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Lutherans take up debate on gays
Chicago Tribune ^ | August 12, 2003 | Manya A. Brachear

Posted on 08/13/2003 8:09:40 AM PDT by Monitor

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To: sweetliberty
exactly correct!
181 posted on 08/18/2003 12:52:23 PM PDT by John O (God Save America (Please))
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To: TheGeezer
 
Peter denied Christ three times, yet Peter was the rock on which the Church was founded. He became the first leader of the Church, the first pope. And this, the man who denied Jesus!
 
It really does not appear that way: according to the Bible.........
 



 Is Peter the 'rock'?
 


NIV Matthew 4:18-19
 18.  As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.
 19.  "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."
 
NIV Matthew 8:14
 14.  When Jesus came into Peter's house, he saw Peter's mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever.
 
NIV Matthew 10:1-2
 1.  He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil  spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.
 2.  These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John;
 
NIV Matthew 14:28-31
 28.  "Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."
 29.  "Come," he said.   Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.
 30.  But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"
 31.  Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"
 
NIV Matthew 15:13-16
 13.  He replied, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots.
 14.  Leave them; they are blind guides.  If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit."
 15.  Peter said, "Explain the parable to us."
 16.  "Are you still so dull?" Jesus asked them.
 
(Simon was already known as 'Peter' BEFORE these verses came along.....)



NIV Matthew 16:13-18
 13.  When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"
 14.  They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
 15.  "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"
 16.  Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ,  the Son of the living God."
 17.  Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.
 18.  And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades  will not overcome it.
 19.  I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be  bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

NIV 1 Corinthians 10:4
 4.  and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.
 
NIV Luke 6:48
 48.  He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.
 
NIV Romans 9:33
 33.  As it is written: "See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame."
 
 
 
NIV 1 Peter 2:4-8
 4.  As you come to him, the living Stone--rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him--
 5.  you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
 6.  For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame."
 7.  Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, "The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone, "
 8.  and, "A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall." They stumble because they disobey the message--which is also what they were destined for.


But, since there WAS no NT at the time Christ spoke to Peter, just what DID Peter and the rest of the Disciples know about ROCKS???

 

NIV Genesis 49:24-25
24.  But his bow remained steady, his strong arms stayed limber, because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,
 25.  because of your father's God, who helps you, because of the Almighty,  who blesses you with blessings of the heavens above, blessings of the deep that lies below, blessings of the breast and womb.
 
NIV Numbers 20:8
 8.  "Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink."
 
NIV Deuteronomy 32:4
 4.  He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.
 
NIV Deuteronomy 32:15
 15.  Jeshurun  grew fat and kicked; filled with food, he became heavy and sleek. He abandoned the God who made him and rejected the Rock his Savior.
 
NIV Deuteronomy 32:18
 18.  You deserted the Rock, who fathered you; you forgot the God who gave you birth.
 
NIV Deuteronomy 32:30-31
 30.  How could one man chase a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, unless the LORD had given them up?
 31.  For their rock is not like our Rock, as even our enemies concede.
 
NIV 1 Samuel 2:2
 2.  "There is no one holy  like the LORD; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.
 
NIV 2 Samuel 22:2-3
 2.  He said: "The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
 3.  my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn  of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior-- from violent men you save me.
 
NIV 2 Samuel 22:32
 32.  For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God?
 
NIV 2 Samuel 22:47
 47.  "The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God, the Rock, my Savior!
 
NIV 2 Samuel 23:3-4
 3.  The God of Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel said to me: `When one rules over men in righteousness, when he rules in the fear of God,
 4.  he is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings the grass from the earth.'
 
NIV Psalms 18:2
 2.  The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn  of my salvation, my stronghold.
 
NIV Psalms 18:31
 31.  For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God?
 
NIV Psalms 18:46
 46.  The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Savior!
 
NIV Psalms 19:14
 14.  May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
 
NIV Psalms 28:1
 
 1.  To you I call, O LORD my Rock; do not turn a deaf ear to me. For if you remain silent, I will be like those who have gone down to the pit.
 
NIV Psalms 31:2-3
 2.  Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me.
 3.  Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me.
 
NIV Psalms 42:9
 9.  I say to God my Rock, "Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?"
 
NIV Psalms 62:2
 2.  He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.
 
