What Church? Gods Church has been established in Heaven. Jesus is our High Priest. He is the Cornerstone which the builders have rejected. He is the Rock of Ages. You have a manmade church with manmade traditions. What day did Jesus observe? What day did He claim as His? Mark 2:28 Therefore the Son of Man is Lord also of the Sabbath. I quote the Bible. You quote articles or some "saint". As far as being in the 1%, which gate does the Bible say is the widest? The gate to destruction or the strait gate to Heaven? Matthew 7:13. You have eyes and ears, use them wisely.
Bob I left the Catholic church and came back . I believed like you did at one time. Now think.
Here is the question.
Did you read this from other books and people or you read it just purely from the Bible only before you figured this out?
Meaning did man tell you this "tradition "thought lines first then you went back to the bible because they point out a said verse for you. You see not for you to understand from the bible only or alone to see it. In other words you went by others" traditions "on scripture to even declare what you are trying to declare.
Do you not see the irony of your own words.
Most people who claim this get it from others whether they admit it or not. I know I finally realized it myself. Then I read the bible unvarnished. Then you realize a Church was established which brought forth gospel writings and epistles that were addressed to the same continuous Church to show. Two thousand years! The Catholic church. Not too many churches claim this.
Not so. Please refer to Matthew 16. When Jesus established His Church He first established His desired method of Church governance and then He identified His first Pope.
Jesus created a visible Church, a Catholic, Holy, and Apostolic Church. An Ekklesia is a convocation, not a loose invisible assembly.
Jesus introduced three forms of Church governance and specifically rejected two of them. He first considered the democratic (Sola Scriptura) method when He asked; "Who do the people say that I am?". He received several different answers, John the Baptist, Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." None of them right.
He then introduced and rejected an oligarchical form similar to the Pharisees or Sanhedrin when He asked His Apostles collectively; "Who do you say that I am?" They did not answer.
He then revealed His desired method, a theocracy under one chosen man as God had done since He chose Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Joseph, Moses, David, and Solomon when Peter stepped forward, without consulting the other and said; "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God."
"Jesus said to him in reply, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father."
And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the hell shall not prevail against it."
"I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."