Difference between Catholic and Protestant.

[Phoneman777]

I created a thread to discuss what sin is. And I found that my understanding of sin was vague. But now I have a clear understanding. With that I have grown beyond some churches. I watch Catholic mass online and sometimes attend the parish down the road. But they don't have married clergy so I find them not following biblical teachings.

That lead me to the protestants. But I'm wondering how they differ from the Catholics. I'm somewhat familiar with the Catholic denomination and don't accept all of it. Would I fit better in a protestant denomination?

One thing is clear about the Catholic church: it cannot trace its roots back to Jesus.

Revelation 12:17 KJV says the end times "remnant" church will "keep the commandments of God". Since it is the "remnant" church, it must be identical to the church Jesus in the beginning. The Catholic church by its own admission professes to keep different commandments that those of Jesus, which they claim authority to establish...therefore, since the Catholic church does not keep the commandments Jesus gave His church, it's cannot be the end time church which can trace its roots to Jesus.

 

[dev553344]

One thing is clear about the Catholic church: it cannot trace its roots back to Jesus.

Revelation 12:17 KJV says the end times "remnant" church will "keep the commandments of God". Since it is the "remnant" church, it must be identical to the church Jesus in the beginning. The Catholic church by its own admission professes to keep different commandments that those of Jesus, which they claim authority to establish...therefore, since the Catholic church does not keep the commandments Jesus gave His church, it's cannot be the end time church which can trace its roots to Jesus.

Do you think protestant churches follow Christ's commandments more accurately?

 

[farouk]

One of the significant differences is that historically Rome follows a combination of Scripture and tradition, while in theory Protestants have claimed to base their authority on Scripture alone (Sola Scriptura). Historically, Rome views the work of Christ at the Cross as something to which the church has a formal role for the believer to access the blessing which comes from faith in the Cross of Christ, while in theory Protestants have claimed to rest simply and entirely on His finished work at the Cross, with no admixture of human merit or of ecclesiastical intervention.

 

[dev553344]

One of the significant differences is that historically Rome follows a combination of Scripture and tradition, while in theory Protestants have claimed to base their authority on Scripture alone (Sola Scriptura). Historically, Rome views the work of Christ at the Cross as something to which the church has a formal role for the believer to access the blessing which comes from faith in the Cross of Christ, while in theory Protestants have claimed to rest simply and entirely on His finished work at the Cross, with no admixture of human merit or of ecclesiastical intervention.

Thanks for describing that. I'm starting to learn what sola scriptura means and how it is related to protestant churches.

 

[Ferris Bueller]

I'm somewhat familiar with the Catholic denomination and don't accept all of it. Would I fit better in a protestant denomination?

If you want 'relationship' instead of 'religion', yes, you would fit in better in a non-Catholic meeting of the body of Christ.

 

[dev553344]

If you want 'relationship' instead of 'religion', yes, you would fit in better in a non-Catholic meeting of the body of Christ.

While I'm not opposed to religion, I like a good church organization that follows biblical teachings. My relationship with God has been pleasant and I like that part of my faith. And I'm open to, but cautious about the gifts of the Holy Spirit in these last days.

So do protestants claim that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are still active in the church?

 

[farouk]

If you want 'relationship' instead of 'religion', yes, you would fit in better in a non-Catholic meeting of the body of Christ.

It is all about simply grasping by faith the Lord Jesus Who is the Way, the Truth and the Life.......; as you imply, trust in a glorious Person, for time and eternity....

 

[Ferris Bueller]

So do protestants claim that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are still active in the church?

Reformed churches do not.

 

[farouk]

Reformed churches do not.

It's all to do with the strong sense of the completion of Divine revelation in Scripture.

 

[Ferris Bueller]

While I'm not opposed to religion, I like a good church organization that follows biblical teachings.

I believe that a person can have a real knowing relationship with God and still enjoy that relationship in the context of strict liturgy. But I also think, ultimately, that person will come to realize programmed liturgy is a hindrance, not a benefit to a face to face father/son, husband/wife relationship with God.

 

[Ferris Bueller]

My relationship with God has been pleasant and I like that part of my faith.

Good, because that's the part that counts. The 'religious' part does not. Though many, many people are deceived into thinking it does.

 

[farouk]

I believe that a person can have a real knowing relationship with God and still enjoy that relationship in the context of strict liturgy. But I also think, ultimately, that person will come to realize programmed liturgy is a hindrance, not a benefit to a face to face father/son, husband/wife relationship with God.

Romans 8 uses the phrase 'Abba, Father' to describe the filial cry that the true believer has, through faith in Christ and His work at the Cros.....

 

[Ferris Bueller]

And I'm open to, but cautious about the gifts of the Holy Spirit in these last days.

Yes, you should be cautious. The charismatic movement has been destroyed by the talent, fame, and fortune mindset of the world.

Stay away from churches that emphasize the gifts, instead of recognizing them as tools that God has given his people to fulfill that which matters above all else. Too many times the gifts themselves become the goal and the measure of true faith, instead of them only being useful tools to help us attain to what really matters.

 

[Ronald David Bruno]

I created a thread to discuss what sin is. And I found that my understanding of sin was vague. But now I have a clear understanding. With that I have grown beyond some churches. I watch Catholic mass online and sometimes attend the parish down the road. But they don't have married clergy so I find them not following biblical teachings.

That lead me to the protestants. But I'm wondering how they differ from the Catholics. I'm somewhat familiar with the Catholic denomination and don't accept all of it. Would I fit better in a protestant denomination?

