"Don't discount the motivation of filthy lucre.."
That one brought a belly laugh.
As I said before, we have no basis of agreement between those of us who rely on the Bible as our authority and those who rely on 1)Pope, 2)Catholic Church, and 3)Bible in that order.
Comparing the operation of the Catholic Church with the Bible is of no profit unless the Catholic would agree to abide by the Bible teaching. Ain't likely.
What are some of the things which a Bible-believing Christian must keep in mind, in the presence of an unchanging yet constantly changing, Roman Catholic Church?
First, we must remember that the sole basis of truth for the Roman Catholic church is not, has never been, and can never be, SOLA SCRIPTURA (only scripture), the inspired, infallible Word of God written. Truth is what the Church declares truth to be. St Augustine said, "I would not believe in the Gospel if I were not brought to do so by the authority of the Catholic church."
Second, we must remember that according to Rome, not only truth, but also salvation is mediated through the church. Only the Pope has authority to remit or retain sin, which he transmits to bishops and these to priest, and dispenses by means of the sacraments. The Roman Catholic church has not ever taught, does not now teach, and can never teach, that man is saved by SOLA GRATIA (grace alone) apart from his own works or merits.
Third, we must remember that the Roman Catholic church has never taught, does not now teach, and can never teach, that the only response on the part of sinful man which God has decreed to be the method of man's entrance into grace, is SOLA FIDE (faith alone).
William C. Standridge
We wrote the New Testament. We own it :)
As I said before, we have no basis of agreement between those of us who rely on the Bible as our authority and those who rely on 1)Pope, 2)Catholic Church, and 3)Bible in that order.Comparing the operation of the Catholic Church with the Bible is of no profit unless the Catholic would agree to abide by the Bible teaching. Ain't likely.
DX10
Since Dec 12, 2005
Welcome to Free Republic. You've caught on quickly. It takes most newbies more than a couple of months to post such an ignorant, insulting comment.
Can you show me that in the Catechism? I must have read over that one...
Regards
Uh..Excuse me, I am Orthodox Christian. I don't give a plug nickel what the Pope says, but I DO care about Holy and Sacred Tradition. The Bible was made for the Church, not the other way around, and you cannot discount the wisdom of 1000 years, just because some Protestant Dingbats rebelled against Rome. Though some goals of the Reformation were admirable, the "baby was thrown out with the bathwater"..............