Church made up of "all believers regardless of denomination?"

[Erich]

OK, we believe the Holy Spirit guided our Pastor to us. Why do we believe this? Because our church has never flourished so much in a 10 year period. You want testimony:

If you’re going to claim a direct-from-the-Holy-Spirit calling for your pastor, then where are the miracles that must attend his ministry as verification of his extraordinary calling?

Scripture requires the proof of miracles, signs, and wonders for authenticity: Moses
“Then Moses answered, “But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The LORD did not appear to you.’” The LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A rod.” And he said, “Cast it on the ground.” So he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it. But the LORD said to Moses, “Put out your hand, and take it by the tail” – so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand – “that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.” Again, the LORD said to him, “Put your hand into your bosom.” And he put his hand into his bosom; and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous, as white as snow. Then God said, “Put your hand back into your bosom.” So he put his hand back into his bosom; and when he took it out, behold, it was restored like the rest of his flesh. “If they will not believe you,” God said, "or heed the first sign, they may believe the latter sign. If they will not believe even these two signs or heed your voice, you shall take some water from the Nile and pour it upon the dry ground; and the water which you shall take from the Nile will become blood upon the dry ground.” (Ex.4:1-9)

"…the LORD said to Moses, “I am the LORD; tell Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say to you.” But Moses said to the LORD, “Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips; how then shall Pharaoh listen to me?” And the LORD said to Moses, “See, I make you as God to Pharaoh; and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet… You shall speak all that I command you; and Aaron your brother shall tell Pharaoh to let the people of Israel go out of his land. But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt…” (Ex. 6:29-7:3)

The Apostles
“…how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard him, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his own will.” (Heb. 2:3-4)

“Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at that gate of the temple which is called Beautiful to ask alms of those who entered the temple. Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked for alms. And Peter directed his gaze at him, with John, and said, “Look at us.” And he fixed his attention upon them, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but I give you what I have; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” And he took him by the right hand and raised him up; and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. And leaping up he stood and walked and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God.” (Acts 3:1-9)

“And now, Lord, look upon their threats, and grant to thy servants to speak thy word with all boldness, while thou stretchest out thy hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of thy holy servant Jesus.” (Acts 4:29-30)

“And Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people.” (Acts 6:8) In addition to the Apostles in general, there is the specific case of St. Paul, whose calling truly was extraordinary, in a way that the other apostles’ calling was not. They were called by Jesus while he was still a man on the earth; St. Paul was called through a vision and a heavenly voice. Thus, we see in Scripture: “And God did extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that handkerchiefs or aprons were carried away from his body to the sick, and diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.” (Acts 19:11-12) His calling was extraordinary, and so, in keeping with this, he performed “extraordinary miracles.”
Finally, we come to our last example: Our Lord Himself. His was, of course, an extraordinary calling, He being sent on His mission to earth by God the Father directly. "Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me; or else believe me for the sake of the works themselves. Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father. (John 14:10-12)

“If I bear witness to myself, my testimony is not true; there is another who bears witness to me, and I know that the testimony which he bears to me is true. You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. Not that the testimony which I receive is from man; but I say this that you may be saved. He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. But the testimony which I have is greater than that of John; for the works which the Father has granted me to accomplish, these very works which I am doing, bear me witness that the Father has sent me.” (John 5:31-36)

 

[Erich]

don’t you see if the Church has the power to bind and to loosen whatsoever on earth and heaven, that’s the greatest authority that God can give to the Church (Matthew 16:19). With this authority the Church can rule with an ion rod (Psa 2:9).

Is that anything like a light saber

 

[Harpazo]

Shlomo kulkhoun

I still haven’t heard from any Sola/Prima Scriptura Protestants where such a thing exists in Holy Writ. Why is this? I’m of the opinion that this theological theory amongst Protestants is used as justification for their prolonged separation from Christ’s Church.

Alaha Minokhoun
Andrew

 

[Lapell]

Yes, Harpazo, and a lot of people, or so it seems, have swallowed it.

 

[wisdomseeker]

this is a problem with protestants, they look at the Bible and say this is for me Jesus is speaking to me. no distinticiton about who Jesus is addressing to. if Jesus was talking to everyone then the pharisees would be included and everyone else at the time. He was not speaking to all but to the apostles only, after that passed on to those appointed by the apostles. otherwise there would be no point of having a church. anyone could just grab what was left in writing to whoever wanted to read and follow for himself by the readings of the bible.

Obedience, whatever happened to it?.

 

[wisdomseeker]

“Be on your guard against the people who are out to stir up disagreements and bring up difficulties against the teaching which you learnt. Avoid them. People of that sort are servants not of our Lord Christ, but of their own greed; and with talk that sound smooth and reasonable they deceive the minds of the unwary. Your obedience has become known to everyone, and I am very pleased with you for it. The God of peace will soon crush satan under your feet.”
St. Paul to the Romans.

 

[Harpazo]

this is a problem with protestants, they look at the Bible and say this is for me Jesus is speaking to me. no distinticiton about who Jesus is addressing to. if Jesus was talking to everyone then the pharisees would be included and everyone else at the time. He was not speaking to all but to the apostles only, after that passed on to those appointed by the apostles. otherwise there would be no point of having a church. anyone could just grab what was left in writing to whoever wanted to read and follow for himself by the readings of the bible.

Obedience, whatever happened to it?.

I was in that camp at one time when I was Protestant. I thought everything in the Bible was directed to the individual believer, and that we only had to be obedient until the minister taught something contrary to what we already believed, even if they were right and we were wrong. Usually, people would leave a community in that situation.

Sadly, the truth is taken for granted because people get upset about the truth.

Alaha minokhoun