Apostolic Pentacostal beliefs?

[Kliska]

I have asked a lot of questions and I have not found any real answer to them. I find scripture that counters what some of the answers were given. I use to be a police officer and I would gather evidence from all sources, not just one side, and make my decision based of the evidence.

Sorry, but this makes no sense; your questions have indeed been asked and answered not only by Catholics, but by protestants as well. I don’t have a horse in the race when it comes to defending RC teaching. You have to go into the Greek of the scriptures, and not only that, you have to understand the contextual culture. You posts come off as though you are already firmly in the Oneness camp and will not consider changing your mind, it also come across as an attack on the RCC instead of a conversation.

Just one protestant’s opinion here.

 

[Son_of_Niall]

I have asked a lot of questions and I have not found any real answer to them.

Then why are you here?

 

[Son_of_Niall]

As God is my witness I am not the Aeg071.

I really hope you are telling the truth, because lying IS a sin…ya know?

 

[Porknpie]

If the bible says to baptize in the name of the son,

Have to reconcile all of Scripture. The written Word of God says in MT 28:19
Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

We simply follow what the Church has taught for 2,000 years. We hold fast to both the Written Word of God and the faith handed down orally as well. It’s not one or the other, written or spoken, but both as St. Paul directs us to do.

2 THES 2:15

• Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.*

Look at William Tyndale. All he was doing was converting the Latin bible to English. But the church burned him at the stake and sent his soul to burn in hell forever.

The Church makes no proclamation as to his being in hell (nor anyone else’s fate in that direction). Neither should you make any such statement. Judgment is left to Christ and Christ alone.

 

[Randy_Carson]

I have read this hole posting and have found it fascinating. I grew up in a somewhat Catholic home. My dad is Catholic and my mom was Protestant. They did not force on religion on me. They left it for me to choose.

Over the years I have become a Pentecostal. That has never stopped me from seeking the Truth. For me to seek truth I ask questions, pray over the answers and allow God and the Holy Spirit to guide me.

So here is my question.

In Revolutions 1:9 I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, 11 Saying , I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest , write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. 12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned , I saw seven golden candlesticks; 13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. 14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; 15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. 16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. 17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: 18 I am he that liveth , and was dead; and, behold , I am alive for evermore , Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

In verse 11 the voice says I am the Alpha and the Omega, The first and the last:

Then in verse 17 & 18 the same voice says Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore, Amen; and I have the keys of hell and of death.

So my understanding is that this is Jesus. So then how can he be the Alpha and the Omega (GOD) and the one who liveth, was dead and alive evermore (Jesus) at the same time?

The Holy Spirit or Ghost was released upon the earth after Jesus ascended to Heaven. But 3 times in Revelations Jesus refers himself a the Alpha and the Omega, The first and the last.

How can there be three if two are as one here. I understand the Holy Ghost is the spirit of God and God is everywhere but here it clearly states two of them were as one.

There is one God.
Within that one God are three Persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They are one God.
The Father is God.
The Son is God.
The Holy Spirit is God.

Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last. He is God, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity.

Another question. In Matthew 28 it does say Baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. But who was he talking to? Matthew 28 it says verse

16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. 17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted . 18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying , All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 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.

He was talking to the remaining 11 if I understand this correctly. This was right before Jesus ascended to heaven. The Apostles already knew at this point that Jesus is the Son of God.

Peter was given the keys to heaven for saying it in Matthew 15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am ? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said , Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 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. 18 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. 19 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.

You are correct. Jesus commissioned the Eleven Apostles to make disciples of all nations. Those men (and others who joined them) began to call themselves the “Catholic Church” before the end of the first century. Men who thought of themselves as members of the one, holy Catholic and apostolic Church wrote the New Testament under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

 

[Randy_Carson]

I have asked a lot of questions and I have not found any real answer to them. I find scripture that counters what some of the answers were given. I use to be a police officer and I would gather evidence from all sources, not just one side, and make my decision based of the evidence.

Blog by a former police detective: coldcasechristianity.com/

I think you would enjoy his book which explains how he came to Christianity following careful police procedures:

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

 

[Randy_Carson]

I have asked a lot of questions and I have not found any real answer to them. I find scripture that counters what some of the answers were given. I use to be a police officer and I would gather evidence from all sources, not just one side, and make my decision based of the evidence.

If a police officer shouts to a fleeing bank robber, “Stop in the name of the law!”, is he really only specifying the authority of one thing, "the law’?

Or is it really the authority of

1. the specific code of law written by politicians,
2. the police department who enforce the law,
3. the entire criminal justice system

that the officer is asserting?

It’s all of the above, right?

Catholics have been baptizing using the Trinitarian formula from the earliest days. There is a document of early Christian practices from about 50 AD called the DIDACHE (pronounced did-a-kay) that details how the early Christians baptized:

“In regard to baptism - baptize thus: After the foregoing instructions, baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, in living water. If you have no living water, then baptize in other water; and if you are not able in cold, then in warm.”

The Didache is not inspired scripture, but it is a key piece of historical evidence about what the Church thought and did in the earliest days.

So why does this verse in Acts say we should be baptizing in Jesus’ name and not in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit? It is made to offer a distinction from other baptisms that were occurring during the earliest days of Christianity. There were the baptisms done by followers of John the Baptist, baptisms done in Jewish liturgies, and baptisms done in pagan rituals. Here’s a verse speaking of “John’s Baptism”:

Acts 19:3
So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?” “John’s baptism,” they replied.

Paul specifically asks what type of baptism they had received. They had received “John’s Baptism”; they had not received the baptism of Jesus.

By proclaiming baptisms be done “in the name of Jesus Christ”, the inspired author of Acts was merely attempting to disassociate ourselves from the baptisms done by other sects. It was not an instruction on how to baptize.