Prove that from scripture?

[donadams]

Four marks (characteristics) of the one true church founded by Jesus Christ to teach and sanctify all men unto eternal salvation!

One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church!

The church is One:

Isaiah 9:7
Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Isa 22:21-22

21 And I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah.

22 And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open. (Matt 16:18-19)

Dan 2:44
And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

Isaiah 2:2
And it shall come to pass in the last days, (acts 2:17 began at Pentecost) that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.

Micah 4:1
But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it.

Lk 1:32-33 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

Matthew 5:14
Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

Lk 22:29 And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;
30 That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: (plural Peter and his successors)
32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.


Mt 16:18
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

John 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.

John 17:17-23
that they may be one as we are one.

Romans 12:5
so we, who are many, are one body in Christ.

Rom 15:6

1 Corinthians 1:10
I appeal to you... that there be no dissensions among you, but that
you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.

1 Corinthians 12:12
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.

1 Corinthians 12:13
by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body.

1 Corinthians 12:20
But now are they many members, yet but one body.

Eph 1:10
That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

Ephesians 4:4
There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

Colossians 3:15
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were
called in the one body.

Philippians 1:27
Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

Philippians 2:2
be of same the mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

 

[donadams]

The church is Holy:


The church is Holy because Her founder is God, and Holy is His name.

She is the spotless bride of Christ.

1 Timothy 3:15
know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth.

Colossians 1:18
And he [Jesus] is the head of the body, the church.

1 Peter 2:9-10
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people
belonging to God... Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God.

Ephesians 2:19-22
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.


The church is Catholic: (universal)

Jn 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Jn 3:17
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Jn 1:29
The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Matt 5:14
Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

Matt 13:38
The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;

Matt 24:14
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

Matt 28:18-20
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

Mark 16:15-16
And he said to them, Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Jn 1:9
That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

Jn 4:42
And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.

Jn 14:26
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

Jn 6:33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

Jn 8:12
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Jn 10:36
Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world...

Jn 12:47

And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world

Jn 16:12-13
I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them
now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

2 cor 5:18
And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us (the whole world) to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

World = Universal = Catholic

 

[donadams]

The church is Apostolic:

Matthew 16:18-10
And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build The church is Holy:

The church is Holy because Her founder is God, and Holy is His name.

She is the spotless bride of Christ.

1 Timothy 3:15
know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth.

Colossians 1:18
And he [Jesus] is the head of the body, the church.

1 Peter 2:9-10
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people
belonging to God... Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God.

Ephesians 2:19-22
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.


The church is Catholic: (universal)

Jn 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Jn 3:17
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Jn 1:29
The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Matt 5:14
Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

Matt 13:38
The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;

Matt 24:14
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

Matt 28:18-20
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

Mark 16:15-16
And he said to them, Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Jn 1:9
That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

Jn 4:42
And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.

Jn 14:26
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

Jn 6:33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

Jn 8:12
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Jn 10:36
Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world...

Jn 12:47

And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world

Jn 16:12-13
I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them
now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

2 cor 5:18
And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us (the whole world) to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
owers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Luke 22:28-30
You [the apostles] are those who have continued with me in my trials; and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

John 15:16
You [the apostles] did not choose me, but I [Jesus] chose you and appointed
you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide...

Matthew 28:16,18-20
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee... And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore
and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.

John 20:21-23
Jesus said to them [the apostles] again, Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.

Ephesians 2:19-20
... but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone.

Acts 1:
Matthias replaces Judas who had the ministry of apostle.

Heb 3:11 Acts 1:
Jesus is an apostle, the apostles are already in succession to Him, they in turn would have successors.











Christians must be instructed in “the faith”!

Truth must be revealed by God, and in its fullness in the sacred deposit of faith by Christ to his church! Eph 4:5 Jude 1:3 and must be taught by the church, or proposed for our belief by the apostles!
Matt 28:19-20 Lk 1:4 Jn 20:21 acts 8:31
Rom 1:5 col 2:7 1 Tim 3:15 matt 18:17

Christ and His church are one! acts 9:4
Acts 5:32 Jn 15:1-5

Matthew 5:14
Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

What authority does Christ have?
What power does Christ have?
What mission / ministry does Christ have?

Peter, the apostles and their successors have the same authority, power, and mission! Jn 20:21 as my father sent me, even so send I you!

Jn 20:21 as my father sent me, so send in you. (The apostles) posses the same power mission and authority as Christ!

Lk 10:16
He who hears you hears me...

