Berean:
The Church I attend is a model of the first century Church.
Berean:
Hello, Berean. A difference of opinion keeps life interesting! In +/-1998 The Reverend Alex Jones
, Pentecostal minister from the Detroit area, promised his congregation a
worship service modeled after the first century Church. As the Reverend probed deeper into his research, it soon became apparent that this early Church was looking sort of Catholic. It had Bishops, the Eucharist, and Authority to proclaim the Word of God.
In searching for clarification on some “ambiguous” Scriptural subjects (like the Eucharist), Mr. Jones then delved into the earliest Church Fathers as the best “eye witnesses” he could find. The evidence finally came through to him, and, after the initial shock, Alex Jones was welcomed into the Church with a fair amount of family and friends. Now, Berean, he might leave tomorrow, I don’t know. But I don’t think so.
Alex’s story sounds similar to your quest, except that the two of you have come up with different results. The
Alex Jones conversion video is titled
“No Price Too High” and is available around several of the Catholic material web sites. It might even be worth contacting Alex (I don’t know how, though). That way the two of you could compare research notes on the First Century Church!
GOD BLESS US ALL!
Kurt: thank you for responding I hope I am not ruffling anyone’s feathers. This is not my intention at all. Our mutual enemy really enjoys it when we argue and fight. I have studied some military strategies and one of the most common used is the old divide and conquer. If Satan is able to keep us from uniting as Christian brothers and sisters this would be contrary to what Jesus commanded in John 13:34 A new
commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. Think about this Scripture, so many don’t believe Jesus to be God as we do (JW’s, Mormons, etc.). Who gave Moses the 10 Commandments? That’s right God did, so would I be correct in saying that only God can provide us with commandments? I think so! In this case Jesus gave us a new commandment so now there are 11 right? The point is Jesus is God and God is the only one that is able to give us commandments which proves Jesus is God! Amen? I have studied the first and the second century church and I believe that many of the doctrines that Catholics believe are not found in the Word of God, but does that imply that Catholics are not Christians? Heaven forbid! This is what John says about us and how we are Christians 1John 4:12-16: 12 No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son
as Savior of the world. 15
Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. Kurt I know this is what Catholics profess so there is no doubt that we are brothers in Christ. We have many things that we won’t agree upon (sola-scriptura Vs. Church tradition) until we are in Heaven with the Lord but we are brothers. We need to do away with terms that divide us, Catholics say they are the “one true Church”, if this is the case then I am condemned to hell for not belonging to the “one true Church”, this would make my Church a fraud. Check this out in Ephesians 4:4-6: 4
There is one body and
one Spirit, just as you were called in
one hope of your calling; 5
one Lord**, one** faith,
one baptism; 6
one God and Father of all, who
is above all, and through all, and in you all… The term "one body is in reference the Church that Jesus is coming back for, and this Church is every born again believer in Christ. You and I might go to different buildings but we belong to the same Church (body). God bless you brother Merry Christmas to you.
