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Why 'the church isn’t perfect' line has become a cop-out; Christians cannot use this as an excuse to ignore sin.
Christian Post ^ | 09/07/2020 | Robin Schumacher

Posted on 09/07/2020 7:14:02 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

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To: Bishop_Malachi
Narrowly, Paul’s position on Justification was not and is not orthodoxy among the majority of Christians

***

Even if this is true--which I have my doubts on--you've earned this.


241 posted on 09/09/2020 4:27:38 PM PDT by Luircin
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To: Luircin

Am I to assume by your lack of response to my other two posts that I have you over a barrel and you concede all my other points?

_____________________________________________

I’m like Sam Houston at the Alamo getting swarmed. You’re only one of several people I’ve tried to respond to between work and other things.

If you’ll pardon me, what were the other two points/posts?


242 posted on 09/09/2020 4:31:15 PM PDT by Bishop_Malachi (Liberal Socialism - A philosophy which advocates spreading a low standard of living equally.)
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To: Luircin

Even if this is true—which I have my doubts on—you’ve earned this.

_________________________________________

Ok, but if the Holy Spirit guides the Christian community under the leadership of spirit-filled elders, then one has to ask why so many sincere people were allowed to be lead astray. Your assertion is not without consequences.


243 posted on 09/09/2020 4:34:11 PM PDT by Bishop_Malachi (Liberal Socialism - A philosophy which advocates spreading a low standard of living equally.)
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To: Iscool

Were the people Jesus was teaching and preaching to under the Law??? The answer is yes, of course...They were devout law abiding Jews...

At what point were they no longer under the law???
When did the events in James take place and when was it written???
Like Paul’s epistles was the book of James written to the church???
Who was James written to???

_________________________________________________

There is much disagreement about James. It should be no surprise that a book that seems to contradict the Letters of Paul to such a stark degree should have opponents even within the Church tradition. I’m just going to throw out a few points where there is a lot of agreement (even if it is not majority agreement).

James is an old Epistle some argue that it may have been written as early as 50 AD. That could put it even earlier than the first Letters of Paul. I have my doubts about that, but it could be true.

James like Matthew is wary of the Antinomian tendencies of Pauline preaching. By Antinomian, I just mean the rejection or diminished-stature of moral norms/laws that can arise when one asserts Justification by Faith alone.

The book was almost certainly written to Jewish Christians (again like Matthew). But who (or where those Christians were) is not revealed. Since the Epistle is so old, they were probably somewhere in Palestine, but that is not certain.


244 posted on 09/09/2020 4:47:31 PM PDT by Bishop_Malachi (Liberal Socialism - A philosophy which advocates spreading a low standard of living equally.)
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To: Iscool

Yes, by your and other responses protestants are seriously in denial of God’s Truth and rejection of God. Their denial ignores historical facts based on false personal opinion without any factual or reasonable basis.

Even Martin Luther and others have acknowledged that the Bible was authored by Catholics and that the Catholic Church was the Church founded by Jesus and preached the Gospel and baptized all nations for 2000 years. The inspired books of the Old Testament by the time of Christ, the Septuagint, contained the deuterocanonical books. Luther by himself rejected 7 books contradicting Christ’s authority (as stated in the Bible) given to Christ’s Catholic Church to determine the inspired books of the Old and New Testaments. Luther accepted the authorized Catholic Bible (may have changed or added a few words) but rejected 7 books and attempted to delete 4 books in the NT.

Catholics put the Church before the Bible because the Church existed first and wrote and compiled the Bible. The authority of the Bible depends on that of the Church. Then we use the Bible to prove the Church; it is also a historical document. From the Gospels as historical documents we learn that Christ founded a Church, but the authority of the Gospels as inspired writings rests on the word of the Church. Jesus did not write any of the books or command anyone to write the Bible. The Bible was based on Sacred Tradition that was passed down by Jesus and the Apostles and some was written down and passed down to us.