NIV Psalms 62:6
 6.  He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
 
NIV Psalms 62:7
 7.  My salvation and my honor depend on God ; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
 
NIV Psalms 71:3
 3.  Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.
 
NIV Psalms 78:35
 35.  They remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer.
 
NIV Psalms 89:26
 26.  He will call out to me, `You are my Father, my God, the Rock my Savior.'
 
NIV Psalms 92:14-15
 14.  They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green,
 15.  proclaiming, "The LORD is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him."
 
NIV Psalms 95:1
 1.  Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
 
NIV Psalms 144:1
 1.  Praise be to the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.
 
NIV Isaiah 17:10
 10.  You have forgotten God your Savior; you have not remembered the Rock, your fortress.
 
NIV Isaiah 26:4
 4.  Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal.
 
NIV Isaiah 30:29
29.  And you will sing as on the night you celebrate a holy festival; your hearts will rejoice as when people go up with flutes to the mountain of the LORD, to the Rock of Israel.
 
NIV Isaiah 44:8
 8.  Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one." 
 
NIV Habakkuk 1:12
 12.  O LORD, are you not from everlasting? My God, my Holy One, we will not die. O LORD, you have appointed them to execute judgment; O Rock, you have ordained them to punish.
.....No other rock.............
 
And now you know the Biblical position!
 
 
 
 

182 posted on 08/18/2003 3:08:05 PM PDT by Elsie (Don't believe every prophecy you hear: especially *** ones........)
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To: Marysecretary
Are you Norske?

Sure am, via my Grandparents - both sides no less.

But I'd make a better Mexican regarding food. I do love lefsa, and have even eaten lutefiske recently at Sons Of Norway - sure is different than when Dad soaked it & Mom cooked it.

I love my Norwegian heritage

Me too, with emphasis on heritage - especially the work ethic, church planting & such, of the immigrants who settled in my neck of the midWest.

My wife makes certain I have Norske t-shirts (like Made in America with Norwegian parts etc). She also gets books such as "We Die Alone" a true story of survival North of the Artic Circle during WWII - an unbelievable but true experience, it is a must read for folks like us.

I was baptised & confirmed in the old ELC before the merger with the German branch.

I have read enough from Martin Luther to dare claim I am more "Lutheran" than the Lutheran's I know - gutsy huh! I like to think Luther would be at home pastoring the church I attend.

Dahlseide was my family name before America. Uffda! better stop this has gotten too long.

183 posted on 08/18/2003 5:30:25 PM PDT by Dahlseide (We need a latter day Martin Luther.)
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To: TheGeezer
The early fathers of the Church repeatedly testified that the will of the bishops in union with the will of Peter's successor was evidence of the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Anything less than that was not.

The Holy Spirit works in the believer whether by means of pastor/bishop/evangelist/... or prayer or meditation or study or .... A believer is to test the spirit/teaching whether it be from the Holy Spirit, or from a false spirit, by the yard stick of the Scriptures.

I have noticed that many folks have responded to Catholic theology concerning Scripture, Authority of Bishops/Pope/Apostolic succession, the One True Church teaching, & more. I'll not continue that other than to say, as far as our discussion regarding moral authority is concerned, since you referred to Bishops/Pope as that authority, I referred to the individual believer. To me the question meant "who determines?", I answered, among men, the believer, in the sense that each believer is responsible for his own understanding of morality. I said "among men", to highlight personal responsibility, not as you might interpret it, "moral relativism". Neither of us would claim our understanding, regardless of the source, contradicted God.

There is an old saying I am a sinner saved by grace, saved by the blood of the Lamb. To me that means, and here many Christians disagree including you from one of your responses, if one is saved one is really saved leading to another old saying "once saved always saved". How else could it be if the source of our salvation is the grace of God, the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Note I did not use ? as punctuation).

Well, TheGeezer, you said we were close on one of my last comments in a previous post. I'll take that in a positive vein.

Be well, my best to you & yours.

184 posted on 08/18/2003 7:58:43 PM PDT by Dahlseide (We need a latter day Martin Luther.)
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To: Dahlseide
Both my parents were Norwegian as well. Mom's family, though, as I found out a few years ago, were Swedish-speaking Finns from Hvaler, so I'm not a purebred, sob. A number of Norwegians settled in Central New York, especially in my village. I wrote an article about them for the paper during our bicentennial year. That was fun. I loved being brought up around all those good aunts and uncles (not blood relatives all of them) and eating krumkake, sandkake, and julekake, and all those other goodies at Christmas time. I have a friend's krumkake iron and my aunt Maria's recipe for them. I love making them. Mom always had them on hand during the holidays. Making them gives me sweet memories.

