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Sources of the Protestant Devolution
Catholic Stand ^ | November 6, 2014 | Matthew Tyson

Posted on 11/06/2014 2:29:33 PM PST by NYer

In June of this year, the largest Presbyterian denomination in America voted to allow their clergy to perform same-sex “marriages” within the church, thus joining the ranks of other Protestant denominations, such as the Evangelical Lutheran Church, Episcopalian Church, and United Church of Christ.

This “evolution” of theology and “modernizing” of church doctrine is a trend that I predict we’ll continue to see in non-Catholic Christian circles for years to come, and not just with marriage. Today, nearly all Protestant denominations support and even advocate the use of artificial birth control, and many allow at least some level of support for abortion.

Of course, not all Protestants are willing to “move with the times”, so to speak; there remains, especially among the more conservative groups, quite a bit of dissent. However, it cannot be denied that many modern day Protestant denominations are falling further into the depths of secularism.

While it pains me to see Christians turning their backs on the sanctity of life and marriage, I have to admit that whenever the media lights up with news of another Protestant church endorsing an otherwise wholly unchristian act, I find myself entirely unsurprised.

The reason for my utter lack of shock lies, interestingly enough, within two of the critical tenants of Protestant Theology: the doctrines of sola scriptura (scripture alone) and sola fide (faith alone).

Sola Scriptura and Sola Fide

As Catholics, the Bible is not our sole source of authority, nor was the Catholic Church based upon it. In fact, what we now call “The Bible” — the collected Old Testament and New Testament writings — was put together by the Church herself, and is meant to enrich and support our doctrine and Tradition.

(Consider too that the Gospel is the written testimony of the teachings of the apostles, which, due to apostolic tradition and the God-given teaching authority of the Church, precedes the written text. Thus, any authority of the Scriptures is derived from the recognition of the Church.)

Yet, the Protestant Reformation severed the Tradition from the Bible, and put all other authorities beneath it. By doing so, they created a type of religious relativism (unwittingly, I’m sure) that opened the door for an “anything goes” mentality. So long, of course, as it can be found — or not found — in the scriptures.

For years, sola scriptura was a major weapon against Catholic theology, claiming that our practices were either absent or directly forbidden by Sacred Scripture. However, since the latter part of the 20th century, the charges that “Jesus never said (x)” or “That’s not in the Bible” have turned on themselves and have now become, “Jesus never said (x) was wrong, so that means (x) must be okay.”

This idea blends well with many in my generation, the millennials, who wish to hold on to some shred of spirituality but cannot bring themselves to relinquish the desires of the flesh. It is also a base notion of “Progressive Christianity”, which is basically the feel-good parts of following Christ without any actual sacrifice.

The same problem goes for sola fide. Though the only place in the Bible where the words “faith” and “alone” appear next to one another is in James 2:24 (“See how a person is justified by works and not by faith alone”), it still remains a significant tenant of Protestant Christianity. However, much like sola scriptura, it has seemingly evolved into an even more bastardized version of itself that states, “As long as I’m a good person and believe in Jesus, I’m okay.”

The Beginning of the End?

Now, understand, I’m not among the ilk who believe that Protestants can’t go to Heaven, though the path is significantly more challenging (and not in a “take up your cross” kind of way). I do believe, however, that Christianity was never meant go in this direction. And I certainly believe that, should things continue in the manner they’re going for the modern-day Protestants, they’ll eventually have nothing left to call Christian at all.

Of course, perhaps that’s the only logical conclusion Protestantism could possibly come to. It is, after all, a theologically incomplete Christianity; and perhaps that is why it has such difficulty standing the test of time. Consider the continuous splintering Protestantism has seen since the days of Luther, that continues today. Sooner or later, it will be dust; and displaced Christians will be left with two choices: return to Holy Catholic Church or give themselves to the world.


TOPICS: Apologetics; Catholic; Mainline Protestant; Theology
KEYWORDS: catholic; gaymarriage; homosexualagenda; protestant; samesexmarriage; solafide; solascriptura
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To: CynicalBear

“NOTHING in that passage says it’s Jerusalem alone. “

It was you who said it must be Jerusalem. Pray tell, where is it describing? Where is this dominion of Christ if not Jerusalem? Where is the sea to sea and river to the ends of the earth?

“There are 7 years left of the 490 years that Daniel prophesied for the nation of Israel.”

