Catholics have the fullness of truth. Protestants have part of the truth! What does this mean?

[Pretty_Wings]

Correct, you did not - I would gather from your responses that you’re part of a church that you chose because you found its beliefs and understanding of Scripture substantially similar to your own. You view dialogue with your pastor as being very important in forming your faith. Is that correct? This is not a trap, not at all. Again, I respect your faith and I appreciate your asking such honest questions here.

I don’t know if dialogue is the right word. My Pastor preach to us what God has given to him to say. If we don’t understand something yes we can go to him. My Pastor though tell us to study the word of God because the Bible says to study to show yourself approval to God. God want us to study his word for ourselves.not to always rely on someone.

Also I think another difference is that Catholics tend to have a more liberal view on the Bible. Majority of protestant take God word as is. Literal. So there really isn’t that many interpretations unless its on something small like can women wear pants in church, or can Christians eat meat, etc, etc. But believing in God, Jesus and believing that the Bible is God inspired word is all the same.

 

[Bev17243]

I don’t know if dialogue is the right word. My Pastor preach to us what God has given to him to say. If we don’t understand something yes we can go to him. My Pastor though tell us to study the word of God because the Bible says to study to show yourself approval to God. God want us to study his word for ourselves.not to always rely on someone.

Also I think another difference is that Catholics tend to have a more liberal view on the Bible. Majority of protestant take God word as is. Literal. So there really isn’t that many interpretations unless its on something small like can women wear pants in church, or can Christians eat meat, etc, etc. But believing in God, Jesus and believing that the Bible is God inspired word is all the same.

I’m sorry, dear, but you are completely incorrect in saying that Catholics have more “liberal” view on the Bible. I have no idea where you are getting this from. I would truly suggest that you visit(just to see) a Roman Catholic church so you can see for yourself how Catholics worship. Catholics do take most of the Bible literally and actually most Protestant denominations don’t.My problem with your(and general Protestant)reasoning is this-why do you think that your pastor has the ULTIMATE truth? What about the pastor in the church next door? I’m sure his followers think the same thing about him and he could be preaching something else altogher. You said that if you have a question, you go to your pastor(which is fine) but how do you know that he is guading you in the right path? You can’t. That’s why there are thousands of different denominations in Protestant church and not one of them can agree on anything other than Jesus is the Savior. The rest of doctrine-everyone has a different opinion on how it should be interpreted.

 

[Bev17243]

By studying the word, and by the Holy Spirit. I don’t place emphasize on Baptism. I don’t think Protestants as a whole put big emphasize on Baptisms.(except for well Baptist) I don’t think that is the most important thing. I think it is important but whether a person get baptized as a baby or 5 or 20 years old is up to them.** I think they should get baptized when they accept Jesus Christ as there savior. I believe baptism is a outward sign to show other people you have the faith but it doesn’t do anything for the inside of you. **The only important thing is to believe in God and Jesus and to live a Holy life.

Then why does Bible say:
Acts 2:38
“Repent and be baptised every one of you, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ for the forgivenss of your sins and you will receive Holy Ghost”
John 3-5 “Noone can enter the Kingdom of God, unless he is born of water and spirit”

If you say that you take Bible literally, why aren’t you taking these verses literally?

 

[Nicea325]

Okay, this is true I give you that, But who is too say one church is better than another? If the Pastors are all men of God and living clean Holy lives I don’t believe they are in the wrong. I think Jesus wanted us to spread the Good News and that is what they are doing.

My friend,it is not a competition about which “church” is better,but about the Truth. Precisely why there exist thousands of non-Catholic churches,because if one is not content or happy;he or she can leave and form his/her own church to his or her liking. Is that what the Son of God taught?

 

[Nicea325]

This is where I’m confused at too, because if the Bible isn’t the only inspired word of God, than do we consider the Book of Mormon, do we consider the Jehovah Witnesses Bible, do we consider the Quran? I would think not but that is just my opinion. Where do you draw the line? I believe the Bible can answer all questions of faith.

