In respect to the Holy Spirit which should be tangible among the hierarchy in the church in Rome. Is the Catholic Church assuming it’s state of holiness any where near Gods description as stated in John 16?
Not 100% sure where you are going with this?
The definition of tangible is perceptible by touch. How does one touch the indwelling of the Holy Spirit?
You never gave an interpretation of John 16 or pointed out where I went wrong so all I can do is answer your question based on my interpretation of the verse. As I stated I do believe this is meant for the Apostles and their successors. Notice two things when Jesus says the Spirit will guide you.
First of all the word guide means to show the way. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit can show us the way but we still have to chose to follow that guide. So ones bad actions is not evidence that one has not received the Spirit it is just evidence that one is not following the guide.
Secondly, the word you here is plural so to me this means that Jesus is saying guide you, as a whole, not guide each one of you individually. So I don’t really see how you can even make the assertion you are trying to make. John 16 is speaking to the Church as a whole that the Spirit will guide the Church into all truth. If you can point to something the Church teaches that is not assuming God’s “state of holiness” please point it out and we can discuss this teaching of the Catholic Church. However if you just want to point fingers at certain members of the Church and judge the entire Church based on a few bad people then you are looking at the Church in a way that Jesus said not to.
Jesus said himself in Matthew 13:28 that within the kingdom (Church) an enemy would plant the weeds along side the wheat.
You a the servant in verse 28 saying those weeds shouldn’t be there because it would be evidence that this isn’t the kingdom(Church).
Jesus response to you is to let them grow together and when it is time for the harvest He will burn the weeds and bring the wheat home to Him.
We are all sinners, there will always be weeds among the wheat, yes even in the hierarchy of the Catholic Church. Jesus tells us what to do when we come across these weeds in the hierarchy…
Matthew 23:3 so practice and observe whatever they tell you, but not what they do; for they preach, but do not practice.
Point to all the bad individuals you want, that doesn’t matter, sin is everywhere in our culture. As a Catholic I am not doing what they do in their personal lives however I am practicing what the Catholic Church was given the authority by Christ to teach.
If you want to point out something officially taught that isn’t any where near God’s description let’s discuss it.
God Bless
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