Apparently you believe the Christians at those councils were what we call today Roman Catholics. I don’t.
So merely disagreeing with Catholics is bigotry? Talk about sophistry.
My problems with Catholicism are based first and foremost on my understanding of Scripture, not history and certainly not John Foxe’s Book of Martyrs. I believe that when I stand in the courts of heaven I must be clothed in Christ’s robe of perfect righteousness because I have no righteousness of my own to offer. I’m a sinner whose very best is filthy rags in the sight of God, so my best works can do nothing but damn my soul. I simply believe Scripture when it says, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
I believe the Apostle Paul when he wrote, “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”
I believe there is one mediator, Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone. “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”
I believe there is only one vicar of Christ on earth, the Holy Spirit.
Christ is my high priest, not the sinful man sitting on the Roman throne.
I believe the universal catholic church is the bride of Christ and He is the head of His church.
There is one Holy Father and He’s God the Father, not the Bishop of Rome.
I believe only the Lord can speak or act infallibly.
I believe it’s utter blasphemy for any sinful son of Adam to take upon himself the names, duties, and characteristics of the three persons of the trinity.
I’ve got lots of other points of disagreement with Romanism besides their works righteousness and the papacy. I’ve got big problems with Mariology, Purgatory, Treasury of Merit, indulgences, transubstantiation, the mass, Roman idols and relics, the sacraments, etc. Unless the Lord changes your heart, we will never agree on history or theology, but I will pray for you.
You are wrong.
I’ve got lots of other points of disagreement with Romanism besides their works righteousness and the papacy. I’ve got big problems with Mariology, Purgatory, Treasury of Merit, indulgences, transubstantiation, the mass, Roman idols and relics, the sacraments, etc. Unless the Lord changes your heart, we will never agree on history or theology, but I will pray for you.
Back at you. I used to feel the way you did until the Holy Spirit moved me.
They were Catholics/Orthodox. Most mainline non-Catholic groups hold by the councils, yes (except the ECUSA and ELCA and PCUSA sort of course), but Pentecostals, Baptists etc -- not exactly (of course this depends on WHICH Pentecostls, which Baptists etc.)
for us Catholics there is the ONE mediator between God and man -- Jesus Christ. you, me, etc. who mediate to Christ do so through Him, the Bridge between God and Man.
Vicar comes from John 21: 16-17 "Feed my lambs... feed my sheep". A Vicar from Latin vicarious is the deputy, an agent for a superior. The Holy spirit is not a deputy or "inferior" hence is not a Vicar
For Catholics, our High Priest is Jesus Christ and He is present at every mass as High priest and sacrifice.
The pope is not called holy because of his own merit, far, far from it -- just as we are God's "holy people" because of God, not because of us, so too the pope is given God's grace
We Catholics believe that the Lord speaks infallibly through the Prophets and on occasion the Holy spirit speaks infallibly through the bishop of Rome -- on occasion and it is the Holy Spirit acting.