POLL FOR CHRISTIANS

[Katzpur]

You know, I like what President Gordon B. Hinkley, 15th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints once said: "I hope and pray that if we err, we will err on the side of mercy."

 

[Glaurung]

beg to differ. If the creeds were merely "enunciations of that faith," there would be no need for them, as the Bible does a perfectly adequate job of doing that itself.

The idea that Scripture is explicit and clear on all specifics of doctrine is simply untrue. If it were, we would not see much of the division as it exists now.

Jesus left us no Scripture, rather Catholics believe that Jesus left us a teaching authority who in time recognized certain writings as divinely inspired. Scripture is only Scripture by the recognition of the Church. The Church and its authority preceded the Bible.

(The irony lost on many Protestants is that the acceptance of the New Testament canon is itself an implicit acceptance of the authority of the Church that recognized said writings to begin with).

 

[Katzpur]

The idea that Scripture is explicit and clear on all specifics of doctrine is simply untrue. If it were, we would not see much of the division as it exists now.

Well, I can't really disagree with you in theory. Where I disagree is that the claims that the fourth- and fifth-century creeds are merely summaries of what the Bible teaches. To me, they are expansions and extrapolations.

Jesus left us no Scripture, rather Catholics believe that Jesus left us a teaching authority who in time recognized certain writings as divinely inspired. Scripture is only Scripture by the recognition of the Church. The Church and its authority preceded the Bible.

I agree. I just don't think the Catholic Church is the same as the Church that existed in 34 A.D., but them we'll never agree on that.

 

[Hockeycowboy]

I hope you don’t mind me adding something to this Matthew 7:21-23 quote....

There is that other verse about those who do miracles in his name, but are not looked upon so favorably,

Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
So there is that to bear in mind.

How can someone have the power to “perform many miracles”, but obviously it’s without Jesus’ or His Father’s backing?

Who really has the power - and the deviousness - to pull this off?!

And it’s not just a few....it’s “many”!

 

[Hockeycowboy]

You know, I like what President Gordon B. Hinkley, 15th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints once said: "I hope and pray that if we err, we will err on the side of mercy."

I like that, too! I really do!

 

[Windwalker]

I hope you don’t mind me adding something to this Matthew 7:21-23 quote....

How can someone have the power to “perform many miracles”, but obviously it’s without Jesus’ or His Father’s backing?

Who really has the power - and the deviousness - to pull this off?!

And it’s not just a few....it’s “many”!

I take this verse less about those who perform miracles, but primarily about those who make the claim to be following Jesus, even up to doing spectacular fantastic miracles in Christ's name, but don't do the will of God, which is to love others as yourself.

It's not just about false miracle workers, but those who claim Christ's name, but whose fruits betray them as followers of another god, such as their egos; greed, desire, fame, riches, etc. This verse applies to any who claim the name of Christ, but whose fruits say otherwise.

Using today's popularized vernacular, they are "Fake Christians". Claims of having the truth, have little value if they don't bear the fruits of the Spirit, which cannot be faked.

 

[Sundance]

As for me, if I can ask a person who they believe Jesus of Nazareth to be, and they reply in this way:

The Christ, The Son of God, Son of Man, Savior of The World, Crucified and Risen Lord,

these same are my brothers and sisters in the Lord Jesus, regardless of the denomination.