There is only ONE true Church

Bible | 33-90 AD | God Christ Jesus Apostle Paul

[bibletruth]

In the present dispensation there is only ONE true Church, which is called the Body of Christ separate and distinct from the prophesied, earthly kingdom of Christ vested in redeemed National Israel as a called-out nation or church, assembly or congregation, above all other nations.

[Alamo-Girl]

The words of the LORD [are] pure words: [as] silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever. – Psalms 12:6-7

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper [in the thing] whereto I sent it. - Isaiah 55:11

For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. - Matthew 5:18

Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish [ought] from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you. – Deuteronomy 4:2

To God be the glory, not man, never man.

[boatbums]

However, the debate we are having seems to focus on history, and history cannot be denied, only interpreted. The “history” of the Church is recorded, documented, and actual and did not start to change until “MAN” changed it during the Protestant revolution.

The "debate" is about the Biblical truth that there is ONLY one church - but NOT the kind you seem to associate with that word. The Body of Christ, the church - which is the called out assembly - consists of all those who have received Jesus Christ, believed on him and been born again into the family of God. They have also been indwelt with the Holy Spirit - who God gives to all who have received Christ. That Holy Spirit is called the "earnest of our inheritance" which means we are sealed with the stamp of belonging to God and he indwells those that are his.

This "history" that you are so confident of is not as cut and dried as you have been led to believe. The Reformation came about precisely because the Catholic Church had left the orthodox faith found in Scripture especially that we are saved by grace through faith apart from works. I can provide you with many links to scholarly articles explaining what happened and you SHOULD know the truth. This link will take you to some of those articles. You owe it to yourself to know what is the truth and not just rely on others to tell you what it is. The link is http://triablogue.blogspot.com/2010/04/historical-roots-of-reformation-and.html. God bless you.

[neverbluffer]

Im going to drop a bombshell on you...

I am not Catholic!!!!

You kept posting under the assumption that I was defencing “my church”...

I am just defending what is historically correct!

[RegulatorCountry]

There was a horrible slaughter of the Waldensians that killed the majority of them, but there was a remnant. There is a Waldensian Church in Valdese, NC, a town established by Waldensians. They settled there en masse a little over a century ago, after leaving the Cottian Alps of northern Italy due to ongoing restrictions and persecution against them there.

[RegulatorCountry]

I am just defending what is historically correct!

I haven't actually seen anything you've provided other than your own anecdotal statements to back up claims of historicity, while those debating you have cited at least one early church father whose account contradicts that supposed history.

It might be a good thing to provide a credible source to bolster your efforts.

[Cvengr]

Where were the doctrines of Purgatory and Penance prior to Gregory I.

Why did Gregory deny He was a Pope?

[bibletruth]

Thank you, its great to see some here recognize the Paul was sent to the Gentiles by God and Christ Jesus. Grace to you.

Paul first preached to Jews, then throughout Judæa, and then to the Gentiles throughout the Roman world.

Acts 26:20: But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judæa, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

All can learn these truths from Galatians 2:7-9, where Peter perceived the grace that was given unto Paul, and Peter gave his right hand of fellowship to Paul; that Paul should go unto the heathen [Gentiles], and Peter and the other Apostles should go unto the circumcision Jews:

Galatians 2:7: But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;
Galatians 2:8: (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)
Galatians 2:9: And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.

[boatbums]

Amen! God is who gave us Holy Scripture and it is He who preserves it.

Psalm 119:41-43

Let thy mercies come also unto me, O LORD, even thy salvation, according to thy word.

So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me: for I trust in thy word.

And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; for I have hoped in thy judgments.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thank you so much for that beautiful Scripture, dear sister in Christ, and thank you for your encouragements!

[Semper Mark]

You’ll be lucky to make Purgatory.

Luck has nothing to do with it.

It is what Christ has done in our stead and whether we're willing to accept it, that determines our eternal destiny.

[neverbluffer]

I believe, not 100% sure, that was in the book of maccabees, one of those 7 books that were thrown out by Protestants that still remain in the Catholic Bible.

Purgatory is not specifically mentioned, but it does decribe a “place” for atonement which came to ne known as Purgatory.

I believe Purgatory derives from the word “purge”

[neverbluffer]

I agree with that statement...

[neverbluffer]

Credible source would be the Bible itself....

[johngrace]

Yes! Christ changed his name to Rock which is what Peter means in the original language. Also taking quotes from a letter written before Peter went to Rome does not mean much. The letter was written for the time it was written at least unless for something that stands for all time.

He went to Rome after the letter which is put in the whole New Testament many years after the fact of Both(Peter's whole life and the time it was written.)

But by this logic we can say they never went to the bathroom because it is never fully discussed or written. And if they wrote about it once does that prove everybody did it conclusivel? LOL!!

BUT When We think any little dot and nuance can be figured from the Bible Alone is like this

[ColdSteelTalon]

No he did not Constantine did.

[ColdSteelTalon]

Yes.

[neverbluffer]

“while those debating you have cited at least one early church father whose account contradicts that supposed history”

If you are referring to Pope Gregory never denied his Papacy? That is a matter left for interpretation, and interpreted by Non Catholics as a crutch to debunk Papal Succession...

[johngrace]

Peter=The Rock! Always was and always will be! It is Scripture too.

[RegulatorCountry]

That Peter was the first Pope? Well, no. The word “Pope” does not appear in the Bible. “The rock” in every other instance has a specific meaning that does not refer to either the Pope, Peter or the Catholic Church. You’ve been provided a cite from one of your own early church fathers, contradicting the claim that Peter was the first Pope.

It would be very helpful to your case for there to be some authoritative, period documentation or early reference that validates the claim. Thus far you’ve provided none.

I’d suspect, myself, that the Apostles and early Christians as a whole would be horrified at the suggestion that a man given the Roman imperial title, “Pontifex Maximus,” a title borne by Nero, Caesar and Caligula, would ever become the titular head of all their different churches.

[neverbluffer]

Constantine re-inforced and introduced Chritianity into Roman life, he was not the founder of the Catholic Church!

The Church has been around in an official form since the first century, I dont think Constantine was born yet?