Catholics, what do you do with 1 John 5? It contradicts RCC doctrine concerning the assurance of salvation. See for yourself.

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Recall that the bible resulted from a Catholic Church council, and has the pope’s approval. This may not be anyone’s favorite history, but it remains history.
That has nothing to do with benedict’s statement which was
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benedictus:
That is what is so funny about their insistence on Bible Alone. If they were to think a little bit more, they will realize that they are affirming the infallibility of the Church when they accept the Bible.
 
My, you are full of bluster aren’t you?

I’m not sure what you going to set out and prove. Are you going to prove your church is infallible or that a belief in sola scriptura somehow hinges on your church being infallible?
Nope, not bluster. Just a line of thinking that I have posted in several other threads and to which no Protestant has ever had a reasonable comeback although one did do a good try but not convincing as he did not respond to my last post.

Essentially, in simplest terms the argument goes like this.

If you believe that the Bible is infallible (that is why you make it your rule of faith), then you accept that the Church is infallible because it is the Church who came up with the Canon of the Bible.

Below is a rebuttal from another poster and my reponse:
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benedictus2:
Craig Kennedy:
While the Apostles lived, I agree that THEN they were given infallible guidance.

I
* do not believe, however, we have Apostles NOW - THAT IS, TODAY. Their function has now ceased. CHRIST HIMSELF IS THE TRUE AND ONLY FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH***.

We find the full deposit of the Apostles’ teaching and doctrine in the completed canon of scripture.

*Cheers, In Christ craig *

Sorry to but in.

It is Christ’s Church, but he decided to build it on Peter and it is His Spirit that continue to guide it to this day. Sometimes I have the feeling that protestants if they can would have stopped these words being written or being included in Matthew.

Note too, Jesus says; it was the Father who revealed this to Peter, so the Father actually had a hand in choosing Peter.

When you come to think that the definitioin of a canon of books was started only by Pope Damasus in the council of Rome in 382 and not finalized until 787, the Apostles were long dead by then.

By your reasoning therefore, those who came up with the canon were no longer infallible.

To say that infallibility rested with the Apostles and not after that means that you do not think the Bible as it is today is infallible because that was established at the very least 200 years after apostolic times.

And if you say that okay, those who defined the canon were infallible but not their successors, how do you determine that. What standard do you use to determine when infallibility was in and when it went out. And who determines that ?
I am feeling rather lazy so I will just post a link to the ensuing rebuttals and counter rebuttals

http://forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=4401431&postcount=303

http://forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=4402273&postcount=330
 
Nope, not bluster. Just a line of thinking that I have posted in several other threads and to which no Protestant has ever had a reasonable comeback although one did do a good try but not convincing as he did not respond to my last post.

Essentially, in simplest terms the argument goes like this.

If you believe that the Bible is infallible (that is why you make it your rule of faith), then you accept that the Church is infallible because it is the Church who came up with the Canon of the Bible.

Below is a rebuttal from another poster and my reponse:

I am feeling rather lazy so I will just post a link to the ensuing rebuttals and counter rebuttals

http://forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=4401431&postcount=303

http://forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=4402273&postcount=330
I don’t believe any council or person is infallible. In order to stay consistent with that belief, I don’t believe the canon is infallible either. I don’t believe that there are mistakes in the canon but I don’t believe it to be infallible either.

I don’t see how a non-Catholic could have any other belief.

BTW, thanks for the links but I feel lazy all the time. I’ll try to get to them but probably won’t today.
 
I don’t believe any council or person is infallible. In order to stay consistent with that belief, I don’t believe the canon is infallible either. I don’t believe that there are mistakes in the canon but I don’t believe it to be infallible either.

I don’t see how a non-Catholic could have any other belief.

BTW, thanks for the links but I feel lazy all the time. I’ll try to get to them but probably won’t today.
YOU HAVE JUST PROVED MY POINT:D

From a Protestant’s point of view then THE BIBLE IS NOT INFALLIBLE.

So why hold to Sola Scriptura when you are believing a fallible Bible?

And it is not about non-Catholics holding any other belief. It is about using that God given faculty called reason.

Which I will have to say protestants in this forum don’t exercise much. Not that they don’t have any. But they are afraid to use it because if they do, why they would actually be confronted with the Truth of the Catholic position.
 
