You'll be happy to know that

[rr1213]

In fact, there is little if any difference between this Evangelical belief and the teachings of the Catholic Church on this subject.

• Liberian

More and more I am convinced of this fact. I think that while there are real differences in theology between the Protestant and Catholic positions on faith and works, from a practical standpoint perhaps the words are getting in the way. We agree that we are saved solely through the grace of God, not by anything we can do. We also agree that a Christian who is pleasing to God will have in his life (1) faith and (2) works. We can argue over what causes what and which is the result of the other, but does it really matter?

 

[hoosierdaddy]

Damascus>>Noah would.

LOL

Here is a sample.“Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Mat. 5:13-16).

To be honest, I don’t know what to do with this one at this time. However, I do remember hearing that we can’t base a doctrine on the parables alone, especially upon one parable. Jesus told parables to confuse the non-elect so that they would not believe.

Lets think about this one, and who can claim it? along with this:

Probably every Christian, Catholic or not.

1. Its illogical to thik Jeus left us with something inaccessible to us. He left a Church and its been a light and accessible since he left us. This light has not gone out for any period of time. It is a perpetual light that will shine lest the gates of Hell prevail and Jesus be a blasphemer and a Liar and trickster.

So if the Catholic Church was the only church in the dark ages, do they take some responsibility for the “dark ages”? Were they really much of a light for a long time? If they were, there would have been no need for the Reformation. And others on here have admitted the Catholic Church had a lot of corruption, so the Reformers could hardly be blamed for trying to eliminate that. And was the Catholic Church really an accessible light? Didn’t they only teach in Latin at one time? How could the “peasants” have known Latin? They didn’t have an education.

1. The Job of the Church was to carry out the sacraments. Who was feeding the Sheep the Bible or the Church?

The Church was feeding the Sheep. But were they feeding them healthy “food”? Apart from the Bible, they can only offer “junk food”. What do you mean that the job of the Church was to carry out the sacraments? I don’t believe in sacraments myself but I know you’re including baptism. The Great Commission was given to the entire Church, and I have as much authority to baptize a new believer as anyone else. This is a result of the “priesthood of all believers”, which is Scriptural.

1. Who has been using the bible in worship to this very day and always has since it was written?

Believers in Christ who take Him at His Word. If the Bible claims to be sufficient (and it does) then it is all that is needed. Otherwise, it is not sufficient and it lied.

1. All members of the Church must have belief under penalty of damnation Mark 16:18 and to consider the Christian disobedient to the Church’s commands “a heathen and a publican” Matt 18:17 How can this be done without a recognizable Church to do it?

**I think we have different Bibles. In mine, Mark 16:18 is talking about taking up serpents and not coming to harm if they drink anything poisonous.

As for the Church’s commands, they are to come from the Bible and the Bible alone. We will all be judged based on the Word of God (according to Jesus Himself) and teachers will be held to a higher standard. If they have deviated from the Word of God they will be accountable to it. I realize you will say “Tradition” is the Word of God as well, but I have no way to verify that unless I see it in Scripture. And since Scripture claims to be sufficient, this gives me two reasons to believe that Scripture, and Scripture alone, is God’s Word.

Last but not least, how can a recognizable Church discipline anyone apart from the Word of God? **

1. Must I go on? I will… but not tonight LOL

That’d be cool with me. Take care.

 

[hoosierdaddy]

Okay, you are trying to keep me busy! Okay. Tradition is a big one. Which ones do you think are unbiblical it would save me some time if you narrowed it down, is it inscense? Candles? Which ones?

Papal infallibility
Perpetual virginity of Mary
Assumption of Mary
Purgatory
Apostolic succession (I do believe there are teachers of the Word of God. I don’t believe they descend from a long line of people all the way back to the Apostles. This would contradict the “priesthood of the believer” that the NT teaches)

As for incense and candles, both seem rather Scriptural to me. Candles represent the light of the world, Christ. Incense is all throughout Revelation. These two aren’t so much tradition as they are aids to worship. They would be Tradition if we were commanded to use them by the Church. If and until that happens, they are simply aids to worship the Lord.

