Where does it say in the Holy Bible that the Catholic church is the only true church?

Question

The Catholic church is God's one true church. Started by the apostle Peter the first Pope. Protestants, as the name implies, are those whose churches are in protest of the status of the Catholic church as the one true church. There are three different types of Catholics, Roman who follow the Pope in Rome, Eastern Orthodox and Coptic, which is an Egyptian form of catholicism. As for protestants, there are almost as many forms as there are churches. There are Lutherans, who closely follow Martin Luther's 95 theses, Anglicans, who follow a church made up by King Henry the VIII after the Pope would not allow him to have a divorce from his first wife, and many many other forms, calvinists, quakers, baptists, pentecostals, southern baptist, seventh day adventists, etc...
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AikpixtHeUEU8U.E1NwVgN7sy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20071105203040AAfiyZP&show=7#profile-info-b16357079c74a7568702faf58d581810aa

Please note that this is not something I wrote but that another person wrote in the referenced link above.

However, when I listen to Catholic radio stations, I hear the same thing professed over and over.

I am a Christian, not a "religion". The Bible tells us that the one true church are those who believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and have received Him into their hearts to be their Lord and Savior. This is what the Bible describes as a Christian, and the Christians are the church wherever they are and wherever they meet.

Matthew 16:18
And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

Acts 2:47
praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

Acts 11:26
And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

Matthew 28:19
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Acts 20:30
Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.


Are you a Christian or a religion?

Are you a disciple of Christ and follow Jesus or are you a member of a religion and follow their leader?

John 8:12
Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

1 John 1:7-9
7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 Corinthians 11

23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.

Answer 1

it says in the scripture that there is, one true church and that is the Body of Christ
so that leads me to believe that the one true Church is the "Body of Christ"

Answer 2

FOUR MARKS OF THE TRUE CHURCH

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).

Although some Catholics dissent from officially-taught doctrines, the Church’s official teachers—the pope and the bishops united with him—have never changed any doctrine. Over the centuries, as doctrines are examined more fully, the Church comes to understand them more deeply (John 16:12–13), but it never understands them to mean the opposite of what they once meant.

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).

For 2,000 years the Catholic Church has carried out this mission, preaching the good news that Christ died for all men and that he wants all of us to be members of his universal family (Gal. 3:28).

Nowadays the Catholic Church is found in every country of the world and is still sending out missionaries to "make disciples of all nations" (Matt. 28:19).

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 title apparently was old in Ignatius’s time, which means it probably went all the way back to the time of the apostles.

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. What these first Christians believed is still believed by the Catholic Church. No other Church can make that claim.

Answer 3

You’re right on a couple of points and wrong on others.

Yes, we are to accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Yes, Jesus is the one and only Mediator. No, there should not be divisions in the Faith. Yes, the early church met in peoples’ homes and temples and such, but you can’t stop there.

For the early church to match the protestant model, it means that the early Christians were free to take the gospel they had received from the apostles, interpret it for themselves, and teach and preach that version to others. That model is totally incorrect.

The correct model that we see from Jesus is that He taught one faith, and set down one Church. Yes, the Church is the body of believers and not a building. The Catholic Church has never claimed otherwise. The Apostles took the Faith they have received from Jesus and taught it to others. The Faith was not open to private interpretation by the laity. If there was a dispute or question about belief, the apostles were the authority to go to. You must remember that during this time there was New Testament as it hadn’t been written yet. So the protestant claim of the bible being the sole authority is false. The authority rested with the apostles and later their successors.

After a brief examination, it’s clear that Jesus taught one faith and set down one Church, not 35,000 different ones. Does the protestant model match this? There is only one Church that came claim and PROVE apostolic origin: The Catholic Church. Protestantism is nothing more than a schism that occurred 500 years ago.

By the way, I’d ask that you stop partaking of Holy Communion if you return to Mass. The priest was wanting to know if you’d received sacramental confession, which you obviously didn’t. Even if you don’t believe in confession or the Eucharist, could you at least respect our beliefs and not receive communion? I ask this out of respect for the Blessed Sacrament and yourself.

God bless.

Answer 4

The idea that all revealed truth is to be found in "66 books" is not only not in Scripture, it is contradicted by Scripture (1 Corinthians 11:2, 2 Thessalonians 2:15, 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 1 Timothy 3:15, 2 Peter 1:20-21, 2 Peter 3:16).

It is a concept unheard of in the Old Testament, where the authority of those who sat on the Chair of Moses (Matthew 23:2-3) existed.

In addition to this, for 400 years, there was no defined canon of "Sacred Scripture" aside from the Old Testament; there was no "New Testament"; there was only Tradition and non-canonical books and letters.

Our Lord founded a Church (Matthew 16:18-19), not a book, which was to be the pillar and ground of Truth (1 Timothy 3:15).

We can know what this Church teaches by looking not only at Sacred Scripture, but into History and by reading what the earliest Christians have written, what those who've sat on the Chair of Peter have spoken consistently with Scripture and Tradition, and what they've solemnly defined.

To believe that the Bible is our only source of Christian Truth is unbiblical and illogical.

Christ promised that the gates of hell would not prevail against the Church (Matt. 16:18) and the New Testament itself declares the Church to be "the pillar and foundation of the truth" (1 Tim. 3:15).

