My Problem with the Invisible Church

[JacktheCatholic]

You seem to be equating YOUR singular denomination (the RCC) with the church.....

Your denomination claims over 1 billion members are registered in congregations legally affiliated with that singular denomination.

It is generally accepted that there are 2.0 to 2.2 billion CHRISTIANS alive in world today - with an even greater number no longer on the earth but also Christians.

I disagree with you that Christianity is the one billion persons currently officially registered in congregations legally affiliated with your singular, specific, particular denomination. But if those 1 billion ARE the church and ARE visible (as you insist), let's see the picture of them. Post it here. And we'll "see" Christianity (I might try posting pictures of other people - and we'll "see" what makes yours Christians?).





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I am done trying to correct you CaliforniaJosiah. I just pray you see how your posts have replied to me in error as to what I posted.

Also, I just read what you typed under your name and got a laugh.

Peace to you CaliforniaJosiah and may you receive Jesus' Peace to.

 

[CaliforniaJosiah]

I am done trying to correct you CaliforniaJosiah. I just pray you see how your posts have replied to me in error as to what I posted.

Let me ask then, do you agree with what you posted, that the church has 1 billion members?

Peace to you CaliforniaJosiah and may you receive Jesus' Peace to.

... and to you!



The opening posters' "problem" with the church being "invisible" is that he can't see it (perhaps the opening poster is unaware of the meaning of "invisible"). One of my "problems" with the idea that the church IS "visible" is that is seems none can see it.





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[JacktheCatholic]

Let me ask then, do you agree with what you posted, that the church has 1 billion members?

Only our God knows for sure how many are in the Body of Christ. I am sure we have many that are walking and dead because the Holy Spirit no longer resides in them. But I also know that God is merciful and will forgive us anything. So I am not concerned with numbers at the moment.

The reason I posted over one billion is because I think that there are more than a billion Christians in the Body of Christ. Statistically I do not know the current number of total people claiming to be Christian but I would assume it is close to 3 billion. However, I am sure many of them are not in the Body of Christ for various reasons.

If I were to only include the RCC I would not include all 1.8 billion or whatever that number is because I know many Catholics are not in the Body of Christ. But I do not know who or why... it is enough to concern myself with today and myself because there is so much evil I face daily.

Please... suffice it to say that any that is in the Body of Christ is part of the Church (assembly of God) in a real way. But we also know that God will forgive and so a soul that is dead now can be alive a moment from now. It is not a RCC thing but a life and death thing IMO.

 

[CaliforniaJosiah]

Only our God knows for sure how many are in the Body of Christ. I am sure we have many that are walking and dead because the Holy Spirit no longer resides in them. But I also know that God is merciful and will forgive us anything. So I am not concerned with numbers at the moment.

The reason I posted over one billion is because I think that there are more than a billion Christians in the Body of Christ. Statistically I do not know the current number of total people claiming to be Christian but I would assume it is close to 3 billion. However, I am sure many of them are not in the Body of Christ for various reasons.

If I were to only include the RCC I would not include all 1.8 billion or whatever that number is because I know many Catholics are not in the Body of Christ. But I do not know who or why... it is enough to concern myself with today and myself because there is so much evil I face daily.

Please... suffice it to say that any that is in the Body of Christ is part of the Church (assembly of God) in a real way. But we also know that God will forgive and so a soul that is dead now can be alive a moment from now. It is not a RCC thing but a life and death thing IMO.

Ah, then it was a pure coincidence that the number of people you said are "in the church" just happens to be the number of persons the RCC claims are current members of that singular, particular, denomination.... Okay.


The rest of your post seems REMARKABLY Protestant.... and so I'll let it be.




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[JacktheCatholic]

Ah, then it was a pure coincidence that the number of people you said are "in the church" just happens to be the number of persons the RCC claims are current members of that singular, particular, denomination.... Okay.


The rest of your post seems REMARKABLY Protestant.... and so I'll let it be.




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Protestant??? Naw... simply Christian.

 

[simonthezealot]

Protestant??? Naw... simply Christian.

*like

 

[11822]

I changed 2 words words of this classic song. Maybe it could be a church hymn?



