Expert: Dr. Ronald E. Shultz - 6/10/2011

Question
I am forced to conclude that the Protestant Faith is based on faulty and selective Biblical interpretation as well as erroneous reasoning.While Protestants can of course be good Christians, at its heart Protestantism is religious anarchy which will lead many devout souls to perdition. Jesus prayed that we may "all be one"(JN 17:21) and that there may be "one flock, one shepherd" (JN 10:16). I believe that He established a Church against which "the gates of Hell shall not prevail" (MT 16:18). I don't believe Jesus intended for Christianity to be an eternal debating club, which is the condition to which Sola Scriptura relegates our religion. How is baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, etc;, etc;. etc; any different? There are like 2500 different branches among you all, some liberal some not? Can you not see all the division in Protestantism? Sola Scriptura gives every group their "own" view..which they form their own theology. Thanks!

Answer
The church is not one group. It is supposed to be one in doctrine and yet even among Catholics there are divisions.  Jesus did not condemn that one casting out devils in His name even though the disciples rebuked him.  Yet, Jesus said that many would do miracles in His name would be cast out as workers of iniquity. To be part of the Church, you need to be part of the Body and all you need for that is to be connected to the Head.

Paul said that there needs to be divisions among "us" that the approved might stand out.  Most of the divisions happened because Catholicism went astray and the Reformers did not reform enough and left too much of Momma in their groups.  

The gates of Hell have never prevailed.  There has always been bodies of true believers in every age though their numbers were fewer in some times than others.  Jesus even indicated that the true church would be small in number for he asked if there would be any faith at all when He comes back.  Numbers and names are not as important to Him as it is to us.  

All you are seeing is what was predicted from the first century and even started then as false prophets abounded, false epistles were being written and John said they went out from us because they were not of us and that false prophets would rise up among the believers.  

No one can have their own interpretation.  There is only one truth just there is only one faith, one Lord, one baptism.  That is why we are each commanded to study to show ourselves approved unto God, rightly dividing the Word of truth and to be like the Bereans who searched the Scriptures daily to see if what Paul was saying was truth.

When the Fathers disagree with the Scriptures Catholicism says the Fathers win and yet they have disagreed with one another and you even dug up a dead Pope and excommunicated him and burned him.  What about all the bulls he issued and the sins he forgave during his tenure?  Y'all have some major issues as well so you cannot claim to be the one true church.  You have grievous doctrinal errors that are the result of opinion and not solid exegesis.  

I suggest you study and you may become a Protestant or maybe better yet, an Ana-Baptist.  May God grant you wisdom and discernment as you study.