S
Scripture is neither Lutheran, nor Presbyterian, nor anything else
that does not agree with Scripture. Not everything true comes
from Scripture alone, but everything that truly comes from
Scripture is true, is the truth.
Does the Filioque dogma, the belief that the Holy Spirit
proceedeth from the Father "AND THE SON" (FILIOQUE), agree
with Scripture? No.
After I learned John 15:26, I could not feel good about
attending Lutheran or Presbyterian services. I had sometimes
attended Lutheran and Presbyterian services, and Pentecostal
and Methodist services. I have also been in Roman Catholic
services. The last church I attended was Russian Orthodox.
There is a big difference between the belief of the Russian
Orthodox Church, and the Roman Catholics, Presbyterians, and
Lutherans.
What do Presbyterians believe?
See the Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF) of 1647 AD,
Chapter II, OF GOD AND OF THE HOLY TRINITY, Section III
-- In the unity of the Godhead there be three persons, of one
substance, power and eternity: God the Father, God the Son,
and God the Holy Ghost. (1) The Father is of none, neither
begotten nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the
Father; (2) the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father
and the Son." (3)
1. 1 John 5:7; Matthew 3:17; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians
13:14; 2. John 14:18; 3. John 15:26; Galatians 4:6.
[cf. Clark, Gordon H. (1965). What Do PRESBYTERIANS
Believe? The Westminster Confession: Yesterday and Today.
Philadelphia, PA: The Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing
Co.; cf. pp. 31-32, q.v.].
Note: The Holy Spirit should not be called "the Holy Ghost"
(sic). A ghost is the spirit of a dead man, and the Holy Spirit is
definitely not that. Also, Galatians 4:6 does not say or prove
that the "Spirit of the Son" proceeds "from" the Son. The Holy
Spirit is the Spirit of the Father and of the Son, but does not
proceed from both the Father and the Son. John 15:26
definitely proves the WCF (Westminster Confession of Faith) of
1647 AD to be heretical, when it says "the Holy Ghost (sic)
eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son." John 15:26
says the Spirit of truth proceedeth from the Father alone.
Every time I am at a Russian Orthodox Church, I hear them say
"who proceedeth from the Father". That is something I can't
hear at a Presbyterian service, although some Presbyterians may
choose to say it that way. Take care.
God bless you.
PS Why does it matter? Because Scripture matters, and
Scripture is the Word of God. We should believe what the Word
of God says, no matter how unpopular or how uncommon it is
said or believed or confessed, or no matter what Saint
Augustine of Hippo taught. Augustine can be wrong; Scripture
cannot be wrong. In Erie PA Scott R. Harrington
PPS I am going to say have a great summer. I feel a need to
just get back to Church and stop posting for a while. I may
return at any time, but I am planning on taking a break from
quoting any books for you. I pray that God bless you and
show you the meaning of John 15:26 and other Scriptures. I
pray that God save us all. In whatever denomination we
attend. Because of John 15:26, I can no longer feel
comfortable in a Lutheran, Roman Catholic, or Presbyterian
service. And I don't believe in papal infallibility, so, as much as
I admire many things about Roman Catholicism, for Rome was
in the truth for many many centuries before things went bad
with some of the popes of Rome, I still believe in and admire
the Orthodox popes of Rome like Pope St. Gregory the Great
and Pope St. Leo III. God save us all and bless us and have
mercy on us in the shed blood of Jesus Christ our LORD. Amen
and Amen. Have a great summer. Goodbye for now. I mean
no offense to any of you by pointing out Scripture: there is
good in the Presbyterians and Lutherans, too. I just disagree
with them because of John 15:26, and they are just overlooking
this verse of the Bible. God bless them.