"Have I Then Become Your Enemy Because I Tell You the Truth?"
Galatians 4:16

"Truth has always bothered people and is never comfortable."
Cardinal Ratzinger, October 9, 2000
"The New Testament is hidden in the Old, and the Old Testament is revealed in the New."
Saint Augustine

The Bible is many books, yet it is one book. It is many stories, yet it is one story. It is the story of GOD's Salvation History of man. Using typology, a very useful tool for Biblical exegesis, so many prefigurements, or symbols, in the Old Testament are found to point to New Testament realities. Strict rules must be followed, and one is that the Old Testament prefigurement is always inferior to the New Testament reality. Another rule is that, never does an Old Testament symbol point to another symbol in the New Testament, but always to a much greater reality.

Psalms 127:1 the prefigurement,
"Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain."
There is only one Church of GOD. All the rest were built by man.
All churches on earth, save one, are negated by this verse. So it would seem that unless you can prove that Jesus Christ founded your church, you have labored in vain.

1Timothy 3:15 the reality,
"If I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth."
The house referred to in Psalms 127:1 is explained here. Notice the word used in this verse is 'church' not 'churches'. Also note that the Bible says it is the Church which is the pillar and foundation of the truth. Non-Catholics appear to ignore this verse, as when I ask them, their answer to me is, "it is the Bible which is the pillar and foundation of truth".
Now the big question most pressing is, "which church is it"?
Never fear for the Bible tells us which Church it is if we follow it and believe the Word of GOD.

Matthew 16:18-19,
"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."
Jesus Christ founded a Church. Notice that He did say "church", (singular) and not churches. The gates of hell not prevailing, is a promise that His Church will be protected by Himself from within, and from without for all eternity. For those who insist that the Church which Jesus Christ founded, apostatized soon after the last Apostle died, then they have really said that the gates of hell did prevail against it, and therefore they have called Him a liar for His promise here.

Matthew 28:18-20,
"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age."
This is the promise of Jesus Christ to be with His Church every day in every century until the end of time, and with no 1500 year gaps, not even one day. For those who say the Church which Jesus Christ founded, apostatized soon after the last Apostle died, have called Him a liar again for His promise here.

John 14:16-17,
"And I will ask the Father and He will give you another Advocate to dwell with you forever, the Spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you shall know Him, because He will dwell with you, and be in you."
Here is the promise that the Holy Spirit will be with the only Church which Jesus Christ founded forever. For those who say the Church which Jesus Christ founded, apostatized soon after the last Apostle died, have called Him a liar yet again for His promise here.

John 16:12-13, and John 14:26
"I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 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."
Notice the future tense He "will" guide and "will declare things that are to come".
For those who say the Church which Jesus Christ founded, apostatized soon after the last Apostle died, have called Him a liar still yet again for His promise here.


Ephesians 3:20-21,
"Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever."
Here is yet another promise from Holy Scripture that the Church which Jesus Christ founded will last forever. For those who say the Church which Jesus Christ founded, apostatized soon after the last Apostle died, they are being judgmental of the Holy Word of GOD, and thus judgmental of GOD Himself as well.

1John 5:10,
"He who does not believe the Son makes Him a liar; because he does not believe the witness that GOD has borne concerning the Son."
If you do not believe the verses of the promises of Jesus Christ and of Saint Paul as listed above, then you have called both of them a liar.

Ephesians 5:23
"Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is head of his wife just as Christ is head of the church, he himself the savior of the body."
Since the Church which Jesus Christ founded is His Body (Ephesians 1:22-23), then He is the Savior of His Body. That is why the only Church which He founded is still here after 2000 years of incessant attacks, both from within and from without.

Acts 5:38-39,
"So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this undertaking is of men, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!"
Here is yet another reason why the only Church which Jesus Christ founded is still with us after 2000 years of constant attacks. Aren't they who do not believe His word, "opposing GOD", as I have shown here?
Those who attack the only Church which Jesus Christ founded, should realize that when they attack it, they attack Jesus Christ Himself. It is just as shown in Acts 9:4, when Jesus Christ said to Saul, who had been persecuting his Church, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"
If you will read chapters 7 and 8 of Acts, you will find that Saul was mercilessly persecuting the fledgling Christian Church, committing Christians to prison, and even murdering Saint Stephen (Acts 7:58-59). Why didn't Jesus Christ say, "Why are you persecuting My Church" instead?
So the big question to ask is, "Which Church is it?".
There are literally tens of thousands* of different sects in the world today from which to choose.
To eliminate all of the sects and to find the true Church, why don't you simply test for it?

