Just a few questions...

[Chrystal]

Hi everyone!
I just have a few questions. I know that people say that the Catholic Church is the one true Church that Jesus founded. Can someone tell if there is anywhere in the Bible that supports that, and if there are any books that I can read that would talk about that? Along with that, I know some people wonder why Catholics believe in purgatory. Where in the Bible does it mention anything about purgatory?
And just to know your opinions, why do you think people think that Catholics don’t read and study the Bible? I read the bible, and I know other Catholics who do the same. (and yes, you’d think that if I knew it well that I could answer my own questions but sorry I don’t off the bat lol)

 

[iaskquestions]

Hi everyone!
I just have a few questions. I know that people say that the Catholic Church is the one true

Church that Jesus founded. Can someone tell if there is anywhere in the Bible that supports

that, and if there are any books that I can read that would talk about that?

I’m not a scholar, but whatever I know, I will tell you.

Jesus said to Peter, "You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of

Hades will not prevail against it." (Matthew 16:18)

Notice that Jesus didn’t say, “I will build my churches”, but he said, “I will build my church”.

It’s a singular term. It is clear that Jesus founded only one church. The bible teaches that the church is the body of Christ, and Christ is the head. And therefore, since Christ cannot have many bodies but a singular body, he cannot have many churches but a singular church. The different “churches” that we have are all a part of the one church, namely the Catholic Church.

It is the name given to the singular Church that Christ founded on Peter.

Martin Luther separated himself from the one Church which Christ founded and started his own Church. Christ did not say he will found his church on Luther. And by the way, Luther separated because of his misconception that the pope was Antichrist!

In fact, just yesterday, I listened to this wonderful teaching by the late Archbishop Fulton Sheen. I would encourage you to download it. It’s just around 14MB and it’s wonderful.

americancatholictruthsociety.com/sheen/18PeterVicarofChrist.mp3

The main site is this
americancatholictruthsociety.com/articles/sheen.htm
It has wonderful teachings.

 

[iaskquestions]

Hi everyone!
And just to know your opinions, why do you think people think that Catholics don’t read and study the Bible? I read the bible, and I know other Catholics who do the same.

It is either because they’re prejudiced, or because they’re proud of their own deep biblical knowledge (which is in fact shallow a lot of times, as I’ve observed, hehe!) or because they see many so called “Catholics” who are not really Catholics.

It is these so called Catholics, “holding to the outward form of godliness but denying its power” (2 Tim 3:5), who have created a bad impression in the minds of other people.

 

[iaskquestions]

Hi everyone!
Along with that, I know some people wonder why Catholics believe in purgatory. Where in the Bible does it mention anything about purgatory?

Jesus said that “whoever utters blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will be pardoned neither in this age nor in the AGE TO COME”. (Mt 12:32)
From this we understand that there is an AGE TO COME where sins CAN be pardoned, except for the sin of blasphemy against the Spirit.

Other biblical verses talk about a cleansing fire (1 Cor 3:15, 1 Peter 1:7).

The Catholic Encyclopedia has a detailed explanation of this doctrine.
Purgatory - newadvent.org/cathen/12575a.htm

You might also want to download the teaching given by Archbishop Fulton Sheen.
americancatholictruthsociety.com/sheen/45Purgatory.mp3

The Catholic Encyclopedia also has an explanation on the doctrine of the one church - the Catholic Church.

Church - newadvent.org/cathen/03744a.htm
Catholic - newadvent.org/cathen/03449a.htm

 

[Church_Militant]

Hi everyone!
I just have a few questions. I know that people say that the Catholic Church is the one true Church that Jesus founded. Can someone tell if there is anywhere in the Bible that supports that, and if there are any books that I can read that would talk about that?

Well the Catechism is probably the best source on that. You might look at Matthew 16:13 And Jesus came into the quarters of Cesarea Philippi: and he asked his disciples, saying: Whom do men say that the Son of man is? 14 But they said: Some John the Baptist, and other some Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets. 15 Jesus saith to them: But whom do you say that I am?

16 Simon Peter answered and said: Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answering, said to him: Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven.

Along with that, I know some people wonder why Catholics believe in purgatory. Where in the Bible does it mention anything about purgatory?

Biblical and Jewish Traditional Beliefs About Purgatory

And just to know your opinions, why do you think people think that Catholics don’t read and study the Bible? I read the bible, and I know other Catholics who do the same. (and yes, you’d think that if I knew it well that I could answer my own questions but sorry I don’t off the bat lol)

Do Catholics Read the Bible?
I Find No Sacraments In the Bible" he said.

