Biblical Terrorism
The misuse of the Scriptures, twisting verses into contrived apologetical schemes for purposes of refutation or to shore up dubious opinions is increasingly common. Catholics are reminded to be careful in their study of the bible, acknowledging that there is an authentic interpreter (the Church) and that we have a living tradition that includes the writings and homilies of the ancient fathers and the saints. Catholics tend to interpret passages in a contextual manner that does no injustice to the Word of God. Certain fundamentalists will pick-and-choose verses with little consideration about what they are actually addressing or the inherent language and cultural peculiarities attached to them. The Internet itself is full of sites where individuals parrot the anti-Catholic arguments of those in the last century who saw the immigrants from Catholic lands to be the sub-human mongrels castoff by a Europe that was glad to be rid of them. It is ironic that the new "know-nothings" sometimes include the descendants of these poor Catholic refugees, adopting the prejudiced arguments used against their forebears. The fallen-away Catholic betrays all for which they sacrificed and forfeits the fullness of truth as proclaimed by the true Church of Christ. It is unfortunate, but true, that the bible can be erroneously used to prove all sorts of nonsense. Opponents of Catholicism reject the Pope and yet in the same breath give themselves his authority and infallibility over religious truth. More so than the Pope would ever claim, their conceit drives them into the role of the only competent interpreter of the Scriptures. Such a position is flawed because it is a lie. Depending upon their agenda, the meanings of verses might even vacillate.
Bible study, particularly if it is badly organized, can become a similar sharing in ignorance. If the leader of the group is strong and the other members consist of largely dependent personalities, he will have no trouble dictating to them what passages mean. "I think this passage means this, thus it only means this." If they are somewhat stronger of character, then there is a tendency to make bible interpretation rather relativistic. "I think that passage means this, you think it admits that, and someone else the other thing." Of course, if the traditional Catholic interpretation is given then that must be wrong, after all, they will say, Catholics are always wrong and are not true Christians. The anti-Catholic fundamentalist has ruptured himself from the Church and from her living witness during the centuries. Old heresies and false paths are blindly taken again. All our ancestors in faith are reduced to fools who have nothing to contribute to the searcher of truth today. What a terribly impoverished view of faith and of the Scriptures!
Many of the modern Christian denominations and cults claim the bible as their own and yet disagree about what it teaches. One television evangelist claims every Christmas that Jesus was not God. He does so while quoting verse after verse from the bible and swinging the book around like a sword. Others stress the divinity of Christ to the point of negating his humanity. Unitarians would fall into this category and indeed, they reject the whole concept of a Trinity. Mormons prize the bible along with purely human works, and yet they reject strict monotheism and argue for the pre-existence of souls. Some claim priests while others insist that no one participates in the priesthood of Christ. Certain sects will deny the need for baptism entirely while others will argue from Scripture for an improper form. Others will say that it is required, but only for adults. They might even reduce baptism to a hollow rite of initiation with no mention of its orthodox elements: the infusion of sanctifying grace; rebirth as a new creation in the image and likeness of Christ; and becoming a temple of the Holy Spirit, a member of the family of God and the Mystical Body of Christ. Some only accept baptism that is done by full immersion. Some sprinkle with little regard as to whether water touched each candidate. One minister was in the news recently for only putting his wet thumb upon the foreheads of his people and calling it baptism. Some believe in a literal rapture (although such a Protestant teaching was unheard of until recent times). Some believe that there will be a thousand-year reign and a second trial for all. Calvinists use their bibles to prove that most people are predestined for hell, no matter what they do. Others use the bible to show that there is no hell and that everyone will be saved. This final view is even making headway into the camp of poorly catechized Catholics. Is Jesus really going to invite into his kingdom all the unrepentant murderers and abortionists, adulterers and fornicators, thieves and oppressors of the poor? I would not bank on it. Nevertheless, all these views and practices emerge from churches that claim the bible as their own.
