1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 �The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses� seat. 3 So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4 They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people�s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.
5 �Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries[a] wide and the tassels on their garments long; 6 they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; 7 they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called �Rabbi� by others.
8 �But you are not to be called �Rabbi,� for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth �father,� for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah.
It has been brought up in this Forum by Richard (prophetic) that Catholics are wrong in calling their Priests 'Father'
Here is one paragraph of Richard's Accusations:
(Richard's Words)
One of the main differences between the Roman Catholic church and evangelical churches is the Roman Catholic belief that the Roman Catholic Popes have the power
��to change the Biblical teachings of the NT New Covenant. For example: In Luke 2:2-4 Jesus commanded his followers to only pray to the Father in heaven and that only the Father in Heaven can forgive our sins and Jesus commands us to call no one Father except our Father in heaven��
First off your claim that The Catholic Church Believes that The Pope has The Power to Change �Biblical Teachings� is totally false! When Christ Handed Her The Full Deposit of Faith...
Christ COMMANDED HER to Hold Fast to these Truths and SAFEVOUCH them. To Pass them on to TRUSTWORTHY ELDERS.
Christ also made Her a Teaching Church when He Commanded that She
��Go to The Ends of The World and TEACH what I Have COMMANDED You!�
Also your complaint about �calling no man Father� is perhaps the Lamest one yet!
Jesus is Speaking here about The Hypocrisy of the Pharisees. How everything is a Show to them. They were hypocrites who did not practice what they taught (verse 3). They sought their own glorification, but did not do works of love. They exalted themselves and would put themselves �in the place of God� (verses 4-7).
No Sane Catholic believes they are calling their Priest GOD! That is not how we use that term �Father�. That Priest is Our Spiritual Father�he is concerned with our Spiritual Growth.
It is Nonsense to think that Christ meant for us to not
�call no man your Father on earth��
If that were True then the Commandment to
�Honor your Mother and Father�
would be a Sin!
Also to call your Pastor a �Teacher� would be a sin
(verse 8 ��But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher,��) and of course calling a School Teacher "Teacher" would also be a sin.
I have been Defending my Faith for a Long Time. I welcome your comments�perhaps some good will come of this.
2 Timothy 3:16; & 2 Tim 4:3,4: � **ALL SCRIPTURE** is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.... For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
Matthew 1:24,25: When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her **UNTIL** she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
Mark 6:1,3:Jesus left and went to His hometown...and began to teach...They asked, "Isn't this the carpenter? Isn't this Mary's son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren't His sisters here with us?"
Mark 3:31-34: Then Jesus' mother and BROTHERS arrived. Standing outside...A crowd was sitting around Him, and they told Him, "Your mother and BROTHERS are outside looking for you." "Who are My mother and my brothers?" Jesus asked. Then He looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother!"
Matthew 6:6,9-11: Jesus says, �When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your **Father**, who is unseen. Then your **Father**, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you ...This then is how you should pray: �Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name, your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.....�
Is there even one instance where a believer prayed to someone other than the **Father** in the OT or the NT?? Answer; ZERO!
What church had its evil leader:devil: decree that it is OK to pray to and worship Mary, a human being, who was a sinless VIRGIN??
I Timothy 3:1-5:If anyone sets his heart on being an Overseer or Bishop, he desires a noble task. Now the Overseer or Bishop must be the husband of but one wife.....He must manage his own family well..If anyone does no know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church? I Tim 3:12 and Titus 1:6: Deacons and Elders should also be the husband of but one wife.
I Corinthians 9:5: Paul said �Don't we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other Apostles and the Lord's brothers and Cephas {PETER} What church:devil: became famous for having thousands of their unmarried priests fondle and seduce hundreds of thousands of innocent and trusting children?? There were over 250 Roman Catholic priests and teachers found guilty of seducing children just in the German province of Munich alone. As a result over 200,000 disgusted Germans and about 76,000 Austrians left the Roman Catholic Church in 2010.
Matthew 23:9: Jesus says, �Do not call ANYONE on earth 'father,' for you have ONE {Spiritual} Father, and He is in Heaven!!� What Church calls all their priests spiritual �Fathers�?? And their Satanic leader:devil: �Holy Father�?? And their evil followers bow down and kiss his ring and worship him???
