However, in Mystici Corporis Pius XII identifies the Mystical Body of Christ as the Catholic Church: "the Mystical Body of Christ and the Roman Catholic Church are one and the same thing," and to which one must belong. Thus since souls entered the kingdom of God before the church began, then Catholicism must imagine that believers which came before her where Catholics, as are the baptized Prots she now affirms are Christians.
However, if the kingdom is the Catholic church then no one is saved except those who belong to her, while the Catholic kingdom is an unholy admixture of true and false believers, and is not the NT church church since distinctive Catholic teachings are not manifest in the only wholly inspired substantive authoritative record of what the NT church believed (which is Scripture, in particular Acts through Revelation, which best shows how the NT church understood the gospels).
Because she is a reflection of the ideal Kingdom of Heaven, Christ's Church on earth is called the Kingdom of God in the Holy Scriptures... The Holy Scripture speaks about the Church as a Kingdom of God in a number of places: Matthew 3:2, Matthew 4:17, Matthew 6:10, Matthew 6:33, Matthew 9:35, Matthew 18:3, Mark 10:14-15, Luke 12:32, Luke 17:21, John 3:5, John 18:36, Romans 14:17, 1 Corinthians 4:20, Colossians 1:12-22.
Wrong, which is par for the course when a Catholic posts promotions of their church. No texts described the kingdom as the Catholic church.
And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Matthew 3:2) From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Matthew 4:17)
This is not about a physical kingdom, but a spiritual one which everyone enters into when they believe:
Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. (John 18:36) Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son. (Colossians 1:13) Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. (Luke 17:21)
For "the kingdom" has two meanings, one refers to the spiritual kingdom in which Christ rules, which is synonymous with the mystical body of Christ (which even a relative few RCs are part of), while the other refers to the Lord's reign on earth, which the former reign with Christ in. (Revelation 5:9)
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10)
This is referring to the coming physical kingdom on earth, not the church:
I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; (2 Timothy 4:1) And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 8:11) The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 13:41-42) And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Luke 22:29-30) And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. (Revelation 12:10) Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: (Matthew 25:34) Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. (Matthew 13:43)
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6:33)
Meaning seeking what supports and is consistent with Christ's rule.
Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? (2 Peter 3:12)
And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. (Matthew 9:35)
The "gospel of the kingdom" is that souls need to repent and believe on the Lord Jesus and thus do works correspondent to repentance. (Acts 20:21; 26:20) This preaching began before the church began on Pentecost, which when the gifts that enabled its function were poured out. (Ephesians 4:7-16; Hebrews 9:16)
And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:3)
But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. (Mark 10:14)
Which simply describes the character of believers in the spiritual kingdom of God referred to before.
But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. (Luke 12:31-32)
Amen and again, believers enter into the spiritual kingdom and the mystical body of Christ when they believe, (Col. 1:13) which they did before the church began.
Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. (Luke 17:21)
Which was affirmed before the church began, and refers to Christ's reign in believers heart, which in essence is what the kingdom is, and the spiritual kingdom consists of those obedient to the Lord Jesus, and who will make up His visible kingdom on earth.
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (John 3:5)
Which again refers to the spiritual kingdom of God on enters into when they believe.
Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. (John 18:36)
Which attests to the above fact, in contrast to the church which has traditionally affirmed it has the right to use physical force in order to discipline its members.
For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. (Romans 14:17) For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. (1 Corinthians 4:20)
Which simply describes the character of the kingdom, and as with the other proffered proof texts, does not teach that the Catholic church is the kingdom.
Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: (Colossians 1:12-22)
Being translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son occurs at conversion by regenerating, heart-purifying faith, which is expressed in baptism but can can precede it, (Acts 10:43-47; 15:7-9) whereby the Spirit baptizes one into the mystical body of Christ, (1 Co. 12:13) which is the only one true church and to which Christ is married. For it alone only and always consists only of true believers, while the organic fellowships in which believers are to be part of end up being admixtures of wheat and chaff.
The conditions for entry to the Kingdom: "Repent (literally, change the way of thinking): for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 4:17). This entry is possible only through the Sacrament of Baptism, in which man becomes reborn for spiritual life: "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit" (John 3:5-6).
Actually, if this was the case then no one could become born again until there were baptized, while in reality, Peter shows that it is the regenerating, heart-purifying faith that is expressed in baptism that is what make son born of the Spirit. But since faith effects obedience, then the Spirit can also be promised to those who will do what faith effects, first of all baptism. (Acts 2:38)
And he shewed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter; Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved. (Acts 11:13-14)
And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. (Acts 10:42-43)
While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days. (Acts 10:44-48)
And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. (Acts 15:7-9)
"One indeed is the universal Church of the faithful, outside which no one at all is saved, in which the priest himself is the sacrifice, Jesus Christ, whose body and blood are truly contained in the sacrament of the altar under the species of bread and wine; the bread (changed) into His body by the divine power of transubstantiation, and the wine into the blood, so that to accomplish the mystery of unity we ourselves receive from His (nature) what He Himself received from ours."
--Pope Innocent III and Lateran Council IV (A.D. 1215)
Basing itself on Scripture and Tradition, the Council teaches that the Church, a pilgrim now on Earth, is necessary for salvation: the one Christ is the mediator and the way of salvation; he is present to us in his body which is the Church. He himself explicitly asserted the necessity of faith and baptism and thereby affirmed at the same time the necessity of the Church which men enter through baptism as through a door. Hence they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it or to remain in it.
This affirmation is not aimed at those who, through no fault of their own, do not know Christ and his Church: Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the gospel of Christ or his Church but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience—those too may achieve eternal salvation. "Although in ways known to himself God can lead those who, through no fault of their own, are ignorant of the gospel, to that faith without which it is impossible to please him, the Church still has the obligation and also the sacred right to evangelize all men" (CCC 846-848)
Pick one.
Your in-depth knowledge of the Catholic church and its history always astonishes me, and your handle on Scripture is quite solid.
Daniel1212, you are a warrior for God from whom we are blessed to have the opportunity to learn.
May God grant you many more years of life!