...that the Word of GOD is not a book, but a
Person? John 1:1, John 1:14
...that the Bible is one continuous story from beginning to
end? ...that the Word of GOD is not a book, but a
Person?
John
1:1, John 1:14
...that truth is a person?
John 14:6
...that whatever Jesus Christ said must be true because He said
it?
See 1John
5:10 for the obverse of this statement. ...that of all the founders of the various religions on earth,
Jesus Christ was the only one to come preannounced?
All of the other founders simply said, in effect, "Here I
am".
The Old Testament is filled with prophecy of the coming of the Messiah.
Here are just a few examples, Gen 3:15, Num 24:17, 2Sam 7:12-16, Isa 9:1-21,
11:1-16, Dan 9.
...that the Bible does not tell us which books within it are inspired
and which ones are not?
How then do we know that the Bible which we use IS
the Bible?
How
do we know that the books within it really belong there?
...that the Bible came from the Catholic Church, and not the Church
from the Bible?
...that by the time Saint John had completed the Book of
Revelation, the Catholic Church was already on its fifth Pope?
Pope Saint Evaristus 97-105
A.D.
...that non-Catholics have to admit that the Catholic Church made
an infallible decision when it published the Canon of the New Testament, since they
all use the same 27 books?
How then can they deny the Canon of the Old
Testament decided by the same Catholics in the same Councils that decided the
Canon of the New Testament?
...that none of the Gospel writers signed their
work?
How
then, do we know who the authors of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John
were?
The answer to this one
certainly did not come by way of Sola Scriptura did
it?
...that Saint James may have been the Bishop of Jerusalem in Acts 15:13,
but Saint Peter was the Bishop of all the world?
Eusebius (263-339) Bishop of
Caesarea and known as "The Father of Church History", wrote in 'The History of
the Church' volume 2 chapter 1, "But Clement in the sixth book of his
Hypotyposes writes thus: 'For they say that Peter and James and John after the
ascension of our Saviour, as if also preferred by our Lord, strove not after
honor, but chose James the Just bishop of Jerusalem'."
Read Acts 1:8, where Jerusalem is only one of many See's to be founded by the Apostles. The Books of Acts, Revelation, and a few others, record more than 30 additional ones other than Jerusalem.
...that in Acts 1:8, the Greek word used for witnesses is
"martus"?
"...but you
shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you shall be
witnesses for me in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and even to
the very ends of the earth."
Martus means
"witness", but it also means, "to die by violent death". To die as a witness for
Christ is to become a martyr. They are those who after his example, have proved
the strength and genuineness of their faith in Christ by undergoing a violent
death. As you probably all know, every Apostle, but for St. John, died a martyr.
St. John was boiled in oil, but it did not kill him so he was imprisoned and
exiled to the island of Patmos....that the decision documented in Acts 15
was NOT made by Scripture alone (Sola
Scriptura)?
The question which arose in this chapter, was about the Gentile converts
and whether or not they had to be circumcised (vs 3-5). The Apostles, in their
very first Church Council, the Council of Jerusalem, made the decision not to
demand circumcision for converts (vs 28-29), and that decision was made by the
Apostles and the Holy Spirit alone, and with no mention of Scripture being
consulted. There is no doubt that the Apostles knew that this particular
circumstance was NOT in Scripture, and that they knew they would have to decide
the result by using their own GOD given authority (Matthew 16:19,18:17-18, John
20:21-23), and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Compare what I have said here with John 14:16-17 and
John 16:13-15.
This is a prime Scriptural
example of the Development of Doctrine, which
continues to this very day and which Protestants reject.
See! Everything is
NOT in the Bible, as the Bible plainly tells us in John 20:30-31 and John
21:25.
The situation is exactly the same
today when different circumstances arise. The Catholic Church calls a council,
and the Pope, the Magisterium, the Bishops and Cardinals in conjunction with the
Holy Spirit make a final decision to resolve the question. Rome has spoken, the
issue is settled.
...that Rome, not Jerusalem, was chosen to be the seat of the Catholic
Church for many reasons?
1. St. Paul had a vision of Jesus who told him to leave
Jerusalem, "Make haste and go quickly out of Jerusalem, for
they will not receive thy testimony concerning Me."
Acts 22:18
2. Then
Jesus further told St. Paul, just three verses later in Acts 22:21,
"Go, for to the Gentiles far away I will send
you". Rome was Gentile and far away.
3. Still later in Acts 23:11, "But on
the following night the Lord stood by him and said,
"Be steadfast; for just as thou hast borne witness to Me in
Jerusalem, bear witness in Rome also"".
4.
Rome was the capitol of the world at the time. Heads tend to settle in
capitols.
5. Rome was also the largest city in
the Roman Empire which made it the center of attraction. Have you ever heard of
the phrase, "All roads lead to Rome"? The Romans had built many fine roads which made it easier for all travelers
including the Apostles.
6.
Saint Peter, the first Pope, and the visible head of the Catholic Church, was in
Rome when he was martyred in 67 A.D.. Saint Paul was in Rome also when he
was martyred.
7. For what better reason could the
Church convert a large Roman Pagan society than to place itself within their midst?
8. Jesus had said in John 4:21,
"Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither
on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father."
9. Jesus Christ had said in Matthew
24:1-22, that Jerusalem would soon be destroyed.
That prophecy was fulfilled in 70
A.D. when three Roman legions led by Titus did indeed destroy
it.
"And when
you see Jerusalem being surrounded by an army, then know that her desolation is
at hand. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains; and let those
who are in her midst go out, and let those who are in the country not enter her.
For these are days of vengeance, that all things that are written may be
fulfilled. But woe to those with child, or have infants at the breast in those
days! For there will be great distress over the land, and wrath upon this
people. And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led away as
captives to all the nations. And Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles,
until the times of the nations be fulfilled."
Luke 21:20-24
This all happened exactly as Jesus
Christ had predicted. All of the gory details of this massacre can be found in
the writings by the Jewish historian Josephus, who lived and witnessed it at the
time, and by Eusebius.
Christians did flee as Jesus prophesied in the above verses, and
all were saved, as recorded by Eusebius in his History of the Church, book III,
chapter 5.
Being forewarned by the Lord Himself of this impending disaster, why
would the Apostles even consider Jerusalem to be the center of
Christianity?
...that Saint Paul admonished the Ephesians day and night for three
years?
Acts
20:31
Yet his
letter to the Ephesians is only six chapters long and can be read in just a few
minutes.
Where
is the rest of his three year dialog with the Ephesians? Again, is
everything in the Bible?
...that in Matthew 16:13-17, it was Simon-Peter only who knew the truth
of who Jesus Christ was?
GOD the Father revealed it to him and him alone. All
of the rest had only an opinion.
