Please do not think that I am singling out the Catholic
church in this article. I am rather using it as an example, of Jesus warning,
about what would happen to the "Church" in the end times, That
"even the elect" might be deceived. I have known many good Christian
Catholics in my lifetime, and I have also known many who depended on their
membership in the Catholic Church for their salvation. I am not even singling
out all of the hierarchy in the Catholic Church, as you will read. Today, many
churches, especially the denominational ones are falling into the same schism
of walking away from the Bible.
The early church was to the Jew first and then to the
gentile. As is discussed, in the book of Acts, the vast majority of the first
Christians were Jewish converts, who became Messianic Jews (by being Born
Again). gentiles who become "Born Again" are adopted in to the family
of God (Jews).[1] No one
is entitled to call themselves a Christian, unless they have been born again. However,
in the second century anti-Semitism began creeping into the Church. Paul, and
others, wrote about the judaizers and the Gnostics who were apostate very early
on.
Saint Peter was not the first pope of the Catholic church. The Catholic
church didn't exist until almost a thousand years after Peter died.
In the year 1045 the
"Catholic Church" broke off from the One Holy Catholic
and Apostolic Church . At that time the Pope decreed that Mary was divine and could be
worshiped. Mary was given the title of "Mother Of God", which I
thought she already was. He also pronounced that the Pope was infallible. Never
before, in history, had anyone associated with Judaism and Christianity placed
themselves on the same authoritative level as God.
"The Great Schism,
also known as the East-West Schism,
was the event that divided "Chalcedonian" Christianity into Western (Roman) Catholicism and Eastern
Orthodoxy.^[1]^ Though normally dated to 1054,
when Pope Leo IX and Patriarch Michael I excommunicated each other, the
East-West Schism was actually the result of an extended period of estrangement
between the two bodies of churches. The primary causes of the Schism were
disputes over papal authority -- the Roman Pope claimed he held authority over
the four Eastern patriarchs, while the four eastern patriarchs claimed that the
primacy of the Patriarch of Rome was only honorary, and thus he had authority
only over Western Christians -- and over the insertion of the filioque
clause into the Nicene
Creed. There
were other, less significant catalysts for the Schism, including variance over
liturgical practices and conflicting claims of jurisdiction."[2]
"The Chalcedonian Definition
(also Confession or Creed of Chalcedon) was adopted in A.D. 451 at
the Council of Chalcedon in Asia Minor .
That council was the fourth of the first seven Ecumenical Councils, which are
accepted by Chalcedonian churches (Eastern Orthodox, Catholic,
and most Protestant churches)."[3]
"Jesus said He hated the Nicolaitanes, who
in their pride, put on airs and ruled the people by assuming authority not
given to church workers. Their
priests lorded over the people they were supposed to be serving and were
apparently using the clothing styles of the Hebrew high priests; to set them
above the people. Jesus said "He who would be first, should be a
servant"."[4]
It is my opinion that the "chain of command" used in the Catholic
Church, and some other denominations, was the major problem Jesus had with the Nicolaitanes.
"The Greek roots of the term
"Catholic" mean "according to (kata-) the whole (holos),"
or more colloquially, "universal." At the beginning of the second
century, we find in the letters of Ignatius the first surviving use of the term
"Catholic" in reference to the Church. At that time, or shortly
thereafter, it was used to refer to a single, visible communion, separate from
others.
The term
"Catholic" is in the Apostles’, Nicene, and Athanasian creeds, and
many Protestants, claiming the term for themselves, give it a meaning that is
unsupported historically, ignoring the term’s use at the time the creeds were
written.
Early Church
historian J. N. D. Kelly, a Protestant, writes: "As regards ‘Catholic,’
its original meaning was 'universal' or 'general.' . . . in the latter half of
the second century at latest, we find it conveying the suggestion that the
Catholic is the true Church as distinct from heretical congregations (cf.,
e.g., Muratorian Canon). . . . What these early Fathers were envisaging was
almost always the empirical, visible society; they had little or no inkling of
the distinction which was later to become important between a visible and an
invisible Church".[5]
"The exact origin of the
Nicolaitans is unclear. Some Bible commentators believe they were a heretical
sect who followed the teachings of Nicolas—whose name means “one who conquers
the people”—who was possibly one of the deacons of the early church mentioned
in Acts 6:5. It is possible that Nicolas became an apostate,
denying the true faith and became part of a group holding "the doctrine of
Balaam," who taught Israel
"to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual
immorality." Clement of Alexandria
says, “They abandoned themselves to pleasure like goats, leading a life of
self-indulgence.” Their teaching perverted grace and replaced liberty with
license.
