Subject: Early church support for Peter as Pope? |
Bible Note: Joe First I question my wisdom replying to you, your mind seems to be shut to any idea other than the ones you presently hold. That's okay but it doesn’t lend to sharing of ideas very well. However I venture in. First I believe God gives us a free will, which to me means he allows us to make choices. I believe God leads us upon life’s highway and there are forks in the road. God allows us to choose which fork to take. God knows the forks we will choose but God allows us to make the choice ourselves. I further believe that situations, past experiences, beliefs, faith and many other similar factors help determine the choices we make. Since the path we are on isn’t plotted in concrete God will bring things into our life that will eventually take us to where God desires us to be. Where we start and where we end are up to God, how we got there and how many forks in the road we had to take to get there are determined by us. I believe this holds true for living entities like the church of Jesus Christ. Studying church history has convinced me the church just like us at times, chooses the less expeditious fork and therefore is forced to experience things that aren’t always positive. Two examples of this that stand out to me is the fork that lead the church into the dark ages, with the inquisitions and crusades. Another is the reformation, I believe some bad choices were made and we are still paying the price. Does that mean God has lost control? Absolutely not! Is the church where God wants it? I don’t believe so. Is the church going to get to the place God has for it? Absolutely yes! Was there an easier way to get there? Only God know that. Hence the answer I gave that seems to have so astounded your sensibilities and caused you to respond to my response to JVH0212 the way you did. Shelah EdB |