Does The Church have a certificate that authorize them to represent God on Earth?

Question

enclosing God's signature, of course.

augustine - but seriously. i mean...

it's like saying my Harry Potter: the secret chamber book, allows me to..
is there any documet legally accepted?

Answer 1

Great question! They don't of course, but they've persuaded a lot of gullible people that they alone have an exclusive hotline to Heaven. When you convince people that you are God's Official Spokesperson (TM), they basically have to obey you as if you were God yourself or risk damnation. Very powerful psychological control.

Personally, I think that if there's a God, She talks to all humans equally well. My atheism isn't really a rebellion or dislike of the concept of a god; it's more of a severe anti-clericalism. If there is a Higher Power, I'll deal directly with it, thank you, and all you priests, shamans, prophets, and others in the Bullshit Arts can take a hike.

Answer 2

Don't be silly. Of course we're not the only true church on the face of the earth. We are the only church that is both true and living. We teach the Christian gospel (rather better than some) and in better agreement with the New Testament than most do. But Revelation 14:6 has been fulfilled. We have the good parts that have been denied or forgotten, and we have Jesus' authority to minister in his name (the holy priesthood.) It isn't an election or a popularity contest, amigo. If we're not Jesus' church, we're such a small minority that we're harmless. If we are, it would be a good idea to find that out for oneself.

Answer 3

Depends on what you mean by "The Church"...
Christ definitely stated that He would build a "church"...and that the gates of hell would not prevail against it. He never promised that hell wasn't going to give it one hell of a shot...
Yes, members of His Church have a "certificate" that authorizes them to represent God on earth. They have the Holy Spirit, which is the earnest of their salvation. They have the Holy Scriptures, which are, indeed, endorsed with God's signature.
There really aren't very many of them around these days...
Oh, I know, there are plenty of folks with phony certifications. Heck, my dog, Riff, is a certified pastor, complete with all the papers he needs to legally marry, baptize, and bury you. I got him "ordained" fairly cheap on the internet, just to prove that it could be done. It is useful...his "clergy" tag gets me good parking at the hospital, and I am respected wherever people see it.
*shrugs*
But, there really are only a few members of Christ's church wondering around the planet at present. They probably won't be members of any particular organization...they might be, but it isn't strictly necessary.
So, how will you know them?
Simple.
Jesus gave us His assurance that the world would know His disciple by one very important sign.
They would be marked for their unusual love for others...the kind of love that Jesus modeled while He was with us.
"By this the world will know that you are my disciples...by the love that you have one for the other..."

EDIT: And before you say anything about Riff, you ought to know, he is a very sweet natured, patient, and well behaved dog. He is a much better candidate for a representative of God than alot of those currently trying to fill the position...

Answer 4

No, except the book they wrote, which they said was written by 'God.' In their book, they say they're God's authorities- read Romans. They wrote that Jesus gave Peter the keys of the kingdom . . . lol

Well, whatever. Anyone who claims to be a representative of God is at best delusion and at worst, very dangerous- eg., Charles Manson, Jim Jones . . .

Answer 5

Some do. But since God writes on people's hearts, it is visible only to those who are seeking God.

2 Cor 3:1-3
2 You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. 3 You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
(from New International Version)

Answer 6

Jesus handed his entire ministry over to mere humans out of love. That's why he called apostles and they had apostles and...

That being said, Jesus is the Supreme head of his body the Church....."he is the head of the body, the church" (COL 1:18). However, any organization that has 1.2 BILLION members MUST also have a visible head. He stands "In Persona Christi" -- in the person of Christ on earth ONLY. He is, more accurately, the Vicar of Christ: "a member of the clergy who exercises a broad pastoral responsibility as the representative of a prelate" -- http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/vicar. That prelate, of course, is Jesus the Christ himself.

Answer 7

Catholics accept the commissioning of Peter by Jesus.
First giving the name "Rock" for recognizing the Messiah.
Then telling him 3 times to "Feed my sheep."
This is all recorded clearly in the Bible.

Answer 8

Its called "The Gospels"

Read the conclusion to the Gospel of John, specifically. Better yet, after you finish John go on and read the entire Book of Acts. That one really tells us how the Church started.

I am being completely serious. Its the Canonical collection of Holy Spirit inspired writings called Sacred Scripture. That is the authority you are searching for.

Answer 9

Matthew 28: 18-20 give us the authority. Boy that was easy.

Answer 10

The Whole Bible,rightly interpreted through Tradition and Natural Law by the authoritative Catholic Church, is the certificate signed by the Trinity.

Also, each Christian who shows that God is working through grace by faith ,hope and love lived out is a living certificate of God's working through His Church. Jesus has signed us as living certificates in His own precious blood.