Thanks
@wotsup
Q1
To you,
Is the Father, God?
Is the Son, God?
Is the Holy Spirit, God?
Q2
What is your 'Statement of Faith' ?
Here is mine, adopted from FICM's:
The Bible is the inspired, infallible, and only authoritative word of God.
(2 Timothy 3:16,17; John 17:17; Matthew 5:18)
There is one true God, eternally existing in three persons–Father, Son, and Holy Spirit–each of whom possesses equally all the attributes of Deity and the characteristics of personality.
(Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 Peter 1:4; John 10:27-30; Acts 5:3,4)
Jesus Christ is God, the living Word, who became flesh through His miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit and His virgin birth. Hence, He is perfect Deity and true humanity united in one person forever.
(John 1:1-4; Matthew 1:21-23; Philippians 2:5-11)
etc
Statement of Faith
Who I Am in Christ
How To Receive Christ
https://ficm.org/about-us/
~
Tri-une God
(God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit)
in the Great Commission
Matthew 28:16-20, Amplified Bible (AMP)
.
The Great Commission
.
16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated.
17 And when they saw Him, they worshiped
Him; but some doubted [that it was really He].
18 Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority (all power of absolute rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them
in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always [remaining with you perpetually—regardless of circumstance, and on every occasion], even to the end of the age.”
~
General resources:
Any help to anyone here?
.
Comparison Grid of Roman Catholicism, Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Christianity
by
Matt Slick
I hesitate to put this grid up only because I do not want to needlessly assail the Catholic belief system in an offensive manner. However, I cannot help seeing the similarities between Catholicism and some of the cults.
Do I think Catholicism is a cult?
No. But I do think it has some very serious theological problems bordering on apostasy imposed upon itself through its history of letting traditions seep into the fabric of biblical truth.
.
|
Column 1 |
Column 2 |
Column 3 |
Column 4 |
Column 5 |
| 1 |
Issue |
Catholicism |
Mormonism |
Jehovah's Witnesses |
Christianity |
| 2 |
Specific ChurchLeader on earth[/B] |
ThePope |
TheProphet |
Watchtower Organization |
none(except, of course, Jesus) |
| 3 |
Source of Theology |
Bible and Tradition |
Bible and additional Scripture |
Bible and Watchtower Organization |
Bible |
| 4 |
Sample of non-biblical teachings |
Purgatory, Penance, Indulgences, praying to Mary,her assumption. |
Many gods, god from another world, goddess mother, you can become a god. |
Jesus is Michael the Archangel. No blood transfusions, no hell, 144,000 go to heaven |
If it isn't taught here, I don't believe it. |
| 5 |
Method of Salvation |
Faith, grace, baptism, works |
Faith, grace, baptism, works |
Faith, grace, baptism, works |
Grace through Faith |
| 6 |
TrueChurch |
Their church organization is one true church. |
Their church organization is one true church. |
Their church organization is one true church. |
All who are saved by grace through faith are in the true church. |
| 7 |
Claim of Authority |
Apostolic Succession |
Apostolic Succession |
Being the faithful servant |
In Jesus alone |
| 8 |
Assets |
Great Wealth and Power |
Great Wealth and Power |
Wealth, not much power |
Treasures in heaven |
| 9 |
Goddess-like figure |
Mary has godlike abilities: able to hear and answer all prayers of all people all the time, intercede with God. |
Goddess Mother who has populated this world with spirits who inhabit human bodies |
Not Applicable |
Not Applicable |
| 10 |
Images of God, or Jesus, or Mary, etc. |
Used in worship in churches |
Used intemples and headquarters |
Not Applicable |
Not Applicable |
~
There are many good things in the Catholic Church, but I find it disturbing to see the similarities between itself and the cults--regarding a final earthly authority, non-biblical teachings, claims to be the one true church, exaltation of Mary to semi-goddesshood, the use of images, and adding works to salvation.
The Catholics, of course, will complain that this chart is not fair or does not focus on the dissimilarities. Well, they are right in that it does not focus on the dissimilarities which are many.
But that isn't the point of this comparison, is it?
The Protestant Reformation happened for a reason:
to get back to biblical theology and to be rid of extra-biblical teaching. The counter-cult movement has happened for a reason--to get back to biblical theology and to be rid of extra-biblical teaching.
Eternity is a long time to be wrong..."
Related Articles
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Jehovah Witness
Issues and Answers
etc
https://carm.org/jehovahs-witnesses
~
Mormonism
Mormon Writings and Church
Issues and Answers
etc
https://carm.org/mormonism
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Shalom to all!
G
~
