I am going to attempt to write out and document what led me to the fullness of the truth that is Christ’s One Church – Holy and Apostolic.
Starting from Jesus and moving towards today.
When I really started to question religious history, I realized I barely had a cursory idea; and that was Jesus, salvation, church. I had no idea the framework behind the current denomination structure, or any details of what led to how fractured things became.
I started with a basic google, and everything was pointing to Jesus having founded the Catholic Church. Then I wanted to know what “Catholic” meant. Turns out greek translation- universal, or as to the whole. So the universal or complete church.
Scripture is pretty clear: Matthew 16:18: “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church.” Jesus gave us His church, and us members would become His body.
Jesus also gave Peter the keys to the kingdom of Heaven, and drawing from Isaiah it is assumed that Peter is set in a position of authority and stewardship.
From Peter, the Universal Church has grown, and kept record of all “popes”, from greek father or papa, since Peter.
I believe the church is perfect, but we as men are not. A perfect body with imperfect members. Meaning that the church has faced scandal, but even through that it has not died or been conquered.
It was overwhelmingly nice to submit to the authority of the church, but I learned very quickly that I wanted to understand as much as I could to better defend my faith, but also and more importantly to know Christ more and love Him more.
There is a rich history provided by the doctors and fathers of the church available to us if we but seek it.
Finally looking into the history of the word of God, the bible. The same church Christ gave us, is the same church that gave us the bible we know today. Compiled, tested, and vetted it was the Catholic Church that gave us this book, inspired and authored by the Holy Spirit working through the members of the church.
How awesome.
Now I know this is very reductive, and possibly overly simplistic, but I am learning not to get to stuck in the weeds for the wrong reasons. Learn all the history and details, but for the right reasons. To grow in faithful love with the Lord Our God.
