...that
the Word of GOD is not a book, but a Person? John 1:1, John 1:14
...that
the Bible is one continuous story from beginning to end?
...that
the Word of GOD is not a book, but a Person?
John 1:1, John 1:14
...that
truth is a person?
John 14:6
...that
whatever Jesus Christ said must be true because He said it?
See 1John 5:10 for the obverse
of this statement.
...that
of all the founders of the various religions on earth, Jesus Christ was
the only one to come preannounced? All of
the other founders simply said, in effect, "Here I am".
The Old Testament is filled with prophecy of the coming of the Messiah.
Here are just a few examples, Gen 3:15, Num 24:17, 2Sam 7:12-16, Isa 9:1-21,
11:1-16, Dan 9.
...that
the Bible does not tell us which books within it are inspired and which
ones are not?
How then do we know that the
Bible which we use IS the Bible?
How do we know that the books
within it really belong there?
...that
the Bible came from the Catholic Church,
and not the Church from the Bible?
...that
by the time Saint John had completed the Book of Revelation, the Catholic
Church was already on its fifth Pope?
Pope Saint Evaristus 97-105 A.D.
...that
non-Catholics have to admit that the Catholic Church made an infallible
decision when it published the Canon
of the New Testament, since they all use the same 27 books?
How then can they deny the Canon
of the Old Testament decided by the same Catholics in the same Councils
that decided the Canon of the New Testament?
...that
none of the Gospel writers signed their work?
How then, do we know who the
authors of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were?
...that
Saint James may have been the Bishop of Jerusalem in Acts 15:13, but Saint
Peter was Bishop of all the world?
Eusebius (263-339) Bishop of
Caesarea and known as "The Father of Church History", wrote in
'The History of the Church' volume 2 chapter 1, "But Clement in the
sixth book of his Hypotyposes writes thus: 'For they say that Peter and
James and John after the ascension of our Saviour, as if also preferred
by our Lord, strove not after honor, but chose James the Just bishop of
Jerusalem'."
Read Acts 1:8, where Jerusalem is only one of many See's to be founded by the Apostles. The Books of Acts, Revelation, and a few others, record more than 30 additional ones other than Jerusalem.
...that
in Acts 1:8, the Greek word used for witnesses is "usrtus"
(martus)?
"...but
you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you shall
be witnesses for me in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and
even to the very ends of the earth."
Martus means "witness", but it also means, "to die by violent
death". To die as a witness for Christ is to become a martyr. They
are those who after his example, have proved the strength and genuineness
of their faith in Christ by undergoing a violent death. As you probably
all know, every Apostle died a martyr. St. John was boiled in oil, but
it did not kill him so he was imprisoned and exiled to the island of Patmos.
...that
the decision documented in Acts 15 was NOT made by Scripture alone
(Sola Scriptura)?
The question which arose in this chapter, was about
the Gentile converts and whether or not they had to be circumcised (vs
3-5). The Apostles, in their very first Church Council, the Council of
Jerusalem, made the decision not to demand circumcision for converts (vs
28-29), and that decision was made by the Apostles and the Holy Spirit
alone, and with no mention of Scripture being consulted. There is no doubt
that the Apostles knew that this particular circumstance was NOT in Scripture,
and that they knew they would have to decide the result by using their
own GOD given authority (Matthew 16:19,18:17-18, John 20:21-23), and with
the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Compare what I have said here with John 14:16-17 and
John 16:13-15.
See! Everything is NOT in the Bible, as the Bible plainly
tells us in John 20:30-31 and John 21:25.
The situation is exactly the same today when different
circumstances arise. The Catholic Church calls a council, and the Pope,
the Magisterium, the Bishops and Cardinals in conjunction with the Holy
Spirit make a final decision to resolve the question. Rome has spoken,
the issue is settled.
...that
Rome, not Jerusalem, was chosen to be the seat of the Catholic Church for
many reasons?
1.
Rome was the capitol of the world at the time. Heads tend to settle in
capitols.
2.
Rome was also the largest city in the Roman Empire which made it the center
of attraction. Have you ever heard of the phrase, "All roads lead
to Rome"?
3.
Saint Peter, the first Pope, and the visible head
of the Catholic Church, was in Rome when he was
martyred in 67 A.D.. Saint Paul was in Rome also when he was martyred.
4.
Jesus had said in John 4:21, "Woman,
believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem
will you worship the Father."
5.
Jesus Christ had said in Matthew 24:1-22, that Jerusalem would soon be
destroyed.
That prophecy was fulfilled in
70 A.D. when three Roman legions led by Titus did indeed destroy it.
"And
when you see Jerusalem being surrounded by an army, then know that her
desolation is at hand. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains;
and let those who are in her midst go out, and let those who are in the
country not enter her. For these are days of vengeance, that all things
that are written may be fulfilled. But woe to those with child, or have
infants at the breast in those days! For there will be great distress over
the land, and wrath upon this people. And they will fall by the edge of
the sword, and will be led away as captives to all the nations. And Jerusalem
will be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the nations be
fulfilled."
Luke 21:20-24
This all happened exactly
as Jesus Christ had predicted. All of the gory details of this massacre
can be found in the writings by the Jewish historian Josephus, who lived
at the time, and by Eusebius.
Christians did flee as Jesus
prophesied in the above verses, and all were saved, as recorded by Eusebius
in his History of the Church, book III, chapter 5.
Being forewarned by the Lord
Himself of this impending disaster, why would the Apostles even consider
Jerusalem to be the center of Christianity?
...that
Saint Paul admonished the Ephesians day and night for three years?
Acts 20:31
Yet his letter to the Ephesians
is only six chapters long and can be read in just a few minutes.
Where is the rest of his three
year dialog with the Ephesians? Is everything in the Bible?
...that
in Matthew 16:13-17, it was Simon-Peter only, who knew the truth of who
Jesus Christ was?
GOD the Father revealed it to
him and him alone. All of the rest had only an opinion.
Catholics look to the Successor
of Peter, the Pope, whom we can trust to reveal GOD's truth to us.
...that
GOD always had a Father
Figure to shepherd His people?
From Adam, to Noah, to Abraham,
to Isaac, to Jacob, to Moses, to David, to Peter, there was always a male
figure that GOD used to shepherd His flock. It is no different today, as
GOD never changes.
...that
every time GOD changed the name of someone in the Bible, He also gave that
person authority?
