How do I choose a Church?

[mikew262]

They weren’t labeled “Catholic” but they certainly were Catholic because they followed the teachings of the Church which was certainly Catholic. And having been labeled Catholic in 110 A.D. should certainly be proof enough for you that the Church that Jesus Christ established on Peter the Rock was definitely the Catholic Church. But I know you will say that it is not proof at all.

No, you didn’t prove your point, but no big deal.

 

[Kay_Cee]

The barrier/ curtain was torn allowing us to go directly to God.
I got it from an online bible scholar program.

Okay, for the sake of the argument, let’s say that’s right. Let’s say what God meant by tearing the curtain was to establish, from that point in time forward (else how could it apply to you?), the ability for us to confess our sins to Him directly.

But then why does God, just days later, breathe on the apostles and tell them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them. Whose sins you shall retain, they are retained” so the sinner can go to the apostles to have his sins forgiven, thereby establishing the ability to confess our sins to Him indirectly?

And I still don’t see anywhere in those verses about the curtain being torn that it has to do with the method by which we are to approach God to have our sins forgiven. Nowhere do those verses relate the curtain tearing to the forgiveness of sins. Sounds like that “online bible scholar program” added an idea not supported by the text. Are those folks sola scriptura? If so, don’t you find that exceedingly strange too? After all, shouldn’t they be going by the Bible alone and not adding their own ideas to the Word of God?

Sorry, but of the two methods, I have to go by the one I actually see in scripture.

 

[murtad]

I’d just stick to the Church which actually wrote the Bible

That Church is the Holy, Roman Church established by Christ Jesus who ordained Saint Peter as the first Bishop of Rome. It is not rocket science to search for the true Church yet many Westerners are cafeteria Christians They love choice.

 

[jmcrae]

The barrier/ curtain was torn allowing us to go directly to God.
I got it from an online bible scholar program.

Um - wouldn’t that be “a man” (or possibly a woman)?

If the Pope’s opinion isn’t good enough - the Pope has all of the words of Jesus and everything that was ever taught from the moment Jesus began to speak in public until today - who has been making a study of this for all of his life - if what the Pope has isn’t good enough, then how is some guy who reads the Bible in English and studied at a Bible school for maybe two years or something, and who has no idea what happened between the end of the Book of Acts and the nailing of the 95 theses on the door of Wittenberg Cathedral in 1517 - how is that guy’s opinion going to be “better than” the Pope’s opinion?

 

[Holly3278]

NO. THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IS NOT A BIBLE-BELIEVING CHURCH

I can’t believe you just said that with your profile saying that you are a Catholic. As a Catholic, you should know that our Church is a Bible believing Church.

 

[jmcrae]

I can’t believe you just said that with your profile saying that you are a Catholic. As a Catholic, you should know that our Church is a Bible believing Church.

Actually, we place our faith in Jesus Christ; not in the Bible.

The Bible is useful for devotion, for teaching, and for correction, but it is not the Judge, it is not the Teacher, and it is not God.

 

[Steven_John]

Sorry, but of the two methods, I have to go by the one I actually see in scripture.

This is an excellent way to go.
Jesus (PBWH) taught us how to pray when asked.
Jesus (PBWH) spent his life in a mission of showing us how priests of his day were at times wrong and we were to follow him, he prayed to the Father direct.

Following scripture is real important if we don’t before we know it we call priests father.

 

[Steven_John]

Um - wouldn’t that be “a man” (or possibly a woman)?

If the Pope’s opinion isn’t good enough - the Pope has all of the words of Jesus and everything that was ever taught from the moment Jesus began to speak in public until today - who has been making a study of this for all of his life - if what the Pope has isn’t good enough, then how is some guy who reads the Bible in English and studied at a Bible school for maybe two years or something, and who has no idea what happened between the end of the Book of Acts and the nailing of the 95 theses on the door of Wittenberg Cathedral in 1517 - how is that guy’s opinion going to be “better than” the Pope’s opinion?

In the past popes and other religious have been far from faultless.

My Father looks at the heart not the best scholar.

 

[SD_Catholic]

Steven John

Jesus (PBWH) spent his life in a mission of showing us how priests of his day were at times wrong

Well thank you… I knew it… it was those crazy priests who caused all the problems.

Steven John

Following scripture is real important if we don’t before we know it we call priests father.

