"The Christianity of history is not Protestantism. If ever there were a safe truth it is this, and Protestantism has ever felt it so; to be deep in history is to cease to be a Protestant." (-John Henry Newman, An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine).

"Where the bishop is, there let the people gather; just as where ever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church". -St. Ignatius of Antioch (ca 110 AD)a martyr later thrown to the lions, wrote to a church in Asia Minor. Antioch was also where the term "Christian" was first used.

“But if I should be delayed, you should know how to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of truth.” 1 Timothy 3:15

"This is the sole Church of Christ, which in the Creed we profess to be one, holy, catholic and apostolic." -CCC 811

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

IGLESIA NI CRISTO: Who is Christ?

[From Catholic-Answers, permission was granted me to post this article in series. Thanks to the whole staff of Catholic Answers. Thanks to Mr. Karl Keating and his Production Manager Mr. Jon Sorensen. You can contact them at (619) 387-7200 (USA)].

One of the most disturbing Christian beliefs for Felix Manalo was the Trinity. He cannot understand the complexities of God so he satisfies himself with the simple yet erroneous biblically unfounded teachings-- the new Gospel of Manalo. From this doctrine, he departed away from the Catholic Church, declared it as an "Apostate" Church and the Iglesia ni Cristo which was founded in 1914 as the genuine. And from this miscomprehension of such, he denied the Divinity of Jesus however declared himself an "angel" making him superior than the Biblical Christ.

What's troubling Felix Manalo about Christ? Who are the Iglesia ni Cristo? Catholic Answers has the answer:


"The Catholic teaching that most draws Iglesia’s fire is Christ’s divinity. Like the Jehovah’s Witnesses, Iglesia claims that Jesus Christ is not God but a created being.

Yet the Bible is clear: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). We know Jesus is the Word because John 1:14 tells us, "The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us." God the Father was not made flesh; it was Jesus, as even Iglesia admits. Jesus is the Word, the Word is God, therefore Jesus is God. Simple, yet Iglesia won’t accept it.

In Deuteronomy 10:17 and 1 Timothy 6:15, God the Father is called the "Lord of lords," yet in other New Testament passages this divine title is applied directly to Jesus. In Revelation 17:14 we read, "They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings." And in Revelation 19:13–16, John sees Jesus "clad in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. . . . On his thigh he has a name inscribed, King of kings and Lord of lords."

The fact that Jesus is God is indicated in numerous places in the New Testament. John 5:18 states that Jewish leaders sought to kill Jesus "because he not only broke the Sabbath but also called God his Father, making himself equal with God." Paul also states that Jesus was equal with God (Phil. 2:6). But if Jesus is equal with the Father, and the Father is a God, then Jesus is a God. Since there is only one God, Jesus and the Father must both be one God—one God in at least two persons (the Holy Spirit, of course, is the third person of the Trinity).

The same is shown in John 8:56–59, where Jesus directly claims to be Yahweh ("I AM"). "‘Your father Abraham rejoiced that he was to see my day; he saw it and was glad.’ The Jews then said to him, ‘You are not yet fifty years old, and you have seen Abraham?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.’ So they took up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple." Jesus’ audience understood exactly what he was claiming; that is why they picked up rocks to stone him. They considered him to be b.aspheming God by claiming to be Yahweh.

The same truth is emphasized elsewhere. Paul stated that we are to live "awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13). And Peter addressed his second epistle to "those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours in the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Pet. 1:1).

Jesus is shown to be God most dramatically when Thomas, finally convinced that Jesus has risen, falls down and exclaims, "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28)—an event many in Iglesia have difficulty dealing with. When confronted with this passage in a debate with Catholic Answers founder Karl Keating, Iglesia apologist Jose Ventilacion replied with a straight face, "Thomas was wrong."


Read the whole article Iglesia ni Cristo.
Or visit http://www.catholic.com/ or join Catholic Answers Forums
Read article from This Rock Magazine.

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Mr. Karl Keating is the founder of Catholic Answers, a lay apostolate of Catholic apologetics in spreading the "Splendor of Truth" of the Catholic Church and evangelizing non-Catholics and Catholics at the same level.

Other Links: Iglesia ni Cristo from Answers.com.

2 comments:

  1. So if St. Thomas was wrong then INC proves that The Gospel of John was indeed filled with erroneous doctrines. Then Making the fact that INC hates the Divinity of Christ.

    here's a verse to you INC!

    "Then He said, "Reach out your fingers here, and look at my hands; reach your hand here and Put it on my side. Do not be unbelieving, but believe."
    And Thomas said, "MY LORD AND MY GOD!"
    Jesus said to Him, Thomas, Because you have seen me, YOU HAVE BELIEVED."- John 20:27-29

    The interpretation is THOMAS CONFESSED AND BELIEVE THAT CHRIST IS GOD. Thomas therefore did not made any mistake because he confessed and it is not a lie nor an expression.

    According to the INC Christ is a MAN and NOT GOD in the same. Felix Manalo is a MAN (but claims to be an Angel a spiritual being (remember according to St. John God is Spirit) It seems Felix Manalo wants to be a spiritual being.

    SO IF CHRIST IS JUST A MAN AND FELIX MANALO IS JUST A MAN THEREFORE FELIX MANALO IS EQUAL TO CHRIST. See huling huli po the heresy of the Iglesia.
    Christ is God no matter what they say, therefor Christ is Man because he lived like an Ordinary Man and Christ is God because with the Father from the beginning.

    "In the beginning there was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God"
    "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us"
    "No one has ever seen God except the SON WHO IS THE SAME AS GOD"
    - GOSPEL OF JOHN

    ReplyDelete
  2. We cannot compare our Minds with God. God in Three distinct persons.

    Because God is a mystery, we cannot read his next step we don't know when he wants to come. If God wants to Create another living planet for us he would do it. God is One The Father the Son and the Holy Spirit.

    Iglesia ni Cristo would not accept because they want only their minds to be cleared from mystery God.

    ReplyDelete

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