***Mark, did you really say that? The authority of the church gives one a belief in the Gospel?***
The quote is from St. Augustine, one of the heroes of the Reformers, if I understand correctly.
***You could not and would not believe in the Gospel by your own Spirit-led reading comprehension? By your own quickened mind and reborn heart? With your own two eyes and ears given by God alone? ***
Ah, but isn’t the Reformed view of the essence that only the saved can believe?
***We can conclude from this logic that if the church moved you away from the Gospel you would follow happily since the church has all authority.***
The Church has the authority and it also has the divine guidance of the Holy Spirit (psst, it’s Scriptural, doncha know). I don’t believe that the Holy Spirit would lead His Church away from Himself. That contradicts everything that we know and believe about Him.
THE CHURCH UNIVERSAL
IS FARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
from equal to the RC edifice
by a long list
on a long list
of factors, variables.
. . . . Historically verifiable, Biblically verifiable.
I agree completely.
That's why I am not a member of the RCC which practices idolatry, shamanism, mysticism and inherent contradiction.
Augustine is right about some things and not as right about others. I'd like to see your source for this exact quote.