LutheranDK:
I posted this earlier, before you entered the discussion. With your entrance, it is even more to the point, so I will repeat it here. Your reponse(s) are eagerly anticipated.
The Bible does not state all that Christ did while onearth - it even says so in its pages. The canon of the Bible was not even finalized, agreed upon, and approved until the 4th century - by Catholics, mind you. The New Testament you and Lutherans possess was given to you by the Catholic Church, inspired by God (Luther himself admitted so). Yes, the Catholic Church gave Protestants the Bible. Luther thanked them for it by removing books which did not jibe with his view on things (Macabees - Purgatory). He wanted to remove James (“faith without works is dead”) due to his belief that humans are “dunghills covered with snow” and are incapable of “doing” (works) good. Hence, the “faith alone” argument. Nowhere in the Bible is this statement to be found, except in James, where it is refuted. Indeed, Luther’s German translation actually inserted the word “alone” to suit his needs. Again, this was just a man making the rules up along the way to fit his own earthly vision - against that of God. Subsequent reformers are just as guilty, because they branched off of Luther’s branch - to each his own.
Protestants - beginning with Mr. Luther - have hacked away at the Bible over the years by removing entire books, distorting it through terrible translations, etc. Heck, now you can buy Joyce Meyer’s interpretation of the Bible if her translation fits your particular worldview. If not, simply get another translation that does. This is not Christianity, my friend. This is not Truth. This is, however, confusion. The Bible was given to you by God, through the Catholic Church, which spread His truth throughout the world for centuries before a Bible was even written. He not only gave us the Bible through the Catholic Church, but the Catholic Church to serve as your scriptural interpreter and teacher, as well. There can be only one Truth, not tens of thousands of competing visions of Truth. Please come to understand this.
The Catholic Church (not church, mind you) is Holy and divine. It is not corrupt, and cannot be so. People within the Church can be - and are. The Church itself is pure, as it is Christ’s Church. The Church has lasted 2000 years. It has lasted longer than any other human institution or government. And it will continue to do so. It will be here long after all others are gone. Christ said the gates of hell would not prevail against it. They have not, and will not. Only such divine protection can account for the Church’s survival against endless attacks from within and without. This divine protection will ensure it’s continued survival and growth. Indeed, we just added 400,00 members last week, likely to swell to millions more in the months and weeks to come as our Anglican brothers and sisters flee man-made religion to come home to Christ’s Church (no offense to my Anglican brothers and sisters, but it is the truth). In the near future, many Lutherans will do the same, as they see the folly in man-made religion.
Our friend Mr. Luther headed up a group of people who were upset and bitter over legitimate wrongs and practices taking place within the Church, being done by people within the Church. Rather than reform the Church (again, not church) from within, Luther was cursed with pride and his new practice now bears his - a mortal man’s - own name. This is why Lutheranism is dwindling away, and will be virtually gone within the next 40/50 years, certainly within the USA, maybe a little later elsewhere. It is a man’s vision of how he wanted things to be, not how Christ wanted things to be. It was doomed from the start. Aforementioned Anglicanism - formed when a king was not allowed an anullment - is dying, as well.
Man-made religion will not cut it. It will rot. As far as “… (The Bible)” being a “pillar and support of the truth; it not even difficult to see God entrusted a body of believers to preserve his truth and to use that truth to edifiy and teach and practice his truth”, who on earth among our feuding, conflicted, contradictory, and self-righteous Protestant brethren is to say what the Bible means? On whose authority do you all rely? The Pentacostal down the street, who believes differently than you, differently from the Baptist, differently from the Episcopal, differently from the 7th Day Adventist, different from the “non-denominational”, different from the Methodist, different from the Assembly of God, different from the…? You get the point (hopefully). It doesn’t end, and never will. God is not the author of this confusion. Protestants often argue that Catholics allow a man to come between them and God when they confess to a priest. What malarkey. Protestants - all, each and every one, of Protestants - have done so. Luther, Calvin, Wesley, Knox, on and on. Each with their own “Biblical teaching.”
Protestantism can be boiled down to one’s own interpretation of the text, which is why the reformers have been reformed, and reformed, and reformed, and will always be reformed. Indeed, the truest form of Protestantism is one man, alone with a Bible, understanding it as he sees fit, seeing others as confused and wrong, while believing what he reads (if he can read, comprehend, etc.) as the True Word.
Christ gave humanity a teacher - the Catholic Church. Eventually, most will realize this (as I hope you do) and will come home.
