False premise; Catholics trace their authority to the Messiah telling a Jewish Apostle that he is Peter, and upon this rock He will build His Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Observant Catholics actually believe the LORD Jesus Christ. Evangelicals tend to trace authority from personal experiences, with a personal Saviour, a personal interpretation of the Bible, a personal decision as to what constitutes sin in their eyes, a personal decision as to what, if any, church attendance, church membership, or church authority they think should apply to them, this year, this month, this day.
Yet your own catechism says it is upon the confession of Peter.
424 Moved by the grace of the Holy Spirit and drawn by the Father, we believe in Jesus and confess: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”8 On the rock of this faith confessed by St. Peter, Christ built his Church.9 (683, 552)
If it's not a personal relationship with Jesus....then what is it? Some standoff relationship that you can't approach Him? Maybe that's catholicism....but that's not what the Bible teaches. You guys are too busy calling to Mary and others. Maybe if you focused as much energy on the Word and Jesus and not Mary you'd understand.
As a Christian I know whose authority to submit to and that is the authority of Christ....based on His Word.
As a Christian I know what sin is as the Bible makes that clear.
As a Christian I don't recall the Word saying you have to attend church x number of times a year to "qualify" or "keep your membership good". It does however say to not neglect your assembling together.
As a Christian I am guided by the Holy Spirit who instructs us as He is our Helper. He will let me know if the church I'm in is the right one or not.
Yes it does, and if you could only read a bit further you would have found it also says Peter is the rock (see post 4813 or read in the Catechism at 552). You were reading in the Catholic Catechism and not some other site, correct ?
It is a covenant relationship with God that incorporates those in said covenant into a corporate relationship with not only God, but each other. It can be understood in the context of Israel. Not even Elijah the Prophet could claim God as his personal Savior. What did God say to him? That He had reserved 7000 in Israel. What does the Apostle to the Gentiles say ? That Gentiles are grafted in. What did Messiah pray for ? That all who believe in Him through His apostles' word would be one.