Where Have All the Protestants Gone?

NOR ^ | January 2006 | Thomas Storck

[Full Court]

No offense, but most Christians do not believe that Rome is the true Church.

In fact, even her adherents, most of which are born into it, not converted, do not even know if they are saved, because Rome forbids that.

[TradicalRC]

Did Jesus Christ say these Creeds?

Did He ever utter the phrase "sola Scriptura" in any language?

[Full Court]

The vast majority of Protestors are left wing. A group many Protestants want to move as far away from as possible.

I think a better way to explain that is "Most Protestant mainline churches are Liberal, which Evangelicals would like to move as far away from as possible."

[Theoden]

I think everyone here is getting hung up on names like the liberals do. You can change the name all you want, but not the meaning behind it.

When you say that you are Catholic or Protestant, it is understood that you ARE Christian.

For example, if you ask someone on Free Republic where they are from, they will probably tell you which state they live in. A state specifies an area, and it is understood that you ARE American. The same logic applies to Christianity! (Religious Sect = State --- Christian = American)

My opinion on this is that a most of the people who are identifying themselves as Christian rather than Protestant or Catholic, are just trying to separate themselves from the liberalism in the mainstream Protestant churches. I also feel that a small number of them are intending to marginalize Catholics by doing this, because they know we are Christians, but enjoy the fact that we identify ourselves specifically as Catholics instead, making it seem like we have a problem being called Christian. They are simply ignorant and enjoy angering others. I am Catholic, and my first name is, *gasp*, Christian!

Please don't get caught up on titles and wording.

[Full Court]

I just came out of a "cult"

Which one?

[NYer]

Then there is no scriptural basis for calling the Antioch Church "Catholic" nor is there a scriptural basis for it being founded by Peter.

This is where one leaves Acts and reads extant literature for an understanding of the early Church.

* * * * *

"See that ye all follow the bishop, even as Christ Jesus does the Father, and the presbytery as ye would the apostles. Do ye also reverence the deacons, as those that carry out the appointment of God. Let no man do anything connected with the Church without the bishop. Let that be deemed a proper Eucharist, which is [administered] either by the bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it. Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude also be; by the bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it. Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude also be; even as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church." Ignatius of Antioch, Epistle to the Smyrneans, 8:2 (c. A.D. 110).

"[A]ll the people wondered that there should be such a difference between the unbelievers and the elect, of whom this most admirable Polycarp was one, having in our own times been an apostolic and prophetic teacher, and bishop of the Catholic Church which is in Smyrna. For every word that went out of his mouth either has been or shall yet be accomplished." Martyrdom of Polycarp, 16:2 (A.D. 155).

MORE

[Full Court]

They don't like it that the Pope is the Leader of Worldwide Christianity, but deep down they know its true.

It certainly is not true in my case. I wouldn't follow a Pope out of a burning building.

[Full Court]

In fact, the church of Antioch was founded by St. Peter and it was there that the terms "Christian" and "Catholic" were first used. The first Christians were Jews and entire communities came to accept Jesus as the Messiah.

The Bible says they were first called Christians there, but it says nothing at all about Catholic.

Acts 11:26  And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

I'm enriched by every one of your posts. You should write a book.

[Full Court]

When Billy Graham passes to his reward, there will be the same media frenzy recounting his life decade by decade and a televised funeral.
He did serve the Lord faithfully as a Protestant. Do you think that the Catholics will spew venom over him? I don't.

here is something to consider, Graham is not the Protestant version of a Pope. He may be respected by some people, but he is not followed.

He was a baptist, but even his own wife didn't leave her denomination to join his.

Also, Graham has many enemies (of sorts) in fundamentalist circles because of his compromises with Rome and his little known but dearly held belief in infant Baptism.

So when Graham dies, there might be some spewing, but I doubt it would be from Catholics. Graham was and is very cozy with Rome and her teachings.

[kerryusama04]

Did I ever utter those words? I don't necessarily agree with "sola scripture". I think that prophets have and will come and since scripture was closed. But their words cannot contradict scripture.

