Churchwork
07-16-2006, 04:17 PM
The reasons for the hatred of the world as personified by Nero are as follows:
(1) On the one hand, because the conduct of the harlot is either too presumptuous or too wicked. Though their conscience is not enlightened by God, the nations of the world cannot tolerate the practices of the Roman Church, such as, that after the bread is blessed by the priest it somehow is transubstantiated into the body of the Lord, that only the priests can read the Bible, that confession must be made to the priests, and that the inquisition and the selling of indulgences flourish. Yet there are many other mean and treacherous acts practiced by her which even the nations cannot stand.
(2) On the other hand, because of her good, since in the Roman Church there can yet be found such truths taught as the Trinity, Jesus the Son of God, the Virgin Birth, the belief in the Lord’s death, resurrection and ascension, and so forth. She still belongs to Christ in name, and therefore the nations hate her.
“Whose soever sins ye forgive, they are forgiven unto them”
(John 20.23). This is in truth a most difficult problem. How can men
have the authority to forgive? On the basis of this Scripture verse, the
Roman Church formerly sold the so-called “indulgences”. Actually,
though, this verse is clearly related to the preceding verse, which
reads: “Receive ye the Holy Spirit.” In other words, the Lord gives
His Holy Spirit to His church that she may represent Him on earth
and be His vessel to forgive sins.
(1) On the one hand, because the conduct of the harlot is either too presumptuous or too wicked. Though their conscience is not enlightened by God, the nations of the world cannot tolerate the practices of the Roman Church, such as, that after the bread is blessed by the priest it somehow is transubstantiated into the body of the Lord, that only the priests can read the Bible, that confession must be made to the priests, and that the inquisition and the selling of indulgences flourish. Yet there are many other mean and treacherous acts practiced by her which even the nations cannot stand.
(2) On the other hand, because of her good, since in the Roman Church there can yet be found such truths taught as the Trinity, Jesus the Son of God, the Virgin Birth, the belief in the Lord’s death, resurrection and ascension, and so forth. She still belongs to Christ in name, and therefore the nations hate her.
“Whose soever sins ye forgive, they are forgiven unto them”
(John 20.23). This is in truth a most difficult problem. How can men
have the authority to forgive? On the basis of this Scripture verse, the
Roman Church formerly sold the so-called “indulgences”. Actually,
though, this verse is clearly related to the preceding verse, which
reads: “Receive ye the Holy Spirit.” In other words, the Lord gives
His Holy Spirit to His church that she may represent Him on earth
and be His vessel to forgive sins.