Friday, August 29, 2008

My Questions to Protestants 8-29-08

This is the next installment of Questions for Protestants. As usual, these were written while bored at work (usually have good epiphanies there)

Today, fellow readers, I would like to discuss the idea of Marian devotions, a concept that many Protestants find hard to wrap their heads around, despite what the 10 Commandments tell us, what the early Church Fathers have handed down and Scripture alludes to regarding this matter. Therefore, I shall ask several pointed questions that follow a logical and linear progression.

1) Is Mary not the Mother of God?

2) Therefore, is Mary not the Mother of Christianity?

3) By proxy, is Mary not the Mother to us all as brothers and sisters in Christ?

4) Referring to the 10 Commandments, should we not give honor to our parents, in this instance our Mother?

5) Is Christ not the King?

6) Referring to the Book of Kings, we can see that mothers are listed with their sons, the kings. Does not the Bible refer to Mary in much the same way?

7) Can any Protestant, regardless of denomination, show me the place in any form of Catholic dogma or document that says Mary is to be worshiped?

8)If the Church came before the Bible and the earliest Protestants acknowledged the perpetual virginity of Mary and other such Marian doctrines/devotions, why do most scions of these original Protestant movements disagree with their early leaders and adamantly disavow the Catholic position?

So how about it, my Protestant brethren, does anyone have an answer for me?

Well, I have to go to work now. The next installment will be on prayers to/with/by the saints.

Until next time...

-N8

Monday, August 25, 2008

Private Reading Notes 8-25-08

Well, I have nearly finished reading the New Testament (well, most of it)! It truly has been an interesting experience and well worth going into work about 2-3 hours early to read and take notes upon it.

As usual, I have some phrases of questionable meaning and there is a need for further analysis so I will not post them until I can go back and look at them again a little deeper.

Here we go.

1) Colossians

a) 2,8: avoid purely human traditions

2) 1 Thessalonians

a) 2,13: People received God’s message as the word of God, not of men.

i) Where is this word/message? Surely not in the Bible, because the Bible didn’t exist!

b) 4,1: They learned the ways from Paul, Silvanius and Timothy, but these guys had no Bible!

c) 5,8: Faith, hope and love as armor to protect the vital parts of the Body of Christ.

d) 5,21: Test everything, retain what is good.

i) One of my favorite Bible verses, right up there with Luke 11,21.

3) 2 Thessalonians

a) 2,15: hold firm to the traditions passed on

b) 3,6: Avoid the ones who do not follow the traditions passed on.

4) 1 Timothy

a) Ch. 3: Lists qualifications for the ministers (bishops, deacons, laypeople)

i) It is interesting to see that according to the Bible, bishops and other such people CAN be married.

ii) To clarify for those still in the theologically murky waters, the Catholic church has made celibacy a matter of discipline and not doctrine.

iii) If the Church were to randomly take out the requirement of celibacy tomorrow, there would be no change in how the Church functioned nor would it change dogma, as it is not a dogmatic constitution and therefore not infallible.

iv) See 1 Corinthians 7,32 and look at 7-28-08 Bible Study to see the definitions of the 3 papal documents.

b) 6,3-10: Stand wary against quarrelsome teachers of doctrines, as they are not to be followed.

i) Watch for schisms in the Body.

c) 6,20: Hold fast to your traditions.

5) 2 Timothy

a) 1,3: Parallels saintly intercession

b) 1,13: Follow what you have HEARD

i) Oral tradition

c) 2,2: Much care is taken in this statement to tell Timothy that it is important that trustworthy men be entrusted with Christ’s message.

d) 2,23-26: Take no part in senseless quarrels and gently correct those that contradict Christ’s teachings so that they might repent and come to know the truth.

e) 3,16: Aaaaah yes, the famous go-to Protestant Bible verse that is one of a very few used and twisted as a way to support sola scriptura

f) 4,8: Just noticed the emphasis on “not just for me but for all”.

i) The Bible continually speaks about others outside of self, etc.

ii) This, to me, speaks of a Body of Christ, being in union with one another and not being off in ones own little dream world.

6) Titus

a) 1,9: Reflects 2 Timothy 4,3?

b) 1,10-16: Looks at false teachings, particularly Judeo-Christians that are tearing the community apart.

c) 3,10: Dealing with heretics.

