Well; I guess I am a real odd-ball Protestant because of how I see this question.
Hi Protestant101, roughly the first 1500 yrs of the Church prior to the Protestant Reformation. I wouldn’t say you’re an odd ball.Well; I guess I am a real odd-ball Protestant because of how I see this question.
What I would like to do first, if I may, is to answer by asking a quick question, if I may.
When you say “The first 1500 years;” what exactly are you talking about? “The first 1500 years of what?” I would appreciate some references for your answer please.
But perhaps you can add your understanding for me as a SDA. My friend is SDA and she is now saying she is not Protestant. I quoted her from the officlal Adventist website where it says “Protestants including SDAs…” but she insists having Protestant type beliefs does not make SDAs Protestant. I’m not sure if she takes this view because she does not see the Adventist faith as having come out of the Reformation or exactly why. Do you consider your beliefs as part of the early Church and that is why you see the question as you do? Perhaps that is why my friend said the question made no sense to her. I know SDAs believe for instance the 7th day was observed for centuries and Sunday keeping was first enjoined by law by Constantine. (I’m looking at my copy of SDA “Bible Answers” right now.) 
Ha ha! Well, the “Bible Answers” may or may not have that answer; I am not sure. Been a while since I read that booklet. While I can provide references later when I have more time; suffice it to say that officially Adventists see themselves as arising out of the Reformation, not as a new people, but as restorers of various Protestant truths that have been neglected or cast aside. To make it simple, we are like Roman Catholics in the sense that the Bible never mentions our respective denominations; but we have existed for many years - not by name; but by our doctrines. This is why I have said a few times on this forum that Seventh-day Adventists have been around since before Roman Catholics, not by name; but by Bible truths preached. Roman Catholics have been around, not always by name; and not by beliefs, until much later than Adventist doctrines can be traced in the Bible.Hi Protestant101, roughly the first 1500 yrs of the Church prior to the Protestant Reformation. I wouldn’t say you’re an odd ball.
So basically you are saying as a SDA Protestant, your doctrine existed from the beginning or much earlier than Catholic beliefs. That may be my friend’s thinking too. If your doctrine existed earlier and the Church has been since Eden, she and you didn’t get the 1500 yrs thing. If so, I think I understand how you’re both approaching my question and why 1500 yrs didn’t make a whole lot of sense to either of you.
Peace.I guess to be more clear; yes, I do get the 1500 yr thing totally. Its just that I don’t see how that denotes “the first Church” to The Roman Catholics. The *First Church" was in existence long before “the 1500 years.” Atleast that’s how I currently understand it.So basically you are saying as a SDA Protestant, your doctrine existed from the beginning or much earlier than Catholic beliefs. That may be my friend’s thinking too. If your doctrine existed earlier and the Church has been since Eden, she and you didn’t get the 1500 yrs thing. If so, I think I understand how you’re both approaching my question and why 1500 yrs didn’t make a whole lot of sense to either of you.
Oh I didn’t mean you didn’t understand what I meant by 1500 yrs. Just that I think you’re saying if the Church existed in Eden or earlier than the Catholic Church, before Matt 16 and Peter, that it was long before that Adventist doctrine existed. So I think I understand how you’re looking at it Protestant from the SDA understanding and perspective.
Not quite - but close. I was trying to explain that the doctrines we have have always existed.
Any claim that the Adventists were around before the birth of Jesus Christ will be quite tenuous unless it is possible to identify them positively. Were they Jews or non-Jews? Romans, Greeks, Canaanites or other groups? Can these early Adventists be considered Christians (as in followers of Jesus Christ)? Can anyone identify a few outstanding Adventists who lived before Jesus Christ? Can any historical continuity be established in the form of old documents, ancient church buildings or their ruins, relics, or better yet, a line of succession for SDA leaders stretching back more than a few hundred years?
There were no Roman Catholics mentioned in the Bible; just as there are no Adventists. A Church is not a church without it’s beliefs. The name of the Church is not the same from one age to the next but the doctrines are.
Oh I have some love for you too! Been busy have we?Hi, Gary,
Yes, PRmerger does provide for excellent posts … but, do try and keep the ‘mushyness’ down
God bless
Hail,
As a student, these were questions which often plagued my mind. As a student, we’re obliged to ask why. So I did. The answer played a major factor into bringing me into the CC. It has been a bit bothersome, at times, since I’m still somewhat influenced by Protestant teachings.
I worry that if my cup is full of bad water, would that water contaminate the good water? I’ve been mostly trying to throw away that bad water, so there is none of its foulness left.But it’s hard, because the water sticks to the cup and brings with it doubt and insecurity. How can I join Catholicism like this?
It’s not good. Not good at all.
-MontChevalier
Hey tqualey! How are you? Long time “no see!” Actually, we could just go for now with what you said about the ten commandments. They are also part of The New Testament too. I mean; wouldn’t it be really odd for God to say “thou shalt not commit adultery” in the Old Testament, and then “do away” with that in The New Testament? Certainly, the way many people act, you’d think that’s just what God did; but lets look at that.Hi, P101,
I would find it helpful if you would enumerate these identifable doctrines that existed before the 1st Century NT that are not part of the OT. For example, the Ten Commandments existed prior to the 1st Century, but are part of the OT.
Thanks and God bless
yes, there are other examples. The Catholic Church is one of many,
Please believe me; I mean absolutely no disrespect here; but I have been studying, in depth, Roman Law In European History, and it seems to me that most people then in England were scared to not follow the Pope. The climate and mix of church and state at the time brought about this state of affairs. Based on this idea, and some other related ones; I would say that historically Popes have used various political means to help enforce/promulgate Roman Catholic beliefs. There are examples, right where I live today of this. I think that in many cases, and especially in Roman Catholic dominant countries; people still feel somewhat like this, so I would question whether or not people truly “follow the Pope.” I think that a lot of people just class themselves as following Jesus, and the Pope; well, reactions are very mixed - even within the Roman Catholic Church.
Yes, it has been a while. There were privious posts that identified Protestant beliefs as coming forward in the 16th Century, then some said there were these beliefs in the 1st Century - distinct from those of the Catholic Church. And, then there are those (Protestant?) beliefs you say that have been around for a much longer period of time. Would you kindly enumerate them?“…most were scared to follow the Pope…?” Please support this comment with an objective reference.
Back when princes ruled their lands, and the Pope was the ruler of the Papal States, there was a lot of jockying for positon on who held what. The medieval, feudal and renaissance time periods were ones of on-going battles for land, treasure and power - and, the Popes engaged in this activity, too. But, please bear in mind - in its 2000 year history, there has never been an error in ANY official teaching involving Faith or Morals. You may have reason to wonder about the behavior of certain individuals, but their official teachings were never in doubt.
Maybe it would help to look at the Pope in the context of Matt 16:18…
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