Posted on 04/27/2016 8:41:02 AM PDT by Salvation
The second reading from last Sunday’s Mass (5th Sunday of Easter) is very Catholic, and too informative to merely pass up. It presents the Church as rather highly organized and possessed of some of the structures we know today in full form. Granted, some of these structures are in seminal form, but they are there.
We will also notice qualities of the original kerygma that are at variance with what some modern thinkers declare should be the methodology of the Church. The soft Christianity of those who replace the cross with a pillow and who insist on solely inclusion and affirmation is strangely absent in this early setting.
Let’s look the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 14:21-27) and see there the true path of priests, teachers, and leaders in the Church. Four steps are prescribed for our consideration, by noting that they went forth announcing, admonishing, appointing, and accounting.
I. Announcing – The text says, After Paul and Barnabas had proclaimed the good news to that city and made a considerable number of disciples …
Notice that the happiness is linked to the harvest. By proclaiming the Good News, they yield a great harvest. As Catholics, we are not sent out merely to proclaim a list of duties; we are sent to proclaim the Gospel. And the Gospel is this: God so loved the world that He sent his Son, who by dying and rising from the dead has purchased for us a whole new life, free from sin and the rebellious obsessions of this world. He is victorious over all the death-directed drives of this world. Simply put, he has triumphed over these forces and enabled us to walk in newness of life.
God save us from brands of the faith in which rules and obligations are all that is heard by sour-faced saints, dead disciples, fussy Pharisees, bored believers, and frozen chosen. Save us from Pharisaical philosophers who are obsessed with particulars not even commanded by God, who sneer at things they consider beneath than their preferences.
No, we are sent to announce a new life, a life free from the bondage of sin, rebellion, sensuality, greed, lust, domination, and revenge. We are sent to announce a life of joy, confidence, purity, chastity, generosity, and devotion to the truth rooted in Love.
Yes, here is a joyful announcement rooted in the cry Anastasis (Resurrection)! New Life! The old order of sin is gone and a new life of freedom from sin is here!
Did everyone accept this as good news? No. Some, indeed many, were offended and sought to convict Christians as “disturbers of the peace.” Some don’t like to have their sin and bondage called out as such. They prefer bondage, sin, and darkness to light, holiness, and freedom.
As Catholics, we announce what is intrinsically good news, and we ought to start sounding like it by proclaiming it with joy. We must proclaim it without the bitterness and anger that are indicative of those who are more interested in winning an argument than in joyfully announcing something wonderful, freeing, and true.
II. Admonishing – The text says, … they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch. They strengthened the spirits of the disciples and exhorted them to persevere in the faith, saying, “It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.”
Preaching/teaching is a process. You don’t just preach or teach once and then move on; you return and reiterate. Paul and Barnabas are retracing their steps back through towns they have already evangelized. They do not just come, have a tent revival, and move on. They return and, as we shall see, they establish the Church.
Notice what they do:
1. Encourage – They strengthened the spirits of the disciples.
2. Exhort – They exhorted them to persevere in the faith.
3. Explain – They explained by saying, “It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.”
Let’s focus especially on the last the point. Paul and Barnabas teach that if you’re not willing to endure the cross, no crown will come your way. If you can’t stand a little disappointment, if you can’t stand being talked about, if you think you should always be up and never down, then I’ve come to remind you: No cross, no crown.
Yes, beware of “cross-less” Christianity. We do have good news to proclaim but there is also the truth that we get to the resurrection and the glory through the cross. There is a test in every testimony, a trial in every triumph. There are demands of discipleship, requirements for renewal, laws of love, and sufferings set forth for Saints.
Good preaching combines the hardship and the happiness in one message. It is a joy to follow in the footsteps of our Lord, who endured hostility, hardship, and the horrors of the cross but still triumphed and showed that the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. Yes, He caught the wise in their craftiness and showed that the thoughts of the wise in this word are futile (cf 1 Cor 3:20). He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them (paradoxically) by the cross (cf Col 2:15).
