Mga Maligno at 'Ligaw na Kaluluwa' (II)

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... Ang ating pakikipagbuno ay... laban sa mga prinsipalidad at mga kapangyarihan, laban sa mga pinuno ng mundo ng kadiliman na ito, laban sa mga espiritu ng kasamaan na nasa himpapawid" (Efeso 6.12, Banal na Biblia Vulgata Latina). Sa mundo ng kadiliman ay mayroon ding herarkiya o pamunuan kung saan si Satanas ay ang puno - sapagkat nais nila sa kanilang kapalaluan na maging Diyos (cf., Isaias 14.14) na sa Kanyang pamumuno ay nagtakda ng herarkiya sa Kanyang kaharian sa langit at dito sa lupa. Ang mga "maligno" at iba pang mga di-nakikitang nilalang ng mundo ng kadiliman ay bahagi ng herarkiya na pinamumunuan ni Satanas. Samakatwid, sila ay hindi kathang-isip lamang.

Ang mga 'ligaw na kaluluwa', kadalasan, ay mga masasamang espiritu na nagkukunwaring mga kaluluwa upang malinlang nila ang iba na gumamit ng mga pamamaraan na sa katunayan ay pakikipag-ugnayan sa mga diyablo. Kapag ang tao ay namatay, siya ay agad na inihaharap para sa kahatulan ng Diyos: makasama Niya sa langit, magbayad-sala pa sa Purgatoryo, o magdusa kasama ng mga diyablo sa impiyerno. ... Itinakda sa mga tao ang minsan silang mamatay, at pagkatapos nito ang paghuhukom (Mga Hebreo 9.27).

Catholic 'Idolatry'

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The Catholic sacred images are entirely different from the pagan idols or "strange gods" - before which sacrifices were offered on their own altars (cf., Ex. 32.1-6: 3 Ki. [1 Kings in non-Catholic versions] 12.26-33). Sacred images are Scriptural, commanded by God Himself: Ex. 25.18ff; 37.7; Num 21.8,9; 2 Par. (Chronicles in non-Catholic versions) 3.10-11; 3 Ki. (1 Kings in non-Catholic versions) 6.23,32,35; 1 Par. 28.18-19.

'Worship'... by kneeling? That's a characteristic "Bible-only" Scriptural ignorance taught in the school of Lutheran tradition. It is written that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow... (Phil. 2.10). But, "Bible-only" sectarians do not kneel in their services, not even when their leaders invoke the Holy Name; otherwise, they would think as if they have become Catholics. Therefore, they don't really pay any divine worship and they don't really literally adhere to the Bible or, better yet, to their version as they would have Catholics to do. Kneeling is confused with the act of ritual offering of a sacrifice on a cultic altar - which alone is the strictly Scriptural worship of the divine (cf., the Scriptural passages referred to above). The Apostle St. Paul claimed: We have an altar (Heb. 13.10).

The Lord and Savior Jesus Christ guaranteed of His Church: The gates of hell shall not prevail against it (St. Matt. 16.18). Now, were His ancient Church He built on Cephas, wherein the Holy Ghost hath placed bishops [Gk: episcopoi]... to rule..." (Ac. 20.28), to degenerate into error which, in turn, leads to idolatry (... being deceived with error, thou adore strange gods, and serve them, Deut. 30.17 - DRV), then, certainly, the gates of hell prevailed against it. To the "Bible-only" sectarians: either your pastors (who have uncritically taken up Luther's anti-Catholic propaganda) or Christ was the liar.