YOU HAVE JUST PROVED MY POINT:D

From a Protestant’s point of view then THE BIBLE IS NOT INFALLIBLE.

So why hold to Sola Scriptura when you are believing a fallible Bible?

And it is not about non-Catholics holding any other belief. It is about using that God given faculty called reason.

Which I will have to say protestants in this forum don’t exercise much. Not that they don’t have any. But they are afraid to use it because if they do, why they would actually be confronted with the Truth of the Catholic position.
Where did I say that I believe the bible to be anything less than infallible?
 
mmmcounts

Catholics, what do you do with 1 John 5? It contradicts RCC doctrine concerning the assurance of salvation. See for yourself.

19And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. 21For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
First, it tells you to pay attention to the word of the prophets. So pay attention to it! … what follows does include some prophecy that John contributed to Scripture as he was carried along by the Holy Spirit, and you will do well to pay attention to it.
OK so far…
6 This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. 9 We accept man’s testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. 10 Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. 11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.
The RCC says we can’t know that we have eternal life at any point before we die, nor will we actually have eternal life until some time after we die. Yet John writes these things about God’s testimony that we have eternal life, and he tells us he writes these things so that you may know that you have eternal life.
As a life long, and I thought, informed, and I know practcing RC, I’m not sure that this is actually a doctrine, although you do have the message straight. But your only sharring a partial truth.
Its origin is in a man named John who spoke from God, and you will do well to pay attention to it. Deal with what is found there. That’s twice now that I’ve addressed the issue, so if you truly think I want to make it three, whatever is wrong with you is no small thing.
Friend, can we please “play nice?” Christian Chairity is a good thing.:yup: :love:
RCC doctrine says we can’t have assurance of salvation but the Bible says something quite different in 1 John. What do you do with this?
Your right the bible does say something different…

1 John Chapter 5

3* For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. 4* For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

And if we believe in Jesus we will do all of the following:
Be a Baptized Christian, obey All of God Commandments, Obey the Beautitudes MT. Chapter 5, and do everyting with love.
PJM

13I write this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life… 16 If any one sees his brother committing what is not a mortal sin, he will ask, and God * will give him life for those whose sin is not mortal. There is sin which is mortal; I do not say that one is to pray for that. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin which is not mortal.

John 20:"21* Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.” 22* And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. *23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” **

If you take the reading from 1 John, with the reading from John 20:
(Both the same John), you can see why the RCC teaches as she does. (This is the very short version). Mortal sin, because it is so serious: i.e. Abortion=murder, that is factually seperates us from a Saving relationship with Christ, until we Confess (as Jesus DIRECTED to one of His bishops or priest, and are forgiven.) We call it the sacrament od Reconcillation.

*1 John Chapter 1 (which comes before chapter 5)
"8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10
If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." **

18 We know that any one born of God does not sin, but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him.

2 Tim. 3:16
" 16 All scripture is inspired by God and * profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."

John 3:5 "5* Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God”

Mt. 19: "17 And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? One there is who is good. **If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” **

Friend there is a great deal more evidence I can give to explain the RCC position, but, I’ll see how you respond to this post first.👍

Love and prayers,
 
The key word in my post is canon.
I know. The Canon is the list of what is and what isn’t Scripture. The Canon of Scripture (all 73 books) was infallibly defined by the Catholic Church ~350 years after Christ established the Catholic Church.
 
The key word in my post is canon.
No, I can’t let you off that easily. If you question the canon, then you question the Bible itself.

On the other hand, if this was just a matter of typing quickly, then just be more precise next time, okay?

You have to be precise when discussing these things. 🙂
 
I know. The Canon is the list of what is and what isn’t Scripture. The Canon of Scripture (all 73 books) was infallibly defined by the Catholic Church ~350 years after Christ established the Catholic Church.
Your church didn’t infallibly declare the canon of the OT until Trent. The councils of Carthage and Hippo were provincial in nature and therefore not binding on the church universal.
Catholic Encyclopedia:
The Old Testament canon (including the deuteros) in the New Testament
The Tridentine decrees from which the above list is extracted was the first infallible and effectually promulgated pronouncement on the Canon, addressed to the Church Universal.
Obviously if Trent (Tridentine decrees) was the first infallible and effectually promulgated pronouncement on the canon for the church universal Hippo and Carthage couldn’t have been.
 
No, I can’t let you off that easily. If you question the canon, then you question the Bible itself.

