WHICH IS THE TRUE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST?

VATICAN IN ROME, CENTER OF ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

At the onset of the founding of the church in 33 AD, it has not much organization, name, brand or mark in Jerusalem and that the church was simply known as the followers of Jesus. It started as a small sect of the Jews out of the main religion at that time Judaism which is the official religion of the Jews. Because Jesus and most of the leaders came from the town of Nazareth like James, Jude, Symon known as the brothers of Jesus not as brothers in the flesh but possibly they are either cousins because there are theories that they are the sons of the wife of Clopas, WHO IS ALSO NAMED MARY and also relative of the Blessed Virgin Mary or sons of Joseph from previous marriage in accordance with apocrypha books. The church was called Nazarenes but then at the time of persecution Jerusalem by fellow Jews who led by the Sanhedrin which crucified Jesus, the church became known as "The Way". 

When persecution in Jerusalem became very intense, the church members dispersed to many cities and towns outside of Jerusalem and far from the reach of the Sanhedrin which was THE POWERFUL LEADERS OF THE JEWS with the help of Rome. During the persecution, Peter was arrested and was to be executed the next day but an Angel of God intervened and released him from prison. From that time onward, the exact location of Peter was kept secret thus even the acts which was written at the time Peter was still alive was silent of his whereabouts after he got out of prison except for some very important events that happened. Peter found his way to Antioch where he preached and build the church there and became the first Bishop. He must have stayed in Antioch for about 7 years but he had to move on the way to Rome which was the center of civilization then. In Rome the government allowed the practice of different religions of all kinds so long as they don't meddle much with the government. So Peter may have found it the best place to assimilate himself and to lead the church from Rome. To mislead authorities, they used Babylon as name for Rome. Thus people thought that Peter may have stayed in the old city of Babylon but events proved he was indeed in Rome all the time.

Peter set up his see or the church at Rome as they call it then where he was recognized as the first bishop. With the help of St. Paul, Church of Rome flourished and grew with new converts coming from the higher class of society because they were free to practice the new religion of Christians. Some theologians particularly the Protestants say that since the Letter of Paul to the Romans did not mention Peter, the latter could not have been in Rome. However considering that Luke who was a disciple of Paul and traveled with him in the missions did not also disclose in the Acts the exact location of where Peter was and his movements after his release from prison although the works of Peter was the main subject of Luke in Acts in the first chapters of the said book, it shows that they were keeping the whereabouts of Peter from those that may harm him. Yet reliable documents and record show that Peter was indeed in Rome attending to the Catholic Church and he died there with Paul sometime between 64 AD to 67 AD. With Peter and Paul laboring for the Roman Church, the Christians members grew and accumulated properties for the church use in their services and ministering of the members and the community. But it will not be for long before they became the worst persecuted church in Rome. As the church grew in numbers and membership they became a threat to other religions of other faith. Aside from that while they are already separated from the religion of the Jews operating under the New Covenant of Christ, authorities in Rome still considered them part or a sect of Judaism. The Roman Church converts were still mostly Jews who continue to practice their old religion mixing it with the church practices. In fact Christian Jews and Gentile converts would clash over the mixing of doctrinal issues of Judaism with Christianity because of customs and traditional differences. For example the Sabbath observance on a Saturday and the Lord's Day services on a Sunday had for sometime became an issue to the Christian Jews.

The Jews in Rome grew over time since the diaspora. Long before Christianity, the Jews came to Rome and had become numerous comprising at least 10% of the total population at that and they also became wealthy economically. In the 1st century BC, the Herodian Kingdom was established as a Roman Client kingdom and in 6 AD parts of it particularly Judea became a province of the Roman Empire. Julius Caesar formulated a policy of allowing Jews to follow their traditional religious practices, a policy which was continued by Augustus the first Emperor of Rome who reigned in 27 BC to 14 AD. It gave Judaism religion the status of RELIGIO LICITA (Permitted Religion) throughout the Roman Empire. But the Jews run into trouble in Rome with the Financial crisis under Caligula in 37 AD - 41 Ad which was blamed for the first open break between Rome and Jews. The first converts in Rome to Christianity were Jews and they were still looked upon as sect of Judaism and so in that conflict of Rome and Jews, the Christians became the worst victims.

