Have you ever stopped to think, ‘How old is my church?’ because this is an important question anyone should know. It’s important because if you are a Christian, you should know that Jesus Christ, our only true Saviour established His Church for the salvation of mankind in 33 A.D. We know, that being God, Jesus did it right the first time, and he had no need for men to come along later, and start their own, because there were problems in his Church, due to the sins of men. His Church is a kingdom on earth, in which He predicted there would be good and bad fish, good men and bad men, and naturally that’s going to cause problems. ‘’Again the kingdom of heaven is like to a net cast into the sea, and gathering together of all kind of fishes. Which, when it was filled, they drew out, and sitting by the shore, they chose out the good into vessels, but the bad they cast forth. So shall it be at the end of the world. The angels shall go out, and shall separate the wicked from among the just. And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’’ St. Matthew 13:47-50. At the present time, because of the communist and freemasonic infiltration, the Church has much corruption inside, due to the evil of these wicked men.
Scripture quotes taken from Drbo.org, Douay Rheims Bible Online.
However, as the ages pass by, certain evil men thought they knew better than Christ’s Church, so they broke away and started their own church. Now, we have thousands of different churches claiming to be Christian, yet differing in their faith and doctrines on what one must do to be saved. In all this confusion, how is one going to know how to attain salvation, since St. Paul stated emphatically that there is “one faith,” Eph. 4:5, and he anathematized anyone coming, even an angel from heaven, preaching a different gospel, Gal. 1:8,9. ‘’ But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach a gospel to you besides that which we have preached to you, let him be anathema. As we said before, so now I say again: If any one preach to you a gospel, besides that which you have received, let him be anathema.’’ Anathema means ,”Let him got to hell if he doesn’t repent,’’ so you see, this is very serious to preach a different gospel. How do you find the true gospel? You look at the age of the churches, and see which one goes back to 33 A.D. So, how old is your church?
If you are a Lutheran, your religion was founded by Martin Luther, an ex-monk, who broke his vow of chastity, and married a nun, who also broke her vow of chastity, and started his own church in 1517. He was the first protestant in the world.
If you belong to the Church of England, your religion was founded by King Henry VIII in the year 1534, because the Pope would not grant him a divorce with the right to remarry. He remarried anyway and became an adulterer, so the Church of England was started by an adulterer.
If you are a Presbyterian, your religion was founded by John Knox in Scotland in the year 1560.
If you are a Protestant Episcopalian, your religion was an offshoot of the Church of England founded by Samuel Seabury in the American colonies in the 17th century.
If you are a Congregationalist, your religion was originated by Robert Brown in Holland in 1582.
If you are a Methodist, your religion was founded by John and Charles Wesley in England in 1738.
If you are a Mormon, (Latter Day Saints), Joseph Smith started your religion in Palmyra, N. Y., in 1829.
If you are a hardshell Baptist, you owe the tenets of your religion to John Symth, who launched it in Amsterdam in 1609. Some sources give different years in the early 1600’s. Nevertheless, your religion was started after 1600, about 1600 years too late to be the true Church, since it was started in 33 A.D. by Jesus Christ.
If you are of the Dutch Reformed Church, you recognize Michaelis Jones as founder, because he originated your religion in New York in 1628.
If you worship with the Salvation Army, your sect began with William Booth in London in 1865.
If you are a Christian Scientist, you look to 1879 as the year in which your religion was born, and to Mrs. Mary Baker Eddy as its founder.
If you recognize Bethel Fellowship as your religion, you recognize Ronald Miller as your founder, in Kentucky, in the year approximating 1980.
If you belong to one of the religious organizations known as ‘’Church of the Nazarene,’’ ‘’Pentecostal Gospel,’’ “Holiness Church,’’ “Pilgrim Holiness Church,’’ ‘’Jehovah’s Witnesses,’’ your religion is one of the hundreds of new sects founded by men within the past 150 years, all of which, may I remind you, were preaching a different gospel, condemned by St. Paul above.
