Posted on 09/05/2015 10:15:40 AM PDT by Salvation
Msgr. Charles Pope OSV Newsweekly, September 13, 2015
Question: A Protestant co-worker said to me recently, “Who needs a pope? We have Jesus and the Bible and don’t need some man to tell us what to do.” How do I respond?
— Name withheld, location withheld
Answer: At the heart of the office of the papacy is the uniting of the faithful around a visible vicar (or representative) of Christ. Denominations and groups that left the Church and severed their ties to the pope demonstrate this very fact by their subsequent disunity.
The fact is that thousands of denominations have emerged in the wake of the Protestant movement that broke from Catholic Church and rejected the pope’s authority. And though they claim that Christ and Scripture are the only sources of authority and unity, the remarkable disunity among these denominations belies their claim. Simply put, if no one is pope, everyone is pope.
It is not enough to say, “the Bible clearly teaches ‘A,’” because too easily another person will say, “No, Jesus and the Bible actually say ‘B.’” Both camps are invoking the Bible and what they sense Jesus and the Holy Spirit are saying to them. So now what?
What usually happens is just what has happened among Protestants: divisions into new denominations or branches of denominations. They all claim the authority of the Bible and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit but cannot agree even on essentials, such has how one is saved, and if once saved, are they always saved? Protestants also have serious divisions regarding the moral issues of our time: abortion, same-sex unions, euthanasia, etc. These are very serious divisions, and there is no real way for Protestant denominations to resolve them. They say Scripture alone is an adequate source of authority. But without an authentic and authoritative interpreter, their own history shows that Scripture can divide as often as it unites. A text, even a sacred text, needs an interpreter that all agree who can authoritatively deal with differences.
And this is a central reason of why we need the pope. Jesus said to Simon Peter in Luke’s Gospel, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift all of you like wheat, but I have prayed that your own faith may not fail; and once you have turned back, you must strengthen your brothers” (Lk 22:31-32). Peter and his successors therefore represent (not replace) Christ, and through the grace of the Jesus’ prayer, accomplish the necessary work of uniting the Church. This ministry of unity is shown in many events in the Acts of the Apostles.
LOL ...just keep telling yourself that we don’t see the blasphemies in the religion of catholiciism, which is not the Christianity established by Jesus The Christ. Magic Think can make some feel so comfy while perishing.
He came to fulfill the Law.
And through him so have I, and IAW Scriptures I have been born again and been Baptized by the Holy Spirit! Yes I have been water baptized, but that didnt save me in any form or fashion. John wasnt worthy to untie the sandals of Jesus I think that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is the SAVING act.
SAVED by WATER. The LIKE FIGURE
Sorry, but the water didnt save them it killed wicked mankind! You are not understanding the Scripture, the water and the Word of God saved them by leading them into the Ark
LIKE FIGURE JESUS THE CHRIST THE MESSIAH SAVED THEM!
When Jesus lives in us and us in him like the Ark WE ARE SAVED!
Genesis 3:24 King James Version (KJV)
24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
The Cherubims didnt stop us from the tree of life, but instead directed us to Jesus the Christ first. Before the beginning of time as stated below.
And the testament didnt take effect until the death of the testator
Your missing the point that through Jesus we have fulfilled the OT/NT we were forgiven before time ever began, Past, Present, and forever MORE!
1 Peter 1:20 King James Version (KJV)
20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
To answer the rest of you comments water baptism is symbolic of the death and resurrection, but by the Spirit when we accepted Jesus we died to ourselves(Galatians 2:20).
Only God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the one being saved will know that or feel it. Then the Testemony will be then made public by water baptism.
Pardon me, as I have been very busy, and haven’t logged onto FR for about a month (my wife occasionally checks for pings, if I ask her to).
**Your missing the point that through Jesus we have fulfilled the OT/NT we were forgiven before time ever began, Past, Present, and forever MORE!**
Then why this?..........
“.. whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.” Jn 20:23
And this?.....
“..And that repentance and REMISSION OF SINS should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem”. Luke 24:47
and it was:
“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Acts 2:38
Yes, Jesus Christ was slain from the foundation of the world.
But when is his blood applied to one’s soul? Apparently when you meet his guidelines. If his blood is applied already to one’s soul, then there is no need for guidelines from the Lord, or from his apostles, because one is already saved from sin.
(More tomorrow night.....hopefully)
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