You wrote:
““Called for legislation” being the operative word here. Unlike any other denomination, the SBC has NO jurisdiction over the local SBC church. NONE. Their resolutions are non-binding in terms of legislating what the local church does or does not do.”
And yet they still supporter the murder of children and are the leaders of many, many SBC parishes. To openly support murder is a serious moral problem when you claim to be a minister, no?
“The posters urging you to place Biblical Standards above a particular denomination are indeed correct.”
I do not belong to a denomination. I’m Catholic. I’ve never been in a denomination in my life and never will be.
“As a Southern Baptist, I have no more nor less chance of salvation than you as a Catholic.”
Incorrect. While I do not presume to know your standing before Christ, I have no reason to assume you are saved or will be saved. I do not deny that you might one day be saved, but I do not resume you will be. Presumption is wrong. What you are preaching is the heresy of indifferentism. Sorry, I’m not buying it: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07759a.htm
God established ONE Church, and it wasn’t Baptist. No Baptists existed before the year 1600. Period. You’re in a sect. Period.
“It is NOT my denomination which will save or damn me - but my relationship to Christ.”
Christ saves. And He chooses to do so most often through His Church. That’s why He sent the Church into the world.
I doubt you’ll do it, but you might want to read The whole Christ: the historical development of the doctrine of the mystical body in Scripture and tradition by Emile Mersch. Someone has even put it online now: http://www.romanforum.org/mystical_thewholechrist_00.htm
“Standing in a garage doesn’t make one a car.”
No, it doesn’t. Likewise, claiming to be saved, doesn’t make it so. And being Southern Baptist doesn’t make you an orthodox Christian either.
“God will not ask you to what denomination you belonged when you stand before Him.”
He certainly won’t ask me because I’ve never been in a denomination. You have. You’re in a man made sect established around 1600.
There are so many false statements in what you are saying that I frankly don’t know where to begin. First, though, Catholicism is most certainly a denomination. There are NO Catholics in the earliest Church in the Bible. NONE. They were Jewish followers of Christ for the most part - although there were some Gentiles. Nowhere does Christ refer to the Church as anything but believers in Him - i.e. those who have accepted His Gospel, i.e. his Sheep. (”I know my sheep and they follow me.” John 10:27) While I know the old argument that the Catholic Church uses to try to establish themselves as the “True” or “First” Church, it is set on very shaky ground. A cursory glance through the NT does not support the idea that Peter was the first Pope, nor that Catholicism with its “extra-Biblical” dogmas and creeds the first/true Church. Christ never set up denominations.
I am not a member of a sect, and frankly I am deeply concerned that many Catholics (and perhaps members of other denominations) are counting on a Church to save them. Dangerous territory indeed. Check out John 3:16, and again throughout Scripture where the Gospel is presented plainly: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man comes to the Father but through Me.” John 14:6. There is no addendum to that Scripture which states “and the Catholic Church”. NONE. It is Christ alone. Any other “Gospel” is heresy - as is stated throughout the Bible. But again, you must understand that the Scriptures trump any creeds, dogma, doctrine, or statements that are extra-Biblical.
As for your complete misunderstanding of the SBC, I can only say that you have been woefully misinformed. No pastor that I have ever met, no official SBC spokesperson, etc... condones/supports abortion. (By the way, your reference to SBC “Parishes” is incorrect as there is no such thing. Parishes are a Catholic set-up. SBC churches are loosely affiliated within the Southern Baptist Convention. They are not “owned” by the SBC in any way. They also do not preach murder.) Where are you getting your information?? Clearly not from a reliable source, I’m afraid.
My point about not relying on a denomination for salvation stands. You seem to be doing it - and I fear for you as I would anyone else who believes that membership in a particular body will buy their way into Heaven. It will not - and that is clearly delineated in Scripture as well. Anyone denying Scripture does so at their peril. You seem to have deliberately misunderstood my point, so I will repeat it here: While one cannot know who will and won’t be saved (God alone draws His own to Him), to believe that one is not going to be saved unless one is a member of a particular denomination is not supported in Scripture. Nor is the flip side of that coin: that one will be saved by membership in a particular body. Remember that Christ warned the Jewish leaders who claimed their birthright and leadership in the Jewish faith as reason for salvation. He reminded them that God could make followers from stones. They were not special nor forgiven because they were members of a particular faith or because of their Jewish “birthright”. Again, Scripture bears this out.
I pray you will seek the Truth and not trust your salvation to membership in a particular Church.
“God established ONE Church, and it wasn’t Baptist. No Baptists existed before the year 1600. Period. You’re in a sect. Period.”
If you are in a car, and it is headed down the wrong road, and the driver won’t turn around, the only option is to get out and head towards the point the car left the real road.
God established the church. The Bishops of Rome went astray, uniting with the state and seeking ever greater power for themselves. Notice not all joined them, but far too many found it easier to unite with state power than follow God in opposition to the state.
When people got hold of copies of scripture (printing press, thank you), they realized how far the Catholic Church had gone astray.
In response, at the Council of Trent, the Catholic Church claimed sole power to interpret scripture correctly.
When you cut the rope to the anchor, your boat drifts. It is your church that won’t listen to scripture, and makes up doctrines like Indulgences and Purgatory. You are the ones denying what Jesus taught. Time to repent.