How can catholics prove to reborns that Christ founded the catholic church?

Answer 1

I suppose a Catholic would have to provide a Born Again with Biblical Evidence that Christ founded the Church:

The Church is Infallible and Supernatural
Isa. 35:8, 54:13-17 - this prophecy refers to the Church as the Holy Way where sons will be taught by God and they will not err. The Church has been given the gift of infallibility when teaching about faith and morals, where her sons are taught directly by God and will not err. This gift of infallibility means that the Church is prevented from teaching error by the power of the Holy Spirit (it does not mean that Church leaders do not sin!)

Acts 9:2; 22:4; 24:14,22 - the early Church is identified as the "Way" prophesied in Isaiah 35:8 where fools will not err therein.

Matt. 10:20; Luke 12:12 - Jesus tells His apostles it is not they who speak, but the Spirit of their Father speaking through them. If the Spirit is the one speaking and leading the Church, the Church cannot err on matters of faith and morals.

Matt. 16:18 - Jesus promises the gates of Hades would never prevail against the Church. This requires that the Church teach infallibly. If the Church did not have the gift of infallibility, the gates of Hades and error would prevail. Also, since the Catholic Church was the only Church that existed up until the Reformation, those who follow the Protestant reformers call Christ a liar by saying that Hades did prevail.

Matt. 16:19 - for Jesus to give Peter and the apostles, mere human beings, the authority to bind in heaven what they bound on earth requires infallibility. This is a gift of the Holy Spirit and has nothing to do with the holiness of the person receiving the gift.

Matt. 18:17-18 - the Church (not Scripture) is the final authority on questions of the faith. This demands infallibility when teaching the faith. She must be prevented from teaching error in order to lead her members to the fullness of salvation.

Matt. 28:20 - Jesus promises that He will be with the Church always. Jesus' presence in the Church assures infallible teaching on faith and morals. With Jesus present, we can never be deceived.

Mark 8:33 - non-Catholics sometimes use this verse to down play Peter's authority. This does not make sense. In this verse, Jesus rebukes Peter to show the import of His Messianic role as the Savior of humanity. Moreover, at this point, Peter was not yet the Pope with the keys, and Jesus did not rebuke Peter for his teaching. Jesus rebuked Peter for his lack of understanding.

Luke 10:16 - whoever hears you, hears me. Whoever rejects you, rejects me. Jesus is very clear that the bishops of the Church speak with Christ's infallible authority.

Luke 22:32 - Jesus prays for Peter, that his faith may not fail. Jesus' prayer for Peter's faith is perfectly efficacious, and this allows Peter to teach the faith without error (which means infallibly).

John 11:51-52 - some non-Catholics argue that sinners cannot have the power to teach infallibly. But in this verse, God allows Caiaphas to prophesy infallibly, even though he was evil and plotted Jesus' death. God allows sinners to teach infallibly, just as He allows sinners to become saints. As a loving Father, He exalts His children, and is bound by His own justice to give His children a mechanism to know truth from error.

1 & 2 Peter - for example, Peter denied Christ, he was rebuked by his greatest bishop (Paul), and yet he wrote two infallible encyclicals. Further, if Peter could teach infallibly by writing, why could he not also teach infallibly by preaching? And why couldn't his successors so teach as well?

Gen. to Deut.; Psalms; Paul - Moses and maybe Paul were murderers and David was an adulterer and murderer, but they also wrote infallibly. God uses us sinful human beings because when they respond to His grace and change their lives, we give God greater glory and His presence is made more manifest in our sinful world.

John 14:16 - Jesus promises that the Holy Spirit would be with the Church forever. The Spirit prevents the teaching of error on faith and morals. It is guaranteed because the guarantee comes from God Himself who cannot lie.

John 14:26 - Jesus promises that the Holy Spirit would teach the Church (the apostles and successors) all things regarding the faith. This means that the Church can teach us the right moral positions on such things as in vitro fertilization, cloning and other issues that are not addressed in the Bible. After all, these issues of morality are necessary for our salvation, and God would not leave such important issues to be decided by us sinners without His divine assistance.

John 16:12 - Jesus had many things to say but the apostles couldn't bear them at that point. This demonstrates that the Church's infallible doctrine develops over time. All public Revelation was completed with the death of the last apostle, but the doctrine of God's Revelation develops as our minds and hearts are able to welcome and understand it. God teaches His children only as much as they can bear, for their own good.

John 16:13 - Jesus promises that the Spirit will "guide" the Church into all truth. Our knowledge of the truth develops as the Spirit guides the Church, and this happens over time.

1 Cor. 2:13 – Paul explains that what the ministers teach is taught, not by human wisdom, but by the Spirit. The ministers are led to interpret and understand the spiritual truths God gives them over time.

