what are the FOUR MARKS OF THE TRUE CHURCH?

Question

If we wish to locate the Church founded by Jesus, we need to locate the one that has the four chief marks or qualities of his Church. The Church we seek must be one, holy, catholic, and apostolic.

The Church Is One (Rom. 12:5, 1 Cor. 10:17, 12:13, CCC 813–822)
Jesus established only one Church, not a collection of differing churches (Lutheran, Baptist, Anglican, and so on). The Bible says the Church is the bride of Christ (Eph. 5:23–32). Jesus can have but one spouse, and his spouse is the Catholic Church.

His Church also teaches just one set of doctrines, which must be the same as those taught by the apostles (Jude 3). This is the unity of belief to which Scripture calls us (Phil. 1:27, 2:2).

The Church Is Holy (Eph. 5:25–27, Rev. 19:7–8, CCC 823–829)
By his grace Jesus makes the Church holy, just as he is holy. This doesn’t mean that each member is always holy. Jesus said there would be both good and bad members in the Church (John 6:70), and not all the members would go to heaven (Matt. 7:21–23). But the Church itself is holy because it is the source of holiness and is the guardian of the special means of grace Jesus established, the sacraments (cf. Eph. 5:26).

The Church Is Catholic (Matt. 28:19–20, Rev. 5:9–10, CCC 830–856)
Jesus’ Church is called catholic ("universal" in Greek) because it is his gift to all people. He told his apostles to go throughout the world and make disciples of "all nations" (Matt. 28:19–20). The Church Jesus established was known by its most common title, "the Catholic Church," at least as early as the year 107, when Ignatius of Antioch used that title to describe the one Church Jesus founded.

The Church Is Apostolic (Eph. 2:19–20, CCC 857–865)
The Church Jesus founded is apostolic because he appointed the apostles to be the first leaders of the Church, and their successors were to be its future leaders. The apostles were the first bishops, and, since the first century, there has been an unbroken line of Catholic bishops faithfully handing on what the apostles taught the first Christians in Scripture and oral Tradition (2 Tim. 2:2).

These beliefs include the bodily Resurrection of Jesus, the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, the sacrificial nature of the Mass, the forgiveness of sins through a priest, baptismal regeneration, the existence of purgatory, Mary’s special role, and much more —even the doctrine of apostolic succession itself.

Early Christian writings prove the first Christians were thoroughly Catholic in belief and practice and looked to the successors of the apostles as their leaders.

Comments?

Answer 1

Pastor Billy says: one correction, Catholic doesn't simply mean a geographical universality, it means a universality of doctrine. Catholic comes from the Greek words kata and holos meaning according to the whole. When you suggest crusader that is is merely a spreading to the four corners of the globe you are in fact using the same argument that Protestants employ when suggesting they too are small "c" catholic which is absolute rubbish.

Answer 2

Oh well. Actually the Anglican Communion pretty much fits the description above except that many things are subject to interpretation such as real presence in the Eucharist. Anglicans may choose transubstaniation but generally do not. Forgiveness is from God and a priest is not required. As for purgatory, no. As for the special role of Mary, of course, but without so much attention. So well say we are part of the one true Apostolic church.

Answer 3

The four marks of the church are One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic. These four marks come from the Nicene Creed which contains the line "I believe in one holy, catholic and apostolic church." The Catholic Church claims that it is the only church possessing the fullness of these four marks. On the other hand, Protestant John Calvin "taught that the marks of the authentic church were where the Word was rightly preached, the sacraments rightly celebrated and discipline observed."

Answer 4

Dear Sir,

You may be well meaning in what you said but you really couldn't be further from the truth.
The marks of a true church of Jesus Christ are those you will find in scripture and scripture alone. Much of what you see in Catholicism is based on man's traditions and not the Bible. For example, the word baptize means to immerse not to sprinkle and it is always for those who have placed their faith in Christ to save them and it always follows salvation. Baptizing babies is not scriptural, it is a man made tradition. Babies do not know what it means to believe in Christ.
Another example, the Lord's Supper or communion is only a symbol of what Christ did for us on the cross. The wine symbolizes the blood he shed for us and the unleaven bread represents his broken body. In no way does the wine or the bread actually become the blood and body of Christ.
Regarding the meaning of the church, almost every time the church is mentioned in the Bible it is refering to a local independent autonomous body of believers. If you really think about it, the only time you can really say all believers comprise the Church will be when we are in Heaven and then we will be a local ( in Heaven ) body of believers as well.
The Roman Catholic church is really wrong on so many things it amazes me that so many people can be so blind and believe their teachings.
Now I've only listed a few examples of why the Catholic church can't be a true church, I could include a lot more.
One last thing. The Bible makes it abundantly clear that we are saved only by believing in Christ. Realizing that we can do nothing to earn forgiveness we must place our faith in Jesus and him alone.
Please read Ephesians 2:8 and 9

