Those of us who are engaged in contending for our faith are continuously tested for our patience and charity towards others. Often we hear outrageous accusations against our Church, leadership, beliefs and practices that are at least partially untrue and usually just blatant lies based on bigotry and hatred of what Christ and the disciples founded. Sometimes I think we forget that enduring these attacks is something we must do when doing Christ’s work by His example. Jesus said the following:
(Mat 5:39) But I say to you not to resist evil: but if one strike thee on thy right cheek, turn to him also the other:
Jesus was speaking here not of physical attacks but of insults. We are called by His example to endure insults but more than this we are instructed to love them and we are to pray for those who persecute us and His Church. We are called to seek perfection in our love for our enemies.
(Mat 5:43) You have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thy enemy.
(Mat 5:44) But I say to you, Love your enemies: do good to them that hate you: and pray for them that persecute and calumniate you:
(Mat 5:45) That you may be the children of your Father who is in heaven, who maketh his sun to rise upon the good, and bad, and raineth upon the just and the unjust.
(Mat 5:46) For if you love them that love you, what reward shall you have? do not even the publicans this?
(Mat 5:47) And if you salute your brethren only, what do you more? do not also the heathens this?
(Mat 5:48) Be you therefore perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect.
Jesus said from the cross when in His greatest agony:
(Luk 23:33) And when they were come to the place which is called Calvary, they crucified him there: and the robbers, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.
(Luk 23:34) And Jesus said: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. But they, dividing his garments, cast lots.
We must remember that our battle is not against our fellow men that are suffering from a lack of knowledge and are most often the victims of false teachers who have deceived them into believing that anyone different from what they teach is evil when it is those teachers and false prophets who are the evil ones. They do not recognize that they are doing the work of the great deceiver but believe instead that they are doing God’s will. They have failed to heed the warning:
(Mat 7:15) Beware of false prophets, who come to you in the clothing of sheep, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
But, they are not our enemy but the ones we must show the most charity and the most mercy. We must remember what we are told about our enemy:
(Eph 6:10) Finally, brethren, be strengthened in the Lord and in the might of his power.
(Eph 6:11) Put you on the armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the deceits of the devil.
(Eph 6:12) For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood; but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places.
(Eph 6:13) Therefore, take unto you the armour of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day and to stand in all things perfect.
(Eph 6:14) Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth and having on the breastplate of justice:
(Eph 6:15) And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.
(Eph 6:16) In all things taking the shield of faith, wherewith you may be able to extinguish all the fiery darts of the most wicked one.
(Eph 6:17) And take unto you the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit (which is the word of God).
(Eph 6:18) By all prayer and supplication praying at all times in the spirit: and in the same watching with all instance and supplication for all the saints:
(Eph 6:19) And for me, that speech may be given me, that I may open my mouth with confidence, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
We must remain forever mindful that our efforts can help, with the assistance and inspiration of the Holy Spirit to turn them from their hatred. We can provide them with knowledge and loving example when we offer them the other “cheek” of love, patience and charity. By doing so the Bible tells us the following:
(Pro 25:21) If thy enemy be hungry, give him to eat: if he thirst, give him water to drink:
(Pro 25:22) For thou shalt heap hot coals upon his head, and the Lord will reward thee.
We are to give our enemies the food of love and the water of truth to satisfy their hunger and thirst. It is through our charity and kindness that they will come to Christ and His Church and not through our frustration and consternation for their souls.
While it comes from our flesh to lash out at the attacks and to seek vengeance it is not the way of our Lord. We are instead to do all things in love.
If we fail in our efforts the price is great so we should instead change our anger to love so that their bulwark of false teaching will not withstand the “hot coals” of the truth through love that we provide. We can turn some of them from their desire to serve themselves and come home into the familial relationship that Christ has provided in His Church. The stakes are very high and we must put on a Christ like manner along with our armor of God and that manner is represented truly and substantially but the love we give and not the love we receive. Here is the dangers our opponents face who have rejected His Church:
(Mat 7:21) Not every one that saith to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he that doth the will of my Father who is in heaven, he shall enter into the kingdom of heaven.
(Mat 7:22) Many will say to me in that day: Lord, Lord, have not we prophesied in thy name, and cast out devils in thy name, and done many miracles in thy name?
(Mat 7:23) And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity.
We must be a conduit to lead them to the rock of true and full faith which is contained in His Church:
(Mat 7:24) Every one therefore that heareth these my words, and doth them, shall be likened to a wise man that built his house upon a rock,
(Mat 7:25) And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and they beat upon that house, and it fell not, for it was founded on a rock.
(Mat 7:26) And every one that heareth these my words and doth them not, shall be like a foolish man that built his house upon the sand,
(Mat 7:27) And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and they beat upon that house, and it fell, and great was the fall thereof.
We must accept our suffering through insults and lies so that others will receive the truth. Jesus prepared us for our mission by His prophetic statement that also encourages us in its veracity:
(Joh 15:18) If the world hate you, know ye that it hath hated me before you.
We must never forget what He said to us all and what the priest tells us at the end of every Mass which is "Go in peace to love and serve the Lord" which reflects the following:
(Mar 16:15) And he said to them: Go ye into the whole world and preach the gospel to every creature.
We must remain strong and not seduced by our flesh into the following:
(Rom 12:19) Revenge not yourselves, my dearly beloved; but give place unto wrath, for it is written: Revenge is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord.
With Love in Christ
Fr. Joseph
06 August, 2009
Discussion with the Apostle about the formation of the Church and Sola Scriptura
(The Apostle) What teaches you that Jesus formed the Catholic church. There is no mention of it in scripture.
Really, the whole book of Acts chronicles the formation of the Church from Pentecost through the first few decades. The Bible says that Jesus founded the Church with Himself as the cornerstone and the disciples as the twelve foundation stones. Are you catching on to the construction vernacular here? Jesus changed the name of Simon to Petros (Rock) and said upon this Petros (Rock) I will build my Church. We see this happen from Pentecost onward in the book of Acts.
Jesus meant for there to be a visible Church built on the teaching that He had given to the disciples and we see by the ordination of Mathias to replace Judas and the taking of disciples by the twelve and ordaining these disciples as bishops, priests and deacons before sending them to preach the Gospel. Around the beginning of the 2nd century there were disciples of the original twelve in the Bishoprics originally founded by the apostles. One of those was St. Ignatius who was the disciple of two of the twelve. He was the disciple of both St. Peter and of St. John and was the third bishop of Antioch, St. Peter having been the first. It is believed that his ordination was by St. Peter. He was trained at the same time and by the same disciples as St. Polycarp.
In his epistle to the Trallians on his way to Rome to be martyred by being eaten by beasts he said the following in chapter 3:
"In like manner, let all reverence the deacons as an appointment of Jesus Christ, and the bishop as Jesus Christ, who is the Son of the Father, and the presbyters as the sanhedrim of God, and assembly of the apostles. Apart from these, there is no Church."
