Posted on 01/27/2008 7:56:14 PM PST by Manfred the Wonder Dawg
January 25, 2008
ESV Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
In recent days I have spent time in Lima and Sullana Peru and Mexico City and I have discovered that people by nature are the same. Man has a heart that is inclined to selfishness and idolatry. Sin abounds in the remotest parts of the land because the heart is desperately wicked. Thousands bow before statues of Mary and pray to her hoping for answers. I have seen these people stare hopelessly at Mary icons, Jesus icons, and a host of dead saints who will do nothing for them. I have talked with people who pray to the pope and say that they love him. I talked with one lady who said that she knew that Jesus was the Savior, but she loved the pope. Thousands bow before Santa Muerte (holy death angel) in hopes that she will do whatever they ask her. I have seen people bring money, burning cigarettes, beer, whiskey, chocolate, plants, and flowers to Santa Muerte in hopes of her answers. I have seen these people bowing on their knees on the concrete in the middle of public places to worship their idol. Millions of people come into the Basilica in Mexico City and pay their money, confess their sins, and stare hopelessly at relics in hope that their sins will be pardoned. In America countless thousands are chained to baseball games, football games, material possessions, and whatever else their heart of idols can produce to worship.
My heart has broken in these last weeks because the God of heaven is not honored as he ought to be honored. People worship the things that are created rather than worshiping the Creator. God has been gracious to all mankind and yet mankind has hardened their hearts against a loving God. God brings the rain on the just and unjust. God brings the beautiful sunrises and sunsets upon the just and unjust. God gives good gifts unto all and above all things he has given his Son that those who would believe in him would be saved. However, man has taken the good things of God and perverted them unto idols and turned their attention away from God. I get a feel for Jesus as he overlooked Jerusalem or Paul as he beseeched for God to save Israel. When you accept the reality of the truth of the glory of God is breaks your heart that people would turn away from the great and awesome God of heaven to serve lesser things. Moses was outraged by the golden calf, the prophets passionately preached against idolatry, Jesus was angered that the temple was changed in an idolatrous business, and Paul preached to the idolaters of Mars Hill by telling them of the unknown God.
I arrived back at home wondering how I should respond to all the idolatry that I have beheld in these last three weeks. I wondered how our church here in the states should respond to all of the idolatry in the world. What are the options? First, I suppose we could sit around and hope that people chose to get their life together and stop being idolaters. However, I do not know how that could ever happen apart from them hearing the truth. Second, I suppose we could spend a lifetime studying cultural issues and customs in hope that we could somehow learn to relate to the people of other countries. However, the bible is quite clear that all men are the same. Men are dead in sin, shaped in iniquity, and by nature are the enemies of God. Thirdly, we could pay other people or other agencies to go and do a work for us while we remain comfortably in the states. However, there is no way to insure that there will be doctrinal accuracy or integrity. If we only pay other people to take the gospel we will miss out on all of the benefits of being obedient to the mission of God. Lastly, we could seek where God would have us to do a lasting work and then invest our lives there for the glory of God. The gospel has the power to raise the dead in any culture and we must be willing to take the gospel wherever God would have us take it. It is for sure that our church cannot go to every country and reach every people group, so we must determine where God would have us work and seek to be obedient wherever that is.
It seems that some doors are opening in the Spanish speaking countries below us and perhaps God is beginning to reveal where we are to work. There are some options for work to be partnered with in Peru and there could be a couple of options in Mexico. The need is greater than I can express upon this paper for a biblical gospel to be proclaimed in Peru and Mexico. Oh, that God would glorify his great name in Peru and Mexico by using a small little church in a town that does not exist to proclaim his great gospel amongst a people who desperately need the truth.
I give thanks to the LORD for allowing me the privilege of going to these countries and broadening my horizons. The things that I have seen will be forever engraved upon my heart. I will long remember the pastors that I spent time with in Peru and I will never forget Adolfo who translated for me in Mexico. I will relish the time that I spent with Paul Washer and the others. When I think of church I will forever remember being on top of that mountain in Sullana at that church which had no electricity and no roof. I am convinced that heaven was looking down on that little church on top of that mountain and very few people on earth even know that it exist. Oh, God I pray that the things of this world will continue to grow dim and that God’s people will be caught up in his glorious presence.
