Why Scripture and the Facts of History Compel Me to Remain a Committed Evangelical Protestant

Christian Resources ^ | William Webster

[boatbums]

Please take the time to read the entire essay by Webster. In the effort of many Roman Catholics to persist in calling all Christians "back home" to Catholicsm, this work is very helpful in that it assures Christians, who know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, that they are already "home" and will spend eternity with him in Heaven.

[narses]

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[MarkBsnr]

The basic Roman interpretation of this passage is that the rock refers to Peter leading to the conclusion that the Church of Christ is built upon him personally. The keys represent his authority to rule the church and to define truth. And since it says that the gates of hell will not prevail against the Church that she will be infallible in what she teaches and proclaims. Additionally, it is stated that in this passage Christ is establishing successors to Peter in the bishops of Rome who were given authority to rule the Church universal until He returns. Vatican One states that very the very beginning of the establishment of the Church this doctrine was understood and believed including Vatican One’s exegesis of the Petrine passages. But neither biblically nor historically in the practice of the church or in the patristic interpretation of the rock of Matthew 16:18 does one find an affirmation of these teachings. Vatican I is in fact guilty of contradicting the very principle it reconfirmed from the Council of Trent of never interpreting Scripture in any way contrary to the ‘unanimous consent of the fathers’. We will examine the biblical arguments and then the historical.

Wrong. The Fathers' interpretation is exactly the same as the interpretation today. The Bishop of Rome is an equal amongst the senior Bishops. The first among equals definition is yet to be determined in negotiations inside the Church.

[annalex]

Why Scripture...

LOL. This clown only cited Matthew 16 in all his verbosity, and that supports Catholicism.

[shankbear]

I am a born again Christian and I have never been, nor will I ever be a Catholic. I am assured in scripture that I will be with my Savior, Jesus Christ, in heaven.

[Revolting cat!]

Some people define themselves and their faith by their opposition to the Catholic Church. Cute, but no, thanks.

[boatbums]

Wrong. The Fathers' interpretation is exactly the same as the interpretation today. The Bishop of Rome is an equal amongst the senior Bishops. The first among equals definition is yet to be determined in negotiations inside the Church.

Except that is not what Vatican I said nor is it what the early theologians believed. From the Vatican I documents:

Wherefore we teach and declare that, by divine ordinance, the Roman Church possesses a pre-eminence of ordinary power over every other Church, and that this jurisdictional power of the Roman Pontiff is both episcopal and immediate. Both clergy and faithful, of whatever rite and dignity, both singly and collectively, are bound to submit to this power by the duty of hierarchical subordination and true obedience, and this not only in matters concerning faith and morals, but also in those which regard the discipline and government of the Church throughout the world….

So, then, if anyone says that the Roman Pontiff has merely an office of supervision and guidance, and not the full and supreme power of jurisdiction over the whole Church, and this not only in matters of faith and morals, but also in those which concern the discipline and government of the Church dispersed throughout the whole world; or that he has only the principal part, but not the absolute fullness, of this supreme power; or that this power of his is not ordinary and immediate both over all and each of the Churches and over all and each of the pastors and faithful: let him be anathema.

[Salvation]

Huh?

“Unless you eat by Body and drink my Blood you will not have life everlasting.” This is the Eucharist — words of Jesus.

Are you a Catholic and do you receive the transubtantiated bread and wine as the Body and Blood of Christ?

[boatbums]

You obviously failed to read any more from the link I provided. There are MANY scripture passages used. Perhaps if you had done so before rushing to call the author a “clown”, you might not look so clownish yourself?

[boatbums]

I am as well, praise the Lord. Though I was born into the Roman Catholic Church, God opened my eyes and heart to the truth of the Gospel of the grace of God and I received His gift of eternal life.

[madison10]

Huh?

Evangelical Christians do believe in the Eucharist, just not transubstantiation. Usually if an evangelical Christian says they believe in and take communion.

[boatbums]

Some people define themselves and their faith by their opposition to the Catholic Church. Cute, but no, thanks.

That's not how I define my faith.

Funny, but I don't recall the same from you to the Catholics that post nearly daily threads that are in opposition to the non-Catholic Christians here. Why is that?

[ladyL]

I really have had to hold myself back but then I just couldn’t resist. This is all so much gobbly gook of man made religion and all it’s man made doctrines. Yahshua is going to laugh at all of you...The faith He left us was the one He created in the Torah. You all have missed it by a MILE! I’m not here to argue but let me just say to prove my point...When the new Jerusalem comes down there will be TWELVE GATES! and over each GATE the name of one of the TWELVE TRIBES. Now get this, THERE IS NO CHURCH GATE!!!!
That’s just the first piece of the puzzle, read your Bible, the rest of the pieces are in it. But you Romans and Evangelicals are way way off.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“I am as well, praise the Lord. Though I was born into the Roman Catholic Church, God opened my eyes and heart to the truth of the Gospel of the grace of God and I received His gift of eternal life.”

+1

[boatbums]

Huh? “Unless you eat by Body and drink my Blood you will not have life everlasting.” This is the Eucharist — words of Jesus. Are you a Catholic and do you receive the transubtantiated bread and wine as the Body and Blood of Christ?

Do you think that ONLY Catholics have the right interpretation of that passage of Scripture? Are you aware that the early church understood Jesus' words to mean a "by faith" receiving of Him and that "eating his flesh and drinking his blood" meant they had believed in Him? This article examines the writings of Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian of Carthage, Irenaeus of Lyons, Justin Martyr, Ignatius, and a contribution from Origen in order to show that the ancient church never believed, taught or even conceived any doctrine like the real presence dogma:

http://onefold.wordpress.com/early-church-evidence-refutes-real-presence/.

[SoConPubbie]

Some people define themselves and their faith by their opposition to the Catholic Church. Cute, but no, thanks.

Reaaly?

Personally, I've never meant such an individual.

Must be a regional thing.

[Revolting cat!]

Funny

What's the punch line, so we can all laugh? And no, I don't recall seeing any threads here started by Roman Catholics in opposition to the Protestants, though obviously they do respond to threads such as this one defending their church. But RCs don't seem to be interested in the Protestants as the latter are interested in proving the RCs wrong and the tools of the devil.

And no, no one expects those who define themselves in oppostion to the RC to admit it, even as it is obvious (as in this thread) that they do so.

Finally, explain to us, if you will, how "God opened my eyes". I assume it was God himself and not a man, and not a reading of something or other written by man. Thanks.

[narses]

“Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.’ “

[boatbums]

Do you accept any of the New Testament writings as God-breathed sacred Scripture?

[what's up]

Jesus said, "my food is to do the will of Him who sent me".

Did Jesus eat the Father's body?