The Church The Papacy Says You Should Join

[Phoneman777]

My father was the most moral person I've known and he was a staunch Catholic. He never read the Bible but he lived the Christian faith more than I've seen others do. I haven't sorted out all my ideas about it yet.

I was shocked at just how apostate the entire church as a whole is getting. I signed up to get prophecy alerts from Christian News Network and am taken aback at how churches are compromising with the world in just a short time. We attended a very strict Presbyterian church and couldn't believe how much they changed in a short time. It's like all the foundations are being shaken. It made me think of this verse:

Hebrews 12:27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

I'm sure you father was a sincere catholic believer who did his best to live for Christ. If only people understood that identifying the papacy as the Antichrist of prophecy DOES NOT MEAN catholics are going to hell: it means the PAPAL SYSTEM is Satan's flagship apostate religious organization and that all catholics who love the Lord must "come out from her, My people". The same holds true for the "false prophet" apostate Protestantism, the pagan religions of the world, etc. It's all Babylon - the prophetic symbol of "religious confusion" which takes its meaning from the Tower of Babel. "Babylon" literally means "gate to God" and the world with all their counterfeit methods of attaining eternal life must be shown that there is only one "gate" - Jesus Christ.

 

[GodsGrace]

Everything the Catholic Church teaches is supported by Scripture.
The Bible states, as I have shown repeatedly, that WHATEVER Christ's Church ordains on earth will also be ordained in Heaven . . .

Matt 16:18-19
And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
I will give YOU the keys to the kingdom of heaven. WHATEVER YOU bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and WHATEVER YOU loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

Matt. 18:15-18
"If your brother sins (against you), go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother.
If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that 'every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.'
If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.
Amen, I say to you, WHATEVER YOU bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and WHATEVER YOU loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Luke 10:16
Whoever listens to YOU listens to ME. Whoever rejects YOU rejects ME. And whoever rejects ME rejects the ONE who sent ME."

John 16:12-15
“I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.
But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to ALL truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to YOU the things that are coming.
He will glorify me, because he will TAKE from what is MINE and declare it to YOU.
Everything that the Father has is MINE; for this reason I told you that he will TAKE from what is MINE and declare it to YOU.

John 20:21-23
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the holy Spirit. Whose sins YOU FORGIVE are forgiven them, and whose sins YOU RETAIN are retained.”

I can't remember if I replied to this BoL.
Not everything the CC teaches is supported by scripture.
I think I have answered this....sorry.
I was thinking of the assumption.

 

[BreadOfLife]

Don't be daft. The pope himself commissioned the sale of indulgences for the replenishing of church coffers. The Basillica of St. Peter was built out of the sale of indulgences, Dead Bread. A defense of catholicism based on denial of well established church history is no defense at all - it's stupidity.
Dead Bread, how many times do I have to tell you that there's a diff between church leadership that opposes the rare cases of leadership abuses of children...and the papacy which systematically and institutionally enables, protects, rewards, and covers up its global epidemic of child rape, you silly papist protector of rapist papist priests.
"Some denominations"??? You mean the global network of catholic churches which abuse children worldwide as a form of satanic "sacrifice" to the papal god Lucifer? Yes, I agree that if child rape were an Olympic event, the papacy would be up on the platform with the Gold, Silver, and Bronze while the rest of us comparatively wouldn't even qualify for the event.

The sale of Indulgences was an abuse - not a Church edict.
Tell you what - I OPENLY CHALLENGE you to prove your point.

Show me the official declaration, edict or decree that called for the SALE of Indulgences in the Catholic Church - at ANY POINT in history - and I will apologize to you and join your cult. The fact is that you can't because the Church NEVER endorsed this practice. In fact, the Church FORBADE this practice.

As for your idiotic finger-pointing when it comes to child molestation - I see that now you are recoiling and retreating to a new position. "We'll, it goes on in the SDA cult - but it's NOT as "bad" as the Catholic Church!"
Utter nonsense . . .

The child predators run just as rampant in YOUR cult as they do legitimate Protestant denominations.