Severe persecution broke up when Nero assumed the position of Emperor. While on vacation a great fire engulfed Rome that remained burning for several days and Nero who was not in Rome at that time was fed with lies that it was the Christians who set up the fire and therefore was responsible for the burning of Rome. He was so enraged that he ordered Christians to be rounded up and killed in whatever manner. Among those who were caught were St. Peter and St. Paul and they were executed and martyred. St. Peter was crucified upside down while St. Paul was beheaded since he was a Roman Citizen.

A Christian tradition has this story that when Christians were being rounded up in Rome and executed, St. Peter was on his way out to flee Rome, but along the way he met Jesus and he asked him "Where are you going?" which is in Latin means Quo Vadis? to which Jesus answered "Romam eo iterum crucifigi", "I am going to Rome to be crucified again". Upon hearing from the Lord, Peter was so stricken with grief of his lack of courage and thereby gains the heart and fortitude to continue with his ministry and returned to the city. It was a vision that has fixed Rome as the main center of the church. The place where the church is to be known in the world for where Peter is, there the church will be built. Eventually Peter was martyred and on top of his tomb, the church was built on the rock, precisely as foretold by our Lord Jesus Christ. You are Peter (rock) and on this rock I will build my church.

It was in Antioch that the followers and members of the church became known as Christian but no official name yet or brand for the church. Then came St. Paul conversion and acceptance in the college of the Apostles and with his Letters to the churches, he started calling the church, Church of God. His Letters and Epistles came up sometime in the years 55 AD to 65 AD addressed to churches in Rome, Corinthian, and Galatians. Some letters were addressed to his appointed presbyters and bishops. The manner in which St. Paul communicated to the churches were followed by the Apostolic Fathers who succeeded the Apostles in the church. They were appointed bishops and directly appointed by the Apostles. One of them a disciple of St. John, St. Ignatius who became the 3rd successor Bishop of the church in Antioch has written a Letter to Smyrnaeans and here is the excerpt from the authenticated letter of St. Ignatius, Chapter 8:

"See that you all follow the bishop, even as Jesus Christ does the Father, and the presbytery as you would the apostles; and reverence the deacons, as being the institution of God. Let no man do anything connected with the Church without the bishop. Let that be deemed a proper Eucharist, which is administered either by the bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it. Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude of the people also be; even as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church. It is not lawful without the bishop either to baptize or to celebrate a love-feast; but whatsoever he shall approve of, that is also pleasing to God, so that everything that is done may be secure and valid."

SUCH IS A VERY STRONG EVIDENCE AND WITNESSING OF A POPULAR APOSTOLIC FATHER WHO LEARNED THE FAITH FROM APOSTLE JOHN. WHEREVER JESUS CHRIST IS, THERE IS THE CATHOLIC CHURCH!!!

It is evident in the use of the Catholic Church as the name of the church by St. Ignatius Bishop of Antioch that the name "Catholic Church" has already been in use because he did not anymore bother to explain what this Catholic Church is. It is therefore the true church founded by Jesus Christ for he stressed the point that WHEREVER JESUS CHRIST IS, THERE IS THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. 

CATHOLIC CHURCH HIERARCHY BISHOP AT THE TOP

The letter of St. Ignatius point to the problem the Christians were having at that time and that was the incidents of them going to the false churches not the true church and the danger of being misled by the anti-Christs which even then already showed up. To guide the Christians to the true church of Jesus, he made sure to remind the faithful to be loyal to the Bishops reminding them that it is not lawful to do the official works of the church such as baptizing or celebration of love-feast without the Bishop involvement. Otherwise such actions of members may not be valid. So his instruction being a bishop himself to Smyrna which at the time of his writing was not guided by the bishop to follow the Bishop, the presbytery and deacon. He taught them that such hierarchy in the church is an institution of God. This proves that from 70 AD onward after the deaths of Peter and Paul, the Catholic Church has already organized and institutionalized the hierarchy of the church.

Having been the final resting place of Peter recognized as the leader of the true church of Jesus Christ which as we now know is the Catholic Church by evidence of the use of its bishops of the name Catholic Church and no longer just the generic Church of God as St. Paul called it, the Bishop of Rome who succeeded Peter became the natural leader of the Catholic Church in the old world and his leadership was recognized. The Church in Rome became the dominant Church and the bishops who succeeded Peter was recognized to be the head of the Universal (Catholic) Church.