He changed Abram to Abraham and
made him the father of a multitude of nations. Exodus 17:5
He changed Sarai to Sara and
made her the mother of nations. Exodus 17:15-16
He changed Jacob to Israel and
made him the first Israeli. Exodus 32:29
He changed Simon to Peter and
gave him primacy over the other Apostles. Matthew 16:18-19
...that
in John 21:16, the Greek word used for "feed" is "poimaino"
(poimaino, second person, singular), which means, to act as a shepherd,
to rule, to govern, to pastor, or the presiding officer?
It is the only time this Greek
word is used in the Gospel of John. In John 21:15 and 17, the Greek word
used for "feed" is "bosko"
(bosko), which means "to feed". So verses 15-17 say "feed
my lambs, SHEPHERD my lambs, and feed my sheep". Jesus commanded Peter
alone, to be the visible SHEPHERD of His flock.
In John 10:16, Jesus said, "...and
there shall be one fold and ONE SHEPHERD."
The Greek word used for "shepherd" here is "poimen"
(poimen, masculine, singular). Clearly, Jesus said in these verses that
there will be only ONE SHEPHERD, and that visible shepherd on earth will
be Peter, who would soon become the first Bishop of Rome, and the first
Pope.
...that
the power to forgive sins was given to men?
Matthew 9:1-8, John 20:22-23,
2Corinthians 2:10
...that
Jesus taught from the Barque of Peter and no other boat?
Luke 5:1-4
The Barque of Peter is a "type"
of the Catholic Church, as is Noah's Ark.
The Ship of the Church, the Barque
of Peter, will survive because Christ is aboard.
See Matthew 8:23-27, Mark 4:35-40,
and Luke 8:22-25.
...that
Saint Paul said, "Unless these men remain in the ship, you cannot
be saved"?
Acts 27:31
...that
Saint Peter said that only eight souls were saved because they were aboard
Noah's Ark?
1Peter 3:20
...that
the relics of all of the Apostles and Gospel writers are in Catholic
Churches?
...that
three of the greatest Biblical heros were murderers?
They were Moses in Exodus 2:12,
David in 2Samuel 11:14-27, and Saul (Paul) in Acts 7:58-59.
GOD uses sinners in His plan
of Salvation, noting that all three wrote inspired books of the Bible.
...that
one Pope
denied Christianity three times, and later wrote two infallible documents
which we use to this very day?
His name is Peter.
Matthew 26:69-75
...that
one Apostle denied Him, one betrayed Him, one doubted Him, and all ran
away from Him?
Matthew 26:69-75, Matthew 26:25,
John 20:25, and Matthew 26:56.
...that
the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1:1-16, lists three major breaks in Mosaic
Law?
This indicates immediately, in
the first 16 verses of the New Testament, that the Old Covenant, and with
it the Mosaic Law, is soon coming to an end, being fulfilled (Matthew 5:17),
and shortly to be superceded by the New Covenant of Jesus Christ (Matthew
26:28, Hebrews 8:13).
1.Females
are listed:
(3)Tamar Gen 38:6, 1Chron 2:4,
(5) Rahab Josh 2:1,17, (5) Ruth, book of Ruth, (6) Bathsheba (former wife
of Uriah) 2Sam 11:12,24.
Jewish law required that only
males were to be listed in genealogies. See Numbers 1:17-18.
2.Sinners
are listed:
(3) Tamar, a deceiver, (5) Rahab,
a harlot, (6) Bathsheba, an adulteress, (6) Solomon, idolatry.
By naming sinners, GOD has shown
that He is the GOD of mercy.
3.Gentiles
are listed:
(3) Tamar, a Canaanite, (5) Rahab,
a Canaanite, (5) Ruth, a Moabite, (6) Bathsheba, a Hittite. Foreigners
like these symbolized GOD's desire to save all, with no longer a distinction
between Jew and Gentile, Colossians 3:11.
...that
those who accuse Catholics of not reading their Bibles, as often as non-Catholics,
do not realize that the Catholic Church can be visualized as resting upon
a three-legged stool,
only one leg of which is the Bible?
The other two legs are Sacred
(Apostolic) Tradition, and the Magisterium, or teaching authority.
When the reformers broke away
from the Catholic Church, they lost two of the legs. They rejected Apostolic
Tradition and the authority of the Magisterium, thereby leaving themselves
with only one leg...the Bible, which they took from the Catholic Church.
They tend to dwell on the only leg they have left, whereas Catholics dwell
on all three legs. Did Jesus Christ say to the disciples,
'Read the Bible', or did He say,
"Go out into all nations
and teach them
all that I have commanded you (Matthew 28:19-20)"?
Did Jesus Christ found a teaching
Church, or did He found a book?
...that
"Faith then depends on HEARING, and HEARING on the Word of Christ"?
Romans 10:17
Where does Scripture say that
faith depends on reading
the Word of Christ?
Catholics are frequently accused
of not reading their Bibles. However, no one can ever accuse Catholics
of not hearing
the Word of Christ. At every Catholic Mass, over a period of three years,
the entire Bible, except for some of the begats, is read and preached to
all of the people and after that the cycle is repeated over and over again.
If the Catholic lives to the age of 75, it is possible that he or she has
had almost all of the Bible read to them 25 times.
Name another Church which fulfills
Romans 10:17 as well as the Catholic Church does?
"And I saw another angel
flying in midheaven, having an everlasting gospel to preach to those who
dwell upon the earth and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people."
Revelation 14:6
Name another church which has
an everlasting gospel preached to them, and to every nation and tongue
and people as does the Catholic Church?
...that
Saint Joseph taught the Creator of the Universe how to make furniture?
Mark 6:3
...that
the Apostles never caught fish without the help of Jesus?
We can do nothing of ourselves
without the help of GOD. John 15:5
...that
Jesus said that bad fish would be caught in the net also, and that the
bad fish would be thrown away?
Matthew 13:47-50
...that
both the wheat and the chaff will co-mingle until the very end?
Matthew 13:24-30
...that
proof showing Christianity to be true can be found in the many Old Testament
prophecies that Gentiles will come to the Jewish GOD?
You can see this in the Old Testament
verses listed and then the fulfillment in the NewTestament. Isaiah 11:10,
Isaiah 42:1,6, 49:6,22, 54:3, 60:3,5,11,16, 61:6,9, 62:2, 66:12,19, Jeremiah
16:19, Micah 5:8, Malachi 1:11, Matthew 12:18,21, 20:25, Luke 2:32, 21:24,
John 7:35, Acts 4:27, 9:15, Acts 10:45, 11:1,18, 13:42,46-48, 14:27, 15:3,7,12,14,17,19,23,
18:6, 21:19,21,25, 22:21,
Acts 26:17,20,23, 28:28, Romans
1:13, 2:14, 3:29, 9:24, 11:11-13,25, 15:9-27, 16:4,
1Corinthians 12:13, Galatians
2:2,14-15,3:14, Ephesians 3:1,6,8, Colossians 1:27,
1Thessalonians 2:16, 1Timothy
2:7, 1Timothy 3:16, 2Timothy 1:11, 4:17, Revelation 11:2.
