Pope says its “absurd to love Christ without the Church, to listen to Christ but not the Church"

AsiaNews ^ | 01/30/2014

[D-fendr]

Somehow, I think you missed the point of the reply..

[.45 Long Colt]

He is the leader of the RCC, but Christ’s church isn’t an institution. It’s the elect, the body of all believers.

[metmom]

He doesn’t know a thing about Christ’s true church. For anyone to believe he actually speaks for Christ...well, THAT’s absurd. It’s also very sad.

Pope says its “absurd to love Christ without the Church, to listen to Christ but not the Church, to be with Christ at the margins of the Church"

I wouldn't expect the POPE to say anything less. It's HIS church after all. He's not going to bite the hand that feeds him.

[xone]

No, I got the point, I also got the irony of a Catholic referencing Noah considering the Catholic stance, and the misapplication of Joseph as Israel when lecturing about scripture. Points well taken.

[D-fendr]

If you got the point, your disagreement is with Zman, and you’re agreeing with Rita.

[CynicalBear]

>> I believe we both need to learn to spell, “ecclesiae”, before we assert the Greek meaning of the word. :)<<

ekklésia: an assembly, a (religious) congregation

http://biblehub.com/greek/1577.htm

Seems we are in good company with ekklesia.

[Biggirl]

Here we go with the bashing.

[CynicalBear]

>>If it were today, Paul would be addressing his letters to the “Church on CynicalBear’s Neighborhood.”<<

As a matter of fact yes he would. Just as he did when he wrote to the local “assemblies” in each local areas.

[nothingnew]

VATICAN Pope says its “absurd to love Christ without the Church, to listen to Christ but not the Church, to be with Christ at the margins of the Church"

Hey Mr. Pope...I do not need the Catholic "Church" to believe in my Savior. I don't need you either.

FMCDH(BITS)

[CynicalBear]

>>It’s the elect, the body of all believers.<<

If only people would begin to understand that. A lot of eyes would be opened and the RCC would be much less the size it is now.

[xone]

I agree with ZMan, the people God used could have been anyone, Christ saves alone. Rita just teed up the ball.

[Biggirl]

If ALL Christians from all the churches would take to heart John 17, it would open the eyes of all and help bring that much needed UNITY.

[Brian Kopp DPM]

Ruh roh. Il Papa might lose a few of his Protestant and atheist groupies over this.

Yeah, proclaiming the Truth does have a way of separating the wheat from the chaff, eh?

[Jeff Chandler]

Indeed it does.

[.45 Long Colt]

True enough. I suppose he has to keep up appearances. I just wonder if he believes anything he says.

[D-fendr]

As a matter of fact yes he would. Just as he did when he wrote to the local “assemblies” in each local areas.

It is good that you do see there is a visible Church. Some on here don't.

Now how would Paul know your assembly to address? How many "assemblies" would he be writing to in your neighborhood? In your zip code? In your city? In your state?

[diverteach]

B.S.! Salvation comes through a personal relationship and not a group relationship with Christ. And I think that going into a divided off box to confess and be absolved of my sins to a priest is absurd.

[D-fendr]

Then you didn’t get the point.

[CynicalBear]

I don’t identify my location. It really doesn’t matter does it. “Wherever two or three are gathered in my name” becomes and assembly where Christ is present. All believers are after all “called out” in His name.

[xone]

It is a beautiful prayer. In it Jesus relays how He gave His followers the words His Father gave Him. He prays that they might be sanctified in the Truth. He confirms His Word is Truth.

22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.

The only Unity for Christians is in His Word/Truth. The only earthly location for that Word is in Scripture.