Something for Protestants to Consider

"Therefore, brethren, stand fast to the traditions you were taught, whether by our word or epistle" 2Thes2:15
"But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition he received from us." 2Thes3:6
When the Bishop of Rome (the Pope) left the church officially in 1054, most people were not able to own a Bible and couldn't know this dire warning from the Apostle Paul. Upon founding his own church, the papacy began, as you well know, inserting the traditions of man that Jesus himself had so adamantly opposed. To this day, the pope is seen as Christ on earth by Roman Catholics, infallible and unquestionable by any man. The Roman Catholic tradition is one full of heresy and corruption and it is certainly not according to the traditions which were taught by the Apostles, who received them from Jesus Christ and of the gift of the Holy Spirit. One begotten of and one proceeding from the Father before all ages. But worse than Roman Catholics in this sense, are Protestant churches.
In an effort to separate from anything Roman Catholic, the Protestant churches have over-corrected their course, throwing the baby out with the bathwater as it were. Mary has become a nobody, Holy communion has become a once a year, if so often, exercise, dissecting the Bible has replaced worshiping God, and doctrine has become a matter of personal preference. There's not, to my knowledge, one established Protestant church that has upheld the traditions or doctrines of their own founders, much less the Apostles. How long will it take a newly-formed church to divert from the good intentions of the founding Minister? One generation? Three? It's definitely not many, because the entire history of Protestantism is only roughly 20 generations and it has already splintered into over 2,000 "denominations".
Is disunity something God wants in his churches? Is it something Satan would like?

Ask yourself these three questions and really think about them:
1) Did Jesus start a church or a movement?
2) Who wrote and later compiled the Bible? What church did they attend?
3) Why were the Epistles necessary if doctrine and tradition don't matter?

The Church founded by Jesus and brought to the world by the Apostles was promised by God to always be guided by the Holy Spirit to truth. Not only were the Holy Scriptures inspired during their writing, but the Holy Spirit inspired the very gathering of them by the Church Fathers. There is now and has been since 33AD, ONE Christian Church. Not one set of Christians, but one church; unfortunately most Christians are not affiliated with the true church, ever guided to truth by the Holy Spirit and led by Jesus Christ, not his earthly stand-in. The true, unchanged, PRE-denominational apostolic church is, in fact, the home of every Christian on earth.
That church is commonly called "Eastern Orthodox", but the title is only the result of schisms and western labeling. Unchanged since the days of the Apostles, Orthodoxy is a full-immersion into the Christian life and the sound doctrines and traditions of the Apostles, the original Archbishops of the Church. Many Protestant Pastors have led their flocks to Orthodoxy and have discovered the true beauty of God's Church. It may seem very different and maybe a little foreign, but it is, as I have stated above and history has documented very well, the one Holy Apostolic Catholic (universal) Church. Please take time to study the Orthodox Christian Church and open your heart fully to Christ our Lord.

Christ called Peter possessed, satan even, and your church is built on satanism
, “But when He had turned about and looked on His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, Get you behind Me, Satan: for you savor not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.” Christ was not implying that Peter was Satan.

and you question protestants.

You make a good point. However, can we be sure that the EO church is not corrupted? In your favor, I have not heard of any pedophilia in the EO church, either.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if the church existed on this Earth that was started by Jesus?

Originally posted by borntowatch
Christ called Peter possessed, satan even, and your church is built on satanism
, “But when He had turned about and looked on His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, Get you behind Me, Satan: for you savor not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.” Christ was not implying that Peter was Satan.

and you question protestants.

Hey there Mr reading comprehension, I'm not advocating Roman Catholicism. Maybe slow down and read, it's short and I used easy words.

Originally posted by Jim Scott
You make a good point. However, can we be sure that the EO church is not corrupted? In your favor, I have not heard of any pedophilia in the EO church, either.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if the church existed on this Earth that was started by Jesus?

There is no central leadership of the EO church therefore it can't be corrupted. It just never changed because no one ever had the power or autonomy to change it. Those who attempted to over the years have just started their own churches (starting with the Bishop of Rome) because by its very nature Orthodoxy cannot change or become corrupted, or outdated or irrelevant. Jesus wasn't kidding when he said "the gates of hades shall not prevail against it".

I'm not Catholic. I was raised in a Pentecostal, Assembly of God Church. I know nothing at all about Orthodoxy. Can you please list some of the differences between the Protestant and Catholic forms of worship as it compares the Orthodox Christian Church?

Originally posted by windword
I'm not Catholic. I was raised in a Pentecostal, Assembly of God Church. I know nothing at all about Orthodoxy. Can you please list some of the differences between the Protestant and Catholic forms of worship as it compares the Orthodox Christian Church?

edit on 23-5-2012 by windword because: (no reason given)

Pretty good comparison chart here: christianityinview.com...

