St.Peter's Basilica, Rome
Now, we will be discussing the important matters about the Church.
Q. What does the word Church means?
A. church (noun)
1. a building for public Christian worship.
2. public worship of God or a religious service in such a building: to attend church regularly.
3. (sometimes initial capital letter) the whole body of Christian believers; Christendom.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/church
In the Catechism of the Catholic Church (in which contains the official teachings of the Church) says:
The word "Church" (Latin ecclesia, from the Greek ek-ka-lein, to "call out of") means a convocation or an assembly. It designates the assemblies of the people, usually for a religious purpose.139 Ekklesia is used frequently in the Greek Old Testament for the assembly of the Chosen People before God, above all for their assembly on Mount Sinai where Israel received the Law and was established by God as his holy people.140 By calling itself "Church," the first community of Christian believers recognized itself as heir to that assembly. In the Church, God is "calling together" his people from all the ends of the earth. The equivalent Greek term Kyriake, from which the English word Church and the German Kirche are derived, means "what belongs to the Lord." -CCC 751
In Christian usage, the word "church" designates the liturgical assembly,141 but also the local community142 or the whole universal community of believers.143 These three meanings are inseparable. "The Church" is the People that God gathers in the whole world. She exists in local communities and is made real as a liturgical, above all a Eucharistic, assembly. She draws her life from the word and the Body of Christ and so herself becomes Christ's Body. -CCC 752
Q. Who is the FOUNDER of the Catholic Church?
According to the Wikipedia and an official magazine of the Iglesia ni Cristo(Manalo) though they are not the standard reference, tells us the Truth...
Catholic doctrine teaches that the Catholic Church was founded by Jesus Christ.
History of the Catholic Church
The Catholic Church which from the beginning was the Church of Christ. [Ang Iglesia Katolika na sa pasimula ay siyang Iglesia ni Cristo.] -PASUGO Abril 1966, p. 46:
“Even secular history shows a direct time link between the Catholic church and the Apostles, leading to the conclusion that the true Church of Christ is the Catholic Church” -Pasugo, July-August 1988, page 6
“So we don’t question the claim of the Catholic apologist, that the Catholic Church alone could trace back its origin to the apostles.” -Pasugo, April 1965, Page 41, by Bro. C. P. Sandoval
Here are some of the Standard references that supports what is True about the Catholic Church:
The New Book of Knowledge, Page 287
“Roman Catholic Church” –the history of the Roman Catholic Church begun in an upper room in Jerusalem almost 2,000 years ago. About 120 persons were gathered there. They were followers of Jesus Christ, and they were awaiting the coming of Holy Spirit he had promised to send them from heaven. The day on which the Holy Spirit came down is considered the birthday of the Church. The Church may be described as the society that Jesus founded, which is vitalized by the Spirit of God and organized to a structure which he establish. The history of Roman Catholic Church traces the destinies of that society from its beginning until now.
International Encyclopedia, Volume 20, Page 520
“Roman Catholic Church” There are two equally valid definition of the Catholic Church, comparable to the twofold nature of Jesus Christ, its founder, who was both human and divine.
Young Students Encyclopedia, Volume 17, Page 261
“Roman Catholicism” the largest of the Christian denomination is the Roman Catholic Church. As an institution it has existed since the 1st century AD,…”
The World Almanac and Book of Facts Page 688
“Roman Catholics” –traditionally founded by Jesus who named St. Peter the 1st vicar, developed in early Christian proselytizing, especially after the conversion of imperial Rome in the 4th century.
And many standard references (i.e. Hisotrical Books, Encyclopedias, etc.) admit that the Catholic Church was founded by Jesus Christ.
In the Sacred Scriptures have proofs that Jesus founded his Church...
Matthew 16:18 King James Version
18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Jesus built ONLY ONE CHURCH... Not CHURCHES... and this Church is a Divine Institution not founded by a man.
Just take a look who founded your Church...
Christ is the Head of the Church...
Christ "is the head of the body, the Church."(Col 1:18.) He is the principle of creation and redemption. Raised to the Father's glory, "in everything he [is] preeminent,"(Col 1:18.) especially in the Church, through whom he extends his reign over all things.-CCC 792
And Jesus will save his Church because he brought her in his own blood...