Spiritually nothing. We both have faith in Christ, believe that He died on the cross for our sins and rose on the third day. All the other added traditions, misinterpretations, don't disqualify you. They do not forfeit your faith. A child can have faith at 4 years old and not understand 95% of the theology that we spew out of our mouths.

 

[Enoch111]

So do protestants claim that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are still active in the church?

It depends on which gifts and which "Protestants". All non-Catholics are not automatically "Protestants", and it is generally the "sign gifts" which are the issue. There are a huge number of other spiritual gifts.

 

[BreadOfLife]

One thing is clear about the Catholic church: it cannot trace its roots back to Jesus.

Revelation 12:17 KJV says the end times "remnant" church will "keep the commandments of God". Since it is the "remnant" church, it must be identical to the church Jesus in the beginning. The Catholic church by its own admission professes to keep different commandments that those of Jesus, which they claim authority to establish...therefore, since the Catholic church does not keep the commandments Jesus gave His church, it's cannot be the end time church which can trace its roots to Jesus.

FALSE.

It is ONLY the Catholic Church that can trace its roots back to Jesus and the apostles. No other Church can make this claim – except for the EOC, which was part of the ONE Catholic Church before the East-West split.

NO OTHER CHURCH has the historical OR doctrinal paper trail that the Catholic Church has.
FIRST century Bishop of Antioch, and lifelong disciple of the apostle John, St. Ignatius gives us a picture of what the first century Church looked like:
Ignatius of Antioch
Follow your bishop, every one of you, as obediently as Jesus Christ followed the Father. Obey your clergy too as you would the apostles; give your deacons the same reverence that you would to a command of God. Make sure that no step affecting the Church is ever taken by anyone without the bishop’s sanction. The sole Eucharist you should consider valid is one that is celebrated by the bishop himself, or by some person authorized by him. Where the bishop is to be seen, there let all his people be; just as, wherever Jesus Christ is present, there is the Catholic Church (Letter to the Smyrneans 8:2 [A.D. 110]).

“Follow your Bishop”
“Obey your Clergy”
The “Eucharist”
“The CATHOLIC Church.”

Gee – WHAT Church does this sound like??
SDA revisionists always crack me up . . .

 

[Enoch111]

It is ONLY the Catholic Church that can trace its roots back to Jesus and the apostles.

Actually it is the Greek Orthodox churches which can sooner make this claim. The church of Rome became dominant after Constantine, but the Orthodox do not make obeisance to the pope. Indeed they reject the notion of the papacy.

 

[BreadOfLife]

Actually it is the Greek Orthodox churches which can sooner make this claim. The church of Rome became dominant after Constantine, but the Orthodox do not make obeisance to the pope. Indeed they reject the notion of the papacy.

If you can date a document PRIOR to Ignatius’s letter at the turn of the 2nd century – we’ll talk.
UNTIL then – your case doesn’t hold water.

We also have the Epistle of Clement, circa, 95 AD. to the Church in Corinth. Clement was the Bishop of ROME (the Pope) and was ruling on a matter in Corinth.

 

[Ronald David Bruno]

FALSE.

It is ONLY the Catholic Church that can trace its roots back to Jesus and the apostles. No other Church can make this claim – except for the EOC, which was part of the ONE Catholic Church before the East-West split.

NO OTHER CHURCH has the historical OR doctrinal paper trail that the Catholic Church has.
FIRST century Bishop of Antioch, and lifelong disciple of the apostle John, St. Ignatius gives us a picture of what the first century Church looked like:
Ignatius of Antioch
Follow your bishop, every one of you, as obediently as Jesus Christ followed the Father. Obey your clergy too as you would the apostles; give your deacons the same reverence that you would to a command of God. Make sure that no step affecting the Church is ever taken by anyone without the bishop’s sanction. The sole Eucharist you should consider valid is one that is celebrated by the bishop himself, or by some person authorized by him. Where the bishop is to be seen, there let all his people be; just as, wherever Jesus Christ is present, there is the Catholic Church (Letter to the Smyrneans 8:2 [A.D. 110]).

“Follow your Bishop”
“Obey your Clergy”
The “Eucharist”
“The CATHOLIC Church.”

Gee – WHAT Church does this sound like??
SDA revisionists always crack me up . . .

Ignatius is insignificant to me and my faith! The Pope is not significant to me and my faith in Christ. I came to Christ apart from the Catholic Church. They tried when I was a young boy and nothing stuck. Went to Catechism, was confirmed and received Communion ... and nothing. Twenty years later, Jesus knocked and I opened the door. So please, don't try to push your "Catholic only" faith to me or anyone. You have a faith and praise God.
I can quote Pope Francis too! Will he go down in history and be quoted like Ignatius? [ Pope Francis issued a statement at the Pontifical Academy of Sciences that "Evolution in nature is not inconsistent with the notion of creation," warning against thinking of God's act of creation as "God [being] a magician, with a magic wand able to do everything."] He believes in this "theistic evolution", as many Catholics have followed and it is not true. God's act of creation did not involve evolution. He made finished humans, finished animals, finished botanicals. They did not evolve. Changes within the species occur but that is just adaptive mechanisms programed into the genetic code. No changes from one kind to another has occured.
But go ahead and hold onto all these false teachings. Just make sure you have true faith in Jesus and you will be saved! None of the other stuff will save you or forfeit your soul. One can believe in aliens from outer space too, but as long as one's faith is real, they will find out when they get up there that aliens from other planets do not exist!

 

[dev553344]

Thanks guys the debate is interesting. I can see points from all sides.