Yeah like all those fools who called Abraham father… well… and your dad and my dad… or wait we were told to do this in Scripture… man you’re confusing me.

SD

 

[Kay_Cee]

This is an excellent way to go.
Jesus (PBWH) taught us how to pray when asked.
Jesus (PBWH) spent his life in a mission of showing us how priests of his day were at times wrong and we were to follow him, he prayed to the Father direct.

Following scripture is real important if we don’t before we know it we call priests father.

I assume you’re referring to Matthew 23:9–“Call no one on earth your father.” And I assume you’re interpreting that verse in an absolutely exclusive sense, that is, we are not to call any human being father for any reason.

But Matthew 23:9 does not stand alone. Because it is the word of God, it must fit with everything else God has revealed to us.

One thing I see in the Bible is God commanding me to honor my father and my mother. Well, that’s going to be impossible to do if I can’t refer to the man who sired me as my father.

But Matthew 23:9 says more than just those seven words I quoted, especially in context. Let’s look at it with the verse before it and the verse after it: “As for you, do not be called Rabbi. You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. Do not be called Master; you have but one master, the Messiah.”

So Jesus says we should not be called Rabbi, father, and Master, but in what sense? In the sense that God should not be replaced by a human being, like the way some cult members follow their leader.

So Paul can say in 1 Corinthians 4:15 “I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.” He doesn’t replace God; he is our father only in Christ Jesus, the way priests are.

 

[Joero]

I assume you’re referring to Matthew 23:9–“Call no one on earth your father.” And I assume you’re interpreting that verse in an absolutely exclusive sense, that is, we are not to call any human being father for any reason.

But Matthew 23:9 does not stand alone. Because it is the word of God, it must fit with everything else God has revealed to us.

One thing I see in the Bible is God commanding me to honor my father and my mother. Well, that’s going to be impossible to do if I can’t refer to the man who sired me as my father.

But Matthew 23:9 says more than just those seven words I quoted, especially in context. Let’s look at it with the verse before it and the verse after it: “As for you, do not be called Rabbi. You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. Do not be called Master; you have but one master, the Messiah.”

So Jesus says we should not be called Rabbi, father, and Master, but in what sense? In the sense that God should not be replaced by a human being, like the way some cult members follow their leader.

So Paul can say in 1 Corinthians 4:15 “I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.” He doesn’t replace God; he is our father only in Christ Jesus, the way priests are.

I agree to that!

 

[jmcrae]

In the past popes and other religious have been far from faultless.

Which has nothing to do with being infallible, or with being the guy to whom the responsibility for the preservation of the Christian faith has been given.

Yes, it’s disconcerting when they misbehave - no doubt about that. I’m sure the followers of Jesus hesitated for a moment or two when they realized that He had chosen Judas to be an Apostle while fully knowing his character.

But when we look at what actually happened, we see that they didn’t in fact, ever do any damage to the deposit of the faith. (In fact, in certain cases, they never even touched it, which was a loss for their generation, but it was still there, intact, for the next generations.

My Father looks at the heart not the best scholar.

That’s for getting oneself to Heaven - you don’t have to be a scholar to get to Heaven.

I think we still need to seek out the best scholars when we’re picking out who our teachers should be, though. I don’t think you should be a theology teacher, if all you have is a kind heart and good intentions. Brains, education, and access to the best libraries (and let’s face it; the Vatican library is an extremely good one) are also required, in this particular instance.

 

[AlegreFe]

Following scripture is real important if we don’t before we know it we call priests father.

Put the word “father” in the search engine of this website and see what you get. And once you get the results, please read the passages. And btw, that website is a protestant bible.

 

[Steven_John]

Hi,
i give thanks for all of your responses to my posts,

Following scripture is real important if we don’t before we know it we call priests father.

Please accept my apology i was being cheeky, i should have said we need prayer to discern the message from scripture.

So Paul can say in 1 Corinthians 4:15 “I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.” He doesn’t replace God; he is our father only in Christ Jesus, the way priests are.

this is a good statement, these people have an understanding of the word father in a similar context that Americans speak of their fore fathers the founders of their great country.

this ties into

Yeah like all those fools who called Abraham father… well… and your dad and my dad… or wait we were told to do this in Scripture… man you’re confusing me

(I will assume you are not really calling them fools)

In this, the Abraham statement, the fore fathers and the great apostle Paul’s the father ship is a reference to who came first, i think.

