That's true. The error is that some chose to teach people that "the true church" is the ROMAN CC.
The universal (small "c" catholic) church is invisible, because the ekklesia of God are only those in whom the Holy Spirit resides. Only God knows those who are his.
No one but God, himself, knows the difference between the sheep and the goats - the wheat and the chaff. Those who think they can tell the difference - are judging by outward appearances - looking at what people say and what people do - and are making a big mistake.
There were a lot of shocked people standing around when Christ told one of the thieves on the cross that he was among those who were predestined (before the foundation of the world) to be counted among the elect.
"The universal (small "c" catholic) church is invisible, because the ekklesia of God are only those in whom the Holy Spirit resides. Only God knows those who are his."
How can the world see an invisible unity? John 17 says that the end of this unity is that the world may believe. How can it believe in what it cannot see?
The other man who said "remember me" to the Lord was Samson. The Lord empowered him at that point, too. Samson's life was predicted to his parents; even his deviant desire for Philistine women was said to be from God in order to confront the enemies of God's people.