This Church actually claims that they do not worship Mary but what are all these "Hail Mary's" all about??? Actually this Church:devil: worships and prays to Mary far more than they worship Jesus and His Father combined even though God's Word commands us over 100 times to Worship and pray to GOD ALONE!!
Hebrews 9:15,26b-28: Christ is the mediator of a NEW COVENANT so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance--now that He has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant...But now He has APPEARED ONCE FOR ALL at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the SACRIFICE of Himself... so Christ was SACRIFICED ONCE to take away the sins of many people, and He will *APPEAR* a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him. Hebrews 10:10: �We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus **ONCE FOR ALL**!!�
What Church:devil: believes that Jesus has to die every day except Good Friday to take away sins and that Satanic priests:devil: have the power to change wine into the blood of Jesus which they drink and wafers into the body of Jesus which they eat.
:rolleyes:...Yes Richard...the Catholic " people " have done some very Awful things in the Past & those actions have Affected the Catholic Church and its Standing...Many people have Opinions and Judgements against this Church...
Was it not You that told me when I asked about the Saturday vs Sunday Sabbath, that it is not for Anyone to Judge what Others Believe concerning this ???...and here You Pour out Opinions & Judge ALL that are Catholic without even knowing a Catholic person Personally...Where is the " LOVE " in that ???...:purpleangel:...xo
I am not judging individual Catholic people but I am comparing Roman Catholic teachings with God's Word.
2 Timothy 3:16; 4:2-4: "All Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God:rolleyes: may be thoroughly equipped for every good work....Preach the Word....correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers :devil:to say what their itching ears want to hear. They:devil: will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths."
John 14:23,24: Jesus says, "If anyone loves Me, he will:rolleyes:obey My teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make Our home with him.:angel: He who does not love Me will not obey My teaching."
Is it Your calling from GOD to Judge a Body of Christ Jesus and its People...OR...Is it Christ Jesus's ???...as He has already "Warned" the "CHURCHES" in Revelations and will Judge them Accordingly upon His return ???...
We are to Preach the Kingdom of GOD & Heaven...NOT Condem the "CHURCHES"...xo
There is one thing Richard and others who try to judge and condemn another person and churches they know nothing about... is to make sure they've got what God says in His word correct themselves, before they try to use scripture passage on others, and they can't even explain the passage they use.
Jesus said not to call anyone good also, but does this mean I can't call Jude good? No this is not what Jesus is speaking about, nor is this what He is speaking about in Matthew chapter 23, that Richard has tried to use aginst the Cathoilice church.
Now, its not that I don't think the Catholic Church has many things wrong in their religous beliefs and practices, but so do others churches, and if you can't help those churches who are in thes churches to understand spiritually what God says in His word, then the person who judge and condemns their beliefs and practices has need to keep silent trying to throw scripture passages around that they don't even spiritually understand nor can explain.
Hear what Matthew Henry who was chosen by God to interpret His word by revelation has to say about this ...call no man Father...then you decide whose report you are going to believe, what Ricahrd has to say according to his own opinions or what God speaks through the chosen man of God to spiritual interpret His word for a better spiritual understanding for His people...
Matthew Henry (18 October 1662 � 22 June 1714) was an English commentator on the Bible and Presbyterian minister.
Hear this: A prohibition of pride. They are here forbidden,
First, To challenge titles of honour and dominion to themselves, Matthew 23:8-10. It is repeated twice; Be not called Rabbi, neither be ye called Master or Guide: not that it is unlawful to give civil respect to those that are over us in the Lord, nay, it is an instance of the honour and esteem which it is our duty to show them; but, 1. Christ's ministers must not affect the name of Rabbi or Master, by way of distinction from other people; it is not agreeable to the simplicity of the gospel, for them to covet or accept the honour which they have that are in kings' palaces. 2. They must not assume the authority and dominion implied in those names; they must not be magisterial, nor domineer over their brethren, or over God's heritage, as if they had dominion over the faith of Christians: what they received of the Lord, all must receive from them; but in other things they must not make their opinions and wills a rule and standard to all other people, to be admitted with an implicit obedience. The reasons for this prohibition are,
(1.) One is your Master, even Christ, Matthew 23:8,10. Note, [1.] Christ is our Master, our Teacher, our Guide. Mr. George Herbert, when he named the name of Christ, usually added, My Master. [2.] Christ only is our Master, ministers are but ushers in the school. Christ only is the Master, the great Prophet, whom we must hear, and be ruled and overruled by; whose word must be an oracle and a law to us; Verily I say unto you, must be enough to us. And if he only be our Master, then for his ministers to set up for dictators, and to pretend to a supremacy and an infallibility, is a daring usurpation of that honour of Christ which he will not give to another.