Now, which one dates back to 33 A.D.? From THE HANDBOOK OF DENOMINATIONS IN THE U.S.., 4TH Ed, by Frank S. Mead. It states: “Across the first 1,000 years of Christendom the principal Church was the Roman Catholic. For the first 1500 years up to the time of the Protestant Reformation, (Martin Luther), the Western world was almost solidly Roman Catholic.” So if you are a Roman Catholic, you know that your religion was started in 33 A.D. by Jesus Christ the Son of God, and it is still the same Church. Why Catholic? Because the Apostles established a Creed which we call The Apostles Creed, and in it they stated, “I believe in the Holy Catholic Church.” Look it up. Why Roman Catholic? Because, Fr. Leslie Rumble said, “St. Peter established the Apostolic See in Rome , which was then called Babylon, and St. Peter wrote his first epistle from Rome, “The church that is in Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you: and so doth my son Mark.’’ – Radio Replies, Volume 1.
How can you trace the Catholic Church back to 33 A.D.? Pull up the list of popes which date back to St. Peter. Just as you can prove the United States has been a free nation by tracing back the presidents of the country to 1776, you can prove the existence of the Roman Catholic Church back to 33 A.D. This is a very important proof, because Our Lord said, “The gates of hell shall not prevail against my Church.” St. Matt. 16:18.
Now that I have given you a little history of the churches, and proven the Roman Catholic the true one, some of you are having a hard time seeing it, whereas you have heard many evil things about us. Fr. Arnold Damen, S.J., says, ‘’ I would, therefore, beg you, my separated brethren, to procure for yourselves Catholic Books. You have read a great deal against the Catholic Church, now read something in favor of it. You can never pass an impartial sentence if you do not hear both sides of the question.” www.olrl.org/apologetics/one_church.shtml. Ecclesiasticul 11:7, says to hear both sides before making a judgement: ‘’ Before thou inquire, blame no man: and when thou hast inquired, reprove justly.’’
Fr. Arnold Damen also has a talk where he explains why the Bible is not our guide to heaven. This is a shocking statement to protestants, but if there were no Bibles in the early Church, just a few letters here and there, how could people who did not have access to them be saved? These and many other proofs Father gives to show the Bible is not our guide to heaven. I refer you to the link above, or olrl.org. The true Bible is a very holy book, and Catholics are even given special indulgences for reading it, but if you have a version with errors in it, then Fr. Leslie Rumble again says, “If it has errors, it is no longer the Word of God.”
Now I hope to endeavor to show you the necessity of being in the true Church for salvation. If a true Gospel is going to lead you to heaven, and a false gospel will lead you to hell, wouldn’t you agree you would need the true Gospel to be saved? Let us begin with the Scripture itself, for those who only believe in the Bible.
From the Holy Bible: “The Lord added daily to the Church such as should be saved.” Acts 2:47. Right there it is, clear as day, that those who were such as should be saved, were added to the Church. Now, what is so important about being united to the Church? There are many good reasons, but let us look at this one.
St. Paul says the Church is a body, and that Christ is the head, Eph. 1:22-23, and that we who are members united to it, are ‘’ members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.’’ 5:30. This is what we call , “The Mystical Body of Christ.’’ Now recall, St. Paul says the spiritual world is seen by the things that are made,’’ Romans 1:20. In order to be united to Christ the head, we must also be united to his body, the Church. St. Augustine also had this to say: ‘’It happens sometime in the human body that something is cut off, a hand, a foot, a finger. Do you think the soul follows the part thus cut off? While it belonged to the body , it lived. Cut off, it loses life. So likewise the Christian Catholic: while in the body it lives; becoming a heretic, he is cut off. For the Spirit does not follow an amputated member, the body lives by one Spirit. Be watchful, therefore brethren, within our own body; and grieve for those who are cut off from the Church. ’’ “Becoming a heretic, he is cut off.” We will talk about that a little farther on.