Eph. 4:13,15 – Paul indicates that attaining to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God to mature manhood is a process. We are to grow up in every way into Christ. Doctrine (which means “teaching”) develops as we understand God’s Revelation.

Acts 15:27-28 - the apostles know that their teaching is being guided by the Holy Spirit. He protects the Church from deception.

Gal. 2:11-14 - non-Catholics sometimes use this verse to diminish Peter's evident authority over the Church. This is misguided. In this verse, Paul does not oppose Peter's teaching, but his failure to live by it. Infallibility (teaching without error) does not mean impeccability (living without sinning). Peter was the one who taught infallibly on the Gentile's salvation in Acts 10,11. With this rebuke, Paul is really saying "Peter, you are our leader, you teach infallibly, and yet your conduct is inconsistent with these facts. You of all people!" The verse really underscores, and not diminishes, the importance of Peter's leadership in the Church.

Eph. 3:10 - the wisdom of God is known, even to the intellectually superior angels, through the Church (not the Scriptures). This is an incredible verse, for it tells us that God's infinite wisdom comes to us through the Church. For that to happen, the Church must be protected from teaching error on faith and morals (or she wouldn't be endowed with the wisdom of God).

Eph. 3:9 - this, in fact, is a mystery hidden for all ages - that God manifests His wisdom through one infallible Church for all people.

Eph. 3:20 - God's glory is manifested in the Church by the power of the Spirit that works within the Church's leaders. As a Father, God exalts His children to roles of leadership within the body of Christ.

Eph. 5:23-27, Col. 1:18 - Christ is the head of the Church, His Bride, for which He died to make it Holy and without blemish. There is only one Church, just as Christ only has one Bride.

Eph. 5:32- Paul calls the Church a "mystery." This means that the significance of the Church as the kingdom of God in our midst cannot be understood by reason alone. Understanding the Church also requires faith. "Church" does not mean a building of believers. That is not a mystery. Non-Catholics often view church as mere community, but not the supernatural mystery of Christ physically present among us.

1 Thess. 5:21 - Paul commands us to test everything. But we must have something against which to test. This requires one infallible guide that is available to us, and this guide is the Catholic Church, whose teachings on faith and morals have never changed.

1 Tim. 3:15 - Paul says the apostolic Church (not Scripture) is the pillar and foundation of the truth. But for the Church to be the pinnacle and foundation of truth, she must be protected from teaching error, or infallible. She also must be the Catholic Church, whose teachings on faith and morals have not changed for 2,000 years. God loves us so much that He gave us a Church that infallibly teaches the truth so that we have the fullness of the means of salvation in His only begotten Son.

1 John 4:6 – John writes that whoever knows God “listens to us” (the bishops and successors to the apostles). Then John writes “This is the way we discern truth and error. John does not say “reading the Bible is the way we discern truth and error.” But if listening to mere human beings helps us discern truth and error, God would have had to endow his chosen leaders with the special gift of infallibility, so that they would be prevented from teaching error.

Matt. to Rev. - we must also note that not all Christian doctrines are explicit in Scripture (for example, the dogma of the Blessed Trinity). However, infallibility is strongly inferred from the foregoing passages. Non-Catholic Christians should ask themselves why they accept the Church's teaching on the three persons of the Trinity, the two natures of Christ in one divine person, and the New Testament canon of Scripture (all defined by the Catholic Church), but not other teachings regarding the Eucharist, Mary, the saints, and purgatory?


Realistically, it all comes down to faith. You either believe the evidence I have provided, or you don't.

Answer 2

There was only one church in existence for the first 1500 years of new testament history. From the beginning of the 2nd century that church was known as the Catholic (universal) church.

Shortly after appointing Peter as the first pope, Christ empowers the apostles to forgive sins, and to evangelize. Then, he explains that he must go, so that the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, may come, empower the church. and make its' mission absolutely clear to the apostles.

It's clear that Christ founded the church. No one else could have.

Those who claim the church was paganized at some later time need to consider their own bibles, as well as the irrevocable promises of Christ, where he promises to be with his church until the end of the age, and where he promises that the gates of hell shall not previal against it.

In an effort to justify other denominations, some people ignore the plain text of scripture and make Jesus out as a liar. Not very Christian!

History clearly shows that Catholics evangelized and converted the pagans. Not the other way around.

Except for the Jews, the whole world was pagan.

Who else were the apostles going to convert, if not pagans?

St. Paul explains that Christ is the head of this church and the faithful are the body.

Answer 3

The Church is a Mystery. Although we can use arguments to show that it is not unreasonable to believe that the Catholic Church was the Church founded by Christ Our Lord, we cannot "prove" it with rational proofs: just like we cannot "prove" the Trinity or "prove" the Incarnation (or prove that the Holy Eucharist is truly Our Lord's Body and Blood, for that matter). These are Mysteries of the Faith, and can only be known to those who have the Faith in its fullness.

