Am I a protestant?
By Pastor Douglas Camarillo
I had an opportunity to be in a radio station in Miami, Florida, Suddenly someone came out with the phrase "it’s that the Protestants ..." to which I commented with great respect “I disagree with the use of the word ‘Protestant’ to describe our faith."
There was a long silence ..., with wide open eyes ... and blank stares of doubt. Without hesitating I explained the principles of my position.
"If you want to label my faith as a person, group or church, I prefer to be called ‘Christian’ as the Bible really says that we were called in Acts 11:26, in Antioch;" although frankly we are simply just children of God.
I base my position on two points:
1. The Christian church was formed in the first century, as I explain, according to Acts 11:26.
2. The Catholic Church was consolidated in the fourth century, around the promulgation of the Edict of Milan in 313 AD, and the implementation of the Nicene Council in 325, where the bishop of Rome was considered the "Primus", first between the three patriarchs of the time.
Then when and where did the word "Protestant" first appear?
The word "Protestant" came too used at the time of the Protestant Reformation which occurred in the sixteenth century, initiated by Martin Lutero, a Catholic monk. The powers to be at that time, joined in support of a profound change in the use and customs of the Catholic Church, encouraged by the actions of Pope Leo X, who desired to have complete control and absolute dominion, along with the excessive sale of indulgences used to build the church of St. Peter in Rome.
Accepting that the term “Protestant” properly defined what happened in the sixteenth century, let’s take one more step and accept that the Church founded by the apostles in the first century, the so-called early church, was the Christian Church as we now know it and not the Catholic Church, which was formed in a sea of political interests around the fourth century AD.
At that time Martin Lutero broke from the Catholic Church and published The Ninety-Five Theses: "Disputatio pro declaratione virtutis indulgentiarum” declaration in defiance of all the teachings and doctrines established by the Catholic Church.
In short terms...
The basis for my approach today simply put focuses on explaining that the Catholic Church consolidated around the promulgation of the Edict of Milan in 313 AD and the implementation of the Nicene Council in 325. And our Christian church was formed, according to Acts 11:26, was formed in the early days of Christianity when we called ourselves “Christians”. Later there was a long process of persecution, adjustments and negotiations, marked by several councils, beginning with the aforementioned first Nicene Council, and ending with the 1545-1563 AD Council of Trent, the Catholic Church finally established a separatist position from the recent reforms in Christianity, by sticking to its traditions and recognize as valid the Apocrypha in its Bible, declaring that anyone who is not with them is a heretic, and by pursuing them with the well-known and bloody Inquisition (a topic for another blog).
In conclusion, WE ARE NOT PROTESTANT. We belong to the Church formed by the apostles at the beginning of the Christian era where there were no pictures, repeated prayers “Rezos”, rituals, politics or traditions. At the beginning of our church, the apostles and his disciples traveled through the streets and homes, bringing the good news of the gospel of Christ, making new disciples and teaching what He had taught them, and gathering to worship and praise the Lord in temples and in homes.
Religion and rituals can’t save your life, not images, church or ministry, the only thing that can save you from eternal damnation is to acknowledge Jesus as your Lord and personal Savior. Therefore, if you have not already done so, I invite you to repent of your sins and say this prayer with me:
"Heavenly Father, I acknowledge that I am a sinner and my sin separates me from you. Today I believe that Jesus died on the cross for me and I declare with that He is Lord and that God the Father raised him from the dead. Voluntarily and with all my heart I repent my sins and declare Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I renounce every covenant with the world, the flesh and the devil, and make a new covenant with Jesus. I ask that you to change my heart and my life. If I died today, when I opened my eyes, I know I would be in your Arms.”
