CHRIST’S CHURCH VS
SATAN’S CHURCHES IN A NUTSHELL
By Steven Speray Jan. 20, 2008
There is a perverse and pervasive belief held by many, who call themselves Christian, that the Church of Christ is the body of true believers, which can and does cross many denominational lines. It is not the denominational or nondenominational church that really matters, but the personal faith of the individuals, and these individuals are the ones who make up the Church of Christ. In other words, the Church of Christ subsists in any particular denomination.
Most all Protestants hold this view as well as the new religion of Rome. The Second Vatican Council actually states this very thing in its dogmatic constitution by stating that the Church of Christ subsists in the Catholic Church explaining that other non-Catholic churches help build up the one Body of Christ in its Decree on Ecumenism.
According to the Bible, this is impossible. Different faiths of Christ do not make up the one Faith of Christ, but this is precisely what most so-called Christians actually believe.
This is a complete falsehood and flatly contradicts the very Bible they all claim to follow. It denies that the Church is the ONE FAITH of Christ. Faith is not just a belief in Christ, for even the demons believe (James 2:19). Demons are not of the one faith of Christ.
Make no mistake about it; any church that professes such a lie is not a Christian church but rather a satanic church that only professes “a” belief in Christ but not “the” belief of Christ.
If this sounds a little over-the-top, then perhaps a re-examining of the evidence is in order.
Satan means adversary. Anything that is contrary to Christ would be satanic. This is why Christ said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me; for you are not on the side of God, but of men.” (Matthew 16:23, Mark 8:33)
The Satanic Church doesn’t worship the devil per se, but rather worships against Christ. Any religion that goes against the true religion is, without a doubt, a religion of the devil or a satanic church. Christ said, “He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.” (Matthew 12:30)
Some churches, such as the new religion of Rome, hold that their particular church has the fullness of means of salvation, but that the means of salvation can be found in other denominational churches.
This lie, that the Church of Christ subsists in this or that denomination, is Satanic because it allows each individual to follow his own system of beliefs. It is Satanic because it follows the laws of the devil, “To each his own,” which leads to “Do as thou wilt.”
All roads do not lead to heaven, but only one road and Christ said it was so narrow that few would even find it (Matt. 7:14).
There are others who believe their particular church is the one true church even though their church was founded by some man within the last 500 years.
According to the Bible, this also is impossible, because it denies that the Church Christ founded was infallible and indefectible and would last all days. It presupposes the Church must have died and needed to be rebuilt or resurrected.
The following Scripture passages by themselves will refute through implication why all these things are false beliefs about the Church. They will also demonstrate how these individuals are actually outside of the Church and apart from the very faith of Christ they claim to hold. Thus their personal faith in Christ then becomes the very stumbling block on which they will fall into condemnation.
May the following Word of God wipe clean this sinister snare of Satan to find the true Church and reject all the clever works of the Devil.
Truth matters or else there would be no point to religion whatsoever. Why practice any religion if it does not matter whether it is true or not?
If one religion is better than another but both are legitimate roads to Heaven, why would anyone practice the most difficult religion if only to have a greater place in Heaven but a greater chance of hell? Would Christ ask us to gamble with our souls?
All roads may lead to Rome but only one road leads to Heaven.
Comments have been added to many of these verses to hammer down the point; the Church of Christ is one faith, which can only be of one particular church in the world. All other churches, that claim to follow Christ, are in reality merely man-made religions, which have used every lie in the book to reject the one and only true Church Christ founded.
These psuedo-churches usurping the Christian name are truly the most satanic religions of the world.
The one and only road to Heaven is Jesus Christ as He Himself states, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6)
Christ implies that apart from the truth is apart from the way and life itself. The “Way” was how the Church was first known. The Way, Truth, and Life are so linked together, that you cannot have one without the others. You cannot have only one part of Christ. You either have Him totally or not at all.
Jesus replied to Pontius Pilate, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth.” (John 18:37)
Christ bore witness to “the” truth. This means truth is not relative. If it is true for you, it must be true for me.
