This is true. This assumption has led to the creation of many denominations.
This is true. All Christians believe this. The question is how is this accomplished?
True if a man is following the teachings of a man like say like: Jon Smyth, Charles Parham, Jon Calvin or Henry VIII then they are likely not in the fullness of truth.
I was using actual history. Scriptures are writen in the context of actual history. But what scriptures are you looking for? Something to say “Thus sayeth the Lord the Catholic Church has given you the scriptures”? You won’t find it. But lets follow scriptures and history and logic.
We can note that all authority is given Jesus. He then turns around and says “therefore go”. Specifically telling his disciples to go and make disciples of all men. Jesus indicates the Trinity and Baptism teaching them to obey everything he commanded. This is known as the great commission. He’s telling his disciples to do this. But is this commission just for them? No. Its for the church. Both Catholics and Protestants believe that this great commission is for all believers. So Authority given to Jesus and Jesus gives authority to the church. Note what Jesus tell Peter here:
debates about the Papacy aside what can we note from this verse in Matt 16? Jesus will build his Church his Ekklesia (a gathering of those called out. Note: the Roman Senate was also an Ekklesia) or translated church. Jesus isn’t idicating just those called out in Jerusalem but for all time. All Believers are those called out or in the Church. Note also that there is authority with the Church because the gates of hell will not overcome it. So Jesus establishes and builds (continually) his church. So in Jerusalem to Antioch in the very early days believers in what the apostles taught them call themselves the way as we see in Acts
Christians started calling themselves the Way which the Antiochians called them Christians
And we see with Ignatius letter to the Smyrneans that he follows this trend of metamorphasis of what Christians are calling themselves and calls them universal
Who we see being between 98 and 117 AD and well with in the period of having met some of the Apostles himself. The fact is when we read 1 Cor. we see Pauls appeal to be united
because indeed he regarded the entire group of believers as being one body in Romans
There is no separation of the Ekklesia but its unified as one body which calls itself Catholic by the end of the 1st Century as we see with Ignatius. So that this body has been given the Great Commission to teach others to believe in Jesus. By this time the entire OT has been written and the NT writers to include Paul uses the Greek translations of the OT to teach this body of believers. They aren’t quoting in Hebrew interestingly enough. Most the missionary journeys is in Turkey and Greece so the language use is Greek since it is the common tongue. The LXX Greek Translation of the Bible includes other books as we see with Hebrews 11:35
which refers directly to this book of 2 Maccabees 7
God breathed is interesting because one of the Early Names of the Holy Spirit is Ruach which can mean wind or breath. So the Church is to teach and all scriptures are God breathed. Interesting to note as already discussed the Protestants use only what is in the Tanakh and miss out on other inspired works. That the Catholics, Orthodox, and Coptic churches have. Also note that at the time of this writing Paul was specifically speaking of the OT so are we to assume that leaves out the NT as the NT hadn’t been entirely written as yet? So we can see that Jesus creates his church authorises it to teach and also has created scriptures which as we see with this verse is also to teach. Would he keep the two separate? No. What do we see here futher with this verse?
We see two aspects of how Timothy Learned. Timothy was both orally taught and also taught by scriptures and is encouraged to continue in his study of Scriptures. As is evident in 2 Thes here
This is the continued work of the Church. To teach by two methods. Orally (continuity of truth through oral tradition) and by Scriptures. This is how the faith is passed on by the Church to the world to fulfill the great commandment.
We are to follow God and not man
He is speaking to each and every one of us. As Christians we are His disciplies, and He and only He is the authority.
Actually, the argument is spiral.
There is only one truth. The Holy Spirit does not lead in different directions. We must not fall prey to the evil one’s relativism. Only one Church has the fulness of revealed truth. I wandered around for 35 years, then joined her. I know this will not satisfy you, since that one Church has the horrible word “catholic” associated with it. If only the Pope would rename her the “Truth in Life Fellowship”, maybe we could get more to see the whole revealed truth. As it is, we must pray for the unity that Saint Paul longed for.
Wait…they don’t?
So, we do not need a church? We are just a bunch of individual believers doing whatever we think is best? This most certainly will lead to chaos - very similar to the fracturing of the Body of Christ that we are seeing already.
The Catholic Church includes the possibility of salvation for people from other faiths, with the understanding that it would be much easier to be saved if such people were Catholic.
Trace it back! Each Catholic Priest can trace his hands-on ordination clear back to one of the twelve Apostles - a perfect, unbroken line. What else do you need? For Protestants, no matter the denomination, their church’s trail goes back max 500 years before it goes cold. No comparison.
I caution you regarding conduct rule #7
I didn’t mean that Catholics are making a circular argument. I think that Christalone is looking for a bit of an Ouroboros by asking for Scripture that defines the canon of Scripture.Actually, the argument is spiral.
This isn’t a circular argument. The first conclusion (the books are historically accurate) doesn’t depend on the last conclusion (the books are inspired).
- We first assume the books of the Bible are uninspired.
- However, we conclude that they are historically accurate. The oldest manuscripts of the Gospels are from, for example, only one hundred years after they were first written. Compare that to anything we have from the philosopher Plato, where the earliest manuscripts we have are from 1300 years after this death
- According to these accurate historical records, Jesus indeed founded a Church and a Church existed since the earliest days of Christianity.
- Jesus gave his Church authority according to these records.
- The Church continued throughout the centuries, and convened councils at the end of the fourth century declaring the Canon to be inspired.
See: catholic.com/library/Proving_Inspiration.asp
A bit off-topic, but can priests literally give a list of names that leads back to the Twelve and Christ himself? Because that would be crazy awesome.
What about Oriental Orthodox and the Assyrian Church of the East?
Typical catholic response. Why don’t you go bother them? They need you wisdom more than I do, as they are cults and not Christian.
Why don’t you defend God’s Word the way you defend the cf?
There is no “sacred table of contents” that fell from heaven. Christalone has to rely on MEN of the Catholic Church, guided by the Holy Spirit - as we all must.
This tradition, which Kepha quoted from scripture, by the way, began in Acts (Acts 1:12-25), with Matthias replacing Judas. It has continued in an unbroken line ever since.
Oriental Orthodox is the Eastern Orthodox. Assyrian Orthodox, being an orthodox church, has the same history. However, one measure of the true Church is: Which one has spread to every nation on earth? Catholic (catholic simply means “universal”) mass is celebrated around the clock, around the world.
Dude, (and forgive me for calling you dude) the two are inseparable. Christ is the WORD made flesh, and He founded one Church on earth. That Church is His Body, with Christ as its head. Because of His Church, you even have a bible to read! Give thanks for the blessing of scripture that you have, man!
Probably not, but we can trace the line of popes down pretty nicely.