 

[hoosierdaddy]

Mercygate>>As for verse clipping, if only we could get the small amount of Catholics on this site that do that to stop doing that. I’ve had to correct two different people who used 1Corinthians 3:10-12 to “teach” that we can lose our salvation. If only they’d go on to read the next verse to see the passage is not teaching that at all. God bless.

Good for you. Iron sharpens iron. If those verses have been used incorrectly to challenge eternal security, that’s unfortunate becausae there are no fewer than 125 other verses in Scripture that deny eternal security. 'Nother thread.

**I’m sorry I couldn’t answer all of your post as I’m still a “quote function moron”.

I do believe I was right about the “strawman”.**

I bet there are 250 verses that affirm eternal security but you’re right. 'Nother thread.

 

[mikeledes]

No, it don’t! Look at all the ecclesial bodies that swear by SS but teach different "truths."

Teaching different truths though doesn’t negate SS. Scripture says we see through a glass darkly. Some see one thing, others see something else. That is why the Body needs the Body. My friend, this is the last time I am going to confront this strawman though: Protestants are united in Christ. Various other beliefs about secondary things do not take away from the unity that we have in Christ.

**Authority. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that the Bible and tradition as interpreted by the Church are the final seat of authority in religion.

. . . based on the Scriptural position that the Church is the pillar and ground of truth (I Tim 3:15)**

Good, then the Church will only teach from the Bible from now on?

Read what is actually written. Jesus is not condemning tradition per se but tradition that makes “void the commandment of God.” Big difference

Wouldn’t this include any tradition that is not found in Scripture?

Nothing in Catholic doctrine “adds” to the divine word, though that is an accusation we frequently hear. Catholic teaching may clarify the divine word but never adds to it or “voids” it. Actually, this verse from Deuteronomy is one that Jews cite when arguing that Jesus cannot possibly be the Messiah. In order to approach the “bigness” of Catholic theology, you have to embrace Scripture in its entirety. Verse clipping just can’t measure up to the fullness and the majesty of the totality of the Divine Word.

I don’t know, wasn’t it in the 1800s that the doctrines on Mary were finally “confirmed”? Yes, you have to embrace the entirety of Scripture. I do this.

As for verse clipping, if only we could get the small amount of Catholics on this site that do that to stop doing that. I’ve had to correct two different people who used 1Corinthians 3:10-12 to “teach” that we can lose our salvation. If only they’d go on to read the next verse to see the passage is not teaching that at all. God bless.

So I guess Jesus never intended for us to have one set of clear Christian teachings? Instead, he wanted a plethora of teachings on the meaning of salvation, baptism, the Lord’s Supper, Sunday observance, church organization, etc? The Apostles handed down ONE SET of teachings on salvation, baptism, the Eucharist, etc. Either its “Once Saved Alwasys Saved” or not. Its either baptismal regeneration or not. You can’t have it both ways and only one can be the truth.

Sola Scriptura is the root of confusion in Christianity. Everyone thinks they have the Holy Spirit and are qualified to interpret the Bible for themselves. The result? A plethora of denominations that contradict each other. Is this what Christ intended for Christianity? Is this okay with you, hooseirdaddy?

God gave us teachers (i.e. the magesterium) to protect us from the doctrinal confusion found in Protestantism and from heresy:

Ephesians 4:11-14

**11It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

14Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming./B]

We rely on this God given teaching authority to give us the definitive interpretation of God’s Word because that is precissly why God established it. We know it cannot lead us into error because Christ promised that the gates of hell would never prevail against his Church (Matthew 16:18-19) and the CHURCH is the pillar and foundation of truth.

God Bless,
Michael**

 

[hoosierdaddy]

Damascus>>Who had a mission from God?

Jesus?

Only persons with legitimate mission need apply. Why?

So all Christians don’t even have to apply. They’ve already been hired.

Jesus gave his apostles a mission, in turn they sent others to continue. This continues to this day.

This mission is given to the entire Church, even you and I. Unless we aren’t supposed to evangelize? Is this why the Catholic Church seems to be “lax” as far as I can tell when it comes to evangelizing? Yes, the mission continues to this day. We all must preach the Gospel and baptize. I’ve never baptized anyone but I have as much right to as the priest that I am as anyone else does. In fact, I have an obligation to.