Thus, St. Paul and Barnabas announce the cross, a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles (cf 1 Cor 1:23). Many today insist that the Church soft-pedal the cross, that she use honey, not vinegar. No can do. We joyfully announce and uphold the paradox of the cross. We must be willing to be a sign of contradiction to this world, which sees only pleasure and the indulgence of sinful drives as the way forward, which exalts freedom without truth or obedience, and which calls good what God calls sinful.
Too many so-called Christian denominations have adopted the pillow as their image and have a “give the people what they want” mentality. That is 180 degrees out of phase with the cross.
The Catholic Church does not exist to reflect the views of its members, but to reflect the views of its founder and head, Jesus Christ. As He went out to die, Jesus announced the cross without ambiguity, saying, Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to me (John 12:31-32).
And so we announce the cross not merely as suffering, but as life, power, and love. By the power of the cross, it is possible to live without sin, to overcome rebellion, pride, lust, and greed; it is possible to learn to forgive and to live the truth in love.
The world will hate us for this. But such hardships, such crosses, are necessary preludes to the hallelujah of Heaven. The Church can do no less than to point to the cross. The center of our faith is a cross not a pillow. And the cross is our only hope (Ave Crux spes unica nostra (Hail, O Cross, our only hope).
Yes, the Church announces the cross and admonishes a world obsessed with pleasure and with passing, fake happiness.
III. Appointing – The text says, They appointed presbyters for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, commended them to the Lord in whom they had put their faith. Then they traveled through Pisidia and reached Pamphylia. After proclaiming the word at Perga they went down to Attalia.
And thus we see the ordination of priest leaders in every place. “Priest” is just an English mispronunciation of the word “presbyter.” Paul and Barnabas did not simply go about vaguely preaching and then moving on. They established local churches with a structure of authority. The whole Pauline corpus of writings indicates a need to continue oversight of these local churches and to stay in touch with the priest leaders established to lead these local parishes.
Later, St. Paul spoke of the need for this structure in other places when he wrote (to Titus),
This is why I left you in Crete, that you might amend what was defective, and appoint presbyters in every town as I directed you (Titus 1:5).
This appointment was done through the laying on of hands and is called ordination today. It was a way of establishing order and office in the Church to make sure that the work continued and that the Church was governed by order. This is why we call the sacrament involved here the “Sacrament of Holy Orders.”
Note, too, that a critical task for leaders in the Church is to develop and train new leaders. Too many parishes depend on individual charismatic and gifted leaders whose inevitable departure leaves a void, not an ongoing ministry or organization. This should not be so. Good leaders train new leaders.
IV. Accounting – The text says, From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work they had now accomplished. And when they arrived, they called the church together and reported what God had done with them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.
Note that Paul and Barnabas are now returning to render an account for what they have done. Accountability is part of a healthy Church. Every priest should render an account to his bishop, every bishop to his metropolitan and to the Pope. Today’s ad limina visits of bishops to the Pope is the way this is done. Further, priests are accountable to their bishop through various mechanisms such as yearly reports and other meetings.
A further background to this text is that Paul and Barnabas are returning to Antioch because it was from there that they were sent forth by the local bishops and priests on this missionary task.
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off (Acts 13:2).
Thus St. Paul was not the lone ranger that some think him to be. He was sent and was accountable.
But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and had called me through his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia; and again I returned to Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas, and remained with him fifteen days (Gal 1:15-18).
Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. I went up by revelation; and I laid before them (but privately before those who were of repute) the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, lest somehow I should be running or had run in vain (Gal 2:1).
The preacher and teacher must be accountable: For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to God.” So each of us shall give account of himself to God (Rom 14:10-12).
And thus we see some paths for priests, preachers, teachers, and leaders. We must announce the Gospel as good news, with joy and confidence. We must admonish a world obsessed with pleasures to embrace the cross as our only hope. We must continue to develop, train, and appoint leaders to follow after us. And we must be accountable to one another.
A nice and quick portrait of some healthy traits for the Church!
True dat; Brother!
One can do far worse than counting on Scripture!
Joshua 23:14
“And behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth. And ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spoke concerning you: all have come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.
Nope.
Limericks have 5 lines.
Then why get up in the morning?
My buddy and I insult each other all the time!