7) Philemon

a) Nothing struck me as unusual or cool here…

8) Hebrews

a) 2,1: We must remember what we have HEARD

b) 5,1-10: Appointment of priests, etc.

c) 5,11-14: More milk and solid food reference in terms of spiritual progression in faith. See 1 Cor 2,6.

d) 6,1-3: Sets up a progression in faith from the Jewish to the Christian theology.

e) 6,5: “When they have tasted the Word of God”

i) Is this in reference to the word coming in the flesh and ultimately the Eucharist?

ii) See John 1,14

f) 7,11: If the priests were perfect already, what need would there be to appoint a different one in place of the current ones? See Psalm 110,4

g) 7,12: Change of priests is a change of law.

h) 7,14: Jesus from a tribe that never officiated at the altar.

i) 7,15-17: Through his immortal existence and not through the line of familial priesthood is how Jesus reigns.

i) See Moving to 1 John 4...7-21-08 to look at the OT vs. NT succession of the priesthood.

j) 7,19: The old law did nothing and a new hope has brought us closer to God.

i) No way to the Father except through the Son? Perhaps a reference to John 14,6?

k) 7,20-25: God is everlasting and therefore has an eternal and unchangeable priesthood.

l) 7,26-28: Jesus was (is?) the answer to the question for all.

m) 8,13: Old Jewish law destroyed.

n) 9,11: Jesus became the sacrificial lamb.

i) Being eternal, he only needed to sacrifice self once and for all.

o) 9,15-28: This has something to do with the Eucharistic offering, I just know it.

p) 10,19-20: reflects on John 14,6

q) 11:1- Definition of faith

r) 11,40: Without us, God’s plan cannot be made perfect.

i) By the same token, it is only by God’s grace that we are saved.

ii) Kind of a theological catch 22, eh?

s) 12,1-13: We are like sons to God and should follow him in a manner not unline how we follow our earthly fathers.

t) 12,14-17: Against apostasy

u) 13,1-5: Some good rules for life

i) Let mutual love continue

ii) Neglect not hospitality

iii) Be mindful of prisoners

iv) Let marriage be honored and the bed undefiled

v) Be not a lover of money and be content with what you have

v) 13,8: Nothing about Christ has changed

i) What is known is known.

ii) Ecclesiastes 1:9 reference, perhaps?

w) 13,10: Jews cannot come to the Catholic altar.

x) 13,11-14: Just as Jesus died separated from his own people, so must the Christian community remain apart from the Jewish doctrines.

9) James

a) 1,5-8: Ask for wisdom, but do not doubt in your asking.

b) 1,19: Listen well and be slow to speak and be in anger

c) 1,22: ACT on the word, for if all you do is listen then it is worthless.

d) 1,23-24: He who listens but doesn’t act is worthless.

e) 1,26: Must control tongue

f) 2,14-17: Faith w/o practice and works is lifeless

g) 2,20: without works, faith is idle.

h) 3,2: Controlling the tongue is important

i) 3,5: Though small, the tongue makes great pretensions

j) 3,9-12: one cannot praise God and curse men at the same time

k) 4,1: Divisions in the Church sparked by worldly desires.

i) Divisions in the Church=Divisions in the Body of Christ

l) 4,8: So this is where everyone gets the term ‘BACKSLIDER”

i) Geez, I hate that term

m) 4,11-12: What is this judging? Does this reference Matthew 7 in any way?

n) 4,13-17: So how are we to plan our lives?

o) 5,12: Do not swear oaths. Let your yes and no mean just that.

p) 5,14: This is where Catholics get the sacrament of Anointing the Sick

q) 5,15-16: Anointing heals sins. Confession of sins to one another heals as well.

r) 5,20: Bringing a sinner back into the fold will cancel a great many sins.

10) 1 Peter

a) 1,2: “…according to the foreknowledge of God”

i) Possible reference to Romans 8:29-30?

b) 2,12: “By your good works…”

c) 2,16: Even freedom has its limits.

d) 3,7: Rules for treating women

e) 3,9: Do not engage in retribution. Rather, give a blessing.

f) 3,10-12: Proverb on being charitable.

g) 3,13-17: What to do in confronting a person of libel against you.

h) 3,18: See John 14:6 and all associated passages.

i) 3,21-22: purpose of baptism.

i) BAPTISM NOT A MEANINGLESS EXTERNAL SYMBOL!

j) 4,8: Love covers a great many sins.

k) 5,9: “…throughout the world.”

i) Reference to a UNIVERSAL faith with all in communion with one another?

