This week we are listening to a public lecture that was given at the Glendale, CA Ecclesia on January 19, 1985 by Brother Colin Badger titled “How Sure Are the Foundations?”.
We hope this strengthens your Faith and brightens your day!
Thank you for listening, God bless, and talk to you next week.
Send talk suggestions or comments to: [email protected]
For Show Notes, visit our website: GoodChristadelphianTalks.com
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Welcome to good Chris selfie and
talks.
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I’m Levi.
And I’m Chris, and I’m Brian,
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thank you for joining us this
week.
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On this podcast, we select one
talk a week to help us get the
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Bible in our Daily News feed.
We post a new episode at the
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start of each week, with a short
intro beforehand to kind of set
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the stage for the talk you’re
about to listen to.
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And now let’s talk more about
this week’s talk.
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This week’s talk is a public
lecture that was given at the
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Glendale Ecclesia here in
California.
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It must be in the early 80s.
I think it’s 198182 range by
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Colin Badger from Ontario.
So he was on a, a visit here in
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Southern California.
This was really a fun talk to
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listen to.
It’s a, it’s kind of a style
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that we don’t do anymore, being
such an overt public lecture,
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you know, clearly on theology
and the difference in Catholic
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theology.
A fun thing that we’re including
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is Brother Bob Lloyd, who
attended the Glendale Collegia
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at the time, does the is the
presider.
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And so we’re going to include
his remarks.
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And there’s there’s he has a
some wrap up thoughts after the
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talk as well.
He refers to a hymn in a prayer,
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but the recording didn’t include
the hymn.
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We will be keeping the closing
prayer by Brother Bob.
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So, yeah, again, this was a very
fun lesson because it’s a very
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different style than what we
usually run on the show and
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obviously kind of a piece of our
of our history being this is
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nearly 45 years old.
The brother Colin does a really
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good, good job kind of running
through some Catholic writings
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and they’re in congruence with
Scripture.
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He also spends a lot of time
talking about how tradition or
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oral tradition cannot be or
should not be equated or ever
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superseding scripture.
And there’s some really
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interesting verses there which
which I really enjoyed.
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So very happy to share this
talk.
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Brother Colin Badger, how sure
are your foundations?
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Going to engage our attention
tonight is actually a question.
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It’s not a statement.
The question is how sure are the
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foundation?
We’re appealing to you to
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examine your foundation to see
how sure they are.
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And it’s our pleasure to call on
our friend and brother, Mr.
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Colin Badger from Toronto, ON,
Canada, who will bring us this
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important Bible lecture.
Incidentally, following the
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lecture, there will be
opportunity for questions from
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the floor or they may be
written.
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You have a card in your little
book, you’ll write a question on
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that.
They can be sent forward or you
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may ask it verbally at the
conclusion of the address if you
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so desire.
Also, you may see him afterwards
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privately to engage in a one to
one conversation.
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He’s pleased to do that.
So now we call on our Mr. Badger
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to bring us this lecture.
Good evening, ladies and
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gentlemen.
It’s encouraging to find the
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number of people this evening
that are interested enough on a
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topic such as this that he will
come out and spend part of an
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evening with you, with us
rather.
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And we are encouraged that
people are willing to examine
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some of the foundations for
their faith and to open the
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Bible with us this evening and
consider how sure the
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foundations are.
If one looks out in the world
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today.
Such a topic as we have selected
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this evening, an examination of
a particular religion or an
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examination of a particular form
of conviction, it is viewed by
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many as being rather narrow.
It’s viewed even by some as
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being rather an unchrist like
kind of examination.
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We understand that kind of
feeling is there among many,
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many people.
But if one sets Christ and his
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apostle as the standard for
Christian conduct and approach,
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one finds that the apostle Paul
and the other apostles encourage
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people, and that includes
Christadelphines, of course, to
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consider the very basis of their
faith time and time again, not
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just once in life.
There is a section in the New
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Testament from the book of
Corinthians where the apostle
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Paul wrote, and he asked them to
examine their convictions.
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He wrote a similar passage in
the book of Timothy.
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We’ll look at the one from
Timothy, or at least quote it
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first, and then we’ll look at
the passage from the
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Corinthians.
Paul said to the young man.
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Timothy and the 2nd Epistle,
chapter 4.
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Before God.
Paul appealed to Timothy and
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before Christ Jesus, who is the
judge of men living and dead.
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I charge you solemnly by his
coming appearance and his reign.
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Proclaim the message.
Press at home on all occasions,
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convenient or inconvenient.
Use argument, reprove and appeal
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with all the patience that the
work of teaching requires.
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That’s taken from the New
English Bible.
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That’s in Second Timothy,
chapter 4.
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It’s in the spirit of the
Apostle Paul’s appeal that true
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Christians should be willing to
appeal to others.
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Our appeal, therefore, is
offered this evening.
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Ladies and gentlemen, in the
spirit of those words, there’s
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another passage I mentioned in
Second Corinthians.
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We’ll put this on the overhead
Second Corinthians chapter 13,
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verse 5.
Paul wrote to a group of already
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convinced professing Christians.
Examine yourselves whether ye be
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in the faith.
Examine yourselves whether ye be
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in the faith.
Prove your own self.
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Now keep in mind, this was
written to a Christian
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community.
They were already professing
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Christians.
It was not contrary, therefore
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to the spirit of the apostles or
to the Spirit of Christ for
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people who already felt that
they were secure Christians to
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still keep open their minds and
hearts to a critical self
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examination and to appeal to
others as Paul was to do the
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same.
It is not an unchristian spirit
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and it is not an unprice like
thing to do to appeal to
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ourselves and to fellow
professing Christians to
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consider the basis of their
convictions, whether they are
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firm and sure.
Thank you.
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There is another passage in the
New Testament that strikes a
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very similar note.
Perhaps you’re familiar with it.
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It’s in the book of Jude, in
that little tiny book which
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really has only one chapter,
Jude three and four.
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Another apostle wrote this, and
this is from the New English
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Bible.
It became urgently necessary,
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writes Jude, to write at once
and appeal to you to join the
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struggle in defense of the
faith, the faith which God
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entrusted to his people once and
for all.
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You see the Spirit that’s behind
those words, like those behind
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Paul’s.
It is a Christ like thing to do
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to try and go forward to people,
encourage people to examine the
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foundations of their convictions
and to apply that equally to
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oneself.
It is in the Spirit of Christ to
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contend earnestly for the faith.
Contention is regarded by many
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people in the outside in a very
negative thing.
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In the New Testament the word
contention is used a number of
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times in a Christ like context.
As long as the motives are right
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and the approach is Christ like,
contending for the faith is
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something a Christian ought to
do, providing of course it’s in
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the right spirit.
We notice also that Jews speaks
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of something he terms the faith
he had a kind of, it would say,
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exclusive definition of faith.
He didn’t refer to simply
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Christian faith in general.
He used the definite article
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contending earnestly for the
faith that was once entrusted to
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his people once and for all.
You know, that’s quite a
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contrast to the spirit that is
typical in the world today, even
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amongst people who are
professing Christians.
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The apostles, you see, held to
something which they called in
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an exclusive sense, the faith.
And moreover, the apostles, as
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we can see in the Acts and in
these writings of the early
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Christian community, the
apostles enjoin true believers
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to join in the struggle for the
defense of the faith.
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Although that’s regarded perhaps
as being rather negative
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terminology, it is the inspired
terminology of your New
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Testament.
A vigorous direct approach with
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an appeal to return to the faith
as it was first delivered was in
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fact the posture of the first
apostles who preached on the
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face of this earth following
their Masters example.
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So that if today such an
approach is regarded as being
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narrow or unprice like, it is
only because the example of
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Christ and the apostles in their
New Testament preaching is
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ignored.
New Testament appeals such as
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the ones we’ve just looked at
should then make it obvious that
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such an appeal for self
examination is legitimate.
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In fact, since we are
considering the Catholic
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community and some of their
convictions, it’s I suppose, in
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keeping with such a spirit that
we find a pamphlet such as this
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published by the Knights of
Columbus with official
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endorsement of the Catholic
Church, offered quite often in
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Time magazine.
Where I found the advertisement
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and the address I wrote to was
in New Haven, CT.
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This is a Catholic brochure for
someone who is a non Catholic.
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It’s entitled Some Beliefs have
Got to be Wrong.
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We would concur with that.
And the whole spirit of this
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pamphlet is an appeal to a
community, not for Adelphian, a
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very small community that have
differences with the Catholic
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community.
And this Catholic brochure is
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examining in detail the
differences they have with this
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community and making an appeal
to them to consider the
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foundations of their faith.
So it would seem that even the
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Catholic community itself feels
that this is not on Christ like,
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and it’s in the same spirit of
that kind of brochure that we
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make our appeal to the Catholic
community this evening.
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We might ask a further question
of the Christadelphian this
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evening.
Why are we making an appeal in
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particular at this time to the
Roman Catholic community?
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Well, really, when you think
about it, never before in the
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history of this country and the
country from which I come, has
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there been a time when the
Catholic faith has been in the
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eyes of the public as much as it
has in the past few years.
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Mainly because of the present
Pope visitation to both Canada
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and the United States, and
because the Catholic community
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and its convictions and the head
of its Church have received such
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public concern and such public
interest.
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We feel that it is time this
evening, and it is timely when
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we’re, for example, talking to
our own friends who are Roman
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Catholics, to discuss the basis
for conviction and to appeal to
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Roman Catholics, especially at
this time, to really consider
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carefully in the Bible the basis
of their convictions.
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Well, that’s one reason why we
would make such an appeal to
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Roman Catholics in particular at
this time.
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But perhaps there’s a more
profound really reason than
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that.
The reason would be this that
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the Catholic Church does make a
number of very important claims
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for herself as a church.
Those claims are really quite
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unparalleled in any other church
in Christendom.
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If those claims are correct,
then there are many people who
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are professing Christians that
are sadly astray.
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On the other hand, since the
Roman Catholic community
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embraces so many people, if in
fact the foundation for the the
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community of a Catholic Church
is itself on questionable
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grounds, the situation is
equally tragic.
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And since we as Christadelphians
and the community are convinced
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from an examination of the Bible
that some Catholic doctrines are
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indeed a stray from Bible
teaching, we feel as professing
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Christians that we would be
sadly astray to neglect a
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responsibility to make an appeal
like we would this evening.
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So it is in the spirit of those
two main reasons we’ve mentioned
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already, ladies and gentlemen,
that the Catholic Church makes a
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number of very unique claims
about herself and those who
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minister on her behalf.
Let’s just be a little more
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specific about what we mean now.
Could we have our first
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overhead?
Thank you.
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Going to quote from a current
Catholic publication.
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It is written by John O’Brien
who is an American Catholic, or
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was rather.
He has since deceased since he
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finished the last edition of his
book.
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John O’Brien wrote The Faith of
Millions in the early 50s.
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00:14:27,840 –> 00:14:31,440
Since it has gone through free
edition and is regarded as being
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00:14:31,440 –> 00:14:35,720
perhaps one of the most popular
Catholic appeals to the non
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00:14:35,720 –> 00:14:38,680
Catholic.
The book is not a catechism for
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00:14:38,680 –> 00:14:41,760
Catholics.
It is an appeal to Protestants
223
00:14:41,800 –> 00:14:46,320
or to non Catholics.
It tries to come to grips with
224
00:14:46,320 –> 00:14:49,000
what they would regard from the
major differences with people
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00:14:49,000 –> 00:14:52,800
who are not Catholics.
And in passing, it comes with
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00:14:52,920 –> 00:14:56,200
full approval or authority from
the Catholic community.
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00:14:56,200 –> 00:14:58,880
Now when we say that we should
explain what we mean.
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00:14:59,680 –> 00:15:04,560
Inside certain Catholic pieces
of literature one might find
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00:15:04,720 –> 00:15:09,680
what we call the imprimatur.
The imprimatur is a seal of
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00:15:09,680 –> 00:15:13,160
approval that it has been
carefully scrutinized by
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00:15:13,160 –> 00:15:17,160
representatives of the Catholic
community for being faultless in
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00:15:17,160 –> 00:15:20,440
terms of the basics of moral and
teaching for the Catholic
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00:15:20,440 –> 00:15:23,440
community.
It also has a second stamp of
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00:15:23,440 –> 00:15:26,480
approval that goes with the
informatics called the Nil Hill
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00:15:26,560 –> 00:15:29,480
Absa.
Well, those two fields of
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00:15:29,480 –> 00:15:33,640
approval are attached to all the
literature that we recently
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00:15:33,640 –> 00:15:34,840
referred to.
The feeding.
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00:15:35,520 –> 00:15:38,840
Any Catholic literature that I
refer to has that kind of
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00:15:38,840 –> 00:15:42,320
authority so that it is as
representative as literature can
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00:15:42,320 –> 00:15:47,200
be of the Catholic community.
Well, John O’Brien wrote this in
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00:15:47,200 –> 00:15:49,840
one of his earlier editions of
the Faith of Millions.
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00:15:51,200 –> 00:15:55,080
The voice of history shows at a
glance that the Catholic Church
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00:15:55,080 –> 00:15:59,400
is the only Church in the world
today which traces their origin
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00:15:59,400 –> 00:16:02,840
back to Christ.
It shows that she along was
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00:16:02,840 –> 00:16:06,440
founded by Christ, while all
other churches were established
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00:16:06,560 –> 00:16:10,200
by men.
That’s a fairly unique claim.
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00:16:10,200 –> 00:16:12,320
That’s the kind of claim we’re
referring to.
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00:16:12,760 –> 00:16:16,320
It is, we would say, a claim for
very special privilege and
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00:16:16,400 –> 00:16:19,080
authority.
The Church believes they have a
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00:16:19,080 –> 00:16:22,840
pedigree that goes back to the
1st century, being linked with
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00:16:22,920 –> 00:16:26,280
Peter himself.
One of the most popular
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00:16:26,280 –> 00:16:31,360
catechisms in the United States
today, written by Lawler and
253
00:16:31,360 –> 00:16:34,080
Lawler, two brothers, both of
whom are Roman Catholics, of
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00:16:34,080 –> 00:16:36,480
course, is called The Teaching
of Christ.
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00:16:37,360 –> 00:16:40,320
Since its first publication, it
has passed into a number of
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00:16:40,320 –> 00:16:42,880
languages all over the Latin
world and parts of Europe.
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00:16:43,480 –> 00:16:56,720
It is a current up to
Now it also comes with
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00:16:57,240 –> 00:17:00,840
Inframatter and Nilhilabsta.
It is a catechism for the
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00:17:00,840 –> 00:17:04,560
teaching of Roman Catholics.