“For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book: If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the Book of Life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book” Revelation 22:18-19

First of all,the Catholic Church has always held the Bible is the inspired Word of God. Unfortunately,the Bible does NOT contain everything necessary for salvation.Show me where the Bible teaches the Bible is the final authority in matters of faith? Second,the verse you provided above is NOT referring to the entire Bible,but the last book of the Bible.

 

[Pretty_Wings]

Then why does Bible say:
Acts 2:38
“Repent and be baptised every one of you, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ for the forgivenss of your sins and you will receive Holy Ghost”
John 3-5 “Noone can enter the Kingdom of God, unless he is born of water and spirit”

If you say that you take Bible literally, why aren’t you taking these verses literally?

I know about Acts 2:38, I’m Pentecostal, that is basically all they preach. That is basically our motto. I said in my post I think everyone should be baptized but not until they honestly believe. My sister is 20 and still haven’t been baptized because she doesn’t feel like she is ready. She hasn’t truly repented yet.

 

[Pretty_Wings]

First of all,the Catholic Church has always held the Bible is the inspired Word of God. **Unfortunately,the Bible does NOT contain everything necessary for salvation.**Show me where the Bible teaches the Bible is the final authority in matters of faith? Second,the verse you provided above is NOT referring to the entire Bible,but the last book of the Bible.

Who said that?

“Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish [ought] from it,” Deut. 4:2- How much plain can it be?

John 1:1 makes the status of the word of God equal to God Himself.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” - In the beginning was the word. In the beginning was God. The Word was God in the beginning. The Word was always there.The Word*(The Bible)* is God.God is above all and the final say so, so therefore the Bible is the final say so.

 

[Pretty_Wings]

My friend,it is not a competition about which “church” is better,but about the Truth. Precisely why there exist thousands of non-Catholic churches,because if one is not content or happy;he or she can leave and form his/her own church to his or her liking. Is that what the Son of God taught?

No its a lot of churches because those Men have said God have called them to Pastor. Majority of Protestants believe on the basics, the things we don’t agree with really don’t matter about our salvation, it just personal opinion. Like one church Pastor won’t his people to always dress up on Sunday, meaning your Sunday best, another church doesn’t care if the people wear jeans and tennis shoes. Neither one is a sin, its just how the Pastor want to conduct there church.

But the Basic about God, Jesus and the Bible(The important stuff) is all the same.

 

[Pretty_Wings]

I’m sorry, dear, but you are completely incorrect in saying that Catholics have more “liberal” view on the Bible. I have no idea where you are getting this from. I would truly suggest that you visit(just to see) a Roman Catholic church so you can see for yourself how Catholics worship. Catholics do take most of the Bible literally and actually most Protestant denominations don’t.My problem with your(and general Protestant)reasoning is this-why do you think that your pastor has the ULTIMATE truth? What about the pastor in the church next door? I’m sure his followers think the same thing about him and he could be preaching something else altogher. You said that if you have a question, you go to your pastor(which is fine) but how do you know that he is guading you in the right path? You can’t. That’s why there are thousands of different denominations in Protestant church and not one of them can agree on anything other than Jesus is the Savior. The rest of doctrine-everyone has a different opinion on how it should be interpreted.

I’m sorry, dear, but you are completely incorrect in saying that Catholics have more “liberal” view on the Bible. I have no idea where you are getting this from.

When I meant the Catholics have a more liberal view of the Bible I just meant they(Catholics) are more open to interpretation than most non Catholic churches. Meaning most non-Catholic churches take Genesis literally, take the story of Noah ark literal, take the story of Jonah and the Big fish literal. etc, etc. I was told most Catholics do not. Also when I said liberal I said that because Catholics are open to more books that could be inspired by God than just the Bible. Non-Catholics aren’t like that. That is what I meant by liberal, maybe it was the wrong word to use but that is what I meant.

why do you think that your pastor has the ULTIMATE truth?

If he is not preaching anything against the Bible than I believe it is the truth. To know the truth you have to read and the study the Bible for yourself. So you know if something is said wrong or not.

What about the pastor in the church next door?

I have been at my church for years and during all of those years we have visited other churches. We have always been invited to church anniversary programs, or Pastor and wife appreciation programs, or a musical program, a mens program, a family and friends day program etc, etc, and all the churches my church have been to (Pentecostal, Baptist, Methodist, Non-denomination, etc) Have all Preach the SAME thing. They have never preached anything that was not in the Bible, or that was against the Bible.

