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As a Roman Catholic I am sincerely wondering how those who follow "the Bible alone" are certain that they are interpreting the Bible correctly.

Hypothetical - What if you and another Christian disagree as to what a bible verse means - how can you decide who is right? And if you can't decide, then who is the final arbitor or authority that can step in and settle the doctrinal question?

I guess I'm asking.....don't you think Christ meant for us to be able to know INFALLIBLY what the Bible teaches instead of having people just start a new denomination (Baptist, Methodist, etc) everytime there was a disagreement that couldn't be settled?

Jesus Christ prayed to His Father "that they may all be one." And the Bible tells us "there shall be one fold and one Shepherd."

2007-09-06 05:10:43 · 13 answers · asked by Veritas 7 in Society & Culture Religion & Spirituality

Tur b....we should always foster the virtue of hope. :-)

2007-09-06 05:19:52 · update #1

13 answers

Nobody actually does "the Bible Alone".
All the Sola Scriptura groups have tradition-based and teacher-based interpretations as much as any other group does.

2007-09-07 12:47:04 · answer #1 · answered by James O 7 · 1 0

I can tell you that scripture fundamentalists have always and will always see that the Bible is the only source of what they call truth, they complain of Doctrine and Dogma of the Church and also they complain that Catholics are not scripture based.
The Holy Mass and all of it's parts comes directly from Scripture, the liturgy is taken directly from Scripture, the last supper which we eat at each day, is directly from Scripture.
Doctrine is my favorite, the definition of doctrine is an answer to a question. These answers given by the Church are all Scripture based.
Then finally Dogma, these are always the touchiest of subjects, but believe it or not, when researched can be found in Scripture as well.
It is sad that people with their own ideals had to seperate from the Mother Church, some of whom weren't even trying to, it just happened.
God bless and continue to spread truth as you are, those with an open mind will read it as such, and those who are head strong and stubborn, will not, so be it.

2007-09-06 05:28:47 · answer #2 · answered by Perhaps I love you more 4 · 4 0

I am a non-denominational Christian, a plain follower of Jesus. I do not belong to any particular church. However, I go to different churches. I watch the Australian Christian Channel. I read books and magazines of various religions. I pick out what I think is good for me and discard those that I think is evil.

If I belong to a particular church, I would be embracing everything that it teaches and believe them to be true. But are they? Other Christian churches may say that such and such is wrong. Who then can tell us which is right? Who will be the arbiter?

The Bible tells us who. John 16:13 states: “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth.” It is therefore the Spirit of truth, the Holy Spirit, who will tell us the truth. In the book of Revelation, repeatedly, it says: “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” Who should we listen to then? The Holy Spirit! How can we know the Holy Spirit? John 16:13 further states: “and he will show you things to come.” That means, He will prophesy. What He says should come to pass. This is what Deuteronomy 18:22 says: “When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.” If it is therefore from the LORD, it should come to pass. The Holy Spirit is from the LORD. Actually, He is the LORD God Himself.

As Jesus Christ prayed in John 17:21-22 – “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one.”

2007-09-08 04:07:39 · answer #3 · answered by Peace Crusader 5 · 0 0

All Protestants follow their own interpretations of the Bible, which is totally different from following the Bible. Which is why there are hundreds of unauthorized conflicting manmade denominations, in direct opposition to the stated will of God, "that they all may be ONE".

2016-05-22 17:28:54 · answer #4 · answered by jolyn 3 · 0 0

Well, I guess if you want to be a Christian without having to follow the Catholic Church, your only other choice is to follow her book.

However, if you renounce the Church, then why not also renounce her book, The Holy Bible?

I suppose since there would be no Bible today and no kind of Christian faith at all without the Catholic Church, they had to stick to something of hers in order to learn the basics. Too bad there is so much more to know which they are not learning.

2007-09-06 05:30:20 · answer #5 · answered by The Raven † 5 · 8 0

The perfect example of the Teaching Church and its binding authority at work is seen in the book of Acts at the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:6-30). In the Jerusalem Council, we see Peter and James speaking with authority. This council makes an authoritative pronouncement (citing the Holy Spirit) which was binding on all Christians:

Acts 15:28-29: For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from unchastity.