This has actually got me thinking hypothetically, how do i apply it to a priest that is 30 years my junior that i prayed for at all of his sacraments?

Please note i am not a scholar or well schooled so in the word of religions im not of much value and if anyone thinks it better not to interact with me i respect that.

May God keep and bless you all.

 

[Steven_John]

Put the word “father” in the search engine of this website and see what you get. And once you get the results, please read the passages. And btw, that website is a protestant bible.

Peace and blessings to you Sandy i will check it out

 

[Steven_John]

I think we still need to seek out the best scholars when we’re picking out who our teachers should be, though. I don’t think you should be a theology teacher, if all you have is a kind heart and good intentions. Brains, education, and access to the best libraries (and let’s face it; the Vatican library is an extremely good one) are also required, in this particular instance.

I respect what you say but i had a priest once tell me that my wife and i would have problems in our relationship in the future.

I was offended for my God, my wife and i are very blessed.

I told him i respected is care in concern for us but explained my God has blessed us in a way that is hard to understand. He spoke loudly and told me he spent 3 years studying this and 4 years that so he knew what he was talking about.

I went home saddened and my faith was interrupted, what if he was right, who am i to know what God had planed for me. i know i am near nothing in His big picture. He is a priest a Father to so many, chosen by God for me.

I prayed and read the book, sadly i cant quote it for you but opened to a page i was guided to and it warned of following scholars.

I am balanced while warned i did not interpret it to say never listen to any.

My interpretation was my heart relationship with the Father is the best place for me and with respect for your interpretation of the life of Jesus (PBWH) for you.

 

[thirdn6]

Even within the Catholic church, I agree we should listen to priests and scholars BUT we should see if what they teach us conforms to the teachings of the Church (undoubtedly inspired by the Holy Spirit). The bible says…we should “try the spirits… if they be of God…”. So then we should try what (the spirits) these scholars and priests tell us if they are of God or of their own opinion.

 

[wina]

There are Catholics I know that change parishes they attend due to either not liking the Priest, or liking a different type of music, or that they feel more welcome in another parish, but not because of different beliefs, as far as I know. I know that some priest might take a stand on an issue that is different from the Church, (ie. birth control) but he is not suppose to teach these personal beliefs as what the chruch teaches.

Yes, I do it. I attend the mass not at my parish but different parish where it’s further than my parish because of I can be more focus to the mass. But the teaching is the same because catholic church based on Liturgy

 

[awantz]

Okay, for the sake of the argument, let’s say that’s right. Let’s say what God meant by tearing the curtain was to establish, from that point in time forward (else how could it apply to you?), the ability for us to confess our sins to Him directly.

But then why does God, just days later, breathe on the apostles and tell them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them. Whose sins you shall retain, they are retained” so the sinner can go to the apostles to have his sins forgiven, thereby establishing the ability to confess our sins to Him indirectly?

And I still don’t see anywhere in those verses about the curtain being torn that it has to do with the method by which we are to approach God to have our sins forgiven. Nowhere do those verses relate the curtain tearing to the forgiveness of sins. Sounds like that “online bible scholar program” added an idea not supported by the text. Are those folks sola scriptura? If so, don’t you find that exceedingly strange too? After all, shouldn’t they be going by the Bible alone and not adding their own ideas to the Word of God?

Sorry, but of the two methods, I have to go by the one I actually see in scripture.

I’ve given my answer to that in a previous post.

 

[awantz]

Um - wouldn’t that be “a man” (or possibly a woman)?

If the Pope’s opinion isn’t good enough - the Pope has all of the words of Jesus and everything that was ever taught from the moment Jesus began to speak in public until today - who has been making a study of this for all of his life - if what the Pope has isn’t good enough, then how is some guy who reads the Bible in English and studied at a Bible school for maybe two years or something, and who has no idea what happened between the end of the Book of Acts and the nailing of the 95 theses on the door of Wittenberg Cathedral in 1517 - how is that guy’s opinion going to be “better than” the Pope’s opinion?

I never said the Pope’s opinion isn’t good enough. This man’s opinion would be at the same level as the Pope’s. It tells you what the words in the BIBLE mean in it’s original language. They study it in many languages including the one it was written in.These people study it for many years, a lot more than two that’s for sure.