Marks of the True Church

http://www.catholicbook.com ^ | MOST REVEREND LOUIS LARAVOIRE MORROW, S.T.D.

[NKP_Vet]

Did Christ establish many Churches? --Christ established only one Church, to continue till the end of time.

As God is one, He established one Church, which He commanded all men to obey and to follow in the way of salvation.

God is essentially one. He is Truth itself. How can He say to one group of men that there are three Persons in one God, and to another that there is only one Person? How can He say to one body that the Holy Eucharist is Himself, and to another that it is mere bread? God cannot contradict Himself. "He who hears you hears me" (Luke 10:16). "There shall be one fold and one shepherd" (John 10:16).

Christ never referred to His Churches, but to His Church. Christ chose only one Head for His Church. Peter could not have been the Head of conflicting churches.

Christ said: "And I say to thee, thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matt. 16:18). Christ did not say: "Upon this rock I will build My Churches," it was clearly not His intention to establish various conflicting churches.

Christ, even in His prayers, spoke of unity among His followers. There would evidently be no unity if He had founded many churches.

Immediately before His passion, He prayed: "Yet not for these only do I pray, but for those also who through their word are to believe in me, that all may be one, even as thou, Father, in me and I in thee; that they also may he one in us, that the world may believe that thou hast sent me" (John 17:20-21).

[NKP_Vet]

The True Church is one, holy, catholic, and apostolic. The Church that possesses all the shining marks which Our Lord gave is the Church of God, the True Church. Any church that lacks even one of these marks is an imitation, a false church, and not the one founded by Our Lord. The True Church must possess all these marks. It is the Church which Christ commanded all to hear and obey.

[James C. Bennett]

Which church did the thief on the cross belong to?

[Alex Murphy]

Which church did the thief on the cross belong to?

You mean that guy who wasn't baptized, who never ate Jesus' flesh nor drank His blood, and whom Jesus promised would be with Him in Paradise?

No way could he have been a Catholic.

[.45 Long Colt]

They say their church is built on the little unstable stone, the petros, of Peter. The church I belong to is built on the solid immovable rock, the Petra, of Christ Jesus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kC-UyIgoaLU

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

Refrain:
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

His oath, His covenant, His blood
Support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found;
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.

[Salvation]

He was baptized with a Baptism of Blood or a Baptism of Desire. Take your pick

[HereInTheHeartland]

Not another one of these silly; divisive threads proclaiming the Catholic Church is the only “true” church.

Especially silly on a day when Islamic terrorists are in the news for murdering Christians.

[Salvation]

From the Bible:

You do believe in the bible, don't you?

[Salvation]

The One true Church and how to recognize it.

Use this guideline as a measure...

*It was founded by Jesus Christ Himself in Mt 16:18.
*It would be built on Simon Peter, Mt 16:18.
*It would be defended by GOD Himself, Mt 16:18-19.
*It would have authority given by Jesus Christ, Mt 16:19,18:17-18.
*It would be guided by the Holy Spirit who will dwell within it, Jn 14:15-17, Act 15:28,16:6.
*It would be one and undivided, Mk 3:24-25.
*It would have one fold and one shepherd, Jn 10:16.
*It would have Priests, Bishops, and Deacons, 1Tim 3:1-13.
*It must have the Holy Eucharist celebration, Jn 6:42-70, Acts 2:42.
*It must be found in all nations, Mt 28:19.
*It must be found in all centuries, Mt 28:20.
*Jesus Christ said He would be with His Church every day, in every year, until the end of the world,   Mt 28:20. (This means no gaps in time.)

[BuckeyeTexan]

Right after Christ told Peter that He would build His church upon this rock, He told Peter that He must suffer and die. Peter denied that it would happen.

Matthew 16:23 NIV

Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

Can Peter be both the rock upon which Christ built His church and a stumbling block to Christ?

[Salvation]

Marks of the True Church

FOUR MARKS OF THE TRUE CHURCH
Lists Every Catholic Should be Familiar With: The 4 Marks of the Church
Radio Replies Second Volume - Holiness of the Church
One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic: Marks of the Church Building as well as the Church Herself
The 15 Marks of The Church
Catholic Biblical Apologetics: The Marks of the Church, One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic
Four Marks of the Church Four Marks of the Church
One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic: The Marks of Christ's Church [Ecumenical]

[Salvation]

Not silly and not divisive. “Many are called, few are chosen.” Christ’s words.

[.45 Long Colt]

How many times are you going to cut and paste that?

And when are you going to explain the biblical basis for your salvation? I don’t want your hundreds of links. I want you to show me from Scripture. I want it in your words.

[Alberta's Child]

Can Peter be both the rock upon which Christ built His church and a stumbling block to Christ?

Yes. Even on the day of Christ's crucifixion Peter denied Him three times ... but Peter's role as the "rock" wouldn't really become firmly established until after Christ's death and resurrection.

Think of Christ's "church" as the deposit of faith that was left for His followers of that place and time as well as those who would come later in the future. In this context, there was no need for a "church" while Christ was walking on this earth.

[Catsrus]

I’m glad you posted this - you saved me the time. Christ is the head of the church - NOT Peter! This is where Catholicism is in error - misunderstanding the words petra and petros. Jesus is the rock - and upon this foundation the church was built. He was complimenting Peter for saying that He was the Christ - not building His bride upon the shoulders of Peter.

[haffast]

I am a Catholic. Why should I consider becoming a Christian?
http://www.gotquestions.org/Catholic-Christian.html

What is Roman Catholicism?
http://www.gotquestions.org/Roman-Catholicism.html

Is salvation by faith alone, or by faith plus works?
http://www.gotquestions.org/salvation-faith-alone.html

What is sola scriptura?
http://www.gotquestions.org/sola-scriptura.html

Is Catholicism a false religion? Are Catholics saved?
http://www.gotquestions.org/catholicism.html

Are Catholic beliefs and practices biblical?
http://www.gotquestions.org/Catholic-Biblical.html

What is the origin of the Catholic Church?
http://www.gotquestions.org/origin-Catholic-church.html

What is the Catholic Bible?
http://www.gotquestions.org/Catholic-Bible.html

What does the Bible say about the virgin Mary?
http://www.gotquestions.org/virgin-Mary.html

What is the Catholic sacrament of Holy Eucharist? What is the Catholic definition of celebrating Holy Eucharist?
http://www.gotquestions.org/Holy-Eucharist.html

What is the immaculate conception?
http://www.gotquestions.org/immaculate-conception.html

Is prayer to saints or Mary biblical?
http://www.gotquestions.org/prayer-saints-Mary.html

Is worship of saints / Mary biblical?
http://www.gotquestions.org/worship-saints-Mary.html

What are the Apocrypha / Deuterocanonical books? Do the Apocryphal / Deuterocanonical books belong in the Bible?
http://www.gotquestions.org/apocrypha-deuterocanonical.html

What is transubstantiation?
http://www.gotquestions.org/transubstantiation.html

Is apostolic succession biblical?
http://www.gotquestions.org/apostolic-succession.html

Is praying the rosary Scriptural?
http://www.gotquestions.org/praying-rosary.html

Are the seven Catholic sacraments biblical?
http://www.gotquestions.org/seven-Catholic-sacraments.html

Should Catholic tradition have equal or greater authority than the Bible?
http://www.gotquestions.org/Catholic-tradition.html

What does the Bible say about the pope / papacy?
http://www.gotquestions.org/pope-papacy.html

What does the Bible say about confession of sin to a priest?
http://www.gotquestions.org/confession-sin-priest.html

What does the Bible say about infant baptism?
http://www.gotquestions.org/infant-baptism.html

What was the first / original church? Is the original / first church the true church?
http://www.gotquestions.org/original-church.html

What was the Protestant Reformation?
http://www.gotquestions.org/Protestant-Reformation.html

Is the pope, or the next pope, the antichrist?
http://www.gotquestions.org/pope-antichrist.html

What is the whore of Babylon / mystery Babylon?
http://www.gotquestions.org/whore-Babylon-mystery.html

What are Christian saints according to the Bible?
http://www.gotquestions.org/saints-Christian.html

What is the Apostles’ Creed?
http://www.gotquestions.org/apostles-creed.html

What does the Bible say about purgatory?
http://www.gotquestions.org/purgatory.html