I guess that is another reason why non-Catholics don’t have a problem visiting another church or joining another church because more than likely the Pastors are preaching the same thing. The only true difference between some churches is how they run it or there praise service might be different. but what is coming out of there mouth, about God, Jesus, Heaven, the Rapture, and Salvation is all the same.

You said that if you have a question, you go to your pastor(which is fine) but how do you know that he is guading you in the right path? You can’t.

Yes I can! by knowing what is in the Bible and what isn’t in the Bible. If he has scriptures to back it up than that is even more great. My Pastor and most Pastors in general want there members to study the word of God for themselves so they can know what the Bible says and if they go to someone else church they will know if the Pastor is speaking according to God or not.

That’s why there are thousands of different denominations in Protestant church and not one of them can agree on anything other than Jesus is the Savior.

That is not true. I can easily go to a Pentecostal church, Baptist or Methodist church and they will all tell me the same thing about how to get saved. That is the important thing to get saved. Majority of them agree on God, Jesus, the Bible, Heaven, Salvation and the Rapture. Basically they want there members to be saved. They don’t want any of their members to perish.

 

[Nicea325]

Who said that?

“Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish [ought] from it,” Deut. 4:2- How much plain can it be?

John 1:1 makes the status of the word of God equal to God Himself.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” - In the beginning was the word. In the beginning was God. The Word was God in the beginning. The Word was always there.The Word*(The Bible)* is God.God is above all and the final say so, so therefore the Bible is the final say so.

Sorry,but you are interpretating the passage incorrect. No where in that passage is God stating the Bible is the final say so…NO WHERE! Second, the Bible IS NOT God! God is a book? You confine God to a book? Third, the Bible contains the Word of God,but where does God say everything He ever said is ONLY in the Bible?

Show me **one passage **where the Word of God is binded to the written word-only?

 

[Nicea325]

No its a lot of churches because those Men have said God have called them to Pastor. Majority of Protestants believe on the basics, the things we don’t agree with really don’t matter about our salvation, it just personal opinion. Like one church Pastor won’t his people to always dress up on Sunday, meaning your Sunday best, another church doesn’t care if the people wear jeans and tennis shoes. Neither one is a sin, its just how the Pastor want to conduct there church.

But the Basic about God, Jesus and the Bible(The important stuff) is all the same.

They have been called by God to pastor? Care to show me the verse where God gave any HUMAN the authority to found their own church? Sorry,but that is false the majority of Protestants believe in the basics. If they all believe in all the same basics,then why thousands of different churches? Apparently they do not all agree or else new churches would not be popping up. How many thousands of Protestant churches in the past 500 years? God is responsible?

 

[Bev17243]

When I meant the Catholics have a more liberal view of the Bible I just meant they(Catholics) are more open to interpretation than most non Catholic churches. Meaning most non-Catholic churches take Genesis literally, take the story of Noah ark literal, take the story of Jonah and the Big fish literal. etc, etc. I was told most Catholics do not. Also when I said liberal I said that because Catholics are open to more books that could be inspired by God than just the Bible. Non-Catholics aren’t like that. That is what I meant by liberal, maybe it was the wrong word to use but that is what I meant.

If he is not preaching anything against the Bible than I believe it is the truth. To know the truth you have to read and the study the Bible for yourself. So you know if something is said wrong or not.

I have been at my church for years and during all of those years we have visited other churches. We have always been invited to church anniversary programs, or Pastor and wife appreciation programs, or a musical program, a mens program, a family and friends day program etc, etc, and all the churches my church have been to (Pentecostal, Baptist, Methodist, Non-denomination, etc) Have all Preach the SAME thing. They have never preached anything that was not in the Bible, or that was against the Bible.

I guess that is another reason why non-Catholics don’t have a problem visiting another church or joining another church because more than likely the Pastors are preaching the same thing. The only true difference between some churches is how they run it or there praise service might be different. but what is coming out of there mouth, about God, Jesus, Heaven, the Rapture, and Salvation is all the same.