In that book we have another
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00:17:04,599 –> 00:17:08,200
rather pointed quotation
representing one of our points.
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00:17:09,680 –> 00:17:12,040
Lawler writes.
Come to the Catholic faces to
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00:17:12,040 –> 00:17:14,760
see that the Church asks for
Christ.
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00:17:15,839 –> 00:17:20,000
It is to understand that when a
priest gives the sacrament, it
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00:17:20,000 –> 00:17:24,040
is Christ who gives us the
sacrament through him.
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00:17:25,520 –> 00:17:30,280
That is a very important and
certainly a rather unique claim
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00:17:30,280 –> 00:17:33,120
for those who minister on behalf
of the Catholic Church.
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00:17:33,720 –> 00:17:36,760
But it does illustrate for us
the kind of privilege or the
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00:17:36,760 –> 00:17:40,840
kind of authority that we’re
coming to grips with here, the
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00:17:40,840 –> 00:17:43,560
kind of a question of authority
or privilege that we would like
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00:17:43,560 –> 00:17:47,440
to examine this evening.
There’s another quotation we
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00:17:47,440 –> 00:17:50,480
would like to share.
This also is from the same
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00:17:50,600 –> 00:17:54,480
current catechism.
Outside the Church there is no
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00:17:54,480 –> 00:17:58,360
salvation.
For this reason, those who are
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00:17:58,360 –> 00:18:00,520
aware of the fact that the
Catholic Church was made
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00:18:00,520 –> 00:18:04,120
necessary by God through Jesus
Christ would yet refused to
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00:18:04,200 –> 00:18:08,640
enter her or persevere in her
could not be saved.
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00:18:09,520 –> 00:18:12,720
Now that is simply a logical
outcome of what the Catholic
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00:18:12,720 –> 00:18:15,560
community believes is true of
those who minister on her
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00:18:15,560 –> 00:18:19,120
behalf.
All of these rather current
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00:18:19,120 –> 00:18:23,360
statements from authoritative
Catholic documents are concerned
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00:18:23,360 –> 00:18:26,840
with the unique authority
playing for the Catholic Church,
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00:18:27,400 –> 00:18:30,560
and they are in accord with the
former claims made by earlier
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00:18:30,560 –> 00:18:34,560
popes going right back to the
time of the Middle Ages, for
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00:18:34,560 –> 00:18:38,800
example, Pope Boniface the 8th.
We could again show you the
285
00:18:38,800 –> 00:18:43,360
quotation we’re referring to.
Wrote as follows or declared as
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00:18:43,360 –> 00:18:46,320
follows.
Redeclared Stay.
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00:18:46,520 –> 00:18:50,920
The farm pronounced it to be of
necessity to salvation for every
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00:18:50,920 –> 00:18:54,120
human creature to be subject to
the Roman Congress.
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00:18:54,960 –> 00:18:58,160
And that is taken as a citation
from the Encyclopaedia of
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00:18:58,160 –> 00:19:01,240
Biblical Theological and
Ecclesiastical Literature, the
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00:19:01,240 –> 00:19:05,040
69 edition.
So that’s what Pope Boniface
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00:19:05,040 –> 00:19:08,080
declared there, seems to be
quite consistent with what we
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00:19:08,080 –> 00:19:10,800
find in modern current Catholic
literature.
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00:19:12,360 –> 00:19:16,200
That kind of statement again
reinforces the kind of position
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00:19:16,360 –> 00:19:19,480
that we’re concerned about and
want to focus on this evening.
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00:19:20,640 –> 00:19:24,160
Such claims as these for
authority, ladies and gentlemen,
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00:19:24,800 –> 00:19:29,000
establish really the very
foundation of the Catholic
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00:19:29,160 –> 00:19:31,560
conviction and the Catholic
community, of course.
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00:19:32,200 –> 00:19:35,800
And we’ve said before, if these
convictions or claims for
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00:19:35,800 –> 00:19:40,160
special authority are correct,
many people who are professing
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00:19:40,160 –> 00:19:43,840
Christians are sadly astray.
And on the other hand, if they
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00:19:43,840 –> 00:19:47,080
are incorrect and do not
correctly represent Bible
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00:19:47,080 –> 00:19:51,320
teaching, then there is an
equally tragic constituent
304
00:19:51,320 –> 00:19:56,680
situation.
The issue of authority is going
305
00:19:56,680 –> 00:19:59,200
to be central to our
consideration this evening.
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00:19:59,200 –> 00:20:02,480
We’re not going to consider all
the doctrines with which we have
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00:20:02,480 –> 00:20:04,400
some variants.
We’re going to look at that one
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00:20:04,400 –> 00:20:06,280
particular area since it’s so
basic.
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00:20:07,600 –> 00:20:12,160
We could state it this way quite
categorically if the Roman
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00:20:12,240 –> 00:20:16,760
Catholic understanding of its
claims for authority are not
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00:20:16,840 –> 00:20:21,960
endorsed by God himself, if they
contradict.
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00:20:22,520 –> 00:20:26,200
Divine revelation.
There is really serious concern
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00:20:26,200 –> 00:20:31,120
for Roman Catholics to
reappraise their convictions and
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00:20:31,120 –> 00:20:33,600
we leave the verdict, the
seeking to yourselves to
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00:20:33,600 –> 00:20:37,680
consider that sincerely in the
light of divine revelation from
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00:20:37,680 –> 00:20:40,720
the Bible.
Now you may ask at this point,
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00:20:41,720 –> 00:20:45,560
what exactly are we driving at
in this issue of authority?
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00:20:46,400 –> 00:20:49,680
Well, our contention is, ladies
and gentlemen, quite sincerely,
319
00:20:50,280 –> 00:20:54,960
that a number of very
fundamental Catholic beliefs and
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00:20:54,960 –> 00:20:59,120
practices are either
contradictory to God’s
321
00:20:59,120 –> 00:21:04,120
revelation in the Bible, or they
are practiced without any firm,
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00:21:04,280 –> 00:21:07,400
clear biblical basis.
That is our conviction.
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00:21:08,040 –> 00:21:12,520
And yet, since they are so very
fundamental to Catholic worship,
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00:21:13,120 –> 00:21:17,760
we believe we have every reason
to expect a clear biblical
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00:21:17,760 –> 00:21:20,600
appraisal of them.
And that is really what we have
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00:21:20,600 –> 00:21:23,840
chartered for ourselves this
evening, at least a small way.
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00:21:24,720 –> 00:21:28,400
Let me illustrate what
fundamentals of doctrine I’m
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00:21:28,400 –> 00:21:32,240
referring to.
No Catholic, I’m sure, would
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00:21:32,240 –> 00:21:36,840
deny that the seven sacraments
are the spiritual foundation of
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00:21:36,840 –> 00:21:40,200
a Catholic community.
Anyone who is red Catholic or
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00:21:40,200 –> 00:21:44,600
not anything about the Catholic
basis of conviction, I’m sure
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00:21:44,600 –> 00:21:47,520
we’d be impressed about the
central importance of the seven
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00:21:47,640 –> 00:21:50,440
sacraments.
They could be termed really the
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00:21:50,440 –> 00:21:54,440
seven fundamentals.
We’re referring specifically to
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00:21:54,440 –> 00:21:58,960
the sacrament of baptism,
confirmation, marriage,
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00:21:59,640 –> 00:22:05,120
extremumction, priesthood
penance, and the sacrament of
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00:22:05,120 –> 00:22:09,240
the Eucharist.
Now we might add, by what
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00:22:09,240 –> 00:22:14,280
authority, by what authority are
those seven sacraments
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00:22:14,720 –> 00:22:17,360
established as Catholic
fundamentals?
340
00:22:18,400 –> 00:22:22,560
Two of the sacraments that we
just listed provide pointed
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00:22:22,560 –> 00:22:26,040
illustration.
We believe for discussion this
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00:22:26,040 –> 00:22:31,280
evening, the right of
confirmation as one, and the
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00:22:31,280 –> 00:22:35,720
practice of the sacrament of
baptism in the way the sacrament
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00:22:35,760 –> 00:22:38,040
is practiced.
We’d like just to look at those
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00:22:38,040 –> 00:22:40,480
two.
First of all, I’m going to quote
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00:22:40,480 –> 00:22:44,160
again from Lawler’s current
Catholic Catechism.
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00:22:44,480 –> 00:22:47,320
It’s not the only catechism, but
it provides an illustration.
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00:22:48,200 –> 00:22:52,160
This is the 1983 edition, page
462.
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00:22:53,480 –> 00:22:58,520
Not everything the Church
believes is explicitly
350
00:22:58,520 –> 00:23:00,680
articulated in abstract
statement.
351
00:23:03,080 –> 00:23:09,800
The faith can be embodied in its
attitudes and right before it is
352
00:23:10,040 –> 00:23:13,560
explicitly formulated.
This is certainly the case with
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00:23:13,560 –> 00:23:20,480
the Sacrament of Confirmation.
The Gospels contain no direct
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00:23:20,680 –> 00:23:25,640
teaching on it as they do the
Eucharist, Baptism and
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00:23:26,000 –> 00:23:30,120
repentance.
Now that we believe, is a very
356
00:23:30,120 –> 00:23:34,640
important statement to weigh.
Here we have one of the seven
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00:23:34,640 –> 00:23:38,320
sacraments of the Catholic
community granted by all
358
00:23:38,320 –> 00:23:42,360
Catholics as being very
fundamental at the centre and
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00:23:42,360 –> 00:23:44,680
core of their community, part of
their foundation.
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00:23:45,280 –> 00:23:48,560
And yet in our current
Catechism, with full approval of
361
00:23:48,560 –> 00:23:52,840
the Church, the admission is
made that there is, and again we
362
00:23:52,840 –> 00:23:57,480
quote in the Gospel, no direct
teaching on one of these
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00:23:57,480 –> 00:24:02,800
sacraments.
Now what we believe is that the
364
00:24:02,800 –> 00:24:05,640
Bible should be brought into our
concern.
365
00:24:05,640 –> 00:24:10,040
Here we find that as
Christadelphians, as students of
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00:24:10,040 –> 00:24:14,040
the Bible, to be a rather
alarming admission or statement.
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00:24:14,520 –> 00:24:16,920
We would like to consider that
along with a few others this
368
00:24:16,920 –> 00:24:20,840
evening.
You notice something else that
369
00:24:20,840 –> 00:24:25,200
is said, that not everything the
church believes is explicitly
370
00:24:25,280 –> 00:24:30,200
articulated in abstract Satan,
The faith can be embodied in its
371
00:24:30,280 –> 00:24:34,400
attitudes and rites before it is
explicitly formulated.
372
00:24:35,720 –> 00:24:38,280
Now the Bible, we believe as we
look at it this evening, and
373
00:24:38,280 –> 00:24:42,240
we’ll share this with you, seems
to stress one very clear and
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00:24:42,240 –> 00:24:44,960
obvious principle from the words
of Christ, his example of
375
00:24:44,960 –> 00:24:48,320
teaching and from the example of
the apostles, that anything that
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00:24:48,320 –> 00:24:51,560
is basic to to salvation,
anything that is foundational
377
00:24:52,080 –> 00:24:56,440
can be expected indeed to be
found explicitly and clearly in
378
00:24:56,440 –> 00:24:59,920
the Bible.
So we would take issue with that
379
00:25:00,880 –> 00:25:02,600
temporarily.
Let’s look at another quote.
380
00:25:05,000 –> 00:25:07,480
Perhaps we could just put up one
more quotation.
381
00:25:08,320 –> 00:25:13,520
This is from page 458.
You got that one.
382
00:25:13,720 –> 00:25:18,640
We got that up there.
See, I’m looking at the church
383
00:25:18,640 –> 00:25:21,880
has solemnly defined.
I want that one.
384
00:25:21,880 –> 00:25:23,800
All right, I’ll quote it then.
Sorry, I thought we had that
385
00:25:23,800 –> 00:25:25,520
one.
Page 458.
386
00:25:25,600 –> 00:25:29,440
Ladies and gentlemen of the same
catechism, Lawler writes.
387
00:25:29,920 –> 00:25:36,120
The Church has solemnly defined
the validity of infant baptism.
388
00:25:37,080 –> 00:25:42,520
In fact, the Church law commands
Catholics to have their children
389
00:25:42,520 –> 00:25:46,120
baptized within the first weeks
after birth.
390
00:25:47,440 –> 00:25:52,240
In any case, Lawler writes,
infant baptism clearly was
391
00:25:52,240 –> 00:25:57,160
practiced very early origin.
Writing in the 3rd century
392
00:25:57,600 –> 00:26:02,400
expressly states the Church’s
tradition of baptizing infants
393
00:26:02,720 –> 00:26:07,200
as it came from the apostles.
Now again, here’s one of the
394
00:26:07,200 –> 00:26:11,000
other con, one of the other
sacraments that we referred to.
395
00:26:11,000 –> 00:26:14,240
It’s one of the seven, along
with the one we just considered.
396
00:26:15,120 –> 00:26:20,240
And the particular form of
baptism as it is practiced in
397
00:26:20,240 –> 00:26:24,800
the sacrament of baptism, infant
sprinkling, or infant baptism,
398
00:26:25,520 –> 00:26:29,600
is something admitted to be
something that comes from
399
00:26:29,640 –> 00:26:32,880
tradition rather than from a
direct biblical statement.
400
00:26:33,320 –> 00:26:36,240
I read the key line again from
Lawler’s Catechism.
401
00:26:36,720 –> 00:26:41,640
In any case, infant baptism
clearly was practiced very
402
00:26:41,640 –> 00:26:44,720
early.
Origin writing in the 3rd
403
00:26:44,720 –> 00:26:49,720
century expressly states the
Church’s tradition of baptizing
404
00:26:49,720 –> 00:26:54,120
infants came from the apostles.
But you see, there is an
405
00:26:54,120 –> 00:26:57,200
invasion of what we would regard
as a very important point.
406
00:26:58,160 –> 00:27:02,280
What Origin said in the 3rd
century is second hand in a
407
00:27:02,280 –> 00:27:06,800
certain sense, something as
centrally important to a child’s
408
00:27:06,800 –> 00:27:10,800
salvation as baptism.
And the particular form of
409
00:27:10,800 –> 00:27:14,440
baptism that Christ wishes a
child to experience through the
410
00:27:14,440 –> 00:27:18,200
Church is something that’s very
fundamental and important.