(2.) All ye are brethren. Ministers are brethren not only to one another, but to the people; and therefore it ill becomes them to be masters, when there are none for them to master it over but their brethren; yea, and we are all younger brethren, otherwise the eldest might claim an excellency of dignity and power, Genesis 49:3. But, to preclude that, Christ himself is the first-born among many brethren, Romans 8:29. Ye are brethren, as ye are all disciples of the same Master. School-fellows are brethren, and, as such, should help one another in getting their lesson; but it will by no means be allowed that one of the scholars step into the master's seat, and give law to the school. If we are all brethren, we must not be many masters. James 3:1.
Secondly, They are forbidden to ascribe such titles to others (Matthew 23:9); "Call no man your father upon the earth; constitute no man the father of your religion, that is, the founder, author, director, and governor, of it." The fathers of our flesh must be called fathers, and as such we must give them reverence; but God only must be allowed as the Father of our spirits, Hebrews 12:9. Our religion must not be derived from, or made to depend upon, any man. We are born again to the spiritual and divine life, not of corruptible seed, but by the word of God; not of the will of the flesh, or the will of man, but of God. Now the will of man, not being the rise of our religion, must not be the rule of it. We must not jurare in verba magistri--swear to the dictates of any creature, not the wisest or best, nor pin our faith on any man's sleeve, because we know not whither he will carry it.
St. Paul calls himself a Father to those whose conversion he had been an instrument of (1 Corinthians 4:15,Philem+1:10); but he pretends to no dominion over them, and uses that title to denote, not authority, but affection: therefore he calls them not his obliged, but his beloved, sons, 1 Corinthians 4:14. The reason given is, One is your Father, who is in heaven. God is our Father, and is All in all in our religion. He is the Fountain of it, and its Founder; the Life of it, and its Lord; from whom alone, as the Original, our spiritual life is derived, and on whom it depends. He is the Father of all lights (James 1:17), that one Father, from whom are all things, and we in him, Ephesians 4:6. Christ having taught us to say, Our Father, who art in heaven; let us call no man Father upon earth; no man, because man is a worm, and the son of man is a worm, hewn out of the same rock with us; especially not upon earth, for man upon earth is a sinful worm; there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not, and therefore no one is fit to be called Father.
[2.] Here is a precept of humility and mutual subjection (Matthew 23:11); He that is greatest among you shall be your servant; not only call himself so (we know of one who styles himself Servus servorum Dei--Servant of the servants of God, but acts as Rabbi, and father, and master, and Dominus Deus noster--The Lord our God, and what not), but he shall be so. Take it as a promise; "He shall be accounted greatest, and stand highest in the favour of God, that is most submissive and serviceable;" or as a precept; "He that is advanced to any place of dignity, trust, and honour, in the church, let him be your servant" (some copies read esto for estai), "let him not think that his patent of honour is a writ of ease; no; he that is greatest is not a lord, but a minister." St. Paul, who knew his privilege as well as duty, though free from all, yet made himself servant unto all (1 Corinthians 9:19); and our Master frequently pressed it upon his disciples to be humble and self-denying, mild and condescending, and to abound in all offices of Christian love, though mean, and to the meanest; and of this he hath set us an example.
Side Bar: Hope this will enlighten, and give caution not to use God's word of truth to judge and condemn others, unless you know what God is spiritually saying in a matter.
JUDE SAID: Is it Your calling from GOD to Judge a Body of Christ Jesus and its People...OR...Is it Christ Jesus's ???...as He has already "Warned" the "CHURCHES" in Revelations and will Judge them Accordingly upon His return ???... We are to Preach the Kingdom of GOD & Heaven...NOT Condem the "CHURCHES"...xo
ELLA SAYS: GOOD WORD OF TRUTH Minister Jude:dancingp::laugh:.. c'mon up higher guuurrrrl:yay:
:glow:...Thanxs Ella...All Praise & Glory to the Most High...I forgot to mention...We Preach the Gospel ( Good News ) of "Salvation" through Our Lord Christ Jesus...xo