John 13:20
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

Keys of authority! And power to bind and loose! Matt 16:18 and Matt 18:18
matt 28:19 Jn 20:21-23 Isa 22:21-22
eph 2:20

Ephesians 5:24
Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ...

The one true church’s teaching authority from Christ is without error!

A divine institution: founded by Christ on Peter and the holy apostles and their successors unto the end!

Jesus Christ continues HIS ministry in His new covenant church thru Peter, the apostles, and their successors with the same mission, power, and authority!

Christ and His church are one! Jn 15:1-5 Acts 9:4 eph 5:32

Church has authority from Christ!

Church is free from all error!

Mt 16:18 & mt 18:18 Mt 28:19-20

Acts 1:17 acts 8:31 & 35 Lk 10:16

Jn 8:32 Jn 13:20 Jn 15:5

Jn 16:13 Jn 20:21-22 eph 2:20

acts 2:42 1 Tim 3:15

The one true church founded by Christ on Peter and the apostles is an extension church of Christ’s ministry of redemption to the whole world and all time!

Christ perpetuates his mission, power, and authority in the holy church!

Jesus Christ continues HIS ministry in His new covenant church thru Peter, the apostles, and their successors with the same mission, power, and authority!
Mt 16:18 Mt 28:19 Acts 1:17 acts 8:31 & 35 acts 9:4 Lk 10:16 Jn 8:32 Jn 13:20 Jn 15:5 Jn 16:13 Jn 20:21-22 eph 2:20 acts 2:42 1 Tim 3:15

The evidence of true faith is humble subjection and obedience to Christ & His holy church!

The rule of faith for Christians is Jesus Christ Jn 14:6 and His church! Matt 18:17 acts 2:42 1 Tim 3:15

Truth is revealed by God thru Christ to His church (the apostles) Jude 1:3 then proposed by the church! Matt 28:19

 

[donadams]

Christ and His church are one!

Rejection of the one true church or its teaching is rejection of Christ and God!

Christ and His church are one! Acts 9:4 eph 5:32 Jn 8:12 & Matt 5:14

Dan 2:44 Isa 2:2 Micah 4:1 fulfilled in matt 5:14

matt 16:18-19 shall not prevail
Matt 18:17 hear the truth from the church
1 Tim 3:15 the church is the pillar and ground of truth.

Faith ascents & never protests or rebels!
Spiritual Pride protests & is always in rebellion

The nature of spiritual pride is rebellion!
Spiritual pride must protest, and must be right!

Christ and His one true church cannot be right or my self-righteous personal interpretation base on spiritual pride and private judgement must be wrong, and that is unacceptable!

Truth must be revealed by God, and taught by the church, proposed for our belief, we must be instructed!
Matt 28:19 Lk 1:4 Acts 8:31 Lk 10:16 Jn 21:17 Jn 16:13 acts 2:42


Nature of doctrine:

Truth or doctrine MUST be Revealed by God And Proposed by the church for belief, not spiritual pride and self-righteous private judgement!
Claim: “scripture alone”
It’s really just the ugly repugnant pride!
It’s no faith at all only spiritual pride and self-righteous private judgement!
They Hope in creatures not in God!

It is unlawful to refuse to accept a truth revealed by God!

Matt 28:19 eph 4:5 Jude 1:3

Truth matters! It is revealed by God and therefore CANNOT be changed!
The church likewise is founded by Christ and therefore CANNOT be reformed!

Christ founded the church to teach and rule all nations!







The word of God:

The word of God is not limited to the “Bible alone” as some erroneously teach!

The word of God came to Abraham, to Moses, the prophets, and to John the Baptistin the wilderness (Lk3:2) but it did not come by the Bible, or the “Bible alone” not by any book, chapter, or verse!

Scripture all scripture is inspired, all the books and chapters of the canonical scripture authorized by Christ and His church!

The teaching authority of the apostles is the God breathed word of God!

Jn 20:23 He breathed on them (the apostles) and said receive the Holy Spirit…

Lk 10:16 he who hears you (the apostles) hears me. (Hears the word of God)

Jn 20:21 as the father sent me, I send you.

Acts 2:42 the doctrine of the apostles is the word of God!

Matt 28:18-20

18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

1 cor 11:23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:

1 Jn 1:3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ

1 Jn 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

(The apostles received the word of God and handed it down to us, partly in the scripture)

2 Thessalonians 2:15
Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.

Acts 8:30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?

31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.

The eunuch had the scripture but God sent an apostle to teach him the truth.