411
00:27:19,080 –> 00:27:23,640
And yet, if we can’t find clear
Scripture to indicate what form
412
00:27:23,640 –> 00:27:27,120
of baptism the Catholic
community uses, then again we
413
00:27:27,120 –> 00:27:30,200
feel as being students of the
Bible and respecting its
414
00:27:30,200 –> 00:27:35,560
authoritative voice, we have
reason for strong concern as
415
00:27:35,560 –> 00:27:37,400
people who respect the Word of
God.
416
00:27:37,400 –> 00:27:40,960
We would appeal to take
sacraments such as the two we’ve
417
00:27:40,960 –> 00:27:44,200
just looked at, and look at them
carefully in terms of what the
418
00:27:44,200 –> 00:27:48,000
Bible does say, not only about
baptism, whether you should or
419
00:27:48,000 –> 00:27:51,720
should not be baptized, but
about the particular form of
420
00:27:51,720 –> 00:27:53,880
baptism that is really
acceptable.
421
00:27:55,320 –> 00:28:00,120
We’d like to refer to another
quotation, this time again from
422
00:28:00,160 –> 00:28:03,520
a very well respected Roman
Catholic, on the subject of
423
00:28:03,520 –> 00:28:06,560
baptism.
This is taken from the book
424
00:28:06,560 –> 00:28:10,720
called Enthusiasm by Monsignor
Knox.
425
00:28:10,720 –> 00:28:13,840
Now Knox was responsible for
what was called the Knox
426
00:28:13,880 –> 00:28:17,440
Catholic translation.
He was a prolific writer in his
427
00:28:17,440 –> 00:28:19,760
own days.
He wrote mostly in the 1930s and
428
00:28:19,760 –> 00:28:24,360
40s, and his translation up
until only the last few years
429
00:28:24,360 –> 00:28:27,360
was regarded as one of the best
Catholic translations, the Knox
430
00:28:27,360 –> 00:28:31,400
translation, and he says this in
his book on Enthusiasm, page
431
00:28:31,400 –> 00:28:36,920
134.
It is not by any means easy to
432
00:28:37,000 –> 00:28:41,960
prove the doctrine of infant
factorism if you are based in
433
00:28:41,960 –> 00:28:48,360
your argument on the Bible only,
without any appeal to tradition.
434
00:28:49,480 –> 00:28:52,720
So here’s Knox, a well respected
writer in the Catholic
435
00:28:52,720 –> 00:28:57,520
community, noting that when you
really get down to it, but
436
00:28:57,520 –> 00:29:03,240
confirmation, well, really the
baptism itself of the child, the
437
00:29:03,240 –> 00:29:06,840
form of baptism regarded as
central to the church’s
438
00:29:06,840 –> 00:29:12,120
sacrament of baptism is in form
not clearly established in
439
00:29:12,120 –> 00:29:14,200
Scripture.
Here we’re not talking about
440
00:29:14,200 –> 00:29:17,320
whether he should be baptized or
not, but the form of baptism in
441
00:29:17,320 –> 00:29:21,240
particular, baptizing infant
within a very short period after
442
00:29:21,240 –> 00:29:24,120
they’ve been born.
He admits really there isn’t any
443
00:29:24,120 –> 00:29:29,560
clear cut scriptural indication,
but instead without any apology,
444
00:29:29,560 –> 00:29:34,080
of course, as a believing Roman
Catholic, he relies instead on
445
00:29:34,080 –> 00:29:38,520
The Voice of tradition, which
certainly he believes is
446
00:29:38,520 –> 00:29:42,320
sufficient grounds.
Now again, in terms of what
447
00:29:42,320 –> 00:29:44,880
where we’re coming from this
evening as Christadelphians and
448
00:29:44,880 –> 00:29:49,520
what is the basis of our appeal,
we find personally that kind of
449
00:29:49,520 –> 00:29:53,280
admission for such a fundamental
doctrine to be rather
450
00:29:53,280 –> 00:29:56,880
disturbing.
The meaning and the importance
451
00:29:56,960 –> 00:30:01,280
of course, which the Catholic
Church attaches to tradition.
452
00:30:01,720 –> 00:30:06,080
The meaning which Knox of course
attaches to tradition is rather
453
00:30:06,080 –> 00:30:09,160
essential.
I’m sure you’d agree to consider
454
00:30:09,360 –> 00:30:12,560
in order to understand Knox’s
own conviction about this and
455
00:30:12,560 –> 00:30:15,520
why he would feel without
apology, although he can’t turn
456
00:30:15,520 –> 00:30:17,600
to the Bible, he could turn to
tradition.
457
00:30:18,080 –> 00:30:21,320
So we’ve got to concern
ourselves with what the Church
458
00:30:21,320 –> 00:30:24,880
means by tradition.
We noted that the seven
459
00:30:24,880 –> 00:30:28,800
sacraments already are rather
fundamental, to say the least, a
460
00:30:28,800 –> 00:30:32,080
Catholic belief.
But really, if there is a
461
00:30:32,080 –> 00:30:36,120
doctrine that is in turn
fundamental to the seven
462
00:30:36,120 –> 00:30:39,480
sacraments, it would be the
belief in the immortality of the
463
00:30:39,480 –> 00:30:43,480
soul as an essential part of
man’s being.
464
00:30:44,400 –> 00:30:49,280
You see, the very role of the
seven sacraments is in fact to
465
00:30:49,280 –> 00:30:53,560
administer Sacramento Grace to
the individual soul.
466
00:30:54,240 –> 00:30:58,960
When a believing Catholic is
receiving one of the seven
467
00:30:58,960 –> 00:31:03,160
sacraments, it is understood or
believed that what is happening
468
00:31:03,160 –> 00:31:06,120
in the administering of one of
the sacraments is that a
469
00:31:06,120 –> 00:31:11,280
Sacramento Grace is being
infused by the mediation of the
470
00:31:11,280 –> 00:31:15,240
priest through that sacrament to
the soul of the recipient.
471
00:31:16,280 –> 00:31:19,760
So that the concept of the
immortal soul is fundamental, as
472
00:31:19,760 –> 00:31:23,680
it were, an underlining burden
principle underneath and holding
473
00:31:23,680 –> 00:31:25,960
together really the seven
sacraments.
474
00:31:26,720 –> 00:31:31,040
And in a current publication by
the Catholic Church, the
475
00:31:31,040 –> 00:31:34,280
question of the immortal soul is
discussed in terms of its
476
00:31:34,280 –> 00:31:38,160
biblical basis.
I’m referring particularly to
477
00:31:38,400 –> 00:31:41,680
this pamphlet.
It’s written to another
478
00:31:41,720 –> 00:31:45,200
community, and the Catholic
Church is trying to answer some
479
00:31:45,200 –> 00:31:49,240
of the community’s objections to
the Catholic understanding of an
480
00:31:49,240 –> 00:31:51,560
immortal soul.
I’m going to quote from this
481
00:31:51,560 –> 00:31:53,000
pamphlet.
We’ll use our overhead.
482
00:31:53,800 –> 00:31:58,160
Some beliefs have to be wrong.
In that pamphlet.
483
00:31:59,480 –> 00:32:04,720
The Catholic writer says it, the
Old Testament word nayfech,
484
00:32:05,120 –> 00:32:08,160
that’s the word for soul in the
Old Testament, the Hebrew word
485
00:32:08,160 –> 00:32:11,320
for soul.
The Old Testament, we could say
486
00:32:11,320 –> 00:32:17,040
the Hebrew word nepesh simply
meant a living soul, and the
487
00:32:17,040 –> 00:32:24,720
Hebrew would use the same word
for any living being, animal or
488
00:32:24,960 –> 00:32:29,040
human.
Now what’s being said there is
489
00:32:29,040 –> 00:32:34,160
that in the view of the
community looking at the Old
490
00:32:34,160 –> 00:32:37,640
Testament fairly, there is an
admission being put on the
491
00:32:37,640 –> 00:32:40,600
table.
When we look at how the Old
492
00:32:40,600 –> 00:32:46,040
Testament uses the word soul,
the Hebrew word nephesh, it uses
493
00:32:46,040 –> 00:32:49,120
it in a very elastic way.
That’s being admitted.
494
00:32:49,680 –> 00:32:54,720
In fact, it is so elastic they
are suggesting that it could be
495
00:32:54,720 –> 00:32:59,800
used to describe any living
being, animal or human.
496
00:32:59,920 –> 00:33:02,960
We would concur with that.
One takes the Bible concordance
497
00:33:03,000 –> 00:33:05,960
and looks up the word soul, or
the word nay fashion in Hebrew,
498
00:33:06,280 –> 00:33:08,200
sees how it’s used in the Old
Testament.
499
00:33:08,200 –> 00:33:13,080
It is very eloctic and it is
used to describe animal as well
500
00:33:13,080 –> 00:33:14,840
as human.
We might add.
501
00:33:15,640 –> 00:33:21,120
Why would soul be used to
describe a animal if it’s
502
00:33:21,120 –> 00:33:23,640
something that’s immortal or
intangible?
503
00:33:24,040 –> 00:33:28,600
If it’s a spark, as it were,
from the divine, that is infused
504
00:33:28,640 –> 00:33:32,520
into the child at a certain
point near or after conception,
505
00:33:33,880 –> 00:33:37,800
how could it be describing an
animal in any sense if it is a
506
00:33:37,800 –> 00:33:41,760
spark of the divine, something
that supposedly marks man out as
507
00:33:41,760 –> 00:33:44,240
being different than animal
creation?
508
00:33:45,160 –> 00:33:52,160
Page 10 of the same pamphlet.
Thus we read, whereas the Bible
509
00:33:52,160 –> 00:33:54,000
does not.
It is true.
510
00:33:54,760 –> 00:33:59,800
Think of the immortality of the
human soul, a concept which it
511
00:33:59,800 –> 00:34:02,720
does not have in our sense of
this word.
512
00:34:04,040 –> 00:34:07,680
It does speak of the immortality
of the human person.
513
00:34:08,560 –> 00:34:12,400
Frankly, I’m not too sure what
that last line means, but we
514
00:34:12,400 –> 00:34:16,600
believe that the basic admission
is rather important, and we
515
00:34:16,600 –> 00:34:18,120
would find that rather
disturbing.
516
00:34:20,040 –> 00:34:23,840
What we have found is so far in
looking at two of the seven
517
00:34:23,840 –> 00:34:27,600
sacraments that at least on two
of them, it’s admitted there is
518
00:34:27,600 –> 00:34:31,760
no direct biblical evidence for
the Catholic community’s
519
00:34:31,760 –> 00:34:35,159
understanding of that sacrament
or the way it is practiced.
520
00:34:35,840 –> 00:34:40,639
We have seen that underneath all
the seven sacraments is the
521
00:34:40,679 –> 00:34:44,920
undergirding conviction that man
has in a mortal soul to which
522
00:34:44,920 –> 00:34:46,960
the seven sacraments are
administered.
523
00:34:47,480 –> 00:34:51,360
The seven sacraments are viewed
as 7 channel through which
524
00:34:51,719 –> 00:34:55,520
through which divine energy is
administered through the priest
525
00:34:55,520 –> 00:35:00,720
pen to the recipient.
And yet it is also admitted that
526
00:35:00,720 –> 00:35:06,360
even the concept of the immortal
soul does not have an Old
527
00:35:06,360 –> 00:35:10,400
Testament basis whatsoever.
There’s no clear indication of
528
00:35:10,400 –> 00:35:12,360
it.
Again, I guess one would have to
529
00:35:12,360 –> 00:35:19,240
refer to tradition.
Now with those admissions in
530
00:35:19,240 –> 00:35:23,280
mind, we can sort of crystallize
the central concern of our
531
00:35:23,280 –> 00:35:28,560
lecture in matters basic to
salvation, such as the seven
532
00:35:28,560 –> 00:35:32,160
sacraments and the undergirding
conviction that is there with
533
00:35:32,160 –> 00:35:35,880
the immortal soul.
We see Catholic spokesman now
534
00:35:35,880 –> 00:35:40,200
admitting in current literature
that a number them lack a clear
535
00:35:40,240 –> 00:35:43,600
or a direct or an explicit
biblical basis.
536
00:35:44,440 –> 00:35:49,360
And then if we were to ask on
what authoritative basis are
537
00:35:49,360 –> 00:35:54,160
such convictions or forms of
conviction held, the Catholic
538
00:35:54,160 –> 00:35:58,120
response would be on the basis
of Catholic tradition.
539
00:35:59,400 –> 00:36:05,240
So then a tradition admitted of
course to be outside of direct
540
00:36:05,240 –> 00:36:09,960
biblical revelation is seen to
supplement biblical revelation,
541
00:36:10,560 –> 00:36:13,480
not to be in contradiction to
biblical revelation.
542
00:36:13,480 –> 00:36:17,080
A Catholic would certainly
stress tradition is viewed as
543
00:36:17,080 –> 00:36:22,120
being harmoniously married with
divine revelation in the Bible
544
00:36:22,120 –> 00:36:25,920
and not seen to be at variance.
So the really to many Catholics,
545
00:36:25,920 –> 00:36:29,600
there’s no apology for the fact
that such fundamental doctrines
546
00:36:30,120 –> 00:36:34,560
are not not all of the many ways
on a firm or direct obvious
547
00:36:34,680 –> 00:36:38,560
explicit biblical basis.
Tradition is seen as another
548
00:36:38,560 –> 00:36:41,480
form of divine revelation and is
equally authoritative.
549
00:36:42,120 –> 00:36:44,680
I think that perhaps
crystallizes some of the
550
00:36:45,000 –> 00:36:48,160
statements and some of the
reasons why Knox and others
551
00:36:48,320 –> 00:36:51,040
freely make those admissions
without apology.
552
00:36:52,600 –> 00:36:58,480
John O’Brien, in faith of
millions, helps us to see where
553
00:36:58,560 –> 00:37:03,240
the Catholic Church places the
importance of tradition next to
554
00:37:03,280 –> 00:37:05,360
the Bible, which is our next
concern.
555
00:37:05,360 –> 00:37:06,840
Let’s see if we can crystallize
that.
556
00:37:07,600 –> 00:37:13,560
Could we have the next overhead,
Page 186 of the faith of
557
00:37:13,560 –> 00:37:18,160
millions?
There are certain truths, he
558
00:37:18,160 –> 00:37:22,960
says, which are not recorded in
the Scriptures, but which are
559
00:37:22,960 –> 00:37:27,000
embodied in the life, the
practice, and the ministry of
560
00:37:27,000 –> 00:37:34,240
the Church in her written and
unwritten traditions which
561
00:37:34,440 –> 00:37:39,720
supplement the biblical record.
She, meaning the Church, of
562
00:37:39,720 –> 00:37:44,360
course, is not dependent on it
meaning the Bible for her
563
00:37:44,360 –> 00:37:48,440
existence, nor is she limited in
her doctrine to it.