The Scriptures themselves assert that they are incomplete and send us to the Church.

The Catholic Church has dealt with many heresies and schisms over the years and has survived as Christ promised and will continue to survive even if membership declines as prophesied.

The Catholic Church was founded by Jesus to help us for our salvation. As you know, God is love and gave us ‘free will’ to either accept His Truth, His Catholic Church and his love or reject it.

https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/catholics-and-the-bible

Your comment/question: “Why would we go to a pretend Church to eat a pretend Jesus when we already have him??? “

Because Jesus told us that it was necessary for our salvation. (John 6:54) Why do you reject His word? Why do you not want His supernatural Body and Blood to dwell within you as He promised?

Your incorrect quote: “But attaining salvation by the free gift of grace with works is also dead...Eph. 2:8,9... “

Yes we are saved by faith through grace and not by works of the law. “:lest any man should boast” 10 “We are created in Christ Jesus for good works” We choose to do good works to show our obedience and our love for God and neighbor.

“So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.” James 2:17

“Truly,truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father.” John 14:12

Your comment: “That’s because the bible rejects any kind of purgatory in spite of the scripture you falsely attempt to attribute to it...After you die if your soul starts feeling some heat, it ain’t purgatory..”

Then I guess all protestants are going where there is some heat? I guess you didn’t read or understand the readings. You realize that you can’t pray for yourself in purgatory, so may you better start now...

Your comment: “By your unbelief you have rejected the mystery of the kingdom of God and are reduced to reading parables such as your Eucharist scenario while the truth is given spiritually to real Christians...

I think you are right in Mark 4: 10-20 that the secret of the kingdom of God was given to the Apostles and the Catholic Church.To those that hear but not understand God’s words, Jesus gave us parables so that they learn from the sower. However where the word is sown on rocky ground with no roots, then Satan immediately comes and takes away the word which is sown in them. Those that were sown upon good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit.

Your comment: “This is why real Christians won’t waste 5 seconds of their time with a Eucharist.”

Make sure you inform them of John 6:53 “unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you;”

You didn’t reply to the false protestant promise:

There is a false protestant promise that all future sins are forgiven.

The Our Father prayer to God states “ And forgive us our trespasses As we forgive those who trespass against you:”

“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matt 6:14-15 Also read Heb 4:16 and Heb 10:26-27

If one rejects God’s Truth, then they reject God and perhaps commit mortal sin that jeopardizes salvation. “How much worse the punishment do you think will be deserved by man who has spurned the Son of god, and profaned the blood of the covenant, by which he was sanctified, and outraged the Spirit of grace?”


245 posted on 09/09/2020 6:28:27 PM PDT by ADSUM
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To: Elsie

Isn’t it amazing that Jesus choose a fisherman to become a fisher of men, even though he denied Jesus three times, to build and lead the Catholic Church as the first Pope with the keys to the kingdom of Heaven with the authority to bind and loose on earth and in Heaven.

Jesus recognized his great faith and St Peter died a martyr for that faith.

If we had Peter’s great faith, can you imagine what Christ could do if protestants had Peter’s faith?

Peace be with you.


246 posted on 09/09/2020 6:29:17 PM PDT by ADSUM
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To: Bishop_Malachi
James like Matthew is wary of the Antinomian tendencies of Pauline preaching.

No James and Matthew are not wary of the Pauline epistles...The mysteries of the church were not even revealed yet when Matthew and James were written...

By Antinomian, I just mean the rejection or diminished-stature of moral norms/laws that can arise when one asserts Justification by Faith alone.

The diminished -stature of moral norms can arise just as well if one asserts justification by Faith + works...Just look at your religion...Most of the clergy are queers...No one believes the scriptures...Divorce is forbidden but annulment is encouraged in it's place...Every Catholic I know drinks to the state of drunkenness which seems to be alright as long as it's done in the presence of a Mary statue...

