New Mysteries Added to the Rosary

[Tao Yin]

So the RCC decided canon as early as 382?

In 365, Athanasius of Alexandria listed the complete twenty-seven books of the New Testament which he regarded as the "only source of salvation and of the authentic teaching of the religion of the Gospel" (Hannah, Notes, 2.6).

What's this? Someone deciding canon as early as 365? And when he stated canon he aslo stated this canon as the "only source of salvation and of the authentic teaching of the religion of the Gospel".

So the first person to quote today's NT cacon did not believe that the RCC or the pope were needed for salvation. That sounds a lot like Sola Scriptura to me. And if reseach serves me right, he was part of the RCC.

And then consider the Synod of Carthage in 397.

"The slowness of determining the final limits of the canon is testimony to the care and vigilance of early Christians in receiving books purporting to be apostolic. But, while the collection of the New Testament into one volume was slow, the belief in a written rule of faith was primitive and apostolic ... In the most basic sense neither individuals nor councils created the canon; instead they came to perceive and acknowledge the self-authenticating quality of these writings, which imposed themselves as canonical upon the church." (Metzger, The New Testament: Its Background, Growth and Content [New York: Abingdon Press, 1965], p. 276)

So they didn't decide canon, but canon was revealed to them. So what's so special about the RCC other than the fact that they are servants of the Lord?

[Tao Yin]

And let us consider 2 Thessalonians 2:15 (ESV)
So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.

You take this out of context. We are to stand firm in the traditions of the apostles. And the people of the past could have heard the apostles speak in person or they could have read their letters. Today we can only read their letters. And none of the Popes (other than Peter) is an apostle. The "us" in the above scripture does not include the RCC, it is the Apostles. I am part of the Apostolic church. QED.

[F16Fighter]

"Purgatory: Middle English purgatorie, from Old French purgatoire, from Medieval Latin púrgâtorium, from Late Latin, means of purgation, from neuter of púrgâtorius, cleansing, from Latin púrgâre, to cleanse."

Hey Webster -- thanks for the definition of the word "purgatory."

Now when you are able to unearth the apparent unsolvable mystery as to who might have contrived such a place, and by who's authority such a place exists, I shall be waiting. And for as loooong as it takes.

"Nothing unclean shall enter heaven: Revelation 21:27."

Correct. That's why we have the Savior. We become cleansed by His blood and sacrifice unless of course you believe otherwise and His blood has NOT cleansed us.