why are churches such as the Catholics like this?

Question

The doctrine of the Nicolaitans was mentioned in the Apocalypse of John Revelation chapter 2. It is a symbolic name of a group of people that represents the hierarchy of a ruling class over the rest of the people, developing a pecking order of fleshly leadership. Jesus hates this and warns the people to repent. It is not the question of the ministries but rather in the separation of them into a hierarchy over the people. This very idea was taken over by the Protestants with their own corruption of leadership roles and coverings. The Church of Ephesus was commended for hating the deeds of the Nicolaitans. The wrong separation of the clergy from the laity is a great evil in God's sight and He hates the lust for religious power over others. There is an ungodly spiritual authority in the Church today, which is nothing more than the prideful spirit of control, manipulation, domination and intimidation and a rebellion of the rightful authority of God. What do you think?

Answer 1

Weren't the disciples arguing about this very thing just before Jesus washed their feet? So apparently this has been going on since even before He was crucified.

Answer 2

Not quite right because...

The church at Ephesus was commended for hating the works of the Nicolaitans (2:6), and the church at Pergamum was criticized for having some members who held their doctrine (2:15). In the letter to Pergamum, their sins are equated with the teaching of Balaam (Rv 2:14; cf. Nm 25:1, 2; 31:16; 2 Pt 2:15; Jude 11), who advised Balak, the king of the Moabites, to bring about Israel’s downfall by inviting them to worship the Moabite gods and engage in intermarriage and the sexual immoralities connected with Moabite religious practices.

However…
The point you are trying to make can be made from other passages of scripture. Protestant churches typically have "Pastors" which is not an office or a position, it is one of the spiritual gifts. It is like one who shepherds a flock. There is a Biblical office of "elder" and those are people who rule 1 Tim 5:17 over the flock 1 Pet 5:1-4. The new testament always shows that individual churches are ruled by a plurality of elders.

There is no heirarchy outside or above the church. Believers are members of the Body, and the head of the body is Christ. Churches should not have one pastor, but should be guided by a plurality of elders, with no authority over them other than Christ.

Answer 3

You're asking for evidence from something written almost 2000 years ago for something that happened only 400 years ago? That doesn't really make much sense. The bible says that demons can appear as angels and deceive, but Mary is a saint and NOT an angel. I think that ultimately, the proof is in the pudding...err...the good things that have happened as a result. Most Catholic-approved apparitions have several hundred documented cases of miraculous healings before they are accepted as genuine. Some of these apparition sites, where people make pilgrimages to, have literally hundreds of canes, walkers, and wheelchairs lying around because people suddenly didn't need them anymore. As the bible says, ye shall know them by their fruits. And it sounds like such apparitions might have a whole lot of good fruits. edit in - that "spirit" IS a person. It's Mary. But you're just here to argue, so you don't care, do you? This is Y!A. If you want a full in depth explanation, try a Catholic forum. Some of them even only let people with proven credentials answer. But, again, you're just here to argue, so of course, you won't do that either. edit 2 - well, since you do say you care(and the jury's still out on that), then I must ask - why does there need to be a verse that says people wander around as spirits right after their death? In this apparitions, Mary is not wandering around, but appearing. She is not a spirit, but a saint. And it is over 1500 years after her death(provided you believe she died at all, rather than being directly assumed into heaven). If there was a verse that said spirits wandered the earth right after their death, it still wouldn't have any relation to Marian apparitions. edit 3 - actually, some people other than Christ HAVE risen to heaven. We know this to be true because the bible mentions two of them by name. Enoch is one. The other, I forget.

Answer 4

I just did a study on this and totally agree. Nicolaitism means exactly control over the laity. In other words, control over the people, or congregation.
There has to be some sort of leadership, but it isn't for control. I am a christian and hate how the churches have turned out. God himself will set up order as needed in a group of believers not men choosing men. If God Himself sets up a man to be head of a church it will be a humble man who also has 4 other men to govern him as well as to make sure he is in check with what the word says and all 5 of these men have to hear from God each individually all the same instructions from God. There has to be accountability. The head of the church has to acknowledge that he has Christ as head over him. There is no room for glorification of men when there is a five fold ministry chosen by God. Each man is accountable to each other. They are there to teach God's word, to help, to build up and encourage the believers, not to control. That is true leadership. Note to epostle 11: You can't deny what God's word says about nicolaitism and catholism is pure nicolaitism. He hates it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 5

Wrong.
Equating Nicholaitus with all heirarchy of the ecclesial heirarchy is a contortion of scripture that paraniod cultists use to justify hatred for the Catholic Church. There is no supporting historical evidence to this trash.

Nicholaitus was not a group of people, but an apostate bishop, a person. He rejected apostolic traditions, the council of Jerusalem, and compromised with pagans (Acts 15:29), was morally lax and communication with evil spirits is implied (1 Cor. 10:20).

People who invent this kind of hate literaure will fool many by claiming the Vatican sits on seven hills of Rome and therefore must be the Whore of Babylon. It does not. Anyone who can read a map can see that the seven hills of Rome are on the other side of the Tibor River, nowhere near the Vatican.

Nondenominational cults will go at any lengths promoting there hatred for any kind of authority, including that of Protestants. They are anti-church and innocent Christians need to be aware of them.

Whore of Babylon
http://www.ewtn.com/expert/answers/whore_of_babylon.htm

http://www.catholic.com/library/Hunting_the_Whore_of_Babylon.asp

Answer 6

Christ Gave us leadership in His Church, when He Chose the 12 Apostles.

The leadership of the Church stems from Apostolic Succession.

Answer 7

See Rev 17

Answer 8

I say pick up a science book Chapter 1 verse 1.

"The Universe began 13.7 Billion years ago. Our own earth is 4.5 Billion years old. The earliest life was discovered to be 3.7 billion years ago."

Answer 9

I think God himself prefers a hierarchical system, because that's what he uses in heaven.

I also think you have a problem with authority, and that causes you to read things into scripture that aren't really there.

Answer 10

Sounds like the church of MAN. There is only one church that is lead by Jesus Christ.