kicker here is what the definition of *rich* is.
I have friends who have worked on the mission filed and they tell me that it is not unusual to encounter the mentality that no Americans are saved, or very few are, because all Americans are rich.
And compared to the third world, we ARE.
Been there and seen it.
Even the poorest of us have it way better than all except the richest of them.
I do not find that He condemned ANY of them!
He did, however, note how hard it would be for them.
HMMMmmm...
I'd think forty plus years of unborn human sacrifice would have colored their opinion.
And maybe the continuing acceptance of homosexual sin might have SOME influence.
No. This was decades ago that I was told this.
Well stated. The Catholic Church is the Energizer bunny going and keeps going for 2000 years. It’s what Christ stated, why keep kicking against the goad? Peter, the first Pope, summed it up when Jesus asked, “Do you want to leave?”, “Where shall we go, you have the words of everlasting life.”
>>>I do not find that He condemned ANY of them!<<<
Good point. I could have worded that better.
Since you agree with Steelfish, perhaps you could help him out. He is having a desperately hard time finding supporting evidence that James is canonical as was determined according to Steelfish by “Petrine authority under Pope Damasus at the Synod of Rome in A.D. 382”.
I have challenged this conclusion in posts 231, 338 and 402.
As with Steelfish, I look forward to your “deep end of the pool” responses.
That was so weak!
>>This one is an obvious double allusion taking place:<<
No, it isn't. The woman in Revelation 12 is Israel NOT Mary. It was prophesied.
Isaiah 66:7 "Before she travailed, she brought forth; Before her pain came, she gave birth to a boy. 8 "Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a land be born in one day? Can a nation be brought forth all at once? As soon as Zion travailed, she also brought forth her sons. 9 "Shall I bring to the point of birth and not give delivery?" says the LORD. "Or shall I who gives delivery shut the womb?" says your God. 10 "Be joyful with Jerusalem and rejoice for her, all you who love her; Be exceedingly glad with her, all you who mourn over her, 11 That you may nurse and be satisfied with her comforting breasts, That you may suck and be delighted with her bountiful bosom."
Mary is NOT Zion.
The first is a clear reference to Jesus mentioned after the time of Pentecost.
The second is a clear double allusion. It only makes sense in terms of the birth of the one who is to rule the nations with a rod of iron. I agree with you that the intent is to shift the focus to Israel, but it makes no sense without reflection on Jesus’ birth.
The third is a real curiosity, but you didn’t bring it up again.
You believe that Jesus is Lord, correct? Jesus, for example, changed water into wine. Not pretending to know the actual manner in which He did that, I do know that there was a different thing when He finished with that water than there was before He acted on it. Do you believe that when Jesus healed lepers that their formerly rotted off appendages were restored? I do. I believe He actually walked on water. That He actually created more fish and bread in order to feed the 5000.
In other words, Mary gave birth to the Lord of Creation. (All things were made by Him...) I believe Jesus was dead, buried, and resurrected. I believe He ascended to heaven.
He is Lord.
I find this post of your interesting. Could you tell me the “ONE TRUTH” that Christ taught? Do you one body of truth? Where would I find the truth that your are speaking of? Or are you speaking of the gospel that Christ taught Peter and the 12? Is that the truth that He established His “One Church” with?
"For a post which accuses others of lacking substance, the above is a whole lot of nothing. Simply insulting people is not "the deep end of the pool." You claim the logic isn't up to the level of an introductory course. Ironic (or hypocritical, if you prefer) given your post is a textbook example of ad hominem arguments, in particular, guilt by association. "
The "shallow end of the pool" appears to be occupied by someone posting empty slogans and unsupported claims...
We were on a trail just walking along
When from up above we heard a song
Saying “We’re infallibly right
and all the others are wrong”
Then I spied him high upon his perch
“We are really The One True Church!”
He wore silk robes and a big high hat
I’d never seen anybody dressed like that
He had red shoes that looked sorta funny
I thought that guy must have a lotta money
He said other things about Peter and Mary
that weren’t in the Bible and I found it scary
There had bloodshed and sin in their history
I said that Church sure is a Mystery
I started running away looking to hide
there was no cover because the road was too wide
Then the Heavens sent to me a small sparrow
that led me to a trail that was straight and narrow
I followed that trail and I never looked back
But I often times wonder about the rest of the pack
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