Where does the bible say you can only use words and not the numbers in the Bible to tell the future? Also, many people on here confuse it with numerology, which has a completely different system of numbers and meanings.
The best example is to follow what we see in Scripture. If you can give an example where a prophet or prophecy tells us of such a thing, that would be different. The point here is that we have enough prophecy or future events already mentioned to us plainly in Scripture. Revelation can be difficult to decipher and so to have that hidden in some numerical code would be more complex and odd. Granted, there are numbers involved in Daniel’s 70th week, but they are not hidden.
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That was actually part of my original argument - prophecy is 1/4th of the Bible and it's the main proof to everyone that the Bible is of divine origin.
The dime store prophet of the week who makes a prophecy and it doesn’t come to pass would then be a false prophet. So trying to foretell future prophecy is risky business unless it is plainly spelled out in the Bible. I believe God’s purpose for our lives is to glorify His grace and to live a holy life. That is more than enough to keep us busy than focus on what may come. Being faithful to the Lord Jesus is a big enough task as it is. I made a chronology for Revelation and the Olivet Discourse, but I honestly cannot say that my chronology will play out like that exactly. I could be wrong. The more important thing is to live holy unto the Lord and love others. God will get the glory by His Word coming true when it is the right timing.
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How do you explain Mathew 23:3, where Jesus tells everyone to obey the Pharisees at the time? It was obvious the Pharisees were evil and were condemned by Jesus, but he still told everyone to obey them within the context of God's word.
They sat in Mose’s seat and they were to obey only what was in the Scriptures that they told them to do. This was not to obey them in things outside of God’s Word. If you were to read the last part of the verse, Jesus says do not do after their works.
Matthew 23:3
“All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe,
that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. “
This also does not equate with an apostate church like Rome today. Nowhere does the Scriptures describe Peter like a pope in any way.
There was no bowing statues or fish hats, or worship of Mary, or praying to the dead saints, etcetera. That all came later and is from an apostate church and is no way affiliated with the true church of God.
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According to Romans 13:1 ALL who are in positions of authority have been placed there by God, and rebelling against their authority is rebelling against the ordinance of God.
This is talking about nations and not an apostate church.
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Clearly, a lot of them are also evil and sometimes command people to disobey God, that's the context where we have to obey the higher authority than they are and obey God instead.
No, the Catholic Church does not obey God’s Word and so there is nothing for you to submit to them for. They only thing they seem to get right is the Trinity.
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That doesn't mean we disregard them, it just means we recognize them as a lower authority under God, and obey everything they tell us as long as it doesn't conflict with the word of God. Also, Hebrews 13:17 tells us to obey Church leaders specifically. Long before the church was split it was one universal church.
On Hebrews 13:17, please read this article here:
http://www.spiritualabuse.org/mywritings/obedience.html
In addition, we are living in the last days where the church has fallen away. Many are not believing everything as taught in the Bible and neither are they seeking to fully obey the Word, either. Most believe you can sin and still be saved. Truly we are in the Laodician age.
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Other verses that command us to obey all authority are Titus 3:1 and 1 Peter 2:13.
Jesus told his disciples to get into a boat. That does not mean we are to do that. The point here is we have to be able to see if there is any church out there worthy to be obeyed. I have not find any. Nowhere does God’s Word tells us to submit to apostate churches that will lead you into idolatry, and praying to dead people.
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Salvation is NOT by Mary in Catholic church, but even if it was,
They say she is a co-redeemer. I even remember a Catholic telling me that a person needs to pray to Mary for salvation. Here is one article that clearly says Mary is needed for salvation.
https://themarianroom.com/the-blessed-virgin-mary-necessary-for-salvation/
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whatever heresies they have that go against the word of God can just be ignored. Catholic church is not that much worse than the Pharisees,
Uh, no. I don’t think the Pharisees were worse than the Catholic Church. God actually calls them beloved for the Father’s sake in Romans. But the Catholic Church is condemned in Revelation 17-18. You cannot go to Rome or to an RCC without making your stomach ill andor without wanting to vomit because of all the idolatry that is going on. Some Catholic Churches even bring out skulls for you to worship. It’s pagan. It’s darkness. What fellowship does light have with darkness?
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they both killed many innocent people, and they both came up with man-made heresies, but the word of God told everyone to obey them still.
No. The Word of God says no such thing. It gave the keys to Peter and Peter is no more in line to be a pope than the Easter bunny. The RCC has a false history that is deceptive and a lie. Don’t believe what they say. Why? Look at their works. You will know false prophets by their evil fruits. Don’t submit to do any Apostate church. The Jews were not a church. You cannot conflate the Jews as being like an apostate church. The only reason you may want to submit to the RCC is if you do not see anything wrong with the evil they do on some level.