ok so this response has to be broken into 2 comments cause LJ dont like long stuff.
To say the Bible is the only truth is to contradict the Bible. it clearly says in 1 Timothy 3:15 that the CHURCH (body of believers) is the pillar and ground of the truth, and Paul says to uphold ORAL traditions, aka NOT written in the Bible. clearly, the Bible is not the only truth. The books of the Bible had to be apostolic in origin, but i find it quite hard to believe that ONLY the apostles can write truths. Paul is saying it is up to the believers to uphold the truth--the believers which are led by the Holy Spirit, as witnessed at the Council of Jerusalem, and john 16:13-- "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come". How can the Holy Spirit lead the disciples into all the truth, and yet no one has the full truth? and im not sure how the search for the church of the aposltes is unfounded. we ALL should look for the church of the apostles. the church is the body of believers, however not all Christians are one church. how can ppl with contradictory beliefs claim to be the same body of believers? it makes no sense. Jesus said there will be a body of believers who do not change the beliefs and Paul said there is a body of believers who uphold the truth. this does not mean EVERY Christian upholds the pure truth, not even the imaginary "core truths". in the great commission Jesus says "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: TEACHING 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"-- Matthew 28:19,20. There is nothing about core and lesser truths there. There is a huge emphasis on truth in the NT. how many times does Paul admonish different believers for distorting the gospel? he doesnt say "oh well, theyre still talking about Jesus". he corrects them. he admonishes them to stay the course and hold fast to the truths they have been taught. 2 cor. 11:3-4 says "But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him" and Galatians 1:7-9 reads "Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed". He doesnt say let them start a new denomination, he says let them be accursed. I can tell you that going from Protestant to Orthodox i have heard two very different gospels. In Titus, Paul also writes "But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine" (Titus 2:1), and "In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity" (Titus 2:7). Titus 3:10 reads "A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject". The focus on truth and sound doctrine is too prevalent in the NT to ignore.
are we to believe that we are commanded to be unified under sound doctrine but that there is no possible way to be unified bc of free will? then why the heck is it commanded? clearly the apostles taught the faith and handed authority to bishops, priests, and deacons as we see in 1 Timothy. God did not abandon these believers just like He didnt abandon the scriptures and their transmission. Titus 1:7-9 reads "For a bishop must
To say the Bible is the only truth is to contradict the Bible. it clearly says in 1 Timothy 3:15 that the CHURCH (body of believers) is the pillar and ground of the truth, and Paul says to uphold ORAL traditions, aka NOT written in the Bible. clearly, the Bible is not the only truth. The books of the Bible had to be apostolic in origin, but i find it quite hard to believe that ONLY the apostles can write truths. Paul is saying it is up to the believers to uphold the truth--the believers which are led by the Holy Spirit, as witnessed at the Council of Jerusalem, and john 16:13-- "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come". How can the Holy Spirit lead the disciples into all the truth, and yet no one has the full truth? and im not sure how the search for the church of the aposltes is unfounded. we ALL should look for the church of the apostles. the church is the body of believers, however not all Christians are one church. how can ppl with contradictory beliefs claim to be the same body of believers? it makes no sense. Jesus said there will be a body of believers who do not change the beliefs and Paul said there is a body of believers who uphold the truth. this does not mean EVERY Christian upholds the pure truth, not even the imaginary "core truths". in the great commission Jesus says "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: TEACHING 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"-- Matthew 28:19,20. There is nothing about core and lesser truths there. There is a huge emphasis on truth in the NT. how many times does Paul admonish different believers for distorting the gospel? he doesnt say "oh well, theyre still talking about Jesus". he corrects them. he admonishes them to stay the course and hold fast to the truths they have been taught. 2 cor. 11:3-4 says "But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him" and Galatians 1:7-9 reads "Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed". He doesnt say let them start a new denomination, he says let them be accursed. I can tell you that going from Protestant to Orthodox i have heard two very different gospels. In Titus, Paul also writes "But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine" (Titus 2:1), and "In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity" (Titus 2:7). Titus 3:10 reads "A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject". The focus on truth and sound doctrine is too prevalent in the NT to ignore.
are we to believe that we are commanded to be unified under sound doctrine but that there is no possible way to be unified bc of free will? then why the heck is it commanded? clearly the apostles taught the faith and handed authority to bishops, priests, and deacons as we see in 1 Timothy. God did not abandon these believers just like He didnt abandon the scriptures and their transmission. Titus 1:7-9 reads "For a bishop must
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