Acts 2:42 does not say; they held fast to thier personal private judgement of the “Bible alone” but the doctrine of the apostles.

Acts 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

The evidence of true faith is humble subjection and obedience to Christ & His holy church!

The rule of faith for Christians is Jesus Christ Jn 14:6 and His church! Matt 18:17 acts 2:42 1 Tim 3:15

True Christians cannot listen to the errors of excommunicated heretics, but we listen faithfully to Christ, in the bosom of holy mother church, the only ark of salvation!
1 pet 3:20-21 matt 18:17 matt 16:18-19 matt 28:19-20 Jn 16:13 Jn 20:21-23

Truth must be revealed by God thru Christ to His church (the apostles Jude 1:3) then must be proposed by the church, (Matt 28:19 gal 3:23) without error by the Holy Spirit! (Jn 16:13)

Christ and His church are one! (Acts 9:4 eph 5:31 Jn 15:1-5)

Rejection of the one true church or its teaching is rejection of Christ and God!

Christ and His church are one! Acts 9:4 eph 5:32 Jn 15:5 Jn 8:12 & Matt 5:14

hope all this helps

 

[Albion]

How can there be more than one?

Well, there obviously is more than a single church body making that claim, so you are still "stuck" on assuming that any reference to "one" anything must point to your own denomination. We are getting nowhere, so long as that's your approach.

One God!
One Lord!
One savior!
One true religion!
One new covenant!
One kingdom!
One household of faith!
One vineyard!
One church! (Not thousands of sects All teaching different doctrines all on the Bible alone, tradition of men)
Only Christ has authority to found the new covenant church! Matt 16:18-19
One shepherd one fold Jn 10:16
1 Tim 3:15 pillar and ground of truth!

EDIT:
Since writing the above, I see that you've added several long posts which include a little bit of specific information, i.e. the usual claims made by other Roman Catholics.

Most of what I see in those posts is, unfortunately, more of the "One" something or other, which you decide to consider a reference to the Roman Catholic Church although there is no reason to do so.

So here (see the following post) are the parts that are more specific--

 

[Albion]

The church is Catholic: (universal)

World = Universal = Catholic

The word Catholic translates as authentic, not worldwide. Obviously, more than one denomination is going to lay claim to being the authentic, real, church of Christ. Not every one can do so with any credibility, but others certainly can--the Eastern Orthodox churches, for example, and a few others.

The church is Apostolic:

All right. And the Roman Catholic Church was founded by Apostles, but so were the churches of Antioch, Alexandria, Constantinople, Jerusalem, and others, NONE OF WHICH ARE PART OF YOUR CHURCH. And in addition, if we consider "Apostolic" to refer also to a line of bishops in an unbroken succession, there are even more denominations which qualify.

Mt 16:18
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Notice that Christ said he would "build" his church upon Peter (assuming that the reference to "this rock" was a reference to Peter). He didn't say that he would found his church on Peter or on any other bishops coming after Peter. Christ was the founder.

Indeed, only a few days later, Peter was the one who spoke to thousands of Jews who had come to Jerusalem from around the Roman world, and a miracle occurred by which what Peter said was heard by these listeners, each in his own language! As a result, thousands were baptized, and this is the first real building up of the church. It is estimated that there were at that time only several hundred followers of Jesus in all of Judea and Galilee.

The point is that Jesus' words, as recorded in Matthew 16, mean what they say...but not what the Roman Catholic Church several hundred years later started to claim they meant!

That was the time when the bishops of Rome were beginning to claim universal jurisdiction for themselves, and they used the verse from Matthew as one of their pieces of "evidence." But that particular interpretation of the Matthew verse had not been used as a promo by the Roman church in earlier years.

Four marks (characteristics) of the one true church founded by Jesus Christ to teach and sanctify all men unto eternal salvation!

One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church!

Other churches confess their belief in the same principles and do it in exactly these same words.

So, again, pointing to them doesn't in any way make this affirmation on the part of the Roman Catholic Church to being One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic stronger than the same one when confessed by a bunch of other denominations.

 

[Josiah]

Four marks (characteristics) of the one true church founded by Jesus Christ to teach and sanctify all men unto eternal salvation!

One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church!

The church is One:

Isaiah 9:7
Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Isa 22:21-22

21 And I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah.

22 And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open. (Matt 16:18-19)

Dan 2:44
And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

Isaiah 2:2
And it shall come to pass in the last days, (acts 2:17 began at Pentecost) that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.