Grandma Laura used to soak lutefisk in her old tub. I never would take a bath there after seeing that. She also used to make home brew on the farm during the prohibition years.

I have a license plate holder with "Happiness is being Norwegian" that my friends got me at a Sons of Norway gathering. I would love to go to one. I love being around Norwegians and listening to their musical language. I spoke it very fluently as a young child. Mom came over in 1938 and I was born in 1939 so I would interpret for her to my father's friends and vice versa. When I went back to visit with her before she died, I was amazed how quickly I got it back.

The Norwegians here were very industrious. Many of them were tradesmen. It was a great town to live in when I was growing up. When I got divorced, I came back! (Not that I got very far away!) Din, Maryxxx
185 posted on 08/19/2003 5:28:10 AM PDT by Marysecretary (GOD is still in control!)
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To: Dahlseide
once saved always saved

On this we cannot agree. Even St. Paul did not consider himself irrevocably saved since he expressed concern that even he could lose the prize. He wrote that he struggled for it, and, as I pointed out in one post, had to continuously subdue his physical body with mortifications so he would not lose the prize, even though he had preached it to others.

With backsliding, salvation may be lost, unfortunately. Regards.

186 posted on 08/19/2003 6:20:45 AM PDT by TheGeezer
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To: Monitor
Two things. 1. They don't believe the Bible. 2. They don't desire to believe the Bible.
187 posted on 08/19/2003 6:22:53 AM PDT by usslsm51 (ui)
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To: Elsie
It really does not appear that way: according to the Bible.........

Wellll, that's debatable...

(Simon was already known as 'Peter' BEFORE these verses came along.....)

The gospels were written after Peter was renamed Rock (Greek "Petros" or Arabic "Kepha") by Jesus. Naturally, the authors of the Gospels would refer to Peter by his new God-given name as they wrote the Gospels.

The translation of the Bible you are using is slightly inaccurate:

Mt 16:18. "And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it."

is better rendered

Mt 16:18 "18. And I tell you that you are Rock, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it."

In the most ancient Greek manuscripts of the Gospel Jesus calls Simon Petros (the Greek word for rock). It is quite clear that the reference to what His church will be built upon is that Rock...Peter...the first pope.

God is indeed the Rock of the Old Testament, and the typology of the Bible refers repeatedly to Jesus, as well, as a Rock. But the references to God as Rock do not contradict anything having to do with Jesus creating Petros from Simon (and vice-versa). You can throw as many uses of the word rock up as you wish, but none contradict Mt. 16:18.

And now YOU you know the Biblical position!

Regards.

188 posted on 08/19/2003 6:52:41 AM PDT by TheGeezer
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To: RochesterFan
The NT Scriptures existed by 150 AD. We have complete copies from before 350 AD. The church (emphasis added) recognized them as authoritative before the canon was formalized.

Which church?

How did it recognize them as authoritative?

It is one thing to say that a canon existed, but a canon cannot be a canon unless it is defined to be so by an authority, like a church council. Individuals tend to be too sinful and make too many mistakes.

Regards.

189 posted on 08/19/2003 6:58:37 AM PDT by TheGeezer
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To: sweetliberty
Unfortunately, Queen Elizabeth I broke irrevocably the Apostolic succession with the liturgy she promulgated during her reign. Was it Wolsey who said, at his execution, that he prayed for God's forgiveness for removing from the Church of England the last vestiges of sacramental life and Apostolicity?

The QE1 liturgy substantially lacked the sacramental priestly intent of ordination that the original liturgy contained and obtained, so any ordinations performed using the QE1 liturgy were both illicit and invalid. By the time the "catholic" revival restored the pre-Elizabethan liturgy, all validly ordained bishops that had not been killed or exiled by QE1 were dead and gone.

Apostolic succession was lost forever as a result. The proof is in the pudding, as it were: as a result of that loss, grievous and dangerous moral error has become a tenet of the ECUSA. Having abandoned the Holy Spirit, a church will eventually drift into error as a manifest result. If serious error in official doctrine develops, is any further proof of the loss of doctrinal authority needed?

