Christ promised, in a high priestly prayer spoken the night before He was crucified, that His Church would be unified (Jn 17:1-26). Jesus is perfectly righteous, so His prayers for His Church will be answered. He said the world would know His Church by the unity of His disciples (Jn 17:21).
There are well over 20,000 Protestant denominations. Where is the unity there?
Paul describes the Church as the “Pillar and Foundation of Truth” (1 Tim 3:15). Why so many “truths” in Protestantism?
The essential nature of Protestantism is to attempt to bring renewal through division and fragmentation (protest). This is unscriptural. Jesus, Paul, and John ask for unity and beg members not to let divisions occur.
If you believe Sacred Scripture, you believe Christ promised that the Holy Spirit would guide His Church and the gates of Hell would not prevail against it. The Reformation happened in the 1500s. Does this mean the gates of Hell had prevailed against the Church and that the Holy Spirit ceased to guide Christ’s Church after the apostles died? As said in 2Tim 4:3-4, “when the truth is not pleasing, they will create their own.”
Only the Catholic Church claims Christ as its founder; all other Christian religions claim Christ as their head, but a human as their founder.
The Lutheran Church’s decision is an opportunity, a sign, and a challenge to examine its origins. I ask you, in all humility, to take a fresh look at the Catholic Church. It is full of imperfect people; but its doctrine is unchanged from the time of the apostles. It backs this claim up biblically and historically. If you would like to examine this objectively, read “Surprised By Truth.”
I hope this does not offend you. I just needed to say it to someone who obviously loves God’s word and is searching. God bless your search.
“Christ promised, in a high priestly prayer spoken the night before He was crucified, that His Church would be unified (Jn 17:1-26). Jesus is perfectly righteous, so His prayers for His Church will be answered. He said the world would know His Church by the unity of His disciples (Jn 17:21).
There are well over 20,000 Protestant denominations. Where is the unity there?”
What about the schism that divided the Church into Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox? Also, the Protestants were originally Catholics, if I’m not mistaken. Also, what about Pope JPII’s struggles with Liberation Theology, or the disputes with the Traditionalists?
“The essential nature of Protestantism is to attempt to bring renewal through division and fragmentation (protest). This is unscriptural. Jesus, Paul, and John ask for unity and beg members not to let divisions occur.”
No. The Protestant Reformation happened (at least in part)because of corruption within the Catholic Church back then. And the people apparently felt that trying to work within the system wasn’t doing much good.
“Only the Catholic Church claims Christ as its founder; all other Christian religions claim Christ as their head, but a human as their founder.”
What about the East Orthodox Church? :-) But some might say that the Roman Catholic Church, at least as a formalized entity, was bascially created by Constantine’s edict. He not only legailzed Christianity, but also made it the state religion.
I’m not trying to bash anyone’s religion, just that I’m happy with mine. And I believe in live and let live.