=mikekle;12963025]I was reading this online earlier, this was from a man who decided to leave the catholic church, I found what he said below to be very interesting (in bold), by these verses, its pretty clear God knew the CC was going to be teaching some ‘errors’ during this time up until the second coming, but my question is, if this is so, how do we know what is error and what is correct?
**There are many passages in the New Testament which reveal that the church would not be preserved from error. Acts 20:17, 28-30; 2 Pet. 2:1-3; 1 Tim. 4:1-3; 2 Tim. 4:3-4; 2 Thess. 2:3-11. We see from these passages that there was to come a great falling away from the truth. In Acts chapter twenty we learn that perverse things would come from the bishops of the church. Peter said (2 Pet. 2) that false teachers would arise among you (working from within) and there would be many who would follow them. Paul tell us (2 Thess. 2) that the apostasy was already underway, “for the mystery of iniquity is already at work…” (Verse 7) **
Sure; but lets first clarify an essential truth:
As stated by you, you’re in serious error. While the people that make up Christ One true Church and Faith can sin and error; the Church Herself cannot. Your premise is wrong. The “Church” has not and cannot teach in error on Faith and Moral matters.
We have the example of Judas who betrayed Christ and in a sense sent Him to His Cross. But Judas did not TEACH in error; while not accepting Christ as the Messiah.
On, and ONLY on all matters to be believed and accepted Faith matters and Moral teaching our Catholic Church cannot; absolutely cannot teach in error. These two categories are encapsulated under the Defined Dogma of “Infallibility”; based on the following bible teachings:
Mt. 10:1-8 Christ actually shares some of His Godly powers with His Apostles
Mt. 16:15-19 Christ give ALL of the Key’s to heaven access to Peter and his successors** Mt.10:6-7
compared to Mk. 16:14-15 & & Mt 28:16-20**
AND commits that the gate of HELL [Satan] shall never prevail against Her [Mother Church] & v. 20: Christ commits to being with HIS Church until the end of time, so we can know your premise is wrong. Christ cannot lie!
John 17: 11-26 Cf. where Christ sends the Apostles “as the Father sent me, so TOO do I send YOU” repeated in
John 20:21
Jn. 17:20 Jesus literally gives Himself as the Personal warranty of these powers.
Mk.16:14-15 Christ specifically, precisely and exclusively commands “THEM” to go forth and teach the entire world; this is further clarified in
Mt. 28:16-20 where Jesus says Cf. “YOU GO!”; “YOU teach all that I have taught to you”
As space here is wisely limited, I need to be brief:
Here is a site for those desiring greater detail of examples misunderstood by the OP as being “taught by the Church”
biblescholars.org/2013/05/heresies-controversies-schisms-early-church-part-ii.html
Acts 20: 28-30 “Take heed to yourselves, and to the whole flock, wherein the Holy Ghost hath placed you bishops, to rule the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. I know that, after my departure, ravening wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock. And of your own selves shall arise men speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them”
**2 Pet. 2: 1-2 **“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their licentiousness, and because of them the way of truth will be reviled”
Throughout the entire history of the Church, there have been heresies and heretics; BUT these are not “Church” teachings: they are different men at different time trying to dictate to GOD what His truths are. And yes there have been some called heretics, who were from within the church; BUT not speaking or teaching officially on behalf of Her.
There has been notable Schisms such as the Great Eastern Schism of 1054 and the Protestant Reformation in the 16th. Century; very often led by dissident “Catholic Priest” who too left in Schisms to establish their own versions of what they thought God’s Faith ought to teach and be.
And even in our times, we have seen men from within the Universal-world-wide Church try to leverage their positions of authority to change long defined, binding, and unbreakable Church Doctrines on marriage and the necessary conditions to validly and licitly participate in Her Sacramental Life. But these men do not speak for “the Church”; they are at best expressing their own views of what the Church; and therefore God must do. Causing much confusion and distress; BUT in the end not changing what God has already Ordained, Commanded or Mandated.
Truth, like God, Like God’s One True Church & One True set of Faith beliefs** [Eph. 4:1-7**], are as they MUST be; singular per defined issue.
While the passages you point out do, in some cases refer to members of the Catholic Church; NONE of them refer to actual “Church Teaching in Error” on Faith beliefs and Moral absolutes. Rather they far more often fall into Schisms and heresies; rebuked by the Church; not as you suggested, actually taught “by Her.” Amen!
**1st. Tim. 3: 14-15 **“ These things I write to thee, hoping that I shall come to thee shortly. But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.”
[SINGULAR]
God Bless you
,
Patrick**