The Gospel of Matthew, according to Irenaeus, was written while Peter and Paul preached in Rome (61 to 67 AD). Other authorities place it after the Gospel of Mark, around 70 AD when the temple was destroyed. The other gospels, Acts, Revelation, and the assorted letters were complete by 100 AD. Many other books were considered by some to be inspired. Persecution and distance kept the Church from effectively gathering the books and judging their canonical status. The peace of Constantine (313 AD) gave the Church the opportunity to begin doing this. Scrupulous study, prayer, and dialogue (all guided by the Holy Spirit) led the bishops to affirm a canon of approved biblical books by 397 AD. The New Testament, as we know it, had come into existence. Christ gave something of his authority to the Catholic Church so that people might truly understand the Word of God and not succumb to the empty prattle of men. The living tradition of the Church with all its past testimony of the fathers and the saints, its early art and catacomb inscriptions, its various regulations, etc. would create an umbrella of understanding around the Scriptures. Forsaking the Church, Protestant reformers and their churches would cast aside centuries of authentic Christian life and teaching to find their own way. What they forgot was that Jesus was the Way and the Truth and the Life. Jesus was still very much with his Catholic Church. Some have lost their way entirely and can no longer be called Christian. Others still look to Jesus with love but only possess partial truth and much that is erroneous. Some of these find their way back home, as with notable converts to Catholicism in recent years.
posted by Father Joe Jenkins | 11:41 PM
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BIBLICAL TERRORISM
I would like to quote a local pastor who sums it all up better than I ever could when it comes to the Roman Catholic Church and private interpretation.
The Catholic Church, as such, from its first private interpretations by Augustine, Cyprian, and Iranaeus, to those of the Council of Trent (A.D. 1546), has been consistent in one thing: wresting and ing the word of God in an effort to force it to approve of her own heresies and traditions.
Catholics will not read it [Bible] for three reasons that NO Catholic reads any investigation of Biblical truth, other than his own subjective investigation:
Catholics are taught that anything written or preached contrary to the teachings and traditions of the Vatican STATE is a lie, even if Paul, Jesus, or Moses said it.
If Paul, Jesus, or Moses did say it, then the statement has to be privately interpreted by the Church to conform with tradition, in order that it may be taught to the Catholic layman that there is no contradiction between the scriptures and the Church (except in the eyes of the PROTESTANT, who is REALLY the party guilty of "private interpretation," (see 1 Peter 1:20).
Since every Catholic believes that the damnation of his soul is involved in a turning from any dogma of the Vatican State, they dare not honestly investigate anything contrary to their own religion.
Now, the scriptures command the Christian to "prove all things" (1 Thess. 5:21). He is told to test and try out heresies and false gospels (1 Cor. 11:19; 2 Cor. 11:4), and, since the Christian studies the word himself, as he was commanded to (2 Tim. 2:15), he is not worried about being "always ready to give an answer" (2 Cor. 4:2; 1 Peter 3:15; 4:11). No born again Christian has to worry about reading and studying literature contrary to the Bible, for the Holy Spirit in the Christian has promised to lead and guide him into all truth (1 John 2:27; John 14:26; John 16:13). These plain verses, understood everywhere by all born-again Christians, prove "forever more" that Catholics (as a church organization) are not "born again Christians," no matter what their canons and decrees may state. Born again Christians do not only face error and falsehood confidently, cheerfully, and armed with the sword of the Spirit, but they also desire to search any teaching out to see if there is any truth in it, and put it to the test of the word.
Rome, like a man on a chain gang, is the most "misunderstood" church in the world, and has to employ its "Knights of Columbus" in a full time "ministry" of explaining the discrepancies between ITS teachings and Bible teaching, and making alibis for the rumors that speak of Rome's "hellishness," which is supposed to be her "holiness."
Rome's defense of her ridiculous and bigoted theology is a standard patter that is found in 1500 years of Church History.
Protestants are themselves divided about interpretation; therefore, "We must be right, because we all agree as to the correction interpretation."
"When we can get all the Protestants back with us, that will be self-admission that they had the wrong interpretation, and that we had the right one."
The fact that Protestants disagree about scripture is proof that the Holy Ghost is not guiding them; but He is guiding us, because "We all agree!"
This is the standard Jesuit, Dominican, Franciscan, Capuchin, and Trappist answer to those who dare to raise their voice against the old Harlot upon the seven mountains (Rev. 17).
