You really don't get it, do you? NO ONE "tells" me or any other Christian what the Scriptures mean! God sent the Holy Spirit to do that. So your entire post is completely wrong.
Then, if Mary knows the Father like ALL believers, then that means we are equal to Mary, and there is no reason to pray to her for intercession--Jesus tore down the barrier between Him and us, and we can now go directly to our dear Heavenly Father in prayer, as Jesus taught us, in His own prayer: "Our Father, Who art in heaven..."
...put in place by God.
But Scripture foretold their coming, nonetheless.
It has happened in my church body. It happened in my parents' church, in the mid-80's. The vicar tried to molest some children in the catechism class he was teaching. He was arrested and went to jail.
The bathwater was dirty, so the water got thrown out. The baby is fine. God is still on his throne. The same God who spoke the universe into existence rules his church and will not lose any, and they will be raised up on the last day.
Absolutely...put in place by God.
Did the 'early church' believe the woman in Genesis 15 to be referring to Mary, because of their limited human reasoning or was their belief based on the written or spoken Word of God? What is more dependable - God's Word, or unfounded speculation formulated by men?
???
And this is what the "dingoling" has repeatedly done.
And the nCCs want us to stop listening to the Pope and Magisterium and listen to what scripture alone says. Put scripture alone doesn't tell us to what scripture alone says. It is a man made doctrine.
So you want us to listen to what Luther says and not what scripture says?
Suit not needed. Self-proclaimed? ?
Nope. There's a lot more to pastoring a flock than teaching the Scriptures. And to do in-depth study of God's Word takes more than reciting rote phrases daily. And reading a ten-minute homily.
And this is worse than the RCC's episcopal form of government how? (You know, ya gotta stop reading them Giacomo Chickolini tracts.) I don't know about other churches, but in the ones I've attended, trustees and/or elders are selected by the congregation, serve for a certain time, and then step down. Oh, and they must meet the criteria set forth by the Scriptures, such as "husband of one wife".
(1) "The guy" does not say, "because I said so." He proclaims God's Word, and the congregation can follow - and verify - what he is saying in the Bible. No ex cathedra declarations.
The Holy Spirit tells me that the Catholic Church's doctrines are correct, the Pope has been given authority and not to listen to the nCCs doctrines. The nCCs haven't been given authority to interpret scriptures for the Christian faith so don't listen to them. Listen to the one that has been given that authority - the Pope/Magisterium.
I didn't mean, sir, that Luther threw God out.
Good way of putting it, Tert! Luther did not want to leave the church at all--but it left him. It was more interested in keeping its power and wealth, than in preaching the true Gospel of Jesus Christ, from the Bible.
Yeah--talk about straw-men.
Yes, the trustees are elected and these are the people in whom ultimate power rests. The minister answers to them. I have played the organ in Baptist churches, Presbyterian and Methodist churches. I have seen how the trustees abused the minister and their wife, and treated them like garbage--over the stupidest things too---like moving a table. I have seen ministers in tears over the trustees treatment of them. I used to wonder why the ministers put up with it. I know if it were me, there is no way the trustees would have gotten away with treating me or a spouse like that. They could take their church and their job and stick it. I used to joke with the ministers that they need to become Catholic.
Well, whatever. The point is that you have no concept of a Mass. Thus, worship for you is not the offering of a Sacrifice, but in essence, nothing more than a Scripture study with hymnody and prayers thrown in for good measure.
The problem is that Luther did not preach the true Gospel of Jesus Christ, from the Bible. He established himself as the teaching authority.
In essence, Luther rejected the authority of the pope and bishops and instead declared himself the pope and bishops all rolled in to one. So Luther in effect, expected people to listen to HIM, not the real pope and bishops.
Except Luther did not throw out the church--he only wanted to get rid of the filthy water the "baby" had been "bathing" in for centuries--filthy, unbiblical teachings, that twist and pervert the word of God, preaching a fakse Gospel that saves and saved no one.
More baloney from the Catholic deli! It was tbe "baby" that THREW Luther out--it excommunicated him for refusing to recant his beliefs, and kowtow to the pope and magisterium. He stood firmly for the true Gospel of Jesus Christ, instead of Rome's distorted version. He obeyed God rather than man, as your supposed first pope said it is better to do.