Catholics look to the Successor of Peter, the Pope,
whom we can trust to reveal GOD's truth to us.
...that GOD always had a Father Figure to shepherd His
people?
From
Adam, to Noah, to Abraham, to Isaac, to Jacob, to Moses, to David, to Peter,
there was always a male figure that GOD used to shepherd His flock. It is no
different today, as GOD never changes.
...that every time GOD changed the name of someone in the Bible,
He also gave that person authority?
He changed Abram to Abraham and made him the father of a multitude of
nations. Genesis 17:5
He changed Sarai to Sara and made her the mother of nations. Genesis
17:15-16
He
changed Jacob to Israel and made him the first Israeli. Genesis
35:10
He
changed Simon to Peter and gave him primacy over the other Apostles. Matthew
16:18-19
...that in John 21:16, the Greek word used for "feed" is "poimaino" (poimaino, second person, singular),
which means, to act as a shepherd, to rule, to govern, to pastor, or the
presiding officer?
It is the only time this Greek word is used in the Gospel of John. In
John 21:15 and 17, the Greek word used for "feed" is "bosko" (bosko), which means "to feed". So verses
15-17 say "feed my lambs, SHEPHERD my lambs, and feed my sheep". Jesus commanded
Peter alone, to be the visible SHEPHERD of His flock.
In John 10:16, Jesus said,
"...and there shall be one fold and ONE
SHEPHERD." The Greek word used for "shepherd" here is
"poimen" (poimen, masculine, singular).
Clearly, Jesus said in these verses that there will be only ONE SHEPHERD, and
that visible shepherd on earth will be Peter, who would soon become the first
Bishop of Rome, and the first Pope.
...that the power to forgive sins was given to
men?
Matthew
9:1-8, John 20:22-23, 2Corinthians 2:10
...that Jesus taught from the Barque of Peter and no other
boat?
Luke
5:1-4
The
Barque of Peter is a "type" of the Catholic Church, as is
Noah's Ark.
The Ship of the Church, the Barque of Peter, will survive because Christ
is aboard to quell the storms that rise up against it..
See Matthew 8:23-27, Mark 4:35-40,
and Luke 8:22-25.
...that Saint Paul said, "Unless these men remain in the ship, you
cannot be saved"?
Acts 27:31
...that Saint Peter said that only eight souls were saved because they
were aboard Noah's Ark?
1Peter 3:20
...that the relics of all of the Apostles (except for
Judas) and Gospel writers are in Catholic
Churches?
...that three of the greatest Biblical heros were
murderers?
They were Moses in Exodus 2:12, David in 2Samuel 11:14-27, and Saul
(Paul) in Acts 7:58-59.
GOD uses sinners in His plan of Salvation, since we
note that all three wrote inspired books of the Bible.
...that one Pope denied Christianity three
times, and later wrote two infallible documents which we use to this very
day?
His name
is Peter.
Matthew 26:69-75
...that one Apostle denied Him, one betrayed Him, one doubted Him, and
all ran away from Him?
Matthew 26:69-75, Matthew 26:25, John 20:25, and Matthew
26:56.
...that the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew
1:1-16, lists three major breaks in Mosaic Law?
This indicates immediately, in the
first 16 verses of the New Testament, that the Old Covenant, and with it the
Mosaic Law, is soon coming to an end, being fulfilled (Matthew 5:17), and
shortly to be superseded by the New Covenant of Jesus Christ (Matthew 26:28,
Hebrews 8:13).
1.Females
are listed:
(3)Tamar Gen 38:6, 1Chron 2:4, (5) Rahab Josh 2:1,17, (5) Ruth, book of
Ruth, (6) Bathsheba (former wife of Uriah) 2Sam 11:12,24.
Jewish law required that only males
were to be listed in genealogies. See Numbers 1:17-18.
2.Sinners
are listed:
(3) Tamar, a deceiver, (5) Rahab, a harlot, (6) Bathsheba, an
adulteress, (6) Solomon, idolatry.
By naming sinners, GOD has shown that He is the GOD
of mercy.
3.Gentiles
are listed:
(3) Tamar, a Canaanite, (5) Rahab, a Canaanite, (5) Ruth, a Moabite, (6)
Bathsheba, a Hittite. Foreigners like these symbolized GOD's desire to save all,
with no longer a distinction between Jew and Gentile, Colossians
3:11.
...that those who accuse Catholics of not reading their Bibles, as
often as non-Catholics, do not realize that the Catholic Church can be
visualized as resting upon a three-legged stool, only one
leg of which is the Bible?
The other two legs are Sacred (Apostolic) Tradition,
and the Magisterium, or teaching authority.
When the reformers broke away from
the Catholic Church, they lost two of the legs. They rejected Apostolic
Tradition and the authority of the Magisterium, thereby leaving themselves with
only one leg...the Bible, which they took from the Catholic Church. They tend to
dwell on the only leg they have left, whereas Catholics dwell on all three legs.
Did Jesus Christ say to the disciples, 'Read the Bible', or did He
say,
"Go out
into all nations and teach
them all that I have commanded you (Matthew 28:19-20)"?
Did Jesus Christ found a teaching Church, or did He found a
book?
...that "Faith then depends on HEARING, and HEARING on the Word of
Christ"?
Romans 10:17
Where does Scripture say that faith depends on reading the Word of
Christ?
Catholics are frequently accused of not reading their Bibles.
However, no one can ever accuse Catholics of not hearing the Word of Christ. At every
Catholic Mass, over a period of three years, the entire Bible, except for some
of the begats, is read and preached to all of the people and after that the
cycle is repeated over and over again. If the Catholic lives to the age of 75,
it is possible that he or she has had almost all of the Bible read to them 25
times.
Name
another Church which fulfills Romans 10:17 as well as the Catholic Church
does?
"And I saw another angel flying in
midheaven, having an everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell upon the
earth and to every nation and tribe and tongue and
people."
Revelation 14:6
Name another church which has an everlasting gospel
preached to them, and to every nation and tongue and people as does the Catholic
Church?
...that Saint Joseph taught the Creator of the Universe how to make
furniture?
Mark 6:3
...that the Apostles never caught fish without the help of
Jesus?
We can
do nothing of ourselves without the help of GOD. John 15:5
...that Jesus said that bad fish would be caught in the net also, and
that the bad fish would be thrown away?
Matthew 13:47-50
...that both the wheat and the chaff will co-mingle until the very
end?
Matthew
13:24-30
...that proof showing Christianity to be true can be found in the many
Old Testament prophecies that Gentiles will come to the Jewish
GOD?