Micah 4:1
But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it.

Lk 1:32-33 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

Matthew 5:14
Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

Lk 22:29 And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;
30 That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: (plural Peter and his successors)
32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.


Mt 16:18
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

John 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.

John 17:17-23
that they may be one as we are one.

Romans 12:5
so we, who are many, are one body in Christ.

Rom 15:6

1 Corinthians 1:10
I appeal to you... that there be no dissensions among you, but that
you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.

1 Corinthians 12:12
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.

1 Corinthians 12:13
by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body.

1 Corinthians 12:20
But now are they many members, yet but one body.

Eph 1:10
That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

Ephesians 4:4
There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

Colossians 3:15
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were
called in the one body.

Philippians 1:27
Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

Philippians 2:2
be of same the mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

@donadams


See post #5


Brother, NONE of the Scriptures you quote confirm any claim of your denomination for itself. Obviously. Indeed, most actually seem to make them problematic.

That's not to say that your church is bad.... I actually hold it in some esteem. Nor does it make it wrong about everything.... I actually believe it's right about the vast majority of what it teaches. Of the admittedly thousands of denominations, I hold it as one of the best.

But the remarkable claims that it itself alone makes for it itself alone ARE baseless (and often seen as nothing more than shameless power-grabbing and an evasion of accountability/responsibility). And frankly, you parroting the old, worn apologetics do nothing but make that evaluation more credible.

And all these claims of "unity" is well.... laughable and really quite silly. Your church agrees with NONE but it itself alone! And even THAT is just currently and only in those items where it itself alone says that it itself should agree with it itself concerning. Brother, there is not one church on the planet that has less unity than yours. It's just silly to say "If I agree with me I have unity." Yeah, with self! Alone! Today!

Brother, you certainly may choose to believe the claim of your church that Jesus founded it and that it alone is Authoritative and unaccountable. Mormons view their church the very same way, and they certainly may. But it's a matter of your faith; there is nothing to support it... it is a CLAIM and that's all, it has no biblical or historic support. And efforts to show otherwise do nothing but prove it's baseless in Scripture and history.

You are more than welcome to share the claims of your church itself for it itself. I'm sure most here already know them well but there may be some reader here not familiar with them. But since you have nothing to support them... and since you clearly are not willing to discuss them (this IS a discussion forum), it might be best to just state the claims it itself makes for it itself - and move on. Just a suggestion.


God's richest blessings to you and yours...


- Josiah




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[MoreCoffee]

I am content with acknowledging the Catholic Church to be the one that is discussed in the creeds. The one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church.

What the rest of you do is up to you.

 

[donadams]

Let’s start over and try to get on the same page and take one step at a time

simple question
Is Christ king?

 

[Albion]

Let’s start over and try to get on the same page and take one step at a time

simple question
Is Christ king?

Yes (and this had better go fast if we're starting over with that point!)

EDIT: It's 40 minutes later and you've gone offline now, so I'm thinking the only way a step by step 'starting over' could succeed would be if all participants are here and read to reply. Since that's not what's happening, I'd suggest that you just go ahead and post what it is that you are hoping to establish.

 

[Josiah]

Let’s start over and try to get on the same page

simple question
Is Christ king?

If you want to discuss that, then start a thread on that topic. And then don't hijack it to a different topic.


And @donadams , see post #5



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[donadams]

The word Catholic translates as authentic, not worldwide. Obviously, more than one denomination is going to lay claim to being the authentic, real, church of Christ. Not every one can do so with any credibility, but others certainly can--the Eastern Orthodox churches, for example, and a few others.

All right. And the Roman Catholic Church was founded by Apostles, but so were the churches of Antioch, Alexandria, Constantinople, Jerusalem, and others, NONE OF WHICH ARE PART OF YOUR CHURCH. And in addition, if we consider "Apostolic" to refer also to a line of bishops in an unbroken succession, there are even more denominations which qualify.


Notice that Christ said he would "build" his church upon Peter (assuming that the reference to "this rock" was a reference to Peter). He didn't say that he would found his church on Peter or on any other bishops coming after Peter. Christ was the founder.

Indeed, only a few days later, Peter was the one who spoke to thousands of Jews who had come to Jerusalem from around the Roman world, and a miracle occurred by which what Peter said was heard by these listeners, each in his own language! As a result, thousands were baptized, and this is the first real building up of the church. It is estimated that there were at that time only several hundred followers of Jesus in all of Judea and Galilee.

