Response to Fighting Vatican (Part 1)
I have had much recent activity through my YouTube videos against Roman Catholicism lately. I have had many heated email exchanges and such, but I want to share my responses that I'm currently making to a particular Roman Catholic by the name of "FightingVatican" I'll post his question followed by my answer. Enjoy.
Why is the the Church a body of believers? If the Church is just all the the believers, then why is the Church the "Pillar and Foundation of Truth?" (1 Tim 3:15) What can you take from that?
First of all, let me describe the Church from the Scriptures. In such passages as Ephesians 5:25-29 the Church is described as the “bride” of Christ for whom Christ died. I Corinthians 3:10-17 declares us as “God’s building” as “God’s temple” in whom the Holy Spirit dwells. It is people here that Paul has in mind. Not an institution. Every believer is a part of the Church. The Greek word most often translated as “Church” is ekklesia which means “assembly” or “gathering”. “This word, taken from common usage where it applied to the ‘calling out’ of citizens for a civic meeting or of soldiers for battle, is used extensively throughout the Old and New Testaments to refer to the people of God (e.g. Deut. 4:10; 9:10; 31:30; Mt. 16:18’ 18:17; Acts 5:11; Rom 16:5; I Cor. 1:2; Eph. 1:22; 3:10; Heb. 12:23)” (From Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, Intervarsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, pg 147). Christ died for the sins of His people and it is them that He saves (Matt 1:21), not an institution.
As per I Timothy 3:15 let me quote John Calvin at length for I think he said it best in explaining this passage. He says,
“No ordinary enhancement is derived from this appellation. Could it have been described in loftier language? Is anything more venerable, or more holy, than that everlasting truth which embraces both the glory of God and the salvation of men? Were all the praises of heathen philosophy, with which it ahs been adorned by this followers, collected into one heap, what is this in comparison of the dignity of this wisdom, which alone deserves to be called light and truth, and the instruction of life, and the way, and the kingdom of God? Now it is preserved on earth by the ministry of the Church alone. What a weight, therefore, rests on the pastors, who have been intrusted with the charge of so inestimable a treasure! With what impudent trifling do Papist argue from the words of Paul that all their absurdities ought to be held as oracles of God, because they are the ‘pillar of truth,’ and therefore cannot err!
First, we ought to see why Paul adorns the Church with so magnificent a title. By holding out to pastors the greatness of the office, he undoubtedly intended to rmind them with what fidelity, and industry, and reverence they ought to discharge it. How dreadful is the vengeance that awaits them, if, through their fault, that truth which is the image of Divine glory, the light of the world, and the salvation of men, shall be allowed to fall! This consideration ought undoubtedly to lead pastors to tremble continually, not to deprive them of all energy, but to excite them to greater vigilance.
Hence we may easily conclude in what sense Paul uses these words. The reason why the Church is called the ‘pillar of truth’ is that she defends and spreads it by her agency. God does not Himself come down from heaven to us, nor does he daily send angels to make known His truth; but He employs pastors, whom He has appointed for that purpose. To express it in a more homely manner, is not the Church the mother of all believers? Does she not regenerate them by the word of God, educate and nourish them through their whole life, strengthen, and bring at length to absolute perfection? For the same reason, also, she is called ‘pillar of truth’; because the office of administering doctrine, which God hath placed in her hands, is the only instrument of preserving the truth, that it may not perish from the remembrance of men. (Calvin’s Commentary, volume XXI, Epistle to Timothy, pg. 89).
In other words, what Calvin is arguing is that the Church – the body of believers, but here in context, especially its ministers – are the “pillar and foundation of truth.” Now, one should recognize the difference between something that upholds and something that is the final arbiter of truth. A pillar and foundation are structures that hold something up. In this case, they uphold truth. They are not the creators of truth. They merely support the truth and uphold it, and especially remain subservient to it (loosely quoted from The Roman Catholic Controversy, James R. White, pg. 58 ).