You can
see this in the Old Testament verses listed and then the fulfillment in the New
Testament. Isaiah 11:10, Isaiah 42:1,6, 49:6,22, 54:3, 60:3,5,11,16, 61:6,9,
62:2, 66:12,19, Jeremiah 16:19, Micah 5:8, Malachi 1:11, Matthew 12:18,21,
20:25, Luke 2:32, 21:24, John 7:35, Acts 4:27, 9:15, Acts 10:45, 11:1,18,
13:42,46-48, 14:27, 15:3,7,12,14,17,19,23, 18:6, 21:19,21,25,
22:21,
Acts
26:17,20,23, 28:28, Romans 1:13, 2:14, 3:29, 9:24, 11:11-13,25, 15:9-27,
16:4,
1Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 2:2,14-15,3:14, Ephesians 3:1,6,8,
Colossians 1:27,
1Thessalonians 2:16, 1Timothy 2:7, 1Timothy 3:16, 2Timothy 1:11, 4:17,
Revelation 11:2.
...that the True Church which Jesus Christ founded will offer
Spiritual Sacrifices performed
every day in every place by a Holy Priesthood?
"Draw near to Him, a living stone,
rejected indeed by men but chosen and honored by GOD. Be you yourselves as
living stones, built thereon into a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer
spiritual sacrifices acceptable to GOD through Jesus
Christ."
1Peter 2:4-5
"For from the rising of the sun even to the going down, My Name is great
among the Gentiles, and in every place there is sacrifice, and there is offered
to My Name a clean oblation, for My Name is great among the Gentiles said the
Lord of Hosts."
Malachi 1:11
"First I give
thanks to my GOD through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is
proclaimed all over the world."
Romans
1:8
"Give us this day our daily bread."
Matthew 6:11
Name another church which fulfills these verses by offering in every
place, a daily spiritual
sacrifice, a clean oblation, acceptable to GOD through Jesus Christ,
and by a Holy Priesthood?
Name another
church which even offers a daily sacrifice?
These verses describe perfectly, the Mass of the Catholic
Church.
...that the "Manna in the Desert" is a "type" of the Holy
Eucharist?
On
seeing it, the Israelites asked one another, "What is this?" for they did not
know what it was. But Moses told them, "This is the bread which the Lord has
given you to eat."
Exodus 16:15
"Your fathers ate the manna in the
desert, and have died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that if
anyone eat of it he will not die."
John 6:49-50
Never does an Old Testament "type" point to a New Testament
symbol.
"Types" always prefigure a much greater reality.
Romans 5:14, 1Corinthians 10:11,
Hebrews 11:19
...that Jesus Christ said, "...unless
you eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His blood, you shall not have
life in you"?
John 6:53
What does this profound statement mean to you? Where
does He say the "symbol" of His flesh? Remember 1John 5:10 as mentioned
earlier.
...that those who did not believe the words of Jesus Christ left Him and
never came Back?
John
Did you get the verse number
connection?
If
Jesus spoke only symbolically in John chapter
6, then why did they leave Him, never more to return,
for only a symbolic gesture? It would have made no
sense whatsoever for them to do so.
Also, if He was only speaking a parable, why then
did He not call them back and tell them so?
After all, He did explain every one
of His parables since no one understood them, did He not?
I would like for someone to explain
to me why non-believers of the True Presence take the whole Bible literally,
except for John chapter 6?
All those who do not believe in the True Presence are those in this
verse who walk away from Him.
This is a count of those who do not
believe 
the words of Jesus Christ
in this chapter, and simply walk away, never to come back. Are you included in
this count?
...that St. Paul said, "The cup of the blessing that we bless, is it not
the sharing of the Blood of Christ? And the Bread that we break, is it not the
partaking of the Body of the Lord?"
1Corinthians 10:16
Did St. Paul say anything about this
summit and center of the Catholic Mass as being only a symbolic gesture? No?
Then why do you not believe what he said?
...that St. Paul said, "Therefore, whoever eats this bread or drinks the
cup of the Lord unworthily, will be guilty of the Body and the Blood of the
Lord"?
1Corinthians 11:27
How can a person be "guilty" of anything if this is
only a symbolic gesture?
...that St. Paul also said, "...for he who eats and drinks unworthily,
without distinguishing the body, eats and drinks judgment to
himself"?
1Corinthians 11:29
How could one bring "judgment to himself" if this
verse reads only symbolically?
This is the reason why non-Catholics may not receive
the Holy Eucharist in the Catholic Church, since they do not believe it is truly
the Body of Christ, but only a symbol.
See? If they did partake, they would bring judgment
upon themselves.
...that when Jesus said the word "Unless", it was usually a dire
warning that His word must be obeyed, "Or you shall
not enter the Kingdom of Heaven", or similar
wording?
Matthew 5:20, "...Unless your justice
exceeds that of the Scribes and the Pharisees...."
Matthew 18:3, "...Unless you turn and
become like little children...."
Luke 13:3,5, "...Unless you
repent...." (you will all
perish).
John
3:3, "...Unless a man be born again...."
John 3:5, "...Unless a man be born
again of water and the Spirit...."
John 6:53, "...Unless you eat the flesh
of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you shall not have life in you,
(implied, "no life everlasting", as shown by the very
next verse, John 6:54), "He who eats my flesh and
drinks my blood has life everlasting and I will raise him up on the last
day".
...that the word "Amen*" is a Greek word
(amen) of Hebrew origin which, at the
beginning of a discourse means, "certainly", "surely", "truly", "of a truth",
"so be it"?
When used as a prefix by Jesus Christ , it is to emphasize that it is a
Statement of especial solemnity.**
Now, what do you suppose He meant when He emphasized
twice, by using a double "Amen"?
"Amen, amen, I say to you, Moses did not give you the
bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the
bread of GOD is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the
world."
John 6:32-33
Notice that Jesus used a double emphasis by
beginning these verses with 'truly', 'truly'.
Do you truly truly believe what He
said in this verse?
Is there any room for symbolism in these verses
whatsoever?
"Amen, amen, I say to you, he who believes in me has
life everlasting."
John 6:47
Again, He said 'truly, 'truly', but
of course everyone believes His words in this verse, so everyone truly, truly
believes Him here. But, read on for a possible "snag" for some, regarding this
verse.
"Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the
flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within
you."
John 6:53
What? 'Truly, 'truly' again? Another double
emphasis, and a dire warning (unless) to boot?
The context for this verse is
the same as for the previous examples in this section.
Why do you think Jesus used a double
emphasis yet again? Why do people repeat themselves at
all?
They do
it to drive home a very important point, that is why!
Interestingly, Weymouth's Modern
Speech New Testament translates the first words of this verse
as:
"In most solemn truth, I tell
you...".
What would Jesus have had to say to make his words any more clear than
what He actually said?
Then why do some say "Truly, truly, in this verse, He was only speaking
symbolically"?
