Are You Catholic? Nature of the Church

Are You Catholic? Reference: Douay Rheims (Traditional Catholic) Bible
The Nature of the Church

Here are some of the key passages about the nature of the Church. Please consult your own Bible version if you prefer. Answer the questions and see where you stand theologically. If you don't agree with the 'Catholic' position, click on the link for 'something to think about.'

Matthew 16: 16-19 ... 16 Simon Peter answered and said: Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answering, said to him: Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven.
1. What is the ‘rock' on which Christ will build His Church? (something to think about)
The idea expressed in verse 16
Peter as the ‘rock' himself
2. What does ‘gates of hell will not prevail' against the church mean? (something to think about)
The church will be destroyed and but at a later time be re-established
The church will continuously exist as a body with consistent doctrine

3. When Jesus speaks of giving the ‘keys,' He is speaking of authority given to... (something to think about)
Peter only
All of the disciples

4. What do the ‘keys of the kingdom of heaven' refer to? (something to think about)
The same gifts that Jesus will give the other disciples and later believers
The earthly authority to act in Jesus' name

Matthew 18:18 ... 18 Amen I say to you, whatsoever you shall bind upon earth, shall be bound also in heaven; and whatsoever you shall loose upon earth, shall be loosed also in heaven. 19 Again I say to you, that if two of you shall consent upon earth, concerning any thing whatsoever they shall ask, it shall be done to them by my Father who is in heaven.
5. To whom is the power to ‘bind and loose' given? (something to think about)
The 12 apostles only
To all believers

Matthew 28:19,20 19 Going therefore, teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world.
6. Is the teaching of the Church to be limited to ‘Christ is the Son of God who died for us'? (something to think about)
No, we are supposed to believe and learn all of doctrine handed down from Christ
Yes, that is all we need to believe for salvation

John:21-23 21 He said therefore to them again: Peace be to you. As the Father hath sent me, I also send you. 22 When he had said this, he breathed on them; and he said to them: Receive ye the Holy Ghost. 23 Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained.
7. Does this event imply special power for the Twelve Apostles? (something to think about)
All members of the church have this power
Yes, they had power and authority that other members of the Church do not

Ephesians 4:4-5 4 One body and one Spirit; as you are called in one hope of your calling. 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism.
8. What does ‘one faith' imply? (something to think about)
Disunited groups who believe in Christ but who have contradictory doctrinal teachings
A single, united church with consistent doctrine traceable to the Apostles

1 Corinthians 12:12, 25 12 For as the body is one, and hath many members; and all the members of the body, whereas they are many, yet are one body, so also is Christ. 25 That there might be no schism in the body; but the members might be mutually careful one for another.
9. Since a living body never dies and schism division is not permitted... (something to think about)
The ‘true' church could have broken away from the ‘established' Roman Church to survive
There must be one church 'body' in the world that is traceable back to Pentecost

1 Timothy 4:14: Neglect not the grace that is in thee, which was given thee by prophesy, with imposition of the hands of the priesthood. Acts 14:22 And when they had ordained to them priests in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, in whom they believed.
10. The word ‘priest' in these verses actually means... (something to think about)
Elder or presbyter, just a lay ruler of the local congregations
A priest set aside to perform sacramental functions as well as lead the local church

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