It's not the chore you imply. It is an obligation of every individual who wishes to follow Him to SEEK Him.
This hasn't changed:
Deut.4:29
[29] But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
Who does He love?
Prov.8:17
[17] I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
Here's another beseeching you to SEEK Him:
Matt.7: 7,8
[7] Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
[8] For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Anyone that reads the Bible KNOWS that.
“I begrudge no man the effort he has put into being a priest and the extra insight it gives him into the scriptures. What is more important than the scriptures is having the communion with the Holy Ghost that will let you apply the Holy Word in your own life. The same scriptural reference may have different meanings for different people and all of them be correct.”
I don't blame anyone for studying to show thyself approved however not all “study” is worthy nor does it have His approval.
2Tim.2:15
[15] Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
“The advantage the Catholic church has is that they have a person on earth where the buck stops.”
No, that is not Biblical. We have the Bible to look for His wisdom. If you are honest about Catholic Church history, you cannot deny the flip flops that go on all the time on “doctrine”. At one time Popes were married ... is a more neutral one ... .
“The bible (at least to my knowledge) does not have a well spoken reference to abortion yet the Pope says it is wrong.”
When you KNOW the nature of God, through reading the Bible, it is common sense to know that abortion is wrong.
Did you know heathens would offer their babies as sacrifices to their phony gods? That's in the Bible and strongly condemned. While a person may not be “sacrificing” their babies to a god when having an abortion it is premeditated murder.
If there is any doubt, one of the Ten Commandments clears that up by stating we should not murder. Abortion is clearly murdering or killing a human being. Our nature is sinful but a baby has not had the chance to do anything wrong yet! I'm sure you can see the connection between abortion being wrong without God explicitly using the word abortion in the Bible.
He cares so much about children, that this verse often comes up on FR in defense of aborting babies or molesting children. BTW, not just one, but THREE disciples stated it.
Matt.18:6
[6] But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
Mark.9:42
[42] And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.
Luke.17:2
[2] It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.
“Many Protestant churches do not agree.”
Clearly many Catholic Churches do not agree on doctrine. You have your general Catholics, Jesuits, Roman Catholics etc.. Their teachings VARY. They are NOT identical teachings. You also have your godless liberal Catholic Churches. The same problems are with the Catholic Church.
“If Christ is the head of their churches how can there be more than one answer to such an important question.”
Christ is the head of the body of believers.
We are specifically warned AGAINST another MAN'S FOUNDATION.
Rom.15:19-21
[19] Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
[20] Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation:
[21] But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand.
1 Cor. 3:11
[11] For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
It Christ that is the foundation for believers and followers of Him.
I don't want to get side tracked from this question:
“If Christ is the head of their churches how can there be more than one answer to such an important question.”
Since when has a sinner been completely obedient to God? Why do you assume the blame is with God? It isn't. The blame is on fallible sinners, with an agenda to preach and teach what they PREFER over His Word made flesh. It's always been that way and all the more reason to stay with the Bible rather than elevate man's words. The Holy Spirit will NOT, absolutely NOT abandon you when you seek God.
“When I look for churches I will not consider a church which does not have the moral strength to say no to a horrendous practice like abortion. “
I have no problem with that. I believe that is one of others tenants you should look for.
“When you look for churches with the “right” answer you must also ask how they got that answer.”
I most certainly do just that!
“There are but a few churches that can answer that in a good way. Not that there are few churches against abortion but that there are few churches that make the decision based on communion with God through The Holy Ghost.”
I agree, if they are trying to follow Him on the topic of abortion, the Holy Ghost will make clear that this is wrong. Also the Bible confirms it through letting you get to know His nature. It's impossible to ignore what He really wants from us, when you read His Word.
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Thanks for so many conflicting statements. That is my point.
God is not the author of confusion. There are many people that are trying with all their hearts to follow The Savior to best of their ability yet they have many different ideas, beliefs on what the bible says. There are people who belong to different faiths that have differing views on what the Gospel is and What the Bible means. I was not supporting any one particular Church. Certainly I was not advocating the Roman Catholic Church with it's varied historical problems as better than another. What I did say was that a church like The Catholic Church has an advantage because with one head on earth to speak for The Savior who they say is the head of their church, they can stop confusion in the bud.
If the Pope really does commune with God and really does hold the keys of the priesthood which Christ gave to Peter for good reason then he really should be who all Christians look to for leadership on earth. If the forgoing is true then when the Pope says the Holy Bible says this or that then that is what it says.
If Luther was right and did the right thing by leaving the church then did he inherit the Keys of Peter? What I want to know is who has them now. I would say that the Pope has a better claim on them than most. That is not to say that he has them but why would The Savior give them at all just to take them away. If they were needed two thousand years ago surly they are need now more than ever.
Individual scholarship in search of the truth I believe is a very good thing. To be puffed up in pride is likewise a very bad thing. It is not fortunately up to me to judge anybody and their beliefs but I will try to be as warm in the faith as I can possibly be.
When ever I see someone saying they are saved by grace alone then what I really hear is that they don't have to prove their faith. That whether they are good or bad is immaterial only that they profess Christ. James says show me your works and I'll show you your faith. In that respect I agree with you that by faith through grace you are saved. Without the works you don't really have faith and are an empty vessel, like tinkling brass, making noise but having no value.
I read and study the scriptures. I am grateful for those who have studied much more than me and have been able to give me wonderful insights I would not have had by just reading The Word.