In his epistle to the Smyreans He described the Catholic Church thusly:
"Where the bishop is present, there let the congregation gather, just as where Jesus Christ is, there is the catholic church."
When these epistles were written there was no New Testament and all the teaching was from the Bishops, Presbytors and Deacons of the Church
These letters were written in the year 107 AD
(The Apostle) We could debate all the points that separate Catholic and Protestant and you would find a way to justify everything you believe and deny everything I believe.
(Cristoiglesia) There is some truth in what you say but it is not just justifying but exposing the truth that the Bible and the teaching of the Church is in perfect harmony just as Jesus said it would be. After all, the Bible does say that His Church is the “pillar and foundation of the Truth” so one should not be surprised when the Bible is true. Nowhere in the Bible does it prophesy that there will come a time when those in protest of Christ’s Church would be in possession of the fullness of truth and replace the Church that Jesus founded. Instead Jesus taught the opposite that we can depend on the teaching of His Church through the authority He gave it and the guidance to all truth through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Jesus prayed His last prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane that we all be one in His Church just as He and the Father are one. That is His will and Protestants ignore His will when it comes to unity.
Your beliefs as a Protestant are the doctrines and heresies of men, why would I not deny them?
(The Apostle) Sola Scriptura... are you saying the bible isnt enough? Sounds like it to me.
(Cristoiglesia) Sola Scriptura is a heresy that has spawned over 30,000 separate sects each calling themselves Christian and having their own version of heresy and truth. Sola Scriptura causes confusion and contention within the Corpus Christi and is a doctrine from hell. Each individual person believes himself to be his own theologian. Martin Luther was aware of the error of Sola Scriptura and in his last days even doubted his salvation over what his doctrine had caused. He knew that by introducing this heresy he had been the tool of Satan. The fruit of this doctrine is more than 30,000 exponentially increasing divisions and wounds in the Corpus Christi.
The Bible itself says that it does NOT contain all of the teaching of Jesus but that is all the teaching was written down all the books in the world could not contain all He taught. What part of His teaching do you believe is not important? The fullness of His teaching is in His Church which was given the teaching authority directly from Christ to be taught through the bishops in apostolic succession. Jesus never said to write Scriptures but the Church took upon themselves to write down the remembrances of the disciples but in doing so they did not write a catechism but only those things that would supplement the teaching of the Church and what would only be taught in the community of the Church where the teaching authority lies. The Protestants usurp that authority of the Church and replace that authority given by Christ to a book that contains inspired truth but lacks the fullness of that truth which is within the Church.
(The Apostle) Sounds just like the Mormons who say they have another Testament of Jesus Christ. How are they wrong? Who are you to say that their other book is wrong unless you believe in Sola Scriptura?
(Cristoiglesia) The Mormons are wrong because they try to usurp the authority of the Church and not much differently than the Protestants. They say that they are the restored Church and that the Church that Jesus originally founded fell into apostasy and 1800 years later that Jesus restored it under the leadership of Joseph Smith. The huge problem they have in supporting this is that according to Scriptures the Church that Jesus founded will never fall into apostasy and will endure for all times. So, they are calling Jesus at least an incompetent in founding the Church or at worst a liar. So it is a question of authority that Jesus gave only to the one Church He founded which is the Catholic Church. There is no other.
(The Apostle) Any addition or subtraction from the bible is heresy. Not the other way around...
(Cristoiglesia) I assume you are referring to St. John who said at the end of His prophetic visions and prophesy that no one should add or take away from His prophesy. He was not referring to the Canon of Scriptures but only his book as the Bible was not yet assembled and would not be for another three centuries. But, that being already said; I do believe that one who picks and chooses what Scriptures they trust in the Bible is in danger of great error and especially for Protestants who have removed the Deuterocanonicals from their Bibles.
(The Apostle) This debate is becoming fruitless. I know most everything you believe. I know already before you answer how you are going to justify yourself.. If you wish to continue, thats fine with me. But I really dont see the point. Im not going to move you from your stance nor are you going to move me from mine.
(Cristoiglesia) Contending for the faith is never fruitless as others besides ourselves may be enlightened. You obviously do not know what I and other Catholic Christians believe otherwise you would be guilty of intentionally bearing false witness against us. So from that standpoint you have much to learn. I would not be so certain about one of us moving from our stances as I became a Catholic arguing against the Church as have so many converts. I never wanted to be Catholic and neither did many others who were formerly Protestant ministers such as Scott Hahn who is now one of the foremost Catholic theologians in the Church. Many of us are academics who have studied the issues and have the training to discern the truth in our relentless search coming from our Berean spirits. We are compelled to share what we have learned.
(The Apostle) I hope that you can complete all the sacraments and earn your way to heaven.
(Cristoiglesia) What are you talking about? Who taught you falsely that Catholic Christians are taught that we must complete any Sacraments? See there you go, if you knew anything about Catholic soteriological teaching you would know that Catholics Christians are taught that we are saved by grace through faith, which is in the Catechism by the way and not by any works. Such a belief would be the condemned heresy of Pelagianism which was condemned by the Church at the Council of Carthage early in the fifth century. However, the Church does not teach “faith alone” which is condemned in the Scriptures by St. James but is an ongoing heresy of some of the Protestants. Faith without works is dead according to St. James the disciple of our Lord. God Bless!
In Christ
Fr. Joseph
Really, the whole book of Acts chronicles the formation of the Church from Pentecost through the first few decades. The Bible says that Jesus founded the Church with Himself as the cornerstone and the disciples as the twelve foundation stones. Are you catching on to the construction vernacular here? Jesus changed the name of Simon to Petros (Rock) and said upon this Petros (Rock) I will build my Church. We see this happen from Pentecost onward in the book of Acts.
Jesus meant for there to be a visible Church built on the teaching that He had given to the disciples and we see by the ordination of Mathias to replace Judas and the taking of disciples by the twelve and ordaining these disciples as bishops, priests and deacons before sending them to preach the Gospel. Around the beginning of the 2nd century there were disciples of the original twelve in the Bishoprics originally founded by the apostles. One of those was St. Ignatius who was the disciple of two of the twelve. He was the disciple of both St. Peter and of St. John and was the third bishop of Antioch, St. Peter having been the first. It is believed that his ordination was by St. Peter. He was trained at the same time and by the same disciples as St. Polycarp.
In his epistle to the Trallians on his way to Rome to be martyred by being eaten by beasts he said the following in chapter 3:
"In like manner, let all reverence the deacons as an appointment of Jesus Christ, and the bishop as Jesus Christ, who is the Son of the Father, and the presbyters as the sanhedrim of God, and assembly of the apostles. Apart from these, there is no Church."
In his epistle to the Smyreans He described the Catholic Church thusly:
"Where the bishop is present, there let the congregation gather, just as where Jesus Christ is, there is the catholic church."
