Doctrine then, but not now...

[AaronH]

What are some beliefs that were once very commonly accepted by Christians, but are no longer? Could have been 1,000 years ago. Maybe 500 or even 100 years ago.

I'll start. That Mary was a virgin her entire life was a belief held by a vast majority of Christians a thousand years ago. Nowadays most Christians would reject this notion.

 

[civic]

This could get really interesting

 

[dwight92070]

That you have to dress up to go to church.
That married couples must have their babies publicly dedicated to the Lord. They also must have a person or couple stand with them as "godparents" who committed to care for the baby if anything happened to the parents.
That the entire congregation must say the"Our Father" prayer in unison at some point in the church service - even non-Catholics.
That there must be a church membership list. And you must be baptized in water at that church in order to be a member of that church.
That every church must have a nursery, a Sunday school, a youth group, and also a children's church and a youth pastor.
That no church should accept a practicing gay person or a practicing trans person as a true Christian.

 

[Bob Carabbio]

I'll start. That Mary was a virgin her entire life was a belief held by a vast majority of Christians a thousand years ago. Nowadays most Christians would reject this notion.

Bottom line - the Roman Catholic religious system started early, was FULL of pagan doctrines that were VERY BROADLY disseminated and still are. Biblical IGNORANCE (which the Roman system encourages) renders one FAIR GAME for deception. God raised Luther and other to counter the ROman Catholic LIES with the truth, and that's been sorting out for centuries.

ALMOST EVERYTHING that the Roman Catholic system teaches about their "Mary thing" is totally false, and her perpetual virginity is one of the more minor LIES that Rome is still spreading to their victims about her. THE HUGE LIE is that their "mary thing" is the "go to person for prayer and supplication, NOT JESUS. The "Mary thing" is worshipped with an intensity THAT BELONG ONLY TO JESUS, and that's pure BLASPHEMY!!!

 

[civic]

That you have to dress up to go to church.
That married couples must have their babies publicly dedicated to the Lord. They also must have a person or couple stand with them as "godparents" who committed to care for the baby if anything happened to the parents.
That the entire congregation must say the"Our Father" prayer in unison at some point in the church service - even non-Catholics.
That there must be a church membership list. And you must be baptized in water at that church in order to be a member of that church.
That every church must have a nursery, a Sunday school, a youth group, and also a children's church and a youth pastor.
That no church should accept a practicing gay person or a practicing trans person as a true Christian.

Good list

 

[civic]

Bottom line - the Roman Catholic religious system started early, was FULL of pagan doctrines that were VERY BROADLY disseminated and still are. Biblical IGNORANCE (which the Roman system encourages) renders one FAIR GAME for deception. God raised Luther and other to counter the ROman Catholic LIES with the truth, and that's been sorting out for centuries.

ALMOST EVERYTHING that the Roman Catholic system teaches about their "Mary thing" is totally false, and her perpetual virginity is one of the more minor LIES that Rome is still spreading to their victims about her. THE HUGE LIE is that their "mary thing" is the "go to person for prayer and supplication, NOT JESUS. The "Mary thing" is worshipped with an intensity THAT BELONG ONLY TO JESUS, and that's pure BLASPHEMY!!!

The reformers also kept many traditions and some doctrines from the RCC.

 

[Bob Carabbio]

The reformers also kept many traditions and some doctrines from the RCC.

But restored the MOST IMPORTANT one - Eph 2:8,9

 

[Bob Carabbio]

But restored the MOST IMPORTANT one - Eph 2:8,9 The rest of 'em pale in comparison.

 

[synergy]

But restored the MOST IMPORTANT one - Eph 2:8,9

but they fumbled the ball with this one: James 2:24.

24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

and this one: James 2:20:

20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?

 

[Bob Carabbio]

but they fumbled the ball with this one: James 2:24.

24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

and this one: James 2:20:

20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?

No problem. in CONTEXT, James is providing some means of determining whether what YOU CALL FAITH, actually is BIBLICAL FAITH (Heb 11:1) or nothing but theological belief with no SUBSTANCE.

Melancthon put it this way: It is FAITH ALONE that saves, but the FAITH that saves will never be alone. Spurgeon's take was: A FAITH that doesn't CHANGE a person, won't save them either.

James 2:20 simply says "FAITH without works ain't FAITH at all".

So no "Fumble" at all.

 

[synergy]

No problem. in CONTEXT, James is providing some means of determining whether what YOU CALL FAITH, actually is BIBLICAL FAITH (Heb 11:1) or nothing but theological belief with no SUBSTANCE.

Melancthon put it this way: It is FAITH ALONE that saves, but the FAITH that saves will never be alone. Spurgeon's take was: A FAITH that doesn't CHANGE a person, won't save them either.

