If the early church Fathers preach that which is contrary to what the apostles had written, I will not accept them.
That is the point, heis. We are talking about perceptions here. The Early Fathers believed differently than you because their faith was taken from what the Apostles believed and taught. Your perceptions are different, because you have departed from what the Apostles believed and taught. It is not what they wrote that is at odds, it is your perception of it.
Code:
The baptism of water has one reference in scripture where is says it gives us a good conscience towards God. It does not say it saves us. It does not say it acts like the blood of the lamb. Now it does say the water is SYMBOLIC to the grave and when the man comes from the water it is SYMBOLIC of the resurrection.
Well, we read it differently, donât we?
We read that âbaptismâŚnow saves youâ. Those who have accepted the Apostolic faith know that it is impossible for mankind to have a clear conscience before God without the intervention of the HS. We read that we are actually joined with Christ in His death and resurrction. A sacrament is a symbol that effects what it symbolizes.
Code:
I have given you what was given me through the HS on the topic of water baptism. When a man is born again, saved, only he himself and God knows what occured in his heart. For his heart was circumcised through the blood of the lamb by way of faith.
I am sure you believe that what you were given is from the HS. I find it interested that the HS has told you something different than what was given to the Apostles.
Why remit sins that are already remitted? It really does not make any logical sense.
Baptism has nothing to do with âconfessing to the worldâ. You will not find this anywhere in scripture. On the contrary, baptism in the first 300 years was done privately and secretly with only believers, since it was illegal, and could result in getting killed by the Roman Empire.
Code:
IT is not myself who is stealing the glory of God. If you are born again, you should know that there is only one baptism that saves us. The baptisms were not all lumped into one, at least not by the apostles. Now, there are times when a man has all three occur close to the same time. Yet, the baptism of blood must occur first so that the man can receive the other two.
Yes, one baptism saves. It is the one that Jesus commanded. In it, we are sealed by the promised HS, transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light, and cleansed of our sins through the water by the HS. We are not dipped in His blood,but in water, through which we are washed in His blood. Our robes are made white.
Code:
For there has been men who when receiving the baptism of water, that going into the water they have the change in heart, and come out of the water speaking in tongues, having received the baptism of the Holy Spirit by God while yet in the water.
Yes, this has happened since Pentecost. However, the Catholic Church does not administer baptism apart from a profession of faith. Those without faith are not invited to approach the waters of baptism.
Look what you are saying. You claim you doctrines do not emanate from scripture. So let me ask you this. Is Jesus Christ, the Word of God? You claim that Jesus is the source which is truth, but yet you reject the Word in regards to doctrine. To reject the Word is to reject Christ. If you doctrines are contrary to the Word of God, then what validity do they serve?
Correct. Catholic doctrine does not originate in Scripture, but from Christ. The NT is the reflection of what the Church believes, having been written after the faith was committed to the Apostles by Jesus. Yes, Jesus is the eternal Word of God. I do not reject His Scripture with regard to doctrine. I reject your interpretation of the Scripture as different from what Jesus gave to the Apsotles.
There are no Catholic doctrines that are contrary to scripture. The NT was written by, for, and about Catholics. There is nothing in it that is not Catholic. The only âcontraryâ is how you perceive the words.
I donât want to offend you, but it is written that the truth often offends.
Now, as for some of the earliest church leaders, I am not saying these were forced into the faith or forced to believe as they did.
Actually, you did say that.
Yet, as time elapsed, the further time passed, the more men began moving further from the Word of God. If even one word is changed, it can cause a ripple that affects much.
You are avoiding the question, heis. Please produce evidence from the period from which the quotes were taken, from the year 100-500, that these people were coerced into believing Catholic doctrine.