When these epistles were written there was no New Testament and all the teaching was from the Bishops, Presbytors and Deacons of the Church
These letters were written in the year 107 AD
(The Apostle) We could debate all the points that separate Catholic and Protestant and you would find a way to justify everything you believe and deny everything I believe.
(Cristoiglesia) There is some truth in what you say but it is not just justifying but exposing the truth that the Bible and the teaching of the Church is in perfect harmony just as Jesus said it would be. After all, the Bible does say that His Church is the “pillar and foundation of the Truth” so one should not be surprised when the Bible is true. Nowhere in the Bible does it prophesy that there will come a time when those in protest of Christ’s Church would be in possession of the fullness of truth and replace the Church that Jesus founded. Instead Jesus taught the opposite that we can depend on the teaching of His Church through the authority He gave it and the guidance to all truth through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Jesus prayed His last prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane that we all be one in His Church just as He and the Father are one. That is His will and Protestants ignore His will when it comes to unity.
Your beliefs as a Protestant are the doctrines and heresies of men, why would I not deny them?
(The Apostle) Sola Scriptura... are you saying the bible isnt enough? Sounds like it to me.
(Cristoiglesia) Sola Scriptura is a heresy that has spawned over 30,000 separate sects each calling themselves Christian and having their own version of heresy and truth. Sola Scriptura causes confusion and contention within the Corpus Christi and is a doctrine from hell. Each individual person believes himself to be his own theologian. Martin Luther was aware of the error of Sola Scriptura and in his last days even doubted his salvation over what his doctrine had caused. He knew that by introducing this heresy he had been the tool of Satan. The fruit of this doctrine is more than 30,000 exponentially increasing divisions and wounds in the Corpus Christi.
The Bible itself says that it does NOT contain all of the teaching of Jesus but that is all the teaching was written down all the books in the world could not contain all He taught. What part of His teaching do you believe is not important? The fullness of His teaching is in His Church which was given the teaching authority directly from Christ to be taught through the bishops in apostolic succession. Jesus never said to write Scriptures but the Church took upon themselves to write down the remembrances of the disciples but in doing so they did not write a catechism but only those things that would supplement the teaching of the Church and what would only be taught in the community of the Church where the teaching authority lies. The Protestants usurp that authority of the Church and replace that authority given by Christ to a book that contains inspired truth but lacks the fullness of that truth which is within the Church.
(The Apostle) Sounds just like the Mormons who say they have another Testament of Jesus Christ. How are they wrong? Who are you to say that their other book is wrong unless you believe in Sola Scriptura?
(Cristoiglesia) The Mormons are wrong because they try to usurp the authority of the Church and not much differently than the Protestants. They say that they are the restored Church and that the Church that Jesus originally founded fell into apostasy and 1800 years later that Jesus restored it under the leadership of Joseph Smith. The huge problem they have in supporting this is that according to Scriptures the Church that Jesus founded will never fall into apostasy and will endure for all times. So, they are calling Jesus at least an incompetent in founding the Church or at worst a liar. So it is a question of authority that Jesus gave only to the one Church He founded which is the Catholic Church. There is no other.
(The Apostle) Any addition or subtraction from the bible is heresy. Not the other way around...
(Cristoiglesia) I assume you are referring to St. John who said at the end of His prophetic visions and prophesy that no one should add or take away from His prophesy. He was not referring to the Canon of Scriptures but only his book as the Bible was not yet assembled and would not be for another three centuries. But, that being already said; I do believe that one who picks and chooses what Scriptures they trust in the Bible is in danger of great error and especially for Protestants who have removed the Deuterocanonicals from their Bibles.
(The Apostle) This debate is becoming fruitless. I know most everything you believe. I know already before you answer how you are going to justify yourself.. If you wish to continue, thats fine with me. But I really dont see the point. Im not going to move you from your stance nor are you going to move me from mine.
(Cristoiglesia) Contending for the faith is never fruitless as others besides ourselves may be enlightened. You obviously do not know what I and other Catholic Christians believe otherwise you would be guilty of intentionally bearing false witness against us. So from that standpoint you have much to learn. I would not be so certain about one of us moving from our stances as I became a Catholic arguing against the Church as have so many converts. I never wanted to be Catholic and neither did many others who were formerly Protestant ministers such as Scott Hahn who is now one of the foremost Catholic theologians in the Church. Many of us are academics who have studied the issues and have the training to discern the truth in our relentless search coming from our Berean spirits. We are compelled to share what we have learned.
(The Apostle) I hope that you can complete all the sacraments and earn your way to heaven.
(Cristoiglesia) What are you talking about? Who taught you falsely that Catholic Christians are taught that we must complete any Sacraments? See there you go, if you knew anything about Catholic soteriological teaching you would know that Catholics Christians are taught that we are saved by grace through faith, which is in the Catechism by the way and not by any works. Such a belief would be the condemned heresy of Pelagianism which was condemned by the Church at the Council of Carthage early in the fifth century. However, the Church does not teach “faith alone” which is condemned in the Scriptures by St. James but is an ongoing heresy of some of the Protestants. Faith without works is dead according to St. James the disciple of our Lord. God Bless!
In Christ
Fr. Joseph
Discussion with "The Apostle" about the authority of the Church
(The Apostle) Wow, what arrogance...We wrote the new testament....OK, if you say so. Not one of the writers of the new testament was a Catholic.
(Cristoiglesia) You are correct not one was Catholic but all of them were. If they were not Catholic Christians who were they? Jesus only founded one Church and it is the Catholic Church which existed 1500 years before the Protestants. All of the Scriptures, history, and Patristic evidence testify to this fact. Do you only believe in Scriptures when they support your heretical and false teaching? Show me evidence that there was another Church than the one founded by Jesus in the first century. Don’t waste your time looking there is no other Church.
(The Apostle) I know what you teach and I know what you practice. If you want to justify it in any way, that is your business and you have to deal with it.
(Cristoiglesia) Thank God I do not have to justify before God our obedience to His Church as He prayed that we all be one in His Church as He and the Father are one. You are the one who has departed from His teaching for the doctrines and sects of men and not I. I have come home to His Church after 50 years in the darkness of Protestantism. If you indeed know what the Church teaches why then do you persist in bearing false witness against the Church?
(The Apostle) You said the catechism is the entirety of church understanding......That is the problem. The church is based on Gods word. Nothing else.
(Cristoiglesia) There you are spouting the heresy of Sola Scriptura. The Bible teaches against such nonsense. The Bible clearly states that not all of Jesus’ teaching is contained in Scriptures but that the fullness of truth is contained in His Church. The Bible clearly states that His Church is the enduring Church that will last for all times and that the gates of hell will never prevail against the Church yet you suggest unreasonably that it has. It further states that the Church is the “pillar and foundation of the truth.” Do not follow heresies and the doctrines of men but the authority Christ left on earth which is His Church based on the foundation of apostolic succession. You have only a part of God’s Word and expect to have the fullness of truth. This teaching of yours is truly from the depths of hell.
