Religion is hard. Prayer is hard, discipline is hard, perseverance is hard.

Men are made for this difficulty.

As a result, feelings have no place in the equation.

Why? Because feelings will abandon you. Or, give you a false sense; that’s just not there!

The 4 Last Things...

Death, judgement, heaven, and hell.

The Catholic church has the most knowledge on the four last things.

Mystics, saints, etc. have been given visions on these teachings over the last 2000 years.

It is said that unless some facet of the four last things are preached upon each Sunday that there is no fruit.

The four last things saved my marriage as I became more involved in the teachings of the Church.

We are commanded to consider our death, judgement, heaven and hell each day.

This keeps us on top of our game and helps us to consider our mortality.

This taught me that I don’t have as nearly as much time as I think I do.

It keeps me at a since of urgency when it comes to God, my marriage, and my life.

Again, the Catholic Church saved my marriage, and I ask you to consult the Holy Spirit and give it a chance to save yours!

Many Christian denominations have a problem with the authority of the Catholic Church.

Which basically means, they do not believe that Christ left His mission and teachings in the hands of the Catholic Church.

To be clear it really doesn’t matter what anyone thinks as God, Christ, the Holy Spirit and the demons understand the authority and where it comes from.

But today I want to present the scripture basis of the Catholic Church’s claim that is the Church that Christ left behind to carry on His mission.

And this means who did Christ give the authority to carry on the teachings (dogma, doctrine and discipline) of His Church?

Protestant denominations have many objections to this fact which we will cover some today in part 1, and in our next episode cover part 2.

Objection #1 – All Christians have the authority to interpret scripture

John 14:26

But the counselor, the holy spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

Explanation

During the last supper, Jesus told the apostles that the Holy Spirit would come and teach them and also remind them of all that he had taught them. Jesus is peaking only to the apostles, not the great multitudes which he frequently addressed. He gave the governing and interpretive power to the apostles and their successors. We, as faithful Catholics, submit to Christ and are obedient to His Church which leads and teaches us.

Objection

Apostolic Succession is a Catholic invention

Acts 2:42

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of the bread and the prayers.

Explanation

The apostles handed on the teachings of Jesus to new apostles as this verse indicates. Apostolic succession was clearly exercised in the early Church and continued throughout history. It is true that war are called to evangelize as the apostles did but not all are called to have the same functions as those in the ministerial priesthood.

Objection

Christ is the only head of the Church

Matthew 16:18

And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it.

Explanation

Christ is the head of the Church, but he did appoint a prime minister to build His Church. Peter was the first prime minister (Pope) to represent the head of the Church on earth. The name “Peter” (Kepha) means a large massive rock (not a little stone as some would suggest) Christ was not building His Church upon Peter’s recognition of who Christ is but upon Peter himself. The powers of death shall not prevail against it. This means the Church will prevail until the end.

Objection

For the true Christian the Bible alone is the pillar of truth

1 Timothy 3:15

If I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth.

Explanation

For the Catholic, the pillar of truth is the Church. Paul does no tell Timothy to consult or read the scriptures to seek the truth. The scriptures do in fact contain the true word of God but we must turn to the Church for an infallible interpretation of the revealed truths found in scripture. If we read the scriptures in concert with the Church we will see the truths in God’s revelation. Wa are not to interpret scripture in isolation but with the Church (2 Pt 3:16, 2 Pt 1:20).

That is part 1 of Holy Lover Gift 15 (seeking the truth of the Catholic faith)

BAM!

TRANSITION