Acts 20:28 King James Version
28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
John 15:13
Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
Q. So many churches around the world how can we know or how can we identify which is the True Church built by Christ?
A. We will able to know the True Church built by Christ by its marks namely: One Holy Catholic and Apostolic...
The Church is ONE because its FOUNDER is ONE no other than Our Lord Jesus Christ...One Baptism, Faith... Mat.16:18; Mat.28:19-20; Rom. 15:5; Eph. 4:3-5
The Church is Holy because its FOUNDER is Holy (Divine) and the Church PRODUCES saints and martyrs.All people are called for holiness... Mat.16:18; Jn.1:1; Heb.1:8; Mat.5:48; Lev.11:44; Rev.6:9;
The Church is CATHOLIC because it is UNIVERSAL will spread throughout the whole world...
The missionary mandate. "Having been divinely sent to the nations that she might be 'the universal sacrament of salvation,' the Church, in obedience to the command of her founder and because it is demanded by her own essential universality, strives to preach the Gospel to all men":339 "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and Lo, I am with you always, until the close of the age."340 -CCC 849
Acts 9:31 New International Version
31 Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.
Acts 9:31 Original Greek
“Ho men ho EKKLESIA KATHOLIS ho Ioudaia kai Galalaia kai Samareia.."
1 CORINTO 14:23 Novum Testamentum latine
“si ergo conveniat UNIVERSA ECCLESIA in unum et omnes linguis loquantur intrent autem idiotae aut infideles nonne dicent quod insanities’
Revelation 7:9 New International Version
9 After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.
Isaiah 56:7New International Version
7 these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.”
The Church is APOSTOLIC because Jesus built his Church in the foundation of the apostles...
The Church is apostolic because she is founded on the apostles, in three ways:
- she was and remains built on "the foundation of the Apostles,"362 the witnesses chosen and sent on mission by Christ himself;363
- with the help of the Spirit dwelling in her, the Church keeps and hands on the teaching,364 the "good deposit," the salutary words she has heard from the apostles;365
- she continues to be taught, sanctified, and guided by the apostles until Christ's return, through their successors in pastoral office: the college of bishops, "assisted by priests, in union with the successor of Peter, the Church's supreme pastor":366
You are the eternal Shepherd who never leaves his flock untended.
Through the apostles you watch over us and protect us always.
You made them shepherds of the flock to share in the work of your Son. . . .367 -CCC 857
Jesus is the Father's Emissary. From the beginning of his ministry, he "called to him those whom he desired; .... and he appointed twelve, whom also he named apostles, to be with him, and to be sent out to preach."368 From then on, they would also be his "emissaries" (Greek apostoloi). In them, Christ continues his own mission: "As the Father has sent me, even so I send you."369 The apostles' ministry is the continuation of his mission; Jesus said to the Twelve: "he who receives you receives me."370 -CCC 858
Ephesians 2:20 New International Version
20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.
Revelation 21:14 New International Version
14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
John 17:18 New International Version
18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them (apostles) into the world.(emphasis mine)
Q. Was the Church built by Christ is gone or was there a Great Apostasy?
A. No... by saying Yes or by believing that the Church is gone then you're making Jesus as a liar who promised that His Church cannot be overpowered by the jaws of death or by the gates of hell.(Mat.16:18)
Some would say that Jesus never leave his Church...but it is the people who were abandoning their faith.... Well, that's true there were people who abandoned their faith and accepted the strange teachings of the false prophets who in the latter times will come out.(Mat.7:15; Mat.24:11) And St. Paul said that these people must be accursed (anathema)! (Gal.1:8)
But when we say that there were people abandoning their faith it means that the WHOLE CHURCH was abandoning Jesus? No.. that's why the apostles told their followers to hold fast what they have learned and to hold the Traditions...(2 Thes.2:15; 1Cor.11:2)
These people who hold fast the teachings taught by the apostles was preserved by them and by shedding their blood for the sake of the Gospel. There were saints & martyrs who refused to accept the offers of the Roman Emperors (Caesars) who persecuted them. They chose to die rather than to denounce Jesus.
