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“Imagine a remote village in the Middle East where a number of Muslims begin having dreams in which Jesus appears to them and reveals himself as Lord. They respond with repentance and baptism, and a small community of worshiping Christians is formed. Is this a valid church, and do they have a valid Eucharist? While some in the non-Protestant traditions may want to make such allowances, this generosity is not consistent with their churches’ historical teaching. On Protestant principles, by contrast, the converted Muslim community is a fully valid church with a fully valid Eucharist. No qualifications, conceptual gymnastics, or revisionist readings of historical standards are needed to explain this phenomenon. It is simply Christ the Lord building his empire. In short, Protestantism has a superior orientation toward catholicity than its rivals because it lacks their institutional exclusivism. Protestantism acknowledges true churches within multiple institutions. This does not mean Protestants are universalists. The vast majority of Protestants are exclusivists in the sense of believing there are boundaries to the church; not everyone is within it; and not everyone will be saved. The point is they are not institutional exclusivists: They do not restrict the “one true church” to a single, visible hierarchy.”

— What It Means to Be Protestant: The Case for an Always-Reforming Church by Gavin Ortlund
The BIBLE and SLAVERY Explained! (Dr. Carmen Imes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWvwkHKWAfE
“one can find in the early and medieval church many accounts of justification that speak of justification as a process and particularly emphasize the role of works in the process. The pre-Reformation church did not speak with one voice about justification. Thus, both Roman Catholic and Protestant positions can find precedent in the pre-Reformation church. Here is how the eminent church historian Jaroslav Pelikan summarized it: Every major tenet of the Reformation had considerable support in the catholic tradition. That was eminently true of the central Reformation teaching of justification by faith alone. . . . The Council of Trent selected and elevated to official status the notion of justification by faith plus works, which was only one of the doctrines of justification in the medieval theologians and ancient fathers. When the reformers attacked this notion in the name of the doctrine of justification by faith alone—a doctrine also attested to by some medieval theologians and ancient fathers—Rome reacted by canonizing one trend in preference to all the others. What had previously been permitted also (justification by faith alone), now became forbidden. In condemning the Protestant Reformation, the Council of Trent condemned part of its own catholic tradition. 23”

— What It Means to Be Protestant: The Case for an Always-Reforming Church by Gavin Ortlund
“The idea of a hierarchy of authorities, with the Scripture at the top over other subordinate (but necessary) authorities, was by no means a novel approach in the sixteenth century. To state the point plainly, setting sola Scriptura at odds with the process of canonization confuses the recognition of infallibility with the possession of infallibility. The simple fact is that it is not necessary to be infallible to discern that which is infallible. When Moses heard God at the burning bush, he didn’t need a second voice whispering in his ear that this was indeed God. This is what Protestants intend when they speak of Scripture as self-authenticating. This simply means that the ultimate ground on which we receive the Scripture is inherent in it, rather than external to it. For there is no higher authority the Word of God could rest upon than the Spirit speaking through it. If you think you do have to possess infallibility to discern infallibility, you have a continual regress, because now you need infallibility to receive and interpret the infallible teachings of your church.”

— What It Means to Be Protestant: The Case for an Always-Reforming Church by Gavin Ortlund
“Christians in the non-Protestant traditions will often argue that God has promised to watch over his church in ways that distinguish her from Israel. For example, Christ promised that “the gates of hell shall not prevail” against the church in Matthew 16: 18. But this is a promise that the church will never die or fail to accomplish her purpose, not that she will never sin or err. The verb “prevail” can be translated “overpower” or “overcome”; 43 to be “prevailed against” by the “gates of hell” refers essentially to death. 44 If a wrestling coach promised one of his wrestlers that “your opponent will not prevail against you,” this means his wrestler will ultimately win, not that he will avoid making any mistakes during the match. Furthermore, this is a promise to the church as such, not to one particular teaching office or hierarchy within her. Therefore, that Christ will never abandon his church to hell no more substantiates claims of ecclesial infallibility than God’s Old Testament promises to Israel validated the Pharisees’ teachings and claims. God has promised many things to his people, but he has nowhere promised that they will not fall into sin and error. This is why Protestants, in the face of some frankly brutal historical realities, consider majority depth to be a frequently superficial criterion.”

— What It Means to Be Protestant: The Case for an Always-Reforming Church by Gavin Ortlund
"Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel." - Isaiah 7:14

This Christmas, let us celebrate the fulfillment of the ancient prophecy spoken through Isaiah, a promise that pointed unmistakably to the coming of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. The birth of Immanuel, "God with us," is not just a story but the cornerstone of our faith, affirming the reliability of God's Word and His divine plan for humanity.

As foretold in Isaiah 9:6, Jesus is the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. His arrival is a reminder that God keeps His promises, offering salvation and reconciliation to all who believe.

May this season be an opportunity to reflect on the profound truth of the Gospel that God, in His love, stepped into history to redeem us. Let the light of Christ shine brightly in your heart and give you confidence in the hope we proclaim.

Wishing you all a blessed Christmas filled with the joy of His presence and the peace that only He can give.
2024/12/26 00:33:55
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