11) 2 Peter

a) 1,1: Notice the “faith like ours” part.

b) 3,8: Time to God is almost meaningless.

c) 3,17 “…lose your security.” Our salvation is not guaranteed and we must work it out in “fear and trembling”

i) See Philippians 2:12

12) 1 John

a) 6-23-08 Bible Study

b) More on 1 John 3... 6-30-08

c) Bible Study 7-14-08

d) Moving to 1 John 4...7-21-08

e) 7-28-08 Bible Study

f) 8-4-08- The Morality of Discernment

g) 8-11-08 Bible study

13) 2 John

a) Bible Study 8-18-08

14) 3 John

a) Bible Study 8-18-08

15) Jude

a) 1,20-21: Trinitarian doctrine established. Faith, Hope and Charity re-iterated

b) 1,25: Looks like some of the prayers in mass

c) Jude is going to need a small re-read J

16) Revelation

a) Revelation will be looked at deeper at a later time. It is quite a complex book and filled with a bunch of figurative language that I am having trouble with. Once I read up on it a little bit I can attack it with a little more gusto.

So there you have it folks! Time to move on to the Old Testament!

-N8

Friday, August 22, 2008

My newest idea...

So while brooding over... well, nothing of any measurable external consequence, I came up with the idea of having a Catholic "cheat sheet" of select Bible quotations for the various doctrines of the Church, with a heavier emphasis on the doctrines/disciplines attacked the most (confession, Marian devotion, etc).

While this is a more passive way for me to stick it to the various vocally abrasive Protestants in my life, it is kind of good for me to do for other Catholics out there that are faced with the same or similar situation as I have been in or might find myself in. In case you readers were wondering, the answer is Yes... I am fairly vindictive, even more inquisitive and equally analytical.

Stay tuned for more! I am currently on 1 Peter so I have a bit more reading to do before I finish the New Testament.

Gotta blow this taco stand, my haystack is murmuring sweet blissful nothings into my ear.

-N8

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Bible Study 8-18-08

Well, this Bible session was all about 2 John and 3 John (very short books!) and the continuation of discernment in the more active nature of judgment. This was a difficult one to take notes on because it is so multi-faceted and so in-depth but I hope I can convey the message to you, the reader, in a cohesive manner.

1) 2 John

a) Written while he was suffering or after he had suffered for a while in exile

b) Refers to the churches in Asia Minor that were evangelized by Paul.

c) John comes around in 70AD and sees that other teachers had risen in his absence.

i) Doctrines taught that couldn’t be Christian

(1) Rejection of the Incarnate

d) People began to reject Christ while trying to maintain relationships with other Christians

i) People trying to drag Christians down with them

ii) Scandal… more on that later.

e) Ephesus=greatest church in Asia Minor

f) Gnostics

i) Appeared at least externally to be religious due to extreme asceticism.

ii) Two differing viewpoints shown

(1) Believed matter was evil

(a) Many starved to death over it?

(2) Some reversed and said since the flesh is evil that one can do as they please with the body since the soul is separate.

(a) Sound familiar?

iii) The two differing factions created confusion, hence this letter from John.

2) Analysis of 2 John

a) 2 John and 3 John are probably the last of John’s letters.

b) John is appealing to Tradition, not Scripture

i) Oral and otherwise.

ii) Responding to the Gnostics destroying the structures laid down by the Apostles.

c) John is the last surviving Apostle.

d) Written to a “lady”

i) The Church

3) Analysis of 3 John

a) This was written to a leader of the Church.

b) Asks for Gaius to return the favor of John’s visit b supporting the Pagans.

i) John came and visited Gaius on an evangelist tour

ii) Payback time?

c) 3 John is, all in all, basically a notice for the head honchos to prepare for him coming to solve some issues

i) Diotrephes was excommunicating people that were taking in missionaries from John.

ii) 3 John 11, he sets up Gaius to replace Diotrophes.

(1) Denounces the fact that Diotrophes has seen God.

