What in your opinion distinguishes a Protestant Christian?

Answer 1

A Protestant Christian is a person who follows the reformed traditions of the church that rejects the various non-Biblical and sometimes heretical teachings that slowly crept into the Roman Catholic church over the centuries.

A Protestant believes that the Holy Spirit and not some man is the Vicar of Christ here on earth. A Protestant believes that the Bible is the final authority when it comes to matters of faith and that any doctrine that contradicts the Bible is a false teaching like telling a Priest that he cannot have a wife as the R.C. church did when corrupt leaders around 1000AD saw that the church was losing property through inheritance when church officials died.

"Faithful is this word: If anyone aspires to the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. It is necessary, therefore, for a bishop to be irreproachable, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, well-behaved, hospitable, skillful at teaching; not given to wine, not a bully, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not loving money; one ruling his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence; (for if one does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); not a new convert, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same judgment as the devil. Moreover he must have a good testimony among those outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not being given to much wine, not greedy for money, holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being irreproachable. Likewise their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children well, and their own houses. 1 Timothy 3:1-12

Answer 2

A protestant is a christian who is a follower of one of the number of denominations whose present number is in the thosands (estimates are 8,000 to 35,000), EACH CLAIMING TO BE THE CHURCH THAT JESUS FOUNDED, BUT WHICH WERE ACTUALLY FOUNDED BY A MAN WHO WAS NOT JESUS, AND EACH CLAIMING TO BE THE SOLE POSESOR OF THE WHOLE TRUTH. Protestants generally adhere to two basic principles: "Sola scriptura" (the Bible is the only authority) and "Sola fide" (faith alone is needed for justification/salvation).
Adiitionally a Protestant generally has a very wrong concept of what the Catholic Church teaches, not though his own fault but because he has been misled, although sometimes he refuses to open his mind and explore by himself that teaching (which you can find in the Cathecism of the Catholic Church)

Is it possible that all these many denominations have ALL the complete truth ? No, because they all have all different beliefs (albeit slight at times, but still different). However, this is not what God wants (1 Cor. 14:33 - he is not the God of disorder). This disoder comes from individuals giving their own interpretation to the different verses of the Bible, and such is a direct consequence of the "sola scriptura" principle, which in itself is not biblical, because the bible warns against it (2 Pet. 1:20-21 - against personal interpretation., and 2 Pet. 3:15-16 - "Paul's letters can be difficult to grasp & interpret; ... some twist them for their own destruction"), and because the bible also says that the church is the foundation of the truth (1 Tim. 3:15 - you should know how to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of truth)

Every time a pastor or small group finds something in his(their) church that he (they) does (do) not agree with, he (they) separates and, bang!, the "true" church is born again. This is totally against scripture ( Rom. 16:17 - avoid those who create dissensions, 1 Cor. 1:10 - I urge that there be no divisions among you )

Therefore, the sole existance of so many denominations contradicts the Bible (Jn. 10:16 - there shall be one flock and one shepherd) and goes against Christ will (Jn. 17:22 - Jesus prays to the Father. " that they may be one, as we are one").

Christ founded ONE church (Mt. 16:18 - And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build MY church).

The first christians started identifying themselves as the "universal christian church", or "catholic church" (in greek: katolikos= universal), and they obeyed their leaders as required by the bible (Eph. 4:11-14 - “he gave some as apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers...for building up the body of Christ,...until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God ...so that we may no longer be infants, tossed by waves and swept along by every wind of teaching”). Therefore, we have St. Ignatius of Antioch, who was a disciple of the apostle John, in 107 AD (only 74 year after Christ death) wrote: "Avoid divisions, as the beginning of evil... Wheresoever the bishop appears, there let the people be, even as wheresoever Christ Jesus is, there is the Catholic Church” - Epistle to the Smyrnaeans- VIII)

It is true that by Luther´s time some church officials were corrupt - we´ve always had that even at the present time- but that did not mean that the doctrine was wrong, because Christ promised that he would protect HIS church and that the church would not fail completely (Mt. 28:20-"And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age."; Mt. 16-18-...and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.),

That only meant that those individuals were not practicing their faith . Those corrupt priests, bishops ans even popes will have a bigger account to render on the last day (Lk. 12:48 - Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.)

That was no reason to split Chist universal church and by the interpretation of ONE man instead of a council like had been done since the first century (see fist council in Acts. 15) start teaching doctrine that the church never taught.

In the Catholic Church, the existence of bad leaders does not invalidate the doctrine, which is inspired by God, and hasn´t changed since jesus founded the church. We remember that one of the disciples betrayed Jesus,. Even if we have bad leaders, we do not abandon Peter because of Judas

God bless

jemayen

Answer 3

"Protestant" means that they protest against something. Most protestant churches are not actively protesting anything now, but they do recognize that Jesus Christ is the head of the church and that men are fallible no matter who they may be. Other men or women who lead churches (popes, primates etc.) are not infallible.
They recognize that the Bible is the highest authority that can be used to guide their lives.

Answer 4

They are less inclined to be extremists. Protestant Christians are, generally speaking, more in the mainstream of society. Many of the denominations (Methodist and Episcopal, for example) allow women and gays to serve as priests or pastors. They support the use of birth control, recognize divorce, and allow remarriage. They typically preach less of the "Hell fire and brimstone" sermons than some of the more extreme Christian denominations.

Answer 5

Many things. For most people in this country presently; using a Protestant Bible rather trhan a Ctholic Bible.

Answer 6

They do not recognize the Pope as God's legitimate representative on earth.

Answer 7

Why!... it's the type of cigar a man or woman smokes that gives them a distinguished air...nothing more and nothing less!