Reformers had no mission from God. They made up their own mission that God had no part in.

Sure they did. The Catholic Church was corrupt (it has been admitted on this site) and God raised up the reformers to fulfill the mission He gave them. I believe they succeeded.

They appointed themselves to do a task outside of the body of believers, therefore they are exposed in :
Romans 10:15
“How shall they preach unless they be sent”?

I think you are stretching it with the use of this verse. This verse applies to us all. We are all sent. And remember, Luther was a minister so he met your requirements to be sent.

Indeed. How?

God sent them. He sends you and I too.

Consider John 10:1- “He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up another way, the same as a thief and a robber” Those are strong words no? Thief and robber?!!

My friend, I don’t want to sound mean or disrespectful but you surely know this verse is talking about those who try to find their own way to heaven instead of through the only way, the Lord Jesus Christ? Yes, anyone who thinks they can do better than Jesus is a thief and a robber. I can think of some other strong words to describe them as well.

Lets ponder John 20: 21-
“As the Father sent me, I also send you” John 13:20 – “He that recieveth whomever I send, receiveth me”

This doesn’t establish whether the leaders of the Catholic Church alone are “sent” and it doesn’t establish apostolic succession. I do believe it establishes the truth that God sends all of us.

Who sent the Reformers?

**The Lord. A Mighty Fortress is our God! **
cyberhymnal.org/htm/m/i/mightyfo.htm

Brother notice that you call them the Reformers and not the Rebellers.

**The Catholic, I read your post. I guess I just have to decide what I accept. Scripture or the Catholic Church. You see we’re pretty similar. I want you to accept Scripture alone because I believe it claims to sufficient on its own. You want me to accept Tradition because it claims to be God’s Word. **

 

[mrs_abbott]

One note on the word “works.” Being a former Baptist I want you to know that when Catholicism uses the word works along side faith it ISN’T speaking of personal works like the works that are done without the grace that God gives us to do them.

Our personal works can’t get us to heaven, we both agree with that and we both agree that God gives us the grace in order to have the faith and do the works He calls us to do. The works that are coupled with faith are the works that are done under grace as Galations 5:6 says…faith working through love.
And those works are also like the works of Matthew 25 where the righteous are doing works under the grace of God.

I about fell over in my chair when I read this. I thought Catholics taught that faith and good works will merit you Heaven?

 

[allischalmers]

What I’m saying is that i do not believe honest God-fearing ignorant Protestants are dammed. That’s in the Bible too.

I hope that you know that you will have to give an account to God for every word you say, for every deed that you do, for every thought you think. So I would be careful about calling Protestants igorant. That’s also in the Bible

Proud to be Baptist
allischalmers

 

[mikeledes]

In James 2:14-24 Clearly, James did not argue for good deeds as a requirement for salvation through Jesus. Instead, he insisted that there are 2 kinds of faith- one legitimate the other illegitimate---------faith… made complete ( verse 22) and faith without deeds (verse20). Both kinds “believe” in one sense of the word. But legitimate faith goes deeper than “right thinking” to embody “right living.”

The contrast is between productive faith versus unproductive faith, not genuine faith versus illegitimate faith. the question James poses is “Can that faith save him?” The answer is that in order for faith to be ultimately salvific, it must express itself through love (i.e. good deeds). Faith must be accompanied by works!

God Bless,
Michael

 

[mikeledes]

I hope that you know that you will have to give an account to God for every word you say, for every deed that you do, for every thought you think. So I would be careful about calling Protestants igorant. That’s also in the Bible

Proud to be Baptist
allischalmers

Precisley! And that’s why Sola Fide is wrong. We will be held accountable for WHAT WE DO!

God Bless,
Michael

 

[hoosierdaddy]

Mike, you’re right. He didn’t intend for us to have one set of clear Christian teachings. But that is going to happen as “we see through a glass darkly”. You’re right, it’s either those things or it’s not. According to Scripture it’s “Once Saved Always Kept by the Lord as He promises”. According to Scripture it’s not baptismal regeneration. We are saved by faith, and regenerated by the Holy Spirit. You’re right, you can’t have it both ways and only one can be truth. So why don’t you apply that and go to the “one truth” of Scripture instead of fallible Tradition. You can’t have it both ways.