4) Tying it all into JUDGMENT

a) Judgment is healthy and necessary to maintaining purity in religious circles, but only if done in the correct manner.

b) 1 Corinthians 5:1-13

i) Refers to excommunication

ii) A “brother” is a fellow Christian.

iii) One MUST judge those within the Church

(1) Paul not concerned with the non-Christians

iv) Paul is FURIOUS with the Church’s complacency on allowing public, unrepentant sinners to partake in the Eucharist

v) See image below to see the OT and NT corollaries in action within this passage





c) Gospel is the standard for judgment

i) Two types of external acts

(1) Body

(2) Mind

ii) The mind is as much a state of sin as is the body

(1) “You have heard that it is a sin to murder, but I say it is a sin to hate someone”- Sermon on the Mount

iii) One can only go so far in judging

(1) Can only judge externals, but even that only goes so far

(2) Internals are for God alone.

d) How Paul and John judge

i) Not talking about judging everyone for every little thing

ii) Definitely do no make final judgment on the sinners or salvation.

iii) Speak of public, unrepentant sinners

(1) Truly repentant submit to Christ’s judgment.

iv) “Admonish the sinner”

(1) One must inform others of the harm they are causing to others and their external life.

(2) If you do not inform someone that their actions are sinful, then you are not practicing charity.

v) Judgment is not for expelling everyone

(1) Shun them to show them the seriousness of their sin

(2) Still not considered an enemy, rather a brother.

e) Matthew 7:1-6

i) These are rules for individual Christians

ii) Judgment based on truth

(1) Truth is God’s manifestation of God’s will… It is what it is!

(2) We are to be careful about judging because our lives do not always reflect the holiness we perceive.

(3) But, you will judge when the plank (pride, self-righteousness, etc) has been removed.

(a) Must cleanse ourselves first (continuous process). Then you can see another’s problems.

(4) Purpose of all this is to help heal the other.

(5) “If we are not to judge, how can we tell who a swine or a dog is?”- Thomas Aquinas

f) Matthew 7:21-23

i) Determining a true disciple

g) Matthew 7:24-27

i) Preface to Matthew 16:18

(1) Church on rock, etc.

ii) The right to forgive and retain sin is a matter of judgment.

iii) Reflected in 2 Corinthians 5:18 as well.

5) Difference between Matthew 7 and Matthew 18

a) Ch. 7 dealt with individual Christianity

b) Ch. 18 deals with apostolic stuff.

i) 18:15-18=fraternal correction.

(1) Starts out private but becomes public.

(2) Two people chosen are actually to be impartial

(a) In Church, called “mediation”

(3) Power to impose punishment granted here as well.

ii) Matthew 18:20 refers to two or more apostolic people gathering together, not individual Christians

(1) Hearkens back to discernment, etc.

iii) Basically, we judge individually and then again as a whole.

6) The Body of Christ

a) Only in the Church can evil be turned into good

i) Baptism

ii) Reconciliation

iii) Etc.

b) If you reject the Church for the “evil” afoot (scandals, etc) then you must reject yourself as a Christian.

c) The Church will never be perfect in the human aspect.

i) Parables refer to this

(1) Wheat and weeds

(2) Goats and sheep

(3) Etc.

7) Matthew 7:1

a) People use this verse to excuse themselves from sin and THAT is a sin in itself.

8) Major example of judgment in 1 Cor 8:7-13

a) This speaks against creating SCANDAL

i) Spoken of earlier in these notes

ii) Scandal = “rock you trip over”

(1) Biblical term

(2) Defined more fully in Catechism.

b) Background to this passage

i) Jewish priests vs. pagan priests

(1) Jewish priests

(a) Priests trained as butchers

(b) Outlined mode of sacrifices in Leviticus.

(c) Part eaten as part of upkeep, part went to family and part sacrificed.

(2) Pagan priests

(a) Animals were sacrificed to a particular deity, part of flesh burned and the rest sold in the market later.

ii) The meat in the pagan rituals was offered up to a god at functions like trade unions and consumed in a potluck style.

(1) E.g. silversmiths offer up sacrifice to the silver god, etc.

c) Why can you not eat of idol meat?

i) It gives a bad example to your fellow brother in Christ and causes them to question their faith

(1) Loosens the standards, so to speak

ii) If your actions cause another Christian to lose their faith, you are a murderer.

d) The passage of 1 Cor 8:7-13 tells us we cannot do certain things as it sets the wrong example.

i) By corollary, attending a homosexual wedding, etc.

e) Paul said it is one thing to eat the meat of an idol, it is another to attend an idol service

i) Same with gay marriage, etc.

ii) You cannot sin to save yourself embarrassment, etc.

iii) You cannot be a participant in a non-Christian ceremony

(1) E.g. Hindu/Buddhist/Jewish ceremony, etc.

