The allure of the churches of the Middle Ages and Patristic Fathers has drawn many Millenials to become Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox. A resurgence of Romanism combined with the emergence of Easternism has begun to draw many Evangelicals into the Catholic and East Orthodox folds. The Protestant Church, a loose collection of almost 2.1 Million churches, ranging from High Churches like The Anglican Church of England to the Charismatic circles in the Southern Baptist and Pentecostal Churches. Roman Catholic clergy and Orthodox fathers criticize Protstantism because it has no roots in the ancient churches, and is an aberration and distortion of the Apostle's planting. Ironically, the accusation of the Roman and Eastern clerics is not only unfounded but the very truth about their own churches.
Protestantism did not begin in Germany, when Martin Luther nailed his 95 Thesis to a church door. It was not hewn by the hand of Jan Hus, or even the collection of John Calvin's doctrine. Protstantism finds its origin in 33 A.D. when Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead. Protstantism is the resurgence of the Apostle's teaching found in Holy Scripture. Protestantism was not contrived by popes, patriarchates, and poets; it is found within the words of the Holy Bible itself. Protestantism was a return to what Jesus Christ and the Apostles taught, rather than what the Western medieval church, Roman Catholicism (500-2016 A.D.) or the mystical eastern church of Eastern Orthodoxy (250-2016 A.D.) taught in their canons, dogmas, and doctrines. The Reformation was not a rebellion, but a return to the writings of the Apostles and the words of the LORD Himself. The two offspring of Constantine, Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy found their birth not in time of Christ or His Disciples, but in circa 200-400 A.D. centuries after the death of the Disciples. Roman Catholicism was one with Eastern Orthodoxy until 1054 A.D., although they had disagreed on doctrines like the Filoque for many centuries. Constantine, not Christ was father of Eastern Orthodoxy, and Roman Catholicism was an offshoot, the Bishop of Rome, which would become the Pappa or Pope would create an entirely separate Latin Church which in itself could be called a reformation from Eastern Orthodoxy (crudely). Protestantism reached back before the pollutions of the men in purple (Eastern Emperors of Byzantium), the cardinals in red (whom became the Popes of Europe), and wanted to return to the sound doctrines of Scripture, which contained the eyewitness accounts (Gospels) of Jesus Christ, His teaching, and Message. Protestantism was a return to the Early Church, the Christianity that Christ founded and that His first followers preached to both Jews and Gentiles.
The Roman Church is raking in many Protestants with its liturgy, social justice, organization, and ties to much of European's History. Eastern Orthodoxy is gaining converts from Protestantism due to its mystique, mystical, and otherness that has not touched much of Europe or America. There is plethora of blog posts and articles about these new converts to the Constantine and Papal Churches, how they have discovered the so called "true church" but they admit to "draining a gnat to swallow camel," (Matthew 23:24) discovering that they who once only went to Christ as intermediary, "For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity--the man Christ Jesus," (1 Timothy 2:5) to now imploring the Cult of the Saints, and clergymen for help where Christ had been enough. Many Millennials are being beguiled into these churches because of the Apostolic Fathers. Those who read St. Augustine of Hippo, St. Benedict of Nursia, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Antony the Great, Athanasius, St. Basil, St. Chystotome, and more become bespelled by their 'wisdoms' and monkdome. Had they only understood the grave heresy of Monasticism and how it violates the words of the Apostles (Colossians 2:20-23) and is not preached by Christ as the way of salvation, would they have reconsidered. Romanism and Easternism draw many Protestants in with the claims of primacy, history, and apostolic succession. The truth is neither Roman Catholicism nor Eastern Orthodoxy has any semblance of the Church of the Apostles, in fact the Apostles John, Peter, and Paul refute every dogma of both the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches. Here are some examples: Roman Catholicism preaches the merit of saints and the Madonna as co-redeemer (Catechism of Catholic Church), but the Apostles preach, " It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:10,12). Catholics invoke saints for healing and for salvation, that they appeal to Christ for them, but this one Scripture refutes that. Eastern Orthodox clerics teach a salvation based on living it out in works, while works are admirable (James 5), they cannot save a person, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9). Roman Catholic priests and clergy must be celibate for life and preach celibacy as a chief virtue, when Scripture disagrees, "They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth," (1 Timothy 4:3). Eastern Orthodox make a big deal about fasting, Sabbaths, festivals, and asceticism when Scripture says, "Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind," (Colossians 2:16-18), and "If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations, “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh." (Colossians 2:20-23). Then there is the issue of salvation. Roman Catholicism teaches that salvation is found in baptism, Eucharist, and the other Sacraments of the Roman Church, and Eastern Orthodoxy is similar only adding its own take on these and making it instead holy life, asceiticsm, feasts, and rather Jewish Levitical codes as part of salvation, when Scripture says simply to be saved it requires, "Confess Jesus Christ as LORD (Jehovah, God of Israel) and believe God raised Him from the dead, and you shall be saved," (Romans 10:9), "Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God's one and only Son," (John 3:18), and, "They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved--you and your household." (Acts 16:31). Nothing in there about needing Sacraments or asceticism.