You know what would be really cool? If this god would show up to everyone and teach everybody what is right. That way, everyone has an equal chance at his truth. IMO, that would make the most sense. As it is now, if this god is real, his followers are NOT all on the same page. They argue amongst themselves about what is right, and even say that the other will spend eternity being tortured in fire, and both sides love their god. How can this be good?

Why not let us all learn DIRECTLY from the source?

Originally posted by Hydroman
You know what would be really cool? If this god would show up to everyone and teach everybody what is right. That way, everyone has an equal chance at his truth. IMO, that would make the most sense. As it is now, if this god is real, his followers are NOT all on the same page. They argue amongst themselves about what is right, and even say that the other will spend eternity being tortured in fire, and both sides love their god. How can this be good?

Why not let us all learn DIRECTLY from the source?

edit on 23-5-2012 by Hydroman because: (no reason given)

He did. Didn't work. The law became their god.
And no one could follow all the rules anyway, but the only way we could understand that is to be given the opportunity to try.
Only after hard-headed mankind tried and failed could we then appreciate grace and forgiveness. That's the only thing that could possibly level the playing field, the only way equal access could be afforded to everyone no matter their culture, age, education, whatever. All human beings have the ability to ask to be forgiven.

There are two books that I have been contemplating telling you about for going on about 2 or 3 weeks now. I guess now is as good a time as any to tell you about them. These books will answer most of your questions, IMO. The truly important ones anyway. I wish I could mail them to you because I'd do it in a hearbeat. One is called, "How Good Is Good Enough?" by Andy Stanley. Very short read, couple hours at the most. Written with humor and something I very easily related to.
The other one is "Disappointment With God" by Philip Yancey. If I didn't know any better, I would swear on my left pinky toe that this book was written for the sole reason that one day you would end up reading it.
I will U2U my regular email address if you want to ask about them.

Originally posted by stupid girl
He did. Didn't work. The law became their god.

He hasn't appeared to me and shown me what is true. And if he did do this, why are there over 30,000 denominations in christianity, silly goose?

Originally posted by stupid girl
And no one could follow all the rules anyway, but the only way we could understand that is to be given the opportunity to try.

Why not? Besides, at least everyone would be on the same page.

Originally posted by stupid girl
Only after hard-headed mankind tried and failed could we then appreciate grace and forgiveness. That's the only thing that could possibly level the playing field, the only way equal access could be afforded to everyone no matter their culture, age, education, whatever. All human beings have the ability to ask to be forgiven.

Not everyone is on an equal playing field. If you're not raised in a country that is predominately christian, you may not get an opportunity to believe the "right way". This is why I say that if this god would show up to everyone, whether all at once or whatever, and teach us directly, we would know what he wants from us. Getting this info from fallible man is not the best way, most trustworthy way.

Originally posted by stupid girl
There are two books that I have been contemplating telling you about for going on about 2 or 3 weeks now. I guess now is as good a time as any to tell you about them. These books will answer most of your questions, IMO. The truly important ones anyway. I wish I could mail them to you because I'd do it in a hearbeat. One is called, "How Good Is Good Enough?" by Andy Stanley. Very short read, couple hours at the most. Written with humor and something I very easily related to.
The other one is "Disappointment With God" by Philip Yancey. If I didn't know any better, I would swear on my left pinky toe that this book was written for the sole reason that one day you would end up reading it.
I will U2U my regular email address if you want to ask about them.

I think I have the Disappointment With God book, or my parents do. But again, this is info created by fallible man.

Originally posted by Hydroman
You know what would be really cool? If this god would show up to everyone and teach everybody what is right. That way, everyone has an equal chance at his truth. IMO, that would make the most sense. As it is now, if this god is real, his followers are NOT all on the same page. They argue amongst themselves about what is right, and even say that the other will spend eternity being tortured in fire, and both sides love their god. How can this be good?

Why not let us all learn DIRECTLY from the source?

edit on 23-5-2012 by Hydroman because: (no reason given)

God DID show up and teach everybody what's right and even instructed them on how to teach and do things to keep His teaching true and accurate, His Church. Just because some people were more interested in wealth and power than preserving the teaching of God, it didn't change His teaching or His Church. It stayed intact, untarnished by the corrupt false teaching in His name. Unfortunately, as the heirs of Western civilization, we often think of Christianity and religion in general as corrupt because in our experience, it always has been.

