Catholicism vs Protestantism

Catholic believe Pope is peter successor, but you don't know, so you are one step closer to the thruth my brother, because you not sure catholic main doctrine anymore.

You accept possibility the Church lead by council of apostle?
To me, I believe real Church lead by Holy Spirit.

So Luke say receive all who come, mean your theory that the authory not allow Christian visit Paul invalid.

Yep, but Protestant not claim their leader is peter successor

Which nation is he not father of?

I believe God did reveal His truth to His chosen people under the old covenant, but I believe He doesn't do that under the new covenant.
I'm not really sure on where the Jews currently stand, my limited understanding tells me that they are still His chosen people but He has blinded them until the time of the Gentiles is fulfilled.

Yes, terminology can be difficult. I think Catholics say that everyone with a trinitarian baptism is part of the church. That would include nearly all Protestants. And there is only one Church. And church is synonymous with Body of Christ.


The Catholics would go on to say that the Catholic hierarchy is the visible instrument that God uses to lead the church, the body of Christ.


Your description of the details of salvation is based, I think, on your belief that God reveals his truth to each person individually through his holy spirit as they read the Bible.

You might be interested to know that that is actually my position too, if I have to pick one. However, I have not been able to find that position stated in the Bible.


Are you willing to consider with me the possibility that maybe, just maybe, God reveals his truth to a group?

God does not work in groups. God creates every soul individually and God saves each soul individually. If you have not seen how God works with individuals you have not looked very hard.

Catholics are all about creating an organization. Catholics are not aware that Christ created an organism. You make Jesus unable to care for His sheep. Too much you and not enough Christ.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

God does not work in groups. God creates every soul individually and God saves each soul individually. If you have not seen how God works with individuals you have not looked very hard.

Catholics are all about creating an organization. Catholics are not aware that Christ created an organism. You make Jesus unable to care for His sheep. Too much you and not enough Christ.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

Another thing I like to ponder.

If it was always God's plan to reveal truth to individuals as they read the Bible, how did that work before the invention of the printing press, when Bibles were super expensive? Or before public education when generally only the elite could read? Or in the many places where the Bible was not available in the native language?

I find it very difficult to share the Gospel with my family, relatives and friends. Because they're mostly Roman Catholics, who think that I'm trying to be 'holier than thou'.

They remember my life before my conversion, and say things like - you were rebellious towards your parents, you were a drug addict, fornicator, who took advantage of many girls and then dumped them, did crime, violence and many other anti social activities. And now you think you can just put all that behind you and preach to us!

The main problem I find is, everyone has lived a much cleaner life than me. So they say things like, 'I'm happy for you, whatever works for you'. Just keep your new religion to yourself, I don't need it I have my own. They look down their nose at me, so I'm at a disadvantage because my old life.

The minimum set of doctrines needed to call yourself a Christian were set forth in the Nicene Creed centuries ago.

Well, thanks, but I wouldn't really say it's one step closer, since I think I've believed for years that it's a possibility that Peter had a successor. Or not.


If God doesn't lead the church through a council of apostles and elders, then why did Paul and Barnabas go down to Jerusalem? Why did the apostles and elders gather there?

Why not tell the people in Antioch, "Just read the scriptures and God will give you the right answer personally."

There's quite a lot here for me to digest, I'm not sure if I get all of it.
If I understand you correctly, you're saying you don't agree with praying to Saints and you believe in the sufficiency of Scripture alone.

I have a Roman Catholic background, but I started attending a non denominational bible based Church where the elders try to model the Church on the early apostolic Church. So it's very different from the RCC, where my priest never encouraged me to study the Bible. He said it was his duty to explain the scriptures to us and if the congregation started to study in private, we would all arrive at different conclusions and it would cause division in the Church.

Most people stick to the denomination they were born into, for the sake of harmony. I had no idea how much opposition I would face from my family, friends, relatives and work colleges. They say I've been brainwashed, but the more I study the Bible the more everything makes sense. Christ did say that He didn't come to bring peace into the world, but He came as a sword to divide families.

The parish priest gave me a book about the mainline denominations, it gives a brief history of each one and explains how they started. It was interesting to see that each denomination was founded by a man, except for the RCC which was supposedly founded or started by Christ Himself.

My family thought that the book would wake me up and make me come back to the mother Church, but they were shocked when I refused. My dad took my NKJV Bible to the priest, and he took it and gave my dad a "Good News Bible" as an authorized replacement. I have since purchased another NKJV and I have no plans of returning to the mother Church.

I believe that there are saved people in every denomination, my reasoning is that God deals with individuals. So we're not saved because we belong to a specific denomination.

I don't know if they have written scripture by than

And yes, by than God use apostle and elder, now God use elder, I don't know about apostle.

Do you believe catholic lead by apostle?

They have clearly destroyed the meaning of the word "apostle" just as with the word "saint" .Therefore taking away the unseen authority of God.

The Bible warns of leading by the apostles . Men that others puff up called venerate above that which is written . The voice of the Holy Father not seen made to no effect..

Hi knowhim, welcome to CC!
A question I like to ponder is how the Spirit guides us into all truth. Is it each one of us individually? Or as a group?

The Holy Spirit indwells each individual who is truly born-again. So it starts there and each person is to learn and know the bible for themselves (with the help of the Holy Spirit) so when being in a group you will Know Jesus Christ and His word and will not be deceived by men.

Galatians 5:16: “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.”

That is what it means to live the Christian life. And we shall remember that Paul is confronting legalism, external ritual and ceremony, and he is saying that legalism can’t save you in the first 4 chapters of Galatians. And in chapter 5, he is saying legalism can’t even sanctify you. You are not made holy by external religious behaviors; you are made holy by walking by the Spirit. It is not external behavior, it is internal power. The Holy Spirit will always point you to Jesus Christ and will never point to any other.

Plow on, plow on....