Originally posted by Singer:
Bill,
While Dual and Carson flex their muscles a bit, I'll comment on some more
of your long posts.
Oh, I like what they are discussing!
Is it enough to simply "accept Jesus as your Lord and savior" when it must also include doing everything that He commands? The issue of baptism is also introduced, and well it should, as it is central to Catholic teaching, it being the very
first sacrament for all Catholics. See my "tagline" below my signature as to why...
Anyway, you wanted to comment on my last statement:
Christ established one Church, not a multitude of them. He supposed that
they would be in "One flock, ruled by one shepherd" here on earth.
There is only one Church that has such unity. The ONE HOLY CATHOLIC
AND APOSTOLIC CHURCH which has within her collective self, Rites of the
East and of which the "Roman Catholic Church" is but a sub-set.
And you replied:
Somebody has sold you a bill of goods, Bill. You're old enough to remember
the phrase "Hook, line and sinker". There are lots of claims made in the name
of religion and there are alot of takers. Yours truly was raised in a sect that
made the exact claim that you posted above....only with a different name.
They are still active today and their hardliners are incessantly trying to spread
the "Gospel". They claim that no soul is saved short of professing to woship and
think like their leaders.
Your problem is, Singer, you didn't follow a sect that had the truth!
Now, I have the
Catechism of the Catholic Church at hand to show what she teaches about those who are outside of her fold, yet are still Christians, thus are members in a incomplete way. Let me know when to quote from it, plus other references if you are willing to read them.
History or not...........God was handing out salvation long before anything
that resembles the Catholic Church ever arose on the scene. What's the
big race to be FIRST. You know what happens to those who want to be
first in the kingdom...
You are preaching to the choir, Singer! I know full well of the old covenant Lord made with Abraham and the prophets. I also know that in the new covenant of the Lord, His own Divine Son, Jesus, established a church created to facilitate the salvation of men here on this earth. And yes, the blood of the cross is what saves, but His church facilitates the graces that flow from that and the other sacraments given to her in the fulfillment of that divine mission.
Claims that Peter was the first pope is about as assumptive as Jos. Smith
being a prophet of God. If you'll look at Matt 16:15, Jesus was asking who
the people were saying that He was. When Peter answered and said "The
Christ", Jesus acknowledged that. In l7 Jesus told Peter that he was revealed
that by the Father. In the very next verse Jesus then acknowledged that
Peter was infact Peter and followed by saying that he would build His church
on the same awarness of who He (Jesus) is. It is that way
yet today.....we have to come to grips of just who He is.
Singer, do you want me to broach the issue of exactly how it is that Jesus founded His church upon Peter?
To start it off, get the book,
JESUS, PETER & THE KEYS
by Scott Butler, Norman Dahlgren and
David Hess, ISBN: 1-882972-54-6
This book destroys once and for all, all Protestant objections to the Catholic interpretation of Matthew 16:18 that Jesus did indeed, build His church upon Peter. Every issue is covered, the "Petros-petra" Greek pair, and what Jesus had to say in His native Aramaic - "You are
Kepha (Aramaic for ROCK) and upon this
kepha I will build my church."
The argument that it is Peter's confession is destroyed simply because it is totally and completely outside of the declarative statement upon what Jesus builds His church. The book explains it throughly.
There is no danger in understanding those verses to mean that Jesus built
his church upon faith in who the Son is and what He represents.
Take any good English translation to a good English teacher and have them parce Matthew 16:18c for you. Gramatically, there is no escaping the conclusion that Jesus builds His church upon PETER (PETROS, KEPHA, ROCK)
There IS danger in understanding those verses to point to a corruptible,
visible church made with hands.
Acts 7:48
Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
as saith the prophet.
Does He not dwell in the heart of man?
Why do you look for Him only in a tabernacle (organization) made with hands...?
I have news for you, Singer.........
I look for God in the hearts of all men who would come to him in belief and
obedience. I also find him in the
tabernacle of every Catholic Church that would hold My Lord and Savior in the Holy Eucharist! (Go to my web site and read my take on John 6.)
God bless,
PAX
Bill+†+
"…Noah during the building of the ark, in which a few persons, eight in all, were saved through water. This prefigured baptism which saves you now…"
1 Peter 3:20-21