You also might want to look in on the thread here at CAF that that Bible reading article is based on. Poll: Catholics: When did you last read the Bible?

 

[Randy_Carson]

Along with that, I know some people wonder why Catholics believe in purgatory. Where in the Bible does it mention anything about purgatory?

**The Doctrine of Purgatory Proved from Scripture
**
2 Maccabees 12:42-46
Turning to supplication, they prayed that the sinful deed might be fully blotted out. The noble Judas warned the soldiers to keep themselves free from sin, for they had seen with their own eyes what had happened because of the sin of those who had fallen. He then took up a collection among all his soldiers, amounting to two thousand silver drachmas, which he sent to Jerusalem to provide for an expiatory sacrifice. In doing this he acted in a very excellent and noble way, inasmuch as he had the resurrection of the dead in view; or if he were not expecting the fallen to rise again, it would have been useless and foolish to pray for them in death. But if he did this with a view to the splendid reward that awaits those who had gone to rest in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Thus he made atonement for the dead that they might be freed from this sin.

Even those Christians who deny that Maccabees 1 & 2 belong are inspired and belong in the canon of the Old Testament must admit that this passage reveals that the Jews believed that that the living may pray for the dead and make sacrifices for them in order that they might be freed from the sins they had committed. It was with this cultural understanding as a backdrop that the following New Testament verses come into focus.

Matthew 12:32
And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but he that shall speak against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in the world to come.

Does this not imply that some sins can be forgiven in the age to come? Obviously, there is no sin to forgive in heaven, and sin is not forgiven in hell because it’s too late and judgment is permanent. Therefore, the “world to come” where sin can still be forgiven must be a third, distinct place.

Luke 12:42-48
The Lord answered, "Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the menservants and maidservants and to eat and drink and get drunk. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers. "That servant who knows his master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”

Notice that there are not two but three categories of servants in this parable: 1) the “wise and faithful manager” who is rewarded (heaven); 2) the unfaithful servant who knows his master’s will but does not do it and who is “cut to pieces and assigned a place with the unbelievers (hell)l; and 3) the one “who does not know and does things deserving punishment.” This final servant is beaten with “few blows” (purgatory).

1 Corinthians 3:10-15
By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.

1 Peter 1:7
These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

 

[ricko]

Hi everyone!
I just have a few questions. I know that people say that the Catholic Church is the one true Church that Jesus founded. Can someone tell if there is anywhere in the Bible that supports that, and if there are any books that I can read that would talk about that? Along with that, I know some people wonder why Catholics believe in purgatory. Where in the Bible does it mention anything about purgatory?
And just to know your opinions, why do you think people think that Catholics don’t read and study the Bible? I read the bible, and I know other Catholics who do the same. (and yes, you’d think that if I knew it well that I could answer my own questions but sorry I don’t off the bat lol)

In answer to your last question, “why do you think people think that Catholics don’t read…the Bible?” That of course is a false teaching that they pick up from other people or worst from their church. Like most people, they believe an accusation is true when they hear it without bothering to check out its validity especially when it concerns the Catholic Church.

 

[Teflon93]

Review the account of the Transfiguration and ask yourself where Moses and Elijah came from.

You’ll have to read Maccabees if you want to know where the notion of praying for the dead in Purgatory comes from.

The real question you need to ask, in my opinion, is where the Nicene Creed came from. You won’t find it in the Bible. You probably say it at least several times a year. So where’d it come from?

 

[Teflon93]

People think Catholics don’t read the Bible because Catholics read the whole of it, and thus don’t typically quote chapter and verse. A Catholic who merely attends Mass will hear the Bible read every 3 years; at every Mass a passage from the Old Testament, a Psalm, an Epistle, and a passage from the Gospel are read, usually at quite an extended length.

I find that many who claim to read the Bible, ahem, religiously either stick to the New Testament or read and reread those sections necessary for their particular man-made tradition.

You can test this by asking what the 6th chapter of John or the 2nd of James is about. Since the answer to the first is “The Eucharist” and the answer to the second is “The necessity of works for salvation”, you can see why those who fall into the second category above might be unfamiliar or uncomfortable with these. It is also why anti-Catholics seem to know no other books of the Bible but Romans and Hebrews.