Nope. That is not what the reformers taught or what natural hermeneutics support. Nor the bible nor history. Christ was crucified(”cut off”) after 3.5 years, exactly in the middle of the seven weeks.


361 posted on 11/08/2014 12:41:42 PM PST by Prophet2520
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To: RFEngineer; Dutchboy88
It is their defense of elitist Rome and her false gospel and traditions they warrants refutation, and gains them condemnation.

You’re as bad as the author of the article when you say you know who is going to hell and why - I’d be remiss if I didn’t point that out.

“Now that you have relegated writers of Holy Writ to be foolish, and speaking out of their own earthly motive, and which will go in the pile for judgement, then you also have incurred damnation in thus life at least for contradicting His word, and taking away from it, presuming to know better.”

You presume to act, think, and judge in the place of God.

Then as my statement was not about the heart of certain individuals, but about the consequences of what one believes and thus defends, if they do, and which warning is what we see being done in Scripture, then it remains that your judgment damns writers of Holy Writ.

Either admit you were wrong, or defend your condemnation of those who hold that a believing a false gospel condemns one. Its simply one or the other.

362 posted on 11/08/2014 12:44:41 PM PST by daniel1212 (Come to the Lord Jesus as a contrite damned+destitute sinner, trust Him to save you, then live 4 Him)
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To: RFEngineer
Nobody knows the fate of their soul upon their death. Anyone who tells you they know the fate of their own soul, much less the fate of anyone elses soul does so for their own earthly motive. That will go in the pile for judgement, along with everything else they’ve done in life. God help us all.

If one is depending upon their own righteousness, good works, merit, deserving it, being "good enough", then, yeah, I'd say they can't really know for sure what the fate of their eternal soul is. Thank God for His everlasting love, grace and mercy because it is the righteousness of Christ imputed to our soul when we receive Him as Savior, believing He died for our sins and saves us, that gives us the assurance we HAVE eternal life with Him and not because of our own righteousness. In fact, if we are depending upon our own righteousness, we are condemned because we can NEVER be as righteous as necessary to be in heaven.

363 posted on 11/08/2014 12:54:41 PM PST by boatbums (God is ready to assume full responsibility for the life wholly yielded to Him.)
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To: RFEngineer
>>I am referring to “judging” in the eternal sense.<<

Quoting what scripture says about it isn't judging.

364 posted on 11/08/2014 12:59:02 PM PST by CynicalBear (For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus)
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To: RFEngineer
>>Again, posting scripture is one thing, presuming to think for God is quite another.<<

And you saw someone doing that when?

365 posted on 11/08/2014 1:00:18 PM PST by CynicalBear (For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus)
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To: RFEngineer; caww
Again, you presume to know what God is thinking. That is a habit I would break if I were you.

God TELLS us what He's thinking.

He told us in His Holy Spirit inspired Word.

That is not presumption. That is taking God at His word. It's called *trust* and *faith*.

366 posted on 11/08/2014 1:00:25 PM PST by metmom (...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith...)
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To: RFEngineer

It’s not about religion.

It’s about relationship. Coming into right relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ, who paid the debt for our sin, so that He could forgive us and we could be brought back into relationship with God as He intended mankind to bel

Religion is a system of works that men establish to try to get right with God.

But we can’t because the wages of sin is death and it’s a debt we cannot pay. We are incapable of it.


367 posted on 11/08/2014 1:02:29 PM PST by metmom (...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith...)
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To: RFEngineer; caww
>>You have no problem in telling me I’m going to hell.<<

Please show where she said that.

368 posted on 11/08/2014 1:03:50 PM PST by CynicalBear (For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus)
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To: RFEngineer

And yet, here you are, judging others.


369 posted on 11/08/2014 1:06:35 PM PST by metmom (...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith...)
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To: caww; RFEngineer; CynicalBear; boatbums; daniel1212
Lots of Scripture here to tell us that salvation is by faith and that we are secure.

Salvation by grace by believing

John 1:10-13 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

John 3:14-18 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

John 5:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

John 6:40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

John 11:25-26 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

Acts 16:27-31 When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

2 Corinthians 6:2 For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

Romans 3:20-30 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.

Romans 4:1-25 What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”

Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression. That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

Romans 5:1-2 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Romans 5:9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.

Romans 10:9-13 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

2 Corinthians 5:17-21 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Galatians 2:15-21 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.