Because of the truth: Pastor: J. Randall Easter II Timothy 2:19 "Our God is in heaven and does whatever He pleases."(Ps. 115:3) "He predestined us according to the good pleasure of His will."(Eph. 1:5) Those who have been saved have been saved for His glory and they are being made holy for this is the will of God. Are you being made holy? Spurgeon says, "If your religion does not make you holy it will damn you to hell."
My wife used to scorn the street corner preachers (we live in a big city). She thought it tacky grandstanding, not dignified enough. I asked her if among all those people walking by if just one had their ears itched by The Gospel would it be okay. She thought about it for a second and God Bless her said I hadn't thought of that.
IOW, I've had people say how irritating it is when some "Born Again Christian" actually witnesses to them. A few of those times I've actually been able to explain to them why that Christian thought it was so important.
***Jesus interacted with men on a personal level, and the God of the OT did the same. Are they different Gods? ***
They are different faces of the same God. Trinitarian theology and so on. God did not appear to men in the OT as Jesus did in the New. Jehovah tended to lights and voices out of the sky and burning bushes and the threat of death to any man who saw Him directly. That is quite a different appearance than what Jesus gave us.
That is also one of the reasons that the Jews rejected Jesus. He didn’t fit their bill of an all powerful King with a sword of flame victorious over all the nations on Earth.
*** How many chances did He give the Jews? Seventy times seven, etc.? :) He disciplined them out of His profound and very personal love for them. The OT God is very personal. ***
He was a distant and angry taskmaster. That approach failed.
***Do you think Job would have remained faithful to an irrational God after being through what he went through? No way.***
Men have the ability to be faithful to just about anything. Look at all those who remained faithful to Hitler right to the end. Chia Dictator Kim and Robert Mugabe also have their virtual worshippers. Job’s actions and demeanour are very commendable, but hardly proof by itself.
***There was a time before creation.***
What time would this be? God existed before the ages according to Paul. If God created time, as He created everything else, then He exists out of time.
***That has nothing to do with the truth or not of whether the one true God is personal and rational or impersonal and irrational.***
The One True God of the OT showed Himself as burning bushes and deadly fire out of the Ark. The One True God of the NT came to us in human form and died and was resurrected for our salvation. Yet, He was then taken up to Heaven. He is not the travelling preacher now that He was during His brief ministry on Earth. We rely on the Holy Spirit guiding His Church and the body of Christians.
***If you are “one” then you are saying you can snatch yourself out of God’s hands. The scripture forbids this. ***
Scripture most definitely says that man can reject God. The whole OT is the Jewish nation variously rejecting God. When Jesus revealed that His followers must eat His body and drink His blood, many of them walked, saying that it was too hard.
Judas rejected Him; Peter rejected Him three times and yet Peter’s repentence brought him back to Jesus. Peter, the prodigal son, returned. Judas, in despair, didn’t. The Jews who walked away from Him, didn’t return either.
***Your Catechism says that God conveyed what He wanted to convey in the Bible. How meaningless the Bible is since it doesn’t include the countless number of exceptions that your tradition adds.***
Are you saying that God didn’t convey what He wanted to in the Bible? Did those nasty Catholics keep some of God’s word back from Him?
A study of the early Church reveals the growing of the faith over the centuries as people started to understand better the teachings of Jesus, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Jesus taught us to the best of our ability to understand at the time, and left us His Church in order to teach and develop the faith - and to define what it isn’t which are the heresies defined and acted upon.
Scripture is extremely important since it does contain God’s revealed word to us. We thought it important enough to go on the Great Commission and bring it to the heathens.
***The clergy teaches sound doctrine and leads in worship; it does not interpret the Scriptures or bequeath the gift of the Holy Spirit.***
How can you formulate or teach sound doctrine if you do not interpret Scripture?
***14
Therefore, beloved, since you await these things, be eager to be found without spot or blemish before him, at peace.
15
And consider the patience of our Lord as salvation, as our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, also wrote to you,
16
speaking of these things as he does in all his letters. In them there are some things hard to understand that the ignorant and unstable distort to their own destruction, just as they do the other scriptures.
17
Therefore, beloved, since you are forewarned, be on your guard not to be led into the error of the unprincipled and to fall from your own stability.