 

[BreadOfLife]

Sunday is NOT the Lord's day - not a shred of Scripture to support that.

WRONG again.

The UNANIMOUS opinion of the Early Church was that Sunday was the "Lord's Day".
Here are THREE examples of their testimonies - WHILE APOSTLES WERE STILL ALIVE - regarding the Lord's Day:

The Didache
“But every Lord’s day . . . gather yourselves together and break bread, and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure. But let no one that is at variance with his fellow come together with you, until they be reconciled, that your sacrifice may not be profaned” (Didache 14 [A.D. 70]).

The Letter of Barnabas
“We keep the eighth day [Sunday] with joyfulness, the day also on which Jesus rose again from the dead” (Letter of Barnabas 15:6–8 [A.D. 74]).

Ignatius of Antioch
“[T]hose who were brought up in the ancient order of things [i.e. Jews] have come to the possession of a new hope, no longer observing the Sabbath, but living in the observance of the Lord’s day, on which also our life has sprung up again by him and by his death” (Letter to the Magnesians 8 [A.D. 107]).


The Scriptures tell us that the NT Church gathered on the FIRST Day of the week (Sunday) and referred to it as "The Lord's Day" (Acts 20:7, 1 Corinthians 16:2, Rev. 1:10)

This is why Paul wrote to the Colossians . . .
Col. 2:16-17
Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.

YOU guys just haven't found that out yet . . .

 

[BreadOfLife]

I can't remember if I replied to this BoL.
Not everything the CC teaches is supported by scripture.
I think I have answered this....sorry.
I was thinking of the assumption.

In the Book of Revelation, there is only ONE person who is described as having an entire body - from head to toe - and that is Mary (Rev. 12:1).

 

[GodsGrace]

Or perhaps they do read the whole Bible but discard the parts they don't like? Like the 4th commandment for example?

Yes BL,,,,I agree with you even though I don't keep the Sabbath.
I do feel that the commandments are forever (the 10 I mean) and this has me very confused. Jesus couldn't resurrect on a Saturday?
JK

 

[GodsGrace]

WRONG again.

The UNANIMOUS opinion of the Early Church was that Sunday was the "Lord's Day".
Here are THREE examples of their testimonies - WHILE APOSTLES WERE STILL ALIVE - regarding the Lord's Day:

The Didache
“But every Lord’s day . . . gather yourselves together and break bread, and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure. But let no one that is at variance with his fellow come together with you, until they be reconciled, that your sacrifice may not be profaned” (Didache 14 [A.D. 70]).

The Letter of Barnabas
“We keep the eighth day [Sunday] with joyfulness, the day also on which Jesus rose again from the dead” (Letter of Barnabas 15:6–8 [A.D. 74]).

Ignatius of Antioch
“[T]hose who were brought up in the ancient order of things [i.e. Jews] have come to the possession of a new hope, no longer observing the Sabbath, but living in the observance of the Lord’s day, on which also our life has sprung up again by him and by his death” (Letter to the Magnesians 8 [A.D. 107]).


The Scriptures tell us that the NT Church gathered on the FIRST Day of the week (Sunday) and referred to it as "The Lord's Day" (Acts 20:7, 1 Corinthians 16:2, Rev. 1:10)

This is why Paul wrote to the Colossians . . .
Col. 2:16-17
Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.

YOU guys just haven't found that out yet . . .

You know BoL...
I LOVE the ECFs and have no problem with them at all.

But, what is more important....all you've quoted above...
OR
the fact that keeping the Sabbath is a COMMANDMENT (the 10)
and the commandments are forever?

I don't worship on Saturday, but this has me very confused.