On the other hand, if this was just a matter of typing quickly, then just be more precise next time, okay?

You have to be precise when discussing these things. 🙂
My statement contains absolutely no ambiguity…none.
 
Your church didn’t infallibly declare the canon of the OT until Trent. The councils of Carthage and Hippo were provincial in nature and therefore not binding on the church universal.

Obviously if Trent (Tridentine decrees) was the first infallible and effectually promulgated pronouncement on the canon for the church universal Hippo and Carthage couldn’t have been.
This is perhaps a bit simplistic. There was a lot more to the development of the canon than the declaration of Trent.

*The Council of Trent, convened to reaffirm Catholic doctrines and to revitalize the Church, proclaimed that these books had always belonged to the Bible and had to remain in it. After all, it was the Catholic Church, in the fourth century, at the councils of Rome, Hippo, and Carthage (A.D. 382, 393, 397, respectively), that officially decided which books belonged to the Bible and which did not. This had been reaffirmed by many popes and councils later, including the ecumenical Council of Florence. When the Council of Trent was convened, it merely formally restated the constant teaching of the Church. [Catholic Answers: More Catholic Inventions]
 
My statement contains absolutely no ambiguity…none.
My apologies…I need clarification. Please explain what you meant when you wrote:I don’t believe that there are mistakes in the canon but I don’t believe it to be infallible either.
Are you suggesting, as RC Sproul did, that the Bible is a fallible collection of infallible books?

Thanks.
 
**If you are Christian, I don’t see how you can refute what benedictus2 is saying?
**

While the Apostles lived, I agree that THEN they were given infallible guidance. I do not believe, however, we have Apostles NOW - THAT IS, TODAY. Their function has now ceased. CHRIST HIMSELF IS THE TRUE AND ONLY FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH.

SemperReformada , you said:

I’m not sure what you going to set out and prove. Are you going to prove your church is infallible or that a belief in sola scriptura somehow hinges on your church being infallible?

**The C.C. isn’t infallible on its own merit! Surely you must know this, for the C.C. is comprised of ALL fallible men and women! To speak metaphorically, as opposed to what Jesus did, vis-a-vis the Holy Eucharist, the Holy Spirit, promised by Jesus Christ, endowed Jesus’ One Apostolic Church, on Pentecost (Acts 2) --with Jesus’ Divine Presence, in perpetuity, according to both your bibles! Jesus’ Church is the aircraft, and the Holy Spirit is the Divine rudder --the Divine Controlling Agent or Influence over the direction of Jesus’ One Church, not fallible humans, and the anti-Christ is the counter controlling agent or counter influence trying to muster up, never ending turbulence, to throw the aircraft, again, comprised of mere fallible humans --off course! This is a battle we can’t win without the perpetual guidance of the Holy Spirit. Do you really think Jesus was going to leave His Mystical Body, the Apostolic Church, to which Jesus Christ is the Savior, in the hands of mere fallible humans? You said, “CHRIST HIMSELF IS THE TRUE AND ONLY FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH.” If you believe that, then you must realize that the Apostolic Church to which Jesus is the Foundation, can’t FAIL! And your are correct, all the Apostles died in the 1st century. Today we have their successors, who minister in their stead, and carry on their function.

The Holy Spirit was then and is now, according to both your bibles, the Infallible guiding Force behind Jesus’ Infallible Church, comprised of nothing, but very fallible humans, just as every protestant and evangelical church is!

If the C.C. is not infallibly “taught” and “guided” by the Holy Spirit in perpetuity, then you are both right, and the C.C. is nothing more than a human Institution, rendering ALL churches, including the church to which you both belong, and sola scriptura, nothing more than a man made lie, perpetrated by mere fallible humans, invalidating Jesus Christ as God, and if this is true, then I’m sure that non-believers, the world over are dancing a jig. I’m sorry but you guys can’t have it both ways. **👍
 
This is perhaps a bit simplistic. There was a lot more to the development of the canon than the declaration of Trent.

The Council of Trent, convened to reaffirm Catholic doctrines and to revitalize the Church, proclaimed that these books had always belonged to the Bible and had to remain in it. After all, it was the Catholic Church, in the fourth century, at the councils of Rome, Hippo, and Carthage (A.D. 382, 393, 397, respectively), that officially decided which books belonged to the Bible and which did not. This had been reaffirmed by many popes and councils later, including the ecumenical Council of Florence. When the Council of Trent was convened, it merely formally restated the constant teaching of the Church. [Catholic Answers: More Catholic Inventions]
I’m not so sure your source is accurate. I disagree with it’s statement about “merely formally restated” the canon.

