Who is the authority of your church?

[rpp]

Really? Thank goodness we have the BIBLE to clear up your confusion in this matter
Yes, in Acts, the matter would be unclear, certainly the other men did not see Christ but Acts only says he did not see him after he got up off the ground. Thankfully Paul gives us the full scope. Paul SAW him just like the others did. Cannot argue with the Bible!

http://bestsmileys.com/movingeyes/4.gif

This has drifted off topic. Please return to the topic of the thread.

None of the none-Catholics will admit that they follow some person who has interpreted scripture for them Whether that person be the author of a book or their pastor. They may even actually believe this self-deception.

 

[Rightlydivide]

Here’s another way…

Does anyone in your church make decisions on matters of faith and morals other than Jesus Christ?

 

[Publisher]

Break this down for me, what do you mean? Examples please.

 

[jmcrae]

You say not to say Jesus Christ but I can not tell a lie so I must say

Jesus Christ

Let’s phrase the question this way:

If you have a dispute with your brother in faith, the Bible says, “Take it to the Church.”

Who is the person at your church who would resolve your dispute?

 

[allischalmers]

Let’s phrase the question this way:

If you have a dispute with your brother in faith, the Bible says, “Take it to the Church.”

Who is the person at your church who would resolve your dispute?

The pastor and the deacons and the congregation

 

[jmcrae]

The pastor and the deacons and the congregation

Thank you - the pastor together with the deacons and the congregation, then, is the authority of your church.

 

[mercygate]

The disciples given the power to forgive sins.
It was not passed on of course because the disciples, who were also called apostles, only applies to those who have seen the risen lord.
There is nothing in the Bible to indicate that anyone who has not seen the lord can be an apostle.

We tend to accord the title “Apostle” to those in Scripture who had seen the Lord (although some of the non-twelve people called ‘Apostles’ may not have seen Him). But the Great Commission is an apostolic mission of “sending” (“apostle” means “one who is sent”) to make disciples, baptize, and teach. Thus the question of whether one is technically an “Apostle” is distinct from the necessity of continuing the Apostolic mission “until the end of days.”

Since Jesus came for the remission of sins, it would be utterly incomprehansible that He would give the Apostles the Holy Spirit with the specific power of forgiving and retaining sins for** only a single generation**. Such an idea was never – I mean never – entertained in the early Church.

 

[allischalmers]

Thank you - the pastor together with the deacons and the congregation, then, is the authority of your church.

They are the authority in the local church, Jesus Christ is the final authority

 

[jmcrae]

They are the authority in the local church, Jesus Christ is the final authority

Jesus doesn’t normally speak to us vocally, independently of the Church - and while I have on occasion received private locutions from Him, this is not my usual experience, and even my experience is more than most people get.

Most of the time, He speaks through the authorities that He has set in place over us.

 

[allischalmers]

Jesus doesn’t normally speak to us vocally, independently of the Church - and while I have on occasion received private locutions from Him, this is not my usual experience, and even my experience is more than most people get.

Most of the time, He speaks through the authorities that He has set in place over us.

Jesus speaks to us through His written Word. The Bible is very clear on that point, you just have to listen.

 

[Righteousone]

Jesus speaks to us through His written Word. The Bible is very clear on that point, you just have to listen.

Well then what happened before the year 1500 when the Bible wasn’t printed from printing presses??? Did all the people perish to hell in the old centuries b/c they didn’t have a bible? That is why it is not the “Bible alone” theory. Remember the church came BEFORE the bible, not the other way around. That is why there is Sacred Tradition…

 

[VWcrazy]

Jesus speaks to us through His written Word. The Bible is very clear on that point, you just have to listen.

So why in the world do you have a pastor?

Now matter how hard you try to twist the words, your final authority of your church is your pastor.

 

[Righteousone]

Jesus speaks to us through His written Word. The Bible is very clear on that point, you just have to listen.

Still waiting for an answer as to what happened to those people before the bible, who were Christians and strong believers of Christ.

 

[allischalmers]

So why in the world do you have a pastor?

Now matter how hard you try to twist the words, your final authority of your church is your pastor.

We have pastors because God said he would give us pastors and teachers

 

[allischalmers]

Well then what happened before the year 1500 when the Bible wasn’t printed from printing presses??? Did all the people perish to hell in the old centuries b/c they didn’t have a bible? That is why it is not the “Bible alone” theory. Remember the church came BEFORE the bible, not the other way around. That is why there is Sacred Tradition…

The Word of God was given to us long before the 1500s

 

[VWcrazy]

We have pastors because God said he would give us pastors and teachers

Your pastors are your final authority.

 

[VWcrazy]

The Word of God was given to us long before the 1500s

The Bible was given to us around 400 through the Catholic Church working with the Holy Spirit.

 

[allischalmers]

Now matter how hard you try to twist the words, your final authority of your church is your pastor.

An independent Baptist Church is a democracy. Any discisions made by the pastor regarding church matters must be approve by the deacons and then the congregation. Any conflicts between church member are first brought to the attention of the pastor and the deacons who will try to resolve the conflict before take it to the congregation

 

[allischalmers]

The Bible was given to us around 400 through the Catholic Church working with the Holy Spirit.

The New Testament was written before 100

 

[MrS]

An independent Baptist Church is a democracy. Any discisions made by the pastor regarding church matters must be approve by the deacons and then the congregation. Any conflicts between church member are first brought to the attention of the pastor and the deacons who will try to resolve the conflict before take it to the congregation

Sounds to me like a version of “majority rules”.

However, the Catholic Church also discusses much over the centuries as to what a proper interpretation of a verse or passage intends to teach us. And there is certainly not unanimous and instant agreement.

However, again, the big difference is that the Catholic Church through its magisterium HAS the authority to do so.

Your pastor and your congregation, bluntly, have no authority, and no chain of authority, and no succession of authority.