If you've read much about Luther then you know that you can't use Luther to support your positions since Luther believed in the historic catholic Christian Church, in the Office of the Keys, the Sacraments, etc
I do not agree with many things Luther believed and taught. But as i understand at one time Luther agreed that believers should meet in homes and he spoke of the priesthood of all believers. he warned that if a devil got in the so called "pulpit", that would bind up the assembly, so he knew that others must be free to comment. But the anabaptist ( i believe) and others who met in homes swayed him away from that. Luther also wrote against different errors in the catholic church. But he didn't go far enough. I also strongly disagree with baptismal regeneration.
And why should I follow your human traditions over what I read in the Scriptures? Why should I assume that the moment the writers of the New Testament took their pen away from the papyrus everything went completely and utterly wrong? Why should I trust that you have better understanding of the Apostles' teaching than someone like St. Ignatius who writes:
what is teach is by no means "human traditions" I speak of the apostolic doctrine and order as given by Paul the wise master builder.
"As therefore the Lord did nothing without the Father, being united to Him, neither by Himself nor by the apostles, so neither do anything without the bishop and presbyters. Neither endeavour that anything appear reasonable and proper to yourselves apart; but being come together into the same place, let there be one prayer, one supplication, one mind, one hope, in love and in joy undefiled. There is one Jesus Christ, than whom nothing is more excellent. Therefore run together as into one temple of God, as to one altar, as to one Jesus Christ, who came forth from one Father, and is with and has gone to one." - St. Ignatius to the Magnesians, ch. 7 (c. 107 AD)
This comes from a man who was already very old, there had only been one bishop in Antioch before him: Evodius as recounted by Eusebius in his Histories:
"At this time Ignatius was known as the second bishop of Antioch, Evodius having been the first. Symeon likewise was at that time the second ruler of the church of Jerusalem, the brother of our Saviour having been the first."
Ignatius was alive and well during the ministry of the Apostles, being himself one of those converted by the ministry of either St. Peter or St. Paul while they were in Antioch, or shortly soon after.
This is a legitimate question: Do I trust you to interpret the Scriptures for me or do I give more weight to what someone who actually knew and learned the the Apostles' feet? For me this is a no brainer.
-CryptoLutheran
you have no need that any man should teach you 1 John 2:27. You dont need someone to interpret the scripture for you. But God does give teachers. yet when they speak it must be according to the inner witness of the anointing and the word of God and according to scripture.
You say you would believe a man like Ignatious. Well I believe Paul and the apostles, more than the men who came after them. If Paul says for example that elders (plural) should be ordained in every church and city. And ignatious says
"“See that ye all follow the bishop, even as Jesus Christ does the Father, ... Let no man do anything connected with the Church without the bishop. […] Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude [of the people] also be; even as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church. […] Whatsoever [the bishop] shall approve of, that is also pleasing to God, so that everything that is done may be secure and valid.” (St. Ignatius: Letter to the Smyrnaeans; Ch 8)
and if Paul warns about men being exalted over others 2 Cor. 11 and he warns for three years night and day with tears that men would rise up among them drawing away disciples after them, should i then ignore Pauls warning and just put one man above all in preeminance. Even when John rebukes this thinking and says that Diotrephes loved to have the preeminance and not to follow such men 3 rd John
And i suppose to ignore the command of God in 1 Cor 14:37,38 which allows every believer in Christ to be able to minister and edify one another? and instead go to the bishop? Am i to ignore John who said you have no need that any man should teach you? And ay yes I need the bishop over me for everything?
and how can we agree with ignatious when he says things like this
"They abstain from the
Eucharist and from
prayer, because they confess not the
Eucharist to be the flesh of our Saviour
Jesus Christ, which suffered for our
sins, and which the
Father, of His goodness, raised up again." Chapter 7
The Epistle of Ignatius to the Smyrnaeans
The bread is not the literal body of Jesus
I choose scripture and Pauls words over Ignatious any day. Its a no brainer for me.