If this verse is to be taken only symbolically, then the previous
example, John 6:47, must be treated in the same context, as being only a
symbolic gesture also. If that is the case, then we have a domino effect working
throughout Scripture. All verses with the same meaning of John 6:47, "believe in
Christ and you have life everlasting", must be only symbolic as well. Some well
known, and well used verses with the same, or very similar meaning are, John
3:15-16,18, 5:24, 6:40, 8:24, and 20:31, Acts 13:48, and 16:31, Romans 10:9-11, 1Timothy 1:16, and
4:10, 2Timothy 1:1,
and 1John 5:13.
*Some Protestant
Bibles use the word "Verily", instead of "Amen", in the verses shown
above.
Verily
means, "in truth", or "with confidence". However, in the Greek text the word
used is Amen.
**See the footnote in the Confraternity Bible for Matthew
5:18.
...that the Greek word for "life" used in John 6:53 in the previous
segment, is "zoen" (zoen) which means,
"divine life of GOD imparted to us"?
There are other Greek words for "life" that St. John
could have chosen, such as "bios"
(bios) which simply means "life". The fact that he chose the word that he did,
lends great credibility to the literal meaning of this verse and with not a hint
of symbolism.
...that the Catholic Church is the cause of holiness in its
members?
The
holiness of its members do not make the Church more holy.
Conversely, the unholiness of her
members do not make the Church any less holy.
...that Jesus Christ is not His Name?
It is correct to say Jesus
THE Christ. Throughout the
Old Testament are verses which prophecy the coming of "The Anointed One", "The
Messiah", or "The Christ". See Daniel 9:25-26 for two examples. Jesus is The
Anointed One, The Messiah, or The Christ. The word "Christ" comes from the Greek
word "Christos", which means the Anointed One.
...that Jesus came AFTER Mary?
Do you realize that Christ has a triple
birth?
1. He was born into eternity of a
Father without a mother. John 1:1-5,14, Hebrews 5:5
2. He was
born into time of a Mother without a father. Luke 1:35, 2:7
3. He is born into us at
Baptism.
Christ is the second person of the Most Holy Trinity and He always
existed. Jesus being born into time, the second birth of Christ, was born of
Mary, and therefore He came AFTER her. Christ is mentioned many times in the Old
Testament as shown in the previous paragraph. The coming of Jesus is alluded to
in Isaiah 7:14, but you will not find Jesus mentioned in the Old Testament
except as a "type". Remember His correct name is Jesus THE Christ.
Each one of us also has a triple
birth, our natural birth, our supernatural birth at Baptism, and our birth into
eternal life.
...that Jesus Christ kept the Ten Commandments, including the one which
says, "Honor your father and your mother"?
"...I also keep my
Father's commandments, and abide in His love."
John 15:10
If He honored His mother, can any one of us do
less?
Aren't
we obligated to follow Him and do the same as He? See John
12:26.
After
all, she is our spiritual mother, John 19:26-27.
Dare anyone dishonor the mother of
Jesus Christ?
What action would you take if someone dishonored your
mother?
What
will Jesus say to you at your time of judgment?
Will He say, "Yes, My mother has
spoken of you often"?
Or will He say, "Why have you calumnized My
mother"?
...that the Divine person, Jesus Christ, obeyed His mother, Mary, and
His foster father Joseph?
Luke 2:51
...that four people in Holy Scripture managed to persuade GOD to change
His intentions?
They are, Abraham in Genesis 18:20-23, Moses in Exodus 32:9-14, Jonah in
Jonah 3:10, and only one in the New Testament, the Mother of GOD in John
2:3-5.
...that we are commanded to call the Mother of GOD,
Blessed?
Luke
1:48, "...behold, henceforth all generations shall call me
blessed;"
Doesn't "henceforth"
mean from this moment on? And doesn't "all generations" mean all of us? And
doesn't the word "shall" ("will" in some Bibles) denote a command and not a
suggestion?
How can
anyone claim to follow Holy Scripture and at the same time flagrantly ignore the
command of Luke 1:48?
...that the Mother of GOD is in the first
book of the Bible, Genesis 3:15, and she is in the last book of the Bible,
Revelation 12:1-2, and she is in the middle of the Bible, Isaiah
7:14?
...that petitioning the Saints for their prayers makes a lot of sense if
you consider what would have happened to the godless judge if the poor widow had
20 more petitioners praying in her behalf?
Luke 18:1-8. Read verses 6-8 slowly and
carefully.
...that the Queens of the Old Testament were the mothers of the Kings not the
wives?
1Kings
2:19-20
Equate
this fact with the King of Kings and His most Holy Mother?
...that those who say that the word "brethren" means blood brother only,
will have a hard time explaining who the parents of the 120 brethren and the 500
brethren were in Holy Scripture?
See Acts 1:15-16, and 1Corinthians
15:6
...that in Galatians 1:19, where James is called, the
"brother of the
Lord",
he is also called an Apostle?
In the introduction to the Book of
James in the "New International Version", a Protestant bible, it says, James,
the "brother" of Jesus. This statement strongly implies a blood brother. There
were two Apostles named James. It is a simple matter to expose the fallacy of
"blood brothers of Jesus" by comparing Acts 1:13 which says one James was the
son of Alpheus, and Matthew 4:20, which says the other James was the son of
Zebedee. Do you see? Neither James was a blood brother of
Jesus.
...that Jesus told Mary Magdalen to go to His "brethren" (the word is
"brothers" in some Bibles), and to whom does she go
in the very next verse?
See John 20:17-18
She went to His
"disciples".
Once again, the words "brethren" and "brothers", do not necessarily mean
a blood brother.
...that Jesus said, "And no one has
ascended into heaven except him who has descended from heaven: the Son of Man
who is in heaven"?
John 3:13
Yet in Matthew 17:1-7, and Luke
9:26-36, Moses and Elias appeared to Jesus and three of His disciples, and they
were even conversing with Jesus. Now since both Moses and Elias had been dead
for hundreds of years, from where did they come? They certainly could not have
come from hell, as no one ever leaves there. John 3:13 says they could not have
come from heaven either.
The only possible answer is that both came from a
third place!
...that GOD obeys His Priests in the Sacraments?
Matthew 26:26, Luke 22:19,
2Corinthians 2:10
...that we cannot put limits on an unlimited GOD?
Some try to when they question the
Immaculate Conception, the Virgin Birth, or the Assumption.
Aren't they really saying that GOD is incapable of doing
these things?
...that GOD is not bound by His laws which bind
us?
Matthew
19:26, Mark 10:27, Luke 1:37,18:27
...that if something is wrong, it is always wrong even if everyone is
doing it?
...that if something is right, it is always right even if no one is
doing it?
...that Adam was NOT deceived by Satan, but Eve
was?
Genesis
3:4-6, 1Timothy 2:14
Satan saw that Eve would be a more effective target than
Adam.