The point is that Jesus' words, as recorded in Matthew 16, mean what they say...but not what the Roman Catholic Church several hundred years later started to claim they meant!

That was the time when the bishops of Rome were beginning to claim universal jurisdiction for themselves, and they used the verse from Matthew as one of their pieces of "evidence." But that particular interpretation of the Matthew verse had not been used as a promo by the Roman church in earlier years.


Other churches confess their belief in the same principles and do it in exactly these same words.

So, again, pointing to them doesn't in any way make this affirmation on the part of the Roman Catholic Church to being One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic stronger than the same one when confessed by a bunch of other denominations.

Catholic means universal from the greek
Schismatic churches have cut themselves off from the church, and and life remains with the body not the cut off member
Or as Christ put it in Jn 15:1-5
I’ll make a new thread for Peter as the rock thanks

 

[Josiah]

Schismatic churches have cut themselves off from the church

Well, your denomination has split several times (nearly always because your church did it). And sure, the one, universal, holy, catholic, communion of believers consists of billions of persons, who formed millions of parishes, and thousands of denominations (of which yours is the largest) but sure, it's still ONE holy, catholic, communion of believers. It's just that no person, parish or denomination (including yours) is that communion of believers.

Jn 15:1-5

If you read this, you'll notice the obvious: It never so much as even mentions The Catholic Church. For anything. About anything. No unmitigated authority, no exemption from accountability or responsibility, nothing given to any individual person, parish or denomination. Not The Church of Latter-Day Saints. Not the United Pentecostal Church. Not The Catholic Church. Not the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. No one. No denomination.


I always find it curious how people will claim things... then (or some odd reason!) quote Scripture to prove that Scripture never says it. Why do people do that, shooting themselves in the foot. proving God doesn't agree?




.

 

[donadams]

Well, your denomination has split several times (nearly always because your church did it). And sure, the one, universal, holy, catholic, communion of believers consists of billions of persons, who formed millions of parishes, and thousands of denominations (of which yours is the largest) but sure, it's still ONE holy, catholic, communion of believers. It's just that no person, parish or denomination (including yours) is that communion of believers.




If you read this, you'll notice the obvious: It never so much as even mentions The Catholic Church. For anything. About anything. No unmitigated authority, no exemption from accountability or responsibility, nothing given to any individual person, parish or denomination. Not The Church of Latter-Day Saints. Not the United Pentecostal Church. Not The Catholic Church. Not the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. No one. No denomination.


I always find it curious how people will claim things... then (or some odd reason!) quote Scripture to prove that Scripture never says it. Why do people do that, shooting themselves in the foot. proving God doesn't agree?




.

I can’t find a spiritual invisible union of believers in scripture
Please help
A body is physical

 

[Josiah]

I can’t find a spiritual invisible union of believers in scripture
Please help
A body is physical

See posts 5 and 27


"Invisible" in the understanding of the church does not mean it can't be seen, it means it is made up of PEOPLE (not a physical/political/economic/legal institution). Christians are PEOPLE, people with FAITH. Christians alive now (that part of the church) can be seen.... their faith often can be seen.... so in that sense, Christians people and faith are not invisible. But the church catholic is not incorporated in any state. It's not a legal/political/physical/economic institution. That's what is meant by the term. But then I'm sure you knew that.

You gave 4 characteristics of "the church." Then proved to us that none of those applies to The Roman Catholic Church. There IS a sense in which they apply to the community of believers, the Body of Christ, the corpus of believers ("the invisible church") but not your denomination.

See the next post....



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[Josiah]

The word "CHURCH" can be understood variously.


CHURCH.

"The one, holy, catholic community of saints" as most Christians proclaim each Sunday. This is PEOPLE, the PEOPLE of God. ALL those to whom God has given the divine gifts of faith, spiritual life, justification (narrow) and the Holy Spirit. It is the entire corpus of such (both on earth and now in heaven). It is "invisible" in the sense that it is not a human/geopolical/legal/economic entity but is "visible" in the sense that faith among the faithful is observable. It is ONE (because we are one body, one family, brothers and sisters in Christ), united in our faith in CHRIST as THE (one, only, exclusive) Savior. It is HOLY because all in it are forgiven via that faith in that Savior. It is CATHOLIC because it embraces ALL believers everywhere and in every time, it is a communion because we are united into one spiritual entity.

Ephesians 2:19-22
Ephesians 4:4
1 Peter 2:9
Romans 12:4
Ephesians 1:1
Luke 17:21

@donadams This is what is meant by "the invisible" church.



