HISTORY OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH Q. How do you know that Jesus started the Catholic faith? Q. How can you know that the Catholic Church is the one that Jesus founded? Because Jesus told Simon at the same time that He changed his name to Peter: And I tell you that you are Peter (means rock), and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades (or hell) will not overcome it. (Matthew 16:18, NIV, parenthesis from footnotes). No denomination other than Catholic can trace their roots in an unbroken succession all the way back to Peter and the apostles. A succession that has been manifested by the laying on of hands. Every other Christian denomination can ultimately trace their roots back to some individual and time when they separated from the Church built on Peter and the faith which that Church teaches. In His great commission, Jesus told the eleven Apostles (Judas had hung himself and Matthias had not yet been chosen to replace him): All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:18-20, NIV, emphasis added) These eleven Apostles were the first Bishops of the Church with Peter as their leader. Notice that Jesus promised to be with this Church and its leaders always, to the very end of the age and that the gates of Hades will not overcome it. This means that the Church will be divinely protected in its teaching until the end of time. Unless the Bible is wrong or Jesus lied, that Church is the Catholic Church. This also precludes the possibility of the Church going into error at some time in history. Some of the things the Church teaches may not be what we want to hear, but the command is to teach everything, not just the nice, easy-to-obey things. Recommended reading: * Peter and the Papacy, A Catholic Answers Tract, P.O. Box 17490, San Diego, CA 92177
Posted on: Sat, 04 Oct 2014 23:38:06 +0000