At Trent the council fathers were not unanimous in understanding that the earlier councils had “settled” the issue of canonocity for the deutero’s.
Jedin:
“[Seripando was] Impressed by the doubts of St. Jerome, Rufinus, and St. John Damascene about the deuterocanonical books of the Old Testament, Seripando favored a distinction in the degrees of authority of the books of the Florentine canon. The highest authority among all the books of the Old Testament must be accorded those which Christ Himself and the apostles quoted in the New Testament, especially the Psalms. But the rule of citation in the New Testament does not indicate the difference of degree in the strict sense of the word, because certain Old Testament books not quoted in the New Testament are equal in authority to those quoted. St. Jerome gives an actual difference in degree of authority when he gives a higher place to those books which are adequate to prove a dogma than to those which are read merely for edification. The former, the protocanonical books, are “libri canonici et authentici”; Tobias, Judith, the Book of Wisdom, the books of Esdras, Ecclesiasticus, the books of the Maccabees, and Baruch are only “canonici et ecclesiastici” and make up the canon morum in contrast to the canon fidei. These, Seripando says in the words of St. Jerome, are suited for the edification of the people, but they are not authentic, that is, not sufficient to prove a dogma. Seripando emphasized that in spite of the Florentine canon the question of a twofold canon was still open and was treated as such by learned men in the Church. Without doubt he was thinking of Cardinal Cajetan, who in his commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews accepted St. Jerome’s view which had had supporters throughout the Middle Ages.”

Source: Hubert Jedin, Papal Legate At The Council Of Trent (St Louis: B. Herder Book Co., 1947), pp. 270-271.

“For the last time [Seripando] expressed his doubts [to the Council of Trent] about accepting the deuterocanonical books into the canon of faith. Together with the apostolic traditions the so-called apostolic canons were being accepted, and the eighty-fifth canon listed the Book of Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) as non-canonical. Now, he said, it would be contradictory to accept, on the one hand, the apostolic traditions as the foundation of faith and, on the other, to directly reject one of them.”

Source: Hubert Jedin, Papal Legate At The Council Of Trent (St Louis: B. Herder Book Co., 1947), p. 278.
I can post more on this if anyone is interested but it’s my understanding that there was a vote at Trent and while it’s obvious that the vote in favor of canonizing the deutero’s carried the day, it was not unanimous.

If Trent just formally restated the canon as it was stated in the earlier councils, why have a vote, why have any debate on this issue? I may have been to simplistic but I think in this instance Catholic Answers is overstating their case.
 
I don’t believe any council or person is infallible. In order to stay consistent with that belief, I don’t believe the canon is infallible either. I don’t believe that there are mistakes in the canon but I don’t believe it to be infallible either.

I don’t see how a non-Catholic could have any other belief.
A very astute recognition, and one that I think very few non-Catholic Christians could bring themselves to affirm.
 
My apologies…I need clarification. Please explain what you meant when you wrote:I don’t believe that there are mistakes in the canon but I don’t believe it to be infallible either.
Are you suggesting, as RC Sproul did, that the Bible is a fallible collection of infallible books?

Thanks.
I don’t believe the canon is infallible, nor do I believe the canon I accept has any errors in it. So yes, I would agree with Sproul
 
I’m not so sure your source is accurate. I disagree with it’s statement about “merely formally restated” the canon.

At Trent the council fathers were not unanimous in understanding that the earlier councils had “settled” the issue of canonocity for the deutero’s.
Unanimity is not a requirement for any council doctrinal determination. Were the early councils unanimous on all the doctrines Protestantism (mostly) believes? And if not, will your belief in those doctrines be weakened?
I can post more on this if anyone is interested but it’s my understanding that there was a vote at Trent and while it’s obvious that the vote in favor of canonizing the deutero’s carried the day, it was not unanimous.
If Trent just formally restated the canon as it was stated in the earlier councils, why have a vote, why have any debate on this issue? I may have been to simplistic but I think in this instance Catholic Answers is overstating their case.
Trent revisited the canon because it had been challenged. That’s the way councils work.
 
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