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To: NYer
1. Where did Jesus give instructions that the Christian faith should be based exclusively on a book?

Wrong question. The Bible isn't a book, it's an anthology of 66 books. Mat 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

2. Other than the specific command to John to pen the Revelation, where did Jesus tell His apostles to write anything down and compile it into an authoritative book?

The Great Commandment Mat 28:19-20 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

3. Where in the New Testament do the apostles tell future generations that the Christian faith will be based solely on a book?

Again , wrong question,...it's based upon faith in Christ and Christ is idenitified with the Word of God and His Word is recorded in written communication as the Holy Bible. John 1:1-5. John 3:16

4. Some Protestants claim that Jesus condemned all oral tradition (e.g., Matt 15:3, 6; Mark 7:813). If so, why does He bind His listeners to oral tradition by telling them to obey the scribes and Pharisees when they “sit on Moses’ seat” (Matt 23:2)?

Mat 23:13 (13) But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

5. Some Protestants claim that St. Paul condemned all oral tradition (Col 2:8). If so, why does he tell the Thessalonians to “stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter” (2 Thes 2:15) and praises the Corinthians because they “hold firmly to the traditions” (1 Cor 11:2)? (And why does the Protestant NIV change the word “tradition” to “teaching”?)

Some were instances of teaching vice education. The tradition included a reading and a commentary, as in comparative theology, but where His Word gives direction, it isn't duplicitous.

6. If the authors of the New Testament believed in sola Scriptura, why did they sometimes draw on oral Tradition as authoritative and as God’s Word (Matt 2:23; 23:2; 1 Cor 10:4; 1 Pet 3:19; Jude 9, 14 15)?

Wrong premise. They draw on His Word.

7. Where in the Bible is God’s Word restricted only to what is written down?

Wrong question. We are told it is ADEQUATE to perform every good work, which God the Father, has preordained from eternity past. Anything might be allowed, but not all promotes His Plan. His Word is veritable. 8. How do we know who wrote the books that we call Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Hebrews, and 1, 2, and 3 John?

See most recognized seminary textbooks on Introduction to New Testament Survey. Say Gleason Archer as a typical reference. 9. On what authority, or on what principle, would we accept as Scripture books that we know were not written by one of the twelve apostles?

If they were quoted by Christ Jesus or His Apostles or His Prophecy, then they are verified. 10. Where in the Bible do we find an inspired and infallible list of books that should belong in the Bible? (e.g., Is the Bible’s Table of Contents inspired?)

It all goes back to God the Son. Follow His issuance of the Word, from Genesis to His Revelation to John. 11. How do we know, from the Bible alone, that the individual books of the New Testament are inspired, even when they make no claim to be inspired?

False premise. Christ Himself quoted from Scripture verifying their veracity and most books are prefaced and ended acknowledging God for their Providence. 12. How do we know, from the Bible alone, that the letters of St. Paul, who wrote to first- century congregations and individuals, are meant to be read by us as Scripture 2000 years later?

As the Apostle to the Gentiles/Romans we still are in the Church Age and have faith in His Word. 13. Where does the Bible claim to be the sole authority for Christians in matters of faith and morals?

As the bride of Christ, our authority is given by God the Son and He is identified as the Word. John 1:1-5 14. Most of the books of the New Testament were written to address very specific problems in the early Church, and none of them are a systematic presentation of Christian faith and theology. On what biblical basis do Protestants think that everything that the apostles taught is captured in the New Testament writings?

Premise begs the question. Galatians and Rev help seal the canon of Scripture. 15. If the books of the New Testament are “self-authenticating” through the ministry of the Holy Spirit to each individual, then why was there confusion in the early Church over which books were inspired, with some books being rejected by the majority?

Probably a wrong question, begging an incorrect premise. The authentication comes from God. Perhaps many groupings of believers in the early Church were under spiritual attack for many years to distract them from simply compiling the list, along with any number of worldly counterfeits attempting to distract believers from His Plan. Any number of reasons. Wrong premise. Generally a wrong question.

16. If the meaning of the Bible is so clear—so easily interpreted—and if the Holy Spirit leads every Christian to interpret it for themselves, then why are there over 33,000 Protestant denominations, and millions of individual Protestants, all interpreting the Bible differently?

Every believer is sanctified by God the Holy Spirit by God's plan. We have different spiritual gifts and different roles. We are slowly sanctified in our thinking at different times and we all uniquely have made different decisions scarring our souls in different fashions. Those who attempt to write theology independent of fellowship with God frequently may misguide one another.

17. Who may authoritatively arbitrate between Christians who claim to be led by the Holy Spirit into mutually contradictory interpretations of the Bible?

God the Holy Spirit.

18. Since each Protestant must admit that his or her interpretation is fallible, how can any Protestant in good conscience call anything heresy or bind another Christian to a particular belief?

By the Word. 19. Protestants usually claim that they all agree “on the important things.” Who is able to decide authoritatively what is important in the Christian faith and what is not?

God the Holy Spirit who indwells us and when we are in fellowship with Him after confessing our sins directly to God through faith in Christ and then study His Word, He guides us to His meaning in our spirit.

115 posted on 10/26/2013 1:08:52 PM PDT by Cvengr (Adversity in life and death is inevitable. Thru faith in Christ, stress is optional.)
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To: Cvengr

“Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

“Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died;
this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die.

I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”
The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us (his) flesh to eat?”

Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.
Whoever eats 19 my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.

For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink

Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.
Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.

This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.”

These things he said while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum
Then many of his disciples who were listening said, “This saying is hard; who can accept it?”

Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this, he said to them, “Does this shock you?

What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?
It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

But there are some of you who do not believe.” Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe and the one who would betray him.
And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by my Father.”

As a result of this, many (of) his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him

Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?”

Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.

We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”
Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you twelve? Yet is not one of you a devil?”

He was referring to Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot; it was he who would betray him, one of the Twelve.” [John 6: 49-71]


151 posted on 10/26/2013 5:51:31 PM PDT by narses (... unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.)
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