Posted on 10/21/2006 4:52:03 AM PDT by NYer
The terms AD and BC absolutely did not exist in the the First Century and wouldn't for some time. Luke would have probably used either the Jewish calender or the Roman calender (which dated everything from the founding of Rome).
From what I have read, Claudius's edict was in 49 AD. So, that does not mean that Peter could not have been in Rome between 42 and 49 AD. Moreover, the bishop of a city did not have to remain in a city in order to remain its bishop. So, if in 49 AD Peter left Rome and traveled (and it is thought that he did) through various cities for a time, that is fully compatible with his remaining the bishop of Rome.
-A8
If this were uniformly tossed then no Scripture would ever be taught. As there is no private interpretation of the scripture, (2 Peter 1:20) and faith comes from hearing and hearing from the Word of God (Romans 10:17), Christianity would cease to exist.
As for all reality being an illusion, actually, according to the bible, it is not. You have the seen world, in which we live, and exist through laws, in an orderly manner, and you have the unseen world, the invisible (Romans 1:20, Col: 1:15,16, 1Titus 1:17, Hebrews 11:27 ) all created at the same time and both worlds are the Creation.
The pull and flow of the quantum fields may perhaps look like illusion, but the world is still the same world that was created by God, and a Buddhist or a Hindu contemplating his own mind, and thinking that all is illusion, does not disappear, and more importantly he does not "find" God, only his own mind's vain imaginings. God cannot "be found".
Slander is a sin. You should be real sure you're right when you slander a billion +
I'd rather you not judge me at all, but if you must then my preference would be for you to judge me on the basis laid out by Jesus Christ in Matthew 7, and further specified in Galatians 5:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. - Galatians 5:22-23
Of course grace brings us to salvation. The Church doesn't teach otherwise. When you say you don't want to see people going to hell from reading a Catholic thread, it is insulting.
This is another argument from silence, and hence another fallacy.
= = = =
Perhaps a logical fallacy in a certain system of logic . . . for whatever that may be worth--which many times, is less than nothing . . . in that it leads to incorrect assumptions and conclusions AS WELL.
The assertions which are presumed or construed to be from silence, and therefore wrong . . . can quite often be TRUE. It's just that silence doesn't offer much to support them "objectively," whatever that means.
A person can call into question every piece of evidence, if you want not to believe something.
= = = =
INDEED!
ESPECIALLY on many threads hereon . . . re God's Anointing and Spiritual Gifts and their operation in the current era.
I very very strongly agree that God cannot be "found" by any mental reasoning, meditation or other effort of man. Nor can man be "good enough" to get to heaven - if he could have, then Christ died for nothing. (Galatians 2:21)
I also very strongly agree with you that there is a "seen" world and an "unseen" - or a physical and a spiritual, an earthy and a heavenly. My point was one of confidence - if a person is more confident or sure of the physical than the spiritual he risks becoming a "doubting Thomas".
But then again, doubting Thomas was an apostle, too.
But if his commentary does not rely on the Spirit but rather is based on his own mental reasoning using maps, logic, committees, documents and the ilk - his comments are spiritually worthless to me for the very reason that God cannot be "found" by reasoning, meditations, etc. as you say.
The comments of such a one may be useful for other purposes however - science, math, history, philosophy, etc.
I have no desire to get into a banter of words with you today. God Bless you.
Perhaps you have more confidence then that a teacher of math, etc. is more competent than a preacher, even though you will have to take on faith most of what he teaches. After all, a teacher of math these days can teach imaginary numbers.
Truth is not subjective, but is always Truth. If the Holy Spirit abides in you, you will have no problem discerning Truth. In fact, it will be really easy to determine false prophets. Only when the HS is not indwelling does one run here and there to hear some new thing.
Matthew 16:18
WRONG, imho.
All believers with The Indwelling Spirit have sufficient authority to test the spirits and discern as well as they are able BY HOLY SPIRIT'S AUTHORITY WITHIN THEM.
Is such flawless and 100% pure 100% of the time in this fallen world with varying degrees of individual maturity and experience in such an exercise, process, action, discernment?
Of course
NOT ANY MORE THAN are the judgments about the writings of the early church fathers.
NOT ANY MORE THAN are the judgments about TRADITION.
NOT ANY MORE THAN are judgments about human organizations and their hierarchical structures.
NOT ANY MORE THAN are judgments about THE PONTIFICATIONS of hierarchical structured leaders.
NOT ANY MORE THAN are the judgments about THE CUSTOMS of hierarchical structures, their leaders and followers.
NOT ANY MORE THAN are the judgments about THE BLESSINGS of hierarchical structures and their leaders on followers and/or others.
NOT ANY MORE THAN are the judgements about THE PUNISHMENTS, EXCOMMUNICATIONS ETC. of hierarchical structures and their leaders.
