Crumbs from the Lord's Table

3. One Single Visible Church in succession till His return

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Sola Scriptura or Bible alone revisited
Sola Fide or Faith alone revisited
The One Church built by Christ
Peter the Rock / Stone misconception revisited
What the Bible says of Jesus' Only Church
1. Church is the Pillar of Truth, Manifold of Wisdom
2. A Church Witnessing unto all nations, so undoubtedly one Visible to all
3. One Single Visible Church in succession till His return
4. Revelation 12 - Church in the wilderness - not an invisible church
5. No separate invisible on earth ; One General Assembly: Visible on Earth with invisible in Heaven
6. An Imperfect Kingdom with Good & Bad Co-existing
7. The Vineyard appointed to new imperfect servants with successive authority till His return
Church Fathers say their church is Catholic
What the founder of Sola Scriptura & Sola Fide said of the Catholic Church
Did Luther or any other have the authority from the Lord or His Church
Who then is the Whore of Babylon?
The Catechism of the Catholic church on the separated communities and their Salvation
The various Christian denominations and their evolution
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Catholic Apologetics Links

There shall be One Fold – One Body

Joh:17:20-22: Neither pray I for these alone, but for them

also which shall believe on me through

their word;That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art

in me, and I in thee,that they also may be one in us: that the

world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory

which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even

as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they  may be made

perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou

hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

(visible  and one throughout the successive generation of

 believers ‘for the world to see’)

 

Jesus created ‘one church’; ‘one fold’ (Jn 17:20-22). St. Paul spoke of ‘one baptism’ one lord’ one faith, one body (church) (Eph 4:4,5). Jesus wanted others to be added to this ‘one fold’, (Joh:10:16) not create other folds. This fold shall be one throughout successive generations and visible for the ‘world to see & know’ their oneness and love. St. Paul said ‘we are all baptized into one body by he same Spirit. That there are many members but one body. That there should not be schism or division in this body and that the Lord has set some in this body the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. (1Co:12:11-13, 20, 25, 28:)

 

Eph:4:4-6: There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in

 one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God

 and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

 

 

Joh:10:16: And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them

 also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be

 one fold, and one shepherd.

 

Joh:17:20-22: Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also

which shall believe on me through their

word;That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me,

 and I in thee,that  they also may be one in us: that the world

 may believe that  thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou

 gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are

 one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one;

 and that the world may know  that thou hast sent me,

 and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. (visible  and one

 throughout the successive generation of believers  ‘for the world to see’)

  

 

1Co:12:11-13, 20, 25, 28: But all these worketh that one and the

 selfsame Spirit dividing to every man severally as he will. For as

 the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that

 one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one

 Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or

 Gentiles, whether we be bond or free (human views); and have

been all made to drink into one Spirit. 20: But now are they many

 members, yet but one body. 25: That there should be no schism in the

 body; but that the members should have the same care one for

 another. 28: And God hath set some in the church, first apostles,

 secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts

 of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

 

Then, what of those splinter groups who left the parent church?

 

  

1Co:11:18, 19: For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I

 hear that  there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it. For

 there must be also heresies  among you, that they which are

 approved may be made manifest among you.

 

 They went out that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.

 

Not that the approved may become part of an ‘invisible church’ but that they (the approved) may be made manifest or seen i.e.visible.

 

‘They went’ from among us’, because they 'were not of us'

 

 

1Jo:2:18-20: Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard

 that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists;

 whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out

 from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us,

 they would no doubt have continued with us: but

they went out, that they might be made manifest

 that they were not all of us. But ye have an unction from

 the Holy One, and ye know all things.

 

 

Then how can there be many different churches and invisible churches.

 

We know of, and have solid written evidence of, the beliefs of even tiny heretical groups from the first century to the present. These include:

 

 

Gnostics - Who believed matter was evil
Montanists - Who forbade marriage and anything worldly
Marcionites - Who rejected the Gospels as false
Monarchianists - Who denied the reality of the Trinity
Arians, - Who said Jesus was not fully God but a creation.
Pelagians - Who denied Original Sin and the need for Salvation
Donatists - Who refused to readmit Apostate Christians
Collyridians - Who sacrificed to Mary
Nestorians - Who said Christ had two personhoods.
Apollinarians - Who said Jesus was not truly human.

 

 

And many, many more. But of any group holding Protestant beliefs we have no trace whatsoever. And what does the Bible say of these man-made groups or any other group. Any group preaching a gospel different from the One church is accursed. (Gal 1:8,9).

 

And the fate of the false churches Jesus had foretold in Mt 7:15-20

 

 

M't:7:15-20: Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's

 clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them

 by their fruits. Do men  gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree

 bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring  forth evil fruit,

neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that

bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

 

Also,                       M't:15:13: But he answered and said, Every plant, which my

                                heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.

 

 

 

As foretold, the little sects of old times are no more, and the protestant and Pentecostals have reached nowhere but into division and more division. As for the Catholic church, as the Lord foretold of His church on earth in Mt 13:31-32, the Catholic church that was sown a grain grew and has become a tree for all nations to find the love of the Lord.

 

 

M't:13:31, 32: Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The

 kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man

 took, and sowed in his field (the world) : Which indeed is the least of

 all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and

 becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the

 branches thereof. (not something that can be hid)

 

 

Psalms:127:1: Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain

 that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh

 but in vain.

 

The only church seen and known to all, of being in succession to the One and only church instituted by Christ Himself is the Catholic church.

 

What more a sign do we need for to see which is the One True church, than to see for ourselves that the Catholic church there is only one, but churches and offshoots of the churches that went out from the Catholic church we have numerous.

 

                      Next>>   4. Revelation 12 - Church in the

                           wilderness not an invisible church

 

 

 

Christ Reigns!