Galatians 3:1-29 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith— just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?

Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.

To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ. This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void. For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.

Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one.

Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.

Ephesians 2:1-10And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Believe Greek

http://biblehub.com/text/john/1-12.htm

John 1:12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

Strong's Concordance

believe - pisteuó: to believe, entrust

Original Word: πιστεύω Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: pisteuó Phonetic Spelling: (pist-yoo'-o) Short Definition: I believe, have faith in Definition: I believe, have faith in, trust in; pass: I am entrusted with.

HELPS Word-studies

4100 pisteúō (from 4102 /pístis, "faith," derived from 3982 /peíthō, "persuade, be persuaded")

– believe (affirm, have confidence); used of persuading oneself (= human believing) and with the sacred significance of being persuaded by the Lord (= faith-believing).

Only the context indicates whether 4100 /pisteúō ("believe") is self-serving (without sacred meaning), or the believing that leads to/proceeds from God's inbirthing of faith.

http://biblehub.com/ephesians/1-13.htm

Ephesians 1:13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

In Greek: http://biblehub.com/text/ephesians/1-13.htm http://biblehub.com/greek/4100.htm You must be born again. (Duoay Rheims Version) John 3:1-18 And there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night, and said to him: Rabbi, we know that thou art come a teacher from God; for no man can do these signs which thou dost, unless God be with him. Jesus answered, and said to him: Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Nicodemus saith to him: How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter a second time into his mother's womb, and be born again? Jesus answered: Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh, is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit, is spirit. Wonder not, that I said to thee, you must be born again. The Spirit breatheth where he will; and thou hearest his voice, but thou knowest not whence he cometh, and whither he goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

Nicodemus answered, and said to him: How can these things be done? Jesus answered, and said to him: Art thou a master in Israel, and knowest not these things? Amen, amen I say to thee, that we speak what we know, and we testify what we have seen, and you receive not our testimony. If I have spoken to you earthly things, and you believe not; how will you believe, if I shall speak to you heavenly things? And no man hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended from heaven, the Son of man who is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him, may not perish; but may have life everlasting.

For God so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in him, may not perish, but may have life everlasting. For God sent not his Son into the world, to judge the world, but that the world may be saved by him. He that believeth in him is not judged. But he that doth not believe, is already judged: because he believeth not in the name of the only begotten Son of God. Security of the believer

John 5:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

John 10:25-30 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one.”

1 Corinthians 1:4-8 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus,that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge—even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you—so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 1:21-22 And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

2 Corinthians 5:4-8 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

Ephesians 1:13-14 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Colossians 1:13-14 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Colossians 3:3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

1 Peter 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/3156607/posts?page=313#313

2 Corinthians 1:21-22 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

For which the Greek, from the Byzantine, is:

2Corinthians 1:21-22 ο δε βεβαιων ημας συν υμιν εις χριστον και χρισας ημας θεος ο και σφραγισαμενος ημας και δους τον αρραβωνα του πνευματος εν ταις καρδιαις ημων

The first word in bold above is “bebaion,” the idea of confirmation, frequently used in commercial settings to confirm a bargain. Which of course makes sense of the remaining terms used here, which are also elements of a secured contract.

The second word in bold above is “sphragisamenos,” being sealed is to be marked by the signature, signet ring, or other unique proof of identity, that we belong to God, and this sealing is done by God, who is the one taking action in this verse. We do not and cannot seal ourselves. We do not, by our own powers, have access to God’s “signet ring.”

The third bolded word above is “arrabona,” and indicates what we might loosely refer to as earnest money, but in Hebrew culture conveys more the idea of a pledge of covenant, a security given as a guarantee that the deal will go through, though we only receive part payment at the beginning. See ערב for the related Hebrew stem indicating “pledge.”

370 posted on 11/08/2014 1:09:28 PM PST by metmom (...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith...)
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To: Prophet2520
>>It was you who said it must be Jerusalem.<<

Ok, let me rephrase that to hopefully make it more understandable. "NOTHING in that passage says it's Jerusalem alone only. Christ will rule from Jerusalem but His dominion (area of authority) will be the entire world.

>>Where is this dominion of Christ if not Jerusalem? Where is the sea to sea and river to the ends of the earth?<<

What is so hard to understand about that? During the Roman Empire the ruler ruled from the city of Rome but his dominion (area of authority) wasn't restricted to just the city of Rome. Just as with Christ. The city from which He will rule will be Jerusalem but His dominion (area of authority) will be the entire world.