The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches teach a person needs to achieve and receive merit from Christ and the Saints to be saved, and that Christ is continually dying for their sins (Roman Catholicism) or Enthroned to Judge. The words of the Apostles who knew Christ personally say otherwise, "so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him," (Hebrews 9:28), "Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit," (1 Peter 3:18), "When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God," (Romans 6:10), "For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past," (Romans 3:25), "He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins--and not only our sins but the sins of all the world," (1 John 2:2), "God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God," (2 Corinthians 5:21), and "Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault." (Colossians 1:22).
If the Roman and Eastern Churches have not grabbed adherents, the rise of Messianic Christianity will. Messianic Christianity is a return to Jewish Roots, and customs. It is a blending of Judaism and Christianity, but it always ends in imposing Levitical Kosher Laws, Jewish Feasts, and more. The Apostle Paul devotes many epistles to this resurgence of the Old Covenant trying to imprison the New Covenant bearers. Here are some choices words towards the Messianic Movement, "By calling this covenant "new," he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear," (Hebrews 8:13), "Dear brothers and sisters, if I were still preaching that you must be circumcised--as some say I do--why am I still being persecuted? If I were no longer preaching salvation through the cross of Christ, no one would be offended," (Galatians 5:11), "know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified," (Galatians 2:16), "Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all," (Galatians 5:2), "Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God's grace," (Galatians 5:3-4), "Now, however, Jesus has received a far superior ministry, just as the covenant He mediates is superior and is founded on better promises," (Hebrews 8:6), "but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it," (Romans 9:31), "Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: "Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved. This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them.Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, "The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses. The apostles and elders met to consider this question. After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: "Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us.He made no distinction between us and them, for he cleansed their hearts through faith.So why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear? We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus. The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.When they finished, James spoke up. "Brothers," he said, "listen to me." Peter has told you about the time God first visited the Gentiles to take from them a people for himself. And this conversion of Gentiles is exactly what the prophets predicted. As it is written: Afterward I will return and restore the fallen house of David. I will rebuild its ruins and restore it, that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things' --he who made these things known so long ago. And so my judgment is that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.Instead, we should write and tell them to abstain from eating food offered to idols, from sexual immorality, from eating the meat of strangled animals, and from consuming blood. For these laws of Moses have been preached in Jewish synagogues in every city on every Sabbath for many generations. Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, men who were leaders among the believers. This is the letter they took with them: "This letter is from the apostles and elders, your brothers in Jerusalem. It is written to the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. Greetings! We understand that some men from here have troubled you and upset you with their teaching, but we did not send them! So we decided, having come to complete agreement, to send you official representatives, along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.We are sending Judas and Silas to confirm what we have decided concerning your question. It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell. So the men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter.And there was great joy throughout the church that day as they read this encouraging message.
Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the believers.They stayed for a while, and then the believers sent them back to the church in Jerusalem with a blessing of peace." (Acts 15:1-2, 4-30).
Protestantism is not a Church birthed in 16th century, but rather it has existed since the Church was born. It is the Church that holds to the words of Jesus Christ and His Apostles, instead of popes, patriarchates, and priests who put their trust in canons, teaching, and laws made by men (Colossians 2:23). While it is not my wish to step on the toes of those who Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Messianic, I must raise the point that those churches deviate from the Scriptures, the actual eyewitness accounts of those who knew Jesus Christ during His first Coming (John 1:11). While Protestants claim Solae Scriptura "Scripture Alone" as our guide, measure, and testate for all supernatural and doctrinal things; for Scripture is God Breathed (2 Timothy 3:16). Catholics and Eastern Orthodox adhere to Prima Scriptura "Scripture and Tradition (manmade religion, Col 2:20-23); while Messianic try to impose the old covenant back on freed Christians.
Protestantism really begins as far back as Genesis 1 (est. 6,000 years ago), for Jesus Christ is the Creator (John 1:1-5, Colossians 1:8-18). The Roman and Orthodox Churches only go as far back as 200 A.D. and they do not hold to Scripture as their standard, but use other standards and traditions of men (a Talmud for the Church, Canon Law). The reason I even write this post is to say, I have spent much time in Messianicism, Roman Catholicism, and Eastern Orthodoxy; I attended Sedars, Masses, Vigils, read their theologies and histories, and I even endeavored to join all three; but Christ pulled me out of them all using Scripture and Sound Reason and The Spirit of God Himself. You cannot reconcile Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Messianic Christianity with Scripture; and since these churches do not adhere to pure and unpolluted words of Christ and the Apostles, but actually contradict them, that means Protestantism triumphs. Our churches may be divided, fragmented, and even sometimes disorganized; but the Protestants make Christ their Rock (Matthew 21:42, Matthew 7:24-27, 1 Corinthians 1:23), and Scripture their Measure (2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:20) instead of Canons of dead corrupt men their rock and other writings by saints their measure.
Comments
Post a Comment