Saved by Christ; Gospel, Missions, Bible teacher; Apologetics, Theology, church history. Desiring that Muslims as people come to know the true Messiah المسیح
This is why I usually send a longer article when asked about the Protestant argument for the origin and recognition of the canon of Scripture.
The question cannot be answered responsibly in a few lines on X. It involves inspiration, apostolicity, reception, providence, the role of the church, and the difference between recognizing the canon and creating it.
But when the reply begins, “I don’t have time to read,” that usually tells me something important: the person does not really want a thoughtful answer. He wants an argument.
The Protestant claim is not that the church “gave authority” to Scripture, nor that every believer invents his own canon by private intuition. The claim is that God inspired the Scriptures, providentially preserved them, and caused them to be received by his church. The church recognized the canon; it did not confer inspiration upon it.
So yes, the canon is a serious question. But it is not answered by pretending Rome solves the problem merely by asserting ecclesial authority. That only moves the question back one step: how do you infallibly know which church has that authority, and by what non-circular standard?
If someone wants a serious answer, I’m happy to provide one. But “I don’t have time to read” is not an argument.
Here is a link to an article I wrote on Substack that summarizes the protestant answer to the question of the origin and development of the Canon of Scripture. https://t.co/R6BNO3Qwsi
Mormons are often very personally offended when Christians say that Mormonism isn’t Christian. This is dumb.
Joseph Smith’s first “encounter” with God involves God telling Smith that every creed Christians profess is an abomination to God.
Every creed.
That includes the Nicene Creed. They reject who God is, who Jesus is, the nature of salvation, the nature of exaltation, the clear teaching of Scripture, etc..
Mormonism rejects the very core of the Christian faith in all its essentials. Joseph Smith knew this but nowadays they are playing mind games with their own people and with real Christians.
Either THEY are Christians or WE are. It’s one or the other. Not both.
When asked “Will all be damned but Mormons?” Smith replied, “Yes, and a great portion of them unless they repent and work righteousness” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 119)
The Doctrine and Covenants (1:30) leaves no doubt to the Mormon teaching of exclusivity when it says the LDS Church is “the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth, with which I, the Lord, am well pleased ….”
Brigham Young, second only to Joseph Smith in Mormonism said…
“Should you ask why we differ from other Christians, as they are called, it is simply because they are not Christians as the New Testament defines Christianity” (Journal of Discourses 10:230).
“The Christian world, so-called, are heathens as to the knowledge of the salvation of God” (Journal of Discourses 8:171).
I could easily give you pages of them saying they are the only true Christians and how we are all ignorant beasts and our doctrines are wrong. They knew at the time they had a different God, gospel, Scripture, and system of belief. But now it has become expedient to pretend otherwise while still preaching all those false and unchristian things.
Mormons, your leaders are gaslighting you and you are gaslighting us. You aren’t Christian but we want you to be. Flee from Mormonism. Flee from Joseph Smith.
Christians have not recently been adept political thinkers. So, 2 things on this…
1) We should respect Mormons enough to be honest with them that, by their own self-identification, they are “not creedal Christians” (what Mormons THEMSELVES will say, bc they understand they disagree with many/most of the core doctrines of Christianity that are expressed in the earliest creeds)
2) Christians need to develop the ability to understand there are two overlapping but distinct realms: the church and the state (Jesus, 1 Peter, Augustine)
Therefore, there will be some people that are on a DIFFERENT TEAM spiritually (not Christians), but on the SAME TEAM culturally (aligned in almost all political / cultural goals).
If you don’t understand this, you will oppose people you should befriend in the political/cultural realm, and you will befriend people you should differentiate from in the church/spiritual realm.
"I'm a polytheist who believes God was once a man, that He's married to a female goddess and they live on a planet called Kolob, that Jesus and Satan are brothers, that there's a potentially infinite number of gods and I'll one day become the god of my own planet populated with my celestial space babies, I deny every single essential Christian doctrine, and reject every historic Christian creed.
Now explain to me why I'm not a Christian right this second."
In June, celebrating true marriage- by the Creator in Genesis 1-2.
Jesus alluded to Gen. 1:1; 1:26-28; 5:2; & quoted 2:24.
Matthew 19:4-6
Therefore Jesus defined marriage & rebuked so called "same-sex marriage". It is a lie & heresy & Rebellion vs. God the creator
@Latterdaytruth First and foremost: “but to us there is but one God.” Not the men-become-gods of Joseph Smith. One God, eternal. “Before me there was no god formed, and there shall be none after me.” Isaiah 43:10
When Joseph Smith Jr. uttered these words in April of 1844, he separated himself, and all who would follow him, from Christianity, forever:
We have imagined and supposed that God was God from all eternity. I will refute that idea, and take away the veil, so that you may see.
King Follett Funeral Discourse, quoted in Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 395.
Maybe because Christianity is monotheistic and Mormonism isn't? Maybe because of the "Great Apostasy" doctrine? How about this line from Mormonism's founder? "We have imagined and supposed that God was God from all eternity. I will refute that idea, and take away the veil so that you may see"? Just a few possibilities.
Letter to Serapion- 1.28-Athanasius - "the tradition", "the faith" is the doctrine of the Trinity, which all Protestants agree with. When the e. fathers explicate what the "the tradition of the apostles" is in content, it is all Biblical doctrines. Nothing about venerating icons
Nothing about venerating icons, Papacy, purgatory, indulgences, over-exalting Mary, praying to Mary, Immaculate conception or Bodily Assumption or adding works in order to finally be accepted by God - none of those things were in "the tradition" or "rule of faith"
Letter to Serapion- 1.28-Athanasius - "the tradition", "the faith" is the doctrine of the Trinity, which all Protestants agree with. When the e. fathers explicate what the "the tradition of the apostles" is in content, it is all Biblical doctrines. Nothing about venerating icons
Nothing about venerating icons, Papacy, purgatory, indulgences, over-exalting Mary, praying to Mary, Immaculate conception or Bodily Assumption or adding works in order to finally be accepted by God - none of those things were in "the tradition" or "rule of faith"
Athanasius quotes Matthew 28:19 & Ephesians 4:6 to back up what his "tradition" is. Letter to Serapion 1:28.
See also Irenaeus, Tertullian, & Origen on the content of the tradition, the rule of faith.
https://t.co/P5glGZTEZq
Athanasius quotes Matthew 28:19 & Ephesians 4:6 to back up what his "tradition" is. Letter to Serapion 1:28.
See also Irenaeus, Tertullian, & Origen on the content of the tradition, the rule of faith.
https://t.co/P5glGZTEZq
Letter to Serapion- 1.28-Athanasius - "the tradition", "the faith" is the doctrine of the Trinity, which all Protestants agree with. When the e. fathers explicate what the "the tradition of the apostles" is in content, it is all Biblical doctrines. Nothing about venerating icons