If Catholic Church is a cult, where is God for the 1st 1500 years until the coming of Lutheran church in 1500s

Answer 1

First, the Catholic Church is not a cult.

Second, good point - why would Jesus establish a phony Church, only to somehow have it sprout thousands of valid Denominations 1,500 years later? It doesn't make any sense, does it?

I mean, Jesus Himself can't get it right, how likely is it the offshoots of Catholicism will be any better? Not very good, I would think.

As if often the case, the simplest explanation is the right one: That the Catholic Church is the Church founded by God, and that 1,500 hundreds years later people began forming their own versions of His Church - and this is still happening today with 33,000 Christian denominations in existence.

Answer 2

According to the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, the Roman Catholic Church is heterodox, not a cult. There is a difference. The situation wasn't & isn't as black & white as you are asserting.

Although I wouldn't associate myself with the Roman Catholic Church as closely as Mark R does, facts are facts. The Roman Catholic Church still confesses the Three Ecumenical Creeds (http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=582).

The Church existed during the time in question, it had just been misguided & corrupted. I have no question that God worked through many Church Fathers that followed the Apostles, but came before Luther. Luther quite often quotes Augustine for example.

Granted many of today's Christians don't know the history of the Church, but is this the way to engage them in conversation, so that they might correct their thinking & desire to learn? Until recently being challenged in an ecumenical Bible Study, I didn't know much about the history of the Reformation, or what made me uniquely Lutheran.

Maybe instead of using fighting words, you can try to answer people who are sincerely asking questions & try to teach them where they're at.

Answer 3

I am a very Confessional and Conservative Lutheran. Yet when I go to a Catholic Church (weddings, funerals etc.) I hear the Gospel being read, I hear the Gospel being preached, and I see the Gospel living in the Eucharist.

I know that there are also serious doctrinal differences that have prevented fellowship between our two Churches, but as John Paul II said there is more that we have in common, than what separates us.

The Catholic Church is not a Cult.

I have also attended some of the "Evangelical Churches" and never heard a reading from the Gospels the whole service!

That sounds more like a cult to me.

Mark

Addendum:

A. T. , I can not condone what some Clergy in the RC Church have done. It has happened in other denominations as well, and in society as a whole. I have seen a number of non-clergy pedophiles featured in news story's. Are we then to conclude that all society is corrupt? Yes.

All have sinned and fallen short.

Rightly or wrongly we expect more from our Clergy. However, Christ's salvation is sufficient for all, even you and me!

God's blessing to you A.T.

Mark

Answer 4

It's interesting that you would bring the Lutheran Church into this, since we don't believe, and never have believed, that the Catholic Church is a cult. Since we believe that the Church is historic and apostolic, we'd be in a real pickle if they were.

Answer 5

I am not sure if the Catholic church is a cult, nor do I know where God was during the time you speak of...

However, with the hundreds of publicized (and add on those cases that were not brought to light) cases of Catholic priests sexually molesting young boys in just North America alone, you may want to ask:

"Is there a relationship between the Catholic church and homosexuality?"

OR

"Is there a relationship between the Catholic church and paedophilia?"

Answer 6

What makes you think that Martin Luther could have done anything? Sure he broke the grip of the Catholic Church on the people. But he couldnt reform that which was lost.

It wasnt the fact that the people werent following the Bible that was the problem. It was the lack of actual authority and power in the Church. That is why the doctrine was corrupted. And Martin Luther, despite any good intentions he had could not restore the power. Only God could.

The reformation was not enough. A restoration was necessary.

Answer 7

Good point. Of course, the corollary to your question is Jesus' promise that the Gates of Hell would not prevail against His Church. Many anti-Catholics would have us believe that Jesus is a liar and did not keep His promise.

Isaiah (the answerer above), you are way off base in your interpretation of Revelation. John was heavily influenced by the Old Testament, particularly Daniel, Genesis, Exodus, Ezechiel, and the Psalms (specifically Psalm 2). Read those books for a better understanding of Revelation. The point of Revelation was to encourage Christians to remain steadfast in the faith, in the wake of severe persecution. The purpose of Revelation was to show that the Prophecies of the Old Testament had been, and were being fulfilled, and it was also believed by Christians of the Apostolic Age that Christ's return was imminent -- if not in their lifetime, but certainly in their generation. So, the message of Revelation was to keep the faith until Jesus' imminent return so as to receive the reward of eternal life.

Answer 8

Even Martin Luther saw the inescapable principle of fragmentation and disunity that lies at the heart of . In a letter to Urlich Zwingli, he complained bitterly about the doctrinal anarchy that was even then rampant among Protestants: "If the world lasts, it will be necessary, on account of the differing interpretations of Scripture which now exist, that to preserve the unity of faith, we should receive the [Catholic] councils and decrees and fly to them for refuge."

Answer 9

God was where He has always been - on His throne in heaven.

As far as the TRUE REMNANT CHRISTIAN CHURCH, God protected her in the wilderness for 1260 years.

Rev 12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred [and] threescore days.

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Rev 12:14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

Answer 10

He lived in the hearts of those who survived the persecution by the Catholic church.

edit:

The Catholic church murdered millions of true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.