In the first objection mentioned above, no one takes the time or trouble to note that even if Protestants are divided, born again Christians are not! If born again Christians are divided, they are only divided on 'nonessentials." Again, when it is said that Rome is agreed with herself upon interpretation, that only proves the rottenness of the Roman system, for the agreement (as will be seen) is on the insufficiency of the scriptures. Rome agrees on interpretation but this interpretation is the private, false, wresting, and distorting of clear passages, and the subterfuge of obscure passages for proof texts: it is not scripture compared with scripture; it is not Christian; it is not true to the remaining verses; it makes other passages contradict; and, it is a travesty of common sense and sound judgment. [1]
SHARING IGNORANCE IN BIBLE STUDY
The Roman Catholic Church is just as guilty. It does not matter what a person "thinks this passage means" or "what that passage means." A person can make the Bible teach ANYTHING they want it to teach. And though a person can make it mean whatever he wants it to mean, the one thing he can't do is make it say anything but what it says! We should be greatly concerned about what the Bible SAYS.
RUPTURED FROM THE CHURCH
What the anti-Christian can't understand is, if a person has ruptured himself from the Roman Catholic Church, it just may be that he decided to open his Bible and read it a little more carefully, allowing the Holy Spirit to lead him and guide him into all truth. It just may be that he was among the number who saw it was better to believe what the Bible SAYS rather than be guided by what other people think. It just may be that the former Catholic finally knew what it meant to trust in Jesus alone for his salvation, and that he need not live by the dictates of the Roman Catholic Church any longer.
BIBLE INTERPRETATION
You should really keep the momentum going. You forgot to mention the Catholic Church and how they fall prey to thinking they are the sole interpreter of Scriptures, the pope infallible, how they wrest the Scriptures to fit their unbiblical doctrines, make up places like purgatory, think if they eat a piece of bread and drink some booze that it will give them eternal life, teach a "faith plus works" gospel, how they pray to Mary and dead saints to intercede on their behalf, and then published cannon decrees to condemn anyone to Hell who won't bow down to its beliefs.
WHERE DID WE GET THE BIBLE?
What would the world do without the Roman Catholic Church who falsely claim we would not have the Bible if not for them. I refer the reader to Did the Catholic Church give us our Bible?
CHURCH TRADITION
"Christ gave something...?" Come now. Christ never gave anything to the Roman Catholic Church, it was not even in existence at His time.
Proof again that Roman Catholic church does not think Scriptures in itself are sufficient.
The Bible SAYS, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path" (Ps. 119:105). The Bible also says, "If a man love me, he will keep my words:" (John 14:23), but not according to the Roman Catholic Church. The Roman Catholic Church doctrine would have us believe no one can understand the Bible for themselves, but that for one to understand, he must turn his mind and heart over to the Roman Catholic Church. This is so unbiblical!
Vatican II states,
It is for the bishops, with whom the apostolic doctrine resides, suitably to instruct the faithful entrusted to them in the correct use of the New Testament by giving them translations of the sacred texts which are equipped with necessary and really adequate explanations. [2]
The Bible was given to mankind to read, mediate, and study, it was not given to some elite group to explain it to others. Man does not live alone on the heresies of the Roman Catholic Church, "but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God" (Deut. 8:3). (Note it doesn't say, "but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of Roman Catholic Popes and Priests.)
PROTESTANT CHURCHES
They didn't forsake the church, they forsook the Roman Catholic Church (big difference), and its man made doctrines.
You would also do well to know the Biblical meaning of the word "church."
The Apostle Paul gives the exact definition of what the one true Church is:
"Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:" -Col. 1:24)
How does one become a part of Christ's body? The Apostle Paul further defines the meaning of the one true Church as having many members, and the only way to be placed in the church is by the baptism of the Holy Spirit, not water.
"For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many." 1 Cor. 12:12-14
The One True Church is the Body of Christ, NOT the Roman Catholic Church.
Once we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, Jesus comes and lives in us and we are baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ and then said to be of his flesh and of his bones.
"For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones." -Eph. 5:30
And who is the head of this church? Is it the Roman Catholic Church? No. The head of this Church is Jesus Christ Himself.
"And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things TO THE CHURCH, WHICH IS HIS BODY," -Eph. 1:23,24 (emphasis mine)
JESUS AS THE WAY, THE TRUTH & THE LIFE-- FORGOTTEN
No, they didn't forget. That's what they found out, but you didn't finish the verse,
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, BUT BY ME." -John 14:6 (Note Jesus did not say a man could only come unto the Father through the Roman Catholic Church.)
Reposted for SANDY HOOPER
CATHOLIC CHURCH BELONGS TO JESUS?
Jesus has nothing to do with the Roman Catholic Church. The "church" spoken of in the Bible certainly is not the Roman Catholic Church.
Reposted for SANDY HOOPER
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