Support for God wanting everyone to be Catholic?

[Flopfoot]

Does God want absolutely everyone in the world to join the Catholic Church? I’m pretty sure that the answer to this is ‘Yes’ (so long as they weren’t just joining to stir up trouble from within) but I was wondering where the support for this is, esp. biblical support. (not that it has to say it in the bible for me to believe it, but it’s useful to know for talking to other people).

 

[hurst]

As I was explaining to someone else today…

I have learned that I do not have the authority to declare or decide what is the Truth of God, because it is a Revelation above all created knowledge. I have to hear about it from someone who claims to have it. And I have to believe them, or not. Divine revelation is something that cannot be construed - it has to be received. And we can only receive it by faith - by believing God, Who is the Authority for such a message. And I need to be able to trace someone’s claims to the Authority of God, which starts by finding out the immediate authority of the one speaking to me.

I have come to believe the authority of the Catholic Church to speak for God. This Church provided the Bible, proclaims Christ as its founder and sustainer, and provides the sacraments of grace and salvation.

There are other Churches proclaiming Christ, but I have noticed that they all derive from the Roman Catholic church, since they broke away from it at some point in the past. There have certainly been (and still are) scandals in the Church (as in those which broke off), but it is kept alive nonetheless - miraculously, I would say. No other body/church/organization/religion in the world makes the claims of Christ. I believe the Roman Catholic Church is the Mother of all Christian churches and peoples. Authority is the key, and for us believers, obedience is the key, because we must obey God - do His Will - to enter and live in His Kingdom.

As for finding it in the Bible, can you see why such a proposition is circular logic?

Nevertheless, I will give relevant quotes:

Luke 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded to them in all the scriptures, the things that were concerning him.

Acts 17:2 And Paul, according to his custom, went in unto them; and for three sabbath days he reasoned with them out of the scriptures:

Acts 18:28 For with much vigour he convinced the Jews openly, shewing by the scriptures, that Jesus is the Christ.

Ok, now once someone comes to believe in Jesus, whether by word or scripture, they should come to Him. Where is He? In the Catholic Church, where His Word is fulfilled. So why don’t they come?

John 5:39 Search the scriptures, for you think in them to have life everlasting; and the same are they that give testimony of me. 40 And you will not come to me that you may have life.

hurst

 

[dafalax]

I will try to post later with the actual Biblical passages, but the New Testament is full of references to unity of the Christian Church. The word Catholic isn’t used, but neither is the word Methodist, Baptist, etc. The principle of unity is the key thing. Once you know that Jesus founded one Church that He wanted everyone to be in agreement with, it’s just a matter of finding out which one He founded. Also, Paul wrote most of his epistles trying to get everyone on the same page in the different cities. This would have been unnecessary if Jesus meant for everyone to just take the Church in whatever direction they wanted to.

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

Flopfoot:

Does God want absolutely everyone in the world to join the Catholic Church? I’m pretty sure that the answer to this is ‘Yes’ (so long as they weren’t just joining to stir up trouble from within) but I was wondering where the support for this is, esp. biblical support. (not that it has to say it in the bible for me to believe it, but it’s useful to know for talking to other people).

The basis for accepting such a thesis boils down to two things:​

1. The say-so of the CC, to the effect that it has interpreted the Will of God on this matter accurately: which in turn assumes that:

• there is a God
• Who has a Will
• on this matter
• and that it has been made known
• to the CC
• and that the CC exists
• and is entitled to speak
• with authority
• about God’s Will
• and that it has interpreted it
• and done so correctly
• in a sense which excludes any claims on this subject that may be made by other religions and Churches

There are a lot of theological assertions about God, man & and the Church implied in saying that God wishes all men to be Catholics: as in most or all theological claims by Churches. Which is one reason not everyone is Catholic - for the more numerous the implications in a theological claim, the easier it is to to find an implication one does not agree with, and the less convincing the claim - unless the unconvincing implications be replaced by convincing ones. If an implication is for some reason not acceptable, it won’t be accepted; so neither will a claim which is seen as inextricably connected to it. So a different approach would be needed.

1. Whether or not you yourself trust the CC on this point - which is something that everyone must resolve for himself. ##

 

[cardenio]

Premise 1:God wants everybody to believe what is true.
Premise 2: “2+2=4” is a true statement.
Conclusion: Therefore, God wants everybody to believe that 2+2=4.

Substitute “Catholicism is true” for the second premise.