It took
the serpent to trick the woman, but only a woman to trick the
man.
...that Adam was a Christ figure (Romans 5:14, 1Corinthians
15:45), and in order to get back to him we all have to go through a woman?
Think about it!
It was the woman "Eve" who got to Adam; it was and
is the woman "Mary" who leads us to Jesus. It is women (types) of the Old
Testament who bridge the paths that precede the Blessed Virgin Mary and lead to
Jesus Christ. Male and female are one, as the error of Adam and Eve become the
TRUTH of Jesus and Mary.
...that it was GOD who died on the cross and not merely His human nature
as some claim?
Jesus THE Christ is a Divine person and not a human person. He is GOD acting
in a human nature. Nature describes what a person can do, but the person does
it.
Every
action of the nature belongs to the person.
It is persons who die on crosses,
not natures.
"And when I saw him, I fell at his
feet as one dead. And he laid his right hand upon me
saying,
"Do not be afraid; I am the first and
the last, and he who lives; I was dead, and behold, I am living forever more;
and I have the keys of death and hell.""
Revelation 1:17-18.
See also, Philippians 2:5-11, and Acts
3:15.
...that whether you believe a doctrine or not, your belief has no
bearing on doctrinal truth?
...that those who hold back the truth of GOD are to be faced with
His wrath? Romans 1:18
...that we cannot be liars against the truth? James 3:14
...that the contrary of truth cannot be proven?
Saint Thomas
Aquinas
...that liars will not enter the Kingdom of
Heaven?
Revelation 21:8,27, 22:15
...that Holy Scripture says, "...but wrath and indignation to those who
are contentious, and who do not submit to the truth but assent to
iniquity"?
Romans 2:8
...that, regarding heretics, Holy Scripture says, "But these men, like
irrational animals created by nature for capture and destruction, deride
what they do not understand, and will perish in their own
corruption"?
2Peter 2:12, Jude 1:10
How many non-Catholics have derided you
for your beliefs without even trying to understand them?
...that it is the Church, and not the Bible, which is the Pillar
and Foundation of the Truth?
1Timothy 3:15
...that those who claim "once saved always saved", are
proclaiming themselves as "Saints" already, and they are the same people who
deride (see 2Peter 2:12 and Jude 1:10 again) the Catholic Church for
canonizing some as Saints?
Aren't these people canonizing themselves, who are
running around claiming they are "saved"?
...that no one has a guarantee that he or she will go to
heaven?
For we
all must "work out our salvation with fear and trembling".
Philippians
2:12
...that there is no salvation for those who do not obey the words of
Jesus Christ?
Hebrews 5:9
...that those who do not believe what Jesus has said, have called Him a
liar?
1John
5:10
"And you
have not his word abiding in you, since you do not believe him whom he has
sent."
John 5:38. Here the Jews are forewarned that they do
not believe him.
Notice that we see proof of what he said here in the very next chapter,
John 6:66, which we have already visited in a previous
segment.
...that GOD sends no one to hell, as it is we who send ourselves
there?
Hebrews
5:9, again! ...that GOD predestines no one
to hell?
How could He when He desires all men to
be saved, and with Him there is no respect of persons?
Deuteronomy 10:17,
2Chronicles 19:7, Job 34:19, Wisdom 6:8, Sirach 35:15, Acts 10:34,
Romans
2:11, Ephesians 6:9, Colossians 3:25, *1Timothy 2:4, *1Peter 1:17, *2Peter 3:9
...that GOD has given each one of us sufficient grace for our
salvation?
2Corinthians 12:9, Ephesians 4:7
How we each make use of it is up to the
individual.
...that the GOD of Mercy while we live, becomes the GOD of Justice when
we die?
John
12:48, Acts 17:31, Romans 2:16,14:10, Hebrews 10:30, James
5:9
...that the Bible says, "Therefore let him who thinks he stands take
heed lest he fall"?
1Corinthians 10:12
...that Saint Paul was concerned that even he might lose his
salvation?
1Corinthians 9:27
...that when Jesus said, neither shall anyone snatch His sheep out of
His hand, He said nothing about the sheep jumping out of His hand and walking
away from Him by choice did He?
John 10:28
...that in the parable of the sheep and the goats, both believed but
only one worked?
Matthew 25:31-46
...that others may say that you cannot be perfect, but Holy Scripture
commands us to be perfect, even as your Heavenly Father is
perfect?
Matthew 5:48
...that we are cautioned not to be conformed to this
world?
Romans
12:2
What is
most important in your life, is the GOD of your life.
...that whoever wishes to be a friend of this world becomes an enemy of
GOD?
James
4:4
...that we are not to love the world or the things within it, for if
anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in
him?
1 John
2:15
...that Scripture says, "Mind the things that are above, not the things
that are on earth"?
Colossians 3:2
...that nothing and no one on this earth must keep you from saving your
soul? ...that there is nothing made
by human hands in Heaven except for the wounds of
Christ?
...that Revelation 12:1 is connected to 11:19 by the first word, the
conjunction "and" in 12:1?
In the Greek text (the book of Revelation was written in Greek),
the first word of verse 12:1 is "kai" which means "and". I feel it is important
to mention the Greek text here because some Bibles do not include the word
"and". The context of 11:19 is of Saint John seeing the Ark of the Covenant in
Heaven. "And a great sign
appeared in Heaven: a woman clothed with the Sun, and the Moon was under her
feet, and upon her head is a crown of twelve stars."
This is a clear
allusion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Ark seen in Heaven could not be the
wooden box made by human hands, which contained the commandments written on
stone tablets and handed down to Moses, but it is the Blessed Virgin Mary, the
New Ark of the Covenant.
...that Revelation 12 mentions four persons, a "woman", a dragon,
a male child, and Michael?
It is obvious that the
dragon is satan, the ancient serpent, Rev 12:9. It is obvious that Michael is an
angel, the archangel Michael, Rev 12:7. It is obvious that the male child is
Jesus Christ, Rev 12:5. Since three of the four in the chapter are identified,
then the context would demand that the woman be identified also, as the one who
gave birth to Jesus Christ, Rev 12:4-5. She is the Blessed Virgin Mary. There
are many layers of exegesis to the Book of Revelation, so a not so obvious
meaning for the "woman" could also be the Church which Jesus Christ founded. See
Galatians 4:26....that Revelation 12:1 clearly says that "a woman" was seen in
Heaven?
Revelation speaks of many souls and
spirits as being in Heaven (Rev 1:4,6:9,20:4). Do you know the definition of the
word "woman"? A woman is a female human being, a person. A human person has a
body, a soul, and a spirit. Spirits and souls are genderless. They are neither
male nor female. Gender is determined by the body alone. Since Saint John
described a "woman" as being seen in Heaven, she could have only been there in
body, soul, and spirit. This is strong evidence of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
...that Holy Scripture stresses that we must be ONE, "...and they shall hear My Voice, and there shall be ONE fold and
ONE Shepherd".