371 posted on 11/08/2014 1:24:39 PM PST by CynicalBear (For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus)
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To: CynicalBear
This is the Greek. No pronouns carried through. 27 καὶ δυναμώσει διαθήκην πολλοῖς ἑβδομὰς μία· καὶ ἐν τῷ ἥμισυ τῆς ἐβδομάδος ἀρθήσεταί μου θυσία καὶ σπονδή, καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ ἱερὸν βδέλυγμα τῶν ἐρημώσεων, καὶ ἕως τῆς συντελείας καιροῦ συντέλεια δοθήσεται ἐπὶ τὴν ἐρήμωσιν. It is amazing to me how that even a young Sunday school age child can tell you that Christ came and made a new covenant, was crucified, and since he was our sacrifice, we no longer have to sacrifice. Then when the scripture makes the same simple prophecy modern churches want to twist it into a different message. vs 27 is saying that the destruction mentioned in verse 26 will be after Christ's sacrifice and the desolation of Jerusalem will be complete. The things I am telling you were taught by the reformers for hundreds of years. The Jesuits introduced the lie you have been taught.
372 posted on 11/08/2014 1:26:22 PM PST by Prophet2520
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To: CynicalBear

That doesn’t wash with the verse. While Christ’s is over all, this is a specifically described and LIMITED range. You are avoiding dealing with that limited nature.


373 posted on 11/08/2014 1:28:22 PM PST by Prophet2520
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To: Prophet2520
>>That is not what the reformers taught<<

Follow men if you wish but I "search the scriptures daily to see if what they say is true".

>>Christ was crucified(”cut off”) after 3.5 years<<

Yes He was.

>>exactly in the middle of the seven weeks.<<

No it wasn't. At least if you are referring to the last seven years of Daniel's prophesy. I'll refer you back to post # 247 of Boogieman http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/3224233/posts?page=247#247. I haven't seen you answer those questions. If you can't answer those questions in your scenario you need to do some study.

374 posted on 11/08/2014 1:35:32 PM PST by CynicalBear (For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus)
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To: metmom; RFEngineer
>>It’s about relationship. Coming into right relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ, who paid the debt for our sin, so that He could forgive us and we could be brought back into relationship with God as He intended mankind to be<<

Until someone understands that it's impossible to understand scripture.

375 posted on 11/08/2014 1:38:33 PM PST by CynicalBear (For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus)
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To: CynicalBear

As long as someone thinks they have to work their way to heaven, they will never understand or be free from the bondage of religion.

There is freedom and security in FORGIVENESS, and forgiveness isn’t forgiveness if it’s earned, wages due for works performed.

Forgiveness by it’s very nature is about mercy and is a gift, undeserved.


376 posted on 11/08/2014 1:46:43 PM PST by metmom (...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith...)
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To: metmom

Well done!!! All that and people still doubt.


377 posted on 11/08/2014 1:56:12 PM PST by CynicalBear (For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus)
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To: CynicalBear

LOL, The answer to those questions are simple. They have been taught for hundreds of years. The fact that you don’t know that, and your failure to grasp what was being said about Daniel shows that you have never studied this stuff at all. You have simply believed the recent Jesuit lies you have been told. If you go study what the reformers taught about those answers, and then come back and tell me why you think those answers are invalid, we might be able to have a discussion. The burden is not on me to repeat hundreds of years of teaching for you. You should be Berean and search the scriptures to see if these things are true.

Enjoy your weekend.


378 posted on 11/08/2014 2:00:13 PM PST by Prophet2520
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To: Prophet2520

What hubris! I grew up in the reformed church and have studied both their views and compared them to scripture for now 40 years. I’m done with your snide presumptuous arrogance.


379 posted on 11/08/2014 2:17:28 PM PST by CynicalBear (For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus)
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To: metmom

“And yet, here you are, judging others.”

So are you. The difference between what you and I are doing and what I am being critical of is that we aren’t engaging in the judgement that is reserved for God.

We aren’t saying that folks are going to hell because we’ve determined their affiliation to be worthy of eternal damnation.

That’s the difference.


380 posted on 11/08/2014 2:18:13 PM PST by RFEngineer
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