For over 300 years of the Roman Catholic Church (Church of Rome), the Bishop of Rome successors of St. Peter have expressed and asserted its authority as the successors of Peter as Bishop of Rome through all the established churches spread out in the known ancient world at that time that included Europe, Asia, and Africa. All churches and bishops willingly submited and maintained their communion with the Church of Rome acknowledging its leadership. In spite of some years of toleration, the Catholic Church with its followers and members known as Christians suffered long persecution and caused the deaths of many martyrs simply because they are Christians and members of the Catholic Church. But in spite of the sufferings and deaths of many, too many in fact to even count, the church kept growing and more and more were converted to the Christian Faith. The docility of the Christians and their forgiving nature against their persecutors and tormentors have all the more attractive pagan Romans to the faith. How is it possible that Christians are willing to face death rather than give up their faith in Jesus Christ? They did not even resist but instead embraced their suffering until death. With such show of calmness, bravery, and courage in the face of imminent death, the Christians of the Catholic Church proved they believe in what is the true God.

There is a saying the blood of one innocent man can change a nation, how much the blood of the many innocent souls? They can certainly change the world and change they did. God in his mercy raised a man from Pagan Rome helping him win battles to be in a position to help his true church, the Catholic Church. That man is Constantine who rose as Emperor of Rome in the West. At that time there were two Emperors of the divided Rome, Constantine was Emperor of the West and Licinius was Emperor of the East. One in 313 AD they met and decided to end the persecution of Christians of the Catholic Church with a formal declaration known as EDICT OF MILAN IN 313 A.D. which reads:

When I, Constantine Augustus, as well as I Licinius Augustus fortunately met near Mediolanurn (Milan), and were considering everything that pertained to the public welfare and security, we thought -, among other things which we saw would be for the good of many, those regulations pertaining to the reverence of the Divinity ought certainly to be made first, so that we might grant to the Christians and others full authority to observe that religion which each preferred; whence any Divinity whatsoever in the seat of the heavens may be propitious and kindly disposed to us and all who are placed under our rule And thus by this wholesome counsel and most upright provision we thought to arrange that no one whatsoever should be denied the opportunity to give his heart to the observance of the Christian religion, of that religion which he should think best for himself, so that the Supreme Deity, to whose worship we freely yield our hearts) may show in all things His usual favor and benevolence. Therefore, your Worship should know that it has pleased us to remove all conditions whatsoever, which were in the rescripts formerly given to you officially, concerning the Christians and now any one of these who wish to observe Christian religion may do so freely and openly, without molestation. We thought it fit to commend these things most fully to your care that you may know that we have given to those Christians free and unrestricted opportunity of religious worship. When you see that this has been granted to them by us, your Worship will know that we have also conceded to other religions the right of open and free observance of their worship for the sake of the peace of our times, that each one may have the free opportunity to worship as he pleases ; this regulation is made we that we may not seem to detract from any dignity or any religion.

Moreover, in the case of the Christians especially we esteemed it best to order that if it happens anyone heretofore has bought from our treasury from anyone whatsoever, those places where they were previously accustomed to assemble, concerning which a certain decree had been made and a letter sent to you officially, the same shall be restored to the Christians without payment or any claim of recompense and without any kind of fraud or deception, Those, moreover, who have obtained the same by gift, are likewise to return them at once to the Christians. Besides, both those who have purchased and those who have secured them by gift, are to appeal to the vicar if they seek any recompense from our bounty, that they may be cared for through our clemency,. All this property ought to be delivered at once to the community of the Christians through your intercession, and without delay. And since these Christians are known to have possessed not only those places in which they were accustomed to assemble, but also other property, namely the churches, belonging to them as a corporation and not as individuals, all these things which we have included under the above law, you will order to be restored, without any hesitation or controversy at all, to these Christians, that is to say to the corporations and their conventicles: providing, of course, that the above arrangements be followed so that those who return the same without payment, as we have said, may hope for an indemnity from our bounty. In all these circumstances you ought to tender your most efficacious intervention to the community of the Christians, that our command may be carried into effect as quickly as possible, whereby, moreover, through our clemency, public order may be secured. Let this be done so that, as we have said above, Divine favor towards us, which, under the most important circumstances we have already experienced, may, for all time, preserve and prosper our successes together with the good of the state. Moreover, in order that the statement of this decree of our good will may come to the notice of all, this rescript, published by your decree, shall be announced everywhere and brought to the knowledge of all, so that the decree of this, our benevolence, cannot be concealed.

