Posted on 08/12/2006 7:45:47 AM PDT by DouglasKC
Jesus Christ proclaimed, almost 2,000 years ago, "I will build My church." He declared that His Church would never die out, promising that "the gates of Hades [the grave] shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18). He assured His disciples that He would guide and preserve His Church until His return, promising them, "I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20).
What happened to the Church Jesus built? An eyewitness tells us that, immediately after Christ ascended into heaven after His resurrection, His apostles "went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs" (Mark 16:20). The Church had a powerful beginning.
Millions of people profess Christianity; they claim to be members of the Church Jesus founded. But Christianity is a divided religion, composed of hundreds of denominations and schisms. Through the centuries, most of Christianity's branches have assimilated many nonbiblical traditions—philosophical, cultural and religious—into their teachings and practices, spawning even more variations.
How can we account for the explosion of contradictory practices and conflicting factions in the world of Christianity? Is it possible to reconcile competing denominational groups with the standards and objectives Christ established for His Church? Can we know whether Christianity's bewildering variety of customs and teachings faithfully represents those of Jesus Christ?
Remember, Jesus not only promised He would build His Church, but He assured His disciples that His Church would not perish. Is the divided Christianity we see around us that Church? Only the Holy Scriptures can provide a reliable answer to this question.
If Christ's promise that "the gates of Hades shall not prevail" against His Church should be considered a guarantee that those who believe on His name could never be misled or corrupted, then we would have every reason to accept the collective sum of the various divisions of Christianity as the Church that Jesus built.
But He guaranteed no such thing. Instead, He warned His disciples that "false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect" (Mark 13:22, emphasis added throughout). Later the apostle Paul expressed his concern to Christians in his day that their minds could be "corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ" by the preaching of "false apostles" (2 Corinthians 11:3, 13).
Jesus spoke even more plainly, explaining that "narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits" (Matthew 7:14-16).
In these pages we examine the fruits Jesus and His apostles said would identify His Church. We look at the contrasting fruits that identify those who are influenced by a different spirit and preach a different gospel. We will learn, not from human tradition or opinion but directly from God's Word, how we can distinguish "the church of the living God" (1 Timothy 3:15) from those who follow "false prophets" in sheep's clothing.
For clarity throughout this booklet, the word Church (with a capital C) refers to the faithful Church that Jesus Christ founded. The word church (with a small c) refers to local groups of believers or other physical organizations. Since church is not capitalized in the Bible translations quoted, all scriptural quotations—whether referring to the Body of Christ or a local congregation—use church with a small c.
Is a Bible believer a denomination?
Only to Catholics does it make a difference.
Church of marajade? That makes it 30,001.
That's real convenient when criticizing a faith that has been around for 2,000 years and has about 1,000,000 members.
Believe it or not, as a Catholic, I had no part in the Spanish Inquisition.
Just like you as an American had no part in human slavery.
My faith has been around longer. My faith goes to those who had an eye witness to the testament of Jesus Christ and his crucifiction.
Two reasons the obelisk is located in St. Peter's square are first to commemorate the triumph of Christianity over paganism (hence the reason for the crucifix on top of the obelisk), and second to memorialize the Christian's (including Peter) who were martyred by the Romans in the circus where the oblelisk was originally located. That anyone would say or insinuate that the obelisk was placed at St. Peters for pagan purposes is just sickening, and that person really needs to re-evaluate their values to ensure they are aligned with Christianity.
How does this address that having an obelisk in Rome is worship of Baal or any other false deity?
Deu 5:32 Ye shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.
Deu 17:20 That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.
Eph 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
1Jo 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
Mat 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. Mat 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Rev 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: Rev 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
Keeping to God's path is THE main theme of the Bible. To detract from the Commandments of God and the Testimony of Jesus Christ of to disqualify one from being part of the remnant. To do things that God has not commanded is to accuse God of being inadequate and to not do things that God has commanded is sin.
Erecting a Babylonian idol and hoisting the sign of Tammuz and the method of Jesus' execution at the top is hardly a way of honoring the True God.
"Ever read early Church writings? They certainly don't agree with you."
What Church writings? I read the Bible.
The Catholic church has only been around for 1685 years. It is estimated that 1/6th of the planet has been baptized into the Cahtolic church. We're talking billions here, not millions.
Believe it or not, as a Catholic, I had no part in the Spanish Inquisition.
Claiming to only be part of the good side of an old church is not exactly consistent. Presummably, you are a member today knowing about the current depravity of the clergy and leadership.
I knew it! I always had my suspicions about you. Did you run the rack or the gallows? :)
These are the Biblical facts. The Apostles, except for Paul, were told to stay away from the Gentiles and concentrate their evangelizing on the Lost Sheep of the House of Israel [Matthew 10:5-6]. No matter how you slice it....the Lost Sheep were not in Rome.
The Lost Sheep were in Babylon and as "Josephus" records, "Beyond the Euphrates", and in such great numbers as it is hard to estimate.
We have scripture that shows Peter in Babylon. [1 Peter 5:13] We have scripture that shows Peter evangelizing "Lost Sheep" along the shores of the Black Sea [1 Peter 1:1-2] We have scripture that shows the "Spirit" telling Paul to stay out of there as that was Peter's domain [Acts 16:7]
We have no scripture that shows Peter to be in.....or about Rome in any way, shape or form. We have your "Traditions" only! Don't you think that the Holy Spirit would have made sure to show Peter in Rome if this were actually to be the "Cornerstone" of the faith of the Church?
I guess it all boils down to what the Saviour wanted and as an example left for us to follow. For instance; He celebrated the Sabbath....so did the Apostles. He celebrated the Feast Days outlined in Leviticus 23.....so did the Apostles. He did not bow down to graven images....neither did the Apostles. He said He and the Father were one....so did the Apostles.
Good grief, I could go on all day....but maybe now you get the picture? Jesus did not use Heathen/Pagan images or ideas and neither did the Apostles! Why should you?
You know, each time you say this, I'm going to post this:
Please stop being hypocritical: you can't use historical records outside of Scripture and then hold us to Scripture only in the discussion.
I guess your problem is then to convince everyone why he would go somewhere the Lord expressly prohibited him from going. Did you ever ask yourself...."Why did we have to have the Apostle Paul"? We already had twelve perfectly good ones just standing around!
So. You have no scripture that declares Peter to never have been in.....our about Rome.
We have your "Traditions" only!
You have your "tradition" only that Peter was never in Rome! You are using your tradition against us but then won't accept it when we use Tradition against you? That is being hypocritical.
Don't you think that the Holy Spirit would have made sure to show Peter in Rome if this were actually to be the "Cornerstone" of the faith of the Church?
He has, but I assume you mean in Scripture. First, you need to show us where in Scripture that Scripture was meant to be the complete history of the Church recording all actions of the Apostles.
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