I’m always bemused by the Revisionist’s facile rationalizations for ignoring parts of the Bible that don’t square with their dogma, but abandon those same rationalizations when applied to similar circumstances. (cf. “context” with regard to “keys to the kingdom, proper dress of women, divorce, et al)
Furthermore, one does not “prove” the “final authority” of the Bible by assuming it with the charge “unbiblical.”
In a very real sense, this has been like trying theology with a cultist. They are so fixated on “not losing,” they rarely attempt a critical evaluation of their own reasoning.
If you can get past the fact that Jesus left us a Church, not a book, I suppose you can get past anything.
“ facile rationalizations for ignoring parts of the Bible that don’t square with their dogma, but abandon those same rationalizations when applied to similar circumstances. (cf. “context” with regard to “keys to the kingdom, proper dress of women, divorce, et al)”
Friend, I’ve no doubt all humans are drawn to discount what contradicts their beliefs and that which makes them uncomfortable.
Every educated Bible teacher I’ve known for 40 years in many settings, including churches and two seminaries, starts with a hermeneutic that demands consistency.
Most teach every verse in every book in the Bible, explaining as they go.
As an observer of Romanism and former member, your description applies equally or greater to almost every Roman belief.
Never is a consistent hermeneutic applied.
Never is truth limited to what Scripture teaches in its entirety.
Always the Roman belief starts outside the Scriptures and seeks justification by piecing phrases and verses out of context.
My experience and even Ratzinger’s criticisms of Romanism bear this out.
In the entire lifespan of Romanism, they have never produced an official commentary on the entirety of Scripture. Why.
Did Jesus tell the disciples that He would ask the Father and that He would send the Spirit so they would remember all that Jesus wants even us to know? THAT is how we got the NT. So yes Jesus gave us the New Testament epistles, not the catholic church.