Simply put, because
Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, no one goes to the Father except by
Him (John 14:6). That in knowing the truth we are made free of sin (John 8:32
ff ). A doctrinal truth is a truth
revealed to us by God through Jesus or the apostles.
John 14:6 tells us
that the only way to go to the Father who is in heaven is by the truth. Therefore through the truth is the only way
to heaven. If we accept false doctrines
we are in real danger of turning away from the faith (1 Tim 4:1). That’s why Paul reminds Timothy and Titus
many times to confront those who teach falsely (1 Tim 4:16, 2 Tim 4:2, Tit
1:9).
But in this day and age, where do WE go to have the truth? When one says that the bread and wine that are blessed are mere symbols of His flesh and Blood and another believes that the bread and wine are actually His Flesh and Blood, Soul and Divinity…who do we believe? Who has the final say in determining the truth? The final arbiter and defender of the truth decides what is true. The final arbiter and defender of the truth is where the buck stops. What is the defender and upholder of the truth? Scripture plainly tells us that the final authority that we are to go to settle the matter is the Church (Matt 18:15-17) with the guidance of the Holy Spirit (John 16:13) and that is how the first followers of our Lord Jesus Christ understood the matter and settled major disputes between themselves. We know this with certainty because we see the first application of this teaching at the council of Jerusalem as found in the book of Acts (Acts 15:2) who’s decision, guided by the Holy Spirit (Acts 15:28), was binding for all Christians (Acts 16:4).
But in this day and age, where do WE go to have the truth? When one says that the bread and wine that are blessed are mere symbols of His flesh and Blood and another believes that the bread and wine are actually His Flesh and Blood, Soul and Divinity…who do we believe? Who has the final say in determining the truth? The final arbiter and defender of the truth decides what is true. The final arbiter and defender of the truth is where the buck stops. What is the defender and upholder of the truth? Scripture plainly tells us that the final authority that we are to go to settle the matter is the Church (Matt 18:15-17) with the guidance of the Holy Spirit (John 16:13) and that is how the first followers of our Lord Jesus Christ understood the matter and settled major disputes between themselves. We know this with certainty because we see the first application of this teaching at the council of Jerusalem as found in the book of Acts (Acts 15:2) who’s decision, guided by the Holy Spirit (Acts 15:28), was binding for all Christians (Acts 16:4).
The trick now is to
determine which Christian Church out of the thousands of Christian churches out
there today, which one has been in existence from day one to settle these
disputes. This church is the one Church
that Jesus tells us that we are to go to determine the truth with assurance
since He promised that the gates of Hell would never prevail against His church
(Matt 16:19). She therefore must be in
existence throughout history from its inception to today. Which Christian church out there claims to be
2,000 years old with evidence to back its claim? Only the Catholic Church can make that claim.
God Bless
Nathan
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