564
00:37:49,600 –> 00:37:53,040
So then, tradition and Catholic
definition, and this is a fairly
565
00:37:53,040 –> 00:37:56,080
typical quote, is not seen to be
at variance.
566
00:37:56,280 –> 00:38:00,680
It is seen to supplement the
biblical record and the Church
567
00:38:00,680 –> 00:38:05,680
claims that she is not dependent
on biblical revelation in
568
00:38:05,680 –> 00:38:10,600
particular for her existence.
So that concerning another
569
00:38:10,600 –> 00:38:15,120
doctrine, such as purgatory, A
doctrine really that is quite
570
00:38:15,120 –> 00:38:19,800
related, quite related really to
the Catholic community’s view of
571
00:38:19,800 –> 00:38:23,200
what happens to a man when he
dies and how the Catholic Church
572
00:38:23,240 –> 00:38:27,440
views the nature of man.
A Catholic writer could say this
573
00:38:27,440 –> 00:38:31,000
if we could just use this
quotation on purgatory.
574
00:38:32,760 –> 00:38:37,920
Again, the same cataclysm.
The word purgatory is not in the
575
00:38:37,920 –> 00:38:41,960
Bible, nor is the doctrine of
purgatory explicitly taught
576
00:38:41,960 –> 00:38:45,480
there.
Notice this time we’re not just
577
00:38:45,480 –> 00:38:48,400
looking at the Old Testament.
As with the case of the soul
578
00:38:49,080 –> 00:38:53,160
here, a current Catholic
catechism, this one is saying
579
00:38:53,160 –> 00:38:57,280
that a concept or a belief so
fundamental to man’s
580
00:38:57,280 –> 00:38:59,840
understanding of the nature of
man and what happens to him
581
00:38:59,840 –> 00:39:05,200
after death, where he goes, if
anywhere, is described in non
582
00:39:05,240 –> 00:39:11,000
biblical terms and it’s admitted
that really neither the word nor
583
00:39:11,080 –> 00:39:14,040
the concept or the doctrine is
taught there.
584
00:39:15,080 –> 00:39:19,000
Again, without apology, the
Catechism would direct us, as it
585
00:39:19,000 –> 00:39:21,520
does in the Catechism, to
tradition.
586
00:39:22,120 –> 00:39:24,840
So then you see a certain
perhaps number of pieces falling
587
00:39:24,840 –> 00:39:27,480
together, especially for those
of us that don’t come with a
588
00:39:27,480 –> 00:39:31,920
Catholic background.
Tradition is viewed in very high
589
00:39:31,920 –> 00:39:37,600
esteem and it is viewed as a
supplement, you see, to what is
590
00:39:37,600 –> 00:39:40,080
not there sometimes in the
biblical record.
591
00:39:41,240 –> 00:39:44,520
Now another quotation that again
makes this concept a little
592
00:39:44,520 –> 00:39:48,040
clearer.
Page 176.
593
00:39:48,040 –> 00:39:51,080
I’m going to refer to John
O’Brien’s writings again from
594
00:39:51,080 –> 00:39:56,160
the faith of millions.
She the Catholic Church is not
595
00:39:56,160 –> 00:40:02,040
the child of the Bible as many
non Catholics imagine, but its
596
00:40:02,040 –> 00:40:04,880
mother.
She derived neither her
597
00:40:04,880 –> 00:40:07,320
existence nor her teaching
authority from the New
598
00:40:07,320 –> 00:40:13,040
Testament.
She had both before the New
599
00:40:13,040 –> 00:40:17,280
Testament was born.
We said at the outset of our
600
00:40:17,280 –> 00:40:21,240
address that the Catholic Church
makes a number of claims for
601
00:40:21,240 –> 00:40:25,120
herself that are rather unique.
This again illustrates the
602
00:40:25,120 –> 00:40:29,760
uniqueness of such a posture.
Another Catholic writer, a man
603
00:40:29,760 –> 00:40:32,240
called Wilford Dewan, and I have
his book here.
604
00:40:32,240 –> 00:40:35,960
It’s a current book.
It’s used for Catholic study
605
00:40:35,960 –> 00:40:42,640
Circle on page 88.
Tradition, The life and
606
00:40:42,640 –> 00:40:46,520
consciousness of the whole
Church, is the necessary
607
00:40:46,880 –> 00:40:52,960
interpreter of the scriptural
message, the Word of God in the
608
00:40:52,960 –> 00:40:59,240
church, in the Church.
Notice, clarify and interpret
609
00:40:59,320 –> 00:41:04,800
the Word of God in Scripture.
Now we see perhaps a fuller
610
00:41:04,800 –> 00:41:08,000
picture coming into focus here.
For those of us who are non
611
00:41:08,000 –> 00:41:12,200
Catholics especially, but just
perhaps being exposed to this
612
00:41:12,200 –> 00:41:17,240
perception for the first time,
it’s not quite true to say that
613
00:41:17,240 –> 00:41:20,560
tradition and Scripture are
exactly on a par.
614
00:41:21,000 –> 00:41:24,400
This is apparent from this
quotation and many others that
615
00:41:24,400 –> 00:41:28,000
could supplement it.
Tradition and Scripture are not
616
00:41:28,000 –> 00:41:31,240
viewed as being contradictory,
nor are they viewed as being at
617
00:41:31,240 –> 00:41:34,440
variance.
But on the other hand, a close
618
00:41:34,440 –> 00:41:38,280
examination of Catholic writing
shows they’re not exactly viewed
619
00:41:38,280 –> 00:41:42,760
as being equal either.
Tradition really is being viewed
620
00:41:42,800 –> 00:41:47,960
as the interpreter of the Bible.
The Bible, in other words, is
621
00:41:47,960 –> 00:41:52,200
somewhat subject to the voice of
the Church, to the interpretive
622
00:41:52,400 –> 00:41:56,200
voice of the Church, some
Catholics would say, to the
623
00:41:56,440 –> 00:42:01,600
living voice of tradition, the
so-called living voice of
624
00:42:01,600 –> 00:42:05,400
tradition.
In a certain sense, overseas
625
00:42:05,600 –> 00:42:09,160
interpretations of the Bible.
It is regarded as the divine
626
00:42:09,160 –> 00:42:12,440
hand telling us what to believe
about the Bible, how to
627
00:42:12,440 –> 00:42:15,880
understand it, how to apply it,
and of course, to supplement.
628
00:42:16,680 –> 00:42:20,800
But such a statement, and it’s
typical, shows that not exactly
629
00:42:20,800 –> 00:42:23,280
on an even plane.
In fact, we’ll show you a number
630
00:42:23,280 –> 00:42:27,560
of quotations that show that
tradition is viewed as being
631
00:42:27,560 –> 00:42:32,120
all-encompassing and bringing
into its embrace or its circle
632
00:42:32,480 –> 00:42:35,640
the Bible as being one form of
divine revelation.
633
00:42:35,720 –> 00:42:40,520
But there are others.
Let’s just take a look O’Brien
634
00:42:41,000 –> 00:42:43,360
the one of his earlier editions
on the faith of milling.
635
00:42:44,440 –> 00:42:50,280
The only authority he says which
non Catholic have for the
636
00:42:50,280 –> 00:42:54,560
inspiration of scriptures is the
authority of the Catholic
637
00:42:54,560 –> 00:42:57,440
Church.
Very important claim.
638
00:42:58,480 –> 00:43:01,920
We regard that as being rather
unique compared to most of
639
00:43:01,920 –> 00:43:03,760
Christendom.
Don’t know of any other church
640
00:43:03,800 –> 00:43:09,080
that would quite express it that
way, that their church in fact
641
00:43:09,080 –> 00:43:13,120
was the only church or the first
church for the main authority
642
00:43:13,280 –> 00:43:16,040
upon which we know is non
Catholic, that the Bible’s
643
00:43:16,040 –> 00:43:18,200
inspired.
And again, that is not an
644
00:43:18,200 –> 00:43:21,720
isolated quotation and I would
invite anyone to take a look at
645
00:43:21,760 –> 00:43:23,520
full context of that.
We have a number of these on
646
00:43:23,520 –> 00:43:25,840
Xerox.
Let’s take a look at another
647
00:43:25,840 –> 00:43:31,040
quote.
Again, O’Brien says if she the
648
00:43:31,040 –> 00:43:35,240
Catholic Church, had not
declared the books composing the
649
00:43:35,240 –> 00:43:39,800
New Testament to be the inspired
Word of God, we would not know
650
00:43:39,800 –> 00:43:43,640
it.
A unique and very authoritative
651
00:43:43,640 –> 00:43:47,680
claim, but it is, in view of the
Catholic community, quite
652
00:43:47,680 –> 00:43:51,080
consistent.
It is a consistent claim since
653
00:43:51,600 –> 00:43:54,960
the Catholic community believes
that they are the true
654
00:43:54,960 –> 00:43:58,160
representative of Christ on
earth, and since they believe
655
00:43:58,160 –> 00:44:02,320
they have a consistent link to
the early apostle right back to
656
00:44:02,320 –> 00:44:06,760
Peter, and since they believe
it’s essential to salvation to
657
00:44:06,760 –> 00:44:10,200
know, understand, accept, and
practice Catholic belief.
658
00:44:10,480 –> 00:44:14,800
It’s consistent for a Catholic
to make that kind of state
659
00:44:15,480 –> 00:44:18,000
because they regard themselves
as being, in a certain sense,
660
00:44:18,000 –> 00:44:23,120
the mother of the Bible.
Let’s look at another quotation
661
00:44:24,480 –> 00:44:29,480
again, O’Brien, just as the
Supreme Court is the authorized
662
00:44:30,160 –> 00:44:34,800
living interpreter of the
Constitution, so the Catholic
663
00:44:34,800 –> 00:44:39,000
Church is the living
authoritative interpreter of the
664
00:44:39,000 –> 00:44:42,160
Bible.
Now notice at this juncture,
665
00:44:43,160 –> 00:44:47,760
this is really indirectly
referring to what is regarded as
666
00:44:48,000 –> 00:44:51,000
the living tradition, the living
voice of the Church.
667
00:44:52,080 –> 00:44:55,800
The stress is on the word
living, you see, because the
668
00:44:55,800 –> 00:44:59,600
Catholic Church believes that
those who minister on her behalf
669
00:45:00,520 –> 00:45:02,400
have a direct connection with
God.
670
00:45:02,800 –> 00:45:05,640
Because they believe the Holy
Spirit works in and through
671
00:45:05,640 –> 00:45:08,200
their magisterium, their
officiating people.
672
00:45:08,720 –> 00:45:10,880
Because that is their
conviction.
673
00:45:11,600 –> 00:45:14,880
Because they believe the Holy
Spirit works today to guide the
674
00:45:14,880 –> 00:45:18,080
Spirit’s interpretation.
Because they believe that
675
00:45:18,080 –> 00:45:22,680
tradition is ongoing and living
and dynamic and fluid.
676
00:45:22,720 –> 00:45:27,800
In that sense, they see
tradition really as being a kind
677
00:45:27,800 –> 00:45:32,200
of adjudicator over this.
Again, they don’t think to be in
678
00:45:32,200 –> 00:45:35,520
contradiction with the Bible,
but rather it overseas
679
00:45:35,520 –> 00:45:39,040
interpretations of the Bible.
It tells its people how the
680
00:45:39,040 –> 00:45:42,160
Bible is to be interpreted.
The Bible, in other words, does
681
00:45:42,160 –> 00:45:45,200
not or is not left on its own to
interpret itself.
682
00:45:45,680 –> 00:45:48,560
We don’t necessarily compare
Scripture with Scripture to come
683
00:45:48,560 –> 00:45:52,960
to a conclusion or a definition.
The church can provide that for
684
00:45:52,960 –> 00:45:55,080
us.
It is the claim of the Church,
685
00:45:56,240 –> 00:45:59,720
these kind of quotations and one
more that perhaps provides a
686
00:45:59,720 –> 00:46:01,400
clear focus for what we’re
saying.
687
00:46:03,480 –> 00:46:07,400
O’Brien, consistent to his own
argument, and it’s consistent
688
00:46:07,400 –> 00:46:10,960
with many Catholic writers on
this subject, finally comes to
689
00:46:10,960 –> 00:46:15,800
this rather direct statement.
The simple fact is that the
690
00:46:15,800 –> 00:46:20,000
Bible, like all dead letters,
calls for a living interpreter.
691
00:46:21,040 –> 00:46:24,240
That’s not regarded as being
disparaging, not by Catholics
692
00:46:24,240 –> 00:46:26,920
anyone, anyway.
It’s not regarded as being a
693
00:46:26,920 –> 00:46:28,600
disparaging statement of the
Bible.
694
00:46:29,120 –> 00:46:32,360
They do believe this is divine
revelation, indeed, but they
695
00:46:32,360 –> 00:46:35,840
believe in a certain sense it is
only inked on paper.
696
00:46:35,960 –> 00:46:40,320
In that sense, it’s dead.
It is regarded by the Catholic
697
00:46:40,320 –> 00:46:46,200
Church as necessitating a
living, dynamic force to bring
698
00:46:46,200 –> 00:46:50,600
it alive, to make it meaningful,
and to describe and define and
699
00:46:50,640 –> 00:46:54,000
constrive exactly how it’s to be
applied and how it’s to be
700
00:46:54,000 –> 00:46:58,560
understood.
Now we’ve attempted to give the
701
00:46:58,560 –> 00:47:01,960
Catholic viewpoint, ladies and
gentlemen, a fair
702
00:47:01,960 –> 00:47:05,880
representation.
We have tried to make sure that
703
00:47:05,880 –> 00:47:09,640
any of the books we refer to are
as current as possible, are by
704
00:47:09,640 –> 00:47:12,760
respected and well known
Catholic writers, and that they
705
00:47:12,760 –> 00:47:15,880
do have the imprimatur, the
approval of the Nil Hill
706
00:47:15,880 –> 00:47:19,720
obstacle.
Let’s see if we can now bring
707
00:47:19,720 –> 00:47:22,280
some of those quotations to a
kind of focus.
708
00:47:22,560 –> 00:47:25,800
We want to crystallize some of
the main contentions of those
709
00:47:25,800 –> 00:47:30,040
folks, which represent how the
Church in most cases would
710
00:47:30,040 –> 00:47:32,360
define her authority as she
views it.
711
00:47:32,640 –> 00:47:35,640
We would see the first if we
could just open the screen, the
712
00:47:35,680 –> 00:47:39,160
first window.