Ambrose: …constantly pray ‘Open to us, O Mary, the gates of paradise, since thou hast its KEYS. Anselm: It suffices, O Lady, that thou willest it, and our SALVATION is certain.
Antoninus: …souls protected by Mary, and on which she casts her eyes, are NECESSARILY JUSTIFIED AND SAVED.
Athanasius: …And, thou, O Lady, wast filled with grace, that thou mightiest be the way of our SALVATION and the means of ascent to the heavenly Kingdom.
Bonaventure: …the gates of heaven will open to all who confide in the protection of Mary. Blessed are they who know thee, O Mother of God, for the knowledge of THEE is the high road to everlasting life, and the publication of thy virtues is the way of ETERNAL SALVATION . Give ear, O ye nations; and all you who desire heaven , serve, honor Mary, and certainly you will find ETERNAL LIFE.
She says, "He that shall find Me shall find life, and shall have salvation from the Lord. "Qui me invenerit, inveniet vitam, et hauriet salutem a Domino."
Listen," exclaims St. Bonaventure on these words, "listen, all you who desire the kingdom of God: honor the most Blessed Virgin Mary, and you will find life and eternal salvation." "Audite qui ingredi cupitis regnum Dei: Virginem Mariam honorate, et invenietis vitam et salutem perpetuam."-psalt. B.V.ps.48.
Ephem: …devotion to the divine Mother…is the unlocking of the heavenly Jerusalem.
Fulgetius: …by Mary God descended from Heaven into the world, that by HER man might ascend from earth to Heaven. Guerric: …he who serves Mary and for whom she intercedes, is as CERTAIN of heaven as if he were already there…and those who DO NOT serve Mary will NOT BE SAVED.
Richard of Laurence: Mary, in fine, is the mistress of heaven; for there she commands as she wills, and ADMITS whom she wills.
“The Catholic Church has always and with justice put all her hope and trust in the Mother of God.”
(Leo XIII: Encyclical, Supreme Apostolatus, September 1, 1883.) — [p. 32, no. 104]
“... Yet our manner of praying to the Blessed Virgin has something in common with our worship of God so that the Church even addressed to her the words with which we pray to God: ‘Have mercy on sinners.’”
"Only She Can Help You"
by Father Nicholas Gruner, S.T.L., S.T.D. (Cand.)
In this letter introducing The Fatima Crusader Issue 38, Father Gruner discusses the growing lies and deception about Russia's errors and the consecration of that nation. He also reminds us that, while it is urgent that we be informed about and fight for Our Lady's cause, we must ask for Her help and intercession.
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| In the Fatima sanctuary, at the exact spot where Our Lady appeared, Father Gruner pays homage to Her while touching the original statue of Fatima. Father Gruner was recently graced with this rare opportunity since normally this sacred image is always protected by a glass covering which completely surrounds it all day long. |
Mary Leads Her Servants to Heaven
by St. Alphonsus de Liguori
In this article taken from The Glories of Mary, Saint Alphonsus explains that there are countless souls in Heaven who are there now only because Mary, by Her powerful intercession, led them there. If a soul persists in true devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, She will certainly lead that soul to Heaven.
Hail Mary, Full of Grace
by Father Stefano Manelli, S.T.D.
It is truly a treasure to have a strong devotion to Our Lady, for it is She who unites us to Jesus and brings us to Heaven, as this article explains.
Mary, Our Life, Our Sweetness, Our Hope
by St. Alphonsus de Liguori
St. Alphonsus de Liguori explains how Mary is our life, how She is our sweetness, and how She is our hope.
The historical record of the worship of Mary accumulated by St. Alphonsus de Liguori who wrote “The Glories of Mary” in the year 1745, which has been since translated into English and printed again and again and again with the full affirmation and imprimatur of the official Roman Catholic Church. In this book there is the sum of all the glories of Mary which has been vouchsafe to the Roman Catholic Church and the Church itself calls upon all its constituents to give Mary that honor she is due. She is identified as Mary, our Queen; Mary, our mother; Mary, our life; Mary, our sweetness; Mary, our hope; Mary, our help; Mary, our Mediatress; Mary, our advocate; Mary, our guardian; and Mary, our salvation. It is said that Mary delivers us from hell, Mary delivers us from purgatory, and Mary leads us to heaven. And it should be said that de Liguori, who collected all the Marion dogma and devotion, was himself one of the most celebrated and revered authorities in the Roman Catholic Church. De Liguori was himself a cardinal in life, and a saint in death.