*World Christian Encyclopedia, April 2001, a Protestant publication.

Here is the common sense, historical, and "what Holy Scripture tells us, or doesn't tell us" test:

1. Holy Scripture tells us that it had to have been founded by GOD.
"Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain." Psalms 127:1
"And I tell you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Matthew 16:18

2. Holy Scripture tells us that there is only one church, Psalms 127:1, Ephesians 1:22-23, 4:3-6.

3. Common sense tells us that it must still be here today, as it was His promise to be with His Church every day in every century until the end of time, as shown in Matthew 28:20.

4. Common sense tells us, it has to be able to provide genuine historical documents attesting to its existence and continuity in every century for the past 20 centuries.
Why is it that so many refuse to even read these documents or deny that they even exist?
Are they afraid of what they might find?
"To be deep in history is to cease to be Protestant", said by John Henry Newman, ex Protestant.
Those who refuse to profit from the errors of history are doomed to repeat them again!

5. Common sense tells us, it has to be able to show an unbroken line of hierarchal leadership for the past 20 centuries. Only one Church can show this.

6. Common sense tells us, it has to be able to find its image in Holy Scripture.

7. Holy Scripture tells us that the Holy Spirit will be with His Church forever, John 14:16-17.

8. Scripture tells us that the Holy Spirit will teach His Church all truth over time, John 16:12-13.

9. Common sense and Holy Scripture tell us that the Holy Spirit could not be teaching and guiding any church other than the one which Jesus Christ founded. This is simply because truth is one and those sects not founded by the Lord all have opposing viewpoints between one another. Except for the existence of GOD, every doctrine taught by one, is denied by another. Their teaching is based solely upon personal opinions, which have no bearing whatsoever on doctrinal truth.
GOD does not care about man's personal opinions, but only for doctrinal truth:
"They came and said to him, "Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man and that you are not concerned with anyone's opinion. You do not regard a person's status but teach the way of GOD in accordance with the truth.""
Mark 12:14, Matthew 22:16

Saint Peter emphasized the rejection of personal opinion when he answered the high priest with,
"We must obey God rather than men."
Acts 5:29

The facts speak for themselves, leaving no room for opposing personal opinions:

"I appeal to you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment."
1Corinthians 1:10
How can tens of thousands of individual sects with millions of members, fail to understand that
very clear and simple verse?
Here is another one on the same theme, also ignored by so many:

"So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any incentive of love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind."
Philippians 2:1-2. See Philippians 1:27 also.
It stands to reason that if all of those various sects taught the same thing, then there would be only one church, just as Holy Scripture demands.

"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 10:16
"And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, to be with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him; you know him, for he dwells with you, and will be in you."
John 14:16-17. See also Acts 20:28.
What does whom the world cannot receive mean? To whom did Jesus speak these words? It is clear that the Holy Spirit is guiding the one Church which Jesus Christ founded.

10. Holy Scripture tells us that there will be factions within the one Church of GOD.
"For, in the first place, when you assemble as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you; and I partly believe it, for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized."
1Corinthians 11:18-19
The fact that factions (sects) are present, causes those with the light of truth to shine forth apart from those who are in error. Those who are of the one Church which Jesus Christ founded have that light of truth.

11. Holy Scripture tells us that the only Church which Jesus Christ founded will be subject to Christ and to Him alone. Scripture does not say His Church is subject to man. That makes it a theocracy governed by a hierarchy. The rule comes from the top down and not from the bottom up as in a democracy. How many sects are controlled by the collective will of the people? In the Church which Jesus Christ founded, if 99% of the people wanted something changed, it would not, and could not be changed unless it was by the will of GOD.
Acts 5:29, Ephesians 5:24-25,29, Colossians 1:18

12. Scripture tells us that His Church will last forever, Ephesians 3:21, and Matthew 28:20.
Why then do some say it apostatized at some time or another, and yet they cannot state the time, nor the place, nor provide any authentic documented "proof" of this so-called apostasy?