Jesus said he would build His [one] Church and it will never die.
“And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18)
“I am with you all days, even unto the consummation of the world.” (Matthew 28:20)
Notice, Christ built a church, not churches. The 20,000 plus denominations and non-denominations today, do not add up to “a” church. All have different ways, beliefs, teachings, and practices. They all do not make up a single religious church.
The Church of Christ is the Body of Christ because She is the Bride of Christ.
(Ephesians 5:22-32) “[22] Wives, be subject to your husbands, as to the Lord. [23] For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. [24] As the church is subject to Christ, so let wives also be subject in everything to their husbands. [25] Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, [26] that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, [27] that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. [28] Even so husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. [29] For no man ever hates his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, as Christ does the church, [30] because we are members of his body. [31] “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” [32] This mystery is a profound one, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church;”
(Colossians 1:18,24) “[18]He is the head of the body, the church; [24] his body, that is, the church,”
(I Corinthians 6:15) “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I therefore take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never!”
(I Corinthians 12:27) “Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.”
(Romans 12-4-5) “For as in one body we have many members, and all the members do not have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.”
The Church Christ founded is the Way.
(Acts 9:2) “so that if he found any belonging to the Way”
(Acts 19:9,23) “[9] when some were stubborn and disbelieved, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation [23] About that time there arose no little stir concerning the Way.”
(Acts 24:14,22) “[14] that according to the Way, which they call a sect, worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the law or written in the prophets, [22] But Felix, having a rather accurate knowledge of the Way,”
If Christ is the Way and the Church is the Way, and the Church is the Body of Christ, then apart from Christ and the Church is apart from Life. Apart from life means apart from salvation, therefore, outside the church there is no salvation.
The Church is Christ’s Flock.
“I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me, as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd.” (John 10:14-16)
“Every one who is of the truth hears my voice.” (John 18:37)
(I Peter 5:1-4) “So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ as well as a partaker in the glory that is to be revealed. Tend the flock of God that is your charge, not by constraint but willingly, not for shameful gain but eagerly, not as domineering over those in your charge but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd is manifested you will obtain the unfading crown of glory.”
The Church is “of the truth” because it hears the voice of Christ, who is the Head and Shepherd. Again, there is only “one flock” not different flocks. Those who are not of the one flock, Christ must bring into the fold. The implication again, is the flock will attain salvation with the “crown of glory”, but outside the fold there will not be that crown of glory meaning no salvation.
The Church is a visible institution.
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid.” (Matthew 5:14)
(I Corinthians 12:28) “And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, then healers, helpers, administrators, and speakers in various kinds of tongues.”
(Colossians 1:24-25) “his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the divine office”
The Church is visible or else these passages are meaningless. If there are apostles and they are first, then the rest should follow them because Apostles are leaders, overseers, and the bishops of the Church. They did not appoint themselves but were appointed by Christ Himself or other Apostles after Him. They don’t start their own churches (denominations and non-denominations) but spread the one Church already founded.
The Church is the household of God.
(Ephesians 2:19-22) “So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built into it for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”
(I Timothy 3:15) “you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God”
Notice, the Church is built upon Christ and the apostles and prophets, not men reinventing religion with a new foundation of enlightened thought such as the Protestant and Evangelical Reformers who started their own churches based on what they thought the church should be. Sola Scriptura (Bible Alone) is the myth, which became the justification to reject the foundation of the Apostles, and create a new foundation and just call it the foundation of the Apostles. Modernism is the enlightened thought of the new religion of Rome, which replaced historic Christianity and usurped the Catholic name.
The Church is the household of Faith.
(Galatians 6:10) “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”
The Church equals Faith. If you have “the” Faith, you are of “the” Church.
The Church is the one Faith.
(Ephesians 4-6) “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in all.”
(I Timothy 6:20-21) “O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid the godless chatter and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge, for by professing it some have missed the mark as regards the faith. Grace be with you.”
