Ideas for explaining the 'visible church' to non-Catholics?

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onemangang said:
The Catholic Church has much in common with the LCMS, I wish the same could be said about the rest of Christendom!

And Peace be with you!
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And also with you.

I think we have more in common than many of our siblings, on both sides, know of or care to admit. 😉

Jon
 
Calgar said:
Southern Baptists believe that “the church” is all Christians. Whether you’re roman catholic, methodist, group of people meeting in a basement, etc., if you are Christian you are the church.
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That is the way my church believes, even some Catholics believe this. I know some Catholics who act less like the body of Christ than than those who are not Catholic.
 
awantz said:
That is the way my church believes, even some Catholics believe this. I know some Catholics who act less like the body of Christ than than those who are not Catholic.
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Well if are all the “Church” as many teach and believe,then why the need to have different denominations?
 
Calgar said:
Really? Tell me what exactly confers salvation. Tell me exactly what a roman catholic must do.
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It’s a gift that is given to you through grace alone, so you don’t do anything to earn it. (Baptism is necessary if available but it is something that is done to you, not something you earn by professing your faith. That’s why babies should be baptized.)

Then you live out that grace in love. The Bible is clear that people who fail to do so are not saved:

[BIBLEDRB]Hebrews 10:26-29[/BIBLEDRB]
 
Calgar said:
Help me understand. You’re comparing southern baptists to these cathars?
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I’m showing you that before the Reformation, you were either Catholic/Orthodox or not a Christian. Therefore there is no way that a given Baptist church can claim to be the original NT church.
 
Nicea325 said:
I am old enough…but not 1700 years old…😃 Well wouldn’t something so vital for our soul be remotely mentioned? Second, why would any ECF need to wait at Nicaea to bring it up? I am sure it would have been mentioned in writings as were many other orthodox teachings prior to 325 A.D.
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And the writings of the Apostles speak about it.

Now are you speaking to works? Faith IS justified by works. Works come after faith. It may be immediately after faith, but faith comes first.
 
awantz said:
That is the way my church believes, even some Catholics believe this. I know some Catholics who act less like the body of Christ than than those who are not Catholic.
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I don’t believe it’s some roman catholics who believe it. I’m pretty sure it’s one of their teachings. Southern baptists are part of the catholic church (in thier view) it’s an imperfect union of some sort (I think that’s what they believe).
 
Nicea325 said:
Well if are all the “Church” as many teach and believe,then why the need to have different denominations?
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As far as I know, we don’t.

The sbc helps start many churches (as in communities of Christians) that never join the sbc.
 
Cat_Herder said:
It’s a gift that is given to you through grace alone, so you don’t do anything to earn it. Then you live out that grace in love. The Bible is clear that people who fail to do so are not saved:
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It sounds like we are in agreement.
 
Cat_Herder said:
I’m showing you that before the Reformation, you were either Catholic/Orthodox or not a Christian. Therefore there is no way that a given Baptist church can claim to be the original NT church.
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I understand. But again, THE church is all Christians. Surely you don’t believe the roman catholic church as it is today existed back then?
 
Calgar said:
I’m sorry, I don’t even know what a “re-baptism” is. Can you explain that?
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If I were to convert to a Baptist Church, would my Trinitarian baptism, performed a month and a day after I was born, be considered a sufficient baptism? Or would I have to be baptized again (re-baptized)?

Jon
 
Calgar said:
So you’re argument seems to be that there must be a church, but I don’t see any evidence that it is the roman catholic church.
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For it to be any other, there must have been an apostasy, which is impossible.
The greek orthodox, historically speaking, would seem to have more of a claim then the rc.
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Peter went to Rome; Constantinople didn’t yet exist.
 
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