I hope that I have answered that questions in a descent manner for you. I would certainly encourage you to look up the Scriptures that were quoted and see that the Church is the body of believers. Institutions do not believe; people believe. Sinners believe in Christ unto salvation. Not an institution or a building.
Why is the the Church a body of believers? If the Church is just all the the believers, then why is the Church the "Pillar and Foundation of Truth?" (1 Tim 3:15) What can you take from that?
First of all, let me describe the Church from the Scriptures. In such passages as Ephesians 5:25-29 the Church is described as the “bride” of Christ for whom Christ died. I Corinthians 3:10-17 declares us as “God’s building” as “God’s temple” in whom the Holy Spirit dwells. It is people here that Paul has in mind. Not an institution. Every believer is a part of the Church. The Greek word most often translated as “Church” is ekklesia which means “assembly” or “gathering”. “This word, taken from common usage where it applied to the ‘calling out’ of citizens for a civic meeting or of soldiers for battle, is used extensively throughout the Old and New Testaments to refer to the people of God (e.g. Deut. 4:10; 9:10; 31:30; Mt. 16:18’ 18:17; Acts 5:11; Rom 16:5; I Cor. 1:2; Eph. 1:22; 3:10; Heb. 12:23)” (From Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, Intervarsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, pg 147). Christ died for the sins of His people and it is them that He saves (Matt 1:21), not an institution.
As per I Timothy 3:15 let me quote John Calvin at length for I think he said it best in explaining this passage. He says,
“No ordinary enhancement is derived from this appellation. Could it have been described in loftier language? Is anything more venerable, or more holy, than that everlasting truth which embraces both the glory of God and the salvation of men? Were all the praises of heathen philosophy, with which it ahs been adorned by this followers, collected into one heap, what is this in comparison of the dignity of this wisdom, which alone deserves to be called light and truth, and the instruction of life, and the way, and the kingdom of God? Now it is preserved on earth by the ministry of the Church alone. What a weight, therefore, rests on the pastors, who have been intrusted with the charge of so inestimable a treasure! With what impudent trifling do Papist argue from the words of Paul that all their absurdities ought to be held as oracles of God, because they are the ‘pillar of truth,’ and therefore cannot err!
First, we ought to see why Paul adorns the Church with so magnificent a title. By holding out to pastors the greatness of the office, he undoubtedly intended to rmind them with what fidelity, and industry, and reverence they ought to discharge it. How dreadful is the vengeance that awaits them, if, through their fault, that truth which is the image of Divine glory, the light of the world, and the salvation of men, shall be allowed to fall! This consideration ought undoubtedly to lead pastors to tremble continually, not to deprive them of all energy, but to excite them to greater vigilance.
Hence we may easily conclude in what sense Paul uses these words. The reason why the Church is called the ‘pillar of truth’ is that she defends and spreads it by her agency. God does not Himself come down from heaven to us, nor does he daily send angels to make known His truth; but He employs pastors, whom He has appointed for that purpose. To express it in a more homely manner, is not the Church the mother of all believers? Does she not regenerate them by the word of God, educate and nourish them through their whole life, strengthen, and bring at length to absolute perfection? For the same reason, also, she is called ‘pillar of truth’; because the office of administering doctrine, which God hath placed in her hands, is the only instrument of preserving the truth, that it may not perish from the remembrance of men. (Calvin’s Commentary, volume XXI, Epistle to Timothy, pg. 89).
In other words, what Calvin is arguing is that the Church – the body of believers, but here in context, especially its ministers – are the “pillar and foundation of truth.” Now, one should recognize the difference between something that upholds and something that is the final arbiter of truth. A pillar and foundation are structures that hold something up. In this case, they uphold truth. They are not the creators of truth. They merely support the truth and uphold it, and especially remain subservient to it (loosely quoted from The Roman Catholic Controversy, James R. White, pg. 58 ).
I hope that I have answered that questions in a descent manner for you. I would certainly encourage you to look up the Scriptures that were quoted and see that the Church is the body of believers. Institutions do not believe; people believe. Sinners believe in Christ unto salvation. Not an institution or a building.
posted by prchdaword at 9:00 PM
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