that they have the Word of God,
that we received it from them,
and that without them
we should have no knowledge of it at all."
~ Martin Luther
Posted on 07/26/2013 2:57:13 PM PDT by Alex Murphy
Question:
What would a baptized and confirmed Roman Catholic need to do in order to join the Orthodox Presbyterian Church?
Answer:
Allow me to answer you question with a brief autobiographical anecdote. I was born, baptized, raised, confirmed, and educated in the Roman Catholic system. In fact, it was while I was at a Roman Catholic college (of all places) that I was converted by the grace of God. After realizing how different the teachings of the RCC are from Scripture, I joined with a Baptist church. And that church required that I be rebaptized as an adult. So, I went through that process and became a member. Several years later I came to understand the doctrine of the Bible as it was taught in Reformed churches like the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC). Joining them was quite easy. I went before the session (a group of men who are officers in the church) where they interviewed me to make sure I had a credible profession of faith in Jesus Christ. The following Sunday they put me before the congregation where I publicly professed my faith in Jesus Christ in the form of several membership vows. And that was it. I was a member!
So, being baptized and confirmed in the RCC is no big obstacle if you want to become a member of the OPC. As long as you have come to trust in Jesus Christ alone for your salvation, and you trust not in any of your works. When asked the question "What must I do to be saved?", the response of Paul and Silas was "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31), and that is still true today. What is important is to put your full trust in Jesus. If you have done that, if you have repented of your sin and trust in Jesus alone, you are welcomed into the fellowship of the OPC. There is no need to be re-baptized and there is no need to renounce your confirmation.
At this point I would strongly encourage you to seek out the pastor of a local OPC, and he can guide you through the details of the steps toward membership in the OPC. If you need assistance finding an OPC in your area, you can check out our Directory of Churches. May God bless you and may you "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 5:18). If we can be of further assistance, just let us know!
Post #61 was a personal attack . . on you? I again question if indeed it was the harmless agreeable post #61. If you call that an attack, then you are indeed thin skinned. Perhaps the religious topics are not your forte.
Oh that’s just rich coming from you!
Well, you’ve decided all on your own that the Bible is authentic. Personally I don’t have the scholarly and theological background to decide this for myself, but just goes to show the advantages others have enjoyed. Something I would never dare to pronounce upon. Rather takes my breath away. Just goes to show the advantages of being your own pope.
It's like going to the bathroom. Somethings you have to do/decide on your own.
Personally I don’t have the scholarly and theological background to decide this for myself, but just goes to show the advantages others have enjoyed.Something I would never dare to pronounce upon. Rather takes my breath away.
Like Clint Eastwood said "A man's gotta know his limitations"
Just goes to show the advantages of being your own pope.
I have already addressed this. I'm not a pope but that is a wicked cool hat he has.
And what about them shooooozzzz....
So where do you get the authority to interpret scripture? Since scripture warns against private interpretation and all.
I use Gods word and the Holy Spirit. I don't have a badge or nothing.
Since scripture warns against private interpretation and all.
Oh no! It ain't a private interpretation. I'm glad to share with family and friends. Read the Good Book. Isaiah 1:18 "Come now, and let us reason together", says the Lord. Isn't that something? God wants us to reason together. That's my kind of God. You want to obey priests and man made traditions but that is your prerogative.
What does a Roman Catholic need to do to join the Orthodox Presbyterian Church?
Repent?
Ya should-a tagged this "ecumenical". Make 'em play nice. Even down through only the first 10 or 12 posting, I'm seeing a heaping helping of the usual hooey.
Is a PROTESTENT anything like a Protestant? There are many who go by the name of Christ and even among those, not all who claim His name are saved. One can tell by their fruit. If one considers oneself saved merely by saying a prayer and taking certain sacraments, I believe that they will be in for a BIG, disappointing surprise at the end of their lives. Believe me, I have seen MANY RCs who are just as ill informed of the Bible as this person.
This person of whom you write, has not read their Bible. I would suggest that of the 200 million self-described Christians in the US and Canada, that less than 1/4 have read their Bible from cover to cover. If they had, they would realize what Jesus said about divorce being allowed ONLY for adultery and any othe cause results in they and their new partners being adulterers! Is this JUST a Protestant problem? Most certainly NOT! I see many divorced RCs out there, yet most seem to have no problem with attending mass and taking communion or Eucharist. It seems that hypochrisy and poor teaching are not unique within Protestant circles.
As for me, my wife divorced me and there was no adultery by either party. I still wear my ring as a symbol of my covenant with God (and my Ex). I pray nightly that the Holy Spirit will convict her to return to church, as she has ceased attending any church since she left. THAT is primary; secondarily, I pray for reconciliation. I do not and will not seek female companionship with anyone else until and unless I am advised of her death.
While I disagree with the RC church on birth control (BC), I do not agree with pre-marital sex or adultery, so BC should ONLY be used by couples. Sex outside of marriage is probably the WORST sin a person can do because of the soul ties it creates. Abortion, especially as a means of BC (90%) is PURE murder and is SO WRONG!
Which unwritten teachings of the faith do you hold? Since written scripture commands you to do so, I have to assume you’ve been very conscientious about this. And how do you know what they are? If you have made no effort to learn unwritten doctrines, that would be contrary to written scripture, and I’m sure you wouldn’t want that. So how about it?
I have to hand it to you, you Catholics are very sly and tricky. I almost fell for it. If I write them down here they wouldn't be unwritten, would they? Try again.
This posting of yours is surely a sign of desperation! Quoting Martin Luther no less. You love him when he agrees with you and revile him when he does not. They would have martyred him if they had the chance, ya’ know. God protected him from that Church of yours though. Many more were not so fortunate.
The Bible commands you to hold unwritten teachings given by the apostles. But you cannot, because you dismiss sacred tradition. So you don’t keep the commands of the new testament even on the terms you profess. And then treat it as a joke.
You are your own pope, and a poor one at that.
I notice you didn't cite the verse or give a quote (again)on this command. And your tone is somewhat accusatory. Something about a holier-than-thou attitude seems to bring out the flippant side of me. Give a verse so I can have some context. It's my bedtime and I'd hate to have us part on a sour note.
>> “Luther agreed with the Catholics” <<
.
So does Satan.
We don’t care who agrees with the pagans, we care who agrees with Yehova.
(that surely is not the catholics)
Come on chop-chop with the verse. You’ve been banging the drum so produce or retract.
2 Thessalonians 2:15
Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
>> “The Bible commands you to hold unwritten teachings given by the apostles.” <<
.
No, it does not!
There are no unwritten teachings from any apostle.
Unwritten teachings is exactly what Yeshua declared to be an abomination. The Takanot and Ma’assim of the Prushim (forerunners of catholic nicolaitans) were condemned.
That which violates Torah is not of Yehova, it is of Satan.
Every word of significance of the apostles is written.
Yeshua hates oral traditions, and promises, in the Revelation, that the holders of oral traditions will go to the lake that burns.
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