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I am against ANY protestant denomination that carries over with it the traditions from the Roman Catholic Church. Who wants to follow a denomination that proclaims that they are 'reformed', & then acts like the group they were 'reformed' from? Not to mention some are thinking about rejoining them. Sheesh!
The system of denomination is flawed. When did you get a vote on what your denomination believes? Did you study beliefs before and get to decide? No, you were taught before you ever studied what your denomination believes. And its not really a study group where you are allowed to disagree with what someone else voted is your churchs beliefs.
---------------------APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION ---------------------------------------
Okay, I tell you. Begin with this...
Acts 1:15-26 - the first thing Peter does after Jesus ascends into heaven is implement apostolic succession. Matthias is ordained with full apostolic authority. Only the Catholic Church can demonstrate an unbroken apostolic lineage to the apostles in union with Peter through the sacrament of ordination and thereby claim to teach with Christ's own authority.
Acts 1:20 - a successor of Judas is chosen. The authority of his office (his "bishopric") is respected notwithstanding his egregious sin. The necessity to have apostolic succession in order for the Church to survive was understood by all. God never said, "I'll give you leaders with authority for about 400 years, but after the Bible is compiled, you are all on your own."
Acts 1:22 - literally, "one must be ordained" to be a witness with us of His resurrection. Apostolic ordination is required in order to teach with Christ's authority.
Acts 6:6 - apostolic authority is transferred through the laying on of hands (ordination). This authority has transferred beyond the original twelve apostles as the Church has grown.
Acts 9:17-19 - even Paul, who was directly chosen by Christ, only becomes a minister after the laying on of hands by a bishop. This is a powerful proof-text for the necessity of sacramental ordination in order to be a legitimate successor of the apostles.
Acts 13:3 - apostolic authority is transferred through the laying on of hands (ordination). This authority must come from a Catholic bishop.
Acts 14:23 - the apostles and newly-ordained men appointed elders to have authority throughout the Church.
Acts 15:22-27 - preachers of the Word must be sent by the bishops in union with the Church. We must trace this authority to the apostles.
2 Cor. 1:21-22 - Paul writes that God has commissioned certain men and sealed them with the Holy Spirit as a guarantee.
Col 1:25 - Paul calls his position a divine "office." An office has successors. It does not terminate at death. Or it's not an office. See also Heb. 7:23 – an office continues with another successor after the previous office-holder’s death.
1 Tim. 3:1 - Paul uses the word "episcopoi" (bishop) which requires an office. Everyone understood that Paul's use of episcopoi and office meant it would carry on after his death by those who would succeed him.
1 Tim. 4:14 - again, apostolic authority is transferred through the laying on of hands (ordination).
1 Tim. 5:22 - Paul urges Timothy to be careful in laying on the hands (ordaining others). The gift of authority is a reality and cannot be used indiscriminately.
2 Tim. 1:6 - Paul again reminds Timothy the unique gift of God that he received through the laying on of hands.
2 Tim. 4:1-6 - at end of Paul's life, Paul charges Timothy with the office of his ministry . We must trace true apostolic lineage back to a Catholic bishop.
2 Tim. 2:2 - this verse shows God's intention is to transfer authority to successors (here, Paul to Timothy to 3rd to 4th generation). It goes beyond the death of the apostles.
Titus 1:5; Luke 10:1 - the elders of the Church are appointed and hold authority. God has His children participate in Christ's work.
1 John 4:6 - whoever knows God listens to us (the bishops and the successors to the apostles). This is the way we discern truth and error (not just by reading the Bible and interpreting it for ourselves).
Exodus 18:25-26 - Moses appoints various heads over the people of God. We see a hierarchy, a transfer of authority and succession.
Exodus 40:15 - the physical anointing shows that God intended a perpetual priesthood with an identifiable unbroken succession.
Numbers 3:3 - the sons of Aaron were formally "anointed" priests in "ordination" to minister in the priests' "office."
Numbers 16:40 - shows God's intention of unbroken succession within His kingdom on earth. Unless a priest was ordained by Aaron and his descendants, he had no authority.
Numbers 27:18-20 - shows God's intention that, through the "laying on of hands," one is commissioned and has authority.
Deut. 34:9 - Moses laid hands upon Joshua, and because of this, Joshua was obeyed as successor, full of the spirit of wisdom.
Sirach 45:15 - Moses ordains Aaron and anoints him with oil. There is a transfer of authority through formal ordination.
Okay, I tell you. Begin with this...
Acts 1:15-26 - the first thing Peter does after Jesus ascends into heaven is implement apostolic succession. Matthias is ordained with full apostolic authority. Only the Catholic Church can demonstrate an unbroken apostolic lineage to the apostles in union with Peter through the sacrament of ordination and thereby claim to teach with Christ's own authority.
Acts 1:20 - a successor of Judas is chosen. The authority of his office (his "bishopric") is respected notwithstanding his egregious sin. The necessity to have apostolic succession in order for the Church to survive was understood by all. God never said, "I'll give you leaders with authority for about 400 years, but after the Bible is compiled, you are all on your own."
Acts 1:22 - literally, "one must be ordained" to be a witness with us of His resurrection. Apostolic ordination is required in order to teach with Christ's authority.
Acts 6:6 - apostolic authority is transferred through the laying on of hands (ordination). This authority has transferred beyond the original twelve apostles as the Church has grown.
Acts 9:17-19 - even Paul, who was directly chosen by Christ, only becomes a minister after the laying on of hands by a bishop. This is a powerful proof-text for the necessity of sacramental ordination in order to be a legitimate successor of the apostles.
Acts 13:3 - apostolic authority is transferred through the laying on of hands (ordination). This authority must come from a Catholic bishop.