It would seem from such
713
00:47:39,160 –> 00:47:43,400
quotation, which we believe are
fair and representative, that
714
00:47:43,400 –> 00:47:46,680
the Bible, according to the
Catholic community really does
715
00:47:46,680 –> 00:47:49,800
not have any authority on its
own merit.
716
00:47:51,320 –> 00:47:55,520
The presider over the Bible is
the living voice of the Church.
717
00:47:55,520 –> 00:48:00,360
In this view, the Church with
its living voice is the dynamic
718
00:48:00,600 –> 00:48:04,560
interpreter of the dead letter.
And if it wasn’t for the Mother
719
00:48:04,560 –> 00:48:08,200
Church, we would know, according
to O’Brien, that that was an
720
00:48:08,200 –> 00:48:11,560
inspired book because we know
it, because it’s come from the
721
00:48:11,560 –> 00:48:15,600
Church.
Secondly, another contention
722
00:48:15,600 –> 00:48:17,760
would be, I think, fairly
representing the point.
723
00:48:18,400 –> 00:48:21,680
The Bible is regarded as a kind
of dead letter and a certain
724
00:48:21,680 –> 00:48:25,080
qualified sense apart from the
living voice of the church.
725
00:48:26,080 –> 00:48:33,240
Thirdly, tradition or the oral
message is regarded as having a
726
00:48:33,240 –> 00:48:37,320
kind of priority over the
written word in the sense that
727
00:48:37,320 –> 00:48:41,000
it is the living interpreter, in
the sense that it embraces
728
00:48:41,120 –> 00:48:44,480
divine revelation in the Bible,
but including others as well, it
729
00:48:44,480 –> 00:48:51,040
is an all embracing term.
Fourthly, perhaps we should just
730
00:48:51,520 –> 00:48:52,760
maybe just put that up a little
bit.
731
00:48:52,880 –> 00:48:55,400
Thank you.
Saving power.
732
00:48:56,440 –> 00:48:59,840
Saving power, we qualify.
That can be administered
733
00:48:59,960 –> 00:49:03,360
apparently through the church,
apart from the direct
734
00:49:03,600 –> 00:49:08,880
interaction with the Bible.
Now, that comes quite obviously
735
00:49:09,240 –> 00:49:11,600
from a number of O’Brien
statements and from some of the
736
00:49:11,600 –> 00:49:15,200
others we’ve looked at.
We’d like to look at those major
737
00:49:15,200 –> 00:49:18,440
contentions, then, for the
remainder of our address, all of
738
00:49:18,440 –> 00:49:21,400
which focus on foundations of
the Catholic belief.
739
00:49:23,200 –> 00:49:24,920
Let’s look at these four
implications.
740
00:49:26,080 –> 00:49:31,120
Let’s open our Bibles and see
whether they each harmonize with
741
00:49:31,120 –> 00:49:34,080
biblical revelation.
We ought not to find it in
742
00:49:34,080 –> 00:49:36,000
contradiction to biblical
revelation.
743
00:49:36,920 –> 00:49:39,480
Let’s look at #1 in the light of
Bible teaching.
744
00:49:40,680 –> 00:49:43,360
If you have a Bible, we’d
appreciate it that you turn with
745
00:49:43,360 –> 00:49:50,240
us to this statement by the
Apostle Paul, Second Timothy
746
00:49:50,240 –> 00:49:57,080
chapter 3, a very important
Bible quotation central to New
747
00:49:57,080 –> 00:50:00,360
Testament teaching.
If you don’t have a Bible, we’ll
748
00:50:00,360 –> 00:50:02,840
project it for you and then come
back to the four points.
749
00:50:04,320 –> 00:50:06,600
Second Timothy chapter 3 reads
us.
750
00:50:06,600 –> 00:50:14,840
Follow if I go back to verse 15
for the context of Second
751
00:50:14,840 –> 00:50:19,000
Timothy three we read Paul
writing to Timothy.
752
00:50:19,480 –> 00:50:27,160
And that from a child thou hast
known the Holy Scriptures which
753
00:50:27,160 –> 00:50:33,400
are able to make thee wise unto
salvation through faith which is
754
00:50:33,400 –> 00:50:35,880
in Christ Jesus.
Verse 16.
755
00:50:36,400 –> 00:50:42,760
All Scripture is given by
inspiration of God, and is
756
00:50:42,760 –> 00:50:48,720
profitable for doctrine, for
reproof, for correction, for
757
00:50:48,720 –> 00:50:53,440
instruction and righteousness,
that the man of God may be
758
00:50:53,680 –> 00:51:00,320
perfect, thoroughly furnished
unto all good works.
759
00:51:02,120 –> 00:51:06,560
Now we believe certain
conclusions fall out of those
760
00:51:06,560 –> 00:51:10,200
verses.
Firstly, from those very verses
761
00:51:10,200 –> 00:51:14,320
that Paul has just 10 here,
contrary to the Catholic notion,
762
00:51:14,320 –> 00:51:17,360
ladies and gentlemen, that the
Bible does not have any
763
00:51:17,360 –> 00:51:21,280
authority on its own merits
apart from the church.
764
00:51:21,640 –> 00:51:27,920
Here is scripture of itself
claiming unlimited authority.
765
00:51:29,040 –> 00:51:32,600
All Scripture is given by
inspiration of God.
766
00:51:33,240 –> 00:51:36,200
That’s a biblical claim.
We didn’t need the Catholic
767
00:51:36,200 –> 00:51:40,400
Church to tell us that it is
furthermore profitable for
768
00:51:40,400 –> 00:51:47,280
doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in
769
00:51:47,280 –> 00:51:50,360
righteousness.
For what objective?
770
00:51:51,320 –> 00:51:58,640
How pervading is this objective
that the man of God may be
771
00:51:59,200 –> 00:52:02,680
generally instructed?
No, they might be helped.
772
00:52:03,360 –> 00:52:07,240
No, it’s not that general.
Rather verse 17 that the man of
773
00:52:07,240 –> 00:52:15,160
God may be perfect thoroughly,
not partially, not in part, but
774
00:52:15,840 –> 00:52:21,160
thoroughly furnished unto not
some good works, not most good
775
00:52:21,160 –> 00:52:28,640
works unto all good works.
The apostle Paul, you see,
776
00:52:29,000 –> 00:52:34,840
couldn’t have been more
exclusive in terms of where he
777
00:52:34,840 –> 00:52:39,480
placed divine authority.
He couldn’t have attributed to
778
00:52:39,480 –> 00:52:42,960
the Scriptures to the written
record apart from the oral.
779
00:52:43,440 –> 00:52:47,400
He could not have attributed to
the written record a more
780
00:52:47,400 –> 00:52:52,520
encompassing, a more
encompassing kind of authority
781
00:52:52,840 –> 00:52:54,880
than to express it the way he
does.
782
00:52:54,880 –> 00:53:00,840
In verse 17 we noticed those
words perfect, which means fully
783
00:53:00,840 –> 00:53:07,360
mature in the Greek, thoroughly
furnished all good works.
784
00:53:07,840 –> 00:53:11,320
In other words, the scriptures
are rather self-sufficient.
785
00:53:12,960 –> 00:53:17,480
The scriptures are
self-sufficient if the
786
00:53:17,480 –> 00:53:24,800
scriptures says Paul can make us
wise unto salvation, verse 15,
787
00:53:25,240 –> 00:53:28,920
through faith which is in Christ
Jesus, if they are given by
788
00:53:28,920 –> 00:53:33,200
inspiration of God for doctrine
and correction, and so on.
789
00:53:33,680 –> 00:53:39,840
If by them thereby men can
become perfect as a Christian,
790
00:53:40,000 –> 00:53:44,320
or fully mature, if by
application to those scriptures
791
00:53:44,320 –> 00:53:50,640
he can be thoroughly furnished
onto all good works, then it’s
792
00:53:50,640 –> 00:53:54,400
no contradiction or straining of
the Apostles language to say
793
00:53:54,400 –> 00:53:57,600
that Paul believed this book is
self-sufficient.
794
00:53:58,400 –> 00:54:02,480
Contained within its pages are
all that a professing Christian
795
00:54:02,640 –> 00:54:08,640
could need or should need to
become a fully mature, fully
796
00:54:08,640 –> 00:54:13,320
mature Christian, thoroughly
furnished unto all good works.
797
00:54:15,080 –> 00:54:20,200
Contrary, as we’ve said, to
O’Brien’s assertion that we
798
00:54:20,200 –> 00:54:23,600
would not know the Bible to be
inspired unless the Catholic
799
00:54:23,600 –> 00:54:27,480
Church as its mother had told
us, though, here is Bible.
800
00:54:27,480 –> 00:54:31,760
Here is the Bible on its own
merit, explicitly claiming
801
00:54:31,760 –> 00:54:35,720
inspiration for itself.
And by the way, the word
802
00:54:35,720 –> 00:54:38,920
inspiration is the most
important word there in the
803
00:54:38,920 –> 00:54:40,760
original.
If you have a Bible concordance,
804
00:54:40,760 –> 00:54:43,200
you can check this.
In the original, the word
805
00:54:43,280 –> 00:54:49,600
inspiration is the Greek term
Theo, meaning God, Theo, new
806
00:54:49,600 –> 00:54:51,760
Toth, from which we get the word
pneumatic.
807
00:54:52,000 –> 00:54:57,520
New Toth means breed the Greek
term one word Theo newtok means
808
00:54:57,520 –> 00:55:03,160
God breathed or God spirited and
so it would read in the original
809
00:55:03,160 –> 00:55:07,240
to a Greek the original audience
for most of these scriptures,
810
00:55:07,800 –> 00:55:13,840
all scripture is God spirited or
God breathed.
811
00:55:14,920 –> 00:55:17,560
You don’t use a term like that,
ladies and gentlemen, to
812
00:55:17,560 –> 00:55:22,320
describe a dead letter.
If all Scripture, the written
813
00:55:22,320 –> 00:55:24,240
record, and that’s what
Scripture means, it means the
814
00:55:24,240 –> 00:55:31,240
writings in the Greek, all the
writings are God read or God
815
00:55:31,760 –> 00:55:36,720
spirited, then these words are
not dead words, ladies and
816
00:55:36,720 –> 00:55:38,000
gentlemen.
They are dynamic.
817
00:55:38,520 –> 00:55:42,560
They are obviously viewed by the
Apostle Paul as having a dynamic
818
00:55:42,560 –> 00:55:49,280
force intrinsic to themselves
apart from any other authority
819
00:55:49,280 –> 00:55:52,160
or any other voice or any other
community.
820
00:55:53,120 –> 00:55:57,720
That’s why, and that’s the only
reason why they can make a
821
00:55:57,760 –> 00:56:02,440
Christian perfect or mature.
That’s why they can make you
822
00:56:02,800 –> 00:56:07,560
thoroughly furnished onto all
good works because and only
823
00:56:07,560 –> 00:56:11,440
because that the apostle tells
us by divine revelation.
824
00:56:11,800 –> 00:56:14,760
They are God breathed, they are
God spirited.
825
00:56:14,800 –> 00:56:19,120
They are not dead.
These words are viewed by Paul
826
00:56:19,120 –> 00:56:22,840
as being a kind of see, the
master used similar language in
827
00:56:22,840 –> 00:56:27,400
the parable of the Thor, a seed
which has a dormant power or
828
00:56:27,400 –> 00:56:32,840
authority, and when in a man’s
mind or a woman’s heart, that
829
00:56:32,840 –> 00:56:37,440
power can be released and is a
dynamic moving force.
830
00:56:38,840 –> 00:56:42,240
We’ll perhaps just see that this
is not just viewed that way by
831
00:56:42,240 –> 00:56:45,800
the apostle Paul.
Let’s look at Peter, so
832
00:56:45,800 –> 00:56:47,480
pertinent to the Catholic
community.
833
00:56:48,560 –> 00:56:52,640
Here’s an interesting passage,
especially coming as it does
834
00:56:52,800 –> 00:56:56,160
from Peter.
Let me elucidate what I mean by
835
00:56:56,160 –> 00:57:00,480
that.
The Apostle Peter is viewed by
836
00:57:00,480 –> 00:57:06,400
the Catholic Church as the first
of a long line of popes.
837
00:57:07,520 –> 00:57:10,720
It is believed that all popes
today, or excuse me, the Pope
838
00:57:10,720 –> 00:57:15,160
today, and popes in the past can
trace their line or their
839
00:57:15,160 –> 00:57:17,640
lineage right back to the
Apostle Peter.
840
00:57:17,640 –> 00:57:20,600
They are in a certain sense
viewed as his successors.
841
00:57:22,440 –> 00:57:28,680
Therefore, Peter would be viewed
as a Pope by model and example
842
00:57:28,680 –> 00:57:33,400
for all other popes, and it
would be held that he viewed his
843
00:57:33,400 –> 00:57:37,120
personal authority as a Pope,
the first Pope, in much the same
844
00:57:37,120 –> 00:57:40,200
way as of course Pope’s would
define or express their
845
00:57:40,360 –> 00:57:44,320
authority today.
But notice what first the Peter
846
00:57:44,320 –> 00:57:46,480
said written from Peter’s own
hand.
847
00:57:46,960 –> 00:57:52,920
Peter says in first of Peter
chapter one verse 23, he says
848
00:57:52,920 –> 00:58:00,080
this being born again, not of
corruptible speed, but of
849
00:58:00,120 –> 00:58:09,360
incorruptible by the word of
God, which liveth and abideth
850
00:58:09,680 –> 00:58:14,880
forever.
Verse 25 Peter Wright but the
851
00:58:14,880 –> 00:58:20,160
word of the Lord endureth
forever.
852
00:58:20,160 –> 00:58:24,040
Now we might ask what word is
Peter talking about?
853
00:58:24,720 –> 00:58:29,240
How restricted is this term the
word of God means?
854
00:58:29,240 –> 00:58:31,840
Does it embrace tradition for
example, or some other form of
855
00:58:31,840 –> 00:58:34,040
divine revelation apart from the
Bible?
856
00:58:34,520 –> 00:58:38,880
What the Peter said, verse 25
But the word of the Lord
857
00:58:38,880 –> 00:58:47,240
endureth forever, and this is
the word which by the gospel is
858
00:58:47,240 –> 00:58:51,880
preached unto you.
It was something the apostle and
859
00:58:51,880 –> 00:58:56,120
the other apostles had preached
and were preaching.
860
00:58:57,240 –> 00:59:01,040
It was something that was
defined as the gospel.
861
00:59:01,840 –> 00:59:05,720
It was something that was
revealed in New Testament time.
862
00:59:07,000 –> 00:59:09,760
Now make that a little more
clear.