Simultaneously with the edict of Milan which is a decree of toleration for the Catholic Church and its members called Chrisitans, Constantine and Licinius sent Letter to their pro-consul Anulinus in Africa in the same year 313AD. The Letter reads:

Greeting to thee, our most esteemed Anulinus. It is the custom of our benevolence, most esteemed Anulinus, to will that those things which belong of right to another should not only be left unmolested, but should also be restored. Wherefore it is our will that when thou receive this letter, if any such things belonged to the Catholic Church of the- Christians, in any city or other place, but are now held by citizens or by any others, thou shalt cause them to be restored immediately to the said churches. For we have already determined that those things which these same churches formerly possessed shall be restored to them. Since therefore thy devotedness perceives that this command of ours is most explicit, do thou make haste to restore to them, as quickly as possible, everything which formerly belonged to the said churches,-whether gardens or buildings or whatever they may be -- that we may learn that thou hast obeyed this decree of ours most carefully. Farewell, our most esteemed and beloved Anulinus.

After the first letter, in his own power as Emperor of the West, Constantine again sent a 2nd Letter to Anulinus minus Licinius which exempted the Clergymen (Bishops, Priests, Deacons) from works in the Roman empire which reads as follows:

Greeting to thee, our most esteemed Anulinus. Since it appears from many circumstances that when that religion is despised, in which is preserved the chief reverence for the most holy celestial Power, great dangers are brought upon public affairs; but that when legally adopted and observed it affords the most signal prosperity to the Roman name and remarkable felicity to all the affairs of men, through the divine beneficence -- it has seemed good to me, most esteemed Anulinus, that those men who give their services with due sanctity and with constant observance of this law, to the worship of the divine religion, should receive recompense for their labors. Wherefore it is my will that those within the province entrusted to thee, in the Catholic Church, over which Caecilianus presides, who give their services to this holy religion, and who are commonly called clergymen, be entirely exempted from all public duties, that they may not by any error or sacrilegious negligence be drawn away from the service due to the Deity, but may devote themselves without any hindrance to their own law. For it seems that when they show greatest reverence to the Deity, the greatest benefits accrue to the state. Farewell, our most esteemed and beloved Anulinus. (Presererved In Eusebius of Caesarea’s Church History 10:7)

THE CLAIM OF NON CATHOLICS THAT THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH WAS FOUNDED BY EMPEROR CONSTANTINE IS FALSE AND A BIG LIE AGAINST THE TRUE CHURCH.

From the Edict of Milan and the Letters of Constantine (Augustus of the West) and Licinius (Augustus of the East) which are historical documents preserved for all times we know that the allegations of non Catholics that the Roman Catholic Church was founded by Emperor Constantine the Great was a BIG LIE to deceive non Catholics into believing that the Roman Catholic Church is a false Church. The Edict of Milan, the letters of Constantine and Licinius who were both Emperors and were contesting the unified throne are strong documentary evidence that even before Constantine ordered toleration for the Catholic Church and Christians the church of Jesus Christ was already established with churches, properties, and hierarchy of leaders from Rome to African and Asia. As shown in the edict and the letters, church buildings and properties were confiscated by the Roman Empire and were then ordered by Edict of Milan and the Letters to be returned to the Catholic Church of Rome. The Roman Catholic Church is the true church founded by Jesus Christ which started in Jerusalem and finally reached Rome where it exercised leadership in all Catholic Churches in the ancient world.

From the beginning there were many churches that were built by the Apostles in accordance with the great commission given to them by the Lord. Among these churches were Church in Jerusalem the first to be built, the church in Antioch, church in Corinth, and many other churches which include the Church in Rome or the Roman Church which ultimately assumed leadership of all the churches worldwide that is IN COMMUNION WITH IT AS ONE UNITED CATHOLIC CHURCH and became the only name of which the true church of Jesus Christ exist today. Many churches today which are not in communion with the Roman Catholic Church are in effect outside the true church and outside the body of Christ. They are what the scripture refers to as those whom Jesus say "Not all those who call on me Lord, Lord will be saved".

For our salvation, it is important that to have the true faith, we must belong to the true church founded by Jesus Christ and built for us by the Lord, the Apostles and their successors of Bishops and Priests, the Roman Catholic Church.

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