...that
the True Church which Jesus Christ founded will offer Spiritual Sacrifices
performed every day in every place by a Holy Priesthood?
"Draw near to Him, a living
stone, rejected indeed by men but chosen and honored by GOD. Be you yourselves
as living stones, built thereon into a spiritual house, a holy priesthood,
to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to GOD through Jesus Christ."
1Peter 2:4-5
"For from the rising of
the sun even to the going down, My Name is great among the Gentiles, and
in every place there is sacrifice, and there is offered to My Name a clean
oblation, for My Name is great among the Gentiles said the Lord of Hosts."
Malachi 1:11
"First I give thanks to my GOD through Jesus Christ
for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed all over the world."
Romans 1:8
Name another church which fulfills
these verses by offering in every place,
a daily spiritual sacrifice,
a clean oblation, acceptable to GOD through Jesus Christ, and by a Holy
Priesthood?
Name another church which even
offers a daily sacrifice?
These verses describe perfectly,
the Mass of the Catholic Church.
...that
the "Manna in the Desert" is a "type"
of the Holy Eucharist?
On seeing it, the Israelites
asked one another, "What is this?" for they did not know what
it was. But Moses told them, "This is the bread which the Lord has
given you to eat."
Exodus 16:15
"Your
fathers ate the manna in the desert, and have died. This is the bread that
comes down from heaven, so that if anyone eat of it he will not die."
John 6:49-50
Never does an Old Testament "type"
point to a New Testament symbol.
"Types" always prefigure
a much greater reality.
Romans 5:14, 1Corinthians 10:11,
Hebrews 11:19
...that
Jesus Christ said, "...unless you eat
the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His blood, you shall not have life
in you"?
John 6:53
What does this profound statement
mean to you? Where does He say the "symbol" of His flesh? Remember
1John 5:10 as mentioned earlier.
...that
those who did not believe the words of Jesus Christ left Him and never
came Back?
John
Did you get the verse number
connection?
If Jesus spoke only symbolically
in John chapter 6,
then why did they leave Him, never more to return, for only a symbolic
gesture? It would have made no sense whatsoever
for them to do so.
Also, if He was only speaking
a parable, why then did He not call them back and tell them so?
After all, He did explain every
one of His parables since no one understood them, did He not?
I would like for someone to explain
to me why non-believers of the True Presence take the whole Bible literally,
except for John chapter 6?
All those who do not believe
in the True Presence are those in this verse who walk away from Him.
This is a count of those who
do not believe 
the words
of Jesus Christ in this chapter, and simply walk away, never to come back.
Are you included in this count?
...that
St. Paul said, "The cup of the blessing that we bless, is it not the
sharing of the Blood of Christ? And the Bread that we break, is it not
the partaking of the Body of the Lord?"
1Corinthians 10:16
Did St. Paul say anything about
this summit and center of the Catholic Mass as being only a symbolic gesture?
No? Then why do you not believe what he said?
...that
St. Paul said, "Therefore, whoever eats this bread or drinks the cup
of the Lord unworthily, will be guilty of the Body and the Blood of the
Lord"?
1Corinthians 11:27
How can a person be "guilty"
of anything if this is only a symbolic gesture?
...that
St. Paul also said, "...for he who eats and drinks unworthily, without
distinguishing the body, eats and drinks judgment to himself"?
1Corinthians 11:29
How could one bring "judgment
to himself" if this verse reads only symbolically?
This is the reason why non-Catholics
may not receive the Holy Eucharist in the Catholic Church, since they do
not believe it is truly the Body of Christ, but only a symbol.
See? If they did partake, they
would bring judgment upon themselves.
...that
when Jesus said the word "Unless",
it was usually a dire warning that His word must be obeyed, "Or
you shall not enter the Kingdom of Heaven",
or similar wording?
Matthew 5:20, "...Unless
your justice exceeds that of the Scribes and the Pharisees...."
Matthew 18:3, "...Unless
you turn and become like little children...."
Luke 13:3,5, "...Unless
you repent...." (you will all perish).
John 3:3, "...Unless
a man be born again...."
John 3:5, "...Unless
a man be born again of water and the Spirit...."
John 6:53, "...Unless
you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you shall not
have life in you, (implied, "no life
everlasting", as shown by the very next verse, John 6:54), "He
who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has life everlasting and I will raise
him up on the last day".
...that
the word "Amen*"
is a Greek word (amen) of Hebrew origin
which, at the beginning of a discourse means, "certainly", "surely",
"truly", "of a truth", "so be it"?
When used as a prefix by Jesus
Christ , it is to emphasize that it is a Statement of especial solemnity.**
Now, what do you suppose He meant
when He emphasized twice, by using a double "Amen"?
"Amen,
amen, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven,
but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of GOD
is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
John 6:32-33
Notice that Jesus used a double
emphasis by beginning these verses with 'truly', 'truly'.
Do you truly truly believe what
He said in this verse?
Is there any room for symbolism
in these verses whatsoever?
"Amen,
amen, I say to you, he who believes in me has life everlasting."
John 6:47
Again, He said 'truly, 'truly',
but of course everyone believes His words in this verse, so everyone truly,
truly believes Him here. But, read on for a possible "snag" for
some, regarding this verse.
"Amen,
amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of
Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you."
John 6:53
What? 'Truly, 'truly' again?
Another double emphasis, and a dire warning (unless) to boot?
The context for this verse is the same as for the previous examples in
this section.
Why do you think Jesus used a
double emphasis yet again? Why do people repeat themselves at all?
They do it to drive home a very
important point, that is why!
Interestingly, Weymouth's Modern
Speech New Testament translates the first words of this verse as:
"In
most solemn truth, I tell you...".
What would Jesus have had to say to make his words
any more clear than what He actually said?
Then why do some say "Truly,
truly, in this verse, He was only speaking symbolically"?