Actually what you said is not ok with me. Everyone does have the Holy Spirit. Sola Scriptura is not the root of confusion in Christianity. In fact, it’s the opposite. Too many people want to go to other sources (itching ears maybe?) instead of the one infallible source that God gave us…Scripture. The fact that denominations contradict each other doesn’t disprove SS. By that logic, your Tradition is disproved because we don’t agree with it. Since we’re all Chrisitans, the Church is in contradiction. And don’t forget, not even all Catholics agree with all Catholic Tradition. Christ intended for us to be one IN HIM. Which all Christians are. When will you focus on being one IN HIM instead of rejecting us on matters that you have no authority to reject us on? Remember, Jesus wants us to be one. And all true Christians are. We are united in Christ. Do you think Jesus’ prayer would go or has gone unanswered?

God gave us teachers (i.e. the magesterium) to protect us from the doctrinal confusion found in Protestantism and from heresy:

Actually, He gave us the Word to build us up in the faith, to strengthen us, to encourage us, to protect us from sin, to help us with our problems, to encourage others, and I could go on and on. He also gave us the Word to protect us from those who may lead us astray and since there are false teachers within the Church we must depend on Scripture to protect us. How can teachers protect us from teachers? Scripture Alone my friend, Scripture Alone.

Ephesians 4:11-14

11It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Right. And apostles were the foundation. You only lay a foundation once. Notice how everyone plays a part in Christ’s Church? Not just the “leaders”. Also, how do you interpret this in the light of 1John 2:26, 27 “These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you (those who say that eternal life is not eternal). But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.” NKJV. Looks like this passage deals with two issues, that of eternal security and “teachers”.

14Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.

Amen! This is why we need Scripture Alone. So that we are no longer infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Apostles, Prophets, pastors and teachers…all are expected to teach and preach from…Scripture.

We rely on this God given teaching authority to give us the definitive interpretation of God’s Word because that is precissly why God established it. We know it cannot lead us into error because Christ promised that the gates of hell would never prevail against his Church (Matthew 16:18-19) and the CHURCH is the pillar and foundation of truth.

**This is your claim. God gave teachers the authority to teach THE WORD OF GOD. Not Tradition, but Scripture. Some on here have admitted that the Catholic Church was corrupt at the time of the Reformation. Therefore there was need of a Reformation. It seems to me that somehow, some way your Church was lead into error. My guess is it got away from Scripture. The Church may be the pillar and foundation of the truth but where do they get truth from? Scripture.

You can’t deny SS and claim to be the pillar of truth, as the Bible claims itself to be sufficient. All through Scripture, the Word of God is put on a higher level than anything else. The Church pillar and foundation of truth, but Scripture even says that there will be false teachers within the Church teaching error. If you are the only true Church, well guess what? Someone within your Church (not Protestants but within your Church) is teaching error.**

 

[hoosierdaddy]

Precisley! And that’s why Sola Fide is wrong. We will be held accountable for WHAT WE DO!

God Bless,
Michael

But we won’t go to hell for it. Because we are saved by faith alone. We receive rewards and loss at the judgement but we do not go to hell. Praise God!

 

[hoosierdaddy]

I hope that you know that you will have to give an account to God for every word you say, for every deed that you do, for every thought you think. So I would be careful about calling Protestants igorant. That’s also in the Bible

Proud to be Baptist
allischalmers

Nice to meet you fellow Baptist.

 

[mikeledes]

God gave us teachers (i.e. the magesterium) to protect us from the doctrinal confusion found in Protestantism and from heresy:

Actually, He gave us the Word to build us up in the faith, to strengthen us, to encourage us, to protect us from sin, to help us with our problems, to encourage others, and I could go on and on. He also gave us the Word to protect us from those who may lead us astray and since there are false teachers within the Church we must depend on Scripture to protect us. How can teachers protect us from teachers? Scripture Alone my friend, Scripture Alone.