Originally posted by TruthSeekerMike
God DID show up and teach everybody what's right and even instructed them on how to teach and do things to keep His teaching true and accurate, His Church. Just because some people were more interested in wealth and power than preserving the teaching of God, it didn't change His teaching or His Church. It stayed intact, untarnished by the corrupt false teaching in His name. Unfortunately, as the heirs of Western civilization, we often think of Christianity and religion in general as corrupt because in our experience, it always has been.

Again, he hasn't shown up to me and taught me. Has he shown up and taught you? Or, did you hear voices in your head, or get your info from fallible man? I'm saying that he could show up to everyone past, present, and future people, and teach us directly from the source: Himself. If we choose to do something different after that, well then maybe there should be consequences.

Originally posted by Hydroman

Originally posted by TruthSeekerMike
God DID show up and teach everybody what's right and even instructed them on how to teach and do things to keep His teaching true and accurate, His Church. Just because some people were more interested in wealth and power than preserving the teaching of God, it didn't change His teaching or His Church. It stayed intact, untarnished by the corrupt false teaching in His name. Unfortunately, as the heirs of Western civilization, we often think of Christianity and religion in general as corrupt because in our experience, it always has been.

Again, he hasn't shown up to me and taught me. Has he shown up and taught you? Or, did you hear voices in your head, or get your info from fallible man? I'm saying that he could show up to everyone past, present, and future people, and teach us directly from the source: Himself. If we choose to do something different after that, well then maybe there should be consequences.

I think you may have the same issue I used to have, the God we have been taught about punishes people for not following rules. The God that exists and created us (and, incidentally, as the Orthodox Church teaches) is pure love. It's not voices in your head or a book of rules, it's the spirit of God in you, his creation--whether by evolution or dust, doesn't really matter. Read this if you get a chance:
www.deathtotheworld.com...

reply to post by TruthSeekerMike


There are 2 things you must do, believe in Christ and keep his commandments. If you do not know what those commandments are then i suggest you begin with reading Matthew Chapter 1. What comes after with Acts and the later books can easily be checked against what Yeshua taught. There is only one Messiah, one King you must obey. Yeshua cared not for the traditions of men and he rebuked the religious jews of his time here on earth for their hypocrisy and for following his laws as according to them and not him.

Originally posted by lonewolf19792000
reply to post by TruthSeekerMike

 

There are 2 things you must do, believe in Christ and keep his commandments. If you do not know what those commandments are then i suggest you begin with reading Matthew Chapter 1. What comes after with Acts and the later books can easily be checked against what Yeshua taught. There is only one Messiah, one King you must obey. Yeshua cared not for the traditions of men and he rebuked the religious jews of his time here on earth for their hypocrisy and for following his laws as according to them and not him.

And the only way you know is from the book His Church compiled. There's no getting around it, Orthodoxy is the original and unchanged faith, all others are altered copies.

Originally posted by TruthSeekerMike
And the only way you know is from the book His Church compiled. There's no getting around it, Orthodoxy is the original and unchanged faith, all others are altered copies.

...and my daddy can beat up your daddy.

Originally posted by Hydroman

Originally posted by TruthSeekerMike
And the only way you know is from the book His Church compiled. There's no getting around it, Orthodoxy is the original and unchanged faith, all others are altered copies.

...and my daddy can beat up your daddy.

I didn't mean it like that at all. I was a Protestant myself and these cold facts hit me like that so I sometimes say them in a shorter way than I probably should. Please don't think I'm calling anyone less Christian or right or wrong, I'm just saying that from a perfectly easy to follow historical perspective that Orthodoxy is the only true Christian Church in the sense that any other Christian churches HAD to somehow break away from it or take from it in some way.

Originally posted by TruthSeekerMike
To this day, the pope is seen as Christ on earth by Roman Catholics, infallible and unquestionable by any man.

That is a gross distortion of what Catholics believe and does a grave disservice to the rest of your interesting argument.

Eric

Originally posted by TruthSeekerMike
I didn't mean it like that at all. I was a Protestant myself and these cold facts hit me like that so I sometimes say them in a shorter way than I probably should. Please don't think I'm calling anyone less Christian or right or wrong, I'm just saying that from a perfectly easy to follow historical perspective that Orthodoxy is the only true Christian Church in the sense that any other Christian churches HAD to somehow break away from it or take from it in some way.

...or maybe neither are correct?

Originally posted by EricD

Originally posted by TruthSeekerMike
To this day, the pope is seen as Christ on earth by Roman Catholics, infallible and unquestionable by any man.

That is a gross distortion of what Catholics believe and does a grave disservice to the rest of your interesting argument.

Eric

Please elaborate. I base that statement on the doctrine of papal infallibility and his position as Christ's "vicar on earth".