If this verse is to be taken
only symbolically, then the previous example, John 6:47, must be treated
in the same context, as being only a symbolic gesture also. If that is
the case, then we have a domino effect working throughout Scripture. All
verses with the same meaning of John 6:47, "believe in Christ and
you have life everlasting", must be only symbolic as well. Some well
known, and well used verses with the same, or very similar meaning are,
John 3:15-16,18, 5:24, 6:40, 8:24, and 20:31, Acts 13:48, and 16:31, Romans
10:9-11, 1Timothy 1:16, and 4:10, 2Timothy
1:1,
and 1John 5:13.
*Some
Protestant Bibles use the word "Verily", instead of "Amen",
in the verses shown above.
Verily means, "in truth",
or "with confidence". However, in the Greek text the word used
is Amen.
**See the footnote in the Confraternity
Bible for Matthew 5:18.
...that
the Greek word for "life" used in John 6:53 in the previous segment,
is "zoen" (zoen) which means,
"divine life of GOD imparted to us"?
There are other Greek words for
"life" that St. John could have chosen, such as "bios"
(bios) which simply means "life". The fact that he chose the
word that he did, lends great credibility to the literal meaning of this
verse and with not a hint of symbolism.
...that
the Catholic Church is the cause of holiness in its members?
The holiness of its members do
not make the Church more holy.
Conversely, the unholiness of
her members do not make the Church any less holy.
...that
Jesus Christ is not His Name?
It is correct to say Jesus THE
Christ. Throughout the Old Testament are verses which prophecy the coming
of "The Anointed One", "The Messiah", or "The
Christ". See Daniel 9:25-26 for two examples. Jesus is The Anointed
One, The Messiah, or The Christ. The word "Christ" comes from
the Greek word "Christos", which means the Anointed One.
...that
Jesus came AFTER Mary?
Do you realize that Christ has
a triple birth?
1.
He was born into eternity of a Father without a mother. John 1:1-5,14,
Hebrews 5:5
2.
He was born into time of a Mother without a father. Luke 1:35, 2:7
3.
He is born into us at Baptism.
Christ is the second person of
the Most Holy Trinity and He always existed. Jesus being born into time,
the second birth of Christ, was born of Mary, and therefore He came AFTER
her. Christ is mentioned many times in the Old Testament as shown in the
previous paragraph. The coming of Jesus is alluded to in Isaiah 7:14, but
you will not find Jesus mentioned in the Old Testament except as a "type".
Remember His correct name is Jesus THE Christ.
Each one of us also has a triple
birth, our natural birth, our supernatural birth at Baptism, and our birth
into eternal life.
...that
Jesus Christ kept the Ten Commandments, including the one which says, "Honor
your father and your mother"?
"...I
also keep my Father's commandments, and abide in His love."
John 15:10
If He honored His mother, can
any one of us do less?
Aren't we obligated to follow
Him and do the same as He? See John 12:26.
After all, she is our spiritual
mother, John 19:26-27.
Dare anyone dishonor the mother
of Jesus Christ?
What action would you take if
someone dishonored your mother?
What will Jesus say to you at
your time of judgment?
Will He say, "Yes, My mother
has spoken of you often"?
Or will He say, "Why have
you calumnized My mother"?
...that
the Divine person, Jesus Christ, obeyed His mother, Mary, and His foster
father Joseph?
Luke 2:51
...that
four people in Holy Scripture managed to persuade GOD to change His intentions?
They are, Abraham in Genesis
18:20-23, Moses in Exodus 32:9-14, Jonah in Jonah 3:10, and only one in
the New Testament, the Mother of GOD in John 2:3-5.
...that
we are commanded to call the Mother of GOD, Blessed?
Luke 1:48, "...behold, henceforth
all generations shall call me blessed;"
Doesn't "henceforth" mean from this moment
on? And doesn't "all generations" mean all of us? And doesn't
the word "shall" denote a command and not a suggestion?
How can anyone claim to follow
Holy Scripture and at the same time flagrantly ignore Luke 1:48?
...that
the Mother of GOD
is in the first book of the Bible, Genesis 3:15, and she is in the last
book of the Bible, Revelation 12:1-2, and she is in the middle of the Bible,
Isaiah 7:14?
...that
petitioning the Saints for their prayers makes a lot of sense if you consider
what would have happened to the godless judge if the poor widow had 20
more petitioners praying in her behalf?
Luke 18:1-8. Read verses 6-8
slowly and carefully.
...that
the Queens of the
Old Testament were the mothers of the Kings not the wives?
1Kings 2:19-20
Equate this fact with the King
of Kings and His most Holy Mother?
...that
those who say that the word "brethren" means blood brother only,
will have a hard time explaining who the parents of the 120 brethren and
the 500 brethren were in Holy Scripture?
See Acts 1:15-16, and 1Corinthians
15:6
...that
in Galatians 1:19, where James is called, the "brother
of the Lord",
he is also called an Apostle?
In the introduction to the Book
of James in the "New International Version", a Protestant bible,
it says, James, the "brother" of Jesus. This statement strongly
implies a blood brother. There were two Apostles named James. It is a simple
matter to expose the fallacy of "blood brothers of Jesus" by
comparing Acts 1:13 which says one James was the son of Alpheus, and Matthew
4:20, which says the other James was the son of Zebedee. Do you see? Neither
James was a blood brother of Jesus.
...that
Jesus told Mary Magdalen to go to His "brethren" (the
word is "brothers" in some Bibles),
and to whom does she go in the very next verse?
See John 20:17-18
She went to His "disciples".
Once again, the words "brethren"
and "brothers", do not necessarily mean a blood brother.
...that
Jesus said, "And no one has ascended
into heaven except him who has descended from heaven: the Son of Man who
is in heaven"?
John 3:13
Yet in Matthew 17:1-7, and Luke
9:26-36, Moses and Elias appeared to Jesus and three of His disciples,
and they were even conversing with Jesus. Now since both Moses and Elias
had been dead for hundreds of years, from where did they come? They certainly
could not have come from hell, as no one ever leaves there. John 3:13 says
they could not have come from heaven either.
The only possible answer is that
both came from a third place!
...that
GOD obeys His Priests in the Sacraments?
Matthew 26:26, Luke 22:19, 2Corinthians
2:10
...that
we cannot put limits on an unlimited GOD?
Some try to when they question
the Immaculate Conception or the Virgin Birth.
...that
GOD is not bound by His laws which bind us?
Matthew 19:26, Mark 10:27, Luke
1:37,18:27
...that
if something is wrong, it is always wrong even if everyone is doing it?
...that if something is right,
it is always right even if no one is doing it?
...that
Adam was NOT deceived by Satan, but Eve was?