CONGREGATION/PARISH

A congregation is a gathering of Christian people in a given place and time. They gather together by their Lord's direction to worship, study, serve/minister, grow, support, love and hold each other accountable. They MAY put institutional aspects into place (name, constitution/by laws, articles of corporation, budgets, officers, property, etc.) so that that association has institutional aspects or simply may be Christians who gather in some living room. While the word "church" is often used for this too, it is NOT to be confused with THE Church - the one, holy, catholic, communion of saints: these associations are at most a tiny and current subset of THE Church. There are tens of millions of congregations in the world, very few last more than a century so they tend to have a beginning and an end. It is NOT divinely mandated that all Christians associate into some congregation/parish, but many do and many believe this is a good thing but there are hundreds of millions of "non-congregational" Christians.

Galatians 1:2
1 Thessalonians 1:1
Revelation 1:4
1 Corinthians 1:2



DENOMINATION

This use is never found in the Bible.

At times, a group of congregations MAY choose to associate together - forming an institution of them, an association of congregations.

This USUALLY is a formal institution - but it can at times simply refer to a common creed among congregations (as in "the Lutheran denomination" - there actually are over 300 Lutheran denomination institutions, but theoretically, most share a common creed, the Lutheran Confessions). These congregations associate together into denominations for similar reasons that Christians associate into congregations: for the purposes of mutual edification, ministry, support and accountability. Some of these are extremely "loose" (the "United Church of Christ" in the USA would be an example), the most radical forms are very strong they even may actually legally own and operate the member congregations (the Catholic Church or the Episcopal Church USA are examples of very radical, extreme denominations). Examples would be "The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod" "The Greek Orthodox Church" "The United Reformed Church in America". There are thousands of denominations in the world currently, the largest (by far) being the Catholic Church although it is highly diversified into dioceses.

Congregations can be denominational (as most are) or non-denominational.
Denominational ones are associated with other congregations - with a common formal statement of faith and often with some governance above and outside itself. Some congregations are SO denominational that the denomination actually owns the congregation and the property it uses, some even appoint the clergy of those congregations!
Non-denominational congregations are completely independent and autonomous. Each parish is separate with NO common faith, Catechism, organization, structure, name or cooperation with any other parish. There is no accountability to anything or anyone outside that individual parish (except directly to God). T
here is no divine mandate that a congregation be denominational (and millions aren't) but most are and most believe this is a benefit.

There are no Scriptures that mention denominations. Many hold that none clearly existed until the Roman Empire formed "The Roman Church" in the early 4th Century, created by itself for itself in the image of itself.

The Roman Catholic Church is the world's largest denomination.

"Faith Community" is sometimes used for a group of congregations (or even individual Christians) who share a common statement of faith (although not an institution) - thus "the Lutheran Faith Community" for any and all denominations, parishes or individuals who embrace the Lutheran Confessions, or "The Anglican Communion" for examples. Occasionally, "denomination" is used in this sense, too.


BUILDING

This use also is never found in the Bible but is common in modern usage.

"He's busy painting the church."

WORSHIP

This use is also never found in the Bible but is common in modern usage.

"She sang a solo during church."



See posts 5 and 27


- Josiah




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[Albion]

Catholic means universal from the greek

Yes, but it means universal in the sense of authenticity or of a universal principle or truth.

Vocabulary.com explains it this way: "The uni in universal means "one" so this word is all about "one for all and all for one." If it's universal, it applies to all cases. Like the universe itself, a universal emotion is one that every human can understand or relate to. The desire for your children to be safe and happy is universal."

This would be something that is applicable at all times and places and situations, etc. It does not mean universal in the sense of having a physical presence in every part of the planet, like McDonald's might claim for itself, irrespective of anything else about the company's product, popularity, or influence. But that is the sense of the word that Roman Catholics like, and they point to the fact that their denomination is large and has adherents in almost every country on Earth.

Schismatic churches have cut themselves off from the church, and and life remains with the body not the cut off member

But that's easy to say, isn't it? And the churches you consider "cut off" can argue that they simply reformed a corrupt institution that wasn't doing God's will anymore,. and that they also retained the true faith in the process.

 

[Albion]

I can’t find a spiritual invisible union of believers in scripture
Please help
A body is physical

I believe this was addressed earlier. There are many verses that refer to all believers or to the following of Christ being spread very widely, etc.

Acts 1:8 "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”