Monday, May 21, 2007

Unity

“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 15:5-6)

listen to chapter (Read by Max McLean. Provided by Zondervan.)

“ I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.” (1 Corinthians 1:10)

listen to chapter (Read by Max McLean. Provided by Zondervan.)


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In agreement with the Gospel. The same Paul wrote:

For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough.
(2Co 11:4)


This was a rebuke. A warning. A very precise observation of an error.
Unity for unity's sake? An argument so often used by the opponents of Protestantism, who gladly point to the vast number of denominations. But it is not really an issue, since all serious denominations agree on the essentials - on the 5 Solas of the Reformation. And this question: is Rome united doctrinally? When examined more closely, this facade crumbles and peels off easily, revealing a multitude of opinions, sacramental issues, personal allegiances, financial dependencies, historic conditions, cultural backgrounds, pagan influences.
Not a unity in biblical sense to me...

2 comments:

Rand said...

I have 12 years of Romanist teachings in me (having been through their school system). I have passed every "catechism" class. Still though, whenever I speak on the topic of Romanism, the first thing I get from Romanists is that I "don't understand". I'm told that everything I have been taught about the Great Whore is false.

The fact of the matter is this: you would find it difficult today to find two Romanists that agree with each other. Sadly though, they would be in agreement in idolatry and carnality.

Like all false religions, Romanism is a mess (if you know anything about French, there is a pun here).

Rand

TheDen said...

Ann,

Yes, Catholicism is united doctrinally. There may be Catholics who may not agree with Catholic teaching. They may think that birth control is okay. They may think that skipping Church is okay. They may not believe in the Real Presence of the Eucharist.

They're wrong and they're not truly Catholic.