13. Holy Scripture tells us that it is the Church and not the Bible which is the
pillar and foundation of truth. 1Timothy 3:15. See Ephesians 3:10 also.
Why then do some say it is the Bible and not the Church? Where does it say that in Scripture?

14. Holy Scripture tells us that Christ's Church was given the commission of guarding that truth,
"...guard the truth that has been entrusted to you by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us."
2Timothy 1:14
Did the truth go unguarded for 1500 years until Martin Luther came along?

15. Holy Scripture tells us that Apostolic tradition will be handed down from generation to generation. 2Thessalonians 2:15

16. Holy Scripture tells us that the Church which Jesus Christ founded is the final authority on earth. Matthew 18:15-18

17. Holy Scripture tells us that the true Church will hold to no private interpretation of Holy Scripture. Acts 8:26-35, 2Peter 1:20-21

18. Holy Scripture tells us that the true Church must be found all over the world,
Malachi 1:11, Matthew 28:19, Acts 1:8

19. Holy Scripture tells us that the true Church will offer sacrifice, a clean oblation, every day in every place, Malachi 1:11. A clean oblation could not possibly mean the bloody animal sacrifices of the Old Testament, but the Holy Eucharistic sacrifice as Jesus commanded when He said,
"This is my body, which is being given for you; do this in remembrance of me", Luke 22:19.
Which of the tens of thousands of sects offer sacrifice every day, or every week, or monthly, or quarterly, or yearly, or not at all? Scripture clearly says to offer a clean oblation every day.
Which, if any, of the thousands of sects abide by this Word of GOD? The true Church does.

20. It is the Church which Jesus Christ founded that gave the world the Bible.

21. Common sense, history, and Holy Scripture, tell us that there are over 135 well-grounded facts which point to the one true Church which Jesus Christ founded, and to none other.

22. Where is the authority? Holy Scripture is silent when a person searches it for the verse which gives him or her the authority to found yet another church other than the one which Jesus Christ founded. No one can simply hold up a Bible and say "This is my authority", if they cannot find the verse which authorizes them to make that statement. The lack of Biblical authority coupled with Psalms 127:1, negates every church on earth, save one, the only one founded by GOD.
Here is where Jesus gave authority to His one and only Church.
"He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me."
Luke 10:16
"Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you." And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.""
John 20:20-23, also see Matthew 16:18-19, 18:15-18, 28:18-20.

23. Holy Scripture tells us that the gates of hell will not prevail against it. However, heretics, from within and from without, of all sorts, have been trying to bring it down for almost 2000 years
(Galatians 1:13, Philippians 3:6), and all have failed. None of them realized that the reason for their failure is because His Church is protected by Jesus Christ Himself, who is the Savior of His Body, Ephesians 5:23, Acts 5:38-39.

Now it is your turn to name the one church which fits all of the listed criteria perfectly. You know that it has to still be here, as it was His promise.
Those who do not believe what He has said have called Him a liar, 1John 5:10.
"He who believes in the Son has eternal life; he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God rests upon him."
John 3:36

Only one Church on earth fulfills all of the above conditions.
Of the over 33,820* non-Catholic sects in the world today, few can fulfill even one of them.

*World Christian Encyclopedia, April 2001, a Protestant publication.
"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of those men who in their wickedness hold back the truth of GOD."
Romans 1:18

"For he will render to every man according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are factious and do not obey the truth, but obey wickedness, there will be wrath and fury."
Romans 2:6-8

"The coming of the lawless one by the activity of Satan will be with all power and with pretended signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are to perish, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends upon them a strong delusion, to make them believe what is false, so that all may be condemned who do not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning to be saved, through sanctification by the spirit and belief in the truth."
2Thessalonians 2:9-13

"If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching which accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit, he knows nothing; he has a morbid craving for controversy and for disputes about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, base suspicions, and wrangling among men who are depraved in mind and bereft of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain."
1Timothy 6:3-6

"He who will not reason is a bigot. He who cannot reason is a fool. He who dares not reason is a slave." William Drummond

Galatians 4:16?
©
Written by Bob Stanley, May 27, 2002
Updated June 13, 2002

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