Posted on 07/03/2014 4:10:21 PM PDT by NKP_Vet
All the time, on a dime. But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear
Actually no that doesn’t make sense. God did not nor would He ever institute a “church” that incorporates pagan practices in serving Him. He specifically forbids it. Deuteronomy 12:30 Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. 31 Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God But the Catholic Church blatantly says they do it anyway. “We need not shrink from admitting that candles, like incense and lustral water, were commonly employed in pagan worship and the rites paid to the dead. But the Church from a very early period took them into her service, just as she adopted many other things indifferent in themselves, which seemed proper to enhance the splendor of religious ceremonial. We must not forget that most of these adjuncts to worship, like music, lights, perfumes, ablutions, floral decorations, canopies, fans, screens, bells, vestments etc. were not identified with any idolatrous cult in particular; but they were common to almost all cults” (Catholic Encyclopedia, III, 246.) “When we give or receive Christmas gifts; or hang green wreaths in our homes and churches, how many of us know that we are probably observing pagan customs...the god, Woden, in Norse Mythology, descends upon the earth yearly between December 25th and January 6th to bless mankind...But pagan though they be, they are beautiful customs. They help inspire us with the spirit of 'good will to men', even as the sublime service of our Church reminds us of the ‘peace on earth’ which the babe of Bethlehem came to bestow” (Externals of the Catholic Church, 140). Scripture tells us that has happened before. “As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the LORD, we will not hearken unto thee. But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil.” (Jer.44:16-17) There is not way the RCC is the “church” that Christ instituted. It’s an apostate religion which thumbs it’s nose at God.
I have long asked those who consider themselves wise for an alternative and none of them can provide one. Can you ? Tell me which churches are the holy catholic apostolic church. They must be historic and visible to every nation under heaven. They cannot originate from Luther, Calvin, Henry VIII, or any other Protestant denomination/sect. No, they cannot ordain women. They must be genuine and historic, tracing that history all the way to the Jewish Apostles.
Whatever sins the Gentiles have committed, whatever errors they have made as they thought to please God, was it not by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God ?
But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
Protestants think the holy catholic apostolic churches ceased to exist and it was incumbent on them to re-form and develop "the Christian Religion" on their own initiative. We are still left with almost two thousand years staring at us in light of He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
and
Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Most assuredly the LORD Jesus Christ has been watching this from the right hand of God and has been judging, or waiting to judge all this time. He did not leave the world with a witness, as Paul wrote, But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
I'll simply ignore you misuse of scripture.
Yes, I'm also going by the definition of the Greek ekklesia so that is fine. I read your comments as asserting that any meeting of believers, including just two believers, constitute an ekklesia, but only when they meet. Individually they are not members of an ekklesia, only when there are at least two of them together. That is an interesting doctrine of ecclesiology; it sounds like you gave that some thought.
If that is indeed what you meant, the structure of this scripture seems odd; why write that "if" (Strong's defines it only as "if, in case") ? Where else, by definition, could a "called out assembly" meet if not in "one place ?" Ref: 1 Cor 14:23
If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad ?
And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.
And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia: For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:
There seems to be: 1) knowledge of exactly where the bona fide churches exist (we see this in all the Scripture where they are addressed by location and names) 2) church by location, even when not assembled at that time.
Perhaps you meant something other than what I think you meant; could it be something like "those who assemble every day or weekly in a particular location, even if it be ahouse, belong to that local church, and it is known to, and addressable by, The LORD Jesus, the Apostles (or their designated successors), and other churches that they set up to hold the same faith and doctrine ?
Paul is talking to the assembly at Corinth. If the whole assembly at Corinth come together in one place. It’s referring to those who are called out in that one place. I don’t suppose the Catholic mindset can comprehend the concept however.
Is there half of, or some other fraction, of a called out assembly. Is someone a member of the assembly if they don't assemble ?
I’ll leave you to believe what you have been conditioned to believe.
Let me know if you think it through and want to present a consistent alternative that agrees with all the Scriptures. I'll consider it with an open mind and evaluate it.
Renounce the paganism of the Catholic Church and maybe we can talk.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.