Yes I can! by knowing what is in the Bible and what isn’t in the Bible. If he has scriptures to back it up than that is even more great. My Pastor and most Pastors in general want there members to study the word of God for themselves so they can know what the Bible says and if they go to someone else church they will know if the Pastor is speaking according to God or not.

That is not true. I can easily go to a Pentecostal church, Baptist or Methodist church and they will all tell me the same thing about how to get saved. That is the important thing to get saved. Majority of them agree on God, Jesus, the Bible, Heaven, Salvation and the Rapture. Basically they want there members to be saved. They don’t want any of their members to perish.

i think you miss my point-i was refering to every church and every pastor interpreting Bible for themselves and therefore, having different opinions on what verses mean. That’s why i said, how do you know whose’s interpretation is correct? Its not about different churches teaching something against the Biblical teachings, its about interpretation, which is your(or your pastors) PERSONAL opinion.
I still don’t understand where you are getting information that Catholics “more open to interpretation”. No Catholic i ever met thought that Noah story is some fairy tale and shouldn’t be taken literally. I think i can safely say that you have never been inside RC church and you have no idea of its teachings. I’m not trying to offend you or anything, but lot of Protestant folks that i;ve encountered rely on what they hear from other Protestants reg RC, be it a Pastor or just someone you know, or anti-Catholic literature.
You speak of some “books” that Catholics add to the bible-I assume you are refering to so called Deuterocanonical book or Apocripta(forgive my spelling). These books were included in the Bible originally when the Bible was first compiled. IT was not until the Reformation that Martin Luther and his ilk took it upon themselves to take it out because they weren’t “inspired enough”. So its not really a “Catholic” thing
I would advise you to read History of Christianity. You speak as someone who doesn’t know much about it.

 

[Bev17243]

Sorry,but you are interpretating the passage incorrect. No where in that passage is God stating the Bible is the final say so…NO WHERE! Second, the Bible IS NOT God! God is a book? You confine God to a book? Third, the Bible contains the Word of God,but where does God say everything He ever said is ONLY in the Bible?

Show me **one passage **where the Word of God is binded to the written word-only?

she can’t but like most, she will ignore that important fact

 

[Bev17243]

Who said that?

“Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish [ought] from it,” Deut. 4:2- How much plain can it be?

John 1:1 makes the status of the word of God equal to God Himself.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” - In the beginning was the word. In the beginning was God. The Word was God in the beginning. The Word was always there.The Word*(The Bible)* is God.God is above all and the final say so, so therefore the Bible is the final say so.

i don’t think that anyone is disputing that Bible is the word of God. You were asked where does it say that “Bible alone” is the way to go which you haven’t answered:shrug:
Furthermore, Deuteronomy quote refers to the Old Testament because New Testament wasn’t in existance yet.

 

[Nicea325]

That is not true. I can easily go to a Pentecostal church, Baptist or Methodist church and they will all tell me the same thing about how to get saved. That is the important thing to get saved. Majority of them agree on God, Jesus, the Bible, Heaven, Salvation and the Rapture. Basically they want there members to be saved. They don’t want any of their members to perish.

Sorry,but that above is false. Do all Methodist congregations believe “once saved,always saved”? Do all Baptist congregations believe in pre-destination?

 

[Nicea325]

she can’t but like most, she will ignore that important fact

Of course she cannot. She also claims the majority of Protestants agree on the basics? So I asked,if they all agree on the basics,then why the need to start totally independent churches? If they all agreed,then there would be no need to have the Baptist church,Methodist church,etc,etc.

 

[thomasf]

By studying the word, and by the Holy Spirit. I don’t place emphasize on Baptism. I don’t think Protestants as a whole put big emphasize on Baptisms.(except for well Baptist) I don’t think that is the most important thing. I think it is important but whether a person get baptized as a baby or 5 or 20 years old is up to them. I think they should get baptized when they accept Jesus Christ as there savior. I believe baptism is a outward sign to show other people you have the faith but it doesn’t do anything for the inside of you. The only important thing is to believe in God and Jesus and to live a Holy life.