What you obviously have no clue about is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and his influence upon the spirit of the born again Christian...You people seem to attempt to please Jesus by the works you do...WE attempt to please Jesus because we love him and he loves us...No strings attached...

247 posted on 09/09/2020 7:10:01 PM PDT by Iscool
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To: ADSUM
Catholics put the Church before the Bible because the Church existed first and wrote and compiled the Bible.

No the church (Church) did not write and compile the bible...The apostles, Luke, prophets and Patriarchs wrote and compiled the bible...And those people are not the church...

What's your definition of the Church???

248 posted on 09/09/2020 7:15:32 PM PDT by Iscool
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To: ADSUM
There is a false protestant promise that all future sins are forgiven.

Really??? Well there's a bible promise that all future sins ARE forgiven...This next verse refers to me...

Rom 4:8  Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. 

And this:

1Pe 2:24  Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 

I am dead to sins...Apparently you're not...You might want to look into that...

249 posted on 09/09/2020 7:21:24 PM PDT by Iscool
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To: Iscool

The mysteries of the church were not even revealed yet when Matthew and James were written...

______________________________________________

I’m not following you on this. What do you mean?


250 posted on 09/09/2020 7:49:45 PM PDT by Bishop_Malachi (Liberal Socialism - A philosophy which advocates spreading a low standard of living equally.)
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To: Iscool

The diminished -stature of moral norms can arise just as well if one asserts justification by Faith + works...Just look at your religion...Most of the clergy are queers...No one believes the scriptures...Divorce is forbidden but annulment is encouraged in it’s place...Every Catholic I know drinks to the state of drunkenness which seems to be alright as long as it’s done in the presence of a Mary statue...

What you obviously have no clue about is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and his influence upon the spirit of the born again Christian...You people seem to attempt to please Jesus by the works you do...WE attempt to please Jesus because we love him and he loves us...No strings attached...

__________________________________________________

Oh the Catholic Church has more than its fair share of degenerates (especially in high leadership). One can make a good case that the current Pope is an Apostate.

Catholics are notoriously weak on scriptural knowledge too. I shall not attempt to defend them, because it’s hopeless to do so.

I attend a Protestant Church now because there is no way (to my mind) to rectify the current Apostate status of the Magisterium and Pope to what traditional Catholic doctrine has taught about God’s guidance of such a body on doctrinal affairs.

That being said, there are plenty of lowlifes in Protestant churches. I was raised in a Protestant family and within the last 3 years have rejoined a Protestant church. I call myself a “tweener” because I’m in between both sides of the Christian “extremes”.

I know it sounds like I’ve been harsh (even disrespectful) to Protestantism, so allow me to give a compliment (just to show that I’m aware of very noble persons who are Protestant).

When I was at Boston College in grad school back in the early 1990s, there was an argument within the theology department as to whether students should be required to take at least one class that was apologetic to traditional Catholic teaching. This argument had been going on for quite some time, as the Jesuits who ran the school actually chaffed against such teachings, if you can believe that. In fact, the Jesuits had been chaffing against it since the end of WWII (but I digress).

There were only a small handful of professors in the theology department who supported the pastoral approach to this class (instead of it being a purely academic one). Once of these professor was a Protestant professor of New Testament Studies. He was a great instructor. I thought to myself, “It’s sad when Protestants support Catholics actually teaching their own faith to one another more than Catholics do.” It’s also the moment when I began to realize that the Catholic Church’s troubles were much more internal than external. A huge part of the Catholic Church’s problem is that it’s be co-opted by people are just aren’t Catholic at all. Hell, they aren’t even Christians in most cases. But I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know.