Answer 5

Here is the Birth Of The Catholic Church.
Christianty was never meant to be a part of this world. (Matthew 24:3, 9; John 17:16) Yet, history books tell us that in the fourth century C.E., “Christianity” became the official State religion of the Roman Empire.
From Nero (54-68 C.E.) well into the third century C.E., all Roman emperors either actively persecuted Christians or permitted the persecution of them. Gallienus (253-268 C.E.) was the first Roman emperor to issue a declaration of tolerance for them. Even then, Christianity was a proscribed religion throughout the empire. After Gallienus, the persecution continued, and under Diocletian (284-305 C.E.) and his immediate successors, it even intensified.
The turning point came early in the fourth century with the so-called conversion to Christianity of Emperor Constantine I. Concerning this “conversion,” the French work Théo—Nouvelle encyclopédie catholique (Théo—New Catholic Encyclopedia) states: “Constantine claimed to be a Christian emperor. In reality, he was baptized only on his deathbed.” Nevertheless, in 313 C.E., Constantine and his coemperor, Licinius, issued an edict that granted religious freedom to Christians and pagans alike. The New Catholic Encyclopedia states: “Constantine’s extension of freedom of worship to Christians, which signified that Christianity was recognized officially as a religio licita [lawful religion] beside paganism, was a revolutionary act.”

However, The New Encyclopædia Britannica declares: “He [Constantine] did not make Christianity the religion of the empire.” French historian Jean-Rémy Palanque, member of the Institute of France, writes: “The Roman State . . . remained, however, officially pagan. And Constantine, when adhering to the religion of Christ, did not put an end to that situation.” In the work The Legacy of Rome, Professor Ernest Barker stated: “[Constantine’s victory] did not result in the immediate establishment of Christianity as the religion of the State. Constantine was content to recognize Christianity as one of the public worships of the empire. For the next seventy years the old pagan rites were officially performed in Rome.”
So at this point “Christianity” was a legal religion in the Roman Empire. When did it become, in the fullest sense of the expression, the official State religion? We read in the New Catholic Encyclopedia: “[Constantine’s] policy was continued by his successors with the exception of Julian [361-363 C.E.], whose persecution of Christianity was brought to an abrupt end by his death. Finally, in the last quarter of the 4th century, Theodosius the Great [379-395 C.E.] made Christianity the official religion of the Empire and suppressed public pagan worship.”

Answer 6

It is believed that a catholic priest asked this question of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Medjugoree (spelling?) through the person seeing the visions.The question was :Is the Catholic Church the one true Church ?.Mary indicated a Yes and added that "the others have also got a chance".

Answer 7

You asked for four, here's five:

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. (John 13:35)

“These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” (Acts 17:11) (You can know them by what they teach. The true church will teach the truth and can be identified by comparing its doctrine to the Scriptures.)

“Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” (Matthew 7:20, 7:16, 12:33, Luke 6:44) (You can know them by what they do.)

"Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." (Matthew 16:24) (You can know them by knowing who they follow.)

"if anyone suffers as a Christian... let him glorify God in that name." (1 Peter 4:16) (Name! A true Christian will bear the name "Christian". If he wears another name, then he is something else. Likewise, the true church should be identified by a scriptural name that shows Christ's ownership.)

Answer 8

even though what you said is correct and that a carefull study of church history attests to the catholic church being the one true church that safeguarded the bible to even the point of death for many. without the catholic church there would be no bible, the church that compiled and safeguarded the bible i think would best know how to interpret it and practice it. the church is the pillar and bulwark of the faith, the bible itself attests this and is anti "sola scriptura". jesus himself promised to protect his church with the guidance of the holy spirit, as the church can clearly be proven to be catholic it only stands to reason that the catholic church is the one true church, otherwise people are deeming jesus a liar to suit themselves.

Answer 9

there is only one, the temple is in your heart. i do not need a temple of brick and mortar to come between me and my father.

Answer 10

Lots of wannabe comedians on here..LOL