The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum The Suicide of a Denomination

What he said was that the Jerusalem Council was unique because the Apostles were there. Apostolic authority has not been available to any subsequent Council other than through the inscripturated writings of the Apostles. He did not say that the Council - even with the Apostles present - was infallible. No one is suggesting that.




You need Scripture proof that the Apostles died? I suggest the book of Acts...

But as for resolving disputes regarding doctrine and practice, the Scriptures were always applied by both the Jerusalem council and every legitimate council since. Now we have more Scripture to refer to in modern councils than they did at the Jerusalem council (if you need Scripture proof of the New Testament's authority, start a new thread).

Interpretation of Scripture is not some individual thing, but in councils of elders/bishops/presbyters who are bound to adhere to "the faith once delivered," a consensus is reached and passed along as the "official doctrine" of that denomination. The consensus can be wrong and does not carry the same weight as Scripture, but in the visible church it can and should be accepted and taught. It can also be challenged and reconsidered by future councils. As long as those councils adhere to the authority of infallible Scripture and "the faith once delivered," they are unlikely to amend their earlier findings. When they abandon the authority of Scripture and the analogy of faith, they end up reaching absurd, foolish conclusions like the PCUSA and other denominations have, which fly in the face of infallible Scripture.