Based on what? Individual interpretations and opinion of what's in the Bible? That makes them a religious party, not a church, akin to Pharisees or Sadducees.
How do you defend this association you have with the Mormons?
We have no religious association with Mormons, FK. You are building a srawman.
Everything. The more mystery there is in a faith, the more room there is to supplant the text with explanations that do not require support or evidence
We don't delve into explaining or defining mysteries. That is why Latin transubstantiation is not part of our teaching. We both believe the same thing: the bread and wine become the Body and Blood, but how it happens is something the Orthodox will not try to define in academic terms any more than trying to "explain" the mystery of Incarnation. Ours is not to solve the mystery of God. In fact the very word "sacrament" is a poor translation of the Greek word mysterion (secret).
I can describe God accurately through scripture as He intends to be known. In no way MUST I use allegorical language to do this
That presupposes an accurate understanding and comprehension of the Bible. Wow, FK, pride does sneak in when you least expect it, doesn't it? Not even the Apostles claimed what you said, although our dear +Paul did say that "we have the mind of Christ." which the Protestants interpret in their own way.
While they may not have had the understanding of Christ that is available to us, they were still fully able to relate to God because God revealed Himself to them
That means Christ's revelation is not the pinnacle of God's revelation to mankind. He was "eclipsed" by other's who didn't need Him to know God and make Him a liar for we can get tot he Father onyl through Him! Wow, this explains a lot about the Protestant world and its privately concocted version of Christianity. Christ is not the apex of God's revelation! Unbelievable!
Based on what? Individual interpretations and opinion of what's in the Bible? That makes them a religious party, not a church, akin to Pharisees or Sadducees.
Based on a common leading of the Holy Spirit. You can call us whatever names you want, but we are one Christian faith that disagrees with your Christian faith. Harley, I, and the other Reformers around here do not agree as much as we do because of luck.
We have no religious association with Mormons, FK. You are building a srawman.
I know. :) I was being sarcastic to show you what your side does to us all the time when you lump all Protestants together for the sole reason that we're not Apostolic.
FK: "I can describe God accurately through scripture as He intends to be known. In no way MUST I use allegorical language to do this."
That presupposes an accurate understanding and comprehension of the Bible. Wow, FK, pride does sneak in when you least expect it, doesn't it? Not even the Apostles claimed what you said, although our dear +Paul did say that "we have the mind of Christ." which the Protestants interpret in their own way.
All I said was "I can quote the Bible as well as the next guy!" LOL! I have no cause for pride. And, my current understanding and comprehension of the Bible is exactly where God wants it to be today. It is not something I have achieved, it is what has been given to me. God is so good that He is going to continue giving me more for the rest of my life. ...... "Our own way" of interpretation is on the basis of all other scripture. The scripture interprets itself.
FK: "While they may not have had the understanding of Christ that is available to us, they were still fully able to relate to God because God revealed Himself to them."
That means Christ's revelation is not the pinnacle of God's revelation to mankind. He was "eclipsed" by other's who didn't need Him to know God and make Him a liar for we can get to the Father only through Him! Wow, this explains a lot about the Protestant world and its privately concocted version of Christianity. Christ is not the apex of God's revelation! Unbelievable!
What? I made no comparisons. If you believe anything is real in the OT you have to admit that God revealed Himself in a very personal way to those He chose. Why do we have to compare that to the revelation of Christ as man-God? Of course Christ is the CENTER of the Christian faith. Nobody has said otherwise. Besides, I think there is a very credible case to be made that the OT revelations (appearances) of "God" were by Christ anyway. IOW, there is no need for a competition. The Incarnation is not threatened by the fact of God working on a personal level in the OT. It is a continuation of it.