Eddie42
Member
The thread title comes from Eph. 4:5 and Jude 1:3. Where can we find this "one faith" that was once for all delivered to the saints. It was given to the believers in the days of the Apostles, and Jesus made a promise:
"And I tell you, you are Peter[Gk Petros], and on this rock[Gk petra] I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it." (Matt 16:18, NRSV)
What was the rock upon which Jesus would build his church, that Hades or death would not prevail against it. I believe Matthew Poole explained it correctly "Thou[Peter] hast made a confession of faith which is a rock, even such a rock as was mentioned Mat 7:25. And thou thyself art a rock, a steady, firm believer...I will build my church. By church is here plainly meant the whole body of believers, who all agree in this one faith. It is observable, that Christ calls it his church, not Peter’s, and saith, I will build, not, thou shalt build."
www.studylight.org
The writings of Paul in the NT let's us know that divisions had already started during the apostolic age, but the basics of the faith once delivered to the saints, had to exist from the 1st century up until the present for Jesus spoke truth. A list of religious groups shows that early in the 19th century, a great many groups began to appear, and clearly not all can be teaching truth. A list is found here:
After the Protestant Reformation to recover New Testament Christianity, you find the following major denominations in existence prior to 1650: Lutherans, Reformed/Presbyterians, Church of England/Episcopalians and the Baptists. Those were the major Christian denominations leading up to 1776 in the colonies. Notice in the list of religious groups, those that appeared after 1800! There was an explosion of cults and false prophets. It would appear that the faith once delivered to the saints would exist in 1650 and within the major denominations seen in the US by 1776. Do the major denominations in existence in 1776 have basic agreement in the one faith amongst themselves, that were once delivered to the saints? Read the confessions yourself:
Lutheran: https://bookofconcord.org/formula-of-concord-solid-declaration/
Baptist: https://www.apuritansmind.com/creeds-and-confessions/first-london-confession-of-1646/
Presbyterian: https://westminsterstandards.org/westminster-confession-of-faith/
Anglican: http://anglicansonline.org/basics/thirty-nine_articles.html
If you wish to compare commentaries of differing denominations, they are online as well:
Methodist: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/acc.html
Baptist: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/geb.html
Presbyterian: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/mpc.html
also https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/mhm.html
Lutheran: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/kpc.html
I learned early in life that that one person in the pulpit, or the one school/college he came from were quite sincere, but sincerely wrong on some important points of Christian faith. My home church used a denominational name existing prior to 1776, BUT, it did not adhere to the Confessions of that denomination from before 1776. My eternal state is too important to me to rely on a single Pastor, teacher or denomination. I will be a Berean, Acts 17:11. How do I know what the Scriptures teach? By looking at the reasoning used by men of the major denominations on the Scriptures.
*The Methodist were a group within the Church of England and they rejected predestination as taught in the 39 Articles of the Church of England, and with this they taught 'free will'. I did not include a confession of Methodists above because they were just becoming a denomination of their own in 1776. But, I included the Commentary by the Methodist Adam Clarke because he is a well respected man of God and scholar and I always read his views when I am researching a point and I often get great insight and understanding from him.
"And I tell you, you are Peter[Gk Petros], and on this rock[Gk petra] I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it." (Matt 16:18, NRSV)
What was the rock upon which Jesus would build his church, that Hades or death would not prevail against it. I believe Matthew Poole explained it correctly "Thou[Peter] hast made a confession of faith which is a rock, even such a rock as was mentioned Mat 7:25. And thou thyself art a rock, a steady, firm believer...I will build my church. By church is here plainly meant the whole body of believers, who all agree in this one faith. It is observable, that Christ calls it his church, not Peter’s, and saith, I will build, not, thou shalt build."
Matthew 16 - Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - Bible Commentaries - StudyLight.org
Matthew 16, Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible, Poole's English Annotations provide invaluable insights into the Bible, examining original texts and historical context for deeper understanding.
www.studylight.org
The writings of Paul in the NT let's us know that divisions had already started during the apostolic age, but the basics of the faith once delivered to the saints, had to exist from the 1st century up until the present for Jesus spoke truth. A list of religious groups shows that early in the 19th century, a great many groups began to appear, and clearly not all can be teaching truth. A list is found here:
History timeline of world religions and their founders
www.letusreason.org
After the Protestant Reformation to recover New Testament Christianity, you find the following major denominations in existence prior to 1650: Lutherans, Reformed/Presbyterians, Church of England/Episcopalians and the Baptists. Those were the major Christian denominations leading up to 1776 in the colonies. Notice in the list of religious groups, those that appeared after 1800! There was an explosion of cults and false prophets. It would appear that the faith once delivered to the saints would exist in 1650 and within the major denominations seen in the US by 1776. Do the major denominations in existence in 1776 have basic agreement in the one faith amongst themselves, that were once delivered to the saints? Read the confessions yourself:
Lutheran: https://bookofconcord.org/formula-of-concord-solid-declaration/
Baptist: https://www.apuritansmind.com/creeds-and-confessions/first-london-confession-of-1646/
Presbyterian: https://westminsterstandards.org/westminster-confession-of-faith/
Anglican: http://anglicansonline.org/basics/thirty-nine_articles.html
If you wish to compare commentaries of differing denominations, they are online as well:
Methodist: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/acc.html
Baptist: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/geb.html
Presbyterian: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/mpc.html
also https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/mhm.html
Lutheran: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/kpc.html
I learned early in life that that one person in the pulpit, or the one school/college he came from were quite sincere, but sincerely wrong on some important points of Christian faith. My home church used a denominational name existing prior to 1776, BUT, it did not adhere to the Confessions of that denomination from before 1776. My eternal state is too important to me to rely on a single Pastor, teacher or denomination. I will be a Berean, Acts 17:11. How do I know what the Scriptures teach? By looking at the reasoning used by men of the major denominations on the Scriptures.
*The Methodist were a group within the Church of England and they rejected predestination as taught in the 39 Articles of the Church of England, and with this they taught 'free will'. I did not include a confession of Methodists above because they were just becoming a denomination of their own in 1776. But, I included the Commentary by the Methodist Adam Clarke because he is a well respected man of God and scholar and I always read his views when I am researching a point and I often get great insight and understanding from him.
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