Expert: Sal - 1/4/2009

Question
Sal - I'm probably two years out of synch here,but the internet is a large
world.  Your statement that the Bible is the book of the Catholic Church is
somewhat misleading.  It is the Book of our Lord God and His Son Jesus,
Yeshua,  superintended by the Holy Spirit.  In terns of  the NT, it was written
and validated by the Apostles, primaril the synoptic writers, and John and
Paul.  There was nothing added to scripture beyond perhaps 90 A.D. when
John completed Revelation.  Nothing ever needed to be added past that point.
Indeed, our Lord stated that nothing should be added or deleted.
There were no "Catholic" churches at that time, just as there were no
Protestant churches.  There were true churches, and Jerusalem was the
epicenter of early Christianity. The church in Rome was established after that.
The "True Christians" should never be defined by 'church' or denomination.  
There are Christians, and there are unbelievers.  What church you elect to
attend is of little import.  By Grace you are saved through Faith, and not of
works, lest any man should brag.  A paraphrase of Paul, forgive me if it's not
letter perfect.
End Times is an amazing field to study.  Suffice it to say that no man knows
the hour and the day.  We are implored to watch, and to keep oil in our
lamps.  All the Gospels, indeed all the New Testament, speak of the coming
end times.  Our charge as Christians is to watch and be ready,  and to be a
witness to others that they might not be lost.  
As you read current events, you will no doubt see many partial fulfillments of
prophesy.  There are also multiple fulfillments - for example, the destruction
of the Temple in AD 70.  But the Lord will come again for His own.
God Bless you, and may the Lord protect and defend you.
ed  

Answer
Dear Ed:

You state, “There were no ‘Catholic’ churches at that time, just as there were no Protestant churches.” Of course there were no Protestant churches in the first century. Protestantism began with the heresies of Martin Luther in the 16th century. On the other hand, the Catholic Church was founded in the first century by our Lord (see Matthew 16:17-19). It is a complete fantasy of non-Catholics that the early church was “just Christian”. The truth is that they were Catholic Christians. They had St. Peter, or his successor, as Pope just as Jesus had declared that his One True Church would. The early Church believed some distinctly Catholic things and no distinctly Protestant things. For example, they believed in the Real Presence, the intercession of the saints, Purgatory, the papacy, and many Marian beliefs.

The idea of yours that it doesn’t matter what church one attends is utter nonsense. Go tell that to families that have lost loved ones to cults. Jesus prayed that his Church would be one (see John 17:20-23). All non-Catholic churches teach wildly differing doctrines. These churches are certainly not at one. On the other hand, the Catholic Church holds one unified belief. This anarchy among non-Catholic churches could not be from God. Jesus sent his One True Church the truth through the Holy Spirit (see John 16:12-13). If it doesn’t matter what church one attends then what was the point of sending the Holy Spirit? What did Jesus mean when he said the Holy Spirit would lead his Church “into all truth”? Since Jesus was clear that his One True Church would be founded in the first century and last forever under the leadership of St. Peter’s successor, the Pope, only the Catholic Church could be this Church. All churches founded later need not apply. One more nail in the coffin of “it doesn’t matter what church one attends”: Jesus bled and died for his One True Church (see Ephesians 6:25-27). It certainly seemed to matter to him! Please consider these facts before making such unbiblical statements in the future.

May God Lead You into All Truth,
Sal