Why The Roman Catholic Is The True Church Of Christ?

Author: Walter Nuñez

The truth in a given proposition say, the founding of a true church, is only one. According to the principle of bi-valence or excluded middle or golden mean either the one is true or the other is false. But reality check, as it is today, there are many who claim one after the other, and even boast, so to speak, that their church is the only true church, while all others or the rest are false. Amidst these claims among Christian denominations or sects, whom then do we believe?

Why the Roman Catholic is the true church founded by Jesus Christ? Here are a brief survey of related literature both in biblical history and general history:

Biblical Backdrop: Old Testament

The fall of man signals the breach of his relationship to God. Man was fallen out of grace, when he transgressed the laws of God (i.e. by eating the forbidden fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil). But God, being all-merciful and all-good, did not actually forsake him. Throughout salvation history specifically in the Old Testament, God guides and helps him through the voice of His prophets and through Divine intervention, whenever necessary.

Divine Paradigm Shift: New Testament Times

On the contrary, since God is all-loving, he cannot bear the thought of a estranged relationship between Him and man. So in later times (i.e. the New Testament) He resolved to intervene in the course of history, and send His only begotten Son into the world to redeem and save mankind from being damned. This effectively restores the bond of man to God.

On the other hand, God is a Spirit. Hence, as it was before, His dealings to man is manifested through spiritual contacts (e.g. direct divine intervention or miracle) or third persons (e.g. prophets). But now God wants something for a change…(a change for the better). He wants his presence to be felt physically—to be in direct contact with the crown of His creation (i.e. man). This is the ultimate expression of His love to mankind.

In John 3:16 we read thus:

“For God so love the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but have eternal life.” (p. 1193, The New American Bible, 1987)

Divine Incarnation

And, in John 1: 1-3, 14, we behold the physical incarnation of God:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be… And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth.” (p.p. 1189-1190 The New American Bible, 1987)

Then, finally, the realization of it all: the fulfillment of the incarnation of God in Jesus in Matthew 1: 18-23:

“Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him “Emmanuel,” which means “God is with us.” (p. 1063 The New American Bible, 1987)

Jesus Divine Ministry on Earth

When Jesus reached the age of wisdom (between 30-33), he began his Divine ministry in the physical world. Note that this ministry is very physical and not at all spiritual like as it was in the Old Testament. Among the many, only few are chosen: So he chose 12 followers to be his disciples. He taught them all there is to know and everything they need to know about living the righteous life and most importantly imparted with them: the rudiments of salvation—that eventually forms part as the teachings and doctrines of the Christian Church.

Divine Foundation of the Church Through Peter

Along the course of Jesus ministry, He made a point to found a church. The Bible makes it explicit that Jesus indeed build a church. Thus we read in Matthew 16:18:

“And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.” (The New American Bible, 1987)

One Church

Note that he (Jesus) did not mean or intend to build ”churches”. As a matter of fact, he desires that his church must only be one. In John 10:16 we read:

“I have other  sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock,one shepherd.” (p. 1205, The New American Bible, 1987).

Footnotes: The sheep here is a poetic word referring to the faithful or ”Christians”. The same with the ”fold” or “flock”, it refers to the “church”. While, the “shepherd” refers to the “head of the church”.

Christ: Head of the Church

This is so since he (Christ) is the head of the body, which is the church. In Collosians 1:18, we read the following: “He is the head of the body, the church…”

Furthermore, in Ephesians 4:3-6 we read: “…striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace: one body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (p. 1333, The New American Bible, 1987).

Petrine Foundation of the Church

Most importantly, let the fact be underscored that Jesus built his church through Peter, which means the rock, as the foundation or cornerstone of his church clothed and vested with authority.  In Matthew: 16: 18-20, we read that this is so:

“And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Messiah.”

You will note also that the tense used in the clause “I will build my church” is in the future mood, so the actual and the physical part of building the church through Peter, has to come later. Moreover, Jesus prophesied that his church will endure forever, protecting it (the church) at all cost through His (Jesus) Divine Power. In Jesus words: “…and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.”

Peter: Bishop of Rome

And, rightly so, (true to Jesus words), Peter later on built his church in Rome. In 1 Peter 5:13-14, this clearly attests to that fact:

“The chosen one at Babylon send you greeting, as does Mark, my son. Greet one another with a loving kiss. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.”