863
00:59:10,440 –> 00:59:16,680
In Peter’s second Epistle,
chapter 3, he refers to the word
864
00:59:16,680 –> 00:59:25,200
again.
Second Peter, chapter 3, he says
865
00:59:25,200 –> 00:59:29,800
in verses one and two.
This second epistle, beloved, I
866
00:59:29,800 –> 00:59:35,960
now write unto you in both which
I stir up your pure mind by way
867
00:59:35,960 –> 00:59:41,840
of remembrance, that He may be
mindful of the word which were
868
00:59:41,840 –> 00:59:47,160
spoken before the Holy Prophet
and the commandment of us, the
869
00:59:47,160 –> 00:59:50,600
apostles of the Lord and Savior.
What words are they?
870
00:59:50,800 –> 00:59:55,760
Is he referring to the words
which were spoken before by the
871
00:59:55,760 –> 00:59:58,400
holy prophets?
And He is stirring up their
872
00:59:58,400 –> 01:00:02,440
remembrance of these things.
So the word preached is
873
01:00:02,440 –> 01:00:05,000
something that they had already
been given prior to.
874
01:00:05,000 –> 01:00:09,160
This wasn’t something that would
be after New Testament times,
875
01:00:09,440 –> 01:00:12,200
but something that had already
been given to them in the past.
876
01:00:12,200 –> 01:00:14,520
And He is stirring up the
remembrance of them.
877
01:00:15,320 –> 01:00:19,600
That’s the word he’s referring
to, and he said that you can be
878
01:00:19,600 –> 01:00:26,640
born again by this word, which
he describes as a seed which
879
01:00:26,680 –> 01:00:32,200
liveth and abideth forever.
You see, because he says that
880
01:00:32,200 –> 01:00:36,560
lives and abides forever, he
clearly did not view the Bible
881
01:00:36,720 –> 01:00:38,480
as something that was a dead
letter.
882
01:00:38,960 –> 01:00:42,560
He viewed it rather as something
that was a dynamic force,
883
01:00:43,040 –> 01:00:48,680
something living and powerful.
So if we just look at some more
884
01:00:48,680 –> 01:00:53,120
of those points by O’Brien and
some of the other writers, we
885
01:00:53,120 –> 01:00:58,720
see that what Peter says, what
Paul says about the Bible and
886
01:00:58,720 –> 01:01:02,320
its authority is really quite
contradictory to a number of
887
01:01:02,320 –> 01:01:07,000
these Catholic statements.
The Bible does claim on its own
888
01:01:07,000 –> 01:01:11,080
accord to be inspired.
The Bible does claim, the
889
01:01:11,080 –> 01:01:15,080
apostles claim that the word,
the written word is
890
01:01:15,080 –> 01:01:20,360
self-sufficient, that it is
powerful, dynamic, like a seed,
891
01:01:20,360 –> 01:01:24,560
that it lives in a bind and can
make a man fully mature,
892
01:01:24,840 –> 01:01:27,160
thoroughly furnished onto all
good works.
893
01:01:28,720 –> 01:01:31,600
You see the scriptures if you
look at them carefully ladies
894
01:01:31,600 –> 01:01:36,200
and gentlemen, never teach the
self-sufficiency of the church,
895
01:01:37,240 –> 01:01:39,520
that is the people and its
administrative body.
896
01:01:40,200 –> 01:01:43,000
There is not a statement
anywhere in the New Testament
897
01:01:43,400 –> 01:01:47,360
that suggests that the Church
itself is self-sufficient.
898
01:01:48,320 –> 01:01:52,880
Rather, the New Testament
writers stress the unrivaled
899
01:01:52,880 –> 01:01:56,560
authority and the supreme value
of the written Scriptures.
900
01:01:57,560 –> 01:02:00,440
Indirectly, the supreme
importance of the written
901
01:02:00,440 –> 01:02:05,080
scripture is demonstrated in the
teaching form that is used by
902
01:02:05,080 –> 01:02:09,240
the Apostle Jesus despite his
divine authority.
903
01:02:09,480 –> 01:02:13,600
Ladies and gentlemen, although
introducing a new covenant,
904
01:02:14,480 –> 01:02:18,880
constantly establish his
teaching by reference to the
905
01:02:18,880 –> 01:02:22,520
previous record of Scripture.
Jesus did this constantly.
906
01:02:23,280 –> 01:02:26,160
Constantly.
The Gospels show Jesus
907
01:02:26,160 –> 01:02:28,920
introducing his teaching
although it was a new covenant
908
01:02:29,120 –> 01:02:34,160
by phrases like it is written,
thus it becometh the scriptures,
909
01:02:34,760 –> 01:02:36,840
thus it is fulfilling the
scriptures.
910
01:02:37,400 –> 01:02:42,000
The Scriptures say.
And of course the Lord, being
911
01:02:42,000 –> 01:02:45,160
the Master himself, could have
circumvented that.
912
01:02:45,920 –> 01:02:49,040
He didn’t need to introduce his
new covenant, his new teaching,
913
01:02:49,040 –> 01:02:53,600
in a certain sense that way.
But he did because the apostles
914
01:02:53,600 –> 01:02:57,440
also did it and because it was
the scriptural thing to do.
915
01:02:57,880 –> 01:03:01,520
Whatever Jesus taught her said
was viewed in the context of
916
01:03:01,520 –> 01:03:04,160
previous divine written
revelation.
917
01:03:04,960 –> 01:03:08,320
And we’ll see that whatever the
apostles preached and said to
918
01:03:08,320 –> 01:03:10,480
their listeners, although they
were presenting the new
919
01:03:10,480 –> 01:03:15,040
covenant, was always in the
context and with the rider that
920
01:03:15,040 –> 01:03:19,120
it was found in previous divine
written revelation.
921
01:03:20,840 –> 01:03:25,640
So that Jesus pinpointed his
criticism of a group of people
922
01:03:25,640 –> 01:03:32,440
in his own day who the Jews, the
rabbi trusted in tradition, they
923
01:03:32,440 –> 01:03:36,880
trusted in an oral tradition
that they believed supplemented
924
01:03:36,880 –> 01:03:40,160
as rabbis, the written record
thought wasn’t contradictory.
925
01:03:40,960 –> 01:03:46,120
And to that Jesus said this,
Mark 7, verses 6 to 9.
926
01:03:46,520 –> 01:03:49,560
And I’m going to quote the new
Catholic Bible, the new American
927
01:03:49,560 –> 01:03:55,800
Catholic Bible.
Jesus says this in Mark 7 verse
928
01:03:55,800 –> 01:04:05,040
6 to 9, speaking to his fellow
Jews who trusted on the
929
01:04:05,040 –> 01:04:08,480
authority of tradition that
supposedly supplemented
930
01:04:08,480 –> 01:04:13,320
scripture.
He says how accurately Isaiah
931
01:04:13,320 –> 01:04:17,240
prophesied about you hypocrites
when he wrote this.
932
01:04:17,240 –> 01:04:21,240
People pays lip service, but
their heart is far from me
933
01:04:21,880 –> 01:04:26,200
because they teach as dogmas
mere human precepts.
934
01:04:27,000 –> 01:04:31,000
Jesus continues.
You disregard God’s commandments
935
01:04:31,040 –> 01:04:34,760
and cling to what is human
tradition.
936
01:04:35,440 –> 01:04:39,400
He went on to say.
You have made a fine art of
937
01:04:39,400 –> 01:04:44,400
setting aside God’s commandments
in the interests of keeping your
938
01:04:44,520 –> 01:04:48,080
tradition.
Ladies and gentlemen, if you
939
01:04:48,080 –> 01:04:51,200
look up the word tradition in a
Bible concordance, which is like
940
01:04:51,200 –> 01:04:54,480
a Bible dictionary, you know
what you’ll discover about Jesus
941
01:04:54,480 –> 01:04:59,080
use of the word tradition.
Every single reference to the
942
01:04:59,080 –> 01:05:04,280
word tradition by Jesus Christ
is in a disparaging sense, every
943
01:05:04,280 –> 01:05:09,160
single one.
And the majority of references
944
01:05:09,160 –> 01:05:13,840
in the New Testament outside of
the Gospels 2 tradition are also
945
01:05:13,840 –> 01:05:17,280
in a disparaging context.
There are only two in the New
946
01:05:17,280 –> 01:05:21,960
Testament that use tradition in
the sense of the Apostolic
947
01:05:21,960 –> 01:05:24,720
sense.
That is tradition referring to
948
01:05:24,720 –> 01:05:27,600
what Peter says, what has
already been delivered by the
949
01:05:27,600 –> 01:05:30,720
apostles and confirmed to them
in writing.
950
01:05:31,560 –> 01:05:34,720
All other references to
tradition are disparaging, and
951
01:05:34,760 –> 01:05:38,560
all the references to tradition
by Jesus himself are purely
952
01:05:38,600 –> 01:05:40,800
disparaging.
And of course, what he had in
953
01:05:40,800 –> 01:05:44,600
mind were the people around him
who held to this supposedly
954
01:05:44,760 –> 01:05:48,960
supplementary authority.
We believe the example of Jesus
955
01:05:49,160 –> 01:05:51,720
is pertinent and the example of
the apostle.
956
01:05:52,680 –> 01:05:56,440
We’d like to conclude by turning
to the Bible passage we had read
957
01:05:56,440 –> 01:05:58,760
this evening.
This, we believe, is an
958
01:05:58,760 –> 01:06:01,600
appropriate summary of our
appeal.
959
01:06:02,480 –> 01:06:04,080
This is found in the book of the
Acts.
960
01:06:04,080 –> 01:06:07,600
We believe it’s a very important
Bible passage to clearly think
961
01:06:07,600 –> 01:06:22,520
about Acts chapter 17 before we
just look at the pertinent
962
01:06:22,520 –> 01:06:24,960
section.
We believe it’s pertinent to the
963
01:06:24,960 –> 01:06:27,360
Catholic cause and to the
Catholic conviction.
964
01:06:27,840 –> 01:06:30,800
Can we just preface why we’re
looking at this passage in Acts
965
01:06:30,800 –> 01:06:35,240
17 as a summary?
The reason why we’re looking at
966
01:06:35,240 –> 01:06:37,960
this passage, ladies and
gentlemen, is as follows.
967
01:06:39,360 –> 01:06:43,200
The Catholic community views
oral tradition or the living
968
01:06:43,200 –> 01:06:47,960
voice as being something which,
although it doesn’t contradict
969
01:06:48,240 –> 01:06:52,320
supplement, presides over,
interprets as the living voice
970
01:06:52,800 –> 01:06:56,800
the written message.
They believe that on all scores,
971
01:06:56,800 –> 01:07:01,480
therefore, the living voice is
more dynamic and is in a certain
972
01:07:01,480 –> 01:07:05,400
sense the greater authority.
It embraces Scripture in that
973
01:07:05,400 –> 01:07:08,640
sense.
It is believed that because the
974
01:07:08,640 –> 01:07:12,400
Magisterium of the Catholic
Church, the officiating body, is
975
01:07:12,400 –> 01:07:16,720
guided by the Holy Spirit and
has such a living, dynamic
976
01:07:16,840 –> 01:07:22,240
present voice that is guiding
them, then you should trust and
977
01:07:22,240 –> 01:07:25,680
put your faith in what they say,
even though certain doctrines
978
01:07:25,680 –> 01:07:27,040
may not be directly in the
Bible.
979
01:07:28,000 –> 01:07:32,280
Now it would be helpful to test
this in a scriptural sense, and
980
01:07:32,280 –> 01:07:36,240
we can do this with Acts 17.
If we could find an example,
981
01:07:36,240 –> 01:07:40,080
ladies and gentlemen, in the New
Testament of a case something
982
01:07:40,080 –> 01:07:43,360
like this, where we have an
apostle, let’s say someone like
983
01:07:43,360 –> 01:07:47,320
Paul, who is speaking to an
audience not converted.
984
01:07:48,400 –> 01:07:51,840
Here is Paul and all would agree
he was guided by the Holy Spirit
985
01:07:51,960 –> 01:07:55,680
and claims such.
If we had a case of someone like
986
01:07:55,680 –> 01:08:00,080
Paul speaking obviously by
inspiration of the Holy Spirit
987
01:08:00,680 –> 01:08:08,040
and having his oral message
tested, checked, weighed up and
988
01:08:08,040 –> 01:08:10,120
weighed against the written
message.
989
01:08:11,120 –> 01:08:15,920
If we had an example like that,
we would find something that
990
01:08:15,920 –> 01:08:19,520
we’re looking for to test the
Catholic claim quite succinctly.
991
01:08:20,560 –> 01:08:26,520
Let’s look at Acts 17.
Acts 17, verse one brings Paul
992
01:08:26,520 –> 01:08:30,279
into Amphipolis in Apollonia may
come to Thessalonica, we’re told
993
01:08:30,560 –> 01:08:35,200
to a synagogue of the Jews.
Verse 2 Paul as his manner was
994
01:08:35,200 –> 01:08:38,920
went in unto them, and for three
Sabbath he reasoned with them
995
01:08:38,960 –> 01:08:43,200
out of the Scriptures opening
and alleging that Christ must
996
01:08:43,200 –> 01:08:46,240
need have suffered.
Notice that phrase in verse two,
997
01:08:46,840 –> 01:08:52,520
He reasoned with them out of the
scriptures.
998
01:08:52,840 –> 01:09:00,760
Verse two, as his manner was
Paul’s posture in talking to non
999
01:09:00,760 –> 01:09:04,880
Christian, although they were
Jews and knew the Bible was to
1000
01:09:04,880 –> 01:09:10,080
make his Apostolic appeal by a
reasoning from the written
1001
01:09:10,080 –> 01:09:12,880
message.
Despite his Apostolic authority,
1002
01:09:13,479 –> 01:09:17,520
despite his inspired Holy Spirit
guidance, he stuck to the
1003
01:09:17,520 –> 01:09:21,319
scriptures.
Verse three he opened and he had
1004
01:09:21,319 –> 01:09:24,240
LED from those scriptures of
always preaching the new
1005
01:09:24,240 –> 01:09:26,479
covenant and of always preaching
Christ.
1006
01:09:26,479 –> 01:09:27,720
He does it from the Old
Testament.
1007
01:09:28,240 –> 01:09:31,960
He does it from previously
divine written revelation.
1008
01:09:32,680 –> 01:09:37,279
Then the story continues, he
moves on from this place to
1009
01:09:37,279 –> 01:09:40,520
another, and we read, if we just
slip down to verse 10.