John 10:16,17:11,21-23
It is a command from Jesus Christ
and not a suggestion.
Jesus Christ, being Himself Truth (John 14:6), speaks with ONE Voice. He
has spoken ONE truth for each of us. Why then are there so many differing
interpretations of what He told us? In the book of Ephesians, when Saint Paul
refers to the "body", he means the Body of Christ, the only Church which Christ
founded (Ephesians 1:22-23). There is only ONE GOD, ONE Truth, ONE Faith, ONE
Baptism (Ephesians 4:1-6), and He founded only ONE Church ( Matthew 16:18,
Ephesians 4:4), with only ONE Authority. Why then, are there over 33,800
Christian churches in existence today, something which is in direct violation of
Holy Scripture?
"He who is not with Me is against Me;
and he who does not gather with Me scatters."
Luke 11:23
...that we are commanded by Scripture to be of ONE MIND, in ONE SPIRIT,
and with ONE MOUTH to glorify GOD?
Romans 15:5-6, Philippians 1:27,
2:2
"Now I
beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you ALL SAY
THE SAME THING; and that there be NO DISSENSIONS AMONG YOU, but that YOU BE
PERFECTLY UNITED in ONE MIND and in ONE JUDGMENT."
1Corinthians
1:10
How can
these verses be obeyed with over 33,800* splits in the Body of Christ
today?
Who is
doing the splitting and scattering?
*World Christian Encyclopedia, 2001, a Protestant
publication.
...that it is the Holy Spirit which places men as Bishops to rule the
Church of GOD?
Acts 20:28
Does your church have bishops?
...that Holy Scripture commands all of us to obey our superiors and be
subject to them, for they keep watch as having to render an account of our
souls; so that they may do this with joy, and not with grief, for that would not
be expedient for us?
Hebrews 13:7-8,17
How many, if any, of the founders of the reformation
followed this command of Scripture, and how many did not? How many of them
caused "grief" for their superiors by rejecting their
authority?
...that those who despise authority, especially, risk eternal
punishment?
2Peter 2:9-10
...that nowhere in Scripture is authority given to anyone to start
another church other than the ONE which Jesus Christ
founded?
However, there are many verses which warn against forsaking GOD given
authority regarding His Assembly (O.T.) or Church (N.T.) which He bestowed upon
prophets such as Moses (Exodus 3-40), and on the Apostles (John 20:21-23), and
to their successors (Hebrews 13:7-8,17).
Read of the rebellion of Korah against the GOD given
authority of Moses in Numbers 16, and pay special attention to what happened to
him, and to his followers in Numbers 16:31-35.
See John 4:19-24 for a New Testament
example.
...that if it is not GOD given authority, it is no authority at
all?
No one
may hold up a Bible and claim it to be his authority, if GOD given authority was
not specifically bestowed upon him or her in Holy Scripture. This was pointed
out in the previous topic. If someone claims "GOD told him", what guarantee does
anyone have to know that to be true? Such a claim would be at most, a private
revelation, and not a public revelation which comes from
GOD.
Private
revelations, if claimed by anyone, are not binding upon anyone except possibly
the recipient.
...that Holy Scripture cautions us not to be a stumbling block to the
Church of GOD?
1Corinthians 10:32
How many non-Catholics ignore this
verse?
...that Holy Scripture warns us not to despise the Church of
GOD?
1Corinthians 11:22
How many ignore this one also?
...that Saul persecuted the Church which Jesus Christ founded (Acts
8:1-3), yet Jesus asked him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute
me"?
Acts
9:4,22:7
Why
didn't Jesus ask Saul why he was persecuting His Church, instead of saying "why
do you persecute Me"?
...that it is the Church, and not the Bible which has the final
authority, as Holy Scripture tells us?
Matthew 18:15-18
...that Jesus Christ would not have given us a command which we could
never fulfill?
If that is the case, then where would each of us go to fulfill His
command of Matthew 18:15-18,
if we had lived in the years 500, 1200, or 1500
A.D.?
...that he who does not know history is condemned to repeat its
mistakes?
Everyone of us should read the history of the Christian
Church.
Read
the Church Fathers and the
lives of the Saints.
...that history has no gaps as some people seem to think?
Many non-Catholics close their minds
to any genuine historical documents which were written after the Book of
Revelation and up until the time of Martin Luther. Is this wise thinking? Are
blindfolds being purposely applied to these people to keep them from seeing the
truth? Read Romans 1:18.
...that some non-Catholics try to show that the Catholic Church
was founded by Constantine?
This false charge is riddled with errors...
1. They
use faulty reasoning by saying that since the Catholic Church is called the
"Roman Catholic Church", it must have been founded by a Roman Emperor, namely
Constantine. They point to
the "Edict of Milan", issued
in 313 A.D., as "proof". Now if they would just read the Edict, they would find
that it merely gave Christianity the freedom to practice the faith openly and
with no fear of persecution from the Romans. Nothing at all is said about his
founding the Catholic Church which is not even mentioned by name, and they
cannot show any other genuine historical document which supports their false
charge.
2.
Their second error is the fact that the term "Roman
Catholic" was coined about 1200 years later in the 16th century by Protestant
reformers, especially Anglicans, because they wanted to retain the name
"Catholic" for themselves.
3. Their third error is their failure
to read the writings of the Church Fathers which clearly show the words
"Catholic Church" dating from 107 A.D., and appearing in hundreds of writings in
every century up to, and beyond the Reformation, and to this very
day.
4.
Their fourth error is in trying to show that the
"Catholic Church" and the "Roman Catholic Church" are two different Churches,
when in fact they are one and the same.
5. Their fifth error is
in not reading the history of Constantine. He was a pagan Roman emperor
at the time he issued the Edict, however, he was baptized into the Catholic
Church before he died in 337. Therefore, how could an unbaptized pagan found a
Christian Church?
...that the Church is not subject to men, but to
Christ?
Ephesians 5:24, Acts 5:29, 1John 5:9
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday,
today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Which Church holds fast to His teachings, and
which churches change their teachings to conform to the will of the
people?
Which
churches changed their teaching in recent years and have accepted contraception,
women clergy, divorce, unholy unions, and more, due to the pressures of their
members?
Which
Church is unbending to the whims of men, and which churches sway with the
wind?
...that the body cannot do anything of itself without the
head?
Ephesians 1:22-23, Colossians 1:18
"For without Me you can
do nothing."
John 15:5
...that it is through the Church that there will be made known the
manifold wisdom of GOD?
Ephesians 3:10 ...that the Catholic Church is called "Mother Church" because the
Bible says it is.
