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FOUR MARKS OF THE TRUE CHURCH
http://www.catholic.com ^ | Catholic Answers Staff

Posted on 03/02/2013 9:41:30 AM PST by NKP_Vet

If we wish to locate the Church founded by Jesus, we need to locate the one that has the four chief marks or qualities of his Church. The Church we seek must be one, holy, catholic, and apostolic.

The Church Is One (Rom. 12:5, 1 Cor. 10:17, 12:13, CCC 813–822) Jesus established only one Church, not a collection of differing churches (Lutheran, Baptist, Anglican, and so on). The Bible says the Church is the bride of Christ (Eph. 5:23–32). Jesus can have but one spouse, and his spouse is the Catholic Church.

His Church also teaches just one set of doctrines, which must be the same as those taught by the apostles (Jude 3). This is the unity of belief to which Scripture calls us (Phil. 1:27, 2:2).

Although some Catholics dissent from officially-taught doctrines, the Church’s official teachers—the pope and the bishops united with him—have never changed any doctrine. Over the centuries, as doctrines are examined more fully, the Church comes to understand them more deeply (John 16:12–13), but it never understands them to mean the opposite of what they once meant.

The Church Is Holy (Eph. 5:25–27, Rev. 19:7–8, CCC 823–829) By his grace Jesus makes the Church holy, just as he is holy. This doesn’t mean that each member is always holy. Jesus said there would be both good and bad members in the Church (John 6:70), and not all the members would go to heaven (Matt. 7:21–23).

(Excerpt) Read more at catholic.com ...


TOPICS: Apologetics; History; Religion & Culture; Theology
KEYWORDS: catholic
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To: DungeonMaster
I believe most Catholics vote Democrat.
They used to, but that was before the legalization of abortion. However, some refuse to leave the party, anyway. These are Catholics that are not deep in their faith.
41 posted on 03/02/2013 4:17:05 PM PST by mlizzy (If people spent an hour a week in Eucharistic adoration, abortion would be ended. --Mother Teresa)
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To: mlizzy; DungeonMaster

No, the Catholic vote is still dependably pro-abortion liberal. It always will be.


42 posted on 03/02/2013 4:40:51 PM PST by ansel12 (Romney is a longtime supporter of homosexualizing the Boy Scouts (and the military).)
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To: BipolarBob; DungeonMaster
There won't be a Catholic section and a Protestant section in Heaven.

But there is in voting, democrats have always depended on the Catholics, and the Protestant vote always went Republican, we see that today as well.

Obama is supported by Catholics, but Protestants reject him.

43 posted on 03/02/2013 4:48:01 PM PST by ansel12 (Romney is a longtime supporter of homosexualizing the Boy Scouts (and the military).)
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To: ansel12
No, the Catholic vote is still dependably pro-abortion liberal. It always will be.
Well, you know what was said by St. Pope Pius V: "All the evil in the world is due to lukewarm Catholics."
44 posted on 03/02/2013 5:02:54 PM PST by mlizzy (If people spent an hour a week in Eucharistic adoration, abortion would be ended. --Mother Teresa)
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To: mlizzy

There are many lukewarm Christians, but for some reason Catholics have always supported the democrat party, while Protestants have always supported the Republican party, there have been very few deviations from that reality.


45 posted on 03/02/2013 5:31:14 PM PST by ansel12 (Romney is a longtime supporter of homosexualizing the Boy Scouts (and the military).)
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To: ansel12

“No, the Catholic vote is still dependably pro-abortion liberal. It always will be”

The ignorance on this board concerning the Catholic Church amazes me. Like all other faiths, Church going Catholics vote pro-life, EXACTLY like church going Protestants. The ones that don’t go to church and have no strong faith and collect a welfare check are pretty reliable democratic voters, makes no difference what denomination. The 96% of the black vote that went to Obummer is about 95% evangelical. I was born and raised a Southern Baptist. Five years ago I became Catholic. I didn’t do it on the spur of the moment. I studied for years the history of Christianity and the Church Fathers, and anything I could get my hands on concerning the Holy Scriptures and the Word of God. Anyone that does not believe early Church fathers were Catholic are totally ignorant of church history. Without the Catholic Church there would be no Christianity. Martin Luther was right to want some things corrected in the Church and things were corrected. He never wanted God’s Church to be broken apart. He protested and his followers protested. They are now called PROTESTants. What are they still protesting after 500 years? When I was a baptist I raised hell and told any Catholic I met they were going straight to hell. I knew Catholics back then and never once did a Catholic raise hell at me and tell me I was a no good baptist and I was going straight to hell if I didn’t repent and become Catholic. Why do you think that is? Let me tell you why Catholics don’t put down Protestants? Catholics know the truth and the truth is the Catholic Church. It is the fullness of the christian faith. The majority of protestants are still on a guilt trip and love to rant and rave about Catholics, and false doctrine and the Pope, blah, blah, blah. Why are Catholics so secure in their faith and protestants so insecure? We all know the reason, at least I do. I was baptist for the first 57 years of my life, so don’t tell me I don’t know what I’m taking about. Been there, done that. Peace be with you. I’ll say a prayer for all you Catholic bashers tomorrow at Mass.

