A) How can I prove that Jesus Christ is God the Son?
B) How can I prove that the Catholic Church is the true Church?
(They're frequent stuff that come up amongst myself and friends) Thanks!
2007-11-28 03:16:11 · 32 answers · asked by Armand P 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
A)
Jesus Christ Claims to be God
Matt. 4:7; Luke 4:12 - Jesus tells satan, "you shall not tempt the Lord your God" in reference to Himself.
Matt. 5:21-22; 27-28; 31-32; 33-34; 38-39; 43-44 - Jesus makes Himself equal to God when He declares, "You heard it said...but I say to you.."
Matt. 7:21-22; Luke 6:46 - not everyone who says to Jesus, "Lord, Lord." Jesus calls Himself Lord, which is God.
Matt. 9:2; Mark 2:5; Luke 5:20; 7:48 - Jesus forgives sins. Only God can forgive sins.
Matt. 12:8; Mark 2:28; Luke 6:5 - Jesus says that He is "Lord of the Sabbath." He is the Lord of God's law which means He is God.
Matt. 18:20 - Jesus says where two or three are gathered in His name, there He is in the midst of them.
Matt. 21:3; Luke 19:31,34 - Jesus calls himself "Lord." "The Lord has need of them."
Matt. 26:64; Mark 14:62; Luke 22:70 - Jesus acknowledges that He is the Son of God.
Matt. 28:20 - Jesus said He is with us always, even unto the end of the world. Only God is omnipresent.
Mark 14:36 - Jesus calls God "Abba," Aramaic for daddy, which was an absolutely unprecedented address to God and demonstrates Jesus' unique intimacy with the Father.
Luke 8:39 - Luke reports that Jesus said "tell how much God has done for you." And the man declared how much Jesus did.
Luke 17:18 - Jesus asks why the other nine lepers did not come back to give praise to Him, God, except the Samaritan leper.
Luke 19:38,40 - Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. If these were silent, the very stones would cry out.
John 5:18 - Jesus claimed to be God. The Jews knew this because Jesus called God His Father and made Himself equal to God. This is why Jesus was crucified.
John 5:21-22 - Jesus gives life and says that all judgment has been given to Him by the Father.
John 5:23 - Jesus equates Himself with the Father, "whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him."
John 6:38 - Jesus says, "For I have come down from heaven."
John 8:12 - Jesus says "I am the light of the world." - 1 John 1:5 - God is light and in him there is no darkness at all.
John 8:19 - Jesus says, "if you knew me, you would know my Father also."
John 8:23 - Jesus says that He is not of this world. Only God is not of this world.
John 8:58 - Jesus says, "Before Abraham was, I AM." Exodus 3:14 - "I AM" means "Yahweh," which means God.
John 10:18 - Jesus says He has the power to lay down His life and take it up again - Gal. 1:1 - God raised Jesus to life.
John 10:30 - Jesus says, "I and the Father are one." They are equal. The Jews even claimed Jesus made Himself equal to God. Jesus' statement in John 14:28, "the Father is greater than I," cannot contradict John 10:30 (the Word of God is never in conflict). Jesus' statement in John 14:28 simply refers to His human messianic role as servant and slave, which He, and not the Father or the Holy Spirit, undertook in the flesh.
John 10:36 - again, Jesus claims that He is "the Son of God."
John 10:38; 14:10 - "the Father is in me and I am in the Father" means the Father and Son are equal.
John 12:45 - Jesus says, "He who sees Me sees Him who sent Me." God the Father is equal to God the Son.
John 13:13 - Jesus says, "You call me Teacher and Lord and you are right for so I AM."
John 14:6 - Jesus says "I am the way, and the truth and the life." Only God is the way, the truth and the life.
John 16:15 - Jesus says, "all things that the Father has are Mine." Jesus has everything God has which makes Him God.
John 16:28 - Jesus says that "He came from the Father and has come into the world."
John 17:5,24 - Jesus' desire is for us to behold His glory which He had before the foundation of the world.
John 20:17 - Jesus distinguishes His relationship to the Father from our relationship by saying "My Father and your Father."
Rev. 1:8 - God says He is the "Alpha and the Omega." In Rev. 22:13, Jesus also says He is the "Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the beginning and the end." The only possible conclusion one can reach is that Jesus is equal to the Lord God.
