Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

To: boatbums

Bingo.

When ALSO not found among early church transmissions of faith teaching, and when going against aspects of Scripture and theological considerations of long standing (monotheism ---anyone?) resembling paganistic types of imaginings of 'how the heavens go' rather than focusing upon "hear Oh Israel, our God is One"

...smuggling in "saints" and "Mary" through side-doors that swing both ways (from out of Purgatory, too?) into Heaven ---and from there back out to earth again when they will it to be--- if they are asked nice enough, and enough times over(?) as in the rote & repetitive rosary prayers, directed in focus not chiefly most ---to the Lord God Almighty, but to;

... Mary who sits The Queen of Heaven, functioning as governess of the Holy Spirit even --- according to some of the more breathless descriptions of the imagined, still on-going and allegedly absolutely necessary continuing, now from Heaven role she now serves in ---

---- singular papacy for bishop of Rome -- which none among the early Church saw as how the Lord had instituted governance among the Church, and is in fact contrary to how things are portrayed in Scripture to have been arranged more horizontally in gifts of the spirit ---of administration.

On, and on for a ways like that it goes, in the "tradition[s] of men not supported by the written word of God" -- where it'll stop, nobody knows?

God knows, and He's not "nobody" so I guess I answered that last question, any-hows.

21 posted on 06/19/2017 7:08:32 AM PDT by BlueDragon (I'm sorry you're so upset, lady. Here, here's a banana for the minkee...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]


To: BlueDragon
That's especially true with those groups who claim to ALONE be "the" church of Jesus Christ, asserting that He established their church. The "being built upon St. Peter" is also a ruse because we DO know from history that he was a traveling evangelist. He led people to faith in Jesus Christ, discipled leaders, helped them preach to others and form local assemblies then he was off for the next town. He was a leader, of course, because he was an Apostle, but so were the others. They went throughout the world preaching the gospel for as long as they could until they were arrested and martyred (every one of the twelve were killed for the faith - except for John who survived several attempts on his life and who spent his final days in exile).

No church is to lay burdens upon people that were never meant to be. Jesus speaking to the Pharisees told them that they had abrogated God's Word for the sake of their tradition. In Matthew Henry's Commentary on this passage in Matthew 15, he says:

    15:1-9 Additions to God's laws reflect upon his wisdom, as if he had left out something which was needed, and which man could supply; in one way or other they always lead men to disobey God. How thankful ought we to be for the written word of God! Never let us think that the religion of the Bible can be improved by any human addition, either in doctrine or practice. Our blessed Lord spoke of their traditions as inventions of their own, and pointed out one instance in which this was very clear, that of their transgressing the fifth commandment. When a parent's wants called for assistance, they pleaded, that they had devoted to the temple all they could spare, even though they did not part with it, and therefore their parents must expect nothing from them. This was making the command of God of no effect. The doom of hypocrites is put in a little compass; In vain do they worship me. It will neither please God, nor profit themselves; they trust in vanity, and vanity will be their recompence.

That's what happens when man places tradition above the word of God - he adds to it as if God forgot to tell us something! If some group has a tradition concerning non-doctrinal things, fine, no problem. But when they try to make them binding upon believers under threat of excommunication and loss of salvation, a line must be drawn. They were never given the authority to do that. The binding and loosing authority Jesus laid upon the disciples as told in Matthew 16:19 is NOT permission to invent doctrines not taught in the word. Henry's commentary, again, says:

    Our Lord next declared the authority with which Peter would be invested. He spoke in the name of his brethren, and this related to them as well as to him. They had no certain knowledge of the characters of men, and were liable to mistakes and sins in their own conduct; but they were kept from error in stating the way of acceptance and salvation, the rule of obedience, the believer's character and experience, and the final doom of unbelievers and hypocrites. In such matters their decision was right, and it was confirmed in heaven. But all pretensions of any man, either to absolve or retain men's sins, are blasphemous and absurd. None can forgive sins but God only. And this binding and loosing, in the common language of the Jews, signified to forbid and to allow, or to teach what is lawful or unlawful.

The Holy Spirit is who teaches us all things and He has ensured the truth is preserved in the word of God. It is our weapon - the Sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. Whatever is taught is the rule of the Christian faith will be found in Scripture. If it is not found there, it is not binding nor obligatory. Tradition is not equal to Scripture.

47 posted on 06/19/2017 9:51:12 PM PDT by boatbums (Authority has a way of descending to certitude, and certitude begets hubris.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson