I can't believe you are STILL trying this line! The church RECEIVED the divinely-inspired word of God as it was GIVEN to them and they OBEYED it because they knew it WAS from God. Nobody in the group you identify with can claim they EVER had any authority to "determine" what was from God. I think it is terrible how twisted this simple truth has become in Roman Catholicism. It does, however, explain why other perverted doctrines developed there. so you are saying that the early church (Catholics) accepted every writing, every book, every opinion, every tradition, that was put before them.....and made no decisions as to which were inspired and which were opinions only, that they accepted at face value everything placed before them........you really don't believe that, do you??????
So are YOU saying that the early Christians didn't have THE Apostles to deliver the Scriptures to them as their rule of faith? Are you saying the early Christians didn't already HAVE the Old Testament Scriptures - recognized by them already as the HOLY word of God - from which to understand the teachings that were being given to them? Are you saying that the Holy Spirit had nothing to do with the recognition of the Divine word of God in the hearts of the believers and that the Scriptures were the POWER of God unto salvation to all those that believed??? The way you make it sound your “Catholic” (upper case “C”) church took it upon themselves to tell GOD what they would or would not accept. THAT is what I am disputing here. Perhaps the way you word your posts has something to do with that?