Even Peter cautioned us all to not misinterpret Paul - that misinterpretation is as common now as it was then, if not more common. But what is stability? How should we proceed?
The Catechism says:
The Second Vatican Council indicates three criteria for interpreting Scripture in accordance with the Spirit who inspired it.78
112 1. Be especially attentive “to the content and unity of the whole Scripture”. Different as the books which compose it may be, Scripture is a unity by reason of the unity of God’s plan, of which Christ Jesus is the center and heart, open since his Passover.79
The phrase “heart of Christ” can refer to Sacred Scripture, which makes known his heart, closed before the Passion, as the Scripture was obscure. But the Scripture has been opened since the Passion; since those who from then on have understood it, consider and discern in what way the prophecies must be interpreted.80
113 2. Read the Scripture within “the living Tradition of the whole Church”. According to a saying of the Fathers, Sacred Scripture is written principally in the Church’s heart rather than in documents and records, for the Church carries in her Tradition the living memorial of God’s Word, and it is the Holy Spirit who gives her the spiritual interpretation of the Scripture (”. . . according to the spiritual meaning which the Spirit grants to the Church”81).
114 3. Be attentive to the analogy of faith.82 By “analogy of faith” we mean the coherence of the truths of faith among themselves and within the whole plan of Revelation.
Yes. Scripture is one entity. It is an attempt at writing down what Jesus instructed us. It needs to be interpreted through the Church. When we try to read Scripture on our own, we are as lost as those that Peter addressed, and as lost as the eunuch attempting to read Scripture on his own.
“IOW, I’ve had people say how irritating it is when some “Born Again Christian” actually witnesses to them. A few of those times I’ve actually been able to explain to them why that Christian thought it was so important.”
I can’t say as I ever found those preachers particular;y irritating. Down in Greece you don’t see many of them, though there are a few. The Greeks call them “Fools for Christ” and they are generally respected as holy people.
What one does see in Greece is beggars, lots of them. And Greeks always, or virtually always, give them some small coin. They call that a “evlogison”, a blessing and will often ask the beggar for a blessing when giving the coin. Here in America it seems the protestant culture is irritated by beggars to the point where not only do people refuse to give them something, they positively scorn the beggars. I understand that the importuning of beggars can be an irritation, but imagine what God puts up with from all of us.
***We are to share the Gospel because Christ sent us to do so.***
Are we back to the strictly mechanical Reformed view of the elect?
***God uses us as His instruments to preach the word so that others can hear. Those who were predestined will eventually believe.***
The Reformed predestined will believe regardless of your action or inaction. They are predestined. What, then, is the use of your preaching?
***We are commanded to witness to everyone.***
For what purpose? The elect will be ambushed by the Holy Spirit; the non elect will be taunted. Is this Christianity?
***I believe that if I drop a hammer it will fall.***
No. Your experience tells you that it will fall. It is knowledge. No wonder we have such interesting debates - we don’t even have common terminology.
***I know that the faith God gave me in our Lord Jesus Christ is true. ***
See? The Reformed appear have redefined “belief” and “knowledge” each to mean the other.
***Here in America it seems the protestant culture is irritated by beggars to the point where not only do people refuse to give them something, they positively scorn the beggars. I understand that the importuning of beggars can be an irritation, but imagine what God puts up with from all of us.***
Jesus has instructed us that when someone asks for our shirts, to give them our cloaks as well. It takes some pretty powerful theology to amend that to the hating of the poor.
That is because we are STILL being sactified. None of us will achieve Christ-likeness until we ascend into heaven.
It’s just like the guy who said he didn’t attend church because of all the hypocrits there. They said, “Come on in, there’s always room for one more.”
All of us are a work in progress, yet all of us are sinners, and the worst of sinners, because we know better.
That paragraph is highlighted for anyone who thinks the reformation has ended.
By the grace of God, men have been given God's actual word, Jesus Christ, made known to us in the God-breathed Scriptures handed down from believer to believer whose understanding is illuminated by the Holy Spirit, not the magisterium.
Scripture is the church's rule of faith.
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 perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." -- 2 Timothy 3:15-17"And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
Every Christian led by the Holy Spirit has the ability and privilege to understand Scripture. Likewise, Scripture is the only infallible interpreter of Scripture.