(Jude 1:20) “But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit;”
Since there is only one Lord, it only follows that there is only one Faith. The Church is the Body of Christ. It equals the Faith, which equals the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
The Church has true authority.
“…tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 18: 17-18)
(Galatians 1:8) “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we preached to you, let him be accursed (anathema or cut-off).”
(Titus 2:15) “Declare these things; exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you.”
If one has a disagreement about something of the Faith, which Church does he take it to? If the Faith is the Church, then there must be someone whom has the authority in the Church to say so. This someone is the one who has the authority to bind and loose. He is the one whom has the authority to anathematize. Although several persons could make certain decisions in the Church, it ultimately must come down to one person in the end. But the authority cannot be rejected or else you will automatically be cut-off from the Way. Thus, the rejection of this authority will be the rejection of salvation. “Whoever hears you, hears me; and whoever rejects you, rejects me,” says the Lord Jesus. (Luke 10:16)
The Church is immaculate and has no flaws or defections.
(Ephesians 5:25-27) “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.”
This demonstrates how one cannot complain about anything the Church teaches or practices or else the implication would be the Church is not a spotless Bride, but a whore. He who rejects anything the Church teaches or practices because he thinks them to be spots, wrinkles or blemishes of the Church, blasphemes Christ and His Church.
The Church is the pillar and bulwark of Truth and is infallible.
(I Timothy 3:14-15) “I am writing these instructions to you so that, 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.”
A pillar and bulwark is something that holds something else up. In this case, it is the Church who holds up the Truth. If something is not true, then it is a lie. The Church cannot lie. Everything the Church teaches must be true or this passage is meaningless.
“Every one who is of the truth hears my voice.” (John 18:37)
“But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:23-24)
The worship of the Church is of the spirit and truth. It is not apart from the spirit and truth, or else, it would not be the true Church doing the worshiping.
“[7] Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. [13] When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” (John 16:7,13)
“[17} Sanctify them in the truth; thy word is truth. [19] And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be consecrated in truth.” (John 17:17,19)
“And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:18-19)
What are the gates of hell but the lies of the devil and men. If the Church taught one lie, then the powers of hell would prevail. However, Christ promised this never to happen. The keys are given to one man, Peter. He is that someone whom Christ has given the power and the authority to bind and loose. He is the one whom has been given the authority to anathematize. The keys also denote succession. All this can be seen in Isaiah 22:22, from which Christ, the Eternal son of David, was drawing from, when He gave Peter the keys, just as Eli’akim was given the key to the house of David.
Therefore, Peter’s true successors will have his same power, which ultimately comes from Christ. This has always been the belief and practice of the Church Christ founded. To reject Peter and his successors’ authority is to reject the historic Christian faith. It also means the rejection of the Way, the Truth, and the Life who is Christ himself. Apart from this truth of Peter means apart from salvation. Salvation depends on this truth to make sense of the whole of the Scriptures about what the Church is, does, and means. Refusing to listen even to the Church, which must by necessity come down to the authority of one man, is to be as the Gentile and tax collector.
“tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 18: 17-18)
The Church guards all truth and keeps all false teachings out.
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.” (John 15:4-10)
(Galatians 1:8) “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we preached to you, let him be accursed (anathema or cut-off).”
(I Corinthians 16:21-23) “I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. If any one has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord, come! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.”
(II Timothy 4:3-4) “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths.”
(I Peter 5:8-9) “Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking some one to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith”
(Colossians 1:21-23) “And you, who once were estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him, provided that you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which has been preached to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.”
(I Timothy 1:3-11) “As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, [4] nor to occupy themselves with myths and endless genealogies which promote speculations rather than the divine training that is in faith; [5] whereas the aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and sincere faith. [6] Certain persons by swerving from these have wandered away into vain discussion, [7] desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make assertions. [8] Now we know that the law is good, if any one uses it lawfully, [9] understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, [10] immoral persons, sodomites, kidnapers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, [11] in accordance with the glorious gospel of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.”
(II Tim 1:14) “guard the truth that has been entrusted to you by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.”
