Lent: From Ritual to Relationship – SWRC
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Tag Archives: Roman Catholicism
The Keepers of His Word
Bible translations – it’s a mess. If you are anything like me (logical, analytical, likes to read peer-reviewed research for *fun* on the weekends), the confusion surrounding Biblical translations seems to almost invalidate the Bible as a whole. To an external observer with a penchant towards experimental and evidence-based analysis, contradicting results invalidates the authority of the results. Due to the conflicting views on translations of Scripture, I am working to assemble my research to validate the authority of the Scripture in terms of the Authorized King James Version.
When Emperor Constantine took over the Roman Empire thanks to strong connections that were enabled by his father Caesar Constantius of the First Tetrarchy (AD 293 – 305), he sought to unify paganism and Christianity. By unifying them, he would be able to manipulate himself into a position of absolute divine authority and unanimous approval from all classes through an imperial cult, a state religion wherein an emperor or group of emperors are worshipped as demigods or deities. When Emperor Constantine did this, he:
- Increased tolerance of Christianity while limiting regulations against Roman polytheism.
- Mingled pagan holidays with Christian beliefs.
- Called for the Council of Nicaea, establishing the Nicene Creed and deity of Christ.
All of the unified religions established as the official religion of the Roman Empire were called, as a unit, Roman Catholicism. In an effort to unify Christianity and people who had pantheistic views for peace under his “divine leadership,” Constantine played his role carefully after analyzing that the Christians would not be so easily eliminated with simple persecution and massacre as was attempted during the reign of prior Emperor Diocletian and his Tetrarchy. Roman Catholicism embellished Christianity with ritualistic ceremonies, focusing on the value and authority of paganist rituals and ceremony as opposed to the authority of Scripture. Thus, any Scripture which was derived from the influence of that intermingling of Gnosticism, paganism and Arianism that was the result of Constantine’s efforts for a unified religion (Roman Catholicism) and any translation of Scripture which stemmed from that unification and desperate attempt to unite the pagans of the world with Christians uses a translation that:
1.) is anti-Trinitarian
2.) denies the authority of Scripture.
Most English Translations of Scripture come from copies of Greek codices of questionable translational authenticity kept in “the holy city of Catholics” – Vatican City.
Please note the following illustration:
I will be providing more information on this topic as time permits.
Matthew 5:18
18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Rick Warren – Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
Rick Warren on Roman Catholicism: “We have more in common than what divides us”
Dec 17 2014
RICK WARREN ON ROMAN CATHOLICISM: “WE HAVE MORE IN COMMON THAN WHAT DIVIDES US”
Warren, whose Purpose Driven Life and Purpose Driven Church books have sold millions of copies around the world, recorded a video interview for the Catholic News Service in which he said: “We have far more in common than what divides us.”
He continued: “When you talk about Pentecostals, charismatics, evangelicals, fundamentalists, Catholics, Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians … Well, they would all say we believe in the trinity, we believe in the Bible, we believe in the resurrection, we believe salvation is through Jesus Christ. These are the big issues.
“Sometimes Protestants think that Catholics worship Mary like she’s another god. But that’s not exactly Catholic doctrine.”
He also referred to the Roman Catholic practice of prayer to the saints, which Protestants reject, saying: “When you understand what they mean by what they’re saying, there’s a whole lot more commonality.
“Now there’s still real differences, no doubt about that. But the most important thing is if you love Jesus, we’re on the same team.”
He said that Church unity would realistically be “not a structural unity but a unity of mission. And so, when it comes to the family we are co-workers in the field on this for the protection of what we call the sanctity of life, the sanctity of sex, and the sanctity of marriage. So there’s a great commonality and there’s no division on any of those three.”
Warren recently took part in a Vatican conference on the Complementarity of Man and Woman alongside conservative stalwart Russell Moore, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. His remarks are in tune with the tone of Pope Francis, who has spoken warmly of evangelicals and brought a different emphasis to inter-Church engagement.
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/rick.warren.on.roman.catholicism.w…
[TBC: Commonality is not established by the lowest common denominator. To say someone loves Jesus means nothing if it’s “another Jesus” or if the “gospel” they present is not the biblical gospel (2 Corinthians:11:4, Galatians:1:8). The works salvation gospel of Rome is contrary to the biblical gospel, and the Jesus of Roman Catholicism did not pay the full penalty for sin. Our Lord declared, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew:7:21).]
Over a decade ago I was chased out of my church, because of my tooth and nail resistance to going “purpose driven.” Now, Rick Warren is boldly going where he always intended to go – the one world religion.
2 Peter 2:1-3
2 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
Dear Mr. Rick Warren – you make me sick. May God have mercy, and cause you to repent.
The Vine Vigil 