"These (the Bereans) were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." -- Acts 17:11
No one has the right, not even the church, to go beyond Scripture.
"And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another." -- 1 Corinthians 4:6
God has entrusted His word to all believers.
"Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." -- Jude 1:3
The Holy Spirit is the authoritative teacher of the church, not the magisterium or the bishop of Rome.
He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you." -- John 16:13-14"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.
"But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him." -- 1 John 2:27
Scripture is the word of God.
For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." -- 2 Peter 1:20-21
"...the Scripture cannot be broken." -- John 10:35 "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
Tradition is the word of men.
For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition." -- Mark 7:7-9"Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Why did God use the written word over the vain imaginings of men? Because we are conceptual beings, above the sentient animals, who are able to think and reason and understand concepts and ideas. Therefore our faith is based, not on trinkets we can hold, or icons we can see, or flesh and blood we can taste, but on the words of God which are given meaning to our new heart and our renewed mind by the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we are spiritual beings, not carnal. We understand Christ's sacrifice for us. We know Christ's redemption of us. We believe Christ is God made flesh to redress the sins of our flesh.
"Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." -- 1 Corinthians 3:17
Christ did not die to chain us again to men and works and bureaucracies and the law. He died to set us free.
"Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." -- Galatians 5:1 "While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage." -- 2 Peter 2:19
How are we to know we are free by the atoning death of Christ on the cross?
By reading the words of God which, by the grace of God and the leading of the Holy Spirit, are received into our grateful minds and hearts so that we can really and truly understand our salvation has been accomplished by Jesus Christ alone.
I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word" -- John 17:14-20"I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
"Ab" is Hebrew; "Abba" is Aramaic, Chalean. They both mean "Father." It's not English, FK!
I know "abba" is Aramaic, Kosta. I gave you construction. Look, here is the transliteration of "AB". Now, notice is has a simple one word definition, "father". That's all we know. However, look at the entry for "BA" . Here it says the father of an individual, or head of a family. Put them together and the closest thing in English we have is "Daddy" or "Papa".
God is the Father because we believe that He is the source of everything and the Creator of every one of us, including the Son and the Spirit.
[A friend of mine said this to me once:] "LOL! ROTFLOL! Wow! Did you just make that up? Or did the "inner voice" reveal this to you? If the latter, I would watch out..."
When Christ is quoted by Mark as crying out "Abba, why have you forsaken Me?" He is not saying "Daddy."
Why would that offend you so much. It doesn't seem to offend the Orthodox Research Institute. Here is an excerpt from The Name of God: Abba by Fr. Paul Tarazi. "Father Paul is Asst. Professor of Old Testament and Semitic Languages at St. Vladimir Orthodox Seminary and pastor of St. George Antiochian Church of Danbury, Conn." :
In the whole New Testament the Aramaic word “Abba” appears only three times: once on the lips of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane (Mk. 14:36) and twice in the letters of St. Paul where we read that the Spirit of Christ is Himself the one who cries in us: Abba. (Rm. 8:15 and Gal. 4:6) Moreover, in the three instances the authors give the Greek translation* of this word, which is Father. But precisely this fact brings to our mind the question: Why didn’t the authors merely use the Greek word for “Father” since the whole text is in Greek? Finally, the fact is noteworthy that, in all the ancient liturgies of the Church, the exhortation of the priest to the faithful before the Lord’s prayer runs similar to the one we hear today in the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, namely, “And vouchsafe, 0 Lord, that with boldness and without condemnation we may dare to call upon thee, the heavenly God, as Father…..”
The result of all this is the following: Jesus Christ’s use of the Aramaic “Abba” made such an impression on His disciples in that it was a unique instance in 1st Century Jewish piety; this explains why it stamped the apostles’ memory. Moreover, it was an exclusive use to the extent that the early Church was aware that, only through Jesus and in His Spirit, one could utter that word, that is, she was aware that its use was ultimately reserved to Christ Himself. This explains why the early Christians considered it daring to call God “Father” and prayed not to be condemned for such boldness.
