Do Protestants Really Believe in the Bible?

If someone picks up the Bible and has decided that he is going to be a Christian, he would not necessarily be considered a heretic, because what comes with heresy is a choice, which is really what the word means. This goes back to the thing with ignorance. How can you make a choice if you don't know what you're choosing or rather what you're NOT choosing.

Personally though, I like what the current Pope is doing. He is trying to bring together rather than divide the various christian communities by focusing on what we all have in common.

I love Pope Benedict's books. I have Light of the World, Early church Fathers, and Jesus of Nazareth. I highly recommend reading Jesus of Nazareth. It's a wonderful book. Although just a little dense imo.

 

Personally, I do get tired of these misconceptions people have of our faith. I can't however, be entirely sure of people's intentions. So, I do my best to be charitable, and simply explain the truth. That's all we can do right? Either they accept it, or they don't.

 

But are you saying that Protestants are innocent by ignorance of the Catholic Doctrines of the church? But still, "ONLY the good ones will go to heaven" if one summarizes the docs you refd. Ergo, 'my' priest was right then.

That is another very 'lame' Catholic apologetic for not serving wine or grape juice (from the fruit of the grape) to their congregation! The Catholic church is depriving their congregation from the very blood that led to salvation--I believe that it was a social and/or economical premise to begin with, and tradition carried it on!

I firmly agree with there are some who believe Jesus' lips never touched alcohol, and attempt to be 'noble' in their belief altho false..I did go to a large Episcopalian Church in Dallas once that served the bread and actual wine! I was taken back when I drank what I thought would be grape juice, but it seemed more right than the Catholic Mass.

BTW, I drink wine (as God did create all things, including 'fermentation' to make a man's heart merry, per script) but dont believe in drunkenness as that is called a 'shame & sin' Both Noah & Lot, righteous men of their times, got drunk and both changed history---for the worse!

 

To go over all of the Catholic clarifications & apologetics of their doctrines would take years, as most of their recent (last 100 yrs) writings have been such.

But going to my orig post concerning the Catholic priest who answered my question of "Catholics do all the sacraments, and the Protestants do not; so will Protestants go to heaven?" And he replied, "Only the good ones will."

Let me summarize the entire discussion using the refs given to me by Mr. Con:

Translation: "ONLY the good ones will go to heaven.

And again, 'my' priest was right!

I'm done with this one of many fragmented topic as it leads to a wild goose chase that many Catholics/Protestants have run over the decades.......

 

You know, there is a reason why Catholics go to confession. Catholics have the truth revealed to them, but they still sin, they still have the possibility of going to hell. "ONLY the good ones will go to heaven can apply to Catholics as well. People that believe Catholicism is the truth, but have rejected the faith for whatever reason are not saved. I guess when your priest said the good ones will go to heaven, he was speaking of those that followed there heart, and where following what they believed to be the truth.

 

Ctrl, what happened to ya?!

Did I scare you away with:

Or were you just blowing smoke with this

And couldnt deliver?

Or..are you that Prodigal son sitting in the pig sty 'thinking' about going home? Where a heavenly Father looks daily waiting with open arms to welcome you back. He's got a robe and a ring for you and is going to throw a party for you with the main course of Bar-B-Q'd fatted calf. I'll be there to welcome you as another Prodigal myself, and if your stuck-up, hard-hearted religious brother shows up as a wet-blanket to the party, we'll air 'his' dirty laundry to adjust his attitude of self-righteousness.....

Story of the Prodigal Son

 

Which reflects upon the question asked in the OP of the thread "what is truth?".

 

The way I see it all, Mr. Con, that makes sense to me and does not violate the scriptures is:

All will stand B4 Jesus Christ as Lord in Judgement

1) Man before the Laws of Moses and those who have never heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ, will be judged on their hearts.

2) Those who were under the Law will be judged according to it. For the scripture that says Romans 3:20 (NIV) "Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.", is for those who were not under the new covenant of Grace, not having heard it.

3) And those who have heard & accepted/believed the Gospel of Jesus Christ as their righteousness (right standing with God) will be judged according to 'His' work at Calvary.

4) But those with a seered conscious (as by a hot iron), an evil heart, and who have head & rejected the free gift of God thru the Gospel of Jesus Christ, will be 'condemned.'

And so 'some' will be judged under the condition of their heart (soul, the mind), those who have heard and rejected salvation thru Christ alone, will have heard the 'truth' and rejected it in their hearts, and will be w/o any excuse.

And all Christians stumble & sin at some time.....but it does not disqualify them from running the race and getting the prize...sin does not take you out of the race, but merely side tracks one, until they get back it.

 

In my opinion, it depends on their choice and belief. There may be lots of protestants who believe in Bible, but are not happy with economical situations, thats why they protest.