S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries

Should church traditions be accepted as equally authoritative as Scripture? Or, should church traditions be followed only if they are in full agreement with Scripture? The answer to these questions...

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July 01 2013 • 0 responses • Remove Vote • Share • Report

Grant Abbott Child of Father, Follower of Son, Student of Spirit

My wife and I just returned from a 1 month trip to Italy. During a guided tour of the Vatican we noticed a huge line of people waiting to go through one set of doors into St Peter's Basilica.

Our guide informed us there are 3 sets of doors into St Peter's Basilica. The left and centre sets of doors are open every day. The right set of doors are only open during the jubilee year which happens once every 25 years as part of the "Catholic Tradition".

During the Jubilee year Catholics are invited to make a pilgrimage to Rome and when they cross the threshold of these "holy doors" they will experience the release of their sins.

I am so grateful for the "truth" and "promise" of scripture. Because I have accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour, I can experience the release of my sins every day. As 1 John 1:9 says "If I confess my sins God is faithful and just to forgive my sins and cleanse me of all unrighteousness."

I can come before my Father in Heaven confessing my sins in the name of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and experience the washing away of all my guilt and shame by the power and presence of the Holy Spirit working in me.

The writer of Hebrews in chapter 10 verses 1-4 reminds the Jewish Christians that the law has but a shadow of the good things to come and can never by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshippers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

I think the writer of Hebrews would have the same admonition today for Catholic Christians. The rituals and traditions of the church cannot cleanse their consciences of sin, but rather these traditions only remind them of their sins.

The writer then presents the truth and promise of scripture in Heb 10:19-23. "
Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places through the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful."

My hope and prayer is that the truth and promises of scripture, through the blood of Jesus, would provide the cleansing from a guilty conscience for the millions of Catholics who walked across the threshold of the holy doors during this jubilee year.

November 08 2016 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Vincent Mercado Supporter Skeptic turned believer, Catholic, father of 3

The Bible IS A Catholic tradition.

This is one of the many false dichotomy we hear again and again. As if the Bible is separate from Catholic tradition. It is because of Catholic tradition that we have a Bible today.

Why do we believe that the 27 books of the New Testament should be there? Simply because Catholic tradition declared them so.

September 20 2013 • 32 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report