Regards.

190 posted on 08/19/2003 7:12:15 AM PDT by TheGeezer
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To: Marysecretary
Oh, I agree! The Holy Spirit must be part of life to be saved!

But Christ promised that the gates of hell will not prevail against His Church, and if a church teaches error, that is evidence that the Holy Spirit is not with that church.

Regards.

191 posted on 08/19/2003 7:16:12 AM PDT by TheGeezer
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To: TheGeezer
It is quite clear that the reference to what His church will be built upon is that Rock...Peter...the first pope.

No, it is not.


What IS clear that
Isaiah 44:8
 8.  Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one."
does NOT contradict Mt. 16:18, because Jesus points out that Simon is a LITTLE rock, but the BIG ROCK is the fact that Peter did, indeed, recognize [words in blue]

NIV Matthew 16:13-18
 13.  When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"
 14.  They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
 15.  "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"
 16.  Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ,  the Son of the living God."
 17.  Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.
 18.  And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades  will not overcome it.
 19.  I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be  bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
WHO Christ REALLY was, and upon THAT fact would the church be built.
192 posted on 08/19/2003 9:52:41 AM PDT by Elsie (Don't believe every prophecy you hear: especially *** ones........)
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To: TheGeezer
More and more I realize that the Body of Christ is the true church. It's not a denomination. If we are filled with the Holy Spirit, following His commandments and principles and have Christ as our saviour, we are the true church. FRegards, Maryxxx
193 posted on 08/19/2003 11:21:09 AM PDT by Marysecretary (GOD is still in control!)
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To: sweetliberty
I think we've had this discussion before - I really wish the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) would drop the name "Lutheran" from their name. If you look at their teachings and practices, there is really nothing that resembles Lutheranism. In some cases, there is nothing that resembles Christianity for that matter: I've spoken with ELCA pastors who deny the virgin birth, deny the divinity of Christ, deny the Genesis account of creation, deny Jesus' resurrection, ad nauseum. They really give Luther and confessional Lutheranism a bad name. Perhaps they can keep the "ELCA" acronym, but change the meaning to Evangelical Liberal Church in America.
194 posted on 08/19/2003 11:46:47 AM PDT by FatherOfLiberty (Let's put Blockbuster in charge of immigration - just TRY to stay 2 days late!)
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To: FatherOfLiberty
Yeah we've had lots of discussions of this sort, but I figured I needed somebody to share my pain. LOL! I'm still pretty upset about the decision to consecrate a faggot bishop. I am waiting until the meeting in October that was called by the Archbishop of Canterbury to see what is going to happen. I hope they will take a harsh disciplinary stance, or at least give individual parishes a choice to reject it outright and stay in the communion. I never heard of entire segments of the church being excommunicated, but I don't see why they couldn't be.
195 posted on 08/19/2003 12:10:07 PM PDT by sweetliberty ("Having the right to do a thing is not at all the same thing as being right in doing it.")
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To: TheGeezer
I wholeheartedly disagree with your statement.
196 posted on 09/18/2003 9:29:23 AM PDT by freemax
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To: TheGeezer
GREAT POST!!!!!!!!!!!!!
197 posted on 09/18/2003 9:39:00 AM PDT by freemax
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To: utahagen
BINGO!!! 6 posts before we get the Missouri bashing the ELCA.

Gee, it's usually within the first 4.
198 posted on 09/18/2003 9:44:50 AM PDT by Hillary's Lovely Legs (There is no shame in being poor, just dressing poorly.)
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To: Hillary's Lovely Legs
I'm ELCA and I'm brokenhearted at what is happening to my church. This is the second round of this gay crusade...the first came in the nineties. The proponents were thoroughly thrashed. They intend (I believe) to have a debate until they get the answer they want then end the debate. There are some congregations who already have "partnership" blessings and openly gay pastors.

The Lutheran, the ELCA paper (www.thelutheran.com), editorialized for a moratorium on expelling congregations over this issue. There's been a movement by some congregations to cease support payment to the ELCA and a new organization, Word Alone (www.wordalone.org). I used to think quitting was the only option, but now I'm convinced we have to stand and fight. If it were just one church or congregation, quitting would be appropriate; we have to stand and fight.

199 posted on 09/18/2003 10:21:38 AM PDT by gogeo (A man can be judged by the quality of his supporters...and of his enemies.)
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