(2) It does not say you cant be an ATTENDEE of a religious ceremony

(a) Active roles are denounced.

f) By corollary, Protestants cannot have Communion with the Catholics.

i) Believing in Transubstantiation is not good enough

ii) Must believe in the One Body, the Church

iii) Must accept Church teachings, the whole kit and caboodle.

9) Salvific nature of God.

a) OT: You sin and are one of the chosen people, you are gone, done, kaput.

b) NT: Jesus has come so the timeline for repentance has been extended and the Last Judgment has been delayed.

10) The symbolic nature of Jesus, mirrored in OT and NT.

a) Jesus is 1st born son

b) Book of Sirach, called “goelle”

i) Spelling?

c) 1st son had two tasks, good and bad

i) To buy back relatives that were in slavery.

(1) Jesus mission now

(2) Buys us back symbolically by his redemptive death

ii) Required to stand up for family’s father and honor and execute judgement on those people that dishonored the family.

(1) E.g. David’s last testament to Solomon

(2) The father passes to the son the role of judgment

(3) When moment of judgment comes, Christ will judge everyone.

11) The eternal nature of hell.

a) Hell is eternal because it is God’s way of showing you that you were not in control of your life.

b) Hell is one of absolute proofs that God is God.

i) What is the point of God’s redemptive nature if there is no hell?

c) Whether our eternity is spent with God or in the tainted flames of the fallen seraphim is up to us.

d) God will not be mocked!

e) Hell is the result of our lifetime of ignoring God’s will.

Monday, August 18, 2008

Private reading notes 8-18-08

OK, here is another installment of the notes I have taken on the Bible, this time beginning with where I left off, at Romans.

Mind you, dear reader, these are not ALL of the notes, as I do have some questions about certain verses and I will need some more time in discerning their meaning.

Also, please take into consideration the fact that these notes are based on MY understanding and I may have missed the context of the passage in certain instances or not seen corollary passages as support, although I think I do a pretty fair job of conveying the general message.

Here we go.

1) Romans

a) 1,20: Gods eternal power expressed through material means.

b) 5,12: Doctrine of original sin

c) 6,12: Sin requires action, personal effort.

d) 6,14: We are under grace, not the law.

e) 6,23: Wages of sin is death

i) Death because of Adam

f) 7,7: We couldn’t know what sin is unless we saw the law.

i) Sin cannot be overcome by mere proclamation

g) 8,20: Creation is futile but hope is through God.

h) 8,22: Creation is still happening.

i) See I heard an awesome sermon today...

i) 8,26: We don’t know how to pray, the Holy Spirit helps us

j) 8,27: Spirit intercedes for the saints.

i) Needs some further analysis to show intent.

ii) Why the use of saints?

k) 8,36-39: God’s love helps us conquer all spiritual obstacles.

l) 9,32: Justice comes from faith, not works.

i) In reference to the strict Jewish observance of the law

m) 10,14: There is a need for someone to preach the word.

i) Need to believe to call upon Him.

n) 10,15: How can men preach unless they’ve been sent?

i) Possible reference to God sending apostles?

o) 11,15-29: Chris (Bible study instructor) spoke of this in class about Gentiles coming back into the fold.

p) 12,1-2: Hold not fast to the ideas of the world.

i) Reflected in 1 John 4

q) 12,3: Be humble

r) 14,22-23: Interesting use of food to examine spiritual life.

2) 1 Corinthians

a) 1,10: Let there be no disunion

i) Body of Christ as one

ii) Discernment

iii) Catholicism

b) 1,12-13: Christ is not divided.

c) 1,16: Household baptized

i) Possibly infants as well?

d) 1,25: The least of God’s power and wisdom is still greater than man’s.

e) 2,13-16: To the worldly man, Scripture makes no sense.

f) 3,2: Spiritual life is a progression in faith

g) 3, 3-4: Against divisions in the Body of Christ

h) 3,11: No one can lay a foundation on anyone else other than Jesus Christ.

i) 3,12-13: I someone builds on this foundation with anything except Jesus Christ, the work of each will be made clear by Day

j) 3,16-17: You are a temple of God.

k) 3,18-19: Worldly ways are an absurdity to God.

l) 4,15- 10,000 guardians in Christ?

