Do Roman Catholics and Eastern/Greek Orthodox Catholics honestly think that the way they conduct their services is the way that the Apostles and the early church practiced it? How about reading through the New Testament. Is there anything in the New Testament that suggests that the way they conduct their services, or the way they dress, is even remotely similar to that of the New Testament church? Do they honestly think that any of the Apostles or their direct disciples (Polycarp, Irenaeus, etc.) wore such fancy garb?
Roman Catholics and Eastern/Greek Orthodox Catholics have forgotten Scripture (or ignore it) and elevated the traditions of men. Nothing the Roman Catholics or Eastern/Greek Orthodox Catholics do in their services is even remotely similar to what took place in a New Testament house church or even in a congregational church.
Baptism certainly did not mean you were suddenly cleansed of all sin and automatically a child of God. Nor was there something you could give someone after baptism in order to grant them the Holy Spirit. The bread and wine do not turn into the literal body of Christ, nor did Jesus ever make such an absurd declaration. It was figuratively representative of his body and blood, which is clearly understood by His words. If you commit a sin, your baptism is not tainted or made impure. We are human. We are going to slip up, fall, and sin. The correct response is to get back up, repent (confess to God—not to some priest or whatnot), and try again (with the help of the Holy Spirit).
The beliefs and practices of the Roman Catholics and Eastern/Greek Orthodox Catholics are so far removed from Scripture and New Testament teachings and practices that it is not even funny in the slightest. Everything they do is for show, much like the proud, arrogant Pharisee standing on the corner praying aloud how he was not like the wretched sinner nearby. It is nothing but pompous haughtiness. God is not impressed with it, nor does He listen to it.
As corrupt and perverse as the Roman Catholic church is in its doctrines and practices, the Eastern/Greek Orthodox Catholic church is just as corrupt, if not more. The Eastern/Greek Orthodox Catholics believe in and practice contemplative prayer, or meditation, and mysticism (that knowledge of spiritual truth can be attained through subjective experience); both of which have no scriptural support whatsoever. They believe that knowledge or truth concerning God and the Scriptures should be derived from some sort of subjective experience, rather than from study and logical inference. Their traditions place heavy emphasis on monasticism (renunciation of worldly pursuits to fulfill spiritual work) and asceticism (abstinence from sensual pleasures to pursue spiritual goals). Much like the Roman Catholic church, the Eastern/Greek Orthodox Catholic church is a cult entrenched in man-made traditions, doctrines of demons, and countless unbiblical errors. Superstition abounds in these two sects.
As corrupt and perverse as the Roman Catholic church is in its doctrines and practices, the Eastern/Greek Orthodox Catholic church is just as corrupt, if not more. The Eastern/Greek Orthodox Catholics believe in and practice contemplative prayer, or meditation, and mysticism (that knowledge of spiritual truth can be attained through subjective experience); both of which have no scriptural support whatsoever. They believe that knowledge or truth concerning God and the Scriptures should be derived from some sort of subjective experience, rather than from study and logical inference. Their traditions place heavy emphasis on monasticism (renunciation of worldly pursuits to fulfill spiritual work) and asceticism (abstinence from sensual pleasures to pursue spiritual goals). Much like the Roman Catholic church, the Eastern/Greek Orthodox Catholic church is a cult entrenched in man-made traditions, doctrines of demons, and countless unbiblical errors. Superstition abounds in these two sects.
The practice of church services in the New Testament were simple. Not showy. The services of the Roman Catholics and Eastern/Greek Orthodox Catholics are anything but simple, and extremely showy. They are nothing more than white-washed tombs. The external looks wonderful and spiritual, but the inside is full of dead men's bones. Spiritual emptiness.
Orthodoxy means to hold to the teachings and practices of Christ Jesus and the Apostles. The New Testament and the early church did nothing that resembles the pompous haughtiness seen practiced today by Roman Catholics and Eastern/Greek Orthodox Catholics. Both these groups are properly labeled as cults because they believe, teach, and practice things that are not biblical in the least. They have incorporated doctrines of demons and traditions of men in with biblical Christianity and thus perverted it. They need to return to the Scriptures and reject all else!
Both these churches might be able to trace their practices back 1000 or 1500 years, but that does not in the least, by any way, shape, or form, mean or suggest that their practices are correct and/or biblical. It simply means they have clung to those errors for that length of time because they were afraid to reform and conform themselves to Scripture, or, worse yet, because they did not want to relinquish the power they have obtained, which is power Jesus would condemn them for if He were here today. He would thrash them the same way He thrashed the Sadducees and Pharisees. In the third century, you can already see the errors creeping into the church, corrupting and perverting it. As the Catholic church gained more power and began to exercise unbiblical and non-Christian control, the more corrupt and perverted it became. Individuals such as "St. Jerome" (Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus) had lost sight of the Scriptures and started teaching false doctrine that was contrary to the Word of God.
Orthodoxy means to hold to the teachings and practices of Christ Jesus and the Apostles. The New Testament and the early church did nothing that resembles the pompous haughtiness seen practiced today by Roman Catholics and Eastern/Greek Orthodox Catholics. Both these groups are properly labeled as cults because they believe, teach, and practice things that are not biblical in the least. They have incorporated doctrines of demons and traditions of men in with biblical Christianity and thus perverted it. They need to return to the Scriptures and reject all else!
Both these churches might be able to trace their practices back 1000 or 1500 years, but that does not in the least, by any way, shape, or form, mean or suggest that their practices are correct and/or biblical. It simply means they have clung to those errors for that length of time because they were afraid to reform and conform themselves to Scripture, or, worse yet, because they did not want to relinquish the power they have obtained, which is power Jesus would condemn them for if He were here today. He would thrash them the same way He thrashed the Sadducees and Pharisees. In the third century, you can already see the errors creeping into the church, corrupting and perverting it. As the Catholic church gained more power and began to exercise unbiblical and non-Christian control, the more corrupt and perverted it became. Individuals such as "St. Jerome" (Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus) had lost sight of the Scriptures and started teaching false doctrine that was contrary to the Word of God.