Answer 5

Jesus is God. If you believe this, then the church He established would be the true church. Jesus told Peter, "You are Peter and upon this rock I will build My church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it." So Peter was given the keys to heaven. Peter became the first Pope or the head of the Catholic church which the protestants also used to follow until Henry the VIII and Martin Luther changed the rules.
Jesus said to Peter and to his apostles, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Whatsoever you bind on earth is bound in heaven and whatever you say is not bound on earth is not bound or lose in heaven." So Peter became the head of the Catholic Church and he became the Holy Father or the Pope. The apostles were the first bishops and priests. Jesus also said, "Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven, and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained, so Jesus gave the apostles and Peter the power to forgive sins which is a power only God has. So Jesus established His one, true, holy, catholic and apostolic church through the apostles and Peter. Thus Jesus who is God established His Church, the one true Church on earth and this is the Catholic Church Jesus established. However, the other churches may also be saved if they do good and avoid evil and if they follow their conscience in which case, they receive the baptism of desire. Thus they are baptized into the Catholic Church the one true church by virtue of their sincere conscience.

Answer 6

It is not in there. Only one true church will remain when the 'end of time arrives" that is going to be really hard for people of Christianity and their abundence of churchs. As soon as one debates another's beliefs, they feel they are right and go and start another church. That is insane and they are worried about the people that don't fear the end. They need to pick a church fast. Just one, and maybe if the Caholics, Methodists. Babtists, and all the other 800 christain churchs could just get along. My Lord, why in the hell would you need all of them denomations if everyone is reading the same bible. It means they don't agree with each other's interpretations.

Answer 7

Actually there's quite a lot common to all aspects of Christianity today that are not in the Bible, and the Bible does not need to mention them. But that's besides the point.

Claims such as these do little to advance the unity of believers in Christ, and do more to deepen the unnecessary divisions between us. I can see the point (though I don't necessarily agree with it) of taking a harsh stance on someone who leaves the Catholic Church and teaches a contrary doctrine. I don't, however, see the point of continuing that animosity for centuries afterwards to those who are the spiritual descendants of those who left.

Do not take the existence of the Catholic Church to be a threat to your experience of faith in Christ. For many of us who are Catholic, this is where we experience Him, and so we remain Catholic and deepen ourselves in the Catholic faith, which has pointed millions to Christ. For many who are not Catholic, they have found Christ elsewhere. So it has been and so it shall be, and so we will still be church in the sense of a body of believers.

I reconcile my belief that the Catholic Church has best preserved and promoted the Gospel with the observation of my non-Catholic Christian friends whose faith is strong and admirable by thinking that the Catholic Church best reflects the intentions of the Apostles.

Consider that the Bible as we understand it was compiled in the 4th century by Christians who considered themselves Catholic and wished to have a definitive measure of Scripture upon which to defend the agreed-upon theology. Consider that the intention was never to look upon the Bible as the end-all and be-all of faith.

Answer 8

It doesn't use the word "Catholic" because at the writing of the books of the Bible, Christ's church had no name. There were loosely bound bands of believers. At some point they wished to give themselves a name, and the word Catholic implies that these diverse groups were part of a universal church.

There are many words that believers use that are not in the Bible. Words such as trinity and Canon.

Fundamentalists like to speak of Sola Scriptura. That doesn't exist in the Bible at all. Nor is there a concept of a Bible in the Bible. The books that make up the Bible are not listed in the Bible.

The Bible doesn't say that we are to abandon tradition, but rather to follow it. Many protestant churches don't even touch that line.

The Bible says "faith without works is dead". Another verse tossed aside by many fundamentalists.

Still, the wealthy fundamentalist churches will tell you often that if you don't tithe 10% (before taxes), that you are stealing from God.

Whatever. The Catholic church (and Orthodox, etc) are the only (Christian) churches that can continuously trace their heritage back to the first century.

Answer 9

This prophecy convinced me :)

Dan 9:24 ¶ Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

That old Prophecy was 77 unto the most Holy,

From King Henry est the English Church 1534, unto the 1611 kjv Holy Bible, was 77 years

Answer 10

We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible; And in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only-begotten, Begotten of the Father before all ages, Light of Light, True God of True God, Begotten but not made, of one essence with the Father, by Whom all things were made: Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and was made man; And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried; And the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; And ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father; And He shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead, Whose kingdom shall have no end. And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the True Lord, and Giver of Life, Who proceedeth from the Father, Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, Who spoke by the Prophets; And we believe in One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. We acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins. We look for the Resurrection of the dead, And the Life of the age to come. Amen.

Answer 11

The “first church” is the church that is recorded in the New Testament, especially in the Book of Acts and the Epistles of Paul. The New Testament church is the “original church” and the “one true church.” We can know this because it is described, in great detail, in Scripture. The church, as recorded in the New Testament, is God’s pattern and foundation for His church. On this basis, let’s examine the Roman Catholic claim that it is the “first church.” Nowhere in the New Testament will you find the “one true church” doing any of the following: praying to Mary, praying to the saints, venerating Mary, submitting to a pope, having a select priesthood, baptizing an infant, observing the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper as sacraments, or passing on apostolic authority to successors of the apostles. All of these are core elements of the Roman Catholic faith. If most of the core elements of the Roman Catholic Church were not practiced by the New Testament Church (the first church and one true church), how then can the Roman Catholic Church be the first church? A study of the New Testament will clearly reveal that the Roman Catholic Church is not the same church as the church that is described in the New Testament.