What is the point of the Chatolic Church?

[B~E]

Timothy 3:16-17 posted:

"All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that one who belongs to God may be competent, equipped for every good work."

Does following the Bible alone makes a bad christian out of me? Isnt being inspired by the exemple of Jesus Christ as explained in the Évangiles enough for me? What does the Chatolic Church do to justify is existance?

got another question here:

Jesus posted:

"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven."

Does that mean that christians have to follow all 613 judaic laws? If not, how do you justify the separation of the New and Ancient Testament?

[N[U]TS]

Originally Posted by Black~Enthusiasm

Does following the Bible alone makes a bad christian out of me? Isnt being inspired by the exemple of Jesus Christ as explained in the Évangiles enough for me? What does the Chatolic Church do to justify is existance?

In my opinion -- no. Why?
"Do not judge lest you be judged. "For in the way that you judge you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. "And why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? "Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' and behold, the log is in your own eye? "You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye." (Matthew 7:1-5)


I myself no longer attend church on a regular basis for the fact sermons//bible studies have become overwhelmingly repetative. The only thing I see comming out of it is discussion. If you are new to christianity then yes you should attend mass//sermons//bible studies. I just preffer to read the bible on my own and draw my own conclusions.

An argument against my opinion would be in scripture from Hebrews 10:25

"Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

[Tipsy]

Originally Posted by Black~Enthusiasm

Does following the Bible alone makes a bad christian out of me? Isnt being inspired by the exemple of Jesus Christ as explained in the Évangiles enough for me? What does the Chatolic Church do to justify is existance?

I'll be brief and go into more depth on anything you wish. The first part, Nuts' answer is the best there is, it's a matter between you and God whether or not you are a good Christian.

I really don't know what Évangiles translates to, but from what I tried to find it related to the Bible. If you're asking why isn't following the Bible enough, it's because the Church doesn't teach sola scriptura, meaning that it does not teach that the all Bible does not teach all theological truths. Both Catholics, against sola scriptura, and Protestants, for sola scriptura, claim that their position is supported by the Bible.

As for the the justification for the existence of the Church, it starts from the quote "I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it" (Matt 16:17-19). Why does it exist to this day? It's due to apostolic succession meaning that every heir back to Peter can be traced. Catholics interpret the Bible to support this notion and Protestants to denounce it. Plus the quotes such as "no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation" (2 Peter 1:21) and "there are some things in them hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other scriptures" (2 Peter 3:16).

Originally Posted by B~E

Does that mean that christians have to follow all 613 judaic laws? If not, how do you justify the separation of the New and Ancient Testament?

It does not.

"For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second. For finding fault with them, He says,

"BEHOLD, DAYS ARE COMING, SAYS THE LORD,
WHEN I WILL EFFECT A NEW COVENANT
WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AND WITH THE HOUSE OF JUDAH;
NOT LIKE THE COVENANT WHICH I MADE WITH THEIR FATHERS
ON THE DAY WHEN I TOOK THEM BY THE HAND
TO LEAD THEM OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT;
FOR THEY DID NOT CONTINUE IN MY COVENANT,
AND I DID NOT CARE FOR THEM, SAYS THE LORD.
FOR THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL
AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD:
I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR MINDS,
AND I WILL WRITE THEM ON THEIR HEARTS.
AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD,
AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.
AND THEY SHALL NOT TEACH EVERYONE HIS FELLOW CITIZEN,
AND EVERYONE HIS BROTHER, SAYING, 'KNOW THE LORD,'
FOR ALL WILL KNOW ME,
FROM THE LEAST TO THE GREATEST OF THEM.
FOR I WILL BE MERCIFUL TO THEIR INIQUITIES,
AND I WILL REMEMBER THEIR SINS NO MORE."

When He said, "A new covenant," He has made the first obsolete But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear. " (Hebrews 8:7-13)

(the all caps is how it is in the Bible, I mean no emphasis to that part)

[MacMan]

It does not.

Tipsy, please clarify for a non-Christian what this means. Are Christians not required to adhere to the Old Testament?

[Renzokuken]

Originally Posted by MacMan

Are Christians not required to adhere to the Old Testament?

Pretty much. Although that's not to say that it should be ignored. The Old Testament has a lot of things we can learn about and learn from. I personally find it pretty drab so i don't read the OT that much, let alone the NT (Reading The Bible is hard for me ).

[B~E]

Originally Posted by MacMan

Tipsy, please clarify for a non-Christian what this means. Are Christians not required to adhere to the Old Testament?

Well, what I can tell you is that adhering to the Old Testament would mean that Christians would have to follow all 600+ laws that jews have to deal with, plus all the obvious contradictions between the teaching of the Christ and the teaching of Judaic law.

But this is not an official answer in itself, I know. We'll have to wait to hear what Battleforums's official papist has to say on the matter.

[Ntrik_]

I thought catholic church's main viewpoints were based on Jesus's teaching (new testament)

[B~E]

I think that the catholic church's main viewpoints were based on the Pope's viewpoints, which are based on Jesus'. Here, the Pope has to act as some sort of medium, of representative. Which not every christians accept.

[Tipsy]

Originally Posted by MacMan

Tipsy, please clarify for a non-Christian what this means. Are Christians not required to adhere to the Old Testament?

They are not required to follow Judaic Law, a component of the Old Covenant. It was replaced with what is in the New Testament when Jesus brings the New Covenant. I don't mean to run in circles, but the answer is yes and no, there is more to the Old Testament than just the Old Covenant.

Originally Posted by B~E

I think that the catholic church's main viewpoints were based on the Pope's viewpoints, which are based on Jesus'. Here, the Pope has to act as some sort of medium, of representative. Which not every christians accept.

The Pope's authority is really overblown from the perception he has. The perceived massive authority from the people comes from his former political power and the doctrine of infallibility. Infallibility is actually rarely used, as in twice in the past two thousand years and not in over a thousand years. It's not whatever the pope says is automatically true, only what is said when he does it ex cathedra. To make it simple, think of it as when he says "I am going to say something infallible" it is, though there's a lot more to it than that, I'm just emphasizing that when you become pope you don't gain some giant library of knowledge or become a better person.