Surprised by Truth 2: Fifteen Men and Women Give the Biblical and Historical Reasons for Becoming Catholic

Author:Patrick Madrid
Language: eng
Format: mobi
ISBN: 9781928832188
Publisher: Sophia Inst Pr
Published: 2000-08-15T06:00:00+00:00

This sounded vaguely familiar. Hadn’t I read something like it before? I recalled a book, Incense and Insurrection,131 I read years ago by Protestant pastor Judson Cornwall. When I reread it, I was amazed to find, not only enlightening comments by Pastor Cornwall, but what I can only describe as a picture of the Reformation in Scripture.

Pastor Cornwall’s book addresses his concerns about the rebellion and divisions prevalent in Protestant Churches in America. He uses Numbers 16 — sometimes called “Korah’s Rebellion” — to illustrate his points. In it, Korah, a Levite — a member of the priestly tribe of Levi — challenged the right of Moses and Aaron to lead the people of God and to minister to God in a unique way. Disturbed by what he saw as their privileged place among the people, he gathered around himself some of the leaders of the community, went to Moses and Aaron, and said, “You have gone too far! For all the congregation are holy, every one of them; . . . why, then, do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?”132

Korah didn’t believe that Moses and Aaron received their authority from God. He challenged their leadership by asserting the holiness of all the people, and concluded that all could do what Moses and Aaron did. He took one truth and used it to lead the people to a false conclusion.

Isn’t this precisely what Luther did?

Pastor Cornwall uses this Scripture lesson to emphasize God’s displeasure with members of Protestant Churches who rebel against those in authority: “Korah’s rebellion seemed to be against Moses and Aaron, but it was in fact against God. . . . Korah united the people with the rallying cry of ‘equality,’ and the truth of this cry made it almost impossible for Moses to answer, for had not God . . . said, ‘You shall be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation’?133 Korah grabbed that statement as his text and preached it. . . . Korah said, in effect, ‘God said that we are equal, and yet we are submitted to Moses and Aaron, and they’re lording it over us.’ ”134

Cornwall goes on to answer those who assert (like the Reformers?) that challenges to leadership are made because of vital issues that the leaders are mishandling: “Generally, the small measure of principle that is claimed as an issue is little more than a smokescreen to cover action. . . . [I]n seeking to dethrone the earthly leaders of the Church, we risk rising up against God and sharing Korah’s fate. ... Is there any issue large enough to justify splitting the Church over?”135

What if Luther had applied this lesson? Wouldn’t he have realized that no problem could be made better by tearing the Church apart? And what if Protestants applied this lesson today? Would they be willing to submit to those who hold the original God-ordained office of leadership — the bishops of the Catholic Church? If not, would they share Korah’s

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.