Ephesians 4:11-14

11It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Right. And apostles were the foundation. You only lay a foundation once. Notice how everyone plays a part in Christ’s Church? Not just the “leaders”. Also, how do you interpret this in the light of 1John 2:26, 27 “These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you (those who say that eternal life is not eternal). But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.” NKJV. Looks like this passage deals with two issues, that of eternal security and “teachers”.

14Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.

Amen! This is why we need Scripture Alone. So that we are no longer infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Apostles, Prophets, pastors and teachers…all are expected to teach and preach from…Scripture.

We rely on this God given teaching authority to give us the definitive interpretation of God’s Word because that is precissly why God established it. We know it cannot lead us into error because Christ promised that the gates of hell would never prevail against his Church (Matthew 16:18-19) and the CHURCH is the pillar and foundation of truth.

**This is your claim. God gave teachers the authority to teach THE WORD OF GOD. Not Tradition, but Scripture. Some on here have admitted that the Catholic Church was corrupt at the time of the Reformation. Therefore there was need of a Reformation. It seems to me that somehow, some way your Church was lead into error. My guess is it got away from Scripture. The Church may be the pillar and foundation of the truth but where do they get truth from? Scripture.

You can’t deny SS and claim to be the pillar of truth, as the Bible claims itself to be sufficient. All through Scripture, the Word of God is put on a higher level than anything else. The Church pillar and foundation of truth, but Scripture even says that there will be false teachers within the Church teaching error. If you are the only true Church, well guess what? Someone within your Church (not Protestants but within your Church) is teaching error.**

You just steamrolled over Ephesians 4. The passage is talking about teachers (i.e. teachers, pastors, evangelists) and their role in bulding up the Church through their teaching so that Christians would not be infants, tossed around by every wave of teaching. The point is that God gave us TEACHERS so that we wouldn’t be tossed by every wave of tecahing. It makes not mention of Sola Scriptura. In fact, Sola Scriptura is the very source of every wave of teaching. How many churches adhere to Sola Sciptura and yet contradict each other? God established a teaching authority to definitively settle questions of doctrine (Please read Acts 15 carefully).

One moment you’re correcting yourself. Next moment you support Sola Fide, despite the fact that it blatantly contradicts James 2:24.

God Bless,
Michael

 

[hoosierdaddy]

Sola Fide objections by 'D"

1. No where is it in the bible faith ALONE justifies.
   Romans 3:28? This truth may be expanded upon in James but you can’t make the claim you just made.

2)not heard of or thought of until the 16th century
**This is an odd statement to make my friend. Romans was written long before the 16th century, no?**3) Matt 25:34-36 knocks it down
Not really. You must interpret this in the light of what you guys have said on here. That we are saved by faith that works through love. Anyone who has not love has not faith. The condemned people in this passage had no love therefore they had no faith. This doesn’t knock down FAITH ALONE.

1. Matt 19:16-21 knocks it down
   I don’t believe it does but if you want to use this passage to claim it does, you also have to use this passage to claim that Jesus is “not good”. You’d also have to claim that Jesus is “not God”. Before anyone attacks me, I don’t believe these things. I’m just trying to get a principle across that you have to take Scripture in context.

I’ll try to address the rest of these Scriptures below later on. I keep having to edit my posts due to too many characters.

5)Matt 16:27 knocks it down
6) corinthians 3:8 knocks it down
7)1 Corinthians 13:12 knocks it down
8) james 2:24 knocks it down
9) james 2:14 knocks it out of the park
10) James 2:17- pretty clear!
11)james 2:18 nuff said
12) James 2:20-1, James 2:26,
13) 2 Peter 1:10

In summary- its not biblical, in fact its the farthest from it.
We do agree works done to please MAN is no help to us.
Works done to please God however, are not just an extra credit point or brownie point for us but mandatory as Christians, lest we ignore all this Scripture and become blind to it.

 

[hoosierdaddy]

I forgot. You claimed that “1 Corinthians 13:12 knocks it down”.

This is precisely a verse that justifies denominations. We see through a glass darkly.

 

[mikeledes]

You have free-will Baptists, Predestinarian Baptists, Seventh Day Baptists, Southern Baptists, etc. Which one are you, hoosierdaddy?