Rev. 1:17 - Jesus says again, "I am the First and the Last." This is in reference to the God prophesied by Isaiah in Isaiah 44:6, 41:4, 48:12.
Rev. 1:18 - Jesus, the First and the Last, also says "I died, and behold, I am alive for evermore." When did God ever die? He only did in the humanity of Jesus Christ our Lord and God.
Rev. 2:8 - Jesus again says, "The words of the First and the Last, who died and came to life." When did God die and come to life? In our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Jesus' Miracles Testify that He is God
Matt. 1:23; Mark 1:27,35 - Jesus was conceived in the virginal womb of the Blessed Mother.
Matt. 3:16-17; Mark 1:10-11; John 1:32 - God's Spirit descends upon Jesus and the Father declares Jesus to be His Son.
Matt. 4:23-24; 9:35;15:30; Mark 1:34; 3:10; 6:5; Luke 4:40; 7:10; 13:13; 14:4; John 4:52 - Jesus miraculously cures illness and disease.
Matt. 7:35 - Jesus cures a deaf person with a speech impediment.
Matt. 8:3; Mark 1:41; Luke 5:13; 17:14 - Jesus cures leprosy.
Matt. 9:21-22; Mark 5:27-34; Luke 8:44 - the hem of Jesus' cloak cures the woman with the hemorrhage. See also Matt. 14:36.
Matt. 8:13; 9:7; Mark 2:9; Luke 5:25 - Jesus cures those who are paralyzed.
Matt. 8:15; Mark 1:31; Luke 4:39 - Jesus cures Peter's mother-in-law's fever.
Matt. 8:26; Mark 4:39; Luke 8:24 - Jesus calms the storm. Even the wind and sea obey Him.
Matt. 8:32; 9:33; 12:22; 15:28; 17:18; Mark 1:26,34; 3:11; 5:13; 7:30; 9:26; Luke 4:35,41; 8:33; 9:42; 11:14 - Jesus has power over demons.
Matt. 9:4; 12:25; Luke 6:8; 11:17 - Jesus knows people's thoughts.
Matt. 9:25; Mark 5:24; John 11:44 - Jesus raises people from the dead.
Matt. 9:30; 12:22; 20:34; 21:14; Mark 8:25; 10:52; Luke 7:21; 18:42; John 9:11 - Jesus cures the blind.
Matt. 12:13; Mark 3:5; Luke 6:10 - Jesus cures the man with the withered hand.
Matt. 14:19-20; 5:36-37; Mark 6:41-42; 8:7-8; Luke 9:16-17; John 6:11 - Jesus multiplies the loaves and fish and feeds the crowd of thousands.
Matt. 14:26; Mark 6:48; John 6:19 - Jesus walks on water.
Matt. 15:21; 16:21; 17:9,22; 20:18-19; 26:2; Mark 10:33-34; Luke 9:44; 17:25; 18:32-34 - Jesus predicts His passion.
Matt. 17:2; Mark 9:2; Luke 9:29 - Jesus is transfigured in glory.
Matt. 17:27 - Jesus miraculously has a shekel appear in the mouth of a fish.
Matt. 21:2-3; Mark 11:2; Luke 19:30 - Jesus predicts that a colt would be available for Him.
Matt. 21:19; Mark 11:14,20 - Jesus curses the fig tree and it withers.
Matt. 24:34; Mark 13:2; Luke 21:32 - Jesus predicts the fall of Jerusalem which occurred in 70 A.D.
Matt. 26:21-25; Mark 14:18-20; Luke 22:21; John 13:21,26 - Jesus predicts Judas' betrayal.
Matt. 26:26-28; Mk. 14:22,24; Luke 22;19-20; 1 Cor. 11:24-25 - Jesus changes bread and wine into His body and blood.
Matt. 26:34; Mark 14:30; Luke 22:34; John 13:38 - Jesus predicts Peter's denial.
Matt. 27:51-54; Mark 15:38-39 - supernatural events occur at Jesus' death.
Matt. 28:9; Mark 16:9,12,14; Luke 7:14-15; 8:54-55; 24:5,31,36; John 20:14,19,26; 21:1-14 - Jesus rises from the dead.
Mark 14:13; Luke 22:10 - Jesus predicts that a man carrying a jug of water will show them the furnished room for the Passover.