Jesus said "Without Me you can do nothing". In this crisis which looms ahead of us, Our Lady has told us that we need Her help, Her intercession. We must ask for Her help with the Rosary and the Scapular.
At Fatima, Our Lady told us very plainly that "Only I can help you". Today more than ever is this so true.
Pray the Rosary and sacrifice yourself for Our Lady.
I urge you to also make some sacrifices as Our Lady of Fatima asked us. For those who are able, do some fasting. If you can, abstain from meat by eating meat only during one meal a day. Try to do this for two days, even ten days or 30 days. Of course we should abstain totally from meat every Friday.
Jesus and Mary — Our Hope
It is so urgent that we reach as many souls as possible before it is too late. Let us be of good cheer and remember the words of Jesus to each of us, "It's never too late to have recourse to Jesus and Mary." That is why it is so important to reach the many millions of souls who do not know this, and who do not know the grave dangers lying in wait for their souls.
No, we must never lose hope. Mary is our hope. She can obtain for us what we cannot by ourselves. Read what St. Alphonsus has to say regarding confidence in Our Lady's intercession in "Mary Leads Her Servants to Heaven". Father Manelli also reminds us of the importance of devotion to Our Lady. (See "Hail Mary, Full of Grace"). Our Blessed Mother tells us to turn to Her in confidence. She tells us repeatedly to ask Her intercession through the frequent fervent praying of the Rosary. (See "The Rosary"). She tells us we must pray the Rosary every day. She wants us to pray it many times a day.
http://fatima.org/crusader/cr38/cr38pg2.asp
"Blessed is he whose interior offers the Blessed Virgin Mary a place of repose." Devotion towards the Blessed Virgin remains in all who are the inheritance of Our Lord; that is to say, in all who will praise Him eternally in Heaven.
O, how many blessed souls are now in Heaven who would never have been there had not Mary, by Her powerful intercession, led them thither. I made that in the heavens there should rise light that never faileth. Cardinal Hugo, in his commentary on the above text of Ecclesiasticus, says in the name of Mary, "I have caused as many saints in Heaven through Her intercession, who would never have been there but through Her ."
...in the words of St. Ambrose, "Open to us, O Mary, the gates of paradise, since Thou hast its keys." "Aperi nobis, O Virgo coelum, cujus claves habes." Nay more, the Church says, that "Thou art its gate."
St. Antoninus tells us "that this divine Mother has already, by Her assistance and prayers, obtained Heaven for us, provided we put no obstacle in the way."23 Hence, says Abbot Guerric, "he who serves Mary, and for whom She intercedes, is as certain of Heaven as if he was already there."24 St. John Damascene also says, "that to serve Mary and be Her courtier is the greatest honor we can possibly possess; for to serve the Queen of Heaven is already to reign there, and live under Her commands is more than to govern."25 On the other hand, he adds, "that those who do not serve Mary will not be saved; for those who are deprived of the help of this great Mother are also deprived of that of Her Son and of the whole court of heaven."26
23. "Coeleste nobis regnum, suo interventu auxiliis, et precibus, impetravit."—Paciucch. Sup. Salve Reg. exc. I.
24. "Qui Virgini famulatur, ita securus est de paradiso, ac si esset in paradiso."
25. "Summus honor, servire Mariæ, et de ejus esse familia; etenim ei servire, regnare est; et ejus agi frænis, summa libertas."
26. "Gens quæ non servierit illi, peribit; gentes destitutæ tantæ Matris auxilio, destituuntur auxilio Filii et totius curi’‘ coelestis."— De Laud. B. M. I. 4.
Cardinal Hugo http://fatima.org/crusader/cr38/cr38pg3.asp
Thanks for your counsel, my man. It’s always interesting to see who grauitously takes up somebody else’s offenses and how God regards such folks (speaking of the class of people associated with it, 1 Peter 4:15,17).
which the Lord your God spoke concerning you My godly Grandma's very favorite verse, and so one of mine, too. Thanks for the reminder!