Footnotes: “5.13: The chosen one: feminine, referring to the Christian community (ekklesia) at Babylon, the code name for Rome in 14.8; 17, 5; 18, 2. Mark, my son: traditionally a prominent disciple of Peter and co-worker at the church in Rome.” (p. 1407, The New American Bible, 1987)

Extra-Biblical Sources

By implication, it can be reasonably inferred from extra-biblical sources through biblical archeology and scholarship, the existence of a Christian church in Rome which was led by the Apostle Peter himself as the head of the church:

“In 58 A.D. however Paul intended to prepare for his visit to the Romans by writing them a letter.” (p. 581 Epistle to the Romans The New World Dictionary Corcordance to the New American Bible, 1970)

“The existence of a Christian community in Rome antedates Paul’s letter there When it arose, likely within the sizable Jewish population at Rome, and how, we do not know. The Roman historian Suetonius mentions an edict of the Emperor Claudius about A.D. 49 ordering the expulsion of Jews from Rome in connection with certain “Chrestus,” probably involving a dispute in the Jewish community over Jesus as the Messiah (“Christus”). (p. 1261 The Letter to the Romans The New American Bible, 1987)

It is an established historical fact that the Apostle Peter founded a church in Rome and he was its bishop:

“The peace and unity of the Pax Romana made it easier for Paul and other missionaries to carry the message of Christianity throughout the Roman Empire. As a Roman citizen, Paul had certain privileges and protection anywhere in the empire. Moreover, travel was easy between cities, and a common language, Greek, was spoken in most countries in the eastern Mediterranean”.

“By about A.D. 57 there was a group of christian in Rome itself led by Peter, Bishop of Rome and one of the original disciples of Jesus. Paul wrote to this congregation expressing his hopes to travel as far as Spain” (p. 128 A History Of The World Revised Edition Marvin Perry, et. al., 1989)

The World Almanac cites that the Roman Catholic Church is founded by Jesus Christ:

“Traditionally,  founded by Jesus Christ who named St. Peter the 1st Vicar, developed in early Christian proselytizing, especially in the 4th cent.” (p. 688 , The World Almanac, 2009 by C. Allan Joyce, Pleasantville, NY)

Further, it also cites that St. Peter was the first Pope of the Roman Catholic Church:

“The Roman Catholic Church named the Apostle Peter  as the founder of the church in Rome and the first Pope. He arrived there c. 42, was martyred there c. 67, and was ultimately canonized as a saint.” (p. 685 The world Almanac, 2009 C. Allan Joyce)

“Peter, St. (died c. 64 AD) originally named Simon, the leader of the Apostles who followed Jesus Christ. Jesus named him “cephas (Aramaic ‘rock’; Greek petra, ‘rock’) to signify his key role in establishing the early Christian church. After the death of Jesus, Peter was the undisputed leader of the church, preaching, and defending the new religious movement. He was the first to accept Gentiles (non-jews) into the church. It seems certain that Peter spent the last year of his life in Rome and was probably crucified during Nero’s persecution of 64. The papacy traces its origins back to Peter and the Roman Catholic Church identifies him as the founder and first Bishop of the church of Rome.” (p. 499 Oxford Dictionary of the World History, 2006: Peter, St., Oxford University Press, New York)

Humble Beginnings of Christianity

On the other hand, the Merriam Webster Collegiate Encyclopedia writes about the humble beginnings of Christianity:

“Christianity was originally a movement of Jews who accepted Jesus as the messiah, but the movement quickly became predominantly gentiles. The early church was shaped by St. Paul and other early christian missionaries and theologians; it was persecuted under the Roman empire but recognized by Constantine I in 313. During the centuries since Jesus death, Christianity has subdivided into numerous sect that continue to proliferate; the major subdivisions are Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Protestantism” (p. 341 Merriam Webster Collegiate Encyclopedia, 2000, Mark A. Stevens, Springfield, Massachusetts, U.S.A.)

Other equally objective source tells us that:

“Christians are persecuted. Generally tolerant of different religions, Roman authorities did not at first interfere with Christianity. As more and more people turned to Christianity, however, Roman officials began to see it as a threat to their rule. The Christians did not accept the Roman gods or celebrate their festivals. Although, they obeyed Roman law, they refused to worship the Emperor as a god, which was seen as an act of disloyalty to Rome. The Romans found some Christian ways strange. Christians stayed away from the gladiatorial contests and at times refused to serve in the army. When fire swept through Rome in A.D. 64 the emperor Nero blamed it on the Christians and began the first official persecutions. Property belonging to Christians was seized, and they were imprisoned, executed, or sent to face wild beats in the arena. Several later emperors, particularly Diocletian and Marcus Aurelius, ordered widespread persecutions. Although some Christians abandoned their religion or practice it secretly, persecution failed to stop the spread of Christianity. Many Romans were impressed by the heroism and devotion of those who became martyrs by dying for their faith. The dedication of these martyrs inspired many people to convert to Christianity.”