Luther, Zwingli, Calvin, Bucer all were Protestant Reformers and all virulently disagreed with each other. They all believed in Sola Scriptura and they all came up with different conclusions. You talk about “itch ears” as being one of the reasons for confusion. So which one of the reformers had “itchy ears”? Was it Luther? Calvin? Zwingli? Why aren’t you Lutheran?

Pentecostals, Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Nazarenes, Holiness, etc. all uphold Sola Scriptura. Are you so certain of your own beliefs that you question the sincerity of others who disagree with you (i.e “itchy ears”)? There are plenty of Sola Scriptura Protestants who will accuse you of having the “itchy ears?”

God Bless,
Michael

 

[scylla]

Wow Hoosier you are a posting machine.

It pretty much comes down to the same thing between Catholics and Non-catholics if Sola Fide is expressed as Faith Alone, but including love for God and actions that prove our love of God.
Which is the same as faith working through love, it just is pretty much two ways of expressing almost the same thing.

Where we can diverge greatly is the different applications of Faith Alone as it can lead to a mental assent which is just saying “Lord Lord”, which Catholics repudiate.
That is why many say the words “Faith Alone” are inadequate as they lead to confusion, even though they sound cool.

I can affirm a “Faith Alone” understanding if it really isn’t faith alone but requiring faith that understands it as a living faith with love for God evidenced by our works.
Some Catholics would object that as a contradiction but if faith is defined in that way then it really isn’t it just is a different understanding of the word “Faith”
This would be an understanding of the word “Faith” as one that encompasses more.

A Catholic specifies each part of a living Faith to specify we need to love God and evidence that in our lives, or else it is just a mental assent.
“Faith working through love” Galatians 5: 6
Doesn’t sound as good as Faith Alone but more accurate in my opinion.

After that is cleared up we can talk about free will and God allowing us that free will to reject Him.

In Christ
Scylla

 

[mikeledes]

I forgot. You claimed that “1 Corinthians 13:12 knocks it down”.

This is precisely a verse that justifies denominations. We see through a glass darkly.

So when Paul said this, the Christians did not have one set of clear teachings? When he said this, Christianity was divided into a multitude of denominations?

God Bless,
Michael

 

[hoosierdaddy]

Mike>>You just steamrolled over Ephesians 4. The passage is talking about teachers (i.e. teachers, pastors, evangelists) and their role in bulding up the Church through their teaching so that Christians would not be infants, tossed around by every wave of teaching. The point is that God gave us TEACHERS so that we wouldn’t be tossed by every wave of tecahing. It makes not mention of Sola Scriptura. In fact, Sola Scriptura is the very source of every wave of teaching. How many churches adhere to Sola Sciptura and yet contradict each other? God established a teaching authority to definitively settle questions of doctrine (Please read Acts 15 carefully).

**I did not steamroll over anything. You really didn’t read what I said. I said that the apostles, prophets, pastors and teachers must preach and teach from Scripture so the Church will not be infants, tossed to and fro, etc… Sola Scriptura is not the source of confusion. Read 2Tim. 3:16. Again, the fact that different churches hold to SS yet contradict each other does not disprove SS. It merely reinforces 1Cor.13:12, that now at this time we see through a glass darkly. They might misunderstand something in Scripture but they still use Scripture as their source. God established His Word as the authority over all mankind. Teachers must submit to it and teach it. **

One moment you’re correcting yourself. Next moment you support Sola Fide, despite the fact that it blatantly contradicts James 2:24.

Please do not cast doubt on my spiritual progress. It is you Catholics who said that we are saved by faith that WORKS through love. Now you want to put a different condition upon me? Sola Fide does not blatantly contradict James 2:24. You guys are the ones who say on here that we are saved by faith that WORKS through love. This still equals salvation by faith alone. You must interpret James 2:24 WITH Romans 3:28. I did. And I came to the same conclusion as some of you on here. We are saved by faith that WORKS through love. Next time you want to cast doubt upon my honesty, sincerity, or spiritual progress I would appreciate if you’d do it through a private message. Thank you.