But why? Why all this fuss about a simple Aramaic word? Well, it is because — and modern biblical research has convincingly shown that —“Abba” actually means “Daddy”! Shocking even to the most remote and possibly unused grey call of the coolest and most objective human brain: A young man of 1st Century Palestine called God “Daddy.” Unbefitting, scandalous, blasphemous, crazy, unreal! … Maybe! But he did it, he did call the Almighty One “Daddy”! He addressed God as a child his own father!
Open then your catechisms, teachers, and bring your books, theologians . . . Add to the question “What is God?” and to the chapter entitled “God” that He is also “Daddy,” a “Daddy,” even if He is so only to Jesus . . . Add it! And if this shatters your whole mental conception of what God is, then be it so! “Abba” prayed the man of Nazareth when He felt the bitterness of suffering and death at Gethsemane. . . “Abba” prayed He and that moment has forever been inscribed in the flesh of our human history! A man of our own flesh and blood considered Himself to be in a unique way the child of the Most High!
From that moment on every child baptized and chrismated in the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of the Son of God, has [been] daring to call God “Daddy,” that is with the same expression he uses to address his own earthly father. ... (emphasis added)
From this excerpt it may sound like Fr. Paul only thinks it would be proper for Jesus to use the word, but he goes on to show that it works for all of us.
"Daddy" is an intimate word, expressing love of family. Do you not want an intimate relationship with God as your Heavenly Father?
An "attempt?"
You are "lost" when you "try to read Scripture on your own?"
You tell us to read the church fathers which are able to be understood without too much difficulty.
But God's word is too cryptic for us believers?!?
Frankly, I find the Scriptures easier to read and understand than most of the church fathers.
Mark, have more faith in God's ability to renew your mind to the truth. It's just not that difficult to grasp.
"Be not afraid; only believe." -- Mark 5:36
From people who think their “daily bread” is a muffin
Frankly, I find the Scriptures easier to read and understand than most of the church fathers.
Mark, have more faith in God’s ability to renew your mind to the truth. It’s just not that difficult to grasp.
“Be not afraid; only believe.” — Mark 5:36
= =
INDEED.
thanks.
Dear Brother,you claim superiority without even realizing that every time you elevate what you think your own mind guides you to convince yourself that God gave you special authority make up His church in your own mind based upon your private interpretations of Scripture.
STF, every side believes it follows the MOST correct interpretation. Nothing surprising about that. The difference I am noting is that the Apostolic Church claims its interpretation is INFALLIBLE. And any who disagree are "officially" declared to be all sorts of terrible things. That is a true claim of superiority.
or people whose theology is often "wafer thin".
Especially for our tender parts—tangible and otherwise!
LOL! And all God's people said: AMEN! :)
Thanks for your kind words and humor.
***That paragraph is highlighted for anyone who thinks the reformation has ended.***
It should have never started.
***By the grace of God, men have been given God’s actual word***
Which is what? The Reformers sure didn’t understand a summary of the Gospel; what makes them think that they have God’s actual word? Do you have a sample of them?
***Jesus Christ, made known to us in the God-breathed Scriptures handed down from believer to believer whose understanding is illuminated by the Holy Spirit***
Handed down from believer to believer? The ranks of the heretics are full of the created hand me downs. It is the Church which wrote down, preserved and disseminated Scripture. It is the Church which identified and protected believers from the heretics and the apostate.
Else we’d be surrounded by and possibly subsumed into Gnostics, Arians, Marcionists, Montanists, and all the others who have gone astray from the Faith.
***Scripture is the church’s rule of faith.***
Scripture is a Catholic document - a most important one, definitely, but a Catholic document nonetheless. It shows the truths that God wishes to present to us in Scripture.
***And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. ***
Speaking to Jews who knew the OT. The NT wasn’t written yet and this did not pertain to it.
***All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness***
Nothing in here about sola scriptura. Nothing in here about removing pages, chapters or sections of the Bible either.
***That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works***
That darn works again. It keeps cropping up regardless of the Reformation reform of Biblical chapters.
***Every Christian led by the Holy Spirit has the ability and privilege to understand Scripture. Likewise, Scripture is the only infallible interpreter of Scripture.***
Tens of thousands of different denominations demonstrate that this is not so. When Jesus set up His One Church:
Matt 16:
13
8 When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi 9 he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
14
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, 10 others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
16
11 Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
17
Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood 12 has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.