i) Saints? Angels? Body of Christ

m) 4,19-20: “… find out not what they say, but what they can do.” “The kingdom of God does not consist in talk, but in action.

n) 4,16: We should imitate Paul.

o) 4,17: Leaving behind a guy to remind people of Christ’s ways, just as taught in ALL churches.

p) 5,12: Judge not outsiders, for God will handle them

q) 6,13: Just because the body is not foever does not mean that it is OK to defile it in an immoral fashion.

i) God will do away with the bod in the end.

r) 6,16: Sex makes two people become one flesh

i) Reflected in OT as well.

s) 7,11: No divorce.

t) 7, 12-16: Unbeliever/believer union is OK as long as it is peaceable.

i) If unbeliever wants to leave, believer is not bound to the code.

u) 7,29: It is good to be single

v) 7,32: Support for priestly celibacy.

w) 10,32: God sends us all tests, but none of them are beyond our capacity.

x) 10,16: Eucharist and blessing.

i) Refutation of Consubstantiation?

y) 11,2: What are these traditions?

z) 11,23: Received from God, handed on to you.

i) Oral tradition

aa) 11, 23-25: Lines of the Consecration.

i) The Eucharist is a proclamation of the death of Jesus in atonement for sin.

bb) 12,9: Through the Spirit, one is given faith

cc) 12,12-26: There is no single person of Christ, we are all in one Body. No one can dissent!

dd) 13,2: Refutes Luther’s claim of “sola fide” and not needing love at all.

ee) 13,4: “Love” here is actually agape love. See definition in Bible Study 7-14-08

ff) 13,8: Love never fails.

gg) 13,13: Love endures all and outlasts hope and faith.

i) When we die, faith and hope are no longer needed.

hh) 15,5: This phrase shows the primacy of Peter.

i) Notice how he is named by himself and then “the Twelve” is later.

ii) 15,22: Through Adam all die, but in Christ all live.

jj) 15,49: Could this phrase refer to the fact that when we die, we will all be the age of Jesus at the Crucifixion? (33yrs old)

kk) 15,50: Flesh and blood cannot inherit heaven.

3) 2 Corinthians

a) 4,11: We are dying as we are living so we can be delivered to heaven.

b) 6,14: Oh, the famous “unequally yoked” Bible quote!

i) Gotta love when Fundamentalist/Evangelical folk throw this one on the Catholics and say you’re not Christian.

c) 11, 1-5: Speaks of men preaching another theological sin other than that was handed down and leading people astray

i) Can we say “Protestantism?”

4) Galatians

a) 1,11: Gospel is said not to be a human invention

b) 2,9: Cephas, James and John the “pillars” of the church.

c) 2, 11-14: Used by Protestants in a highly incorrect way to dispute papal infallibility.

d) 2,16: Following the Mosaic law does not make one justified.

e) 3,27: Baptism not just a meaningless external sign

f) 3,23-29: Purpose of Mosaic law was to keep one in check until the purpose of faith (the Crucifixion/Resurrection) could be revealed.

i) Since Jesus Christ redeemed us in faith, then the law no longer has hold.

g) 4,16: Great quote, I love it!

h) 5,4: Following the Mosaic law makes one fall out of favor with God.

i) 5,13: Just because faith justifies does not men that one can be irresponsible with the flesh, the temple of the Holy Spirit.

j) 5,17: Spirit and flesh are at odds with one another. This is wh one does in flesh what one knows is not good in Spirit.

k) 6, 6-10: Seed parable again.

5) Ephesians

a) 1,10: Bring the world into ONE under Christ’s headship.

b) 2,20: “You form a building which rises on the foundation of the Apostles and the Prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone”

c) 2,22: The people as a Body are brought together to become “a dwelling place for God in the Spirit”

d) 4,3: Plead to preserve church unity?

e) 4,4: There is One body, One bpirit, just as there is but one hope given all of you by your call

f) 4,11-13: teaching authority established.

i) Why the use of “pastor” instead of “priest”?

g) 4,14: Proof against Protestantism.

h) 5,22-32: Basis for sacrament of marriage?

i) 6,18: Use prayer of all sorts.

i) No real limitations set…

6) Phillippians

a) 1,15: Some preach from envy and rivalry?

b) 2, 1-4: unanimity is important. Being One with one another it critical.

c) 3,6: Shows his (Paul’s) zealousness in the law and how he thought he was justified.