(The Apostle) How about the commandment that says not to make any image or likeness of the things of heaven. You dont even have a clue what Jesus or Mary look like, and yet you make statues of them. Whether you worship them or not, it is a sin to create them. It is a sin to display them. It is a sin to bow before them, whatever you claim is your reasoning.
(Cristoiglesia) You are taking Scriptures that forbid idolatry and applying it against all sacred art. That is really twisting Scriptures to match your presuppositions. It is a very unscholarly approach to Scriptures that is called eisegesis. It is not a sin to create sacred art. It is idolatry that is a sin. If someone worshipped the art it would then be a sin. But, of course no one in the Church worships anyone or anything but God. Religious art is designed to remind us of God and our devotion to Him. Statues of the saints remind us of our heavenly hope and that it is attainable through God’s grace. I bow before my bed each morning and pray to God am I worshipping my bed? How do I sin by praying to God beside my bed?
(The Apostle) Do you have to complete the sacraments in order to go to heaven? Im asking, not implying that I know.
(Cristoiglesia) Jesus said that we must eat His Body and drink His Blood for eternal life. He compares it to Manna that sustained the Israelites in the desert as the food for eternal life. Protestants do not desire this food and reject His great feast and the grace that it provides to endure in our faith to final salvation. One might ask why anyone who is faithful would reject Christ’s greatest gift to humanity. All of the Sacraments provide salvific grace but for anyone to presume salvation would be a great sin as our sovereign Lord may save whom He wishes.
(The Apostles) And Im far from hate filled. I just hate to see people on the day of judgment claim Lord, Lord and He says depart from me, I never knew you. It is very sad that you are deceived. I know you dont think you are deceived. But what do you think about John Paul saying that evolution is fact? This was the leader of your church!
(Cristoiglesia) Huh! It is you who has rejected His Church for the doctrines and teaching of men in man made sects. It is the Protestants that most resemble this prophesy of our Lord as they are the ones who have rejected sound doctrine and have gathered around themselves false teachers that satisfy their itching ears. Catholic Christians remain in His Church and are obedient to the teaching of the Church. John Paul II is entitled to his opinion. However I do not know what definition of Evolution he may have been speaking of. I have a undergraduate degree in Biology and I have seen the definition change drastically since I studied it over 30 years ago. If he was speaking of genetic mutations following the allele frequency then he was correct. Our leaders can have their own opinions, that does not mean that they are always correct.
(The Apostle) Would I continue this conversation just on hate? What a waste of time. No, your eternal salvation is at stake. And your betting your life on a document and traditions that are not biblical.
(Cristoiglesia) Really? I am moved by your concern for my salvation. However, I am not the one who is in protest of what Jesus and the disciples founded, that is you. I am not the one being disobedient and have followed false teachers and heretical man-made doctrines. I was once where you are now but no more. I became Catholic by trying to prove the Church wrong. Are you brave enough to take the same journey as I. You really should because it is your salvation that is in more danger by being outside the Church that Jesus prayed that we all be one within. I am confident on my salvific path by being in God’s will in His Church. Where else can I go? As St. Peter said to Christ at Capernaum when those like yourself left Jesus never to follow Him again; turning to the 12 and in particular St. Peter He said, “Do you want to leave also”. St. Peter responded, “where else can we go as you have the words of eternal life”. There is nothing taught by the Church that is not supported in Scriptures. There never will be.
God bless!
In Christ
Fr. Joseph
(Cristoiglesia) You are correct not one was Catholic but all of them were. If they were not Catholic Christians who were they? Jesus only founded one Church and it is the Catholic Church which existed 1500 years before the Protestants. All of the Scriptures, history, and Patristic evidence testify to this fact. Do you only believe in Scriptures when they support your heretical and false teaching? Show me evidence that there was another Church than the one founded by Jesus in the first century. Don’t waste your time looking there is no other Church.
(The Apostle) I know what you teach and I know what you practice. If you want to justify it in any way, that is your business and you have to deal with it.
(Cristoiglesia) Thank God I do not have to justify before God our obedience to His Church as He prayed that we all be one in His Church as He and the Father are one. You are the one who has departed from His teaching for the doctrines and sects of men and not I. I have come home to His Church after 50 years in the darkness of Protestantism. If you indeed know what the Church teaches why then do you persist in bearing false witness against the Church?
(The Apostle) You said the catechism is the entirety of church understanding......That is the problem. The church is based on Gods word. Nothing else.
(Cristoiglesia) There you are spouting the heresy of Sola Scriptura. The Bible teaches against such nonsense. The Bible clearly states that not all of Jesus’ teaching is contained in Scriptures but that the fullness of truth is contained in His Church. The Bible clearly states that His Church is the enduring Church that will last for all times and that the gates of hell will never prevail against the Church yet you suggest unreasonably that it has. It further states that the Church is the “pillar and foundation of the truth.” Do not follow heresies and the doctrines of men but the authority Christ left on earth which is His Church based on the foundation of apostolic succession. You have only a part of God’s Word and expect to have the fullness of truth. This teaching of yours is truly from the depths of hell.
(The Apostle) How about the commandment that says not to make any image or likeness of the things of heaven. You dont even have a clue what Jesus or Mary look like, and yet you make statues of them. Whether you worship them or not, it is a sin to create them. It is a sin to display them. It is a sin to bow before them, whatever you claim is your reasoning.
(Cristoiglesia) You are taking Scriptures that forbid idolatry and applying it against all sacred art. That is really twisting Scriptures to match your presuppositions. It is a very unscholarly approach to Scriptures that is called eisegesis. It is not a sin to create sacred art. It is idolatry that is a sin. If someone worshipped the art it would then be a sin. But, of course no one in the Church worships anyone or anything but God. Religious art is designed to remind us of God and our devotion to Him. Statues of the saints remind us of our heavenly hope and that it is attainable through God’s grace. I bow before my bed each morning and pray to God am I worshipping my bed? How do I sin by praying to God beside my bed?
(The Apostle) Do you have to complete the sacraments in order to go to heaven? Im asking, not implying that I know.
(Cristoiglesia) Jesus said that we must eat His Body and drink His Blood for eternal life. He compares it to Manna that sustained the Israelites in the desert as the food for eternal life. Protestants do not desire this food and reject His great feast and the grace that it provides to endure in our faith to final salvation. One might ask why anyone who is faithful would reject Christ’s greatest gift to humanity. All of the Sacraments provide salvific grace but for anyone to presume salvation would be a great sin as our sovereign Lord may save whom He wishes.
(The Apostles) And Im far from hate filled. I just hate to see people on the day of judgment claim Lord, Lord and He says depart from me, I never knew you. It is very sad that you are deceived. I know you dont think you are deceived. But what do you think about John Paul saying that evolution is fact? This was the leader of your church!