Not only must we be a member united to the body, but there is a threat of damnation if we cut ourselves off from the Church, if we leave it, or refuse to come in. Jesus Christ says, “If he will not hear the Church, let him be to thee as the heathen and the publican.” St. Matthew 18:17. Who said it? Jesus Christ said it! Again, what did Father Damen say on this? “Christ commands us to hear and believe the teachings of the Church in all things; at all times and in all places. He does not say hear the Church for a thousand years or for fifteen hundred years, but hear the Church, without any limitation, without any reservation, or any restriction of time whatever. That is, at all times; in all things until the end of time, and he that does not hear the Church let him be unto thee, says Christ, as a heathen and as a publican. Therefore, Christ says that those who refuse to hear the Church must be looked upon as heathens; and what is a heathen? One that does not worship the True God; and a publican is a public sinner. This is strong language. Could Christ command me to believe the Church if the Church could have lead me astray could lead me into error? If the teaching of the Church be corrupt, could He, the God of Truth, command me without any restriction or limitation to hear and believe the teachings of the Church which He established?’’ The heathen and the publican cannot be saved, unless they repent, and Our Lord says we will be in a class with them if we refuse to hear the Church. So if one has left the Church, apostatized, (renounce a religious or political belief or principle), or one outside refuses to come in, they will not be saved.
Our Lord once said, “The truth shall make you free,’’ yet there are many who have heard the truth and were not made free. Even the people who crucified him, those He instructed every day, heard the truth, but they were not made free. Why is that? Because, Jesus put a condition to the knowing of the truth and being made free. He said, “If,” “If you continue in my word, you shall be my disciples indeed. [32] And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’’ ‘’If you continue in my word,’’ he said. Many people hear the Word of God but do not keep it. They are not continuing in his word. Therefore he went on to say, “My word hath no place in you.’’ St. John chapter 8. St. Alphonsus asks the question, “If God enlightens every man who comes into to the world, St. John, chapter 1, why are so many in darkness?” And he answers his own question: “They wish it. They turn their eyes away from the light.” We must worship in the true religion, for Jesus said to the woman at the well, “True adorers shall adore the Father in spirit and in truth.” St. John 4:23. If you are serious about saving your soul, you must unite yourself as a member to this body, the Church, for a member only receives life united to the body, not cut off from it. “He is the savior of his body.” Eph. 5:23. And, you must be a good Catholic or otherwise you too will be lost. “Abide in goodness otherwise thou also shall be cut off.” Romans 11:22.
The following prayer is recommended to the frequent repetition of persons of all denominations and sects whatsoever, who, in sincerity of heart, wish to arrive at the knowledge of the one, only, TRUE AND SAVING FAITH, “without which it is impossible to please God,’’ and consequently obtain eternal happiness. Fr. Ronald Tangen, R.I.P., once said, “Sincerity means we will try to find out the truth.”
Prayer: O Lord, I humbly beseech Thee to teach me thy true religion, that leads to everlasting happiness, through Jesus Christ Thy Son, our Lord. Amen.
There is only one true God, and one Saviour, Jesus Christ, of whom it is necessary to know for eternal life, and to be saved. Jesus said, ‘’Father… Now this is eternal life: That they may know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.’’ St. John 17:1-3. And as one cannot be united to the head, without being united to the body, therefore St. Augustine said, “What can be said of Christ, can also be said of His Church.” Therefore, the Church is necessary for salvation. St. Paul was enlightened on this when he was knocked from his horse, and Jesus said to him, “Saul, why persecutest thou me?’’ when Paul was persecuting the Church. Jesus didn’t ask him why he was persecuting his Church, but, ‘’Why are you persecuting me?’’
From all I have said, it should be clear to anyone who has a sincere heart that they need to join the Church to be saved. So what has the Church said about this matter?
“There is only one universal Church of the faithful, outside of which no one at all can be saved.” – Pope Innocent III, 1215.
Venerable Pope Pius IX: “It is a sin to believe there is salvation outside the Catholic Church.”
“It is a very grave error in which some Catholics are unhappily engaged in, who believe that men living in error, and separated from the true faith, and from Catholic unity, can attain eternal life.” Pope Pius IX, #1677, Sources of Catholic Dogma.
“The greatest charity we can do a man is to lead him to the true Church, outside of which there is no salvation.” – St. Peter Eymard. Yet, how many Catholics have family members out of the Church for years, and never say a word to correct their ways, and bring them back.
…to be continued.
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