Acts 14:23 - the apostles and newly-ordained men appointed elders to have authority throughout the Church.
Acts 15:22-27 - preachers of the Word must be sent by the bishops in union with the Church. We must trace this authority to the apostles.
2 Cor. 1:21-22 - Paul writes that God has commissioned certain men and sealed them with the Holy Spirit as a guarantee.
Col 1:25 - Paul calls his position a divine "office." An office has successors. It does not terminate at death. Or it's not an office. See also Heb. 7:23 – an office continues with another successor after the previous office-holder’s death.
1 Tim. 3:1 - Paul uses the word "episcopoi" (bishop) which requires an office. Everyone understood that Paul's use of episcopoi and office meant it would carry on after his death by those who would succeed him.
1 Tim. 4:14 - again, apostolic authority is transferred through the laying on of hands (ordination).
1 Tim. 5:22 - Paul urges Timothy to be careful in laying on the hands (ordaining others). The gift of authority is a reality and cannot be used indiscriminately.
2 Tim. 1:6 - Paul again reminds Timothy the unique gift of God that he received through the laying on of hands.
2 Tim. 4:1-6 - at end of Paul's life, Paul charges Timothy with the office of his ministry . We must trace true apostolic lineage back to a Catholic bishop.
2 Tim. 2:2 - this verse shows God's intention is to transfer authority to successors (here, Paul to Timothy to 3rd to 4th generation). It goes beyond the death of the apostles.
Titus 1:5; Luke 10:1 - the elders of the Church are appointed and hold authority. God has His children participate in Christ's work.
1 John 4:6 - whoever knows God listens to us (the bishops and the successors to the apostles). This is the way we discern truth and error (not just by reading the Bible and interpreting it for ourselves).
Exodus 18:25-26 - Moses appoints various heads over the people of God. We see a hierarchy, a transfer of authority and succession.
Exodus 40:15 - the physical anointing shows that God intended a perpetual priesthood with an identifiable unbroken succession.
Numbers 3:3 - the sons of Aaron were formally "anointed" priests in "ordination" to minister in the priests' "office."
Numbers 16:40 - shows God's intention of unbroken succession within His kingdom on earth. Unless a priest was ordained by Aaron and his descendants, he had no authority.
Numbers 27:18-20 - shows God's intention that, through the "laying on of hands," one is commissioned and has authority.
Deut. 34:9 - Moses laid hands upon Joshua, and because of this, Joshua was obeyed as successor, full of the spirit of wisdom.
Sirach 45:15 - Moses ordains Aaron and anoints him with oil. There is a transfer of authority through formal ordination.
We are all priests and Jesus is the High Priest. You do not need to confess your sins to a "priest". But we should confess our sins to the priests, which consists of our brothers and sisters in Christ. You can go straight to the High Priest because through him you have been made a priest, if you are a Christian.
I just thought of something....I guess you could call me an apopeist, since I don't believe that there is such a thing as a pope. Just a man trying to sit in God's seat.
That was a little more rude than my normal posts, but I think this is important. The "pope" is a fictional position. The bible tells us how to choose elders and deacons, but no where does it tell us how to pick a pope. This position was fabricated from one scripture that does not even say what Catholics say that it says.
[SUP]
13 [/SUP]Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” [SUP]14 [/SUP]And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” [SUP]15 [/SUP]He *said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” [SUP]16 [/SUP]Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” [SUP]17 [/SUP]And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. [SUP]18 [/SUP]I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. [SUP]19 [/SUP]I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” [SUP]20 [/SUP]Then He warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Christ.
The rock is Jesus and the fact that He is the Christ, the Son of the living God. The keys to the kingdom were the words that Peter spoke at Pentecost through the Holy Spirit.
[SUP]21 [/SUP]From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day. [SUP]22 [/SUP]Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You.” [SUP]23 [/SUP]But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”
And, as pointed out earlier, Paul rebuked Peter because he had fallen into hypocrisy.
[SUP]11 [/SUP]But when Cephas (Peter) came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.
I do not claim that Peter never repented, but was hardly "infallible" as "our first pope".
I just thought of something....I guess you could call me an apopeist, since I don't believe that there is such a thing as a pope. Just a man trying to sit in God's seat.
That was a little more rude than my normal posts, but I think this is important. The "pope" is a fictional position. The bible tells us how to choose elders and deacons, but no where does it tell us how to pick a pope. This position was fabricated from one scripture that does not even say what Catholics say that it says.
[SUP]
13 [/SUP]Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” [SUP]14 [/SUP]And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” [SUP]15 [/SUP]He *said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” [SUP]16 [/SUP]Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” [SUP]17 [/SUP]And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. [SUP]18 [/SUP]I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. [SUP]19 [/SUP]I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” [SUP]20 [/SUP]Then He warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Christ.
The rock is Jesus and the fact that He is the Christ, the Son of the living God. The keys to the kingdom were the words that Peter spoke at Pentecost through the Holy Spirit.
[SUP]21 [/SUP]From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day. [SUP]22 [/SUP]Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You.” [SUP]23 [/SUP]But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”
And, as pointed out earlier, Paul rebuked Peter because he had fallen into hypocrisy.
[SUP]11 [/SUP]But when Cephas (Peter) came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.
I do not claim that Peter never repented, but was hardly "infallible" as "our first pope".
M
What denomination is the best? "The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind." 
"The wind blows wherever it pleases.
You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.
So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."
[John 3:8]
[video=youtube;Ld6fAO4idaI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ld6fAO4idaI[/video]
"The wind blows wherever it pleases.
You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.
So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."
[John 3:8]
[video=youtube;Ld6fAO4idaI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ld6fAO4idaI[/video]
Easy, just open your Bible and read the Table of Contents, duh.
[this or any other translation]
[this or any other translation]