Fidei Defensor

There were pythonesses, women who controlled men with their oracle sorcery (& fornication) and they had joined the church to continue their control; Paul saw this and forbid they teach in certain chuches. Note, Paul does not tell other churches to not let them teach, but rather esteems leader women of the church like Phoebe, “I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant (διάκονον, diakonona, an obsolete diako; an attendant, i.e. a waiter; specially Christian teacher and pastor, Paul calls himself servant in Romans 1:1) of the church in Cenchrea.” (Romans 16:1)

No. The Modern Church Structure is based on The Seeker Friendly model, which hired secular experts to find out how to draw in (entertain) people. (Church History in Plain Language, Bruce Shelley, 4th Ed). The truth is services were suppose to be gatherings. Nonbelievers were not allowed to be at the Love Feasts (Communion, Lord’s Supper, Eucharist) qhich was separate from other meetings, and the service/gathering was primarily for believers to be strengthened, not an evangelistic setting; they did that by going out to world and preaching, “Go forth and make disciples, baptizing them in Name of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19). Now in Modern Churches they try to reach unbelievers in the service and preach milk rather than meat (Hebrews 5:12). Their goal to entertain, and draw in new coverts to fill their coffers (tithes). Ugh.

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” -Philippians 1:21

I always think when this topic comes up. What if I was born a woman? Would I want strictures churches have had on women since 323 A.D.? The Apostle Paul is clear, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28) We are equal in Christ because we are One in Him. Jesus dwells just as much in a woman as a man.

He also wept over Jerusalem. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!” -Matthew 23:37

A great book on the subject is “The Making of Biblical Womanhood,” by Beth Alison Barb.

True, I knew a elder who in her youth had aborted her baby and she was greatly pained by it, it still haunting her.

Well said. I believe God does speak to us personal words and direction. But if we neglect what He had already written down that He wants us all to do, how can we expect to hear rightly? I mean if you sent emails to someone and they ignore them, and you know they got em, do you think they will listen to your phone call? An imperfect parable, but I am trying to say: Do what Jesus commanded that is in Scripture when you have no idea what his personal intel for you is. Perhaps the former will inform the ladder.

Something I find ironic is the Romanite Church has all these Crucifixes up, which is “It’s Finished,” and yet they don’t believe it was enough. Its right in their face, that Christ had accomplished salvation for us, once for all time, “Hebrews 9:11-28 Redemption Through the Blood of Christ [11] But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) [12] he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. [13] For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, [14] how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. [15] Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. [16] For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. [17] For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive. [18] Therefore not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood. [19] For when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, [20] saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you.” [21] And in the same way he sprinkled with the blood both the tent and all the vessels used in worship. [22] Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. [23] Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. [24] For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. [25] Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, [26] for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. [27] And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, [28] so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.”

I warn any brethern considering converting to Roman Catholicism: “How foolish can you be? After starting your new lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?” (Galatians 3:3) I spent some time investigating Catholicism (2.5 years) and I found nothing but bondage. The Spirit of God is not there, but rather a strange spirit that obsesses in suffering and guilt. Christ came to free us, from sin and pointless pious ladder climbing. He made us whole and yet churches like Rome seek to take the freedom and replace it with pennance, prayers for the dead, purgatory, and plenary indulgences; all of which are worthless. You either believe “It is Finished,” at the cross or you don’t. “I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” (Galatians 2:21)

“God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24)

That’s not what we are suppose to do: “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” (Romans 12:15)

His commands are love based: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35) “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:12-13)

Yeah I agree. Scripture is serious, it tells us how to be saved, how to know The Holy Trinity, everything you need to know for Sound Doctrine & Sound Teaching, and Life Lessons. To look for humor is verging on irreverence IMHO. The Bible is not Seinfeld.

The verse that I keep pinned is, “But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first! Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first. If you don’t repent, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches.” (Revelation 2:4-5)

James Robison, a televangelist who worked for late Dr. Billy Graham was a child of rape. Rev. Jesse Jackson was conceived of rape.

Jesus is God, “while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” (Titus 2:13$

-Richard Wurmbrand, Tortured for Christ

A really a good book to read is “Are We Together?” By R.C. Sproul. He lets you read the Catholic texts & Councils and read Scripture beside them.

That is the burden of prophets, you have to speak or else its on you.

“You are not only responsible for what you say, but also for what you do not say.“ -Martin Luther

“Peace if possible, Truth at all costs.” -Martin Luther

We are sealed by the Holy Spirit, “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory,” (Ephesians 1:13-14). Yes we are In state of Grace always: “But he said to me, “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work,” (2 Corinthians 9:8), “And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” (John 1:16) “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.” (1 Corinthians 15:10) “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) “But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.” (Romans 5:15) “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people.” (Titus 2:11). We don’t have to keep going to get grace over and over, we got it when we first believed in Jesus. For grace means unmerited favor and is a free gift (Romans 5:15) deposited to us forever. The Apostle Peter said, “But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.” (Acts 15:12) Now to settle it we are in Grace and Christ tells us He will never let us go: The Words of Jesus Christ: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of my hand, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. The Father and I are One.” (John 10:26-30)

Jesus is also The Son of David: “concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 1:3-4)

“Peace if possible, truth at all costs.“ -Martin Luther