Other commentators believe that these Nicolaitans were not so called from any man, but from the Greek word Nicolah, meaning "let us eat," as they often encouraged each other to eat things offered to idols. Whichever theory is true, it is certain that the deeds of the Nicolaitans were an abomination to Christ. They, like the Gnostics and other false teachers, abused the doctrine of grace and tried to introduce licentiousness in its place (2 Peter 2:15, 19; Jude 1:4)."[6]
Other commentators believe that these Nicolaitans were not so called from any man, but from the Greek word Nicolah, meaning "let us eat," as they often encouraged each other to eat things offered to idols. Whichever theory is true, it is certain that the deeds of the Nicolaitans were an abomination to Christ. They, like the Gnostics and other false teachers, abused the doctrine of grace and tried to introduce licentiousness in its place (2 Peter 2:15, 19; Jude 1:4)."[6]
"Throughout history, the Christians have
been blamed for the majority of anti-Semitism. What people fail to realize is
that it was not Christianity that was anti-Semitic, but rather some misguided
denominations who called themselves Christians. The crusades and the
inquisition were conducted by the Roman Catholic Church. Martin Luther, founder
of the Lutheran church was an anti-Semite. The Nazi's claimed to be Christian, but in
reality were Occultists. In
100AD, Justin Martyr claimed the covenant between God and Israel was no longer
valid. The Bible says
that Gods covenants are irrevocable. In 130 AD, Irenaeus said the Jews were disinherited
from the grace of God. Irenaeus, was a disciple of Polycarp, who was a
disciple of John. Only
Satan could mess up the truth that quickly. We can't know where these
people got their ideas (except through satanic influence), but we do know they
were not expounding what is in the Word of God."[7]
Today's Pope, "Francis" seems to be falling into the same abyss that
other popes have in the past. He has
said -
1.
The Koran is a book of peace and Islam is not a violent religion. This shows
very little knowledge of Both Islam and the Koran.[8]
2.
God has "instructed him" to revise the Ten Commandments.[9]
3.
The Christian who does not feel that the Virgin Mary is his or her mother
is an orphan,[10]
4. On homosexuality - “Often they wish to encounter a Church
that offers them a welcoming home. Are our communities capable of providing
that, accepting and valuing their sexual orientation, without compromising
Catholic doctrine on the family and matrimony?”[11]
5.
Pope Contradicts Genesis
Account of Creation, Argues ‘God and Evolution’ Are Compatible[12]
7. Bows head in prayer with Islamic Grand Mufti.[14]
The above seven items simply
demonstrate that although God is infallible, man is not. I would suggest That
when hearing from the Pope, you do as I suggest with all of my writings,
Compare everything to the Bible for verification.
Jesus said to beware of those who
distort His message. Jesus is the Light of the world, the alpha and Omega, the
Savior of the world, the Good Shepherd, the Son of God, The Great Physician,
Emmanuel, the I Am, the Messiah, the High Priest, the Bread of Life, the
fountain of Living Water, the Deliverer, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, the Lamb
of God, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Way, the Truth and the Light, the Resurrection,
AND THE ONLY PATH TO HEAVEN.
[1] http://www.thespiritsnestministries.com/search?q=Mashugana+For+Yehoshua
[2] http://www.theopedia.com/great-schism
[3]
Wikipedia
[4] Mark 9:35, Matthew 20:26-27
[5] http://www.catholic.com/tracts/what-catholic-means
[6] http://www.gotquestions.org/Nicolaitans.html
[7] http://www.thespiritsnestministries.com/2014/10/christian-history-from-early-church.html
[8] http://pamelageller.com/2015/09/pope-says-quran-is-a-book-of-peace-and-islam-is-not-a-violent-religion.html/
[9]
http://realnewsrightnow.com/2015/07/pope-francis-god-has-instructed-me-to-revise-the-ten-commandments/
[10] http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/watchman-on-the-wall/45287-pope-francis-mary-is-not-my-mother-and-i-am-not-an-orphan
[11]
http://christiannews.net/2014/10/16/vatican-document-stirring-controversy-over-welcoming-and-accepting-practicing-homosexuals/
[12] http://christiannews.net/2014/10/27/pope-refutes-genesis-account-of-creation-argues-god-and-evolution-are-compatible/
[14] http://christiannews.net/2014/11/29/pope-francis-bows-head-in-silent-adoration-beside-islamic-grand-mufti-in-turkeys-blue-mosque
0 comments:
Post a Comment