The Gospel

[ajcstr]

I’m posting this on the non-catholic religion page because I am interested in the response of non-Catholic Christians as well as Catholics. I always listen to a lot of non-Catholic Youtube lectures, etc. and one of the themes is always dealing with the additions of the Catholic Church. So I have been thinking about 2 in particular, Papal Infallibility and the assumption of Mary since they are later definitions.

My question is, do you consider these as additions to the gospel or additions to religious practice?

My thought is that these are not gospel additions in that they don’t change the message of the gospel (which I think deals primarily with the declaration of the sacrifice of Jesus and how that relates to salvation). Now I guess if a Pope came out and changed something like the Catholic understanding of justification, then there would be an impact to the gospel, but excluding something like that what do you think?

YES, I realize and I would personally argue that these doctrines were not “invented” at the time they were declared and that they were beliefs held by Catholics long before the councils that defined them officially so lets not go in that direction here, we can take that to another thread if necessary.

 

[joeybaggz]

YES, I realize and I would personally argue that these doctrines were not “invented” at the time they were declared and that they were beliefs held by Catholics long before the councils that defined them officially so lets not go in that direction here, we can take that to another thread if necessary.

Seems like you answered your own question with this last sentence. The doctrines you stated are clarifications of ideas and concepts long held by the church. Call them additions to practice if you wish.

Shalom

 

[po18guy]

1. Jesus founded a Church, not a bible (NOT downplaying the scriptures).
2. He gave he authority to bind and loose to the Apostles (this is huge, and often forgotten today).
3. He promised the Holy Spirit would lead them into all truth.
4. Acts 15 is the first recorded exercise of the power of binding and loosing.
5. The Apostle John died, sealing public revelation and the scriptures.
6. Thus, only a few things done under Apostolic authority are in the scriptures.
7. The scriptures demonstrate, in many places, that they are incomplete.
8. Sola Scriptura (bible alone) is thus a hindrance in the search for the totality of revealed truth. It is a self-imposed theological prison cell, so to speak - necessitating the filling in of the blanks - nature abhorring a vacuum - but by those without Apostolic authority. Rampant division ensues, serving only the deceiver.

Fearing to violate this man-made doctrine, those who hold to it are forced to condemn everything God has revealed that is not explicit in the scriptures. From the bible canon to doctrine, the Catholic (and Orthodox) Churches are now castigated for “adding” when bible alone has subtracted.

The accursed “different gospel”, written of by Saint Paul (Galatians 1:8-9) such as the discarding of Baptism, faith alone, the prosperity gospel and innumerable other errors ad nauseam, are now preached under the unlimited license granted by sola scriptura. In the search for truth, Pilate’s question is perhaps even more salient today: “What is truth?”

 

[ajcstr]

The accursed “different gospel”, written of by Saint Paul (Galatians 1:8-9) such as the discarding of Baptism, faith alone, the prosperity gospel and innumerable other errors ad nauseam, are now preached under the unlimited license granted by sola scriptura. In the search for truth, Pilate’s question is perhaps even more salient today: “What is truth?”

Good point

 

[randyrogers]

**
The gospel is the good news.
The good news of grace and truth made known to this world through
the Holy Ghost by the name above all names Jesus the Christ the first born of God
the Son of the living God the son of man given birth by woman to which came from man.

For it is written in the Holy Bible…
the scriptures of truth inspired by God.

In the beginning was the Word
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God.
All things were made by him;
and without him was not any thing made that was made.

He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God,

Which were born of God.

Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin;
for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin,
because he is born of God.

We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not;
but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself,
and that wicked one toucheth him not.**

Have you received the Word?

If you will receive the Word
God will give you power to become a son of God.
And if you become a son of God by that power
You will become born of God.

And if you become born of God
You will cease from doing sin.

If we say we have sin and say we are born of God
then we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

 

[ajcstr]

**
And if you become born of God
You will cease from doing sin.

If we say we have sin and say we are born of God
then we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.**

And if we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

Do you believe we can eliminate sin in our lives?
(when I say “we” I do not mean of our own power of course)

Only took 5 posts to get off topic

 

[randyrogers]

And if we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

Do you believe we can eliminate sin in our lives?
(when I say “we” I do not mean of our own power of course)

Only took 5 posts to get off topic

Can you believe that you can become born of God
and never commit another sin?

 

[ajcstr]

Can you believe that you can become born of God
and never commit another sin?

I can only speak for myself and I would say no, I can try to turn from sin, I can be repulsed by sin, but I cannot become sinless in this life. Now I believe that Mary was given a special grace from God for this purpose so it is possible.

The passage you quote from 1 John should not be interpreted that if we are born of God then it will be impossible for us to sin. I think that is a misreading of the passage. Compare this to Ephesians 2:1-5 where we are converted from being “children of wrath” to children of God.

 

[Wannano]

I’m posting this on the non-catholic religion page because I am interested in the response of non-Catholic Christians as well as Catholics. I always listen to a lot of non-Catholic Youtube lectures, etc. and one of the themes is always dealing with the additions of the Catholic Church. So I have been thinking about 2 in particular, Papal Infallibility and the assumption of Mary since they are later definitions.

My question is, do you consider these as additions to the gospel or additions to religious practice?

My thought is that these are not gospel additions in that they don’t change the message of the gospel (which I think deals primarily with the declaration of the sacrifice of Jesus and how that relates to salvation). Now I guess if a Pope came out and changed something like the Catholic understanding of justification, then there would be an impact to the gospel, but excluding something like that what do you think?

YES, I realize and I would personally argue that these doctrines were not “invented” at the time they were declared and that they were beliefs held by Catholics long before the councils that defined them officially so lets not go in that direction here, we can take that to another thread if necessary.

I can honestly say I agree with you in that the additions the Catholic Church has made thru the centuries were meant to be additions to religious practice only. However, with that in mind, human beings being the way we are, so often our religious practice becomes confused with the gospel message. My feeling is that this is not just a Catholic issue but is a universal trend amongst all churches.