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Pictured to the left is a copy of a version of the Holy Bible, known as the NEW AMERICAN BIBLE REVISED EDITION ( NABRE ); being entitled: THE NEW CATHOLIC ANSWER BIBLE. Acts 17:28, 29 read as follows:
"28 For 'In him we live and move and have our being,' as even some of your poets have said, 'For we too are his offspring.' 29 Since therefore we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the divinity is like an image fashioned from gold, silver, or stone by human art and imagination" ( please read Acts 17:16-34 to get the immediate context ).
Paul made these statements while he "stood up at the Areopagus" ( see verse twenty-two ). From these statements, we can rightly conclude that the number of people there are in this world today are how many brothers and sisters we have ( in terms of humanity ). However, not all of these people are my brothers and sisters in Christ. The apostle Paul ( see Galatians 1:1 ) wrote the following in Galatians 3:26, 27:
"26 For through faith you are all children of God in Christ Jesus. 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ."
Thus, all of us who have been baptized into Christ have clothed ourselves with Christ; being children of God in Christ Jesus. This means that all who have been scripturally baptized into Christ are children of God in Christ Jesus: since we are children of God in Christ Jesus, we are brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus.
Scriptural baptism is by immersion in water in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of our sins ( see Acts 2:38; 8:26-40 ( especially verses 36-39, for example ( KJV, for example; with center-column references, for example )), and Romans 6:1-4 ( especially verses 3 and 4, for example ), for example ): this is what the sacred text of the Catholic Bible teaches. Moreover, denominational baptisms are not authorized in the Holy Bible. 2 Corinthians 4:13 reads as follows: "13 Since, then, we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, 'I believed, therefore I spoke,' we too believe and therefore speak." With this passage from the Holy Bible in mind, if a person is raised from the watery grave of baptism saying that he or she is a Baptist, for example, then he or she demonstrates that he or she believes that salvation is in the name of John Smyth, for example: such a baptism is not valid. Peter ( see Acts 4:8 ) said the following in Acts 4:10-12:
"10 then all of you and all the people of Israel should know that it was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead; in his name this man stands before you healed. 11 He is 'the stone rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.' 12 There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved."
He clearly stated, in this passage from the Holy Bible, that salvation is only in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, which rules out salvation in the name of anyone else. Therefore, there is no such thing as a denominational brother or sister in Christ Jesus, since there is no such thing as a denominational Christian ( there is only one faith - see Ephesians 4:5, for example ): again, this is what the sacred text of the Catholic Bible teaches. Thus, only Christians ( see Acts 11:26, for example ), members of the New Testament church ( the church of Christ - see Matthew 16:18, Acts 2:41, 47 ( KJV, for example ), Romans 16:16, and Ephesians 1:22, 23, for example ), are brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus: once again, this is what the sacred text of the Catholic Bible teaches.
Finally, Paul "grew exasperated at the sight of the city full of idols" ( see verse sixteen of the initial passage of the Holy Bible referenced above ): this means that the apostle Paul was opposed to the concept of freedom of religion ( the justifying of false religion ). Jesus is also opposed to this concept, for He said the following in John 14:6: "'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" Based on this statement by Him, there is one true religion, which is Christianity: all other religions are ruled out, though we can still learn from Judaism as found in the Old Testament ( see Romans 10:1-4 ( especially verse 4, for example ); 15:1-4 ( especially verse 4, for example ), and Colossians 2:9-15 ( especially verse 14, for example ), for example ).
Although I may have billions of brothers and sisters in this world; some of them being members of terrorist organizations, some being Catholic, and some being Jewish, for example, none of them are my brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus ( as has been demonstrated above ): only those who are Christians ( members of the church of Christ ) are my brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus. The sacred text of the Catholic Bible teaches this, while also condemning the concept of freedom of religion. Please study the Holy Bible ( which is God's word - see Psalm 119:65-73, 142, 151, John 17:1, 3, 17, and 2 Timothy 2:15; 3:16, 17, for example ).
If you have any questions about the Holy Bible, you can contact me by e-mail at:
<rewillis1_1@juno.com>
<Russell E. Willis>.