None of this affects my respect and love of the Christian apologetic tradition that goes from the Apostles through the Church Fathers, and up to the present day. The Church has struggled against many enemies internal and external over the ages. Some of that struggle has been tragic and some glorious. And whether one agrees with some or none of the Orthodox and/or Catholic tradition, hopefully one can agree that they tried in good faith to transmit the Faith of Jesus Christ as they understood it. Even though they did not ultimately embrace Paul’s theology of Justification, they did not alter his letters or edit them in any way. They kept the texts just as he wrote them nearly 2000 years ago.


251 posted on 09/09/2020 8:13:40 PM PDT by Bishop_Malachi (Liberal Socialism - A philosophy which advocates spreading a low standard of living equally.)
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To: Bishop_Malachi

Why shouldn’t I just believe that both Matthew and James are heretics?


252 posted on 09/09/2020 8:47:50 PM PDT by Luircin
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To: Iscool

The Catholic Church was started on Pentecost as described in Acts. The Apostles and writers of the Bible including Paul and Luke were Catholics and inspired by the Holy Spirit.The Bible was complied from Sacred Tradition passed down by Jesus and the Apostles and written by Catholic authors and the Holy Spirit. The books of the Bible were discussed and accepted after much discussion by the Bishops at the Councils of Hippo 393 and Carthage 397.

The Catholic Church is the Body of Christ composed of Baptized members on earth (Church Militant), those in Purgatory (Church Suffering) and those in Heaven (Church Triumphant.


253 posted on 09/09/2020 9:43:37 PM PDT by ADSUM
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To: Iscool

Romans 4:7-8 Paul quotes Ps 32:1-2 of a blessing on a man whom God reckoned as righteous.

1Peter 2:24 “that we might die to sin and live to righteousness”

Neither passage promises forgiveness of future sins.

Perhaps you should study Luke 13:3 “unless you repent you will all likewise perish” an d Luke 17:3 “ if your brothers sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him” and Mat 21:32 “you did not afterward repent and believe him”

Catholics have the Sacrament of Confession to a priest for forgiveness of sins. 1John 1:9; John 20:23


254 posted on 09/09/2020 9:43:58 PM PDT by ADSUM
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To: ADSUM

You forgot to mention that it’s the culture of catholicism to believe what you posted. Outside of catholicism there are many believers in Christ who would not believe your post.


255 posted on 09/09/2020 10:09:24 PM PDT by caww
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To: caww

So they are not entitled to God’s Truth? Do they truly have faith in God’s revealed Truth or just follow man made personal opinion that may contain some truth, but also contradicts God’s revealed Truth?

Everyone has the choice to accept God’s Truth or follow heresies of man and Satan.

Jesus warned us against false prophets and false teachers. Mark 13:22-23

Jesus established the Catholic Church and the Sacraments to help all know, love and follow Christ on our path to eternal life with God. All should seek God’s Truth and change away from sin. Mark 16:16


256 posted on 09/10/2020 4:29:34 AM PDT by ADSUM
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To: ADSUM
Even Martin Luther and others have acknowledged that the Bible was authored by Catholics and that the Catholic Church was the Church founded by Jesus and preached the Gospel and baptized all nations for 2000 years.


257 posted on 09/10/2020 4:34:54 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: ADSUM
If we had Peter’s great faith, can you imagine what Christ could do if protestants had Peter’s faith?

And yet Jesus is wondering why His faithful Catholics have allowed abortion 'clinics' to stay in business.

Didn't He give an example with the moneychangers?

258 posted on 09/10/2020 4:37:12 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: ADSUM
Isn’t it amazing that Jesus choose a fisherman to become a fisher of men, even though he denied Jesus three times, to build and lead the Catholic Church as the first Pope with the keys to the kingdom of Heaven with the authority to bind and loose on earth and in Heaven.

It's a good thing that the College of Cardinals were not invented yet; or they would have selected Judas - to hear you Catholics whine about your CURRENT pope!

259 posted on 09/10/2020 4:42:43 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Bishop_Malachi
They kept the texts just as he wrote them nearly 2000 years ago.

Not quite...

260 posted on 09/10/2020 4:45:12 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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