Mark 16:19; Luke 24:51 - Jesus ascends into heaven.
Luke 2:13-14 - the angels praise Jesus' birth.
Luke 5:7; John 21:6 - Jesus directs the miraculous catch of fish.
Luke 24:31 - Jesus has the ability to vanish out of sight.
John 2:9 - Jesus changes water into wine.
John 13:36; 21:18 - Jesus predicts Peter's death. Peter was martyred in Rome around 67 A.D.
John 20:19,26 - Jesus has the ability to appear even when the doors are locked.
B)
Only the True Church has the Four Marks:
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.
2007-11-28 06:38:51 · answer #1 · answered by Daver 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Well, you're not going to like my opinion, because I'm Christian, but not Catholic (shocker, I know...)
With the first, you can't. That's the point. If it could be proven, there would be no need for faith, and we are called to be FAITHful. God wants us to believe by faith, in not having to have it proven to us.
With the second, you can't and you shouldn't. I'm sorry, there is very little, if any, about the Catholic church that sounds anything like the churches written to in the great letters of Paul, Peter, and the other New Testament authors.
I've heard Catholics talk about how priests and bishops and the pope are all ordained by God, and therefore infallible. But seeing as Paul, one of the greatest missionaries in history, could be honest about his flaws and his sins, I find it arrogant (on the part of the person being referred to) and foolish (on the part of the people who believe it) to assume ANY man who is not God himself can be free of sin, or can act according to God's will 100% of the time.
While I try not to think of all priests as being child molestors or sexual deviants (I have heard that it's less than one half of one percent), the group I have the most difficult time trying to understand is the upper management of the Catholic Church. In the Bible, it is stated how we as Christians are to deal with sin and corruption in the Church. No where does it say that a priest can tell a fellow priest, be absolved from his sins, go back to doing it, and if it becomes a big problem, move the priest to another parish to people who don't know what happened and pay off the families of the children RUINED. I never once have seen that passage in the Bible.
The "church" is the collective body of believers in Christ as the Son of God. I take real issue with someone saying I'm not a member of the "true church," because it implies that I am not a Christian. If that's what they are saying, they are being both judgemental (in the Biblical sense) and ignorant.
I don't know. Maybe the reason you haven't figured out acceptable answers on your own for how to defend these two aspects of your Catholic faith is that those two aspects are not worthy of being defended.
2007-11-28 17:25:03 · answer #2 · answered by CrazyChick 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
A. The proof is in your testimony of God. If you believe with your heart and soul that Jesus is God the Son, then your testimony is your strongest proof.
B. I can't really help you on this one (I'm Mormon); however, that doesn't mean I think you're wrong and I'm right. I believe that my church is the true Church, but if you believe that the Catholic Church is the true Church, then believe it with your heart and soul. No one can know for absolute surety which church is true until we meet God.
Good luck, God bless and to all those people who responded with negative answers: You all say you're offended by God and religion and such..well, I'm offended by you all saying God is fake, the Bible is fake, etc. Armand was not asking if YOU believe, but rather how do other believers go about discussing their beliefs.
2007-11-28 18:18:52 · answer #3 · answered by gsxrbaby04 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hey Armand,
I second St. Francis of Assisi. That is the best answer so far. Check out www.ewtn.com
this is a cable channel that is full of catholic teaching. i pray that you will persevere in the faith.
i get irritated when protestants try to take catholics away from their faith. i would even bother. besides it isnt men who convert hearts, its God. I just do my best to love others the way Jesus would. i know my faith pretty well, but i have 8 children and i dont have time to debate.
if you on the other hand feel that the Spirit is calling you to the task, then learn how to do it, and do it well. my prayers are with you.
2007-11-29 12:57:51 · answer #4 · answered by admyr75 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just looking at the responses it is obvious that everyone but a rare few actually are being helpful at all.
The answers are fairly simple:
1) To believe in Jesus Christ as Son of God it takes faith, without this there is no reason to believe. Faith makes believing in something out of love possible. So if you believe with all your heart and soul with a radical love willing to resist all then you have found your answer. He exists...
