“but we know that those early believers accepted and received the writings as from God and they recognized its power and authority because they heard the voice of the Great Shepherd”
Let me edit that sentence for you,
But we know that those early Catholics accepted and received the writings as from God and they recognized its power and authority because they heard the voice of the Great Shepard.
Without the Catholic Church there would be no Bible. It’s a Catholic document. The church compiled it and determined what was the “inspired” word of God. Why that is so hard for some protestants to admit I will never know. Protestants didn’t have one thing to do with first preserving the Word of God, then compiling the Word of God.
We know that it was in the second century that the word "catholic" first came to be used to mean the universal Christian faith. It consisted of ALL believers and followers of Jesus Christ, not only those who resided in Rome. Roman Catholics today like to boast "they" were the TRUE church Jesus set up, but they are mistaken. The heritage of the faith I hold to goes back to the start every bit as much as Roman Catholics assert they do and I KNOW that because it is what the Bible says.
Without the Catholic Church there would be no Bible. It’s a Catholic document. The church compiled it and determined what was the “inspired” word of God. Why that is so hard for some protestants to admit I will never know. Protestants didn’t have one thing to do with first preserving the Word of God, then compiling the Word of God.
You can continue to assert that all you want but it has been repeatedly disproved. What bills itself as the "Catholic Church" today cannot trace many of its doctrines back to the first century. We know that there ARE many doctrines that ALL Christians have in common - the essentials - and they have NEVER changed nor did they have to be "developed". The writings handed down by the Apostles were copied and delivered to the local assemblies and the truths they conveyed were received and obeyed. Paul said, "for I have not shrunk from announcing to you all the counsel of God." (Acts 20:27). What he wrote was acknowledged by Peter as Scripture and what Peter wrote as well as James, John, Matthew, Mark and Luke, was received and believed as from the Holy Spirit. Why is that so hard for some Catholics to admit?
The Reformation confirmed the faith that had always, everywhere and by all believed. God always reserves a remnant to hold forth the truths He has revealed to all those who diligently seek to know it.