In the next chapter, we read that Paul, Timothy, and Silas were traveling around “through the cities,” and Scripture says that:

… As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions which had been reached by the apostles and elders who were at Jerusalem. (Acts 16:4)

This is Church authority. They, the Church leaders, simply proclaimed the decree as true and binding – with the sanction of the Holy Spirit Himself! And this is exactly how Jesus taught the disciples in resolving disputes found in Matt 18:15-17 that:

"If your brother sins against you, go to him and show him his fault. But do it privately, just between yourselves. If he listens to you, you have won your brother back. But if he will not listen to you, take one or two other persons with you, so that 'every accusation may be upheld by the testimony of two or more witnesses,' as the scripture says. And if he will not listen to them, then tell the whole thing to the church. Finally, if he will not listen to the church, treat him as though he were a pagan or a tax collector.”

Many will tell you that the church being spoken of here is the local church. Yet how can that single church have any binding authority if all one has to do is go to a different denomination or to simply start himself one with his own differing belief? That’s exactly what happening today with our 30,000 plus denominations in existence. This is tantamount to not having any authority at all. We need a church which has a binding authority for all Christians. One where we know will tell THE Truth and not just a truth of their own interpretation.

Christ established only one Church with one set of beliefs (Eph 4:4-5 “There is one body and one Spirit, just as there is one hope to which God has called you. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism”). He didn’t establish numerous churches with contradictory beliefs. Why do these churches have contradicting beliefs? Because Jesus Christ gave the promise of the Holy Spirit to only one Church (John 14:25; John 16:13). He also authorized only one Church to teach the world (Matt 28:20; Luke 10:16)

God Bless
Robin

2007-09-06 05:57:52 · answer #6 · answered by Robin 3 · 2 2

"are certain that they are interpreting the Bible correctly."
Only the arrogant (or the truly inspired) assume that they always interpret the bible correctly.

"how can you decide who is right?"
I'd guess, the same way that someone decides if the RCC is right. I research, if it is sufficiently important. Of course, most theological disagreements have no bearing on a person's salvation.

"don't you think Christ meant for us to be able to know INFALLIBLY what the Bible teaches instead of having people just start a new denomination (Baptist, Methodist, etc) everytime there was a disagreement that couldn't be settled?"
But, *none* of us who are uninspired know *infallibly* what the bible teaches in every situation. You have to have faith in the pope, or in the RCC, or in your translation of the bible, or in your research, or in *something*. In other words, unless you hear *directly from God* on every issue, you do not know infallibly. I admit, I am not a prophet.

I think it's good that the RCC considers itself the "true church". Of course, nearly all other sects teach the same thing about themselves. I have no doubt that we *ought* to be one church. But there is no convincing argument that the RCC should be (or is) that one church.

Jim, http://www.life-after-harry-potter.com

2007-09-06 08:27:04 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0 5

I wonder where in the Bible are the teachings of today's concerns such as abortions,euthanasia, contraceptives, invetro fertilization and so on. Christ is still teaching today through His beloved bride the church

2007-09-06 05:54:46 · answer #8 · answered by Gods child 6 · 3 0

Mainly by letting the Bible interpret itself. In every case I can think of right now, this has given the correct answer.

This does not mean having any man or men interpret the Bible for us as in clergy. Romans 3:4 points out to "Let God be found true, though every man be found a liar."

As you say, 1 Corinthians 1:19 and Philippians 1:9 and 1 Timothy 2:4 stress, true Christians should be united in the same mind or line of thought, in agreement which should be based on getting accurate knowledge and full understanding.

Only the Bible can do this. When the teachings of men interfere, they mess everything up.

2007-09-06 05:55:12 · answer #9 · answered by grnlow 7 · 1 6

I've already asked them the same thing, but they just gave me unintelligent answers. maybe this time, you'll be in luck and finally have someone from their club to answer this question satisfactorily.

edit: LOL! thanks for reminding me, I was limited by my perspective as a mere human-being. maybe there's still hope, let's see. :)

2007-09-06 05:16:29 · answer #10 · answered by Perceptive 5 · 4 0

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