[markomalley]

It's normally considered polite for one to cite his sources when making extensive quotes for an argument

---

http://the-highway.com/Matt16.18_Webster.html

The Church Fathers’ Interpretation of the Rock of Matthew 16:18


An Historical Refutation of the Claims of Roman Catholicism

(Includes a Critique of Jesus, Peter and the Keys)

By William Webster

---

I'll work on this later on...don't have adequate time to fully digest this document now in order to knock holes in it, but I'll try to get to it in the evening.

Cheers!

[TheClintons-STILLAnti-American]

"And the only church that is one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic. Protestant Churches do not have those four marks of the Church as Catholics do. "

So labels and authority of men make all the difference for you.

Whatever.

[Full Court]

Among the Christian churches, only the Catholic Church has existed since the time of Jesus. Every other Christian church is an offshoot of the Catholic Church.

This is a totally untrue statement.

Cardinal Hosius (Catholic, 1524), President of the Council of Trent:

"Were it not that the baptists have been grievously tormented and cut off with the knife
during the past twelve hundred years, they would swarm in greater number than all the Reformers.
" (Hosius, Letters, Apud Opera, pp. 112, 113.)

The "twelve hundred years" were the years preceding the Reformation in which Rome persecuted Baptists with the most cruel persecution thinkable.

Sir Isaac Newton:

"The Baptists are the only body of known Christians that have never symbolized with Rome."

Mosheim (Lutheran):

"Before the rise of Luther and Calvin, there lay secreted in almost all the countries of Europe persons who adhered tenaciously to the principles of modern Dutch Baptists."

Edinburg Cyclopedia (Presbyterian):

"It must have already occurred to our readers that the Baptists are the same sect of Christians that were formerly described as Ana-Baptists.
Indeed this seems to have been their leading principle from the time of Tertullian to the present time."

Tertullian was born just fifty years after the death of the Apostle John.

[Flavius Josephus]

I beg your pardon, but most Christians DO believe Rome is the True Church.

[Full Court]

Oh Baloney. I was raised in a Baptist church. 4 and 5 year olds were baptised all the time as along as they responded to the "alter call". In my book, that age aint much different from an infant. Protestants beleive in justification by faith alone. What do you beleive?

I personally am very leery of baptizing little kids, especially the way Baptist churches are run today. No one talks about sin, they just tell kids to come ask Jesus into their hearts so they won't go to Hell.

What kid wouldn't do that?

However, the major difference here is that getting the head of a baby wet and calling him baptized it patently ludicrous and completely unscriptural.

And while I am leery of kids as young as 4 0r 5 answering an altar call, AT LEAST you know that the kid has some knowledge of whats going on.

[Full Court]

I beg your pardon, but most Christians DO believe Rome is the True Church.

No they don't. Rome doesn't have the marks of the Body of Christ.

"MARKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH"

1.Its Head and Founder--CHRIST. He is the law-giver; the Church is only the executive.
(Matt. 16:18; Col. 1:18)
2.Its only rule of faith and practice--THE BIBLE. (II Tim. 3:15-17)
3.Its name--"CHURCH," "CHURCHES." (Matt. 16:18; Rev. 22:16)
4.Its polity--CONGREGATIONAL--all members equal. (Matt. 20:24-28; Matt. 23:5-12)
5.Its members--only saved people. (Eph. 2:21; I Peter 2:5)
6.Its ordinances--BELIEVERS' BAPTISM, FOLLOWED BY THE LORD'S SUPPER.
(Matt. 28:19-20)
7.Its officers--PASTORS AND DEACONS. (I Tim. 3:1-16)
8.Its work--getting folks saved, baptizing them (with a baptism that meets all the requirements
of God's Word), teaching them ("to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you").
(Matt. 28:16-20)
9.Its financial plan--"Even so (TITHES and OFFERINGS) hath the Lord ordained that they
which preach the gospel should live of the gospel," (I Cor. 9:14)
10.Its weapons of warfare--spiritual, not carnal. (II Cor. 10:4; Eph. 6:10-20)
11.Its independence--separation of Church and State. (Matt. 22:21)

In any town there are many different churches -- all claiming to be the true church. -- Take the marks, or teachings, of the different churches and find the ones which have these marks, or doctrines. The ones which have these marks, or doctrines, taught in God's Word, are the true churches.