...right after Christ Died knew what the correct Interpretation of Scripture was?
I mean...they were hearing it straight from the "horse's mouth" (so to speak) and even up to the time that The Church decided what was and wasn't Inspired Scripture -- they had to know what was the correct Interpretation...right?
I mean how else could they choose which Letters and Books went into The New Testament if they did not already know what it meant?
What I am getting to is if they did (and it's obvious that they had to know)...when did they Lose that knowledge? I mean that we do not hold any One Church as having that Knowledge...of holding that Full Deposit of Faith and use Scripture to Interpret Scripture.
What happen? Where did that Knowledge go? And How was it Lost?
Arch, the confusion does not come from God but man~we all have opinions about secondary issues in the bible for sure, like women teaching, hair length, tithe, etc. and I think that the division over those things is man's doing, again.
Core beliefs about the gospel should unite us all as the ONE who teaches us directs, if we listen and obey. "There is a way that seems right to a MAN but the end is death." We are prone to err, that is why we need to ask before we read the word and search with our whole heart. The division comes when we want to make the bible fit OUR interpretation of it.
One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism.
I do believe He appointed the apostles to spread what He started and to stay within the boundaries of His one on one time with them and teachings. They then received the Holy Spirit after He left to be led by His Spirit. Pastors or leaders are to be humble servants, that admit they can err as humans and should challenge us to search God's word on anything they teach or preach.
I have been under so many prideful leaders that exalted themselves and never had the "foot-washing" attitude of Jesus, that I refuse to let one earthly, failable man be guide without ever questioning anything he says or does, if necessary.
No offense, but priests and popes act just like a lot of those pastors and vice versa. The fruit tells me a lot more than the gifting or title. Humility is something that we all need more of to lead like Jesus intended us to.
*To simplify things I am going address the one thing that is the proverbial road block to meaningful discussion between us, ie ; the definition of the Church.
*In the *simplest*, shortest terms I will state what I believe your definition of the,"Church" is followed by my definition of the, "Church" . Feel free to correct me on your definition of the Church. The point of this exercise is to establish definitions so we are not talking about apples and oranges.
*To aid in mutual understanding let us label our definitions. Your definition will be labeled, "R Church" for Roman. My definition will be labeled ,"S Church" for Spirit.
√R church = A person from another kingdom enters a foreign kingdom He recruits a small band of men, puts one in charge named Peter. Before this person leaves to return to his own kingdom he gives Peter and the small band of men instructions to build a church and gives them a radio (Holy Spirit) by which to keep in communication. Peter will relay the instructions to all the new recruits. This radio is to be passed down to another man to be appointed leader by Peter when he leaves. The radio and authority will be passed through the generations.
( Do I have it right, if not, please write your own.)
√ S church = A person from another kingdom enters a foreign kingdom. He recruits a small band of men, gives them instructions to build a church. Gives each one a radio and tells them to keep in touch,he will instruct them daily on what to do. Also anyone who joins them is to receive a radio. Then he leaves for His kingdom.
Well Steve, what do you think? Are we on the road to effective communication?
Please ignore the following this is a test to see if other symbols are transposed. If you are curious I will be typing the symbol keyboard top to bottom, left to right.
and the backward slash, the less than, the greater than symbols don't even show up. Don't see em do ya? I pit tjrm right on top. Where's tulip when you need him...he's 21 he'll know why!
Yes�and by doing so Christ Established a Teaching Church. And just like every Teaching Church you have to have Teachers and Truths to Teach. These teachers taught the Faith to those that taught to their Disciples and so on. The church (or Body of Christ) was the Community of Believers that were being taught.
Don�t, that is probably the best attempt at explaining how. The problem with that theory is that we have letters dated as far back as 80 AD and continuing through today that establish that the hierarchy of The Church was still there and so where many of Her Bishops and Priests.
As a matter of fact all of the letters and books written by these Early Fathers of The Church are available for reading. Many of them became Martyrs, dying horribly.
Also if there was a
� �massive influx of unconverted pagans��
We would not have a Christian Church today�it would be pagan because there would not be any Christians that �knew� the True Interpretation of Scripture and pagans would not have any reason to want to be Christians�so�
Joey, there is a lot of truth in what you said. Men are weak and sinners and they will fall to temptation. That does not diminish what God can do. Christ Promised that His Church would Prevail and it has and will. I agree about Humility�I wish more of us would show that Trait.
It seems to me that both �churches� have the same results. One uses a �chain of command� and the other uses a �broadcast� method. Both are the same though as the information and instructions should be received by those at the final tier.
Problem is�that is not the case. With Church Example One the Person placed in charge is �the person placed in charge� (let�s call him The Vicar) and all those below follow his instructions.
Church Two should have similar results but as you know that is not the case because everyone with their own �radios� are for some reason �hearing� something entirely different (their own interpretation). If it were true and everyone was �receiving� the same instructions�there would be just One Church with One Belief�.not 38,000 different ones.
What was it about my definition of Church that you did not understand or like? I thought it was quite clear. I could use pie charts if you think that will help?
Chuck�it is quite clear that Peter was in charge. Everywhere in Acts you will read where �Peter said this and Peter said that� and �Peter did this and Peter did that�. Pretty much when there was a disagreement, Peter had the final word. Yes�all of The Apostles had input and could disagree, but Peter had final word.
Peter was not �elected� for this position. It was God that Chose him. It is just like God to take the weakest or oldest or shortest and use them for Great things! I mean Peter! Peter would stick his foot in his mouth and take it out only long enough to stick his other foot in! God Chose him and build His Church around him!