“To be deep in history is to cease to be Protestant.”

Blessed Cardinal John Henry Newman
Former Angelican, Catholic Convert


46 posted on 03/02/2013 5:34:02 PM PST by NKP_Vet
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To: NKP_Vet

Yep, Catholics are overwhelmingly supporters of the left and Protestants support the right.

It is the reality of pro-abortion politics and liberalism in America.

The Catholic vote will remain democrat and liberal forever.


47 posted on 03/02/2013 5:43:07 PM PST by ansel12 (Romney is a longtime supporter of homosexualizing the Boy Scouts (and the military).)
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To: ansel12

**Catholics are overwhelmingly supporters of the left and Protestants support the right.**

About a half truth. REAL Catholics are totally right. CINOs are the ones of which you speak.

What are you doing about the 95 percent of black protestants that voted for Obama?


48 posted on 03/02/2013 5:48:20 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: ansel12

**Obama is supported by Catholics, but Protestants reject him.
**

Why do you insist on speaking half truths?

95 percent of black protestants voted for Obama.


49 posted on 03/02/2013 5:50:12 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: ansel12
Fixing your answer.

the Catholic CINO vote is still dependably pro-abortion liberal. It always will be.

50 posted on 03/02/2013 5:51:23 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: NKP_Vet
Anyone that does not believe early Church fathers were Catholic are totally ignorant of church history.

I don't care what some early converts did or believed. I care what Jesus taught and believed. To place man above Jesus and his sacrifice is wrong. The Church history of selling indulgences, setting heretics on fire or selling manufactured "relics" doesn't inspire me to follow a denomination. Our trust must be in God not man.

51 posted on 03/02/2013 5:51:23 PM PST by BipolarBob (Happy Hunger Games! May the odds be ever in your favor.)
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To: Salvation

Interesting that you’d have a racial group’s voting habits segregated by religious affiliation so handy.

Since you do, at what percentage did black Catholics vote for Obama? Did they raise or lower the overall percentage of the Catholic Obama vote?

Were there even enough to register? Why is that?


52 posted on 03/02/2013 6:02:16 PM PST by RegulatorCountry
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To: BipolarBob

http://www.amazon.com/Rome-Sweet-Home-Journey-Catholicism/dp/0898704782

“An agonizing journey of a truly Christian protestant pastor and his wife. Not of two people who were open minded when it came to the Catholic Church, just the opposite. True story of their struggle to NOT become Catholic and how it was not to be their wish but God’s will be done”.


53 posted on 03/02/2013 6:38:01 PM PST by NKP_Vet
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To: Salvation

Yep, Catholics, they do support the pro-abortion democrat party, and they are Catholics.

There is every reason to believe that the democrat party will continue to be able to depend on Catholics, forever.


54 posted on 03/02/2013 6:46:04 PM PST by ansel12 (Romney is a longtime supporter of homosexualizing the Boy Scouts (and the military).)
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To: NKP_Vet
"An agonizing journey . . " I'm sure the book outlines how this couple had an emotional experience and ended up Catholic. That doesn't sway me. Gods Word is what works for me. There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death" Proverbs 14:12

Peace be to you

55 posted on 03/02/2013 7:20:22 PM PST by BipolarBob (Happy Hunger Games! May the odds be ever in your favor.)
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To: Salvation
What are you doing about the 95 percent of black protestants that voted for Obama?

Why do you ask questions when you never seem to answer questions put to you???

56 posted on 03/02/2013 7:48:11 PM PST by Iscool (I love animals...barbequed, fried, grilled, stewed,,,,)
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To: Salvation
the Catholic CINO vote is still dependably pro-abortion liberal. It always will be.

You have informed us time and again there are no CINOs in your religion...'Once a Catholic, always a Catholic', you say...Even those of us who were baptized and reject your religion are Catholics...

57 posted on 03/02/2013 7:51:25 PM PST by Iscool (I love animals...barbequed, fried, grilled, stewed,,,,)
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To: Iscool

Why would one want to answer a question that blsphemes the Apostles?


58 posted on 03/02/2013 8:11:52 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: BipolarBob

The Bible is a Catholic document. It was Catholics who decided what to put in and what to leave out.

However, unlike “Bible-Only” Protestants, Catholics share in the fullness of our faith via Scripture, Tradition and our obedience to the the successor to St. Peter, the Pope.

“The Gospels came from the Catholic Church, not the Catholic Church from the Gospels”. ~ Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen


59 posted on 03/02/2013 9:38:33 PM PST by NKP_Vet
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To: Salvation
"Sexual abuse is higher in Protestant Churches, homes, schools."

So your point is that the Catholic Church is the true Church of God because it has less sex abuse?

I would expect the real church of God to purge anyone that commits such acts immediately. Not hush it up and move the perp to another place so they can prey on new victims.

Homosexual clergy... Really?

The Catholic Church has no relation to the living Christ at all and this will be made very clear at His second coming.
60 posted on 03/03/2013 5:42:55 AM PST by MeOnTheBeach
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