Genesis 3:4-6, 1Timothy 2:14
Satan saw that Eve would be a
more effective target than Adam.
It took the serpent to trick
the woman, but only a woman to trick the man.
...that
Adam was a Christ figure (Romans 5:14, 1Corinthians 15:45), and in order
to get back to him we all have to go through a woman? Think
about it!
It was the woman "Eve"
who got to Adam; it was and is the woman "Mary" who leads us
to Jesus. It is women (types) of the Old Testament who bridge the paths
that precede the Blessed Virgin Mary and lead to Jesus Christ. Male and
female are one, as the error of Adam and Eve become the TRUTH of Jesus
and Mary.
...that
it was GOD who died on the cross and not merely His human nature as some
claim?
Jesus THE
Christ is a Divine person and not a human
person. He is GOD acting in a human nature. Nature describes what a person
can do, but the person does it.
Every action of the nature belongs
to the person.
It is persons who die on crosses,
not natures.
"And when I saw him,
I fell at his feet as one dead. And he laid his right hand upon me saying,
"Do
not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and he who lives; I was dead,
and behold, I am living forever more; and I have the keys of death and
hell.""
Revelation 1:17-18.
See also, Philippians 2:5-11,
and Acts 3:15.
...that
whether you believe a doctrine or not, your belief has no bearing on doctrinal
truth?
...that
those who hold back the truth of GOD are to be faced with His wrath? Romans
1:18
...that
we cannot be liars against the truth? James
3:14
...that
the contrary of truth cannot be proven?
Saint Thomas Aquinas
...that
liars will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven?
Revelation 21:8,27, 22:15
...that
Holy Scripture says, "...but wrath and indignation to those who are
contentious, and who do not submit to the truth but assent to iniquity"?
Romans 2:8
...that,
regarding heretics, Holy Scripture says, "But these men, like irrational
animals created by nature for capture and destruction, deride what
they do not understand, and will perish in their own corruption"?
2Peter 2:12, Jude 1:10
How many non-Catholics have derided you for your beliefs without
even trying to understand them?
...that
it is the Church, and not the Bible, which is the Pillar and Foundation
of the Truth?
1Timothy 3:15
...that
those who claim "once saved
always saved", are proclaiming themselves as "Saints" already,
and they are the same people who deride the Catholic Church for canonizing
some as Saints?
Aren't these people canonizing
themselves, who are running around claiming they are "saved"?
...that
no one has a guarantee that he or she will go to heaven?
For we all must "work out
our salvation with fear and trembling".
Philippians 2:12
...that
there is no salvation for those who do not obey the words of Jesus Christ?
Hebrews 5:9
...that
those who do not believe what Jesus has said, have called Him a liar?
1John 5:10
"And
you have not his word abiding in you, since you do not believe him whom
he has sent."
John 5:38. Here the Jews are
forewarned that they do not believe him.
Notice that we see proof of what
he said here in the very next chapter, John 6:66, which we have already
visited in a previous segment.
...that
GOD sends no one to hell, as it is we who send ourselves there?
Hebrews 5:9, again!
...that
GOD predestines no one to hell?
How could He when He desires all men to be
saved, and with Him there is no respect of persons?
Deuteronomy 10:17, 2Chronicles 19:7, Job 34:19, Wisdom 6:8, Sirach 35:15,
Acts 10:34,
Romans 2:11, Ephesians 6:9, Colossians 3:25, *1Timothy 2:4, *1Peter 1:17,
*2Peter 3:9
...that
GOD has given each one of us sufficient grace for our salvation?
2Corinthians 12:9, Ephesians
4:7
How we each make use of it is
up to the individual.
...that
the GOD of Mercy while we live, becomes the GOD of Justice when we die?
John 12:48, Acts 17:31, Romans
2:16,14:10, Hebrews 10:30, James 5:9
...that
the Bible says, "Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed
lest he fall"?
1Corinthians 10:12
...that
Saint Paul was concerned that even he might lose his salvation?
1Corinthians 9:27
...that
when Jesus said, neither shall anyone snatch His sheep out of His hand,
He said nothing about the sheep jumping out of His hand and walking away
from Him by choice did He?
John 10:28
...that
in the parable of the sheep and the goats, both believed but only one worked?
Matthew 25:31-46
...that
others may say that you cannot be perfect, but Holy Scripture commands
us to be perfect, even as your Heavenly Father is perfect?
Matthew 5:48
...that
we are cautioned not to be conformed to this world?
Romans 12:2
What is most important in your
life, is the GOD of your life.
...that
whoever wishes to be a friend of this world becomes an enemy of GOD?
James 4:4
...that
we are not to love the world or the things within it, for if anyone loves
the world, the love of the Father is not in him?
1 John 2:15
...that
Scripture says, "Mind the things that are above, not the things that
are on earth"?
Colossians 3:2
...that
nothing and no one on this earth must keep you from saving your soul?
...that
Revelation 12:1 is connected to 11:19 by the first word, the conjunction
"and" in 12:1?
In the Greek text (the book of
Revelation was written in Greek), the first word of verse 12:1 is "kai"
which means "and". I feel it is important to mention the Greek
text here because some Bibles do not include the word "and".
The context of 11:19 is of Saint John seeing the Ark of the Covenant in
Heaven. "And
a great sign appeared in Heaven: a woman clothed with the Sun, and the
Moon was under her feet, and upon her head is a crown of twelve stars."
This is a clear allusion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Ark seen in Heaven
is not the wooden box which contained the commandments handed down to Moses,
but it is the Blessed Virgin Mary, the New Ark of the
Covenant.
...that
Revelation 12 mentions four persons, a "woman", a dragon, a male
child, and Michael?
It is obvious that the dragon is satan, the
ancient serpent, Rev 12:9. It is obvious that Michael is an angel, the
archangel Michael, Rev 12:7. It is obvious that the male child is Jesus
Christ, Rev 12:5. Since three of the four in the chapter are identified,
then the context would demand that the woman be identified also, as the
one who gave birth to Jesus Christ, Rev 12:4-5. She is the Blessed Virgin
Mary. There are many layers of exegesis to the Book of Revelation, so a
not so obvious meaning for the "woman" could also be the Church
which Jesus Christ founded.
...that
Revelation 12:1 clearly says that "a woman" was seen in Heaven?
Revelation speaks of many souls and spirits
as being in Heaven (Rev 1:4,6:9,20:4). Do you know the definition of the
word "woman"? A woman is a female human being, a person. A human
person has a body, a soul, and a spirit. Spirits and souls are genderless.
