Today's Scripture Readings!

Ephesians 2:12-22 ISV

"At that time you were without Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise. You had no hope and were in the world without God.  But now, in Christ Jesus, you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.  For it is he who is our peace. In his flesh he made both groups one by tearing down the wall of hostility that divided them.  He rendered the law inoperative, along with its commandments and regulations, so that he might create in himself one new humanity from the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, on which he killed the hostility. He came and proclaimed peace for you who were far away and for you who were near. For through him, both of us have access to the Father in one Spirit. That is why you are no longer strangers and foreigners but fellow citizens with the saints and members of God's household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone.  In him the whole building is joined together and rises into a holy sanctuary in the Lord. You, too, are being built in him along with the others into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit." 

Psalms 85:9-14 TNIV

"Surely his salvation is near those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land. Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other. Faithfulness springs forth from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven. The Lord will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest. Righteousness goes before him and prepares the way for his steps."  

Luke 12:35-38 WEB

"Let your waist be dressed and your lamps burning.  Be like men watching for their lord, when he returns from the marriage feast; that, when he comes and knocks, they may immediately open to him. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord will find watching when he comes. Most certainly I tell you, that he will dress himself, and make them recline, and will come and serve them. They will be blessed if he comes in the second or third watch, and finds them so."

Sola Scriptura:

Of all the Protestant dogma's Scripture Alone is one of the most dangerous and absolute prideful doctrines to surface from the Reformation. Especially embraced in Fundamental, Evangelical, Baptist, and “Bible-believing” churches, many of these churches hinge on Bibliolatry. They exalt the Bible to the same level as the Christ, and then level charges of Blessed Mary Theoktos (God bearer) worship at other Christians. The KJVO movement has put the KJV of the Scriptures on such a high pedestal that they esteem it as much as Catholics do the relics of Saints. (Our Baptist friends generally don't kiss the Bible, although I have seen it a couple of times, and when they sometimes pray they go down on one knee, sometimes giving the appearance to bowing to the Bible. Some groups Stand when Scripture is being read.)

Jesus said in the Gospels that you can view a tree by the fruit it produces. The idea that Holy Scripture can be interpreted by each individual to understand Christian doctrine is absolutely false bordering on heresy. There are Hundreds of Baptist “associations, denominations” all over the world, each claiming they alone have the true “interpretation” of Scripture. There are Arminians, Calvinist, Dispensationalist, Sabbath Baptist, Denominations, Independent, KJVO'ist, Premillenial, Amillenial, Postmillenial, and the list could go on for days. There are thousands of denominations world wide which use Scripture as the sole rule of Doctrine. Every member of these Churches claim they have biblical “proof texts” to prove they are right. The Jehovah's Witness were formed from the 'Bible Student' movement, and used the KJV to “disprove” the Holy Trinity, until they translated their own 'bible'. In my dealings with Mormons they use the certain Biblical Passage's to try and disprove the Holy Trinity. It's interesting to note that even though in Scripture Paul refers to the Oral tradition, the SA followers have to reject this Biblical teaching. If we turn to the Churches that accept Oral Tradition along with Scripture as guiding the Church we see a much different scene. Among Anglo-Catholic, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox Churches we see Churches overall very similar in Worship styles (Sacramental, Hierarchy, Music, Monasticism)

Passages such as 2 Timothy 2:2 “The things which you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit the same to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also” Paul exhorts Timothy to pass along his oral teaching's. 2 Thessalonians 2:15 “So then, brothers, stand firm, and hold the traditions which you were taught by us, whether by word, or by letter.” Again Paul encourages the Thessalonians to hold to the Holy Traditions. Scripture Alone advocates believe the Holy Spirit guides each individual to interpret Scripture, where as the Catholic-Orthodox view is that the Spirit has through the ages guided the Church in the Councils, and Doctors and Church Fathers teaching's. Even in Sacred Scripture we see the Holy Spirit guiding the first Council of the Church in Acts 15:6 “The apostles and the elders were gathered together to see about this matter.” St. Peter and St. Paul didn't tell everyone to go home and read the Scriptures and let the Spirit guide them, instead they held a Council, this setup the Biblical example of Church Councils being called to interpret the Sacred Writ. The question was whether or not followers of Christ had to observe the Jewish laws, believers were debating amongst each other, the Church guided by the Holy Spirit declared Doctrine just as the Church did many times; Council of Nicaea, Council of Chalcedon, Council of Ephesus, and many others. Many who deny Sacred Tradition refuse to accept it's place in the Church simply because they do not want the Authority of the Church to rule them. Acts 4:32 “The multitude of those who believed were of one heart and soul. Not one of them claimed that anything of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common” Here Acts describes a Church united in doctrine I think we can safely assume following the LXX Jewish writings and the Oral teaching's of the Apostles. If this verse had described a Sola Scriptura multitude it would have mentioned an Assembly of God, Southern Baptist, KJVO Fundametal group, and a Evangelical Non-Denominational Church. 1 Corinthians 11:2 “Now I praise you, brothers, that you remember me in all things, and hold firm the traditions, even as I delivered them to you.” We see Oral Tradition being praised by Paul.  