Rome Converted to Christianity

“Christianity is accepted in the Empire. The invasion and unrest of the third century A.D. brought more converts and new strength to the Christian Church. The persecutions ceased, and Christianity became one of the many religions allowed in the Empire. In A.D. 312 the Roman Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity, becoming the first Christian emperor. He issued a law allowing Christians to practice their religion freely and became a strong supporter of the church. In 380, during the reign of Theodosius I, worship of the old gods was declared illegal, and Christianity soon became the official religion of the Roman Empire.” (p. 129 A History Of The World Revised Edition Marvin Perry, et. al., 1989)

Christ Shepherd-ship Entrusted to Peter

As Jesus Christ is the head of the church as pointed out in the passage of the Bible in the New Testament, thus in the remaining days of his earthly ministry, before he ascended in heaven, he (Jesus) wanted that his flock will be physically guided by a leader, so he made a point to entrust or delegate his responsibility as shepherd of his flock to his disciple Peter.

According to the gospel of John in chapter 21, verses: 15-19:

“When they had  finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes , Lord, you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He then said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.”

He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John,do you love me?” Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” [Jesus] said to him, “Feed my sheep. Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and led you where you do not want to go.” He said to this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when he had said this, he said to him “Follow me.” (p. 1221 The New American Bible, 1987, The Gospel of John)

Commissioning of the Disciples

Notwithstanding, and without prejudice to the fact that he (Jesus) also commissioned his disciples to preach the gospel: In Matthew 28: 16-20, we read:

“The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them. When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted. Then Jesus approached and said to them. “all power 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 the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”

One Christian Church

Throughout history until the schisms, it is a well established fact that the Christian church is one, holy, catholic and apostolic. That means no denominations or sects to boot. It (the Split,) that brought about those multifarious denominations, only began on those so called schisms. If at all, before those schisms, there was only heretics, but still remained one, holy, catholic and apostolic church.

Great Schisms

It all started with the break of the East and the West called “East-West Schism” or “Eastern Schism”:

“The separation of Christian Churches of the East from unity with Rome. The schism was centuries in the making and finally became fixed in 1054, when the Patriarch of Constantinople, Michael Cerularius (died 1054), was excommunicated by the papal legates for opposing the use of leavened bread by the Latin Church and removing the Pope’s name from the diptychs or lists of persons to be prayed for in the Eucharistic liturgy.” (p. 121  Pocket Catholic Dictionary, 1985 by John A. Hardon, S.J., Image Books Doubleday, New York, U.S.A.)

As other historical source puts it: “Great Schism. The term is used of: The breach between East and West, traditionally dated 1054, when Cardinal Humbert excommunicated Michael Cerularius and the latter excommunicated the Western legates.” p. 250 Oxford Concise Dictionary of the Christian Church, 2006 Revised Second Edition by Dr. E. A. Livingstone, Oxford University Press, New York)

Protestant Reformation

The next split occurred in 1517, when Martin Luther, a rebellious Agustinian monk, posted his 95 thesis in protest of the alleged church’s excesses and abuses. This ushered the age of reformation that ended in the establishment of Protestant churches.  Although, the grounds of Luther’s protest was valid, but it was his impatience that got the worse of him. Personally, Luther did not desire to break with the church, since he only meant that immediate reforms be instituted. But, he fell prey as a victim of politics of German princes in his time. Hence, the supposedly unwarranted split with the Church. There could have been no Protestant churches, had Luther opted to wait for the Church to address his grievances. As it turned out later, the Church came up with the resolution that ushered the movement of Counter reformation. This was spearheaded among others by the Society of Jesus better known as the Jesuits founded by St. Ignatius De Loyola and St. Francis Xavier.

Protestant Church In England

Also, which is of minor consequence,  another break took place in 1533, when “King Henry VIII of England broke with the Roman Catholic Church and established the Anglican Church” due to political reasons as he desperately sought for a divorce with his wife, Catherine of Aragon, from the Roman Catholic Church to which the Pope refused in order to uphold morality.

Reality Check

After one schism to the other, it exponentially grows to hundred of thousands of denominations, (and worst it shows no sign of stopping), which can only be taken to mean as a work of Satan as he loves to create divisions so as to sow confusion among the children of God. But, despite all this the Roman Catholic Church has remained One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic, which is forever true and faithful to Jesus Christ prophetic words. Besides, from St. Peter to the reigning Pope Benedict the XVI, no other Christian churches maintain this kind of apostolic succession which the Roman Catholic Church upholds until now and forevermore.  Nothing beats the original! Long Live the Roman Catholic Church!!!