18
And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, 13 and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
19
I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. 14 Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
20
15 Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Messiah.
and
John 21:
15
8 9 10 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.”
16
He then said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.”
17
He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” (Jesus) said to him, “Feed my sheep.
and so on give us the instruction as to what the Church was here for and what it was to do.
Acts 2:
1
1 When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together.
2
And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, 2 and it filled the entire house in which they were.
3
Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, 3 which parted and came to rest on each one of them.
.........
36
Therefore let the whole house of Israel know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
37
Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and they asked Peter and the other apostles, “What are we to do, my brothers?”
38
Peter (said) to them, “Repent and be baptized, 7 every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the holy Spirit.
There weren’t crowds of thousands that the Holy Spirit annointed as the leaders of the first Church. There were those gathered in the room together - the Apostles.
Individuals are not granted the same gifts; those who take on ecclesiastic roles are given greater gifts and strengths in order that they might fulfill them better.
***The Holy Spirit is the authoritative teacher of the church, not the magisterium or the bishop of Rome.***
The Holy Spirit comes to us through Baptism and is the leader of the Church; it guides all individuals including the Magisterium and the Pope and the Patriarchs.
***For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.
And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.” — Mark 7:7-9***
The Church follows the Tradition of the Apostles, taught to them by Jesus. The traditions and their development are well documented.
***Why did God use the written word over the vain imaginings of men?***
God used the same oral tradition that the Jews had for nearly 400 years before the Church decided to define Scripture in a book.
***Because we are conceptual beings, above the sentient animals, who are able to think and reason and understand concepts and ideas.***
Reason and ideas have led to abominations such as the Westminster Confession, put together by a secular king and ratified through a secular Parliament (actually two Parliaments) in order to secure spiritual power over temporal things. You either have the Church attending to spiritual affairs, led by the Holy Spirit, or you have men attending to spiritual affairs, led by lust for power, greed and corruption.
***Therefore, we are spiritual beings, not carnal.***
Your argument does not follow. In any case, we are carnal beings, complete and abject. It is only by the Grace of God that the Way of Salvation is opened up to us.
***We understand Christ’s sacrifice for us. ***
Do you now?
I sat in a dark movie theater watching the Passion of the Christ and saw the reaction of those around me. The weeping and retching and passing out and the whole gamut of severe emotional reactions showed that these people didn’t understand nearly as well before as they did after watching the movie. And it is still only a movie - can you possibly imagine the real thing? The real Sacrifice that Jesus made for us?
We may understand on a rational or intellectual basis and have some insight as to the real cost that Jesus paid. But we do not understand as glibly as some may think.
***We know Christ’s redemption of us.***
We believe that He redeemed us.
***We believe Christ is God made flesh to redress the sins of our flesh. ***
Now we are speaking the same language and are in full agreement.
***Christ did not die to chain us again to men and works and bureaucracies and the law. He died to set us free. ***
We are not chained. Men are free. Even the Reformed are free.
***John 17:14-20***
Talking to the Apostles again.
***How are we to know we are free by the atoning death of Christ on the cross?
By reading the words of God which, by the grace of God and the leading of the Holy Spirit, are received into our grateful minds and hearts so that we can really and truly understand our salvation has been accomplished by Jesus Christ alone.***
Believe, not understand. We can no more understand God or the things of God than a rotifer can understand super string theory. But we can believe the promise of His Salvation. There is a difference.
***You tell us to read the church fathers which are able to be understood without too much difficulty.
But God’s word is too cryptic for us believers?!?
Frankly, I find the Scriptures easier to read and understand than most of the church fathers.***
Remember Peter’s admonition regarding misunderstanding of St. Paul? Many don’t. Scripture is not self-authenticating. Remember the eunuch. Scripture is taught by the Church of Jesus, personal interpretation is proscribed.
And that is why God gave us Pastors and teachers to guide us through the scriptures, not to be a substitute for them.(Eph.4:11)
Once Philip showed by the scriptures that Isaiah was speaking about the coming Christ, he then understood.
The Bereans searched the scriptures to see if what Paul was teaching was correct.
They didn't take his word on anything.(Acts.17)
It was the scriptures that were the final authority, not any man's word.
Even Christ told the Jews to search the scriptures!(Jn.5)
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