 

[BreadOfLife]

' FROM the Christianity of the Apostles and Martyrs we proceed to the Christianity of the Patriarchs and Emperors. The third period of the history of the Church, which forms the subject of this volume, extends from the emperor Constantine to the pope Gregory I.; from the beginning of the fourth century to the close of the sixth... Especially on the point of the external Catholic unity his [Constantine's] monarchical politics accorded with the hierarchical episcopacy of the church. Hence from the year 313 he placed himself in close connection with the bishops, made peace and harmony his first object in the Donatist and Arian controversies and applied the predicate "catholic" to the church in all official documents. And as his predecessors were supreme pontiffs of the heathen religion of the empire, so he desired to be looked upon as a sort of bishop, as universal bishop of the external affairs of the church...'

History of the Christian Church by Philip Schaff.

Hint:
NEVER go to an anti-Catholic source like Philip Schaaf for your "facts" about the Catholic Church.
Go directly to HISTORY.

When you read the documents of the Early Church Fathers, you discover that Philip Schaaf's claims are complete anti-Catholic nonsense . . .

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]).

The Martyrdom of Polycarp
When finally he concluded his prayer, after remembering all who had at any time come his way – small folk and great folk, distinguished and undistinguished, and the whole CATHOLIC CHURCH throughout the world – the time for departure came. So they placed him on an ass, and brought him into the city on a great Sabbath (The Martyrdom of Polycarp 8 [A.D. 150]).

Irenaeus
The CATHOLIC CHURCH possesses one and the same faith throughout the whole world, as we have already said (Against Heresies 1:10 [A.D. 189]).

Tertullian
Where was Marcion then, that shipmaster of Pontus, the zealous student of Stoicism? Where was Valentinus then, the disciple of Platonism? For it is evident that those men lived not so long ago – in the reign of Antoninus for the most part – and that they at first were believers in the doctrine of the CATHOLIC CHURCH, in the church of Rome under the episcopate of the blessed Eleutherus, until on account of their ever restless curiosity, with which they even infected the brethren, they were more than once expelled (On the Prescription Against Heretics 22,30 [A.D.200])

Cyprian
The spouse of Christ cannot be defiled; she is uncorrupted and chaste. She knows one home . . . Does anyone believe that this unity which comes from divine strength, which is closely connected with the divine sacraments, can be broken asunder in the Church and be separated by the divisions of colliding wills? He who does not hold this unity, does not hold the law of God, does not hold the faith of the Father and the Son, does not hold life and salvation (On the Unity of the CATHOLIC CHURCH 6 [A.D. 251]).


LONG before Constantine was EVER born . . .

 

[BreadOfLife]

You know BoL...
I LOVE the ECFs and have no problem with them at all.

But, what is more important....all you've quoted above...
OR
the fact that keeping the Sabbath is a COMMANDMENT (the 10)
and the commandments are forever?

I don't worship on Saturday, but this has me very confused.

I also gave Scriptural support (Acts 20:7, 1 Corinthians 16:2, Rev. 1:10).

If you are confused - then you need to read Col. 2:16-17 again and realize that Paul was writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

 

[BreadOfLife]

I wasn't even addressing you, but true to form you won't miss an opportunity to get your RCC propaganda disseminated.
Do you think if Jesus hadn't matched the Scriptures in the OT, concerning Him, the Apostles would have believed in Him?

Yes.
Let's face it - they weren't Scripture scholars. Most of them were blue-collar workers.

Look - the Scriptures indeed are AUTHORITATIVE, and there is NO denying this. However, when Protestants make the claim that they are our SOLE Authority - this simply is NOT supported by the Scriptures. It's a self-refuting doctrine.

Jesus CLEARLY put His Church in charge and gave it SUPREME earthly Authority (Matt. 16:18-19, Matt. 18:15-18, Luke 10:16, John 16:12-15, John 20:21-23). He told His Church that WHATEVER His Church bound or loosed on earth would also be bound or loosed in Heaven.

At the Council of Jerusalem, it was His CHURCH, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit that made the decision NOT to impose dietary and other Jewish laws on the Gentiles (Acts 15:28). There was no Scriptural mandate for this.

 

[GodsGrace]

In the Book of Revelation, there is only ONE person who is described as having an entire body - from head to toe - and that is Mary (Rev. 12:1).

There ya go.
I've never read Revelation.
Will be looking into it.
Elijah comes to mind.