What is moral theology?
http://www.gotquestions.org/moral-theology.html

What is the rock in Matthew 16:18?
http://www.gotquestions.org/upon-this-rock.html

Is the priesthood of all believers biblical?
http://www.gotquestions.org/priesthood-believers.html

What is extreme unction?
http://www.gotquestions.org/extreme-unction.html

Was Saint Peter the first Pope?
http://www.gotquestions.org/Peter-first-pope.html

Is the perpetual virginity of Mary biblical?
http://www.gotquestions.org/perpetual-virginity-Mary.html

What is the Eastern Orthodox Church and what are the beliefs of Orthodox Christians?
http://www.gotquestions.org/Eastern-Orthodox-church.html

What was the Great Schism?
http://www.gotquestions.org/great-schism.html

What are indulgences and plenary indulgences and is the concept biblical?
http://www.gotquestions.org/plenary-indulgences.html

Is papal infallibility biblical?
http://www.gotquestions.org/papal-infallibility.html

Catholic vs. Protestant - why is there so much animosity?
http://www.gotquestions.org/Catholic-vs-Protestant.html

What is the difference between Catholics and Protestants?
http://www.gotquestions.org/difference-Catholic-Protestant.html

What does the Bible say about liturgy? Should a Christian participate in liturgical worship?
http://www.gotquestions.org/liturgy-liturgical.html

Does the Bible teach mortal and venial sin?
http://www.gotquestions.org/mortal-sin-venial.html

Are apparitions of Mary, such as Lady Fatima, true messages from God?
http://www.gotquestions.org/lady-fatima.html

Does the Bible support the Catholic practice of a marriage annulment?
http://www.gotquestions.org/Catholic-annulment.html

Is the Catholic concept of a nun biblical?
http://www.gotquestions.org/nuns-Catholic.html

What were the Inquisitions?
http://www.gotquestions.org/inquisitions.html

What does the Bible say about holy water?
http://www.gotquestions.org/holy-water.html

What is the Assumption of Mary?
http://www.gotquestions.org/Assumption-Mary.html

Sign of the cross - what is the meaning? Should Christians perform the sign of the cross?
http://www.gotquestions.org/sign-of-the-cross.html

Is the Pope the Vicar of Christ?
http://www.gotquestions.org/vicar-of-Christ.html

What does the Bible say about Limbo?
http://www.gotquestions.org/Limbo-Bible.html

What does the Bible say about being a God-parent?
http://www.gotquestions.org/God-parent.html

Does the Bible teach the celibacy of priests?
http://www.gotquestions.org/celibacy-priests.html

What is sacerdotalism?
http://www.gotquestions.org/sacerdotalism.html

Which of the 30,000 Protestant denominations is the true church of God?
http://www.gotquestions.org/Protestant-denominations.html

Who is the Queen of Heaven?
http://www.gotquestions.org/Queen-of-Heaven.html

Is the observance of a first communion biblical?
http://www.gotquestions.org/first-communion.html

What is the correct interpretation of John 20:23?
http://www.gotquestions.org/John-20-23.html

What is the cause of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church?
http://www.gotquestions.org/Catholic-abuse.html

What is the Holy See?
http://www.gotquestions.org/Holy-See.html

Who are the Jesuits, and what do they believe?
http://www.gotquestions.org/Jesuits.html

What is iconoclasm?
http://www.gotquestions.org/iconoclasm.html

Do eucharistic miracles really happen?
http://www.gotquestions.org/eucharistic-miracles.html

Is it wrong for Catholics to refer to their priests as “father”?
http://www.gotquestions.org/father-Matthew-23-9.html

What is the meaning/definition of the word Catholic?
http://www.gotquestions.org/Catholic-meaning-definition.html

What happened at the Council of Trent?
http://www.gotquestions.org/Council-of-Trent.html

What is the Hail Mary that Catholics say so often?
http://www.gotquestions.org/Hail-Mary.html

What is the Vatican / Vatican City?
http://www.gotquestions.org/Vatican-City.html

What is the Catholic catechism?
http://www.gotquestions.org/Catholic-catechism.html

Is the Catholic concept of absolution biblical?
http://www.gotquestions.org/Catholic-absolution.html

Why is the real presence of Christ in the Lord’s Supper such a controversial issue?
http://www.gotquestions.org/real-presence.html