(Cristoiglesia) Huh! It is you who has rejected His Church for the doctrines and teaching of men in man made sects. It is the Protestants that most resemble this prophesy of our Lord as they are the ones who have rejected sound doctrine and have gathered around themselves false teachers that satisfy their itching ears. Catholic Christians remain in His Church and are obedient to the teaching of the Church. John Paul II is entitled to his opinion. However I do not know what definition of Evolution he may have been speaking of. I have a undergraduate degree in Biology and I have seen the definition change drastically since I studied it over 30 years ago. If he was speaking of genetic mutations following the allele frequency then he was correct. Our leaders can have their own opinions, that does not mean that they are always correct.
(The Apostle) Would I continue this conversation just on hate? What a waste of time. No, your eternal salvation is at stake. And your betting your life on a document and traditions that are not biblical.
(Cristoiglesia) Really? I am moved by your concern for my salvation. However, I am not the one who is in protest of what Jesus and the disciples founded, that is you. I am not the one being disobedient and have followed false teachers and heretical man-made doctrines. I was once where you are now but no more. I became Catholic by trying to prove the Church wrong. Are you brave enough to take the same journey as I. You really should because it is your salvation that is in more danger by being outside the Church that Jesus prayed that we all be one within. I am confident on my salvific path by being in God’s will in His Church. Where else can I go? As St. Peter said to Christ at Capernaum when those like yourself left Jesus never to follow Him again; turning to the 12 and in particular St. Peter He said, “Do you want to leave also”. St. Peter responded, “where else can we go as you have the words of eternal life”. There is nothing taught by the Church that is not supported in Scriptures. There never will be.
God bless!
In Christ
Fr. Joseph
05 August, 2009
mater's Granny discussing Jehovah Witnesses criticisms of Catholic Christianity
(‘maters Granny) I left the Catholic Church because of the lies and deciet by the clergy.
(Cristoiglesia) I will be pleased to address any of your so called lies and deceit if you could just reveal them. It is difficult for anyone to speculate as to what you are referring.
(‘Maters Granny) “The Pope is a man who unrightfully takes the name Holy Father.” It belongs only to Jehovah. Scripture says to call no one father except your Father in heaven. Priests have wrongfully taken than moniker and assumed a position that is not theirs to take.
(Cristoiglesia) The term Holy Father refers to the fact that the office of Pope is ordained by Jesus and it is by His authority that the Pope serves as the leader of the apostles. So, the Holiness comes from Christ’s Holiness and not from His own veracity. As for the Scripture verse you say that forbids the use of the term father your interpretation of this verse is based on prejudice causing the presupposition that Jesus was forbidding terms of respect to others. This was certainly not the intent or the correct understanding of what Jesus was teaching. This is a previous writing from my blog that will help you to understand the correct meaning of Jesus’ instructions:
From the early Church we find that clergy were addressed as father. There are those with little knowledge of history or hermeneutical discipline such as understanding Scriptures within context, who believe that the Bible prohibits one from calling a priest father. The words they rely on come directly from Christ:
(Mat 23:9 DRB) And call none your father upon earth; for one is your father, who is in heaven.
Keeping the verse in context let us look at the verse preceding this verse:
(Mat 23:8 DRB) But be not you called Rabbi. For one is your master: and all you are brethren.
Rabbi means teacher and the Latin word for teacher is doctor so anyone using these terms as well are violating the literal interpretation of the text.
Let us look at the verse after verse 9:
(Mat 23:10 DRB) Neither be ye called masters: for one is your master, Christ.
There is no way that the interpretation could be correct if one reads and understands the Matthew passage in context. He is clearly teaching that one should not look to any human authority as our teacher, father, master, doctor or other titles of respect but instead give to God those things that are reserved for Him. Do you also refuse to call people doctor, teacher, professor, mister, or master? All of these are forbidden as well if we are to accept a literal understanding.
Context also requires that we investigate what the other Scriptures say as well as the understanding of these words by those who followed Christ. There are many instances where the writers of the New Testament contradict a literal understanding of not calling a man father, teacher or master. Consider the following verses:
(Act 5:34 DRB) But one in the council rising up, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, respected by all the people, commanded the men to be put forth a little while.
(Col 4:1 DRB) Masters, do to your servants that which is just and equal: knowing that you also have a master in heaven.
(2Ti 1:11 DRB) Wherein I am appointed a preacher and an apostle and teacher of the Gentiles.
Let us examine the statements of St. Stephen to see if he understood Christ to be speaking literally….In is soliloquy (Acts Chapter 7) before the Sanhedrin before his stoning to martyrdom he used the term father in referring to Abraham Isaac and Jacob as fathers and also to his Israelite ancestors as fathers.
St. John the beloved disciple also did not understand Christ to be teaching literally as we can see in the following verses:
(1Jn 2:13 DRB) I write unto you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked one.
(1Jn 2:14 DRB) I write unto you, babes, because you have known the Father. I write unto you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and you have overcome the wicked one.
(1Jn 2:15 DRB) Love not the world, nor the things which are in the world. If any man love the world, the charity of the Father is not in him.
(1Jn 2:16 DRB) For all that is in the world is the concupiscence of the flesh and the concupiscence of the eyes and the pride of life, which is not of the Father but is of the world.
St. Paul also had a different understanding of Christ’s words than the literalists:
(1Co 4:14 DRB) I write not these things to confound you: but I admonish you as my dearest children.
(1Co 4:15 DRB) For if you have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet not many fathers. For in Christ Jesus, by the gospel, I have begotten you.
(1Co 4:16 DRB) Wherefore, I beseech you, be ye followers of me as I also am of Christ.
St. Paul was speaking of the fact that he is called to shepherd the flock as are all priests. We not only give birth to the Christian through Baptism but also nourish the faithful with the Holy Eucharist and God’s Word. We care for them and bind their spiritual wounds through the delivery of the Sacraments. It is no wonder that we are called father as we care for our Church family as a father cares for his own family.
(‘maters Granny) Jesus is the King of the Kingdom he taught us to pray for in what is known as the Lord's Prayer. The Church does not teach the Kingdom nor do they know what it is.
(Cristoiglesia) Yes, the Lord’s Prayer was taught by Jesus as a response to the question How should we pray. I assume you are referring to the part of the prayer that refers to the coming kingdom, am I correct? Jesus was referring to two things which are His earthly kingdom instituted on the cross with the New Covenant and His heavenly kingdom to come when He returns.
(‘maters Granny) The Pope's Mitre is a symbol of Dagon the fish god.
(Cristoiglesia) You have been reading too much revisionist history. I believe this came from the imagination of Alexander Hislop. It is pure nonsense.
(‘maters Granny) The religion is seeped in untruths and paganism.
(Cristoiglesia) The Bible says that the Church is the “pillar and foundation of the truth” so you are disagreeing with Scriptures. I trust the Bible more than your prejudiced opinion. The Catholic Church is based entirely on the teaching of Jesus and the disciples and not on paganism. That is a ridiculous unsupportable claim. It is sinful speculation on your part.
(“maters Granny)The catechism doesn't even follow the bible.
(Cristoiglesia) There is nothing in the Catechism of the Catholic Church that is contradictory to Scriptures. It does follow the Bible.