 

Heretics must reject Sacred Tradition. Both the LDS and JW churches claim that the Church lost it's way. Mormonism especially is very descriptive of the fact that the Catholic-Orthodox faith fell into heresy when affirming the Trinity. These groups must object to the Sacred Tradition as the Church has always affirmed Christ Deity from His virgin birth, and His eternal existence in the Trinity. Even Arius when claiming Christ was created (the same heresy held by the Jehovah's Witness and Mormons) claimed the Trinity was a man made doctrine and not found in Scripture. This sounds very familiar to people who attack Catholic-Orthodox doctrine today. Claiming Mary, Confession, Mass, Intercession by the Saints, and the hierarchy are not found in Scripture.

The Holy Church has, with the help of the Holy Spirit, taught the faithful Doctrine and Canon throughout her 2,000 year reign. She is a Spiritual Kingdom, both the Body of Christ and Christ's Bride. Thank God for the Church- her Sacred Tradition, and Sacred Scripture from whence we derive Doctrine and Canon Law!

How Evangelicals and Catholics (Orthodox & Rome) Differ in Seeing the Church!

I am not an expert on the Catholic Church nor do I speak for all evangelicals. Being raised Evangelical, and now finding myself an Anglo-Catholic I felt I must write on this subject. There are a lot of individuals outside of our Theology that view our intercession to the Saints as worship rather than asking someone to pray on our behalf. The Orthodox view the Saint in Heaven as God-like in that we cannot look on God in our sinful flesh. The Church includes all believers who trust in Christ, whether that be on earth, purgatory, or in Heaven! (Orthodox and some AngloCatholics do not believe in purgatory.) So it is not wrong for us to ask Mary, Mother of God, St. Jude, or Saint Patrick to intercede for us. As long as we have bodies and a sinful nature it is harder for us to focus and not be distracted. Where as someone in Heaven can beseech God on our behalf being made holy and in the presence of God! Asking Blessed Mary, or Saint Andrew to pray for us, is no different than asking fellow believers here on earth to pray for you. Your seeking fellow Christians in the body of Christ to pray for you whether it be here on earth or the Church in Heaven! For the Orthodox-Catholic's it's no different than a Fundamental Baptist prayer chain. One other thing to Consider is that St. Paul compares the Church to Christ's bride! There are many writings in the New Testament that compare the Church to a body and believers as being a family. In Orthodox-Catholic understanding Mary, being Blessed and esteemed by God, and considered worthy to bear Jesus the Son of God, is also worthy as being the "Mother" of the Body of Christ. She was Jesus's mom and since we are the Body of Christ to the World today, she play's the same role for us as a Mother interceding for her Son's work to be carried out. I think that many outside Orthodox-Catholic theology view the intercession of Saint's as worship because they do not fully understand how we view the Church militant and in Heaven. If they understood, even if they disagree, maybe they wouldn't accuse us of worship. Some quotes from the Fathers:

" If the Apostles and Martyrs, while still in the body, can pray for others, at a time when they must still be anxious for themselves, how much more after their crowns, victories, and triumphs are won!" St. Jerome

"Then [during the Eucharistic prayer] we make mention also of those who have already fallen asleep: first, the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, and martyrs, that through their prayers and supplications God would receive our petition.." Ephraem of Syria

"By the command of your only-begotten Son we communicate with the memory of your saints . . . by whose prayers and supplications have mercy upon us all, and deliver us for the sake of your holy name (Liturgy of St. Basil"

Now when he had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. Revelations 5:8