It seems the key to maintaining doctrinal truth is achieved through the church founded by Jesus...

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It seems the key to maintaining doctrinal truth is achieved through the church founded by Jesus…

Non-Catholics, scripture tells us that the manifold wisdom of God is made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms via Jesus’ church:

His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 3:10

Scripture tells us that we do not wrestle or contend with flesh and blood (a Hebraism for human beings) - but we are in a spiritual conflict with the rulers and powers of the kingdom of darkness. By using the phrase “principalities and powers,” - Paul seems to be telling us that there is a hierarchical structure to the kingdom of darkness, where fallen angels, evil spirits, and demons are ranked one above the other according to their power and authority. The word “principality” in the NT, is used several time to denote angelic or demonic rulers. The word “powers” - is used in Ephesians 6:12 to represent the angelic or demonic authorities that operate in the spirit realm.

Ephesians 2:2 - …in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.

Ephesians 6:12 - For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm.

The context of Ephesians 6:12 (“not against flesh and blood”) - illustrates that earthly potentates are not what Paul has in mind, ultimately, but rather spiritual powers, who, in consequence of human sin, exercise satanic and therefore antagonistic authority over the world in its present condition of spiritual darkness and alienation from God. We see, from scripture that Satan is ceaselessly on the attack against Jesus’ church, “Then the dragon…went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus,” - but we know that Satan will fail to overcome Jesus’ church: “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it,” - which is why Paul said:

His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 3:10

if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth. 1 Timothy 3:15

If Jesus’ church is the pillar and foundation of truth, through which the manifold wisdom of God is made known, even to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, then where can this church, in a world with so many divided, albeit very holy churches, be found today, and, why doesn’t scripture tell us that scripture is the pillar and foundation of truth, through which the manifold wisdom of God is made known, even to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, which would have gone a long way at supporting sola scriptura?

It seems the key to maintaining doctrinal truth is achieved through the church founded by Jesus, forever guided by the Holy Spirit, as opposed to scripture, which is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.

Is that a correct assumption???
 
And now the practical/pragmatic side of this.

The Church is at war against demons. The demons have made huge inroads: contraception, abortion, divorce, and the distortion of culture into a cesspool of sex and drugs.

If you are a Protestant there is nothing you can do about any of that on a global level. Your church, however well intentioned as it may be, is too small and too local to have any influence over these huge problems (assuming it even acknowledges them). But more importantly, if your church even acknowledges the reality of spiritual warfare, your church does not have a coherent message to address the evils of today’s society. Your church trumpets the virtue of marriage while allowing divorce. Your church celebrates the sanctity of life while allowing contraception and probably also abortion. Either Jesus meant what He said about evil or He didn’t; there is no middle ground.

[BIBLEDRB]Revelation 3:16[/BIBLEDRB]

If you want to save souls, give them the full gospel. Time to get on board.
 
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