As the OLD TESTAMENT AND NEW TESTAMENT DISPLAY ABUNDANTLY, RELIGIOUS LEADERS of EVEN GOD ORDAINED AND ESTABLISHED ORGANIZATIONS are extremely prone to flawed operations of even God given instructions.
ADD IN HUMAN generated assummptions and constructions on reality; add in demonic doctrines . . . and the flaws become enormous.
SMALL WONDER God has OFTEN withdrawn HIS ANOINTING from virtually every human organization that has existed beyond a few months to a year or so.
HINT: WE ARE ALL FALLEN CREATURES STILL IN A FALLEN WORLD, STILL SEEING THROUGH THE GLASS DARKLY. Even the most anointed amongs us. AND, God has clearly set things up that ALL US FALLEN CRITTERS NEED ONE ANOTHER to see more clearly EVEN BY HIS SPIRIT . . . to NEED one another far more than most are prepared to accept, much less submit to.
INDEED!
AMEN!
-A8
But [divine] inspiration can be assured only if the person's claims agree with the teachings of the Apostles and their ordained successors.
= = = =
That's NOT what SCRIPTURE SAYS.
When it comes to how to manage this life and my relationship with God, I'll stick with Scripture and Holy Spirit's leading into all truth. I've had more than enough flawed inputs by well meaning heirarchical folks--even the ones earnestly trying to do their best. The rest were beyond the pale by a wide margin.
Of course I will submit as Holy Spirit leads and respect Biblical, honorable spiritual authority. I won't give anyone carte blanche. That, to me, is unBiblical.
And, in my experience, has tended to be very destructive in results.
If the allegedly 'inspired' person's teachings contradict the doctrine of the Church, then they are not of God.
== == ==
NO. IF the supposedly inspired person's teachings contradict what God is saying and doing in that situation at that time . . . and/or with Scripture . . . then things are at best exceedingly suspect if not well over the line and likely from hell.
Wisdom is lovely to see.
DEFINITELY I lean very heavily on Scripture.
I've observed that all human leadership sooner or later is quite flawed enough to cause shipwreck even if unintentional.
Also, GOD MAKES CLEAR IN SCRIPTURE and
HAS MADE ABUNDANTLY CLEAR IN MY LIFE
that HE WILL NOT TOLERATE
ANY LEADER
usurping HIS PLACE
in my life.
CHRIST DIED FOR RELATIONSHIP, INTIMATE FELLOWSHIP.
Proposing that a hierarchical leadership take the role described is
wellll . . . quite bluntly . . . taking Christ's metaphor . . .
equal
to placing an interloper between husband and wife in the wedding night bed.
No thanks.
Of course there was divine revelation before Christ was enfleshed, God spoke to the prophets throughout the Old Testament. But the indwelling Spirit, the Comforter of Pentecost had not yet been given. (John 14 through Acts 2)
INDEED!
My entire point of raising the scientific issues concerning matter was that I do not put confidence in matter. Matter is just one part of the creation – it is not the full revelation of God.
Indeed, God the Father has revealed Himself in several ways - in Jesus Christ first by whom for for whom all that is "is" (Col 1) - in the indwelling Spirit - in the Scriptures - and in the Creation (Psalms 19, Romans 1:20).
To take one piece of the fourth revelation and elevate it on par with the first revelation makes no sense to me.
INDEED. MUCH AGREE.
My testimony is that God alone is Truth. Reality exists according to His will – His direct will or His permissive will. There is nothing else of which anything can be made but His will. He is the uncaused cause of "all that there is." (Genesis to Revelation)
INDEED.
In my epistemology, looking for Truth anywhere except in Him leads to error. Putting confidence in material things of any kind leads to error. Putting confidence in other men leads to error.
ABSOLUTELY. That has been my abundant and painful educational experience as well as my reading of Scripture.
If you think that "reality is an illusion", then how can you affirm that Jesus Christ came in the flesh?
Angel-Gal: I know Him personally and have known Him personally for nearly five decades. He has confirmed to me by the indwelling Spirit all that is written in the Scriptures – and a number of things outside of the Scriptures as well.
The same is true, for me. Well put. Thanks.
And you don't have authority to determine for the Church either the canon or the interpretation of Scripture.
Angel-Gal: I never claimed that authority. The sole authority for revealing Truth to Christians is the indwelling Spirit Himself:
God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth. – John 4:24 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, [that] shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. – John 16:13
A-G: For the record, A8, half of my family is Catholic. One of them is a deacon. All are Christian and I expect to see every one in person in the life to come. Likewise I expect to see you and many other believers of a variety of confessions.
A-G: In my view, the differences between us usually boil down to either (a) a believer’s epistemology or (b) his emphasis within the revealed words of God – whether the emphasis is on a particular apostle, a particular gift of the Spirit, election or free will, etc.
INDEED. WELL PUT. MUCH AGREE.
Thanks. Guess there's not much to add except to cheer! YEA!
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