 AhmadJoyia wrote:
Thanks bro for taking time out to answer. Nevertheless, on this note about the theory of vision of St Paul, didn't I ask you why this 'profound conversion' ended after him? Or is it still there? Do you think, the 'Pope' proclaims this conversion through the work of 'Holy Spirit' or what? Similarly, why it took centuries for the 'Holy Spirit' to canonize the Bible and not bothered to preserve the Original? If your theory is correct, you should have an answer other than replying its the 'Work of God'; else there is an alternate solution to this problem which I think, Joseph Smith suggested. Do you agree with him about the deliberate hiding of God's Books and then revealing in the form of Golden plates etc. Please guide me. Thanks. |
Greetings AhmadJoyia,
It is my belief that God called Paul(Saul) particularly for the task of building the church. Saul (later called Paul) was particularly well placed. He was a well-educated man with a firm knowledge in the Jewish scriptures, and he was ranked high both in the Jewish society, and Roman. As a Roman citizen he had special protections. He had connections as well, with people of wealth. These connections, and these people were able to help the church to grow by supporting financially the church (the missionaries... the disciples) and its activities.
Saul(Paul) was needed as one who could take the message of Christ(a Jew) to the gentiles... those unscholared in Jewish teaching...
as well as being one who, knowing the Jewish scriptures, and Jewish ways, was well able to mediate between the Jews and their ways, and the gentiles and their ways.
Beyond Peter and Paul, no further was needed... the church was established by these two men called by God to form the foundation of the church which was, and is, for all men. The methods of anointing priests was established following traditional Jewish lines of practice. The methods of hierarchy were, and are, continued to this day.
The Catholic church has all the traditions and sacramental features of the Jewish faith, as well as having the Word of Yshwe... God's salvation... God's saving message... God's Word.
I believe that those called to serve in the Catholic church are indeed called by the Holy Spirit, and possess something special.
This does not mean that the Holy Spirit does not also work in people outside the priesthood (or nunnery); but those who serve in the special way of the priesthood or nunnery, yes, I do believe they have a special calling... or at least, they have had the good sense to hear, and answer, the calling of the Holy Spirit without first going astray.
There are many outside the priesthood(and nunnery) that simply have not answered to this calling, setting it aside in preference of the world and its ways, their own will and desires. This is the influence of the enemy of God, who leads people away from God, by his temptations... deafening the ears to the call of God, and blinding the eyes to his own deceits. There are many who later realize how they have followed these ways, and their own will, and the temptation, lies, and deceits of the world, to their own detriment, and the Holy Spirit will once again call to them and guide them back to a right path. This is
redemption.
There are others who manage to be guided by the Holy Spirit throughout their lives without needing to join the priesthood, and without going astray. These are people who follow a Godly lifestyle and serve in our everyday lives.
The Holy Spirit lives in and among us in many ways.
As far as the scriptures, it was the Holy Spirit that guided the priests to search out Truth and canonize which scriptures, only after strict scrutiny, could be unequivocally accepted as Truth. It is an interesting study, which I have only partially undertaken, how it came to be decided which scriptures were acceptable for canonization. It is a very in-depth study.
(It is much like the muslim belief in reliable hadith, and less reliable hadith, only the Holy Spirit guided the church to canonize only that which was reliable.)
I think that, like in the area and time of Muhammad,
it was a culture of oral tradition that spread the message of Christ.
As time went on it became clear that some stories were being stretched, distorted, or even invented. I would say that this is when the priests of the church(guided by the power and presence of the Holy Spirit) began to realize that, as the Israelites had done with the Torah, the scriptures must be written down, and there needed to be a method of scrutiny in compiling the Truth from the varied story-tellings that were being shared orally.
(again this is not much different than the 7 different recitations of the qur'an during the time of Muhammad, and Uthman's decision to compile a complete and final book of the recitations, known as the qur'an)
Regard this passage from the Biblical scriptures:
10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
12 Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.
The Berean's were considered noble, and scrupulous in seeking truth.
The church followed the same tradition of scrutiny in compiling the canonized scriptures.
asalaam and blessings,
Caringheart
Edited by Caringheart - 06 January 2016 at 6:54pm
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