“The seven Sacraments are outward signs, instituted by Christ to give Grace....they existed from His time....probably not referred to as the 7 Sacraments, but nevertheless they were. The council of Trent may have, indeed, specified them as such, but they existed long before that.”
Yes outward signs, but they DON’T give grace. Grace ISN’T given by the sacraments, but directly from God himself.
Ephesians 2:8-9 Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)
8 For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, for it is the gift of God;
9 Not of works, that no man may glory.
Romans 11:6 Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)
6 And if by grace, it is not now by works: otherwise grace is no more grace.
Yes instituted through Christ, but not as a means of salvation. That’s why mystery’s are a better translation than sacraments as we don’t fully understand their meanings as God views them.The entire Church world to include the rcc seen them as outward expressions until the cot. The cot all of a sudden redefined them as a means of salvation. Which means that the rcc was either wrong for the first twelve hundred years or has been wrong for the last five hundred. You can’t have it both ways either the tradition was handed down correctly from the start or the cot was in error which is the correct answer, but you decide for yourself.
Whether you are or not, the point remains that you are hardly fit to be debating RCs when you and your source represent an opposite extreme.
OK, Dan under scrutiny, not one of your objections will survive, point by point, although they make a nice rotund sound as you assemble them. Which you have utterly failed to show, as rather than the functions of pastor, episkopos, and presbuteros being not truly interchangeable, equivalent, synonomous, but dramatically wrong" to think they are, Scripture only teaches that they are, as shown again and again.
Where do you see Simon "Peter" bar Jonah, anywhere called a ποιμήν, a shepherd = a pastor?
As explained, he is an elder, which are the ones, besides apostles, that are charged with and described as shepherding the flock, "taking the oversight" (1 Peter 5:2) of it, by analogy as a father does his household, (1 Timothy 3:4-5) to which persons "over you" (1Ths. 5:12) general submission is enjoined. (Heb. 13:17)
What do you call a man, who either himself and/or his wife and/or children in any detail fail the NT qualifications set forth for the office of either a/the ἐπίσκοπος superintendent; or a διάκονος attendant or server?
He may be called many things (from heretic unlearned), but not a presbuteros/episkopos or deacon. But of course, since you evidently subscribe to Viola-type extreme, then those who Scripture described as having authoritative status as superintendents, who are to "rebuke, reprove, etc. as need, and feed the flock over which they are appointed, would fail of the qualifications as per the band of the libertarians.
(3) What do you call a man in the local assembly who is older than most, but is neither overseer, teacher, nor trustee, yet one whose overall spirituality, wisdom, and reliability makes him a person whose advice other members of the church are accustomed to seek and value?
Go find one in the NT church that is not functioning as a ordained leader. If you want to use rare exceptions (Act_2:17; 1Pe_5:5; 1Ti_5:2: "The elder women") to relegate all those in the NT church called presbuteros, then go ahead. Presbuteros does not even necessarily mean "older," but can mean "senior," as a pastor like Timothy would be in position.
(4) Are you one of these in your local church?
Sure, but without pastiral authority unlike those ordained such as in Acts 14;23; Titus 1:5-7, etc. And the word can even, if rarely, be generically used for a women, but as with diakonos(which can also be generically used for a women), this generic use simply does not establish your rejection of presbuteros as ordained men and called episkopos, which had special authorative status as spiritual shepherds of the flock (under apostles at first), to whom obedience, but not obeisance, is enjoined. In contrast, the deacons you try to replace them with as pastors are not so charged or described as such head spiritual shepherds.
(5) If not, why do you give advice here to those who do not seek yours?
What kind of nonsense is that? A young Elihu could give counsel here, as in general believers are to contend for the faith, but neither he not i have the positional authority in the church as ordained presbuteros do.
(6) And, if you are, why do you give advice here to those who do not seek yours?
More nonsense indicative of animus against reproof, or specious reasoning. You need not be a chosen presbuteros to obey, "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 3) But to those who are over (preside) as shepherds who are governors/chiefs (hēgeomai) is enjoined conditional submission, (Heb. 13:17) as it is to civil authorities, if not in conflict with the Word of God.