1010
01:09:41,200 –> 01:09:44,600
And the brethren immediately
sent Paul and Silas by night
1011
01:09:44,600 –> 01:09:48,520
unto Berea little town, who
coming thither went into the
1012
01:09:48,520 –> 01:09:53,040
synagogue of the Jews.
These were more noble.
1013
01:09:54,320 –> 01:09:59,200
These were more noble, these
Jews in the synagogue than those
1014
01:09:59,200 –> 01:10:01,040
in Thessalonica.
How so?
1015
01:10:01,720 –> 01:10:09,600
In that they received the word
with all readiness of mind and
1016
01:10:09,720 –> 01:10:17,080
search the scriptures daily,
whether whether those things
1017
01:10:17,080 –> 01:10:21,560
were sold.
Who’s being tested, Paul?
1018
01:10:22,400 –> 01:10:24,360
Where is he preaching?
In the synagogue?
1019
01:10:24,880 –> 01:10:26,840
To whom is he preaching?
The Jews?
1020
01:10:27,920 –> 01:10:30,120
And why are these people
commended?
1021
01:10:30,840 –> 01:10:35,160
They are commended because they
received Paul’s word with all
1022
01:10:35,160 –> 01:10:41,080
readiness of mind and searched
the scriptures daily, whether
1023
01:10:41,440 –> 01:10:46,400
those things were so, in other
words, they went home or they
1024
01:10:46,400 –> 01:10:50,360
went to the synagogue table,
took their scriptures in hand
1025
01:10:50,600 –> 01:10:57,360
and tested whether the oral
message, the inspired oral
1026
01:10:57,360 –> 01:11:03,400
living message, measured up to
the previous divine revelation
1027
01:11:03,400 –> 01:11:05,520
in their scripture.
These were Jews.
1028
01:11:05,920 –> 01:11:07,000
They didn’t have the New
Testament.
1029
01:11:07,000 –> 01:11:10,040
They didn’t accept it.
They took their Old Testament
1030
01:11:10,040 –> 01:11:13,920
scriptures there in the
synagogue and daily searched to
1031
01:11:13,920 –> 01:11:19,920
see whether this man inspired,
authoritative as he was, was
1032
01:11:19,920 –> 01:11:24,480
saying something that squared
with the written message.
1033
01:11:25,360 –> 01:11:28,120
The written message, ladies and
gentlemen, was the measuring
1034
01:11:28,200 –> 01:11:31,560
thing.
It was the divine standard of
1035
01:11:31,560 –> 01:11:36,040
correctness or incorrectness.
And here the scriptures do not
1036
01:11:36,040 –> 01:11:38,520
look at the Bereans as insulting
Paul.
1037
01:11:39,320 –> 01:11:43,280
They’re not viewed as being
overly sceptical or being rather
1038
01:11:43,280 –> 01:11:48,120
hard nosed.
It says they were more noble
1039
01:11:48,680 –> 01:11:52,760
than those of Thespoonica in
that they did this, they
1040
01:11:52,760 –> 01:11:55,440
received the Word with all
readiness, and they searched the
1041
01:11:55,440 –> 01:11:59,240
Scriptures daily.
Ladies and gentlemen, we have
1042
01:11:59,240 –> 01:12:04,240
here before us a supreme and
startling example that when the
1043
01:12:04,240 –> 01:12:08,360
living voice was present, guided
by the Holy Spirit, people who
1044
01:12:08,360 –> 01:12:12,480
checked their Bibles, the
written message to test whether
1045
01:12:12,680 –> 01:12:16,840
the oral message was correct
were commended for it as being
1046
01:12:16,840 –> 01:12:20,120
noble.
We have some handouts now that
1047
01:12:20,120 –> 01:12:24,040
our lecture is included, not the
book, but some supplementary
1048
01:12:24,040 –> 01:12:26,000
pages.
We’re going to give those to you
1049
01:12:26,000 –> 01:12:28,800
now, and we’re just going to
comment on why we’re giving them
1050
01:12:28,800 –> 01:12:30,960
to you, and we’ll close and ask
for questions.
1051
01:12:31,480 –> 01:12:33,800
Could we have our stewards just
give out these pages?
1052
01:12:33,920 –> 01:12:38,800
It wasn’t the purpose of our
address this evening to deal in
1053
01:12:38,800 –> 01:12:42,680
detail with the Bible teaching
of the soul and what it means.
1054
01:12:43,880 –> 01:12:48,440
But on these pages we have tried
to categorize for you a number
1055
01:12:48,440 –> 01:12:53,240
of very important Bible passages
showing we believe quite clearly
1056
01:12:53,360 –> 01:12:56,000
that the doctrine of the
immortal soul as understood by
1057
01:12:56,000 –> 01:12:57,840
the Catholic Church is quite an
error.
1058
01:12:58,320 –> 01:13:02,000
It does not represent nor
supplement the biblical
1059
01:13:02,000 –> 01:13:04,480
revelation.
Instead, it contradicts it.
1060
01:13:05,840 –> 01:13:08,240
When you look at the Bible’s
teaching, you find it.
1061
01:13:08,240 –> 01:13:10,360
But we just browse the few pages
we have.
1062
01:13:10,640 –> 01:13:15,840
The first page shows you that
the word soul is used of the
1063
01:13:15,840 –> 01:13:20,960
creation of man in Genesis 2,
but it’s also used to describe
1064
01:13:20,960 –> 01:13:25,520
the animals, as a Catholic
pamphlet admits down at the
1065
01:13:25,520 –> 01:13:28,560
bottom of the first page.
Look at how the word soul is
1066
01:13:28,560 –> 01:13:32,240
used in your Bible.
Rather than describing something
1067
01:13:32,240 –> 01:13:37,360
immortal, intangible, or a spark
from God, it’s used to describe
1068
01:13:37,360 –> 01:13:40,760
things that can be strangled.
Souls are described as having
1069
01:13:40,760 –> 01:13:43,080
blood.
Souls are described as having
1070
01:13:43,080 –> 01:13:46,520
been bought or sold, touched or
eaten in the Bible.
1071
01:13:47,040 –> 01:13:50,760
Second page.
Therefore we show you a number
1072
01:13:50,760 –> 01:13:55,200
of Bible passages where the soul
is described as perishing, a
1073
01:13:55,200 –> 01:13:59,160
soul is described as being able
to be put to the sword and of
1074
01:13:59,160 –> 01:14:03,800
done a soul is used and it is
described rather as being
1075
01:14:03,800 –> 01:14:07,720
unconscious in the death state
of being like asleep or
1076
01:14:07,720 –> 01:14:11,160
oblivion.
There are some rather startling
1077
01:14:11,160 –> 01:14:14,680
admissions listed on the second
page from various
1078
01:14:14,680 –> 01:14:18,200
representations of the Christian
community apart from Catholics
1079
01:14:18,640 –> 01:14:22,680
admitting that the word soul
really is not described as being
1080
01:14:22,680 –> 01:14:28,920
immortal in the Bible.
The third page, Some historical
1081
01:14:28,920 –> 01:14:34,320
references from Encyclopedia
Herodotus, the old Greek
1082
01:14:34,320 –> 01:14:38,160
historian who wrote well before
the time of Christ, tells us the
1083
01:14:38,160 –> 01:14:42,720
concept of the immortal soul
came from Egypt, given in his
1084
01:14:42,720 –> 01:14:44,560
rise and fall of the Roman
Empire.
1085
01:14:45,680 –> 01:14:49,920
Candidly knows as an objective
historian, and by the way he was
1086
01:14:49,920 –> 01:14:53,880
an atheist, that the immortality
of the soul is omitted in the
1087
01:14:53,880 –> 01:14:57,040
Law of Moses.
Mosheim, one of the oldest
1088
01:14:57,040 –> 01:15:01,880
ecclesiastical historian,
affirms that it was from Plato
1089
01:15:02,240 –> 01:15:05,520
that the immortal soul concept
crept into Christian
1090
01:15:05,520 –> 01:15:09,320
communities.
Justin Martyr, viewed as one of
1091
01:15:09,320 –> 01:15:13,920
the early church fathered by the
Catholic Church, says in the
1092
01:15:13,920 –> 01:15:18,680
middle of that quote that the
concept of the soul as leaving
1093
01:15:18,680 –> 01:15:22,280
the body and going to heaven
when a man dies was something
1094
01:15:22,280 –> 01:15:25,720
that had cracked in from outside
of the true Christian community.
1095
01:15:26,800 –> 01:15:31,080
The 4th page.
A quotation at the top from
1096
01:15:31,080 –> 01:15:36,760
Encyclopedia Britannica showing
that Augustine, again regarded
1097
01:15:36,760 –> 01:15:40,200
as one of the early fathers of
the Catholic Church, borrowed
1098
01:15:40,200 –> 01:15:45,800
from Plato in his concept and
his definition of the immortal
1099
01:15:45,800 –> 01:15:49,480
soul.
Collier’s Encyclopedia backed
1100
01:15:49,480 –> 01:15:52,960
that up.
The American Encyclopedia backs
1101
01:15:52,960 –> 01:15:57,800
that up, that Augustine borrowed
from Plato in his concept of the
1102
01:15:57,800 –> 01:16:00,200
soul.
Just notice the bottom of page
1103
01:16:00,200 –> 01:16:07,080
4, volume to 1971 and 79 rather
that contribution.
1104
01:16:07,080 –> 01:16:11,120
RK Ryan is a Catholic.
He signs his name at the bottom
1105
01:16:11,120 –> 01:16:15,600
of the encyclopedia entry.
A Catholic writer in that
1106
01:16:15,600 –> 01:16:20,360
encyclopedia says this.
The sole, according to the view
1107
01:16:20,360 –> 01:16:23,320
of Augustine, is a true
substance and not a mere
1108
01:16:23,320 –> 01:16:27,600
accidental reality.
For its immortality, Augustine
1109
01:16:27,600 –> 01:16:31,320
advances various proofs which
derive from Plato.
1110
01:16:31,640 –> 01:16:35,120
That’s a Catholic writer.
We hope that you will look at
1111
01:16:35,120 –> 01:16:39,480
the last page.
It shows what the Bible means by
1112
01:16:39,480 –> 01:16:41,520
the word soul in the New
Testament.
1113
01:16:42,520 –> 01:16:45,800
In first Two Corinthians 15, the
apostle Paul sets up a
1114
01:16:45,800 –> 01:16:53,560
comparison and Speaking of what
happens to a body when it dies
1115
01:16:54,040 –> 01:16:56,720
and what it’s like when it’s
resurrected by Christ.
1116
01:16:57,000 –> 01:17:03,160
He says that a body is sown
first in verse 40 as an earthy
1117
01:17:03,160 –> 01:17:05,000
body and then raised to the
heavenly.
1118
01:17:05,640 –> 01:17:09,040
A body when it dies is subject
to decay, but then it will be
1119
01:17:09,040 –> 01:17:12,320
raised to be incorruptible.
So it’s not incorruptible to
1120
01:17:12,320 –> 01:17:15,400
start with.
A body is ignoble to start with
1121
01:17:15,400 –> 01:17:18,160
and then glory.
A body, he says is sown in
1122
01:17:18,160 –> 01:17:19,880
weakness, but it’s raised in
strength.
1123
01:17:19,880 –> 01:17:24,440
When Christ returns a body he
says is natural, it’ll be raised
1124
01:17:24,440 –> 01:17:29,080
spiritual later.
A body he says is sown.
1125
01:17:29,480 –> 01:17:32,520
A living soul.
See what the Bible means by
1126
01:17:32,800 –> 01:17:35,640
soul?
It’s equivalent with a natural
1127
01:17:35,640 –> 01:17:38,160
body.
It’s equated with something
1128
01:17:38,160 –> 01:17:42,520
that’s weak to the Bible.
A living soul is equated with
1129
01:17:42,520 –> 01:17:46,120
something that’s ignoble,
something subject to decay, and
1130
01:17:46,120 –> 01:17:49,360
below that something that is of
the earth, Something he
1131
01:17:49,360 –> 01:17:51,320
describes as being a flesh and
blood.
1132
01:17:52,360 –> 01:17:55,440
A living soul, equated in his
comparison with things that are
1133
01:17:55,440 –> 01:17:58,640
asleep when they die, with
something that is corruptible
1134
01:17:58,680 –> 01:18:02,400
and mortal.
And he says that only in the
1135
01:18:02,400 –> 01:18:07,040
future, at the resurrection,
only then will a living soul,
1136
01:18:07,480 –> 01:18:10,560
something ignoble, something
weak, something that’s a natural
1137
01:18:10,560 –> 01:18:14,200
body, only then will it be
clothed with immortality.
1138
01:18:14,920 –> 01:18:18,080
Our conclusion, ladies and
gentlemen, is on such basic
1139
01:18:18,080 –> 01:18:21,800
foundations.
We sincerely believe the
1140
01:18:21,800 –> 01:18:24,680
community, half a community, is
a stray.
1141
01:18:25,080 –> 01:18:28,160
We make an appeal to you to
consider these and other
1142
01:18:28,160 –> 01:18:31,000
doctrines carefully in the light
of your Bible’s teaching.
1143
01:18:31,640 –> 01:18:37,880
Thank you.
Yes, we do.
1144
01:18:37,880 –> 01:18:41,320
Thank you, friends.
We thank Mr. Badger for bringing
1145
01:18:41,320 –> 01:18:44,920
us this message.
It’s finally important that we
1146
01:18:44,920 –> 01:18:48,760
look into this personally
because it is a matter of life
1147
01:18:48,760 –> 01:18:52,040
and death, and it’s your life or
your death we’re dealing with.
1148
01:18:53,040 –> 01:18:56,000
When it comes to such things as
traffic, we’re not permitted to
1149
01:18:56,000 –> 01:18:58,920
drive on whatever side of the
street we feel is right.
1150
01:18:59,520 –> 01:19:00,880
In England you drive on the
left.
1151
01:19:00,880 –> 01:19:04,320
Here you drive on the right.
When it comes to religion, we do
1152
01:19:04,320 –> 01:19:07,280
not have the right to make up
our own religion and decide that
1153
01:19:07,280 –> 01:19:10,960
what we believe is correct
because we’re sincere, because
1154
01:19:10,960 –> 01:19:13,520
it’s possible to be sincerely
wrong.
1155
01:19:14,560 –> 01:19:18,960
Mr. Badger tonight has shown us
how the foundations can be
1156
01:19:18,960 –> 01:19:22,240
incorrect, so we want you to
examine yours.
1157
01:19:22,240 –> 01:19:24,800
So right now, if you have a
question you want to address to
1158
01:19:24,800 –> 01:19:28,360
Mr. Badger, would you just
please raise your hand and he’ll
1159
01:19:28,360 –> 01:19:31,800
come forward and answer it for
you, something that he dealt
1160
01:19:31,800 –> 01:19:34,920
with in his lecture tonight.