They are neither male nor female. Gender is determined by the body alone.
Since Saint John described a "woman" as being seen in Heaven,
she could have only been there in body, soul, and spirit. This is strong
evidence of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin
Mary.
...that
Holy Scripture stresses that we must be ONE,
"...and they shall hear My Voice, and
there shall be ONE fold and ONE Shepherd".
John 10:16,17:11,21-23
It is a command from Jesus Christ
and not a suggestion.
Jesus Christ, being Himself Truth
(John 14:6), speaks with ONE Voice. He has spoken ONE truth for each of
us. Why then are there so many differing interpretations of what He told
us? In the book of Ephesians, when Saint Paul refers to the "body",
he means the Body of Christ, the only Church which Christ founded (Ephesians
1:22-23). There is only ONE GOD, ONE Truth, ONE Faith, ONE Baptism (Ephesians
4:1-6), and He founded only ONE Church ( Matthew 16:18, Ephesians 4:4),
with only ONE Authority. Why then, are there over 33,800 Christian churches
in existence today, something which is in direct violation of Holy Scripture?
"He
who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters."
Luke 11:23
...that
we are commanded by Scripture to be of ONE MIND, in ONE SPIRIT, and with
ONE MOUTH to glorify GOD?
Romans 15:5-6, Philippians 1:27,
2:2
"Now I beseech you, brethren,
by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you ALL SAY THE SAME THING;
and that there be NO DISSENSIONS AMONG YOU, but that YOU BE PERFECTLY UNITED
in ONE MIND and in ONE JUDGMENT."
1Corinthians 1:10
How can these verses be obeyed
with over 33,800* splits in the Body of Christ today?
Who is doing the spliting and
scattering?
*World Christianity Encyclopedia,
2001.
...that
it is the Holy Spirit which places men as Bishops to rule the Church of
GOD?
Acts 20:28
Does your church have bishops?
...that
Holy Scripture commands all of us to obey our superiors and be subject
to them, for they keep watch as having to render an account of our souls;
so that they may do this with joy, and not with grief, for that would not
be expedient for us?
Hebrews 13:7-8,17
How many, if any, of the founders
of the reformation followed this command of Scripture, and how many did
not? How many of them caused "grief" for their superiors by rejecting
their authority?
...that
those who despise authority, especially, risk eternal punishment?
2Peter 2:9-10
...that
nowhere in Scripture is authority given to anyone to start another church
other than the ONE which Jesus Christ founded?
However, there are many verses
which warn against forsaking GOD given authority regarding His Assembly
(O.T.) or Church (N.T.) which He bestowed upon prophets such as Moses (Exodus
3-40), and on the Apostles (John 20:21-23), and to their successors (Hebrews
13:7-8,17).
Read of the rebellion of Korah
against the GOD given authority of Moses in Numbers 16, and pay special
attention to what happened to him, and to his followers in Numbers 16:31-35.
See John 4:19-24 for a New Testament
example.
...that
if it is not GOD given authority, it is no authority at all?
No one may hold up a Bible and
claim it to be his authority, if GOD given authority was not specifically
bestowed upon him or her in Holy Scripture. This was pointed out in the
previous topic. If someone claims "GOD told him", what guarantee
does anyone have to know that to be true? Such a claim would be at most,
a private revelation, and not a public revelation which comes from GOD.
Private revelations, if claimed
by anyone, are not binding upon anyone except possibly the recipient.
...that
Holy Scripture cautions us not to be a stumbling block to the Church of
GOD?
1Corinthians 10:32
How many non-Catholics ignore
this verse?
...that
Holy Scripture warns us not to despise the Church of GOD?
1Corinthians 11:22
How many ignore this one also?
...that
Saul persecuted the Church which Jesus Christ founded (Acts 8:1-3), yet
Jesus asked him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me"?
Acts 9:4,22:7
Why didn't Jesus ask Saul why
he was persecuting His Church, instead of saying "why do you persecute
Me"?
...that
it is the Church, and not the Bible which has the final authority, as Holy
Scripture tells us?
Matthew 18:15-18
...that
Jesus Christ would not have given us a command which we could never fulfill?
If that is the case, then where
would each of us go to fulfill His command of Matthew 18:15-18,
if we had lived in the years
500, 1200, or 1500 A.D.?
...that
he who does not know history
is condemned to repeat its mistakes?
Everyone of us should read the
history of the Church.
Read the Church
Fathers and the lives of the Saints.
...that
history has no gaps
as some people seem to think?
Many non-Catholics close their
minds to any genuine historical documents which were written after the
Book of Revelation and up until the time of Martin Luther. Is this wise
thinking? Are blindfolds being purposely applied to these people to keep
them from seeing the truth? Read Romans 1:18.
...that
some non-Catholics try to show that the Catholic Church was founded by
Constantine?
This false charge is riddled
with errors...
1. They
use faulty reasoning by saying that since the Catholic Church is called
the "Roman Catholic Church", it must have been founded by a Roman
Emperor, namely Constantine.
They point to the "Edict of Milan",
issued in 313 A.D., as "proof". Now if they would just read the
Edict, they would find that it merely gave Christianity the freedom to
practice the faith openly and with no fear of persecution from the Romans.
Nothing at all is said about his founding the Catholic Church which is
not even mentioned by name, and they cannot show any other genuine historical
document which supports their false charge.
2. Their
second error is the fact that the term "Roman Catholic" was coined
about 1200 years later in the 16th century by Protestant reformers, especially
Anglicans, because they wanted to retain the name "Catholic"
for themselves.
3. Their
third error is their failure to read the writings of the Church Fathers
which clearly show the words "Catholic Church" dating from 107
A.D., and appearing in hundreds of writings in every century up to, and
beyond the Reformation, and to this very day.
4. Their
fourth error is in trying to show that the "Catholic Church"
and the "Roman Catholic Church" are two different Churches, when
in fact they are one and the same.
5. Their
fifth error is in not reading the history of Constantine. He was a pagan
Roman emperor at the time he issued the Edict, however, he was baptized
into the Catholic Church before he died in 337. Therefore, how could an
unbaptized pagan found a Christian Church?
...that
the Church is not subject to men, but to Christ?
Ephesians 5:24, Acts 5:29
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday,
today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Which Church holds fast to His teachings,
and which churches change their teachings to conform to the will of the
people?
Which churches changed their
teaching in recent years and have accepted contraception, women clergy,
divorce, unholy unions, and more, due to the pressures of their members?
