Reformed debate (long! please help!)

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Col 1: (This will take us to our 2nd subject - The Church)
24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church,25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known,26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints.27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

1 Tim. 3: (This will take us to works as a fruit from Faith through Grace alone)
1 The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.2 Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife,t sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,3 not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.4 He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive,5 for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church?6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.7 Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.

8 Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued,t not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain.9 They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.10 And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless.11 Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things.12 Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well.13 For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.


1 Tim. 4: (Touches on Salvation which I have not brought on the other thread)
14 Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you.15 Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress.16 Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.1

1 Tim. 5:
22 Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure.23 (No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.)24 The sins of some men are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later.25 So also good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden.

Titus 1:
5 This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you—6 if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife,t and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination.7 For an overseer,t as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain,8 but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.9 He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.

All the verses above are clear on the delegating authority that Jesus gave the Apostles. It includes warnings and the proper way of laying the hands and the responsibilities of each position. It does not talk about an independent person delegating this authority outside the direct succession of the Apostles.

Nowhere in the Bible does it say anything about inheriting Authority from the Bible. In fact, what is known as the Septuagint was a collection of scrolls and not a canon per se.

This Church was persecuted and we have very valuable witnesses in Justin Martyr, Ignatius of Antioch, Clement of Rome, Polycarp, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Hippolytus, Cyprian, Athanasius, among others. I stopped with Athanasius because from him we have the 1st list of the 27 books of the New Testament that we have today. And this authority was exercised without the Bible and based on oral Tradition

Hope this helps.

Peace.
 
Again you are letting him set the underlying tone. Which is scripture alone. He asks about authority in the bible. The post people have given are ample. Also no that the bible does not say scripture alone. There are passages that come close, but no cigar. You might go at it with this. Where did scripture come from. God did not write it and hand it down from heaven. The AUTHORITY wrote the new testament. Who decided what would be scripture, again an AUTHORITY. What did the christians do for 300 years before the bible(in it’s current form) was established? actually scripture has the answer- “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” act 2:42
 
If you stay within Scriptures alone, it is futile… you will lose the debate. 🍿
 
Hmmm never. As the principle you speak of itself can’t get to 1st base.

Any progress on the questions you have pending?

🍿🍿
I’m new to the thread. What question is pending? The only way a Catholic can compete with Reformed theology is to appeal to extra-biblical sources. Yet, Reformed theology is grounded in Sola Scriptura. It’s a no win scenario to debate within the Scriptures alone.

:flowers: Tulip anyone?
 
The old truth that Calvin preached, that Augustine preached, that Paul preached, is the truth that I must preach to-day, or else be false to my conscience and my God. I cannot shape the truth; I know of no such thing as paring off the rough edges of a doctrine. John Knox’s gospel is my gospel. That which thundered through Scotland must thunder through England again."—C. H. Spurgeon
 
Since we are double posting:

This same Augustine had this to say:

Quote:
“for it was through the Catholics that I got my faith in it”
(That is the Gospel)

Against the Epistle of Manichæus Called Fundamental

and

Quote:
For my part, I should not believe the gospel except as moved by the authority of the Catholic Church.

Against the Epistle of Manichæus Called Fundamental

and

Quote:
“For in the Catholic Church, not to speak of the purest wisdom, to the knowledge of which a few spiritual, men attain in this life, so as to know it, in the scantiest measure, indeed, because they are but men, still without any uncertainty (since the rest of the multitude derive their entire security not from acuteness of intellect, but from simplicity of faith,)—not to speak of this wisdom, which you do not believe to be in the Catholic Church, there are many other things which most justly keep me in her bosom. The consent of peoples and nations keeps me in the Church; so does her authority, inaugurated by miracles, nourished by hope, enlarged by love, established by age. **The succession of priests keeps me, beginning from the very seat of the Apostle Peter, to whom the Lord, after His resurrection, gave it in charge to feed His sheep, down to the present episcopate. **And so, lastly, does the name itself of Catholic, which, not without reason, amid so many heresies, the Church has thus retained; so that, though all heretics wish to be called Catholics, yet when a stranger asks where the Catholic Church meets, no heretic will venture to point to his own chapel or house. Such then in number and importance are the precious ties belonging to the Christian name which keep a believer in the Catholic Church, as it is right they should, though from the slowness of our understanding, or the small attainment of our life, the truth may not yet fully disclose itself. But with you, where there is none of these things to attract or keep me, the promise of truth is the only thing that comes into play. Now if the truth is so clearly proved as to leave no possibility of doubt, it must be set before all the things that keep me in the Catholic Church; but if there is only a promise without any fulfillment, no one shall move me from the faith which binds my mind with ties so many and so strong to the Christian religion.”

Against the Epistle of Manichæus Called Fundamental

You can run but you can’t hide,

[bibledrb]John 8:31-32[/bibledrb]
  • Lord of Lord, King of Kings, Jesus Christ!
Cherry picking quotes from ECF’s to attempt to put them in line with schismatic ideas is not the truth, and it shall not make you free.
 
