“AMPU MAY be suggesting that there is no one true church at all. I wanted to look at that idea. A conversation which assumes that there is and then asks if the Roman Catholic Church is it is really logically later.”
There is but one “church”, which is all who have entrusted themselves to Christ alone for salvation and eternal life.
Eternal life is only in Him.
His Body is made up of the saved, who are baptized into it by the Spirit.
The expression of His Church occurs locally, where believers live out His life. This is all you see in Scripture and what Paul wrote about to the churches in each city. These inspired letters were circulated to other churches and recognized as Scripture at that time.
Historically, when the Church was attacked from within and without, a council of leaders from these churches was called to speak with one voice.
What you said was true... as soon as many people join the same conversation, it becomes fragmented.
Best to you.
A conversation which assumes that there is and then asks if the Roman Catholic Church is it, is really logically later.”
Not much has changed...
Acts 15 Version 1.54
The Council at Fresno...
1 Certain Catholics came from all across the world to FreeRepublic and were trying to convince the believers: "Unless you are Catechized, according to the custom taught by Rome, you cannot be saved." 2 This brought Elsie and Metmom ETAL into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Elsie and Metmom were appointed, along with some other believers, to lurk on FR to see the Catholics and NON about this question. 3 The Holy Spirit sent them on their way, and as they traveled through the Religion Forum, they told how the NON-Catholics had been converted. This news made all the Protestants very glad. 4 When they came to FR, they were scorned by members of the ONE TRUE church, to whom they reported everything God had done through them.5 Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Catholics stood up and said, "The Protestants must be baptisted correctly and required to keep the laws of Rome!"
6 The posters met to consider this question. 7 After much discussion, Metmom got up and addressed them: "Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Protestants might hear from our fingers the message of the gospel and believe. 8 God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9 He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. 10 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Protestants a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? 11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."
12 The whole of FR became silent (Yeah; THAT's gonna happen!) as they listened to Elsie and Metmom telling about the signs and wonders God had done among the Protestants. 13 When they finished, Boatbums spoke up. "Brothers," she said, "listen to me. 14 MGinTN has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for his name from the Gentiles. 15 The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written:
16 "'After this I will return
and rebuild Rome's fallen tent.
Its ruins I will rebuild,
and I will restore it,
17 that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord,
even all the Protestants who bear my name,
says the Lord, who does these things'
18 things known from long ago.19 "It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Protestants who are turning to God. 20 Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from vision and apparations, from Brown Scapulas, from the endless repetitions of the ROSARY and from so-called blood. 21 For the laws of Rome has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the sanctuaries on every Sunday."
The Council's Letter to Gentile Believers
22 Then the posters and lurkers, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Fresno with Mark17 and Tennessee Nana. They chose Daniel121 (called Wise) and eagleone, men who were leaders among the believers. 23 With them they sent the following letter:The apostles and elders, your brothers,
To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia:
Greetings.
24 We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. 25 So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul— 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. 28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: 29 You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things.
Farewell.
30 So the men were sent off and continued to post on FR, where they gathered the people together and delivered the GOSPEL. 31 The people (most all except Salvation and Vlademir998) read it and were glad for its encouraging message.
So now I will think for a year or so about the opinion you've expressed. Maybe next Thanksgiving (if I'm alive) I'll have some brilliant rejoinder.
But in the meantime and always, praise and blessing to him who is the source and end of all good.