Galatians
4:26
...that the beginning of the Liturgy of the Mass as set by the Apostles
is shown in Holy Scripture?
Acts 2:42
...that the Bible does not say anywhere that the Word of GOD is
restricted to what is written?
...that for Sola Scriptura believers, if you believe that
ALL Scripture is inspired
(2Timothy 3:16-17), then please explain
to me why the Gospel of Peter and the Gospel of Thomas are not in your
Bible? ...that they who believe in
Sola Scriptura, must be able to show the doctrine of
it in the Bible itself?
Neither I, nor anyone else has ever been able to find the words
"Sola Scriptura" or their meaning in Holy Scripture.
...that Martin Luther, the first Protestant, and who was the
person who founded the man made doctrine of Sola
Scriptura, expressed harsh words about it just a few
years later, after he had surveyed the damage it had
caused?
"This
one will not hear of Baptism, and that one denies the sacrament, another puts a
world between this and the last day: some teach that Christ is not God, some say
this, some say that: there are as many sects and creeds as there are heads. No
yokel is so rude but when he has dreams and fancies, he thinks himself inspired
by the Holy Ghost and must be a prophet." Martin Luther...
De Wette III, 61. quoted in O'Hare,
THE FACTS ABOUT LUTHER, 208.
"Noblemen, townsmen, peasants, all classes
understand the Evangelium better than I or St. Paul; they are now wise and think
themselves more learned than all the ministers." Martin
Luther...
Walch XIV, 1360. quoted in O'Hare, Ibid, 209.
...that Sola
Scriptura is a false man-made tradition, and that
such man-made traditions are condemned by Holy Scripture
itself?
Colossians 2:8 ...that the "39
Articles of Religion", a Protestant publication, says of Sola Scriptura in
article #6:
"Holy Scripture contains all things necessary for salvation.
Consequently whatever is not read in Scripture nor can be proved from Scripture
cannot be demanded from any person to believe it as an article of faith. Nor is
any such thing to be thought necessary or required for salvation. By holy
Scripture is meant those canonical books of the Old and New Testaments whose
authority has never been doubted within the church."
For this "article" to have any authority at all as a basis for
Sola Scriptura, it must itself be found in Holy Scripture somewhere, or else it
simply falls into the category of only a man-made tradition.
Can someone
please show me the verse(s), but only after you have read this?...that some non-Catholics say
that the Bible is the final authority.
However, I
cannot find anywhere in the Bible where it claims to be the final authority, can
you?...that since Sola
Scriptura, by its
very meaning, is "Scripture only", or "Scripture alone", why then do SS
believers criticize the Catholic Church from sources outside of Scripture
itself?
By doing this, don't they convey a message
which is hypocritical in nature? Aren't they really saying, "I refuse to believe
anything you say which is outside of Scripture, but you must believe everything
I say which is outside of Scripture"?...that John 10:22 speaks of the "Feast of
the Dedication", and that no non-Catholic can explain what the meaning of it is
by using Sola Scriptura and their Bible?
You see,
that feast is otherwise known as Hanukkah, and can be found only in 1Maccabees
4:52-61, and 2Maccabees 10:1-8, two books which Protestants removed from the
Bible. Catholics have no problem explaining what the feast represents.
Protestants will never understand the meaning of that verse since "they cannot
find it in their Bible", that is, unless they abandon Sola Scriptura, or ask a
Catholic for help.
...that the Bereans received the "preached" word from St. Paul
(13*) and compared what he
had said with Scripture (11*) and many, but not all (12*), became
believers?
*Acts 17:10-13.
Read Acts 17:1-9 for the context. Paul tried to
reason with Jews in the synagogue of Thessalonica (1). He tried to prove from
their Old Testament (2) that Jesus Christ, was the promised Messiah, and indeed
had come (1-3). He succeeded in convincing only some of them
(4).
The
Bereans were Jews also (10), and being so, compared Paul's preaching with the
Old Testament, Septuagint** with which they were more familiar (11). Since they
were Jews, they would not have believed in a New Testament, even if it were
available then, which it wasn't.
Compare these verses with Acts 2:14-24. St. Peter
first read from the Book of Joel (17-21), and then he explained what he had just
read by preaching to them (22-24). You can easily see that the story of the
Bereans offers no support whatsoever for the man made tradition of Sola
Scriptura.
**The Septuagint is a Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament. It most certainly was used by the Greek speaking Bereans, and it has all 7 of the books of the Old Testament which the protestants rejected in the 16th century. It was the Bible which early Christians used from the time of Christ until the Catholic Church provided the Latin Vulgate in 404 A.D.. It is available even to this day.
...that there are verses in Scripture that refer to other Scripture
which are not found in the Bible?
"...and REMEMBER the WORD of the Lord Jesus, that He
Himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive'." (Acts 20:35, these
words by Jesus are not to be found elsewhere in the
Bible).
See
also, Matthew 2:23 (the Nazarene) and 5:43 (shall hate thy enemy), and 2Timothy
3:8 (the names).
These are examples of Apostolic Tradition, which is quite removed from
man-made tradition, and in which we are commanded to keep by WORD or by letter,
2Thessalonians 2:15. ...that GOD would never have
given us an infallible book, without first giving us an infallible interpreter
for it as well?
Holy Scripture stresses that an individual will not understand and most
probably will distort the truth which GOD has given to us. Read Acts 8:26-31 and
2Peter 3:14-17.
"The Bible is a supernatural book and can be understood only by
supernatural aid."
A.W. Tozer
The Catholic Church alone, has the GOD given authority, to be the infallible interpreter of Holy
Scripture. That authority is the Pope with the Magisterium, and all working
under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. See John 14:15-17, John 16:12-14,
and Acts 15:28.
...that a text without a context is a pretext?
Pretext: An effort intended to
conceal something, an excuse. Check your dictionary.
What the first verse giveth, the
context taketh away...
...that those who say "The Holy Spirit told me", do not realize that it
could be one of three spirits which is actually doing the
talking?
They
are:
1. The Holy
Spirit.
2. The human spirit within each of
us.
3. An evil, or demonic
spirit.
Holy Scripture warns us to test all
spirits. "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see
whether they are of GOD; because many false prophets have gone forth into the
world."
1John
4:1
...that private interpretation of Holy
Scripture is strictly forbidden by Scripture itself?
Acts 8:30-31, 2Peter
1:20
Non-Catholics do this all the time, with all using the same Bible, and
with each proclaiming the truth, and with each one saying, "The Holy Spirit told
me".
Aren't
they all really saying that each is his or her own Pope?
Those who think the Holy Spirit is
telling them, had better read Acts 5:32:
"And we are witnesses to these things, and SO IS THE
HOLY SPIRIT,
WHOM GOD HAS GIVEN TO ALL WHO OBEY HIM."