(‘maters Granny) Jesus has no connection with anything false, or paganistic.
(Cristoiglesia) Exactly, that is why your attacks on the Church are so ridiculous. Why would Christ found a Church based on Pagan teaching or falsehoods and then tell us that His Church is the enduring Church that the gates of hell will never prevail against? Your claims to the contrary directly attack Christ’s veracity and competence in founding His Church.
(“maters Granny)He is the true, loyal witness of Jehovah God.
(Cristoiglesia) Here is where your heretical teaching reveals itself and that is in the denying of the trinity, the very nature of God and the full divinity of our Lord. Jesus is not just a witness to His Father but is God almighty Himself. He is not a created creature or an incarnation of the Archangel Michael but God incarnate or the Word itself.
(‘maters Granny) He would not sully himself with untruths, paganism, Mary worship or celebration of things that disgust his Father, Jehovah, God the Almighty. I am truly sorry you cannot see you are being duped.
(Cristoiglesia) I agree and there is no paganism in the Church or untruths which as I said before is attacking Christ directly and saying that He is a liar for making His promises to humanity about the Church He founded. There is no worship of the blessed mother as you falsely claim or things that disgust God as you falsely and without evidence proclaim. You sin by separating the Godhead and follow the heresy of Arius which was condemned by the Church as a heresy in the year 325AD. Christ was not the author of heresy through His Church that is called in Scriptures the “pillar and foundation of the truth”.
God bless!
In Christ
Fr. Joseph
(Cristoiglesia) I will be pleased to address any of your so called lies and deceit if you could just reveal them. It is difficult for anyone to speculate as to what you are referring.
(‘Maters Granny) “The Pope is a man who unrightfully takes the name Holy Father.” It belongs only to Jehovah. Scripture says to call no one father except your Father in heaven. Priests have wrongfully taken than moniker and assumed a position that is not theirs to take.
(Cristoiglesia) The term Holy Father refers to the fact that the office of Pope is ordained by Jesus and it is by His authority that the Pope serves as the leader of the apostles. So, the Holiness comes from Christ’s Holiness and not from His own veracity. As for the Scripture verse you say that forbids the use of the term father your interpretation of this verse is based on prejudice causing the presupposition that Jesus was forbidding terms of respect to others. This was certainly not the intent or the correct understanding of what Jesus was teaching. This is a previous writing from my blog that will help you to understand the correct meaning of Jesus’ instructions:
From the early Church we find that clergy were addressed as father. There are those with little knowledge of history or hermeneutical discipline such as understanding Scriptures within context, who believe that the Bible prohibits one from calling a priest father. The words they rely on come directly from Christ:
(Mat 23:9 DRB) And call none your father upon earth; for one is your father, who is in heaven.
Keeping the verse in context let us look at the verse preceding this verse:
(Mat 23:8 DRB) But be not you called Rabbi. For one is your master: and all you are brethren.
Rabbi means teacher and the Latin word for teacher is doctor so anyone using these terms as well are violating the literal interpretation of the text.
Let us look at the verse after verse 9:
(Mat 23:10 DRB) Neither be ye called masters: for one is your master, Christ.
There is no way that the interpretation could be correct if one reads and understands the Matthew passage in context. He is clearly teaching that one should not look to any human authority as our teacher, father, master, doctor or other titles of respect but instead give to God those things that are reserved for Him. Do you also refuse to call people doctor, teacher, professor, mister, or master? All of these are forbidden as well if we are to accept a literal understanding.
Context also requires that we investigate what the other Scriptures say as well as the understanding of these words by those who followed Christ. There are many instances where the writers of the New Testament contradict a literal understanding of not calling a man father, teacher or master. Consider the following verses:
(Act 5:34 DRB) But one in the council rising up, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, respected by all the people, commanded the men to be put forth a little while.
(Col 4:1 DRB) Masters, do to your servants that which is just and equal: knowing that you also have a master in heaven.
(2Ti 1:11 DRB) Wherein I am appointed a preacher and an apostle and teacher of the Gentiles.
Let us examine the statements of St. Stephen to see if he understood Christ to be speaking literally….In is soliloquy (Acts Chapter 7) before the Sanhedrin before his stoning to martyrdom he used the term father in referring to Abraham Isaac and Jacob as fathers and also to his Israelite ancestors as fathers.
St. John the beloved disciple also did not understand Christ to be teaching literally as we can see in the following verses:
(1Jn 2:13 DRB) I write unto you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked one.
(1Jn 2:14 DRB) I write unto you, babes, because you have known the Father. I write unto you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and you have overcome the wicked one.
(1Jn 2:15 DRB) Love not the world, nor the things which are in the world. If any man love the world, the charity of the Father is not in him.
(1Jn 2:16 DRB) For all that is in the world is the concupiscence of the flesh and the concupiscence of the eyes and the pride of life, which is not of the Father but is of the world.
St. Paul also had a different understanding of Christ’s words than the literalists:
(1Co 4:14 DRB) I write not these things to confound you: but I admonish you as my dearest children.
(1Co 4:15 DRB) For if you have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet not many fathers. For in Christ Jesus, by the gospel, I have begotten you.
(1Co 4:16 DRB) Wherefore, I beseech you, be ye followers of me as I also am of Christ.
St. Paul was speaking of the fact that he is called to shepherd the flock as are all priests. We not only give birth to the Christian through Baptism but also nourish the faithful with the Holy Eucharist and God’s Word. We care for them and bind their spiritual wounds through the delivery of the Sacraments. It is no wonder that we are called father as we care for our Church family as a father cares for his own family.
(‘maters Granny) Jesus is the King of the Kingdom he taught us to pray for in what is known as the Lord's Prayer. The Church does not teach the Kingdom nor do they know what it is.
(Cristoiglesia) Yes, the Lord’s Prayer was taught by Jesus as a response to the question How should we pray. I assume you are referring to the part of the prayer that refers to the coming kingdom, am I correct? Jesus was referring to two things which are His earthly kingdom instituted on the cross with the New Covenant and His heavenly kingdom to come when He returns.
(‘maters Granny) The Pope's Mitre is a symbol of Dagon the fish god.
(Cristoiglesia) You have been reading too much revisionist history. I believe this came from the imagination of Alexander Hislop. It is pure nonsense.
(‘maters Granny) The religion is seeped in untruths and paganism.
(Cristoiglesia) The Bible says that the Church is the “pillar and foundation of the truth” so you are disagreeing with Scriptures. I trust the Bible more than your prejudiced opinion. The Catholic Church is based entirely on the teaching of Jesus and the disciples and not on paganism. That is a ridiculous unsupportable claim. It is sinful speculation on your part.
(“maters Granny)The catechism doesn't even follow the bible.
(Cristoiglesia) There is nothing in the Catechism of the Catholic Church that is contradictory to Scriptures. It does follow the Bible.
(‘maters Granny) Jesus has no connection with anything false, or paganistic.
