****And just what does every denomination appeal to as the basis of its belief and to give it authority?****
Someone’s interpretation of Scripture, usually the one whose interpretation sounds best or makes the most sense to them, or promises them great prosperity or whatever tickles their ears.
Otherwise, they move on to someone else, and then someone else and so on and so on and so on....
There are those of course, who blend things together to form their own “church”.
****And just what does every denomination appeal to as the basis of its belief and to give it authority?****
The same Bible, which for centuries was the KJV. When all those denominations were being formed, that was basically the only Bible available.***
So what? They all used the same Bible to come up with completely different and contradictory doctrine.
Of course, you overlook the fact that the Church was in possession of the Bible for over a thousand years before.
And people didn’t have a Bible for reasons other than what I know is the typical knee jerk response to such a statement of fact.
****Jesus was a rebel and loner****
Please. Jesus followed all the religious traditions of His culture and gathered all manner of people about Him. He did not ‘buck’ the religious systems of His time and He was not a loner.
He instituted a new covenant by fulfilling the promises of the old covenant.
Is that how those here see themselves?
We don't form our own *church*. Catholics don't get what the real, true church is according to Scripture. We *ARE* the church, the body of Christ. When we together the church is meeting.
Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
Please. Jesus followed all the religious traditions of His culture and gathered all manner of people about Him. He did not ‘buck’ the religious systems of His time and He was not a loner.
I see that I did say the religious *system* of the day. Poor choice of words on my part. He didn't buck the religious system in regard to the Law, which he kept perfectly, but rather the religious *traditions* of His day. He bucked the religious tradition of the Pharisees and Sadducees continually and had words with them over it.
And his gathering all people together was NOT what the Jews of those days were all about. They didn't associate with ANYONE who was not full Jew, hence their rejection of the Samaritans.
Matthew 15:1-9 1 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, 2 “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” 3 He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 5 But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,” 6 he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. 7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:
8 “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; 9 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”
Mark 7:1-13 1 Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, 2 they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. 3 (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, 4 and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.)
5 And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” 6 And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; 7 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ 8 You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.”
9 And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 11 But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban”’ (that is, given to God)— 12 then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, 13 thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.”
Colossians 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.
Galatians 1:11-17 11 For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel. 12 For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. 13 For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. 14 And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, 16 was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.