As I asked you: What is your stand on:
I am a believing, baptized, and practicing Christian. I do not now, and never will, practice Christianity as a Roman Catholic.
So here comes the question: Simply because I am not Roman Catholic -- in your viewpoint (I'm not asking you to "play God", just your view) -- is my soul salvation at risk? Or not?
I will answer your question about my "stand" in a separate reply.
FRegards
1. something as basic as Jesus was always God (Trinitarian position) or that Jesus Christ was man made God (Oneness PENTECOSTAL Protestant position) or the Angel Michael (Seventh Day Adventist Ellen G White teaching) -- all three use scripture alone to justify their points of view and have three diverge in their points of view
John 1:1: "In the beginning was the WORD, and the WORD was with God, and the WORD WAS GOD". Jesus was, is, and ever shall be God.
2.[T]he REAL Presence of Christ in the Eucharist (Lutheran, some Anglicans, maybe even Methodists), or is it just a symbol (as your post said)?
Ah, I see how you work: you copied these talking points from another reply to someone else. :-) I never replied to you about this issue before.
Communion is not "merely" a memorial to Jesus (as Church of Christ, for example). Nor does the bread literally become the body of Christ. During Communion with Christ, Christ draws *very* near in a powerful way and connects to believers to hear the groanings of their souls. That's what "communion" with another is, right? (*That's* a Methodist view, by the way, although it's tough to articulate in one phrase. Methodists do *not* believe in transsubstantiation, or even consubstantiation.)
3.talking in tongues -- does one HAVE to talk in tongues (Oneness Pentecostal) to display faith or not?
No. Talking in tongues (and interpreting tongues) is but one spiritual gift that some believers have. Read 1 Corinthians 12 in its entirety, verse 4 of which says "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit."
4.and the episcopate (bishops etc.) -- some who have scripture alone have it, some don't
The Church of Jesus Christ allows for elders (bishops) to guide the flock; Paul does a thorough job of setting down their qualifications and their duties in his letters to Timothy and Titus. A better question would be: are elders (bishops) congregational only, that is "no hierarchy", or is there scriptural justification for a "world hierarchy" of men who govern the church? In this, I adhere to the Church of Christ et al belief that elders are intended to be "congregational only", without hierarchy. However I don't believe that soul salvation hinges on this point.
5. Do you read in scripture alone whether Baptism is for infants and sufficient (Presbyterian etc.) or not (Baptists)?
Baptism of infants is OK but unnecessary; an infant is without sin. After the age of accountability, a believer must, and will, be baptized. A better question: is baptism for the remission of sins, or a sacrament of belief?
Baptism is never sufficient for salvation, of course; men are saved through God's grace, freely given, in the form of Jesus Christ.
6. God pre-damns people to hell (Calvinism) or not (others)
John 3:16: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Calvinism is misguided but harmless in terms of men's souls. Think about it. :-)
7.Jesus came only for the salvation of a few (Calvinists) or he was Savior of the world (everyone else)?
Redundant question
8. agree or disagree with soul sleep?
Not sure I understand the question, but if you're asking what I think your asking, agree
That's all I have time for, Chronos. It's been an interesting exercise though. I may answer the others later, or not, depending on whether you give *me* an honest answer to my question to you.
In closing, let me mention this:
Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
"When we all get to heaven...":
A lot of Catholics are going to be shocked -- SHOCKED!! -- that members of the Church of Christ are there. And vice versa.
Catholics and Church of Christ are going to be rather surprised that ANYONE else is there. :-)
Calvinists will be amused to learn that they were NOT picked for all eternity.
Methodists will be asked why they came up with that presumptuous name, and won't have a good answer for the Almighty
Mennonites will discover that the hat and beard requirement went out of style in the first century
Pentecostals will learn -- as they always suspected -- that a lot of that gibberish that guy in the next pew spouted was in fact just gibberish...
But the point is, we'll BE there. In Heaven. Eternal life worshipping the Almighty, thanks be to GOD for the gift of Jesus, for " there in no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.".
What really matters, Chronos?
FRegards