(Cristoiglesia) Exactly, that is why your attacks on the Church are so ridiculous. Why would Christ found a Church based on Pagan teaching or falsehoods and then tell us that His Church is the enduring Church that the gates of hell will never prevail against? Your claims to the contrary directly attack Christ’s veracity and competence in founding His Church.
(“maters Granny)He is the true, loyal witness of Jehovah God.
(Cristoiglesia) Here is where your heretical teaching reveals itself and that is in the denying of the trinity, the very nature of God and the full divinity of our Lord. Jesus is not just a witness to His Father but is God almighty Himself. He is not a created creature or an incarnation of the Archangel Michael but God incarnate or the Word itself.
(‘maters Granny) He would not sully himself with untruths, paganism, Mary worship or celebration of things that disgust his Father, Jehovah, God the Almighty. I am truly sorry you cannot see you are being duped.
(Cristoiglesia) I agree and there is no paganism in the Church or untruths which as I said before is attacking Christ directly and saying that He is a liar for making His promises to humanity about the Church He founded. There is no worship of the blessed mother as you falsely claim or things that disgust God as you falsely and without evidence proclaim. You sin by separating the Godhead and follow the heresy of Arius which was condemned by the Church as a heresy in the year 325AD. Christ was not the author of heresy through His Church that is called in Scriptures the “pillar and foundation of the truth”.
God bless!
In Christ
Fr. Joseph
03 August, 2009
Discussion with 'maters Granny on the teaching of the Jehovah Witnesses
(‘maters Granny) I am a former Catholic.
(Cristoiglesia) I am pleased that you once were exposed to the fullness of truth that is contained within Christ’s own Church. That is a true blessing that so many people are not blessed to receive. I assume that your family was Catholic and reared you in the truth before you fell away from the truth of Christianity and was seduced by the heresy of Arius.
Hebrews 6:4-6 (King James Version)
4For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
6If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
Matthew 10:33 (King James Version)
33But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
(‘maters Granny) Open your mind, your eyes and your ears. Sit and talk with Jehovah's Witnesses.
(Cristoiglesia) I take every opportunity to talk with Jehovah Witnesses as well as your schismatic sects like Iglesia ni Cristo and Ang Dating Daan and share with them the truth of the Gospel through the teaching of Christ’s own Church. Even those who have fallen away from the faith delivered to all are worthy of the truth contained in its fullness in Christ’s Church. There is always hope in Christ for even those who have been the victims of the false teachers and ravenous wolves of the world who seek to separate the faithful from the truth.
(‘maters Granny) Your learning came from man not God. Your very life depends on listening with open ears, heart and mind. Pray, earnestly to Jehovah in Jesus's name for guidance and direction.
(Cristoiglesia) I will pray to God in the Trinity as this is the truth revealed to Christ’s Church through the Holy Spirit which guides the Church to all truth as Jesus promised. To pray to Jesus only denies the very nature of God who is one in three persons and is a perversion of the teaching of our Lord and His disciples through Christ’s Church.
I have listened to your doctrines of men and have studied the perverse teaching of your leadership in your man-made sect that denies the very divinity of our Lord and found it to be the doctrines of devils. Satan is clever to destroy the testimony of our Lord the disciples and His Church by denying the authority of Jesus and putting into question His atoning work on the Cross by denying that He is the Lamb of God who came to save the world and calling Him a created creature and incarnation of the Angel Michael instead of Almighty God Himself the uncreated and perfect God. This perversion cannot come from the imagination of man but from the very depths of the hell that you deny and also the author of lies and confusion.
('maters Granny) My pity lies with you and those like you. The churches are full of lies and they willingly feed these to the flocks. May Jehovah have mercy on your very soul as you, as Paul did, believe you are doing right attacking his very people.
(Cristoiglesia) Daniel 7:25 (King James Version)
25And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
Jesus founded a Church based on His own veracity through His promises. He promised that His Church will be the enduring Church that will never fall into apostasy saying that the gates of hell will never prevail against it.
Matthew 16:18 (King James Version)
18And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
He said that this Church is the Church that He will be with until the end of time.
Matthew 28:20 (King James Version)
20Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
He compares His Church as a shining city on a hill as an example to the world and His faithful as the salt and light of the earth in His great Sermon on the Mount.
Matthew 5:14 (King James Version)
13Ye 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.
14Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
The Church is the ark of salvation.
1 Peter 3:18-21 (King James Version)
18For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
19By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
20Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
21The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
The Bible says that His Church is the Pillar and foundation of the truth.
1 Timothy 3:15 (King James Version)
15But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
I do not attack His people but instead pray for His mercy for those who have fallen away from the truth contained in His Church to satisfy their itching ears because they can no longer endure sound doctrine. They gather around them false teachers and form their own perversion of the Church founded by our Lord and call it good. But this church of men teaching its doctrines of men simply feeds the most carnal of desires and the darkness of the soul which is their pride and arrogance. They have usurped the very authority of the most high God for the authority of man but His kingdom is not of the world and those who through syncretism join their faith to the world will be lost in that they deny Christ and He who sent Him.
(‘maters Granny) Paul turned around from his wrong, hopefully you will also. For what reason did you go from Protestant to Catholic? Why did you not heed the admonition to "get out of her my people," referring to those involved in false worship? You went from the Harlot to mother of the Harlots.
(Cristoiglesia) I could do worse than following St. Paul. I left the Protestant faith because I realized that Jesus founded only one Church and endowed that Church all of His veracity. It truly is the fullness of truth In Christ. He prayed His last prayer before His arrest and crucifixion that we all be one in His Church just as He and the Father are one. I knew by this that to be in His will is to be faithful to His Church and not to the man-made imitations. Indeed one should reject false teaching and His Church is truly the Ark of Salvation where one is assured of the truth by Christ’s promises to His Church. Jesus founded one Church and one truth contained in that one enduring Church. His Church is spotless just as He is the spotless Lamb of God. When you attack His Church calling it vile names you attack Christ Himself. May He have mercy on you.
('maters Granny) Trintiy, hellfire. and immortal soul are false teachings. Scripture tells us the dead are unconscious, in a state opposite of life. Eccl 9:5.
The lie Satan told Eve lives on with the Churches as there is no immortal soul. Death is the wage of sin. Jehovah is a loving, merciful God and he does not lie. On the other hand man's teachings are packed with lies and displeasing to God and his Son, Jesus.
(Cristoiglesia) The matter of the Trinity was settled by the Church in addressing the heresy at the Council of Nicaea in 325. Arius lost to the Holy Spirit leading the Church but Satan continues the same lies through the Jehovah Witness sect and its evil spawns the Iglesia ni Cristo and Ang Dating Daan.
There are two eternal destinations of our eternal soul which are Heaven and Hell. All of the denying in the world will not keep Hell from being the reality of some souls. The fact is that the denial of hell makes it more of a possible reality as it begins a slippery slide from the truth contained in the teaching of Christ through His Church and into apostasy. Denial of the immortal soul is a denial of the justice and mercy of God. When the Bible speaks of the dead it is speaking of one being dead In Christ and undeserving of eternal life, which would indicate that they would be worthy of an eternity in hell. This is the case of those spoken of in Ecclesiastes 9:5.