If you want to read the history of persecution just click the link: Martyr
First century martyrs and saints:
They were being fed by the lions and others were burn as a torch during the night
Martyrs and saints are witnesses of the Faith...that's why St. John when he wrote the Book of Revelation he mentioned those who were slain because of witnessing..(Rev.6:9)
Peter was one the martyrs who died in a martyr's death because he was NOT the hire one who was tending the sheep would run away when the wolves is coming. (Jn.21:15-17; Jn.10:12; )
No other religion that was being persecuted by the Roman authority at that time--ONLY the Catholic Church!... No protestants suffered persecution under the hands of the Caesars...If there were, feel free to correct this article.
And if we accept the myth of great apostasy then, ALL CHRISTIAN (Protestants) DENOMINATIONS are USING the GREAT APOSTASY BIBLE...
The Bible was COMPILED under the Councils of Hippo and Carthage III and IV and approved by Pope Damasus and affirmed by Pope Innocent I in 411
There was a constant history of faithful people from Paul's time through the Apostolic and Post Apostolic Church.Melito, bishop of Sardis, an ancient city of Asia Minor (see Rev 3), c. 170 AD produced the first known Christian attempt at an Old Testament canon. His list maintains the Septuagint order of books but contains only the Old Testament protocanonicals minus the Book of Esther.The Council of Laodicea, c. 360, produced a list of books similar to today's canon. This was one of the Church's earliest decisions on a canon.Pope Damasus, 366-384, in his Decree, listed the books of today's canon.The Council of Rome, 382, was the forum which prompted Pope Damasus' Decree.Bishop Exuperius of Toulouse wrote to Pope Innocent I in 405 requesting a list of canonical books. Pope Innocent listed the present canon.The Council of Hippo, a local north Africa council of bishops created the list of the Old and New Testament books in 393 which is the same as the Roman Catholic list today.The Council of Carthage, a local north Africa council of bishops created the same list of canonical books in 397. This is the council which many Protestant and Evangelical Christians take as the authority for the New Testament canon of books. The Old Testament canon from the same council is identical to Roman Catholic canon today. Another Council of Carthage in 419 offered the same list of canonical books.Since the Roman Catholic Church does not define truths unless errors abound on the matter, Roman Catholic Christians look to the Council of Florence, an ecumenical council in 1441 for the first definitive list of canonical books.The final infallible definition of canonical books for Roman Catholic Christians came from the Council of Trent in 1556 in the face of the errors of the Reformers who rejected seven Old Testament books from the canon of scripture to that time.
Even the founder and father of protestantism Martin Luther admitted:
“We are obliged to yield many things to the Papists (Catholics)–that they possess the Word of God which we received from them, otherwise we should have known nothing at all about it.” Martin Luther–Commentary on St. John, ch. 16
It is so absurd to believe that God would allow his to Church live in apostasy for 19 centuries!
And if the great apostasy occurred when was it? Why is it that they have NO DATES recorded in the standard historical books?
The Lord will KEEP his PROMISE... and he will fulfill what he has promised...
"I, the Lord, have promised that I would do this—and I will.”
-Ezek.36:36 Good News Translation
Q. Where can we found in the Bible that the Lord made a promised about His Church?
A. There are so many passages in the Bible about the promises of Jesus about the His Church in the Bible..
From the Old Testament:
Isaiah 9:6-7New International Version
6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.7 Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.
Isaiah prophesied long long ago that the Kingdom that would be built is forever...NOT JUST FOR A WHILE or FOR A CENTURY but FOREVER.... to whom is WORTHY of believe?
From the New Testament:
Luke 1:31-33 New International Version
31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
Matthew 16:18 New International Version
18 And I tell you that you are Peter,[a] and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades[b] will not overcome it.
Matthew 28:20 New International Version
20 And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
For those who believed that the Church was apostatized then you are MAKING JESUS A BIG LIAR who CANNOT KEEP HIS PROMISE.
Our Lord Jesus is the GOOD SHEPHERD he cannot afford to leave his sheep who died for him and for the sake of the Gospel...
John 10:11 New International Version
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
Think about this...
should you TRUST your soul to a CHURCH FOUNDED BY MEN (who are NOT appointed by God) or to the CHURCH FOUNDED BY JESUS?
should you TRUST your soul to a CHURCH FOUNDED BY MEN (who are NOT appointed by God) or to the CHURCH FOUNDED BY JESUS?
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