If you stay within Scriptures alone, it is futile… you will lose the debate. 🍿
No…but it will certainly go nowhere. SS necessarily devolves into one person saying “this verse clearly says “a”…” and the other, “no, it clearly says “b”…” and then they both start 1) relying on themselves as the “right” understanding party or 2) start quoting ECF’s to support their views…and they have now abandoned SS for the tradition of themselves or that of the ECF’s. 🙂
 
The old truth that Calvin preached, that Augustine preached, that Paul preached, is the truth that I must preach to-day, or else be false to my conscience and my God. I cannot shape the truth; I know of no such thing as paring off the rough edges of a doctrine. John Knox’s gospel is my gospel. That which thundered through Scotland must thunder through England again."—C. H. Spurgeon
Okay, do you get to pick which truths preached by Augustine are true…or do you have to accept ALL of Augustine? If you accept ALL, then you have to submit to the Catholic Church as he did. If you pick which parts of Augustine are true, you have to demonstrate that you have the authority to rightly determine which parts of his true messsage are true.
 
Okay, do you get to pick which truths preached by Augustine are true…or do you have to accept ALL of Augustine? If you accept ALL, then you have to submit to the Catholic Church as he did. If you pick which parts of Augustine are true, you have to demonstrate that you have the authority to rightly determine which parts of his true messsage are true.
I’m like you… I receive some of the teachings of Augustine and reject other teachings. Do you agree with Augustine’s beliefs and teachings on Mary?
 
I’m like you… I receive some of the teachings of Augustine and reject other teachings. Do you agree with Augustine’s beliefs and teachings on Mary?
Actually not.

He is Catholic, that means that he agrees with what the Catholic Church teaches. Not picking and choosing individual persons that conform to his individual idea of what Christianity should be. Just like Augustine was subject to the authority of the Catholic Church.
 
Actually not.

He is Catholic, that means that he agrees with what the Catholic Church teaches. Not picking and choosing individual persons that conform to his individual idea of what Christianity should be. Just like Augustine was subject to the authority of the Catholic Church.
I have a friend who left Protestantism and is going through RICA. He asked the Father who is teaching RICA about Augustine’s view on Mary. The Father told him that Augustine got it wrong. My point: we all pick and choose different teachings of Augustine.
 
I have a friend who left Protestantism and is going through RICA. He asked the Father who is teaching RICA about Augustine’s view on Mary. The Father told him that Augustine got it wrong. My point: we all pick and choose different teachings of Augustine.
My goodness, is there an end to demagoguery…

Are all of Augustine’s teachings in the Catechism of the Catholic Church? Where does it say that we hold to everything a Church Father, Doctor of the Church, et al has ever said?

You pick and choose what you like about what Catholic’s have said when those Catholics have submitted themselves to the authority of the Church, a fact you a willfully ignoring.
 
I agree, it’s not ideal. The thing is, I have a severe hearing impairment so discussion with him face to face is difficult. Also, this has been causing problems in his family (he does not go to the weddings of his brothers and does not attend baptisms), I am not attacking, merely telling him the belief of the catholic church so at least he won’t be attacking misunderstood assumptions.
Here is a suggestion…why don’t you tell to go on here and have discussions with us catholics on here…and not pick on you…🤷
 
I’m new to the thread. What question is pending? The only way a Catholic can compete with Reformed theology is to appeal to extra-biblical sources. Yet, Reformed theology is grounded in Sola Scriptura. It’s a no win scenario to debate within the Scriptures alone.

:flowers: Tulip anyone?
Hmmm…is that why it is full of errors…because it was developed using SS…and one’s own private interpretation of scripture?

Did Calvin teach Scripture alone?
 
Hmmm…is that why it is full of errors…because it was developed using SS…and one’s own private interpretation of scripture?

Did Calvin teach Scripture alone?
The doctrine of Sola Scriptura is the foundation of the Protestant Reformation; therefore we have to assume that Calvin and Luther both believed in Sola Scriptura.
 
The doctrine of Sola Scriptura is the foundation of the Protestant Reformation;
therefore we have to assume that Calvin and Luther both believed in Sola Scriptura.
Well then…what if you assumption is wrong? Why don’t you provide their teachings on SS. It should be easy for you to find…right?

Here is what one historian who studied Calvin concluded:calledtocommunion.com/2010/06/how-john-calvin-made-me-a-catholic/

He had insisted on the importance of unity and authority, but had rejected any rational or consistent basis for that authority. He knew that Scripture totally alone, Scripture interpreted by each individual conscience, was a recipe for disaster.

Would you agree with the conclusion above?
 
He knew that Scripture totally alone, Scripture interpreted by each individual conscience, was a recipe for disaster.
Would you agree with the conclusion above?

I’ll agree to that! Scripture is to be interpreted by my church, and not by me.
 
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