Gentle Reader,
Marti is sick again today so I will make this a bit short. As I told you we all have some truth but sometimes it's misunderstood. In my case I want as much truth as I can get in a 5 gallon jug or carry on my back for a fortnight ( that's a wee bit over 2 weeks to you in America). What is see is what most of you get but the real truth is not "seeing is believing" as some would tell you but in fact "believing is seeing"! That is to say when someone tells you "theirs is the true church because they can trace their church back to the Apostle Peter.
Watch out the queen isn't under there !!!
What has been done is you have been coned big time. If you are in a fellowship that claims "to be THE true church" then one could ask what happened to the other "true churches?" For example the churches in Antioch, Philippi,Ephesus, Corinth, Thessalonica? Rome was not even a part of the Eastern church but a "johnny come lately as it was by itself in the West. And to make Rome the "chief among equals" was a political move by those who wanted power!. Apostolic teaching was what the churches agreed upon. Not one but all together. And Peter didn't become the First Pope in an unbroken line of Popes . There were no Bishops in Rome for at least 100 years after the death of Christ. The term "pope" (papa, daddy) was not reserved for the bishop of Rome until the 5th century. To call earlier bishops of Rome pope is a matter of later custom. John Henry Newman thinks that the papacy could not, at the earliest arise until the 4th century after the Nicene Council exercised the power that the popes would later claim. (I'm not picking on the Roman Catholics just the hierarchy) which was never intended by Christ the "chief corner stone" -the Foundation and the Head of His Body!
I believe that what happened was that the Apostle Paul and his teachings were misunderstood and changed by those who followed Paul And that led into the mess that we call "Christianity" today and the Church of Rome (while there are true believers in it) have taken the forefront to obfuscate the real message of CHRIST and Paul . No wonder there are so many who want no part of Christianity today and why the current trend of secularism and atheism is running rampant. People don't see the real Christian. My question is for you my brothers and sisters, "will they see the real Christ in You?" Now gentle reader is the time for the real Christians to step forward and quite hiding you light under a bushel. More to come ...
Denis 
If your not being taught the Bible (the Word of God) and if your not burning to share with those who God is calling then you need to look at why? If your church is looking for a pastor (to go in a different direction) and those who being looked at don't spend most of their time in prayer and the study of the Word. I will state for the record "they have not been called by God" and your leadership is defective if their wanting some other than the two qualities that I just mentioned. Sorry, if I seem harsh but many of you Gentle readers have been cheated out of the truth of God's Word. And I don't know if the churches of today will recover the Truth of the Truth " Read the Book of Ephesians where you will find "Truth for Today"!
But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors/ teachers;
For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.[Ephesians Chapter 4]
2 comments:
>"what happened to the other "true churches?" For example the churches in Antioch, Philippi,Ephesus, Corinth, Thessalonica?"
They still exist and compose the other 22 Catholic Churchs of the East. For example, the Church at Antioch is commonly called the Melkite Church.
>"Rome the "chief among equals" was a political move by those who wanted power!"
Nope. Its goes back to the fact that Simon, alone of all the apostles, had his named changed by God for a very distinct purpose, like Abram. Simon Peter is also continually given primacy in nearly every mention in the New Testament. Finally, when Christ re-establishes the ancient Davidic office held by Eliakim (Matthew 16:18-19/Isaiah 22:22ff), Peter alone is given the keys of authority.
>"And Peter didn't become the First Pope in an unbroken line of Popes . There were no Bishops in Rome for at least 100 years after the death of Christ."
That's a popular myth, but not supported by history.
http://catholic.com/library/Peter_Successors.asp
God bless...
Well, Timothy, It seems not too many are interested in your response to my questions, however much like what we read in the Old Testament People wan the easy answers. I would like to point out all thinking believers whether Catholic or non catholic are just as concerned as you as to the real (true) church. I read your link and noted that all of your sources were Catholic or are claimed to be catholic by the Roman Catholic church. I do appreciate your comments however and understand that I was raised in the Roman Catholic church. But (there is always a but) it was outside I discovered a personal relationship with our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus.
You might be interested to know for example that in the second century orthodoxy was held together not by the Roman Catholic primate but by "like-minded Greek-speaking bishops" in the major churches of the East. It was based on the region that was closest to the scene. After 30 + years in study I prefer to study in the original languages rather than to take a man's word about my eternal destiny. Ir you read Greek or Latin you will see why I question the Catholic Churches position that Jesus made Peter the first Pope. It was the confession of the true identity of Christ that was to be built upon not a man. Love, Denis ( Keep searching for truth -to quote the x files "the truth is out there")
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