NHỮNG ĐIỂM KHÁC BIỆT VỚI KINH THÁNH TRONG CÁC GIÁO HỘI
Mặc dầu tất cả các giáo hội Thiên Chúa giáo đều tuyên bố rằng niềm tin của mình được đặt trên nền tảng Kinh thánh, nhưng nếu so sánh kỹ lưỡng thì sẽ thấy có rất nhiều khác biệt với nhau, và quan trọng hơn cả, là khác biệt với các lẽ thật trong Kinh thánh. Chúng tôi xin lần lượt trình bày những điểm khác biệt đó trong bài viết nầy, lần lượt từng giáo hội một, để Cơ-đốc-nhân chúng ta cùng được biết.
HỘI THÁNH GIÁM LÝ (Methodist)
“Who makes decisions for The United Methodist Church if there is no one person in charge?”. The only body that can set official policy and speak for the denomination is the General Conference.
(I Corinthians 4:6; cf. Deuteronomy 4:2, Deuteronomy 12:32, Proverbs 30:5-6, Colossians 3:17, I Peter 4:11, II Peter 3:16-18, and Revelation 22:18-19, Proverbs 3:7, Proverbs 20:24, Proverbs 21:2, Proverbs 23:4, Proverbs 28:26, and Jeremiah 10:23, Matthew 28:18-20, Luke 6:46-49, Luke 11:28).
“Between the New Testament age and our own era stand countless witnesses on whom we rely in our theological journey. Through their words in creed, hymn, discourse, and prayer, through their music and art, through their courageous deeds, we discover Christian insight by which our study of the Bible is illuminated. This living tradition comes from many ages and many cultures. Even today Christians living in far different circumstances from our own—in Africa, in Latin America, in Asia—are helping us discover fresh understanding of the Gospel’s power”
(Matthew 15:1-9, Galatians 1:6-12, and Colossians 2:8; 18-23)
“Persons of any age can be baptized. We baptize by sprinkling, immersion or pouring”.
(Acts 2:36-41, Acts 8:26-38, Acts 18:8, and Acts 19:1-7; cf. Luke 14:26-33, Ephesians 5:17, Matthew 3:13-17, Acts 8:36-39, Romans 6:3-6, and Colossians 2:12).
The Methodists also teach that baptism is not necessary for someone to be saved: “Do I have to be baptized in order to be saved? No, but baptism is a gift of God’s grace to be received as part of the journey of salvation. To refuse to accept baptism is to reject one of the means of grace that God offers us”.
(Mark 16:15-16, Acts 2:38; 22:16, and I Peter 3:20-21)
“We believe our church is a safe place where everyone is welcome – We believe in offering a wide variety of ministries providing many doors of entrance into our fellowship”
(I John 1:3-7 and II John 9-11, John 14:6, Amos 3:3, Mark 3:24, John 17:20-23, Romans 12:16; 16:17-18, I Corinthians 1:10, II Corinthians 13:11, Ephesians 4:1-4, Ephesians 5:11, Philippians 1:27; 2:2; 3:16-17, II Thessalonians 3:6; 14-15, Revelation 2:14-15).
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