Where did Jesus say that? What about the parts of the gospels where He told us that one must be born again of water and spirit? What about in John where He told us that we must eat His flesh and drink His blood? What about the part where Peter told us that Baptism now saves us? How about in James, where he wrote that faith without works is dead? You see, there is a LOT more to it than just believing in God and living a holy life. How do we know what is a holy life? What if my belief in what a holy life is differs from the next guy? Who is right?

Jesus established a church, with the Apostles as His representatives, and Peter as the chief of those Apostles. He gave them power, as the Father sent Him. And He gave them the ability to pass this power along to others as the faith spread. The church Jesus established is there as a deposit of faith, and foundation for truth, because the truth of the faith is absolute. Jesus gave us the sacraments administered through the church as a way of guiding us through life and so that we would know what was holy and how to live. The catholic church is a wonderful resource for the faith, and allows us to grown closer to Him as we go through life. We have the Bible (thanks to the catholic church), we have the magesterium as the deposit of faith and truth, and we have the traditions that were passed down from the Apostles. Protestants often reject some or all of this, and are left with the bible. Compared to the fullness that the Catholic church has, then yes, protestants have only a portion of that truth.

 

[thomasf]

she can’t but like most, she will ignore that important fact

Furthermore, there was no Bible for 400 years after Christ. What did the first Christians do, where did they go for 'the final say so"? To the church. The Catholic Church, the church Jesus established on Peter and the Apostles. Just like today.

 

[Nicea325]

Where did Jesus say that? What about the parts of the gospels where He told us that one must be born again of water and spirit? What about in John where He told us that we must eat His flesh and drink His blood? What about the part where Peter told us that Baptism now saves us? How about in James, where he wrote that faith without works is dead? You see, there is a LOT more to it than just believing in God and living a holy life. How do we know what is a holy life? What if my belief in what a holy life is differs from the next guy? Who is right?

Jesus established a church, with the Apostles as His representatives, and Peter as the chief of those Apostles. He gave them power, as the Father sent Him. And He gave them the ability to pass this power along to others as the faith spread. The church Jesus established is there as a deposit of faith, and foundation for truth, because the truth of the faith is absolute. Jesus gave us the sacraments administered through the church as a way of guiding us through life and so that we would know what was holy and how to live. The catholic church is a wonderful resource for the faith, and allows us to grown closer to Him as we go through life. We have the Bible (thanks to the catholic church), we have the magesterium as the deposit of faith and truth, and we have the traditions that were passed down from the Apostles. Protestants often reject some or all of this, and are left with the bible. Compared to the fullness that the Catholic church has, then yes, protestants have only a portion of that truth.

If she believes baptism is not important,she is mistaken.

 

[TobyLue]

But the** Basic **about God, Jesus and the Bible(The important stuff) is all the same.

I’m sorry my pretty but this is where you err. The thing is,who is to say what is or what is not “the important stuff”?
Protestants & and even some pentecostals and agree as to the Basis. Some pentecostals (in another forum) claim you MUST be able to speak in tongues in order to be saved. Can you quote from scripture where that is that you will find your answer simply by reading the Bible? Some Protestant Churches say Baptism is important, you say it’s not? Are they not reading the same bible just as your are and claiming to be guided by the same Holy Spirit. How can the Holy Spirit tell some one that Baptism is important yet tell you that it is not? How do you reconcile that problem? You answer may be, “well we simply have to do more studying and researching the Bible”. I have heard that before but my question to one person on another forum was, “What if after studying both still come up with different interpretations”? Their reply was they will study some more. But again I asked what they they STILL don’t agree. Their reply was they they would just have to agree to disagree. Is that what Christ left us with? Besides can you quote from scripture where Jesus commanded the Bible to be written down and where he gave certain people that authority?

Or do you believe that the Bible was just dropped down from the sky (and the KJV for that matter) one day and everybody recognized it as the Word of God?

When the Bible was compiled by the CC in 382 or so, how many people could read? Also was it available at every corner Christian Book Store? Why do you think the CC used to chain the Bible? (Which is an accusation make by many anti-Catholics to prove that the CC didn’t want people to know what was in the Bible). It took years to hand write a bible and very expensive so in order to preserve it and to use it in their services, the CC HAD to chain the bibles to prevent from getting stolen.