CONCLUSION
According to the Holy Scriptures, the Church Christ founded is the household of God and Faith. It is a visible institution with divine offices. It has the full authority of Christ to teach, preach, sanctify, and anathematize. The Church is One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic. It is united in faith and perfected in truth. Outside this Church, there is no salvation. The Church of Christ can be found in all generations. Only one Church can claim to be this Church for only one has all the marks. One cannot claim to believe in Jesus, the Holy Bible, and Christianity without acknowledging it.
The TRUTH of religion matters for the salvation of men.
Truth is objective. The true religion must be perfect in every way. If one discrepancy can be found by way of doctrine in a particular religion, then the whole religion is corrupt. It must be rejected entirely.
Christ calls man to be perfect. (Matthew 5:48)
If God is to be worshiped in spirit and truth (John 4:24), then a false religion would not be in spirit and truth, but in contradiction and error.
To remain in a false religion as one picks and chooses out of the false religion what is good and what is bad, is not in spirit and truth.
The whole tree must be good. If it bears bad fruit, it should cut down and thrown into the fire. (Luke 3:9, 13:7)
The Vatican 2 Church and all the Protestant, Evangelical, and non-denominational churches are trees that bears nothing but bad fruit, since they all lead to a false relationship with Christ.
They all mock Christ and everything that is holy while pretending to be Christian.
In the end, Christ will have them all cut down and thrown into the fire.
Only one Church will be left standing.
The underground Catholic Church, which is the Bride of Christ, will be raised up and brought out of the wilderness (Apoc. 12:6) because she has kept herself pure by not following false doctrine and will be dressed in fine linen (Apoc. 19:7-8), and there will be a great feast.
“And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are true words of God.” (Apoc. 19:9)
Speray's Catholicism in a Nutshell 
This is what I was taught in Catholic Schools up to 1963.
You must have been Home Schooled by very Traditional
Roman Catholic Parents.
Your writings are always excellent, and to the point.
Thank you for the compliment. I actually attended a public school that was hostile towards Catholicism by way of history. I was too immature to study hard while just wanting to play sports. I was raised in a modernist church. It took me another 15 years to grow up and get things straight.
But what about the seven churches in Asia – were they not fairly independent each needing a different letter from Jesus. Thomas founded a church in India which only subjected to the Roman Catholic church around 400- 500 AD.
Just wondering about your thoughts on this. Also do you think the orthodox is outwith salvation since the split.
The seven churches in Asia all form the one Catholic Church. The Catholic Church has many different rites such as the Greek, Coptic, Maronite, Syriac, Chaldean, etc. yet all form the one Catholic Church. Each of these particular Catholic Churches have different laws, disciplines, etc., therefore needing different instructions. The Catholic Church founded in India by St. Thomas is known as the Malankarese rite (Syro-Malankara or Malankara Syrian) and was always subject to Peter and Rome. You can look up the history of this particular church and all of its schisms.
To answer your second question, I do believe the Orthodox split from Rome was a severing from salvation. That being said however, I’m sure many of its members are ignorant to the truth, and those of good-will are members of the Catholic Church in the internal forum. God is the judge.
Steven, do you still believe your statement on the Orthodox?
What statements particularly? I do believe they have 7 sacraments, today. In the day of Pope Hormisdas, they had the norm of the faith but they abandoned that in the 11 century.
Wow are you serious with that argument. Pride is your downfall.
Speray Replies: Wow! Are you serious with your comment? Pride is your downfall.
Dear Steven,
I just discovered your website and really enjoyed your writings. I am fortunate to have discovered the true Church a few years ago and to be in Our Lady Queen of Martyrs parish in Fraser, MI in Bishop Sanborn’s diocese. I am 76 years old and have detested all the changes in the liturgy, running from one church to another seeking orthodoxy until finding this gem. I have tried fruitlessly so far to convince family and friends to join the true Catholic Church but it is probably because of my own unworthiness. It is astounding to me how people can be so clueless as the truth is so evident.
God bless you and your works.