To add more to this, here is a review of what i have read of Frank Viola, George Barna's "Pagan Christianity," seeing as you invoked them:
The ecclesiology of Viola and Barna represents one of two extremes. One one side you have the cultic "thinking of men above that which is written," and which certain so-called "church fathers" (they were not) fostered and leading to what developed under unscriptural "popes" as Damasus 1. And even that of Pope Pius X: " the one duty of the multitude is to allow themselves to be led, and, like a docile flock, to follow the Pastors," (VEHEMENTER NOS, Encyclical of Pope Pius X). And St. Catherine "God has commanded that, even if the priests, the pastors, and Christ-on-earth were incarnate devils, we be obedient and subject to them, not for their sakes, but for the sake of God, and out of obedience to Him." — Saint Catherine of Siena in St. Catherine of Siena, SCS, p. 201-202, p. 222.
One the other extreme is the libertarian fantasy of men as Viola, who in-credibly asserts, “The one who plants a New Testament-styled church leaves that church without a pastor, elders, .. or a Bible teacher. If that church is planted well, those believers will know how to sense and follow the living, breathing headship of Jesus Christ in a meeting. (Pagan Christianity, p. 234). And it knows even less about a pastor-led church. ” (Reimagining Church, p. 187). “The pastor is an obstacle to every-member functioning.” (ibid p. 105).
Under the first extreme or even static liturgy, overly pastor-centrist, inflexible -security-in-structure churches, a meeting such as 1 Cor. 14 (which is seen as model) describes is to be avoided. Under the second the the wholly Scriptural pastoral care and superintendence of the churches by presbuteros/episkopos is rejected and the manifest substantiation for their authoritative pastorate is explained away by so much sophistry. But the "Pagan Christianity" fantasy is that in a well-planted new church "believers will know how to sense and follow the living, breathing headship of Jesus Christ in a meeting," without a pastor or Bible teacher, which is the very thing the apostolic-planted Corinthian church did not do! The balance is btwn two extremes.
1 Thes. 5:12 speaks of those who are over (preside) over the people, and Heb. 13:17 enjoins general submission to those shepherds who are governors/chiefs (hēgeomai) over the flock. And presbuteros (senior) episkopos (overseer), which as regards chosen men in NT church denotes the same persons (at least Viola/Barna believe this part: Pagan Christianity, p. 110), which are to be ordained in ever place where there are churches, (Titus 1:5-7; Acts 14:23) and who, besides apostles, are charged with its shepherding, its pastoral oversight and care, (Acts 20:17,28) "taking the oversight thereof," (1 Peter 5:2) to "take care of the church of God" (one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God? (1 Timothy 3:4-5). Which mandate includes, "feed the church," (Acts 20:28) and thus "preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine," and "speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority" in sound doctrine, even "sharply" in some cases. (2 Timothy 4:2; Titus 1:13, 2:15)
Yet the authors rejects Acts 14:23 as a pattern, restricting it to just 4 churches, and that the word (kathistēmi) for "ordain" (KJV) does not mean installment into an office giving special authoritative status, but merely endorsing what was already happening, (Pagan Christianity, p. 124) even though such endorsement made that status official, and the Lord clearly uses the word for "ruler/administrator" in Mat. 24:45,:47, 25:21,23, Luk_12:42,Mat_24:45, Mat_24:47, Mat_25:21, Mat_25:23, Luk_12:42, Luk_12:42,44. And kathistēmi is likewise used in giving deacons a special status in Acts 6:3, and is used for Jewish priests in Heb_5:1; 8:3.
The authors allows that there are "even shepherds in the church,"(ibid, p. 120)and the fact that elders had a role in the church is not that itself what Barna/Viola reject, but their special authoritative status. Scripture testifies to both, but the authors want to portray a church in which "Christians themselves led the church under Christ's direct headship, " (ibid, p. 110) but without any special authoritative status as leaders, which is contrary to the analogy of a pastor ruling his own house, and the charge to submit to such.
