I know that you want so much to believe the Catholic Church is the only true source of major doctrine such as the divinity of Jesus Christ and the trinity. I give them credit for stating it in a concrete fashion where there can be little ambiguity as to the doctrinal issue, but they did NOT invent the doctrine. My contention is the church of Jesus Christ - all true Christians - accepted this from revealed scriptures long before the Catholic Church existed formally in Rome.
Sorry, bb, Son of God is not God. Son of Man is not God. Descent from heaven is not God (the angels do that). Saviour, even, is not God. What do I mean?
Obadiah 20 9 The captives of the host of the children of Israel shall occupy the Canaanite land as far as Zarephath, And the captives of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad shall occupy the cities of the Negeb. 21 10 And saviors shall ascend Mount Zion to rule the mount of Esau, and the kingship shall be the LORD'S.
Here, saviours are not limited to God.
Ephesians 5: 23 For the husband is head of his wife just as Christ is head of the church, he himself the savior of the body. 24 As the church is subordinate to Christ, so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything.
Husbands are the saviours of their wives.
What else do we have? This is my Son who I favour? Son? One who is sent? Jesus does His Father's will? Paul does not teach the Trinitarian formula of God - nowhere. Romans 1: 1 1 2 Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which he promised previously through his prophets in the holy scriptures, 3 3 the gospel about his Son, descended from David according to the flesh, 4 but established as Son of God in power according to the spirit of holiness through resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.
God's Gospel about His Son of God (like David?), established (? - if Jesus was God eternal, why would Paul have to establish Him?). Doesn't sound like the Trinitarian God to me.
1 Corinthians 1: 9 God is faithful, and by him you were called to fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
God does the calling and puts you in fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ. Not Trinitarian. And so on. Paul is not aware of Nicea and the Trinitarian formula.
“”My contention is the church of Jesus Christ - all true Christians - accepted this from revealed scriptures long before the Catholic Church existed formally in Rome.””
If this is your contention why don’t you back it up with historical writings from non Catholic’s from the first few centuries? Where are these so called people’s writings?
Also,the Catholic Church was formally the Catholic Church before the diocese of Rome began.
I can back it up with historical writings..
From the words of the completely Catholic and Sacramental believing Saint Iganatius Of Antioch.
“See that ye all follow the bishop, even as Christ Jesus does the Father, and the presbytery as ye would the apostles. Do ye also reverence the deacons, as those that carry out the appointment of God. Let no man do anything connected with the Church without the bishop. Let that be deemed a proper Eucharist, which is [administered] either by the bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it. Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude also be; by the bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it. Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude also be; even as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church.” Ignatius of Antioch, Epistle to the Smyrneans, 8:2 (c. A.D. 110).
A little history of Saint Ignatius from the realpresence assoc..
St. Ignatius became the third bishop of Antioch, succeeding St. Evodius, who was the immediate successor of St. Peter. He heard St. John preach when he was a boy and knew St. Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna. Seven of his letters written to various Christian communities have been preserved. Eventually, he received the martyr’s crown as he was thrown to wild beasts in the arena.