There comes a time
When we head a certain call
When the church must come together as one
There are people dying
And it's time to lend a hand to life
The greatest gift of all

We can't go on
Pretneding day by day
That someone, somewhere will soon make a change
We are all a part of
God's great big family
And the truth, you know love is all we need

[Chorus]
We are the church
We are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day
So let's start giving
There's a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives
It's true we'll make a better day
Just you and me and Jesus

Send them your heart
So they'll know that someone cares
And their lives will be stronger and free
As God has shown us by turning stone to bread
So we all must lend a helping hand


When you're down and out
There seems no hope at all
But if you just believe
There's no way we can fall
Well, well, well, well, let us realize
That a change will only come
When we stand together as one

[Chorus]
We are the church
We are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day
So let's start giving
There's a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives
It's true we'll make a better day
Just you and me and Jesus

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

Originally Posted by tadoflamb It's invisible. I can't see it.

Turn on the "Light".

 

[tadoflamb]

I still can't see them, but I hear their disparate voices coming from the dark.

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

I still can't see them, but I hear their disparate voices coming from the dark.

Well, at least we know yer hearing is ok

Young) Matthew 13:15 for made gross was the heart of this people, and with the ears they heard heavily, and their eyes they did close, lest they might see with the eyes, and with the ears might hear, and with the heart understand, and turn back, and I might heal them.

 

[heymikey80]

... wondering if the OP has the same problem with the invisible God?

 

[Ishraqiyun]

It's only invisible to a persons physical eyes. Those who have awakened spiritual sight can find it.

 

[Rick Otto]

... wondering if the OP has the same problem with the invisible God?

It's invisible. I can't see it.

That small problem has been overcome with a swarm of visible, tangible representations.

 

[SummaScriptura]

I suspect the devil has some serious problems with the fact the Church is invisible.

I am happy to report, however, the Person with Whom we have to do has no problem whatsoever with His body being invisible, becasue nothing is hidden from His sight.

 

[SummaScriptura]

... wondering if the OP has the same problem with the invisible God?

Most people do.

That is why it is an all-too prevalent problem among us that people need images and representations of invisible things so they can relax the need for faith.

 

[tadoflamb]

... wondering if the OP has the same problem with the invisible God?

Except that God became visible in the person of Jesus Christ, who established a Church while here on earth. Therefore, it follows, that the Church He established should be visible, knowable and easily approached.

This thread started a number of years back out of my frustration about the lack of any tangible assistance that the Invisible Church offered to the poor and how to inquire to the Invisible Church if they indeed helped those in need.

So far, the Invisible Church is a no-show.

 

[heymikey80]

Except that God became visible in the person of Jesus Christ, who established a Church while here on earth. Therefore, it follows, that the Church He established should be visible, knowable and easily approached.

This thread started a number of years back out of my frustration about the lack of any tangible assistance that the Invisible Church offered to the poor and how to inquire to the Invisible Church if they indeed helped those in need.

So far, the Invisible Church is a no-show.

"More blessed are those who have not seen, and yet believed."

Your frustration with the Invisible Church not giving tangible assistance is unwarranted. You're not someone with authority to make that determination.

The Invisible Church isn't a no-show any more than the Spirit of God is a no-show. Both have visible effects.

 

[Rick Otto]

Except that God became visible in the person of Jesus Christ, who established a Church while here on earth. Therefore, it follows, that the Church He established should be visible, knowable and easily approached.

This thread started a number of years back out of my frustration about the lack of any tangible assistance that the Invisible Church offered to the poor and how to inquire to the Invisible Church if they indeed helped those in need.

So far, the Invisible Church is a no-show.

100 years ago, if you'd've asked the average guy on the street what organization held the world's greatest wealth, whom do you suppose that would've been?
Today we have corprations that own corporations creating shell companies that hide actual ownership including international financial institutions.
Whom do you suppose is behind the European acceptance of usury? How & when did that happen?
Any idea?

 

[Rick Otto]

Point being, the visible church is a whole lot more invisible than we think, and the invisible church is only invisible to eyes of flesh, yet very visible to 'eyes of spirit'.
Just as context must be derived from a mental process instead of direct sensual perception, spritual things must be discerned by a spirit, not just the mind.

 

[Rick Otto]

This thread started a number of years back out of my frustration about the lack of any tangible assistance that the Invisible Church offered to the poor and how to inquire to the Invisible Church if they indeed helped those in need.

So far, the Invisible Church is a no-show.

You've missed the show. You're looking for organization, not interpersonal relation. Faith hope & charity are not dependant on officious institution.