Consistent with this, and like "egalitarian" sophists, the authors deny that there is a hierarchy in the Godhead, despite the clear statement "that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God." (1 Corinthians 11:3) And that after the Lord Jesus has placed every enemy under His feet, He Himself will be actually positionally operating in subjection to the Father, (1Co. 15:25-28) whereas He had been made the savior and judge of all mankind. (Acts 2:36) Like feminist egalitarians, the authors imagine that being "head" does not mean a positional hierarchy, so that the Father is not in subjection to the Son, but though they are in perfect communion, the Father is the leader. Which does not militate against the manifest Deity of Christ who is uniquely one with the Father in nature. And that "head" does signify authority is seen by the requirement that women are to have a (hair) covering (katakaluptō), power/authority (exousia) over their head, signifying submission to the headship of man, who is not to so wholly cover his head. (1Co. 11:4-10)
Moreover, in their apparent animus against authority, the authors even assert that Mt. 28:19 is not a command but a prophecy of what the apostles would do! As if "go...teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you," (v. 20) was simply a prediction of what they would do, not a charge. (Pagan Christianity, p. 235,36)
And in their attack on Christianity as a whole, under which banner there certainly are heresies as well as sound doctrine, the authors much reply on the most manifest example of the deformation of the NT church, that being Catholicism (http://peacebyjesus.witnesstoday.org/deformation_of_new_testament_church.html), and fail to make needed distinctions, while they themselves represent an heterodox overreaction to Catholicism and aspects of which Protestantism overall, to varying degrees, inherited.
Finally, the authors assert that of "Pagan Christianity has yet t be credibly refuted or discounted, but which I see as being in-credible.
Well, he began correcting me on the functions of pastor, episkopos, and presbuteros, asserting it is "dramatically wrong" to think they were interchangeable, equivalent, synonymous, despite what Scripture most clearly teaches, but argued that deacons were the pastors of Eph. 4:11. Then he showed me one of his sources, the liberal Viola. And as they represent an opposite extreme to Rome, if not as extreme as Rome, but nonetheless presenting themselves as correcter's of all Christianity, and since he resorted to their eisegesis, then i removed him from my ping list, as possible more detrimental than helpful. Sorry to do so.
Well, when I was a Catholic, many moons ago, it was just flat, tasteless bread, not nice wafers, like in your picture. When I was around 12, I knew I was always committing mortal sins, so I stopped receiving holy communion, because I didn't want to commit a mortal sin of sacrilege. A mortal sin was bad enough, but a mortal sin of sacrilege, was far worse. Kind of like the unpardonable sin.
Sometimes I couldn't sleep at night, because I was worried about the mortal sins on my soul. My dad started to wonder, and asked if I needed to go to confession? I didn't pay much attention in catechism class, so I was always at a loss, to determine what was a mortal sin, and what was a venial sin. Venial sins were ok, it was the mortal sins I wanted to avoid.
As you know, I don't indulge anymore. Praise God for that, but I looked back on my life, and I could see God preparing me for TRUE faith, as opposed to false faith, all the way back to when I was a Catholic. If I had been a Mormon, they would have called me Jack. 😄😂😄
Every stupid, ignorant and/or cruel cliche and remark was thrown back and forth in an almost constant banter
Best of friends outside of work
It is difficult to explain something to one who is blind and obstinate. You just hope they find mercy and do the works they are called to do.
You're welcome!
Your turn. 😀😄
Well of course the Grace comes from God....sheesh...but He sends it through the Sacraments which He Himself ordained
The Word thinks your veneration of Mary is illegitimate latria also.
that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication; if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell.” Acts 15:29
If you had paid as much attention in Catechism class as you did to the Navigators, you'd still be a saved Catholic instead of ................?????
“Well of course the Grace comes from God....sheesh...but He sends it through the Sacraments which He Himself ordained”
No, he doesn’t send them through the sacraments he sends them through Christ Jesus straight to the believer at the foot of the cross. Stick with your original answer of outward expressions or did they threaten to cast you out of the rcc . Contary to the rcc the thief on the cross didn’t recieve any sacraments just pure Grace and we know for a fact he went to Heaven! Now that’s finished answer the question that I have asked you twice.
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