Michael Cavanaugh
I have a book for you: http://www.lulu.com/shop/steven-speray/after-pope-pius-xii-the-deluge-how-to-articulate-sedevacantism/paperback/product-23065696.html
Thank you. I will order the book and look forward to reading it.
I would also like to give you a prayer which I think really applies to the sedevacantist. Taken directly from the Offertory of the Mass it somehow resonated with me and I find myself saying this prayer multiple times during the day. I am sure it is very familiar to you.
I have loved O Lord the beauty of thy house and the place where thy glory dwellth (the preVatican ll church and the tabernacle with the Real Presence)
Take not away my soul O God with the wicked nor my life with men of blood
In whose hands are iniquities their right hand is full of bribes (Novus Ordo church with the marriage annulments, forgotten disciplines, et cet)
But as for me I have walked in my innocence
Redeem me and have mercy on me
My foot hath stood in the right way
In the churches I will bless Thee O Lord. Amen
Michael
It is definitely true that any man that goes against the word and teachings of God, in His Son’s Holy name, is of the anti-christ. There are only two ways of life, that of the world, and that of God. What I have found myself to be is part of the catholic church.
That, my friend, is catholic with a small “c”. The word catholic means the universal Church of Christ, the one and only church, guaranteed to save all who believe and follow the cornerstone of that one Church, Jesus Christ.
It begins with faith that Jesus Christ existed; born into the world, walked and taught the masses of people, was crucified bearing the weight of the sins of the world on His shoulders, then resurrected, never to die again. It is beginning with faith and belief that we follow Jesus Christ. All else comes after.
In James 2, James says that “faith without works is dead” which means empty faith (all talk, no action) shows one to have no faith at all, because he or she is not motivated to walk in the way of Christ and do such things as help the needy, share what we have with others, love, forgive, serve others as we serve our Lord God by serving others, all which are told and taught to us in the Bible, therefore if we do not have faith in Christ’s words, telling us all this is important, then we have no faith in Him. But we do not get into Heaven on works and rituals, which confuses people often, as this verse in James 2 is often misinterpreted.
I liked what you wrote about “There are others who believe their particular church is the one true church”. I find this especially aggravating, as the only church is Christianity. Do you not find it at all odd that the Church being a catholic church, decided to capitalize the C to tell people their church is the only way?
I am in full agreement that the catholic church was the first and only Church, in that it dwells in the holy temple, which is universally all Christians, that accept Jesus as the “way, truth, and the life,” the Head of the Body, the Bread, the Passion, the Resurrection, and the only Salvation. We are to have faith, believe, and hold to His traditions, meaning, we are to love, only judge lovingly and correctively, but not superficially, store our treasures in Heaven, and make disciples of all the nations.
God be with you, Brother Stephen
typo correction: Do you not find it at all odd that the Church being a catholic church, people decided to capitalize the C to tell people their church is the only way? Wouldn’t that be like saying that my church is the only way and so forth?
The first time we see the word Catholic in history to identify the Christian Church was from St. Ignatius of Antioch in 107 AD, and it wasn’t a little “C”. He wrote: “Let no one do anything of concern to the Church without the bishop. Let that be considered a valid Eucharist which is celebrated by the bishop or by one whom he ordains [i.e., a presbyter]. Wherever the bishop appears, let the people be there; just as wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church” (Letter to the Smyrneans 8:2).
St. Ignatius was the third bishop at Antioch, St. Peter being the first. The Catholic Church as always taught that She alone is the only way. Pope St. Hormisdas, (514-523) Book on the Profession of Faith, D. 171: “The first condition of salvation is to keep the norm of the true faith and in no way to deviate from the established doctrine of the Fathers.”
The norm and established doctrines included the 7 sacraments, which only 2 religions actually have: the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox today.
Pope St. Gregory the Great, quoted in Summo Iugiter Studio, 590-604: “The holy universal Church teaches that it is not possible to worship God truly except in her and asserts that all who are outside of her will not be saved.”