James 2:20 simply says "FAITH without works ain't FAITH at all".

So no "Fumble" at all.

Since James 2:20, 2:24 slays the first Sola (Sola Fide) of the the Five Solas, the Reformation movement was bogus.

I'm not Catholic, but 2 wrongs do not make a right.

 

[Bob Carabbio]

Since James 2:20, 2:24 slays the first Sola (Sola Fide) of the the Five Solas, the Reformation movement was bogus.

I'm not Catholic, but 2 wrongs do not make a right.

Nope, it doesn't. I AGREE that your "Theology" says it does, but only because you have to interpret it that way. Salvation is the result of FAITH, plus nothing else. And saving FAITH will, of its intrinsic nature CHANGE a person, resulting in good works from their lives.

SO - what "WORKS" are you trusting to bring you salvation that you've EARNED as payment from God??? That you're not Catholic is a GOOD thing.

 

[synergy]

Nope, it doesn't. I AGREE that your "Theology" says it does, but only because you have to interpret it that way. Salvation is the result of FAITH, plus nothing else. And saving FAITH will, of its intrinsic nature CHANGE a person, resulting in good works from their lives.

SO - what "WORKS" are you trusting to bring you salvation that you've EARNED as payment from God??? That you're not Catholic is a GOOD thing.

Read James 2:24 carefully. It clearly says that man is justified ... NOT by faith only. Clearly, that verse slays Sola Fide and there is nothing you can do about it.

24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

 

[Bob Carabbio]

Read James 2:24 carefully. It clearly says that man is justified ... NOT by faith only. Clearly, that verse slays Sola Fide and there is nothing you can do about it.

24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

And what are you going to do with the OTHER SCRIPTURES that state clearly that a man is NOT SAVED BY WORKS (Eph 2:8,9 for one). Try readin the book of James in context.

 

[synergy]

And what are you going to do with the OTHER SCRIPTURES that state clearly that a man is NOT SAVED BY WORKS (Eph 2:8,9 for one). Try readin the book of James in context.

Those are works of the law that were ditched 2K years ago. James on the other hand is talking about God-ordained God-elected good works.

 

[dwight92070]

That's not true. Where in James, taken in context, do you come up with that answer? Please describe what works are God-ordained and God-elected and what works are not.
Actually it doesn't matter whether they're works of the law or any other good works - no works can save you. As has been stated many times on this forum, James is referring to someone who has already been saved. His works simply affirm that he is already saved.

 

[synergy]

That's not true. Where in James, taken in context, do you come up with that answer? Please describe what works are God-ordained and God-elected and what works are not.

Read James 2. There are several God-elected good works mentioned there.

Actually it doesn't matter whether they're works of the law or any other good works - no works can save you. As has been stated many times on this forum, James is referring to someone who has already been saved. His works simply affirm that

Nobody is a Sola Works advocate here, if that's what you implying. Read James 2:24 and tell me how good works is not a part of our justification, along with faith of course.

 

[360watt]

That you have to dress up to go to church.
That married couples must have their babies publicly dedicated to the Lord. They also must have a person or couple stand with them as "godparents" who committed to care for the baby if anything happened to the parents.
That the entire congregation must say the"Our Father" prayer in unison at some point in the church service - even non-Catholics.
That there must be a church membership list. And you must be baptized in water at that church in order to be a member of that church.
That every church must have a nursery, a Sunday school, a youth group, and also a children's church and a youth pastor.
That no church should accept a practicing gay person or a practicing trans person as a true Christian.

This is not all things that were 'back then'

My church doesn't have gay members or practicing trans people as members. Membership does also involve first immersion in water then being voted in.

It's not so cut and dry.

 

[Bob Carabbio]

This is not all things that were 'back then'

My church doesn't have gay members or practicing trans people as members. Membership does also involve first immersion in water then being voted in.

It's not so cut and dry.

Chuckle!! I was baptized 4 days after I Became Born Again in a Baptist church. My Wife, on the other hand was baptized in Massachusetts outside in October (about 40 degrees) in a pond by an Assembly of God pastor - so she can't join a "Ba[ptist" church unless she's re-dunked by a Baptist pastor. BUT HEY, we've both been Assembly of God for most of the last 54 years, so no problem.

 

[civic]

That's not true. Where in James, taken in context, do you come up with that answer? Please describe what works are God-ordained and God-elected and what works are not.
Actually it doesn't matter whether they're works of the law or any other good works - no works can save you. As has been stated many times on this forum, James is referring to someone who has already been saved. His works simply affirm that he is already saved.

no works equals a dead faith much like no fruit equals a dead tree that needs to be cut down and burned in the fire as Jesus taught.