 

[GodsGrace]

I also gave Scriptural support (Acts 20:7, 1 Corinthians 16:2, Rev. 1:10).

If you are confused - then you need to read Col. 2:16-17 again and realize that Paul was writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

Will do.
Just want to say that to me scripture and ECF is practically the same thing.
And if anybody thinks this is blasphemous...they don't know about the ECFs.

 

[GodsGrace]

There is only one other woman author in American history who has been published more than Ellen White - she is Alice A. Bailey, the occultist, channeller of "Dwal Khul" aka Satan, Luciferian "prophetess" of the New Age.

Sister White did absolutely nothing but point people back to the Bible and to place their faith solely in the Cross of Jesus Christ as our only hope for salvation - not Sabbath keeping, not works or any sort, not anything else.

Did A. A. Bailey do that? She, along with Joanna Southcott, Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, Edgar Cayce, H. P. Blavatsky, N. V. Peale, C. T. Russell, Pope Pius, Nostradamus, Aleister Crowley, and the rest of the "prophets" of that era did nothing but undermine the teachings of the Bible and point people away from Christ.

Steps to Christ, though small and easily read, is a giant among the Christian classics and if anyone would bother to read it, they'd immediately see that the all the negativity out there about this dear woman is the work of the enemy of souls who hates the Spirit of Prophecy.

I also don't know this H. White.
I think what the problem is,,,,generally,,,is that we don't like to hear more about a PERSON rather than about God, Jesus, Holy Ghost, scripture and this type of beliefs.

I tend to think that it IS kind of dangerous to be too attached to one person.
Of course, I'm talking and don't know who I'm talking about so take it with a grain of salt.

For instance, I like the Early Church Fathers. I find it very unwise to post them most of the time because I'm told they were uninspired...even though some of them were taught by an Apostle and it's THEM who put together the N.T.

Just writing to say what I think the problem is...
Not so much HER
as the importance given to her?

 

[prism]

Yes.
Let's face it - they weren't Scripture scholars. Most of them were blue-collar workers.

This is telling from a group-think mindset that has a class distinction between clergy and laity. already we are told "You blue collar workers, don't bother reading your bibles because you haven't the biblical scholarship to discern the times of Christ's first (or second) coming. We will do it for you". The Jews and Puritans had a whole different approach involving God's Spirit...

Deuteronomy 11:18-20 (KJV) Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates:

2 Timothy 3:15 (KJV) And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Yes, from childhood the godly teach their children the Scriptures, and unlike today they had memorized large portions of Scripture. Read Acts 7.
Please don't pull your clergy/laity, scholar/blue collar baloney here...

Acts 4:13 (KJV) Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

Look - the Scriptures indeed are AUTHORITATIVE, and there is NO denying this. However, when Protestants make the claim that they are our SOLE Authority - this simply is NOT supported by the Scriptures. It's a self-refuting doctrine.

Most contend by sole authority is that Scripture is the highest authority here on earth by which we are guided. Which is your highest authority here on earth?

Jesus CLEARLY put His Church in charge and gave it SUPREME earthly Authority (Matt. 16:18-19, Matt. 18:15-18, Luke 10:16, John 16:12-15, John 20:21-23). He told His Church that WHATEVER His Church bound or loosed on earth would also be bound or loosed in Heaven.

Ok, if that is the case I guess I'll head over to the Eastern Orthodox Church, since their setup resembles the Jerusalem Council rather than one central chief running the show. Wait, 7 Churches in Revelation and Jesus indicated none were chief...This begs the question...which Church has the authority over the others here on earth?

At the Council of Jerusalem, it was His CHURCH, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit that made the decision NOT to impose dietary and other Jewish laws on the Gentiles (Acts 15:28). There was no Scriptural mandate for this.

True there was no Scriptural mandate for the Jews to impose their dietary laws (or circumcision) on the Gentiles, as Jesus told them ...
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Mat 28:19-20 KJV)

AND EVEN AT THE COUNCIL AT JERUSALEM THEIR APPEAL WAS TO SCRIPTURE!!!

Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
(Act 15:14-19 KJV)

 

[GodsGrace]

This is telling from a group-think mindset that has a class distinction between clergy and laity. already we are told "You blue collar workers, don't bother reading your bibles because you haven't the biblical scholarship to discern the times of Christ's first (or second) coming. We will do it for you". The Jews and Puritans had a whole different approach in volving Godd Spirit...

Deuteronomy 11:18-20 (KJV) Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates:

2 Timothy 3:15 (KJV) And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Yes, from childhood the godly teach their children the Scriptures, and unlike today they had memorized large portions of Scripture. Read Acts 7.
Please don't pull your clergy/laity, scholar/blue collar baloney here...

Acts 4:13 (KJV) Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.



Most contend by sole authority is that Scripture is the highest authority here on earth by which we are guided. Which is your highest authority here on earth?


Ok, if that is the case I guess I'll head over to the Eastern Orthodox Church, since their setup resembles the Jerusalem Council rather than one central chief running the show. Wait, 7 Churches in Revelation and Jesus indicated none were chief...This begs the question...which Church has the authority over the others here on earth?


True there was no Scriptural mandate for the Jews to impose their dietary laws (or circumcision) on the Gentiles, as Jesus told them ...
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Mat 28:19-20 KJV)

AND EVEN AT THE COUNCIL AT JERUSALEM THEIR APPEAL WAS TO SCRIPTURE!!!

Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
(Act 15:14-19 KJV)

You make an interesting point.
Are you orthodox?
If you are, could you please tell me how the heirarchy is set up.
If you're not...I'll ask someone that is.
I don't like learning from google.
I thought they had a type of "pope".

 

[prism]

You make an interesting point.
Are you orthodox?
If you are, could you please tell me how the heirarchy is set up.
If you're not...I'll ask someone that is.
I don't like learning from google.
I thought they had a type of "pope".

No, I am not Eastern or Russian Orthodox. But I know ever since their Great Schism back in 1054, both Rome and the East have claimed to be the One True Church. Maybe, when they figure that one out, I'll take another look. Until then, I'll see Churches as the gathering of believers where...

Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
(Act 2:41-42 KJV)

 

[GodsGrace]

No, I am not Eastern or Russian Orthodox. But I know ever since their Great Schism back in 1054, both Rome and the East have claimed to be the One True Church. Maybe, when they figure that one out, I'll take another look. Until then, I'll see Churches as the gathering of believers where...

Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
(Act 2:41-42 KJV)

You're talking about the Church. Capital C.

TTYTT, I'm not too interested in any church.
I know that every church has its problems.
No one is perfect.
And some even teach incorrect doctrine, and I don't mean only the CC.

You're right , of course...they both claim to be the original.

 

[Phoneman777]

The sale of Indulgences was an abuse - not a Church edict.
Tell you what - I OPENLY CHALLENGE you to prove your point.

Show me the official declaration, edict or decree that called for the SALE of Indulgences in the Catholic Church - at ANY POINT in history - and I will apologize to you and join your cult. The fact is that you can't because the Church NEVER endorsed this practice. In fact, the Church FORBADE this practice.

As for your idiotic finger-pointing when it comes to child molestation - I see that now you are recoiling and retreating to a new position. "We'll, it goes on in the SDA cult - but it's NOT as "bad" as the Catholic Church!"
Utter nonsense . . .

The child predators run just as rampant in YOUR cult as they do legitimate Protestant denominations.

That Pedophile-in-Chief Leo X authorized the sale of indulgences for money is a matter of history, DB.

Show us where the Pedopope-in-Chief Leo X did anything about what you claim are "abuses" regarding the sale of indulgences.

Show us where he threatened Tetzel with "anathema" as was pronounced against Luther.

Show us where he sentenced Tetzel to death as a heretic.

He did squat....And the rich chests of Indulgence money just kept rolling and rolling and rolling in.