But, whereas we cannot prove to non-Catholics that Jesus Christ founded the Catholic Church, we can (and should) invite them to embrace the fullness of the Faith. Once they have done that, they will "see" for themselves (with the eyes of Faith) that the Church is truly the Mystical Body of Christ and His Spouse.

I hope this helps!

Answer 4

Because Christ is the head of THE church - not just the catholic church. The Bible calls Him the Head of the Church.
The Bible says that Christ died once for all so that no one would need to rely on a priest to meet God for him. Teach him, encourage him, pray for him, love him - yes but not stand as a lavitical priest for him. Some catholics believe this some don't.
There is not supposed to be an us and them. As long as a few simple tenants in the Bible are believed, then those believers should be able to have fellowship. The multiplicity of denominations comes from the frailty of men and our inability to seek the truth and allow others to seek the truth in their own time.
The tenants are:
Belief that Christ is the savior of the world, by his legally acceptable and willing sacrifice of his own sinless Blood, he satisfied the requirement of the holy God for the remission of sin on whoever would believe in his deed and turn from their own sin full way to follow Jesus.

Answer 5

I was born, trained and grew up a Catholic but became disillusioned with the church. Christ did not find the Catholic church. The word Catholic was concocted by pas religious people.

Answer 6

Church of Jesus stepped forward by time: The Acts: a community of first christians followers referred to as the Nazarene way or the way.. First Christian church in Jerusalem, the mummy Church or the Holy Church St Ignatius known because it 'catholic' in approximately 100AD, and because then and in the previous, it remained Catholic as reported via the Apostles in its Apostles' Creed. Orhtodox schismed in some million,000 advert Protestants schismed in some million,500 advert. Technically, the prots are catholics with a small letter 'c'. they're referred to as the prodigal/run-away sons of the Catholic church. FYI of a few who have self assurance Constantine based the catholicism in 300AD.The successor of 1st Apostle chief St Peter is approximately 29 around 3 hundred advert. a million Peter, Apostle, Saint Reigned 33-sixty seven 2 Linus, Saint Reigned c.sixty seven-seventy six 3 Anacletus, Saint Reigned seventy six-88 4 Clement I, Saint Reigned 88-ninety seven 5 Evaristus, Saint Reigned c.ninety 8- c.106 6 Alexander I, Saint Reigned c.106-a hundred and fifteen 7 Sixtus I, Saint Reigned a hundred and fifteen-one hundred twenty five 8 Telesphorus, Saint Reigned one hundred twenty five-136 9 Hyginus, Saint Reigned c.136-a hundred and forty 10 Pius I, Saint Reigned c.a hundred and forty-c.154 11 Anicetus, Saint Reigned c.157-168 12 Soter, Saint Reigned c.166-c.174 13 Eleutherius, Saint Reigned c.one hundred seventy five-189 14 Victor I, Saint Reigned 189-c.198 15 Zephyrinus, Saint Reigned 198-217 sixteen Callistus I Reigned 218-c.222 17 city I Reigned 222-230 18 Pontian, Saint Reigned 230-235 19 Anterus, Saint Reigned 235-236 20 Fabian, Saint Reigned 236-250 21 Cornelius Reigned 251-253 22 Lucius I, Saint Reigned 253-254 23 Stephen I, Saint Reigned 254-257 24 Sixtus II, Saint Reigned 257-258 25 Dionysius, Saint Reigned 260-268 26 Felix I, Saint Reigned 269-274 27 Eutychianus, Saint Reigned 275-283 28 Caius, Saint Reigned 283-296 29 Marcellinus, Saint Reigned 296-304

Answer 7

Catholics are not Christians. The Catholic church started in the 4th century A.D.; it was started by Constantine. His mother Helena was already worshiping Mary.

Catholicism is paganism made to look like Christianity--it's counterfeit Christianity, and some of the differences are very subtle. Of course, that's why it's a counterfeit--it LOOKS like the real thing, but there are signs that tell you that it's not--you have to look for them and know what you're looking for.

Answer 8

Jesus did start the Catholic church, but it's not like he was walking around saying "Hey, I'm Catholic." That term didn't come about til later. Peter, Paul, all those guys just carried on what Jesus taught and those things Jesus taught are the foundations of the Catholic church. Jesus left his church to Peter, who was the first pope.

Answer 9

I did`nt know that Christ founded the Catholic Church?are you sure?

Answer 10

Well, Christ did found the catholic church. Note, I use a lower case "c". This means universal church.

Now if you mean the Roman Catholic Church (upper case "C"), that's an entirely different discussion. ; )

Answer 11

It doesn't matter since the Catholic church does not resemble in the least the church as it was 2000 years ago.