Question: .

The Bible is not, never was meant to be the sole authority. For one thing, there were many other epistles and gospels (gospel of Thomas, shepherd of Hermas, epistle of Barnabas) in use by the early church, considered to be authentic. It wasn't until late 4th century that the canon of scripture was defined. This was done by the church - the one founded by Jesus Christ - who alone had the authority.

The Bible is the result of the church, not the other way around as many people seem to assume. It was more than 1,000 years later that the "reformers" started changing and tossing out scripture to suit their new theology. For instance, Martin Luther added "alone" so that Romans would say...."saved by faith alone." But then he had to toss out James because it said we are not saved by faith alone! When asked by what authority he could do this, he said, "Because Martin Luther wants it so!" Calvin tried to add an epistle of Calvin to the Bible.

Fortunately, the New Testament was restored, but they went with the Jewish authorities in rejecting 7 books of the Old Testament - which had been part of the Christian Bible all along. These contained some troubling prophecies for the Jews - such as in chapter 2 of Wisdom, which foretells why Jesus would be put to death! They also were troublesome for the "reformers" such as Maccabees, which says you should pray for the dead to be loosed from their sins.

Scripture says we are to worship in spirit and in truth. Scripture says it is the CHURCH which is the pillar and foundation of truth (1 Timothy 3:15). Ah, but which one? Well, there are over 20,000 different denominations, with new ones being formed all the time, all teaching different things. Some differences are minor; many are not. How does this square with the oneness referred to in the gospels (John 10:16....One fold, One shepherd...John 17:21..that all may be ONE...and also there is "ONE LORD, ONE FAITH, ONE BAPTISM" referred to in the epistles. Obviously there weren't a bunch of competing denominations. How did we get to that point today?

Well, in the 1500's man-made religions began to pop up, even though this was never Martin Luther's original intent. He wanted to make the church over in his image, as well as correct some actual abuses, but he ended up opening a Pandora's box. All these denominations can be traced back to a man or woman founder (Luther, Calvin, Wesley, Armstrong...etc. etc. etc.). There is exactly ONE church founded by Jesus himself - Matthew 16:15-19..... "I will build MY church, and the gates of hell will never prevail over it."

Of course, most denominational Christians never give this church any consideration, because they have been falsely programmed with reformation-generated propaganda and distortions against it. However, in recent years, as more Christians are reading the writings of the church fathers, they are discovering the truth, and starting to come home to the full gospel church of Jesus Christ. A church that teaches with authority, as did Jesus himself. I invite you to discover this church! There is a truth, you can come to know this truth, and the truth will set you free!

Anna

Answer:

Dear Anna,

Thank you for your note, with your comments and opinions. I am happy to hear input and comments that may help, for as a Christian I certainly don't believe I am all that I need to be. On the other hand, I also know that Christ has made me, by his atoning work on the cross, all I need to be and I should not, nor do I need to, worry about how inadequate I am. My inadequacy is a foregone conclusion. I know that I am saved, not by anything I have or will do - not by my adequacy, but because Jesus is adequate.

In one respect I hope that all Christians believe that they have a "ways to go". St. Paul certainly felt that way in the epistle to the Philippians, chapter 3:10-14.

On the other hand, I must remind you of Romans 14, also written by St. Paul, which reminds all Christians "Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand?" (Romans 14:4).

You note that the Bible is the result of the Church. In fact, I believe that the Bible is the result of God - that it is God-breathed, that it is through the work of the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, that human beings were directed and inspired to write God's words. I appreciate your conviction that the Bible is the result of the Church, but I differ, and believe that we might both do so and still be Christian.

You raise the issue of one true church. You point out that "man-made religions began to pop up in the 1500's" and have some singularly unkind things to say about Calvin and Luther. Yes, I believe Christ founded one church, but I do not believe that this church is incorporated physically. I do not believe that God has given exclusive rights to the body of Christ to any one group on earth today. Christians are not defined by the physical organization to which they belong, but by the Spirit of God that resides in them.

Many people attend many different churches, believing that attendance and membership equate to their positive standing with God. But attendance and membership do not make one a Christian, but rather a personal relationship with God and with our Lord and Savior. Jesus has "other sheep" not of a specific pasture, and it is not any man's province to pronounce those who attend another church as un-Christian. Therefore, Christians are defined by relationship with God, not by relationship with a physically defined group of people or incorporated entity.

Therefore, my relationship with a church does not determine my relationship with God. And, my relationship with God does not drive me to one specific church address.

I say these things having lived many years of my life believing "the one true church" idea. Only trouble was, the church I thought to be "the only true" one was not the one you are promoting to me, and whose website you invited me (I visited as per your suggestion. God saved me from those spurious notions. He has helped me to see that not only was the church I thought to be "the one and only true church" not that at all, and he has helped me to realize that the church to which you belong was not at all what I had been taught it to be (along with many fundamentalist Protestants, I had accepted the idea that your church was one and the same as the fallen woman of the book of Revelation). By God's grace, I now realize that I had fallen for teaching that was unbiblical, and divisive.

There are enough sinners in the world for all Christian churches. We need to stop our bickering and fighting about which one of us are superior, best, and "true", and do the work Jesus has called us to. Many world religions are gaining in numbers. Cults and new age religions are making new converts, all the while Christians fight with each other about who is "true". Yes, all Christians need to be true to the historic Christian faith, and we need to look to the creeds, the early church fathers, etc. And in that way we all owe a debt to those who have gone before us.

But at that point many divisive ideas can begin. The Eastern Orthodox (I have many Christian friends who are of this background, or who continue as members, and in some cases as priests) believes that it is true, better, etc. than the western, Roman counterpart. And I have many friends and co-workers, Christians who are Catholic. Some are priests, most are laymembers. None of those that I know try to get me to leave my beliefs, and accept their specific denominational distinctives. I do not believe that I have to discontinue my friendship with these Christian brothers and sisters because we may differ about the body of Christ in communion, the exact method of baptism, etc.

If I hear what you are saying, you believe that all Protestants are denominational and need to journey home to the Catholic church. But I see no need for us to do so, nor do I see any good to come from such divisive calls. Such things divide and conquer, which is one of the tools of Satan. He would like nothing better than to see all Christians fighting, trying to "convert" one another to their name brand of Christianity, while the work of evangelism goes un-done. In fact, studies and pools show that one of the very reasons that all churches lose members, and many of their young, is their rigid dogmatism about issues that are not central core issues of the faith. And many people leave all Christianity, never to return to any church, simply because we Christians (all of us, we are all involved in this) have done such a good job of alienating people from Christ. We need to take a fresh look at what Jesus meant by Matthew 18, offending the little ones, and that it would be better if a millstone were placed around our necks.

Thanks for your comments. While I realize you may not agree with all of my views, I have given you an answer because of the faith that lives in me, because of and through my Lord and Savior.

In Christ's service,

Greg Albrecht