"As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from Purgatory springs."
​

It's a matter of history:
Pope Leo X: Indulgences & Quotes | Study.com

Indulgence - Wikipedia

Selling Forgiveness: How Money Sparked the Protestant Reformation

John Tetzel's Indulgences

 

[BreadOfLife]

This is telling from a group-think mindset that has a class distinction between clergy and laity. already we are told "You blue collar workers, don't bother reading your bibles because you haven't the biblical scholarship to discern the times of Christ's first (or second) coming. We will do it for you". The Jews and Puritans had a whole different approach involving God's Spirit...

Deuteronomy 11:18-20 (KJV) Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates:

2 Timothy 3:15 (KJV) And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Yes, from childhood the godly teach their children the Scriptures, and unlike today they had memorized large portions of Scripture. Read Acts 7.
Please don't pull your clergy/laity, scholar/blue collar baloney here...

Acts 4:13 (KJV) Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

I was merely making the point that they weren't Scripture scholars, Einstein.
This is evident by the fact that they were constantly befuddled by Christ's teachings - and actions.

You're throwing blind punches in the dark, here . . .

Most contend by sole authority is that Scripture is the highest authority here on earth by which we are guided. Which is your highest authority here on earth?

The Scripture themselves - which YOU regard to the the "highest Authority on earth" stated unequivocally that Christ's CHURCH is our highest Authority on earth.

This makes Sola Scriptura a SELF-DEFEATING doctrine . . .

Ok, if that is the case I guess I'll head over to the Eastern Orthodox Church, since their setup resembles the Jerusalem Council rather than one central chief running the show. Wait, 7 Churches in Revelation and Jesus indicated none were chief...This begs the question...which Church has the authority over the others here on earth?

The 7 churches in Revelation were a small group of churches located in Turkey. They do NOT represent the entire Church.
The thriving churches at Rome or Corinth or Thessalonica or Galatia or Colossae or ANY of the others were mentioned.

Try again . . .

True there was no Scriptural mandate for the Jews to impose their dietary laws (or circumcision) on the Gentiles, as Jesus told them ...
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Mat 28:19-20 KJV)

AND EVEN AT THE COUNCIL AT JERUSALEM THEIR APPEAL WAS TO SCRIPTURE!!!
Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
(Act 15:14-19 KJV)

WRONG.

The Council of Jerusalem appealed to Scripture to show the ROLE of the Gentiles.
They did NOT appeal to Scripture to come to their decision NOT to make binding on the Gentiles the dietary and ceremonial Laws. They relied on their GOD-GIVEN Authority, led by the Holy Spirit. They stated:
Acts 15:28
"It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements."

Finally - your appeal to the Great Commission falls flat on its face because it is NOT an endorsement of Sola Scriptura.
The Bible CLEARLY states that NOT everything Jesus did was written down (John 21:25).

 

[BreadOfLife]

That Pedophile-in-Chief Leo X authorized the sale of indulgences for money is a matter of history, DB.

Show us where the Pedopope-in-Chief Leo X did anything about what you claim are "abuses" regarding the sale of indulgences.
Show us where he threatened Tetzel with "anathema" as was pronounced against Luther.
Show us where he sentenced Tetzel to death as a heretic.
He did squat....And the rich chests of Indulgence money just kept rolling and rolling and rolling in.

"As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from Purgatory springs."
​

It's a matter of history:
Pope Leo X: Indulgences & Quotes | Study.com
Indulgence - Wikipedia
Selling Forgiveness: How Money Sparked the Protestant Reformation
John Tetzel's Indulgences

Ummmmm, YOU made the idiotic claim that the CATHOLIC CHURCH sold Indulgences.
Now, you are back-pedaling and accepting that it was an ABUSE - just as I told you it was and NOT an official edict from the Church hierarchy.

If you think that the Pope knew the actions of every single priest in every single country during the Middle ages - when there was no internet, no phone service, no postal service, etc. - then you're living in a dream world.

STUDY your HISTORY - and don't hold it top the same "instant-information" standards of the 21st century, Einstein.
Things were a little SLOWER then . . .