Certainly the teaching of the Jehovah Witnesses are “Man’s” teaching from a man-made sect more influenced by Satan than Jesus. You will pride fully call yourself Christian while at the same time denying the very nature of God in the Trinity and call Jesus the created Archangel Michael and not God in the Trinity which denies the very atoning work of our Lord for He cannot be the Lamb of God and not be the perfect sacrifice prophesied in His Word. Christ is the Word made flesh who saved the world from the guilt and penalty of sin.
God bless!
In Christ
Fr. Joseph
(Cristoiglesia) I am pleased that you once were exposed to the fullness of truth that is contained within Christ’s own Church. That is a true blessing that so many people are not blessed to receive. I assume that your family was Catholic and reared you in the truth before you fell away from the truth of Christianity and was seduced by the heresy of Arius.
Hebrews 6:4-6 (King James Version)
4For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
6If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
Matthew 10:33 (King James Version)
33But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
(‘maters Granny) Open your mind, your eyes and your ears. Sit and talk with Jehovah's Witnesses.
(Cristoiglesia) I take every opportunity to talk with Jehovah Witnesses as well as your schismatic sects like Iglesia ni Cristo and Ang Dating Daan and share with them the truth of the Gospel through the teaching of Christ’s own Church. Even those who have fallen away from the faith delivered to all are worthy of the truth contained in its fullness in Christ’s Church. There is always hope in Christ for even those who have been the victims of the false teachers and ravenous wolves of the world who seek to separate the faithful from the truth.
(‘maters Granny) Your learning came from man not God. Your very life depends on listening with open ears, heart and mind. Pray, earnestly to Jehovah in Jesus's name for guidance and direction.
(Cristoiglesia) I will pray to God in the Trinity as this is the truth revealed to Christ’s Church through the Holy Spirit which guides the Church to all truth as Jesus promised. To pray to Jesus only denies the very nature of God who is one in three persons and is a perversion of the teaching of our Lord and His disciples through Christ’s Church.
I have listened to your doctrines of men and have studied the perverse teaching of your leadership in your man-made sect that denies the very divinity of our Lord and found it to be the doctrines of devils. Satan is clever to destroy the testimony of our Lord the disciples and His Church by denying the authority of Jesus and putting into question His atoning work on the Cross by denying that He is the Lamb of God who came to save the world and calling Him a created creature and incarnation of the Angel Michael instead of Almighty God Himself the uncreated and perfect God. This perversion cannot come from the imagination of man but from the very depths of the hell that you deny and also the author of lies and confusion.
('maters Granny) My pity lies with you and those like you. The churches are full of lies and they willingly feed these to the flocks. May Jehovah have mercy on your very soul as you, as Paul did, believe you are doing right attacking his very people.
(Cristoiglesia) Daniel 7:25 (King James Version)
25And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
Jesus founded a Church based on His own veracity through His promises. He promised that His Church will be the enduring Church that will never fall into apostasy saying that the gates of hell will never prevail against it.
Matthew 16:18 (King James Version)
18And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
He said that this Church is the Church that He will be with until the end of time.
Matthew 28:20 (King James Version)
20Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
He compares His Church as a shining city on a hill as an example to the world and His faithful as the salt and light of the earth in His great Sermon on the Mount.
Matthew 5:14 (King James Version)
13Ye 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.
14Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
The Church is the ark of salvation.
1 Peter 3:18-21 (King James Version)
18For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
19By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
20Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
21The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
The Bible says that His Church is the Pillar and foundation of the truth.
1 Timothy 3:15 (King James Version)
15But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
I do not attack His people but instead pray for His mercy for those who have fallen away from the truth contained in His Church to satisfy their itching ears because they can no longer endure sound doctrine. They gather around them false teachers and form their own perversion of the Church founded by our Lord and call it good. But this church of men teaching its doctrines of men simply feeds the most carnal of desires and the darkness of the soul which is their pride and arrogance. They have usurped the very authority of the most high God for the authority of man but His kingdom is not of the world and those who through syncretism join their faith to the world will be lost in that they deny Christ and He who sent Him.
(‘maters Granny) Paul turned around from his wrong, hopefully you will also. For what reason did you go from Protestant to Catholic? Why did you not heed the admonition to "get out of her my people," referring to those involved in false worship? You went from the Harlot to mother of the Harlots.
(Cristoiglesia) I could do worse than following St. Paul. I left the Protestant faith because I realized that Jesus founded only one Church and endowed that Church all of His veracity. It truly is the fullness of truth In Christ. He prayed His last prayer before His arrest and crucifixion that we all be one in His Church just as He and the Father are one. I knew by this that to be in His will is to be faithful to His Church and not to the man-made imitations. Indeed one should reject false teaching and His Church is truly the Ark of Salvation where one is assured of the truth by Christ’s promises to His Church. Jesus founded one Church and one truth contained in that one enduring Church. His Church is spotless just as He is the spotless Lamb of God. When you attack His Church calling it vile names you attack Christ Himself. May He have mercy on you.
('maters Granny) Trintiy, hellfire. and immortal soul are false teachings. Scripture tells us the dead are unconscious, in a state opposite of life. Eccl 9:5.
The lie Satan told Eve lives on with the Churches as there is no immortal soul. Death is the wage of sin. Jehovah is a loving, merciful God and he does not lie. On the other hand man's teachings are packed with lies and displeasing to God and his Son, Jesus.
(Cristoiglesia) The matter of the Trinity was settled by the Church in addressing the heresy at the Council of Nicaea in 325. Arius lost to the Holy Spirit leading the Church but Satan continues the same lies through the Jehovah Witness sect and its evil spawns the Iglesia ni Cristo and Ang Dating Daan.
There are two eternal destinations of our eternal soul which are Heaven and Hell. All of the denying in the world will not keep Hell from being the reality of some souls. The fact is that the denial of hell makes it more of a possible reality as it begins a slippery slide from the truth contained in the teaching of Christ through His Church and into apostasy. Denial of the immortal soul is a denial of the justice and mercy of God. When the Bible speaks of the dead it is speaking of one being dead In Christ and undeserving of eternal life, which would indicate that they would be worthy of an eternity in hell. This is the case of those spoken of in Ecclesiastes 9:5.
Certainly the teaching of the Jehovah Witnesses are “Man’s” teaching from a man-made sect more influenced by Satan than Jesus. You will pride fully call yourself Christian while at the same time denying the very nature of God in the Trinity and call Jesus the created Archangel Michael and not God in the Trinity which denies the very atoning work of our Lord for He cannot be the Lamb of God and not be the perfect sacrifice prophesied in His Word. Christ is the Word made flesh who saved the world from the guilt and penalty of sin.
God bless!
In Christ
Fr. Joseph
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