What is beatification and canonization and are they biblical?
http://www.gotquestions.org/beatification.html

What is a novena?
http://www.gotquestions.org/what-is-a-novena.html

Is penance mentioned in the Bible?
http://www.gotquestions.org/penance-Bible.html

What was the Holy Roman Empire?
http://www.gotquestions.org/Holy-Roman-Empire.html

Do Catholics worship idols / practice idolatry?
http://www.gotquestions.org/Catholic-idolatry.html

What is a papal conclave?
http://www.gotquestions.org/Catholic-idolatry.html

Is Mary the mother of God?
http://www.gotquestions.org/Mary-mother-God-theotokos.html

Is Mary the co-redemptrix / mediatrix?
http://www.gotquestions.org/Mary-redemptrix-mediatrix.html

How are Catholics able to perform exorcisms if many of their beliefs are unbiblical?
http://www.gotquestions.org/Catholic-exorcisms.html

Read more: http://www.gotquestions.org/Catholic-questions.html#ixzz2fGUxJe9D

[terycarl]

I’m glad you posted this - you saved me the time. Christ is the head of the church - NOT Peter! This is where Catholicism is in error - misunderstanding the words petra and petros. Jesus is the rock - and upon this foundation the church was built. He was complimenting Peter for saying that He was the Christ - not building His bride upon the shoulders of Peter.

nope, Christ said exactly what He meant...He named Peter as titular head of His church. While Christ is, of course, the actual head of the church, he named Perer and all future popes as the Vicar of Christ on Earth.The Vicar is one who stands in the place of, acts as head, "runs things". Christ also promised that while practicing that role, the pope would be proyected from making an error in matters of faith and morals. So far it has worked out just fine...

[rbmillerjr]

“...The One true Church and how to recognize it.

Use this guideline as a measure...

*It was founded by Jesus Christ Himself in Mt 16:18.
*It would be built on Simon Peter, Mt 16:18.
*It would be defended by GOD Himself, Mt 16:18-19.
*It would have authority given by Jesus Christ, Mt 16:19,18:17-18.
*It would be guided by the Holy Spirit who will dwell within it, Jn 14:15-17, Act 15:28,16:6.
*It would be one and undivided, Mk 3:24-25.
*It would have one fold and one shepherd, Jn 10:16.
*It would have Priests, Bishops, and Deacons, 1Tim 3:1-13.
*It must have the Holy Eucharist celebration, Jn 6:42-70, Acts 2:42.
*It must be found in all nations, Mt 28:19.
*It must be found in all centuries, Mt 28:20.
*Jesus Christ said He would be with His Church every day, in every year, until the end of the world, Mt 28:20. (This means no gaps in time.) ...”

Thanks for this invaluable list of Scriptural references.

[Catsrus]

You are so much in error, I don’t know where to begin. Do the words, “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God,” ring a bell? This means ALL - including the pope. Jesus did NOT name Peter as titular head of the church. That’s ludicrous! Jesus died for the church - and to become a sacrifice for our sins. Peter was once a sinner, who also needed salvation. He, too, was a mere mortal man - and NO pope is protected from error in matters of morality and faith - because ALL have sinned.

I suggest you take this up with the Lord - its His book you are rewriting - not mine. And, yes, you will be held accountable at the judgment seat of Christ for believing false doctrine and also teaching it to others. Which judgment seat you stand in front of is up to you - Now, you need to seek out the Word to find out what I’m talking about. p.s. - there is NO purgatory! No one can pray your soul out of it into heaven. Sorry, but this is also a false teaching of the Catholic Church.

[ConservativeMind]

Don't make the rest of us drive you into having to defend your extra-Biblical beliefs (Mary worship, transubstantiation, praying to the dead ‘saints’ who represent everything from ‘flat tires’ to ‘foot itches’, prohibitions for clergy marriage, etc.).

Even using YOUR own Bible, you have no basis, Salvation. However, you have many here eager to take these non-Biblical beliefs on again in debate with you, so, this should get interesting.

[count-your-change]

THE most important, not exclusive but of defining importance, trait of Christ’s church pronounced by Christ himself, has been overlooked both by author and the posters here. Not one has remarked upon it.