Replies

Correct me if I'm wrong, but you folks generally believe that Christ founded an "invisible church," or an invisible church of those who "confess Jesus as personal Lord and Savior." I have pointed out the passage in which Jesus tells his followers to take their disagreements "to the church" after they have taken their disagreements to "several witnesses" without satisfaction. I also assume that you believe that "the church" mentioned in this passage is "the invisible church."

Yes Jesus founded the invisible Church,but there is also the visible church of Jesus Christ,which is catholic (small c) in nature.

That visible church includes wheat and tares that will grow together untill the final judgement,when the invisible church will be harvested and the tares cast into the lake of fire..

Now as much as you would like to believe that that the church that Jesus founded is called Roman Catholic,I do not see that written anywhere in the bible. The church discription in the NT seems much closer to my own church or Jerrys Baptist Church....I do not read in Acts of a pope, icons,roseries,incense,robes,or a mass...those Aquinasfan are the acts of man ,not God..

Re: #328

How do you reconcile the passage that the church is "the pillar and foundation of truth" with the fact that non-Catholic churches teach conflicting doctrines, especially doctrines regarding salvation?

*****************

Re: the papacy

Matthew 16:18-20 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Isaiah 20:22 And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.

Revelation 3:6-8 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;