The reason for Pope St. Gregory’s teaching is that living outside the Church established by Christ is not truly following Christ.
Pope Adrain II, (867-872) ACTIO I, D. 171, n.1, quoting the Rule of Pope St. Hormisdas, IV Constantinople: “The first requirement of salvation is to keep to the standard of the true faith.”
The Standard includes the Divine Liturgy, 7 sacraments, etc. You don’t find the standard in any Protestant/Fundamental/Evangelical religion.
Pope Innocent III, Eius exemplo, Dec. 18, 1208: “By the heart we believe and by the mouth we confess the one Church, not of heretics, but the Holy Roman, Catholic, and Apostolic Church outside of which we believe that no one is saved.”
The Church’s definition of heretics are those who are validly baptized and pertinaciously reject the dogmas of the Faith.
Pope Innocent III, Fourth Lateran Council, Constitution 1, 1215: “There is indeed one universal Church of the faithful, outside of which nobody at all is saved, in which Jesus Christ is both priest and sacrifice.”
The sacrifice of Christ is represented on the altars of the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches only. The Divine Liturgy or Mass is absolutely necessary to be part of the standard of the True Faith. The rejection of the 7 sacraments and the Divine Liturgy is a rejection of true Christianity!
Are these popes men? I equate it to all the Pastors, Ministers, Fathers, ect, that are compared as Satanic people in this article. If we exhault man and put them up on a pedestal, would we not be equating them to God Himself?
Romans 8:9 says “You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him”
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit- 1 Corinthians 12:13
I firmly believe that, though there are many churches that teach a watered down faith, that does not encourage those to go out and become fishers of men, I do believe also that each church, Roman Catholic and Baptist included, has those that dwell within the church that pervert the church. Those who have left the church to find new churches, the truly Godly people who wanted to purify the church, are doing so within their own church building. But their churches are just that. Buildings. It’s the people inside, the ones that truly believe that Christ died for their sins and believe He is the only Way, that are Christians, such as those in the book of Acts who spread the Church to each community.
If, however, those churches are teaching that homosexuality and abortion are ok, that you don’t need to have an active relationship with God, and that you cannot lose your Salvation, these are blasphemous and Anti-Christ. I even read an article that stated the Church is the one responsible to “rule. teach. sanctify.” (quoted from Fr. Paul D Scalia, Small “c” catholic, “It’s a Catholic Thing”.) It is God who is to rule. It is through the Bible that we are to teach, and Jesus who sanctifies us through the Holy Spirit. Once the Spirit dwells in us, we are made Holy, but not unless through Him.
We have to be careful not to allow any churches to eclipse God and the Holy Trinity from our site. Like a solar panel in desperate need of the sun for energy, our Church is in need of direct Son light.
The pope is a man. My pastor is a man. Our President is a man. Martin Luther was a man. The Apostles were men. Jesus was God incarnated as man. We must not put our men on a pedestal where they may fall, but pray for all, so they may be lifted up. Men make errors, even anointed ones.
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, Peter, and James are men, too. Yet, they were infallible when they wrote the Scriptures. They didn’t makes errors. The Popes are infallible when they lay down the law and teach on faith and morals. The Bible doesn’t tell you that Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, Peter, and James were infallible, yet, we must believe it as Christians. Without the popes, you don’t have the Bible at all. Read: https://stevensperay.wordpress.com/2013/10/22/a-closer-look-at-sola-scriptura-and-the-historical-alternative-in-400-words/
I will read that for sure. But what about the prophets like Hosea, Ezekiel, Amos, David. They were not popes, yet we had a Bible before Christ, prophesying Christ
The Sadduccees only accepted the first 5 books of the Old Testament. The Pharisees accepted the others. We also have the Hebrew canon and the Septuagint which are not the same. Jesus used the Septuagint and we know that because He quotes from it. Interestingly enough, the Septuagint has 7 more books with 6 more chapters to Esther and three more parts to Daniel. Protestants dropped these books (the Word of God and denied that they were the Word of God) from the Bible but the Catholic Church did not.