Which Church is unbending to
the whims of men, and which churches sway with the wind?
...that
the body cannot do anything of itself without the head?
Ephesians 1:22-23, Colossians
1:18
"For
without Me you can do nothing."
John 15:5
...that
it is through the Church that there will be made known the manifold wisdom
of GOD?
Ephesians 3:10
...that
the Catholic Church is called "Mother Church" because the Bible
says it is.
Galatians 4:26
...that
the beginning of the Liturgy of the Mass as set by the Apostles is shown
in Holy Scripture?
Acts 2:42
...that
the Bible does not say anywhere that the Word of GOD is restricted to what
is written?
...that
for Sola Scriptura believers, if you believe that ALL
Scripture is inspired
(2Timothy 3:16-17),
then please explain to me why the Gospel of Peter and the Gospel of Thomas
are not in your Bible?
...that
Martin Luther, the first Protestant, and who was the person who founded
the man made doctrine of Sola Scriptura,
expressed harsh words about it just a few years later, after he had surveyed
the damage it had caused?
"This one will not hear
of Baptism, and that one denies the sacrament, another puts a world between
this and the last day: some teach that Christ is not God, some say this,
some say that: there are as many sects and creeds as there are heads. No
yokel is so rude but when he has dreams and fancies, he thinks himself
inspired by the Holy Ghost and must be a prophet." Martin Luther...
De Wette III, 61. quoted in O'Hare,
THE FACTS ABOUT LUTHER, 208.
"Noblemen, townsmen, peasants,
all classes understand the Evangelium better than I or St. Paul; they are
now wise and think themselves more learned than all the ministers."
Martin Luther...
Walch XIV, 1360. quoted in O'Hare,
Ibid, 209.
...that
Sola Scriptura
is a false man-made tradition, and that such man-made traditions are condemned
by Holy Scripture itself?
Colossians 2:8
...that
the "39 Articles of Religion", a Protestant publication, says
of Sola Scriptura in article #6:
"Holy Scripture contains all things necessary for salvation. Consequently
whatever is not read in Scripture nor can be proved from Scripture cannot
be demanded from any person to believe it as an article of faith. Nor is
any such thing to be thought necessary or required for salvation. By holy
Scripture is meant those canonical books of the Old and New Testaments
whose authority has never been doubted within the church."
For this "article" to have any authority
at all as a basis for Sola Scriptura, it must itself be found in Holy Scripture
somewhere, or else it simply falls into the category of only a man-made
tradition.
Can someone please show me the verse(s), but only after you have read this?
...that
some non-Catholics say that the Bible is the final authority.
However, I cannot find anywhere in the Bible
where it claims to be the final authority, can you?
...that
since Sola Scriptura, by
its very meaning, is "Scripture only", or "Scripture alone",
why then do SS believers criticize the Catholic Church from sources outside
of Scripture itself?
By doing this, don't they convey a message
which is hypocritical in nature? Aren't they really saying, "I refuse
to believe anything you say which is outside of Scripture, but you must
believe everything I say which is outside of Scripture"?
...that
John 10:22 speaks of the "Feast of the Dedication", and that
no non-Catholic can explain what the meaning of it is by using Sola Scriptura
and their Bible?
You see, that feast is otherwise known as
Hanukkah, and can be found only in 1Maccabees 4:52-61, and 2Maccabees 10:1-8,
two books which Protestants removed from the Bible. Catholics have no problem
explaining what the feast represents. Protestants will never understand
the meaning of that verse since "they cannot find it in their Bible",
that is, unless they abandon Sola Scriptura, or ask a Catholic for help.
...that
the Bereans received the "preached" word from St. Paul (13*)
and compared what he had said with Scripture (11*)
and many, but not all (12*),
became believers?
*Acts 17:10-13.
Read Acts 17:1-9 for the context.
Paul tried to reason with Jews in the synagogue of Thessalonica (1). He
tried to prove from their Old Testament (2) that Jesus Christ, was the
promised Messiah, and indeed had come (1-3). He succeeded in convincing
only some of them (4).
The Bereans were Jews also (10),
and being so, compared Paul's preaching with the Old Testament, Septuagint**
with which they were more familiar (11). Since they were Jews, they would
not have believed in a New Testament, even if it were available then, which
it wasn't.
Compare these verses with Acts
2:14-24. St. Peter first read from the Book of Joel (17-21), and then he
explained what he had just read by preaching to them (22-24). You can easily
see that the story of the Bereans offers no support whatsoever for the
man made tradition of Sola Scriptura.
**The Septuagint is a Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament. It most certainly was used by the Greek speaking Bereans, and it has all 7 of the books of the Old Testament which the protestants rejected in the 16th century. It was the Bible which early Christians used from the time of Christ until the Catholic Church provided the Latin Vulgate in 404 A.D.. It is available even to this day.
...that
there are verses in Scripture that refer to other Scripture which are not
found in the Bible?
"...and REMEMBER the WORD
of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than
to receive'." (Acts 20:35, these words by Jesus are not to be found
elsewhere in the Bible).
See also, Matthew 2:23 (the Nazarene)
and 5:43 (shall hate thy enemy), and 2Timothy 3:8 (the names).
These are examples of Apostolic
Tradition, which is quite removed from man-made tradition, and in which
we are commanded to keep by WORD or by letter, 2Thessalonians 2:15.
...that
GOD would never have given us an infallible book, without first giving
us an infallible interpreter for it as well?
Holy Scripture stresses that
an individual will not understand and most probably will distort the truth
which GOD has given to us. Read Acts 8:26-31 and 2Peter 3:14-17.
"The Bible is a supernatural
book and can be understood only by supernatural aid."
A.W. Tozer
The Catholic Church alone, has
the GOD given authority, to be the infallible interpreter
of Holy Scripture. That authority is the Pope with the Magisterium, and
all working under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. See John 14:15-17,
John 16:12-14, and Acts 15:28.
...that
a text without a context is a pretext?
Pretext: An effort intended to
conceal something, an excuse. Check your dictionary.
What the first verse giveth,
the context taketh away...
...that
those who say "The Holy Spirit told me", do not realize that
it could be one of three spirits which is actually doing the talking?
They are:
1.
The Holy Spirit.
2.
The human spirit within each of us.
3.
An evil, or demonic spirit.
Holy Scripture warns us to
test all spirits. "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test
the spirits to see whether they are of GOD; because many false prophets
have gone forth into the world."
1John 4:1
...that
private
interpretation of Holy Scripture is strictly forbidden by Scripture itself?
