Posted on 02/22/2005 10:45:53 AM PST by TheTruthess
We all understand seed produces after it's own kind. If you plant pumpkin seeds you're going to get a pumpkin, if you plant cucumber seeds you're going to get cucumbers, etc. This makes sense doesn't it? Even wheat seeds found in the pyramids and planted produced wheat. Jesus says that the seed is the Word of God. Paul taught a person the Word of God and he became a Christian. Peter taught a person the Word of God and he became a Christian. The Word of God makes a Christian. If you ask someone about their religion and they say they are a Catholic - and then you tell them that you are trying to find a Christian they will say that they are a Christian. You say, "I thought you were a Catholic?" Then they may say that they are a Catholic Christian.
If someone is claiming to be a "Catholic Christian" then something else in addition to the Word of God made him that way. That something else is the Catholic Catechism (I was a Catholic for 33 years and am now only a Christian). The Word of God plus the Catholic Catechism makes a Catholic Christian.
I am not meaning to offend any religion or to make anyone angry with me - I only believe I am stating truth as it pertains to the Word of God.
Creeds (which are of man) produce error: Methodist Discipline, Baptist Manual, Book of Mormon, Book of Common Prayer (Episcopalian), Confession of Faith (Presbyterian), Luther's Catechism, any creed book.
True or False? - Seed produces after it's own kind.
Go up on a mountain with only the word of God and come down a Christian, not a Catholic. The Catholic doctrine is not in the Bible.
Take the Bible and the Book of Mormon on a mountain and you can not come back a Catholic because the Catholic doctrine is neither in the Bible nor the Book of Mormon.
Take the Bible and the Baptist Manual and you could not come down a Methodist because the Methodist doctrine is not in the Bible or the Baptist Manual.
The point is that if we have more than the Bible we have too much. If we have less than the Bible, we don't have enough. Thus, adding to or taking away from the Word of God - "You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you." Deuteronomy 4:2-3 (NKJV)
"Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it." Deuteronomy 12:32 (NKJV)
"Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other." 1 Corinthians 4:6 (NKJV)
"For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." Revelation 22:18-19 (NKJV)
The New Testament condemns us calling ourselves by another name other than Christ's. "Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. . . Now I say this, that each of you says, "I am of Paul ," or "I am of Apollos," or "I am of Cephas," or "I am of Christ." Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?" 1 Corinthians 1:10-13 (NKJV)
"For when one says, 'I am of Paul ,' and another, 'I am of Apollos,' are you not carnal?" 1 Corinthians 3:4 (NKJV)
You could replace those very words with "was Peter crucified for you?" "was Joseph Smith crucified for you?" "was Mohamed crucified for you?", "was John Wesley crucified for you?", etc. I believe, from studying the scriptures, we are to wear only one name and that is Christ's. I believe going by any other name does not give honor to the One who suffered and died as the perfect sacrifice for our sins. I believe there is only one Book from which we get all our guidance in pleasing God "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof , for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NKJV)
I do not believe in praying to anyone but the God of all and the One who shed His blood "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all..." 1 Timothy 2:5-6 (NKJV) I was taught in the Catholic church to pray to Mary, St. Jude (the supposed patron saint of hopeless cases), etc. I was never taught to pick up a Bible and when I did, I began to see the Truth - and there is only One Truth. Once I read it - it could be nothing but clear to me.
"There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." Ephesians 4:4-6 (NKJV)
As to Peter being the first Pope: "When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." Matthew 16:13-19 (NKJV)
Taken into context, Jesus is talking to the disciples and asks who others thought He was, and then who THEY thought He was and Peter stepped up and confessed He was the Son of God - the Christ. Flesh and blood didn't reveal this to Him (no one told him - he knew). It was upon Peter's confession of faith, the FACT that Jesus is Christ, the son of God - THAT confession is the rock - the foundation on which His church is built. We must first confess Him - confession is the cornerstone. Continuing on in the text, Christ is still speaking to the disciples, He is presenting THEM with the keys of the kingdom of heaven - the KEY is the gospel, the Word of God - the only true way to get to heaven - our guide. Whatever we bind or loose here on earth will be bound and loosed in heaven - "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:21 (NKJV)
I am not in any way trying to support my own agenda - only the Word of God. I can't do anything but read it and understand it for what it says. I do not belong to a denomination for as I mentioned, to call myself by another name than Christ's is not giving honor to Him. I read all of the Word, not just one verse. All of God's Word works together. If you apply it all it is clear there is only one Head of the Church – Christ. No man can ever compare.
A wise person said to me the other day, “If you reject part of God's Word you reject ALL. Therefore can not rightly claim to be a Christian…when citing or referencing scripture, it is not necessary to apologize. Christ points out that the Word of God is offensive to those who are perishing.”
love Him - live in Him
Why Did The Church Fall Into Apostasy?
I'm a Catholic and if Church goes past 45 minutes, I break out in hives! HAHA!
Other Denominations spend HOURS in Church. that is good for them but not me. I'll stay Catholic, thanks. In and out FAST!
bttt - by a Christian. By the was, I was born and bred a Mormon.
Really no difference except for the man-made rules, commentary, interpretation and money-collecting rituals.
Paul had God - nothing more, nothing less.
"There are no denominations, just divisions."
Demomination is just another word for division.
Anyway, the Bible condemns division(1 Corinthians 1:10).
2 Timothy 3:16-17
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
We do not know how to be a Christian, except from what the Bible teaches. Paul did have some Scriptures at the time of his preaching. However, he also had God to guide him and the Holy Spirit to speak through him. Today, the Bible is what we have so "that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work".
Wrong.
The Bible (the letters from Paul, etc.) were written by Paul and the other disciples, thus, he/they had the Word (the Bible) within him via the Holy Spirit. Read the Word and understand the Truth of It.
The Church was founded by Jesus Christ. His first representative was Peter (The Rock). Upon this Rock, he built his Church. The gates of hell will not prevail against it.
The "Word" of God is Jesus Christ Himself. Whenever this is used in Sacred Scripture, in nearly all cases, the primary meaning is "Jesus Christ," not about the words on the page.
Man created thousands of splinter divisions. Not the Church. Not God. The Church pre-existed Sacred Scripture. Therefore, whatever authority you give to Sacred Scripture comes from the fact that the Church, through the guidance of the Holy Ghost, decided which books were inspired and which ones became part of the canon.
Martin Luther and his followers decided to remove 7 books. Therefore, if you use a Protestant "Bible," you don't even have the entire thing. You put your authority on Martin Luther.
Have a good day.
Any departure from the church that was founded at Pentecost in Acts 2 is a division. There is "one body"(Ephesians 4:4).
And He goes on to say:
I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
So, the confession holds the keys and exercises the binding and loosing?
Since you were bred Catholic this is an interesting post on Feb 22.
"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:
Fear God and keep His commandments,
For this is man's all.
For God will bring every work into judgment,
Including every secret thing,
Whether good or evil." Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 (NKJV)
love Him - live in Him
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