2) The Catholic Church was founded on Peter, those who try to make you believe otherwise are just trying to persuade you differently. It is in the Bible and due to apostolic succession there are only two truly churched founded by Christ himself
2007-11-28 05:01:06 · answer #5 · answered by Perhaps I love you more 4 · 4⤊ 1⤋
The evidence that Jesus Christ is God the Son is that Jesus assumed the title of God ("I AM"), and that he was neither insane nor a devil from hell, the only other ways to account for such a claim, as C. S. Lewis argues in Mere Christianity. Too, Jesus was found to be alive after his crucifixion.
http://www.catholic.com/library/Divinity_of_Christ.asp
The evidence that the Catholic Church is the only true Church authorized by Jesus is both scriptural and historical. The scripture is Matt 16 ("On this rock I will build my Church"), where Jesus appoints the Peter as the first head, later to be called pope. The history is the unbroken line of apostolic authority in the papacy, Church councils, and written documents across 20 centuries.
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12272b.htm
Cheers,
Bruce
2007-11-28 05:00:52 · answer #6 · answered by Bruce 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋
I would suggest you go to:
http://www.biblechristiansociety.com/
http://catholic.com/
http://www.catholicity.com/
http://www.catholicusa.com/church_teachings/church_teachings.htm
They are very good and helpful sites. You can get free tapes and Cd's at the first site listed. These are by a very good apologist who is a convert to the Catholic Church and who is very experienced at defending the Faith. Check them out!
Don't listen to anyone who tells you that you can't prove the Church doctrines and teachings. There is nothing in the Catholic Church contrary to the Bible and there is nothing in the Bible contrary to the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church gave the Bible to the world. It is a Catholic Book.
God bless!
2007-11-28 04:02:24 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 1⤋
Proof for you might be a thorn in the eyes for them.
much better to beleive yourself and prove it through the deeds of mercy, both corporal and spiritual:
Corporal:
feed the hungry
give drink to the thirsty
clothe the naked
shelter the homeless
visit the sick
burry the dead.
Spiritual:
admonish sinners
instruct the uninformed
counsel the doubtful
comfort the sorrowful
be patient with those in error
forgive offenses
pray for the living and the dead.
-- Divine Mercy devotion
2007-11-28 14:13:56 · answer #8 · answered by the good guy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Here are some links to help you out:
A) - the Divinity of Christ http://www.catholic.com/library/Divinity_of_Christ.asp
B) the One True Church
http://www.catholic.com/library/Pillar.asp
It's a difficult to defend this position, especially against fundamentalists, because they will not accept any authority but the Bible. Of course, the Bible itself never states it's the only authority, but they tend to ignore this fact.
But do your research, this will help you be prepared when the questions arise. I have found that answering questions here has helped me a great deal. I have read many answers by very informed and educated Catholics, as well as done online searching for answers. This has strengthened my faith and given me the ability to answer many of the most common questions non-Catholics pose.
You may not convince everyone, but you never know how God may work through you.
2007-11-28 03:51:41 · answer #9 · answered by Misty 7 · 7⤊ 1⤋
Go to Daily Mass, and receive communion.
Read the Scriptures, daily.
Complement your Scripture readings with spiritual readings... daily. I am sure there is a Catholic Bookstore in your area. Browse through the store until you find a book of your liking.
Pray to the Holy Spirit daily, and ask Him to enlighten you.
Soon, the answers will come, and others will see God's Spirit emanating from you, and you will be Eucharist to others.
You cannot provide a simple, all encompassing answer, on the fly in a matter of minutes. Be patient.
2007-11-28 03:49:49 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 2⤋
A) Thats recorded in the Bible. Although you can not prove it-there is more documentation on Jesus that any other subject on planet earth.
B) That is not recorded in the Bible. You can not prove it. It is not true. The Catholic church did not have roots until the mid 300's. Constantine made it illegal to persecute Christians for their beliefs around 312. About 50 years later (approximately) another emperor made Christianity the religion of the Roman Empire. This was the very roots of Catholicism. However the 1st Roman Catholic pope was not official until Gregory around 600. The first Christian church remained as one until 251 when the first split occurred. The dissenting side were called the Ana-Baptist. They eventually vanished leaving one church again. The church was extremely persecuted by the Romans, the Jews, and the Pagans until Constantine put an end to it when he became emperor.
The Roman Catholic church was definitely not the first church by any stretch of the imagination-they were the first church with extreme political power.
2007-11-28 03:33:27 · answer #11 · answered by Poor Richard 5 · 2⤊ 8⤋