Posted on 03/28/2014 8:18:05 AM PDT by NKP_Vet
The book of Revelation, quipped Ambrose Bierce, is "a famous book in which St. John the Divine concealed all that he knew. The revealing is done by the commentators, who know nothing." And G. K. Chesterton wrote, "Though St. John the Evangelist saw many strange monsters in his vision, he saw no creature so wild as one of his own commentators."
Indeed, the book of Revelation, also known as the Apocalypse, is fascinating and mysterious. Like an enchanting woman, the book attracts admirers of every sort. Many attempt outlandish feats of interpretation in order to gain attention. They usually do more damage than good, their fevered explanations reflecting their biases and presumptions rather than any true insight.
Many popular commentators who obsess over the book of Revelation use it to support both implicit and overt anti-Catholic opinions. Fundamentalists, Mormons, and Jehovah's Witnesses have long associated the famed Whore of Babylon, "the mother of harlots" (Rev. 17:5), with the Catholic Church. Some also link the church of Thyatira (Rev. 2:18-25) with the Catholic Church since her members supposedly "practice immorality" and "eat food sacrificed to idols" (Rev. 2:20).
(Excerpt) Read more at catholicculture.org ...
I think what he might be saying is that if you don’t know what will happen it is forgivable when you make the mistake that most will do. If you know and then not follow the scipture, it is unforgivable. Serious stuff.
All attempts to change the subject aside, what I said is very clear.
If you only accept a subset of the Old Testament because you assert that those portions you throw in the garbage are not inspired by God, you are denying the power and perfection of the Holy Spirit and in doing so elevating yourself above the Holy Spirit. PERIOD.
What Protestantism throws out is the question, not whether or not God can use the subset they retain in spite of their obstinate belief in Self and Self Alone. The false doctrines such folks accept directly contradict what is clearly spelled out in Scripture and has been there since before Christ. That's exactly the reason why Christ makes a point of saying that many will say, "Lord, Lord" and be told, "I never knew you".
We are to follow Christ, not what Self and Self Alone sees fit to accept. Following false doctrine is not following Christ, especially when that includes railing against and preaching against what is clearly spelled out in Scripture.
The whole Bible is available and anyone who honestly prays for help from the Lord when they read the portions Protestants throw out will have the contradictions between what they believe and what Scripture says jump right out at them.
Play all the games you like, I won't participate. Those who earnestly and prayerfully read the Scriptures see the error of their ways, I've seen it happen a dozen times.
Long As I Can See The Light [song from 1970 CCR, youtube music vid by admirer]
And the fhu.com has the pathway to him!
Are you talking about where Christ said call no man 'father', as in 'holy father'?
I never did understand how they could disobey a direct order. Don't their parishioners read the bible?
The Dispensationalists' position is hurt also by an argument from the other side of the coin. How do they understand the many references to "the saints" in Revelation 6-18 (8:3-4; 11:18; 13:7, 10; 14:12; 16:6; 17:6; 18:20, 24), not to mention the "great multitude" (7:9) and the "souls of those who had been slain" (6:9)?
The Dispensationalist's position is not hurt at all...There's no doubt in my mind that this author knows the answer to the questions he poses here...These things have been answered countless times in available literature for countless years...
It's interesting that the author acknowledges that the Premillennial reign of Christ has been taught as early as the 2nd Century by their count, long before they created the Catholic bible...
Could you document all of that in the scriptures that you read from?
Do you? Do you read it by taking one sentence and not considering the whole context? Because if you do, that's not the right way to read it.
Jesus is talking about the Pharisees who want to kill him, but want to be addressed as "teacher," "master," and "father". He's using hyperbole and saying that it would be better not to call anyone "father," except God.
Incidentally, if you call your minister "doctor," you're disobeying this "direct order" also. "Doctor" is just Latin for "teacher".
In 1 Cor 4:15, Paul says:
For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
(Some translations, e.g., NASB, read "I have *become your father* through the Gospel". Regardless, when a man "begets," he becomes a father, by definition.)
Paul, in Philemon, also refers to Onesimus as "my child, whom I have begotten during my imprisonment". He's not referring to any biological relationship; he's calling himself Onesimus' spiritual father.
So evidently the concept of spiritual fatherhood wasn't anathema to Paul. He explains in Ephesians 3:15 that all (authentic) fatherhood, including the biological kind, is derived from the fatherhood of God.
So I think we stand on pretty strong ground. And yes, I do read my Bible.
Does the Bible not interpret itself?
And they teach that most of the bible is allegory...What they read is alleged to mean something else...But they don't have a clue what that something else is...They don't have any legitimate idea what the bible really teaches...And then they have people going around teaching the bible to each other...
What's hilarious is they admit they are lost in the book of Revelation and expect everyone else to be lost as well...
He can answer for himself, if he wants to.
Really? And we admit that where, exactly?
I thought Scott Hahn's Bible study on Revelation was absolutely crystal clear and understandable. Of course he's a partial preterist. Then again, so are plenty of Lutherans and Presbyterians, but you don't taunt them, so maybe you're okay with partial preterism.
Oh, you mean the apocrypha that the Jews from time immemorial wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole...Now I get it...If God's chosen people reject those uninspired books, so do I...If Jesus/God/Holy Spirit rejects those uninspired books (and he did), so do I...
Amazing.
While Paul may have been Onesimus' spiritual father, Paul told Onesimus to never call him father...
Preterests (Hahn included) are so far out there they aren't worth the time to debate...
I don't know much about Lutherans or Presbyterians...I don't ask a person what denomination he is when Preterism begins to be spewed...
Half the Old Testament (or more) deals prophetically with the time period of the Millennial reign of Christ on Earth...You guys, Hahn included think the OT is just a history book...
Whoever doesn't know this can't possibly understand the book of Revelation...
Ever need a hair splitter you know who to call. But, you know, they did at least add 'holy' poppy to their man. s/
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