Who are the ones who obey Him? Are they the ones who ignore His words of
John 10:16 and
2Peter 1:20, and who continue to split and divide and interpret Holy
Scripture individually, or are they the ones who obey His words, those of His
ONE TRUE CHURCH who do not do these things?
"Bible interpretation is not to be
done by individuals. It is not possible to put together any selection of words
in which some ingenious person may not find meaning unmeant by the writer. Only
a public authority, divinely guided, can spell out without error a public
message divinely revealed."
Frank Sheed, Theology and Sanity
16-17.
1Corinthians 2:14, 2Peter 1:20.
In the Catholic Church, when a
dispute arises, it is settled by the Pope with the Magisterium, and under the
guidance of the Holy Spirit. Who is there in all of the non-Catholic ecclesial
communities who has the authority to adjudicate doctrinal disputes that arise
between themselves?
The answer is that no one has the authority. Every doctrine (except for the existence of
GOD), which is taught by one non-Catholic ecclesial community is denied by
another. These include major doctrinal issues and not just minor ones as some
claim. Here are just a few examples:
1. The
Holy Trinity is three persons in one GOD. No, It is three separate GOD's. It
does not exist.
2. One will say Jesus Christ is a
divine person and not a human person. Another says he is a human person and not
a divine person. No, says yet a third, he is two persons, one human and one
divine.
3. The Holy Spirit is a person says
one. The Holy Spirit is not a person says another.
4. Scripture says we must worship on Sunday, states one. No, it says
Saturday, states another.
5. One says GOD is in the Eucharist.
No, says another, it is only a symbolic gesture.
6. The
Eucharistic celebration is once a week. No its once a month. No its quarterly.
No its yearly.
7. One will teach that hell exists.
Another insists hell does not exist.
Who, if any, is teaching the truth,
and who is simply catering to "itching ears" (2Timothy
4:3)?
Who has
the all important authority to determine who teaches the truth, and who
doesn't?
One group will "prove" from Scripture
one thing, and another will "prove" from the very same Scripture, just the
opposite.
It
is easily seen that without one authority for all, there is nothing but chaos as
we have today.
After all, Holy Scripture does say, "GOD is not the author of
confusion", 1Corinthians 14:33 (KJ).
If GOD does not cause confusion in these these
doctrinal differences, then who does?
So what do these various sects do when doctrinal
disputes arise? Read the next paragraph for the answer, as it is yet another
violation of the command of Jesus Christ in John 10:16.
...that non-Catholic Ecclesial Communities are dividing themselves at an
ever accelerating rate?
In 1600, due to the Protestant reformation, there
were more than 100. By 1900, there were around 1000. By 1982 there were more
than 20,700. Today there are more than 33,820* splits in the Body of Christ and
all, save one, were founded by mere men or women.
*World Christian Encyclopedia, April
2001, a Protestant publication.
"Has Christ been divided up?"
1Corinthians 1:13
"And every spirit that severs Jesus, is NOT OF GOD, BUT IS OF ANTICHRIST
of whom you have heard that he is coming, AND NOW IS ALREADY IN THE WORLD."
1John 4:3
Where in Scripture is authority given to anyone to split and to form new
churches?
Common sense tells us that at this ever increasing rate, in just a few
more years of what we have already witnessed, each person will be his or her own
Ecclesial Community.
However, practically speaking it could never go that far, as each
Ecclesial Community would die out first from the lack of funding due to its
shrinking membership. Mainly however, we have a promise from GOD, as passed
through the inspired pen of Saint Luke in Acts 5:38-39...
"(38) So now I
say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone. For if this plan or
work is of men, it will be overthrown; (39) but if
it is of GOD, you will not be able to overthrow it. Else perhaps you may find
yourselves fighting even against GOD."
The continuing splits in the Body of Christ, perpetrated by mere men and
women, will be the cause of their self inflicted
overthrow.
"Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and
house will fall upon house."
Luke 11:17
"But if you bite and devour one another, take heed
or you will be consumed by one another."
Galatians 5:15
There IS the ONE
TRUE CHURCH, THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, which is of
GOD.
Mere men
and women have been trying to overthrow it for almost 2000 years and they have
not been able to do so, have they? What profound message have you gleaned from
those two verses in Acts 5?
For those whose agenda includes the overthrow of the
True Church of GOD, or who display a militant attitude towards it, I would
suggest that they should read anew Acts 5:39 shown above.
Catholic membership is over
1,070,000,000 (1 Billion 70 million) in 2001*. That is an increase of over
13,000,000 since January 2000. It is the fastest growing Christian Church in the
world by far.
*World Christian Encyclopedia, 2001, a Protestant
publication.
...that "Unless the Lord build the house, they labor in vain who build
it."
Psalms
127:1
Did you notice that the word house is singular and not
plural?
"Everyone therefore who hears these my
words and acts upon them, shall be likened to a wise man who built his
house on rock. And the rains fell, and the floods came, and the winds
blew and beat against that house, but it did not fall, because it was founded on
rock. And everyone who hears these my words and does not act upon them,
shall be likened to a foolish man who built his house on sand. And
the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that
house, and it fell, and was utterly ruined."
Matthew 7:24-27
Who is the wise man? He is Jesus
Christ, the one who built his house on rock, in Matthew
16:18.
"Here,"
continued the Lord, "is a place near me where you
shall station yourself on the rock."
Exodus
33:21
GOD commanded that his people station themselves on the rock,
which is a "type" of his
Church.
"I will be standing there in front of
you on the rock in Horeb. Strike the rock, and the water will flow
from it for the people to drink."
Exodus
17:6
GOD stands on the rock of his Church from which the saving waters
of Baptism flow.
Who is the foolish man? He is
other than the Lord. He is the one who labored in vain to build his house
because he had not a rock foundation, but one of sand. His house was not
built by the Lord.
Jesus Christ founded His Church on
rock,
"And I say to you, you are Peter, and
upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not
prevail against it."
Matthew 16:18.
Which Church is built on the
rock? Only one, as HE did say Church, not churches didn't
He?
Which
churches are built on sand? All are, except for that one built by the Lord. ...that those who like to
quote John 8:32, "...and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you
free", had better take notice of the preceding verse as well?
Jesus therefore said to the Jews who have come to believe in him,
"If you abide in my word, you shall be my
disciples indeed,..."
John 8:31
As shown
previously, Jesus said we must be one. He did not say we must be tens of
thousands. Holy Scripture also does not give any person the authority to form
another church other than the one which Jesus Christ founded. The Bible
says that there can be no private interpretation of Holy Scripture, yet all
non-Catholics sects continue do it.
I ask you then, do non-Catholic sects
"...abide in my word...", as Jesus Christ commanded?
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