"Now there is only one true baptism, and that is only to be found in Christ's true Church, the Holy Orthodox Catholic Church of Christ. Other baptisms in Roman Catholic and Protestant sects are water baptisms, but are bereft of the Spirit which must accompany said baptism."
>> What makes you think that that is the case? <<
Christ only founded One Church. He did not found thousands of denominations and sects. It is our responsibility to find the One true Church, the Ark of Salvation.
If you search the Scriptures daily, to see if these things are so, as did the Bereans (see Acts 17.11), you will discover that the things which are taught by the Protestants and Papists will not be found in agreement with the Holy Scriptures.
Only the Orthodox Church faithfully upholds the New Testament doctrines and maintains the traditions as they were handed down by the Apostles.
How can Protestants even claim to be Christ's true Church? Protestants weren't even around until only 500 years ago. Did Christ say He was going to wait 1500 years before building His Church? Of course not.
And the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved. (Acts 2:47)
You see? Christ's Church was in existence and growing in the time of the Apostles.
Where were the Protestants and their silly doctrines back then?
In Acts 15 we read about the first Church council in Jerusalem. St. James the Just, the brother of the Lord, presided over the council as the first Bishop of Jerusalem. When He would not deny Christ his Brother but instead confessed Him boldly, the Jews took him up to the pinnacle of the Temple and cast him down headlong. Miraculously he didn't die. So they stoned him. Finally he was hit in the head with a club thereby accomplishing his martyrdom. This was only a handful of years before two she bears came out of the woods and destroyed those miserable and wicked men.
Many Protestant "churches" don't even make a pretense of having bishops, priests, and deacons. It's just some guy who presumes to appoint himself as shepherd of a flock.
Why does the New Testament speak of bishops, priests (presbyters), and deacons etc. if Christ's Church is not to have these offices?
Just read the Scriptures diligently and all this will become clear.
Cyprian
P.S. Don't read the awful notes that go along with the Scriptures, such as found in the Scofield bible or the ones put out by flase prophets such as John Hagee or Jack Van Impe etc.
Don't read any of the notes from those Protestant Bibles. Some may be ok, but many of them are written to lead you astray.
Just meditate on the Scriptures yourself, letting the Holy Spirit guide you and direct your understanding.
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