Acts 8:30-31, 2Peter 1:20
Non-Catholics do this all the
time, with all using the same Bible, and with each proclaiming the truth,
and with each one saying, "The Holy Spirit told me".
Aren't they all really saying
that each is his or her own Pope?
Those who think the Holy Spirit
is telling them, had better read Acts 5:32:
"And we are witnesses to
these things, and SO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT,
WHOM GOD HAS GIVEN TO ALL WHO
OBEY HIM."
Who are the ones who obey Him?
Are they the ones who ignore His words of John 10:16 and
2Peter 1:20, and who continue
to split and divide and interpret Holy Scripture individually, or are they
the ones who obey His words, those of His ONE TRUE CHURCH who do not do
these things?
"Bible interpretation
is not to be done by individuals. It is not possible to put together any
selection of words in which some ingenious person may not find meaning
unmeant by the writer. Only a public authority, divinely guided, can spell
out without error a public message divinely revealed."
Frank Sheed, Theology and Sanity
16-17.
1Corinthians 2:14, 2Peter 1:20.
In the Catholic Church, when
a dispute arises, it is settled by the Pope with the Magisterium, and under
the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Who is there in all of the non-Catholic
ecclesial communities who has the authority to adjudicate doctrinal disputes
that arise between themselves?
The answer is that no
one has the authority. Every doctrine (except
for the existence of GOD), which is taught by one non-Catholic ecclesial
community is denied by another. These include major doctrinal issues and
not just minor ones as some claim. Here are just a few examples:
1.
The Holy Trinity is three persons in one GOD. No, It is three separate
GOD's. It does not exist.
2.
One will say Jesus Christ is a divine person and not a human person. Another
says he is a human person and not a divine person. No, says yet a third,
he is two persons, one human and one divine.
3.
The Holy Spirit is a person says one. The Holy Spirit is not a person says
another.
4. Scripture
says we must worship on Sunday, states one. No, it says Saturday, states
another.
5. One
says GOD is in the Eucharist. No, says another, it is only a symbolic gesture.
6. The
Eucharistic celebration is once a week. No its once a month. No its quarterly.
No its yearly.
7. One
will teach that hell exists. Another insists hell does not exist.
Who, if any, is teaching the
truth, and who is simply catering to "itching ears" (2Timothy
4:3)?
Who has the all important authority
to determine who teaches the truth, and who doesn't?
One group will "prove"
from Scripture one thing, and another will "prove" from the very
same Scripture, just the opposite.
It is easily seen that without
one authority for all, there is nothing but chaos as we have today.
After all, Holy Scripture does
say, "GOD is not the author of confusion", 1Corinthians 14:33
(KJ).
If GOD does not cause confusion
in these these doctrinal differences, then who does?
So what do these various sects
do when doctrinal disputes arise? Read the next paragraph for the answer,
as it is yet another violation of the command of Jesus Christ in John 10:16.
...that
non-Catholic Ecclesial Communities are dividing themselves at an ever accelerating
rate?
In 1600, due to the Protestant
reformation, there were more than 100. By 1900, there were around 1000.
By 1981 there were more than 20,700. Today there are more than 33,820*
splits in the Body of Christ and all, save one, were founded by mere men
or women.
*World Christianity Encyclopedia,
April 2001, a Protestant publication.
"Has Christ been divided
up?" 1Corinthians 1:13
"And every spirit that severs
Jesus, is NOT OF GOD, BUT IS OF ANTICHRIST of whom you have heard that
he is coming, AND NOW IS ALREADY IN THE WORLD." 1John 4:3
Where in Scripture is authority
given to anyone to split and to form new churches?
Common sense tells us that at
this ever increasing rate, in just a few more years of what we have already
witnessed, each person will be his or her own Ecclesial Community.
However, practically speaking
it could never go that far, as each Ecclesial Community would die out first
from the lack of funding due to its shrinking membership. Mainly however,
we have a promise from GOD, as passed through the inspired pen of Saint
Luke in Acts 5:38-39...
"(38)
So now I say to you, keep away from these
men and let them alone. For if this plan or work is of men, it will be
overthrown; (39)
but if it is of GOD, you will not be able
to overthrow it. Else perhaps you may find yourselves fighting even against
GOD."
The continuing splits in the
Body of Christ, perpetrated by mere men and women, will be the cause of
their self inflicted overthrow.
"Every kingdom divided against
itself is brought to desolation, and house will fall upon house."
Luke 11:17
"But if you bite and devour
one another, take heed or you will be consumed by one another."
Galatians 5:15
There IS
the ONE TRUE CHURCH,
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH,
which is of GOD.
Mere men and women have been
trying to overthrow it for almost 2000 years and they have not been able
to do so, have they? What profound message have you gleaned from those
two verses in Acts 5?
For those whose agenda includes
the overthrow of the True Church of GOD, or who display a militant attitude
towards it, I would suggest that they should read anew Acts 5:39 shown
above.
Catholic membership is over
1,070,000,000 (1 Billion 70 million) in 2001*. That is an increase of over
13,000,000 since January 2000. It is the fastest growing Christian Church
in the world by far.
*World Christianity Encyclopedia
...that
"Unless the Lord build the house, they labor in vain who build it."
Psalms 127:1
Did you notice that the word house is singular and not plural?
"Everyone therefore who hears these my
words and acts upon them, shall be likened to a wise man who built
his house on rock. And the rains fell, and the floods came, and
the winds blew and beat against that house, but it did not fall, because
it was founded on rock. And everyone who hears these my words and
does not act upon them, shall be likened to a foolish man who built
his house on sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the
winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and was utterly ruined."
Matthew 7:24-27
Who is the wise man? He is Jesus Christ, the one who built his house
on rock, in Matthew 16:18.
"Here,"
continued the Lord, "is a place near
me where you shall station yourself on the rock."
Exodus 33:21
GOD commanded that his people station themselves on the rock, which
is a "type"
of his Church.
"I will be standing there in front of
you on the rock in Horeb. Strike the rock, and the water
will flow from it for the people to drink."
Exodus 17:6
GOD stands on the rock of his Church from which the saving waters
of Baptism flow.
Who is the foolish man? He is other than the
Lord. He is the one who labored in vain to build his house because he had
not a rock foundation, but one of sand. His house was not built
by the Lord.
Jesus Christ founded His Church on rock,
"And
I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my
Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
Matthew 16:18.
Which Church is built on the
rock? Only one, as HE did say Church,
not churches didn't He?
Which churches are built on sand?
All are, except for that one built
by the Lord.
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