How is it known that the Roman Catholic Church is Jesus' true church?

Question

My girlfriend is Catholic, but I am not...so I am very new to the idea of Catholicism.
I believe that so long as you have accepted Christ, you are saved and are a part of God's kingdom: but according to the RCC, the Catholic Church is the only true church. In Matthew 16, verses 17-18, it mentions a church, but not any specific church. I'm very confused and would like some solid, sincere answers.

Answer 1

I'll try to keep this as simple as possible. So long as you are the recipient of a valid Baptism (baptized in the name of Jesus Christ) you are a member of his Church. The Catholic Church is the Church Jesus founded in Scripture. Memebers of the Catholic Church are DIRECT members of the Church spoken about in the Bible.

Baptized non-Catholic Christians are also members of this same biblical Church. While you may not have been baptized Catholic, so long as it is a valid Christian baptism, you're in. Baptized non-Catholic Christians are INDIRECT members of His Church, but members none the less.

This might cause you to ask, "If one can be saved as a baptized Christian (non-catholic as well as catholic), what is being Catholic so much 'better'?"

The Catholic Church has the Fullness of the Truth reserved in it's Sacred Scriptures as well as Sacred Tradition. Most, if not all non-Catholic Christians do not believe in Sacred Tradition, and their bibles lack a complete manuscript.

What does that mean? It's simply means non-Catholic Christians are going about their faith with less Truth than what is available to them. That's okay, though. Some non-Catholic Christians are doing more with less Truth than some Catholics are doing with the Full Truth.

Even though the Catholic Church possesses the Fullness of the Truth, it is still working out it's understanding of the Truth. Some might claim Catholics change their beliefs and practices. Nope. Understanding of it develops, but it does not change.

Answer 2

There was only one Christian Church in existence for the first 1500 years of modern world history, the Catholic Church, so it must be the true Church of God.

Protestants attempt to justify their break with the church by claiming any number of incredible things, but the facts remain that the Catholic Church is the only church Jesus ever personally founded and authorized, the church of the apostles, of the Bible, and of the authentic Holy Eucharist, and the church that converted most of the known world to Christ, long before the first protestant ever thumped a Bible.

Do your own authentic research, from the beginning, and you'll discover the truth of the Catholic Church.

For more, including all the authentic works of the early church fathers, and 2000 years of the best historcial and theological scholarship the world has ever known, send for my free Catholic Resource CD.

Answer 3

All Salvation is through Jesus the Christ and through his Church that he left to be steward over his people and his goods. He said to Peter "Thou art Peter, Rock, and upon this Rock, I shall build my Church" (he said church not churches) then he said"and the gates of Hell shall not prevail over her" He was talking about the Catholic Church which has been the only Christian Church in operation since he was on Earth until Martin Luther thought he knew better than Jesus. If other churches people are saved it would be much like the two women in the story of Solomon where they each had a child but, one had died and the one lady wanted to steal the others child and so the real Mother said to let the other woman have her child other than the child being split in two (like Solomon said to do) but anyway, the woman said the other woman could have the child TO SAVE THE CHILD'S LIFE. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT THE CHURCH HAS DONE WHEN SHE HAS SAID THAT THERE ARE THREE FORMS OF BAPTISM -- WATER, DESIRE, AND BLOOD. SHE ALSO SAYS THAT THERE IS A FORM OF CONFESSION THAT IS VALID TOO AND THAT IS COMPLETE TRUE CONTRITION.

Answer 4

There is nothing I could write in the space allowed that would convince you the Catholic Church is the One True Church. I converted to Catholicism after trying to prove it false and failing. I estimate I spent around 7000 hours studying Catholicism before being received into the Church. A good place for you to start might be the writings of the early Church Fathers. William Jurgens' three volume "Faith of the Early Fathers" is excellent and can probably be found in your local library:
http://www.amazon.com/Faith-Early-Fathers-Three-Set/dp/0814610250/

Answer 5

It is the only Church that can prove a direct and unbroken line of succession from Jesus Christ to St. Peter up to the present pope.

Answer 6

If you look to the Bible, you won't find it. For the Catholic church their own traditions (doctrines of the church fathers) and the Bible are equally important, or the church fathers are even more important, because the Bible may only be interpreted in accordance with their doctrines.

Answer 7

Matthew 16:16-19.

16 And Simon Peter answered and said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." 17 And Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal [this] to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it. 19 "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (NASB).

Roman Catholics understand this as follows: When Jesus said, "this rock" he meant Peter. Therefore Peter is the rock upon which the true church of Christ is built. Peter was to receive the keys of the kingdom of heaven, giving him the authority to make authoritative decrees concerning doctrinal truth, tradition, practice, and to exclude or include people from the Kingdom of Heaven. Peter was therefore the first pope and as bishop of Rome he passed these keys onto a successor, Linus (the second pope). The keys were passed in this way from pope to pope and the full authority of Christ Himself has always been invested in the pope.

God Bless You

Answer 8

True faith, and salvation comes from Scripture. No organized religion is close. There is a heavenly father YHVH. There is a divine/human Savior YAHOSHUA. The Seventh day "Saturday" is the special day for rest and worship. How does it look so far? do I need to go on? Eternal life is only available by grace received through faith. I give Him my sins, and He gives me eternal life. If I stay attached to my sins, I will end up where they will, which is the lake of fire in which sin and sinners will be destroyed!

Answer 9

All the tribes--or denominations of Christianity believe they alone are the one "true church"--all 36,000 of them.Of these many tribes--Catholicism is by far the largest (with 1 billion followers) & the oldest-- It was the Catholics who collated & canonized which books & letters would constitute the New Testament--however their intolerance to birth control,opposition to womens equality,opposition to stem cell research--coupled with the scandal of priest pedophilia has cost them much support in first world countries.
As far as your own spiritual path is concerned--just follow your heart--until you feel at ease.

Answer 10

Catholics were the first to follow Jesus' commandments.
I am a Catholic but I disagree with the notion that only Catholics have the answers. You may practice Christianity the way your conscience tells you in peace.