An Exercise in Logic:
Two Logic Proofs from History 101
demonstrating how the modern Christian theologies did not even exist in the first millennium
for Christ and His Apostles to have taught.
“Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.”
History 101, the Logic of it all.
Therefore the whole of the Protestant belief system (and its offshoots) lack apostolicity and Biblicism.
If the premises of a valid argument are true, then its conclusion must also be true.
and
It is impossible for the conclusion of a valid argument to be false while its premises are true.
A. All boys are human.
B. Billy is a boy.
C. Therefore Billy is human.
The premises in this case are true, therefore the conclusion: Billy is human is also true.
For a quick review of deductive logic and the laws thereof visit: http://www.philosophypages.com/lg/e01.htm
And likewise:
A. Distinctive Protestant, Mormon and JW beliefs do not predate the renaissance era. (1450-1600 A.D.)
B. The teachings of the Apostles predate the renaissance era by 1000+ years.
C Therefore logic and historical timelines tell us, that no distinctive Protestant, Mormon or JW belief was taught by the Apostles.
(And subsequently written into the NT Bible).
The fact of the matter, is that in the case of modern Protestantism or its offshoots, their distinctive ideas were not even embraced by their own first Protestants, much less the Apostles. On a linear and sequential timeline, this makes it impossible for these modern ideas to be written into the Holy Bible 2000 years earlier. They didn't exist in that era and would not exist for a 1400+ years to come.
(Click here: Three questions your pastor will not answer concerning his theology. https://www.angelfire.com/home/protestantchallenges/formypastor.html)
Again, please "test" premise A. Reject what logic tells you is impossible for the Apostles to have taught. It is of utmost importance to reconcile this logic truth. If we ignore this argument or rationalize it without disproving premise A, we are free to believe anything and everything under the Sun, and it really doesn't matter if the Apostles taught it or not. We are free to call "anything" Biblical, just as the Mormons and the JW's do.
Logic tells us that this faith, the faith of the Catholic/Universal Church was the faith of the Apostles for there was no other faith. And the same logic tells us that no distinctive Protestant idea was taught by the Apostles for not one predates the renaissance era.
Again
If the premises of a valid argument are true, then its conclusion must also be true.
and
It is impossible for the conclusion of a valid argument to be false while its premises are true.
A. In the first millennium, there was only one Christian Faith.
B. The apostles lived in the first millennium.
C. Therefore the only Christian Faith of the first millennium, was the Faith of the Apostles
(and therefore that of the Holy Bible).
The Faith of the 1st millennium was the Catholic or Universal Faith for there was no other Christian faith.
(Catholic is Katholikos in Greek which means "universal").
All Bible Believing Christians should "Test” premise A as the Holy Bible commands:
“Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.”
1 Thessalonians 5:21-22
Test premise A. If one cannot find any of the Protestant theologies predating the renaissance era, nor even the 10th century, why would one erroneously assume the Apostles taught these ideas in the 1st century? No Protestant idea was taught in the first 1000+ years of Christianity. No Protestant idea was taught before the renaissance era. For the invention of Protestantism and the Protestant belief system was born in the middle if not the latter half of the second millennium, 1000+ years after the Apostles wrote the Holy Bible. One cannot find a single Christian who taught Protestant ideas or embraced the Protestant belief system in any shape or form. Please test this logic as the Holy Bible commands. The only Christian Faith of the first millennium was the Catholic Faith for there was no other. It is that faith that should be embraced if one wants to believe as the Apostles believed. Test this. Test Premise A. and accept the results history and logic provides for us.
But what of the Protestant idea of
SOLA SCRIPTURA (SS) OR THE BIBLE ONLY IDEA?
Do not many Protestants claim that SS was taught by the early Church Fathers such as St. Augustine (5th century) or other Catholic Saints? This line of reasoning is logically impossible for the modern Christian as illustrated below.
So which is it?
Either the Church Fathers (such as St Augustine) embraced SS,
or they didn't.
1. Is Catholic Theology, which St Augustine embraced without exception, a produce of Sola Scriptura? If so why do Protestants reject it?
2. Or, can we presume that Augustine embraced SS, but his product of SS was apostate (i.e., Catholic theology). This in turn renders SS an invalid tool for Bible study for its product is apostasy, and a corruption of the Gospel of Christ. Therefore SS must be rejected because it is flawed, subjective and inaccurate. It doesn't work every time, if anytime.
3. Or, can we conclude that St Augustine, (nor any other Christian in the first millennium) embraced SS, even though many modern Protestants illogically claim he did?
So which is the case? 1,2, or 3? How does a modern Christian answer this for one cannot have it both ways. Either (name your early Church Father here) embraced SS or he didn't. If he did, answer question 1 or 2. If he didn't answer question 3..
But this is all predicated on one wanting to believe as the Apostles taught Christ's early Church, no matter where it leads him and no matter what it costs him. If this is not your desire, all bets are off and you are free to believe anything and everything whether the Apostles taught it or not.
Let's be clear. The Holy Bible is materially sufficient in that it holds all the materials for the complete faith of Christ's Gospel, but it is not formally sufficient, in that everything required for the Christian Faith is present in the proper form to "take off the shelf" if you will. A perfect example is the Holy Trinity. It is "materially" present in the Holy Bible but it is not "formally" present, for nowhere does the Holy Bible define the Trinity as: One God in three persons, all existing from eternity, that the Spirit proceeded from the Father and the Son as the Nicene Creed states. Where does it state that the Holy Spirit is Divine as well as a separate person in the Trinity or define the Trinity as we know it today, or even mention the word "Trinity?" Something else had to give us the definition of the Holy Trinity, the definition of God Himself. And that something else was Christ's Church under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
"I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13"But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. John 16:12-13
Another example is the Christian understanding of Christ, that he was fully divine and fully human, one person not two, but with two natures, one divine and one human. Was he born human and then became divine?? Or vise versa or was He half and half? Or did he possess both qualities since the incarnation or did He acquire them sometime later? These principles and doctrines are not "Formally" presented in the Holy Bible so for one to claim it is "the complete Truth and all that we need" ignores the fact that not everything is in the Bible in a formal manner. "Something else" gave us these formal definitions of GOD. And that something else is the: "The church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of Truth" 1 Tim 3:15.