Then you won’t have any
1161
01:19:34,920 –> 01:19:38,520
questions.
If you don’t want to ask a
1162
01:19:38,520 –> 01:19:40,200
question, don’t.
It’s all right.
1163
01:19:40,480 –> 01:19:43,480
He’ll be around afterwards to
answer them personally in case
1164
01:19:43,480 –> 01:19:47,040
you would like to talk to him.
The Christadelphians meet in
1165
01:19:47,040 –> 01:19:50,120
this place we have for some 38
years.
1166
01:19:50,480 –> 01:19:52,240
We’re going to be moving away
soon.
1167
01:19:52,680 –> 01:19:54,840
We want to invite you to come to
our new home.
1168
01:19:54,840 –> 01:19:56,920
We just purchased a building in
Tahunga.
1169
01:19:57,560 –> 01:20:01,120
But the truth is everywhere
because the Bible is everywhere.
1170
01:20:01,600 –> 01:20:05,400
And we would want you to follow
us if you’re interested in
1171
01:20:06,080 –> 01:20:08,280
continuing your search for
truth.
1172
01:20:08,920 –> 01:20:14,840
Because it’s sad but true that
many, many people are wrong.
1173
01:20:14,840 –> 01:20:17,440
In fact, the majority have
almost always been wrong.
1174
01:20:17,680 –> 01:20:19,640
At the time of the flood, there
were only eight people out of.
1175
01:20:20,320 –> 01:20:23,240
1,30,000,000 That we’re right.
Well, eight people out of
1176
01:20:23,520 –> 01:20:27,720
1,30,000,000 at the time of
Sodom and Gomorrah, there were
1177
01:20:27,720 –> 01:20:30,840
four people that left Sodom and
everybody else perished.
1178
01:20:31,040 –> 01:20:33,520
So the fact that we’re in the
majority doesn’t prove we’re
1179
01:20:33,520 –> 01:20:37,440
right.
So don’t worry about numbers.
1180
01:20:37,440 –> 01:20:39,480
Let’s concern ourselves with
facts.
1181
01:20:40,560 –> 01:20:41,880
And tonight we’ve looked at
some.
1182
01:20:41,880 –> 01:20:44,400
We hope you’ll read this book.
We’ll hope you’ll study with us.
1183
01:20:44,400 –> 01:20:47,800
We’d like to have your address.
One of the presidents of the
1184
01:20:47,800 –> 01:20:50,560
United States, which is now
dead, used to like to say, come,
1185
01:20:50,560 –> 01:20:53,760
let us reason together.
And we’re he.
1186
01:20:54,000 –> 01:20:55,720
He took that from the book of
Isaiah.
1187
01:20:56,120 –> 01:20:57,600
And that’s our appeal to you
tonight.
1188
01:20:58,160 –> 01:21:01,200
We do not want to argue.
We just want to sit down and
1189
01:21:01,200 –> 01:21:03,800
reason together.
Let’s take your Bible and our
1190
01:21:03,800 –> 01:21:07,040
Bible and sit down and open them
up and say, what does it say?
1191
01:21:08,000 –> 01:21:12,600
Are your foundations correct?
And if ours are incorrect and
1192
01:21:12,600 –> 01:21:14,880
yours are right, we want to
change too.
1193
01:21:15,440 –> 01:21:17,800
So let’s reason together to find
out what is true.
1194
01:21:18,680 –> 01:21:22,040
Paul told us when he wrote the
to the Galatians that even if an
1195
01:21:22,080 –> 01:21:25,360
Angel from heaven was to preach
another gospel, that he should
1196
01:21:25,360 –> 01:21:27,280
be accursed because he said if
there isn’t any other gospel,
1197
01:21:27,280 –> 01:21:30,120
there’s just one.
Now that’s one place we agree
1198
01:21:30,120 –> 01:21:32,080
with the Catholics.
They say that if you don’t
1199
01:21:32,080 –> 01:21:33,640
believe what’s right, you’ll
perish.
1200
01:21:33,640 –> 01:21:35,880
And we say the same thing.
Then we have to decide who’s
1201
01:21:35,880 –> 01:21:38,640
right.
The Bible is right.
1202
01:21:38,640 –> 01:21:40,800
And this doesn’t make a
difference what we say or anyone
1203
01:21:40,800 –> 01:21:45,000
else says.
But Mr. Badger pointed out, even
1204
01:21:45,200 –> 01:21:48,000
the Bereans checked up on Paul
to see if he was right.
1205
01:21:48,720 –> 01:21:50,880
So obviously we would want you
to check up on us.
1206
01:21:51,520 –> 01:21:54,200
We don’t say believe it because
the Christadelphians say it.
1207
01:21:54,480 –> 01:21:58,160
We say believe it because the
word of God said, But what does
1208
01:21:58,160 –> 01:22:00,400
it say?
You have a Bible, you have
1209
01:22:00,400 –> 01:22:03,200
common sense.
You do not have to have someone
1210
01:22:03,200 –> 01:22:05,720
tell you what it says.
So let’s open our Bibles
1211
01:22:05,720 –> 01:22:08,240
together and read it now.
Mr. Badger will be here
1212
01:22:08,240 –> 01:22:09,880
tomorrow.
He’s going to give three talks
1213
01:22:09,880 –> 01:22:14,680
tomorrow, one at 9:30 to our
Sunday School, one at 11:00, and
1214
01:22:14,680 –> 01:22:18,760
another talk at 793011 and 7:00
tomorrow.
1215
01:22:18,760 –> 01:22:20,560
You’re invited to any and all of
those.
1216
01:22:21,040 –> 01:22:24,240
You’re invited to come back to
this hall for the next few weeks
1217
01:22:24,240 –> 01:22:26,480
to meet with us.
If you’ll give us your address,
1218
01:22:26,480 –> 01:22:27,720
we’ll put you on our mailing
list.
1219
01:22:27,720 –> 01:22:31,000
We will send you pamphlets, a
magazine every month free of
1220
01:22:31,000 –> 01:22:32,760
charge.
We do not charge for anything we
1221
01:22:32,760 –> 01:22:35,280
have.
We just want to reason together
1222
01:22:35,280 –> 01:22:40,200
with you, examine your
foundation, be sure you’re right
1223
01:22:41,240 –> 01:22:44,160
because there’s no comfort in
being wrong.
1224
01:22:45,920 –> 01:22:50,000
And so our time has elapsed.
We do thank you for having come.
1225
01:22:51,160 –> 01:22:54,640
We are going to close with a
hymn and a prayer.
1226
01:22:55,440 –> 01:22:59,320
And then we’re going to ask you
if you’d like to stand, stay
1227
01:22:59,320 –> 01:23:03,640
around and talk to Mr. Badger.
Ask him questions.
1228
01:23:03,680 –> 01:23:06,240
Give us your name and address.
We promise this.
1229
01:23:06,240 –> 01:23:09,720
We will not hound you.
We will not come to your home
1230
01:23:09,920 –> 01:23:14,960
uninvited, but we would come to
your home if you wanted to and
1231
01:23:14,960 –> 01:23:18,880
welcome us with our Bible in
hand and your Bible and sit down
1232
01:23:18,880 –> 01:23:21,440
together.
It is important that we look
1233
01:23:21,440 –> 01:23:26,120
into these things because your
future is at stake.
1234
01:23:26,880 –> 01:23:28,560
Your eternal salvation is at
stake.
1235
01:23:29,160 –> 01:23:30,960
Do not take this lightly.
Do not think.
1236
01:23:30,960 –> 01:23:32,400
Oh well, it doesn’t really
matter.
1237
01:23:32,640 –> 01:23:34,520
All roads lead to the same
place.
1238
01:23:34,520 –> 01:23:36,560
They don’t.
That’s even why we have Rd.
1239
01:23:36,560 –> 01:23:38,520
maps, because if you go on the
wrong Rd. you’re not going to
1240
01:23:38,520 –> 01:23:40,880
get where you want to go.
And a lot of people don’t even
1241
01:23:40,880 –> 01:23:45,160
know where they’re going.
So let’s use our Bible as a road
1242
01:23:45,160 –> 01:23:47,120
map and it will take us all to
the same place.
1243
01:23:47,120 –> 01:23:51,840
And that place is the truth.
So we’re going to come to a
1244
01:23:51,840 –> 01:23:55,480
closed out of Singing Together
hymn #161 from the Trusted
1245
01:23:55,480 –> 01:24:01,720
Alchemy Hymn Book and A Word of
Prayer in 161.
1246
01:24:03,000 –> 01:24:06,320
The first few lines of that hymn
read as follows.
1247
01:24:07,720 –> 01:24:10,600
The church.
Interesting.
1248
01:24:10,760 –> 01:24:13,600
We’re talking about foundation.
Check your foundation.
1249
01:24:13,800 –> 01:24:22,360
The church’s one foundation is
Jesus Christ our Lord hymn #161
1250
01:24:22,720 –> 01:24:26,520
great and glorious almighty
sovereign.
1251
01:24:27,760 –> 01:24:32,560
Look down and hear our humble
prayer, for we seek thee through
1252
01:24:32,560 –> 01:24:37,000
Jesus Christ our Lord.
We thank Thee, Father, for this
1253
01:24:37,000 –> 01:24:41,960
time we spent together, this
time to open thy book and
1254
01:24:41,960 –> 01:24:47,120
compare it to the religion of
our friends around us, to
1255
01:24:47,120 –> 01:24:52,520
compare the written word
inspired and God breathed with
1256
01:24:52,520 –> 01:24:56,920
the writings of men.
And we thank Thee, Father, for
1257
01:24:56,920 –> 01:25:00,800
the assurance that Thou has
given us, that these words which
1258
01:25:00,800 –> 01:25:03,640
You have written are able to
make us wise to salvation.
1259
01:25:04,560 –> 01:25:08,720
And we pray, Father, that we may
not be guilty of that sin of
1260
01:25:10,320 –> 01:25:13,920
placing before Thy word the
traditions of man.
1261
01:25:14,560 –> 01:25:18,400
For Thy Son has told us that if
we do this, that we truly
1262
01:25:18,400 –> 01:25:22,240
worship Thee in vain.
And, Father, we don’t want to be
1263
01:25:22,240 –> 01:25:25,520
mistaken.
Father, we do love Thee.
1264
01:25:26,320 –> 01:25:31,320
We want you to love us, but we
know that You love those that
1265
01:25:31,320 –> 01:25:33,840
love Thee and put their trust in
Thee.
1266
01:25:34,960 –> 01:25:39,080
Help us send Father to not
follow comingly divided fables,
1267
01:25:39,080 –> 01:25:45,560
but simply Thy written words.
Father, we seek Thy help, and we
1268
01:25:45,560 –> 01:25:47,800
thank Thee for this Church that
You have given us, that if we
1269
01:25:47,800 –> 01:25:51,280
lack wisdom, and we ask Thee
that Thou wilt give it to us,
1270
01:25:52,000 –> 01:25:56,400
until we now ask for Thy wisdom,
that we might rightly divide Thy
1271
01:25:56,400 –> 01:26:02,760
word of truth, that we might
know Thy plan and purpose, that
1272
01:26:02,760 –> 01:26:05,280
we might do those things with
Thou hast commanded.
1273
01:26:06,280 –> 01:26:08,800
For we know thou hast told us
that thy Son is soon to come,
1274
01:26:09,720 –> 01:26:12,720
that he will take out of the
Gentiles of people for his name,
1275
01:26:13,280 –> 01:26:17,080
that he is choosing those that
are to live and to reign with
1276
01:26:17,080 –> 01:26:19,720
him.
We thank Thee for the assurance
1277
01:26:19,720 –> 01:26:24,000
that you’ve told us that soon
Thy faithful sing a new song,
1278
01:26:25,000 –> 01:26:28,320
singing even to Thy Son, the
Lord Jesus Christ.
1279
01:26:28,800 –> 01:26:33,560
Think to Him that He is faithful
and worthy to open the book, for
1280
01:26:33,560 –> 01:26:38,000
He was slain and has redeemed us
to God by His blood out of every
1281
01:26:38,000 –> 01:26:43,040
kittered and tongued people and
nations, and that we can reign
1282
01:26:43,440 –> 01:26:48,600
on this earth with Him forever.
Father, we want our friends to
1283
01:26:48,600 –> 01:26:52,320
share in this glorious hope.
Thank you for bringing us
1284
01:26:52,320 –> 01:26:55,080
together.
Bring us back together, Father,
1285
01:26:55,080 –> 01:26:58,920
that we might reason together
and walk hand in hand to Thy
1286
01:26:58,920 –> 01:27:01,760
Kingdom.
Dismiss us then, now with Thy
1287
01:27:01,760 –> 01:27:06,320
blessing, and fill our hearts
with joy and peace, Thy peace
1288
01:27:06,320 –> 01:27:09,720
that passeth all understandings.
We offer our prayer and give
1289
01:27:09,720 –> 01:27:13,120
Thee our Thanksgiving to the
worthy name of Christ Jesus our
1290
01:27:13,120 –> 01:27:14,880
Lord.
Amen.
1291
01:27:28,320 –> 01:27:30,400
Thank you for listening to the
good Chris Adelphian Talks
1292
01:27:30,400 –> 01:27:33,000
podcast.
We hope this talk helped you in
1293
01:27:33,000 –> 01:27:34,520
your walk and brightened your
day.
1294
01:27:35,680 –> 01:27:37,720
If you would like to hear more,
please subscribe for new
1295
01:27:37,720 –> 01:27:40,280
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We are on all major podcast
1296
01:27:40,280 –> 01:27:44,360
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If you enjoyed this particular
1297
01:27:44,360 –> 01:27:46,840
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someone else who you think might
1298
01:27:46,840 –> 01:27:49,600
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For show notes on the talk you
1299
01:27:49,600 –> 01:27:53,680
just listened to, visit
[email protected]
1300
01:27:53,960 –> 01:27:56,440
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1301
01:27:57,720 –> 01:28:00,200
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1302
01:28:00,200 –> 01:28:02,920
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1303
01:28:02,920 –> 01:28:06,200
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1304
01:28:06,200 –> 01:28:07,760
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1305
01:28:08,120 –> 01:28:10,760
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1306
01:28:10,760 –> 01:28:13,000
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1307
01:28:13,560 –> 01:28:16,560
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using the Contact Us tab on our
1308
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website or message us on any of
our social media accounts.
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Thank you for listening.
God bless and talk to you next
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week.
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