Hello Rach,
There is nothing in Scripture that says to trust ONLY in Scripture. We believe that the Bible is the word of God and everything in it is the Truth. But the Bible also says that the Church is the pillar and foundation of Truth (See 1 Timothy 3:15). So, it is not ONLY the Bible that contains the Truth. The Bible itself even points to the Church as the pillar and foundation of Truth. Why? Because Christ, who is Truth, is the Head of the Church.
You are placing way to much authority upon the "Church". The Church is not a force in and of itself...it should be made up of people who worship God, not an institution.
What happens when wolves within the Church gain the upper hand? What about all the new Church (ecumenical) movements? How many honest Christians have been deceived by their Church, a place of supposed worship and truth?
We know this can happen; witness the letters to the Churches in Revelations. There was some serious problems within them, some even threatening salvation. And please notice that an excuse of 'but the Church told us, so it must be true', would never have stood up. Jesus was going to spit them out of His mouth.
And in regards to your belief that we needn't trust "only" scripture, i would remind you of this verse.
[
11] Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.
(Acts 17:11 ESV)
Paul makes a big deal of those who check all authority against God's word. It's a good practice to put in ALL your life, and most certainly in Church life as well.
There are many people today who do not believe that Jesus was God and was ascended into Heaven. So, how do you know that God did not bring Mary into Heaven? Since when is faith supposed to be based on facts?
Faith is supposed to be based on God, on His revelation of Himself to us: scripture. The Church is there to help us grow towards Him, to fellowship together and to move the gospel throughout the earth.
Your implication here is that faith can be based on mere speculation and fluff. I'm sorry, this is just dangerous.
It is tragic that the Jews did not believe that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah. To this day, they are still waiting for the Messiah. However, Jesus and YHWH are still one and the same. We have never separated the Son and the Father. So, even though they do not believe in Jesus Christ, they do believe in the one true God. The Jews and Christians actually worship the same God.
Yes, I never implied otherwise! But this is what makes it as tragic as it is....believing in the One True God still won't help them if they dismiss Jesus. We can't deny that Jesus said that He was the only way to the Father. This is one of the reasons that Christians must truly work to spread the gospel!
God never stops working with people. Just as He calls people in the past, He continues to call others today to continue preaching the Gospels. The Pope cannot give any new word. The Catholic Church has already declared that there is no new revelation (CCC #66).
I don't deny that God continues to call people and work through them today; in wondrous and even miraculous ways. But it will never be like the Apostles was. By the very nature that Jesus will never come the same way. These men were called to do amazing things and given amazing gifts to do the things God asked of them. But it all comes from the two absolutely unique task given to them; being eyewitnesses to Jesus' life and ministry, and writing the Scriptures the Church they would start would rely on throughout the ages.
And while its good that the pope cannot give any new word, I'm troubled by your saying 'The Catholic Church has declared...' My sister, it should be 'The Bible declared there would be no additions'. The Bible...the Word of God should always be what we fall back on, not the Church. The Bible can always be trusted....man and the Church, sadly not always.
When we celebrate the Eucharist, we are not sacrificing Christ over and over on the cross. You are correct that He died once on the cross. Christ told us to do this in commemoration of Him. In the Jewish religion, to remember an event is much more than just to recall. The Jews remember the exodus from Egypt as though they themselves were there at that time and place. In the same way, when we do the Eucharist, we are not just recalling the events of the past 2000 years ago. We are actually there 2000 years ago in that time and place, so that the Last Supper becomes real for us just as though we were actually there in time. When Christ died on the cross, His blood reached us because we were there 2000 years ago. This is how His blood reached all of us including those who are not yet born. When we celebrate the Eucharist, the boundaries of time no longer exist for us. This has always been how the Jewish people remembered the Passover. Jesus and the Apostles were Jews, and this is just one of the many Jewish legacies that one would find in us.
Look, I don't think having communion is bad, I think it's a wonderful practice of remembering what Christ has done for us, of again and again remembering the price He paid. Too often Christians loose site of just what Jesus went through when He made that sacrifice for us.
My response to the Eucharist, I suppose, is why believe that it actually becomes His body and blood, when it actually doesn't.
Also, I would say that it isn't us who 'travel through time', but when Jesus died, He was (as God is) in every place, time and circumstance. We needn't put ourselves back then so His sacrifice can apply to us...all we need to do is remember it, love Him and honor Him....because He is here now, and we are covered.
If you believe that there is a "waiting place," then why is it difficult to believe that there may be a Purgatory? You already admit that there is a place other than Heaven and Hell. Purgatory does not replace Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. Purgatory is God's loving fire cleansing the soul of all sins as the soul gets closer and closer to Heaven.
I believe there WAS a waiting place. But as you said some time ago, Jesus' death opened the gates of heaven. That waiting place no longer applies...to those of us saved anyway.
And I find purgatory difficult to believe, because, as I've said before, our sins were paid in full, by Christ. There is no getting around it, and while that does not negate our need to live the Christian walk of sanctification; it truly means that all the work was done by Christ on the cross. The end...all done by Him so that there is absolutely nothing we can boast in. Grace does not come with provisos.
My sister, the Apostles were also humans and they did not err in matters of teaching faith and morals. If you truely believe that the Holy Spirit can guide the Apostles who were sinful, fallible men into infallibility in matters of faith and morals, then why is it difficult to believe that the Holy Spirit can also do the same with our Bishops and priests?
I'm sorry, but you're wrong. Paul calls Peter out over his error.
[Paul Opposes Peter]
[11] But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. [12] For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. [13] And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. [14] But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”
(Galatians 2:11-14 ESV)
And again we see Paul and Barnabas (granted not disciples, but you can't dismiss Paul, as author of most of the NT!) in an un-brotherly argument.
[39] And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus,
(Acts 15:39 ESV)
And I suppose I cannot believe the same in regards to your Priests and Bishops because too often we see just how human and sinful they are. I'm not saying that Protestant ministers are any better...but we aren't pinning the authority you are on them. It gives them way to much license to do what they want...and a sinful person runs with that. A good pastor must be under authority...not only God's, but that of both scripture and their elders.