The real litmus test for Biblicism is this: Did the Apostles teach it and subsequently write it in the Bible?" And if Protestantism's own reformers didn't even teach the idea 400+ years ago,,, how on earth did Christ's Apostles teach it 2000 years ago??
If we call ourselves Christians, is it not incumbent upon us to believe what Christ actually taught? Or can we believe anything and everything we want, as long as our pastor calls theses ideas "Biblical?" "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." (Matt 7:21)
All Christians should want to believe as the Apostles taught Christ's infant Church, no matter where it leads them and no matter what it costs them. Do you feel this same way? And if so, why then do you embrace a gospel the first Protestants didn't even teach and is impossible for the Apostles to have taught?
"But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have."
1 Peter 3:15
Our Lord tells us:
"If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;
and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." John 8: 31-32
Just because you have believed something for years one end, doesn’t mean it’s true. I just want to believe as the Apostles taught Christ’s early Church, no matter where it leads me and no matter what it cost me. I pray you feel the same way.
History records Jesus Christ as stating:
``If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.'' (Matt. 16:24).
"and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me." (Matt 10:38).
God Bless you and all you do,
Daniel
Please email me with your thoughts and historical corrections if any:
Suggested reading:
Intro to the Catholic Faith for Evangelicals http://www.davidmacd.com/catholic/index2.htm
Catholic Answers: "Pillar of Fire, Pillar of Truth" A compendium of basic Catholic beliefs and the Biblicism behind these beliefs. http://www.catholic.com/library/pillar.asp
FAQ about the Catholic Faith from Columbia University
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/augustine/a/faq-cc.html
1. "BIBLE ONLY" CHRISTIAN or "BIBLE BELIEVING" CHRISTIAN?
50 Practices and Doctrines not found in the Holy Bible. https://www.angelfire.com/home/protestantchallenges/unbiblical.html
2. JUST THE TRUTH: 2 Dozen Logic and Historical Facts Refuting the Apostolicity and Biblicism of the Modern Christian Belief Systems "Test Everything." 1 Thess 5:21 https://www.angelfire.com/home/protestantchallenges/justfacts.html
3. An Exercise in Logic, Two Logic Proofs from History 101 demonstrating how the modern Christian theologies did not even exist in the first millennium, making it impossible for Christ and His Apostles to have taught to His early Church.
https://www.angelfire.com/home/protestantchallenges/logic.html
4. Three uneasy questions for your pastor concerning his personal theology. https://www.angelfire.com/home/protestantchallenges/formypastor.html
5. Seven Reasons Christians Go To Church, Which One Is Yours? https://www.angelfire.com/home/protestantchallenges/7stages.html
6. "The 7 Stages of Christian Spiritual Development" What stage are you? https://www.angelfire.com/home/protestantchallenges/7stages.html
7. The Historical Origins & Authors of the Modern Christian Theologies. https://www.angelfire.com/home/protestantchallenges/dates.html
8. Is Sola Scriptura or the "Bible Only" idea even Biblical? Where does the Bible teach the "SOLA" or the "ONLY" in Sola Scriptura? https://www.angelfire.com/home/protestantchallenges/ss.html
9. Modern Christians often ask: "WHAT ELSE IS THERE? What else has Christ's infallible authority besides the Holy Bible?" Featuring the verses not underlined in most Bibles nor taught in modern Christian seminaries or churches. https://www.angelfire.com/home/protestantchallenges/whatelse.html
10. FAITH ALONE (SOLA FIDE): It is a Catholic Position. Have you been taught that Catholics "work their way to Heaven?" https://www.angelfire.com/home/protestantchallenges/faithalone.html
11. "Who is the Bride of Christ?" What does the Holy Bible say? https://www.angelfire.com/home/protestantchallenges/bride.html
12. Did the BEREANS "Search the Scriptures" and therefore follow the BIBLE ONLY idea?
Or did the THESSALONIANS, who also "Searched the Scriptures? https://www.angelfire.com/home/protestantchallenges/bereans.html
13. The 3rd Unanswered Challenge for the Non-Catholic Theologies:
Is the Catholic Faith Apostolic? Name just one Catholic doctrine that isn't. Name one doctrine the early Church believed,,,, that the Catholic Faith today *no longer does*. Why can't the modern Christian theologies make the same bold claim? https://www.angelfire.com/home/protestantchallenges/3challenge.html
14. Biblically, did the "Official Teachings or Doctrines of the Catholic Faith" become corrupt or Apostate as your Pastor might teach? Are there verses in the Holy Scriptures that forbid the "Gates of Hell" from overcoming His Church? What does the Holy Bible really say about: "The Church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of truth" 1 Tim :15? https://www.angelfire.com/home/protestantchallenges/gatesofhell.html
15. Is Praying to Saints Biblical? Is the "HAIL MARY" Prayer Biblical? Read the verses not underlined in your pastors Bible nor taught in his church. https://www.angelfire.com/home/protestantchallenges/saints.html
16. How Modern Christian are compelled to use and embrace an unbiblical and anti-biblical definition and concept of a Christian Church. https://www.angelfire.com/home/protestantchallenges/onchurch.html