The Church
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According to Scripture the Church is the Body, Bride, and Building of Christ, which includes all who have been saved by grace, washed in the blood of the Lamb, and born of the Sprit.
The Roman Catholic Church is actually the church of Rome, which was corrupted a long time ago. It is entirely possible that some who are within this church are saved, but the ones who are genuinely saved come out of the RCC.
The Roman Catholic Church is actually the church of Rome, which was corrupted a long time ago. It is entirely possible that some who are within this church are saved, but the ones who are genuinely saved come out of the RCC.
THE Roman Catholic religion was not a formalized religion until after Constantine (around 305AD) organized all religions under one state religion that was to unite all his conquered territories, organized to incorporate all forms of beliefs to make it inclusive and therefor acceptable to all religions. It was a loosly knit group of Judaism & paganism that used Christian terminology with new definitions. Remnants of this can be seen in RCC religious symbols like the monstrance which uses a SUN as it's center, homage to the religion of Constantine who was a worshipper of the sun god.
The CHURCH at Rome (not to be cofused with the RCC) had been well established before Paul went there and was in opposition to the newly formed RCC but was no match for the power that stood behind the state religion and the new Roman religion became supreme at that time. It remained true to the doctrines of faith as a true church.
The CHURCH at Rome (not to be cofused with the RCC) had been well established before Paul went there and was in opposition to the newly formed RCC but was no match for the power that stood behind the state religion and the new Roman religion became supreme at that time. It remained true to the doctrines of faith as a true church.
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That is the understanding by secular history that I believe. There was a split within the church over ways to enhance the growth attraction of the church in which the larger part of the split grew to a large enough amount of membership that the Roman Empire thought they were a threat to them and incorporated them into what became The Roman Catholic Church, so the remnant of the original church that Jesus set up was never a part of the reformation movement. The Romans tried to stamp out the existence of the little flock, evidenced by Paul's attempt to arrest the members of the church, before he became an apostle.
The split became the Eastern Orthodox and the Roman Catholic, both hold to some shared ideas. There was always a church in Rome. When Paul visited Rome for the first time a great crowd of believers came out to greet him. I believe these people were brought the message of Christ by those Jews of Rome who had been to the feast of Shavout (pentecost) and heard the message of Peter and were part of those first Jews to be saved and baptized. I think there still a remnant of the old Waldensians* group that had always held to the "doctrines of grace" as they became known as) in Italy before there was a reformation of a Calvin. Where they are today I do not know but God has always kept His remnant.
*The Waldensians were an ascetic movement within Christianity, founded by Peter Waldo in Lyon and quickly spread to the Cottian Alps between what is today France and Italy. Wikipedia
*The Waldensians were an ascetic movement within Christianity, founded by Peter Waldo in Lyon and quickly spread to the Cottian Alps between what is today France and Italy. Wikipedia
no The RCC came much later. Although one of the first gentile converts was a Roman solider called Cornelius. At the time of Jesus, Israel was under the Roman empire.
The book of Romans was written for the Romans to understand who Jesus is and what He did, but this was before a thing called the RCC existed. There were no popes back then, it became the official state religion under Constantine which was about 300 years later. Much of it is man made and departs from the simplicity of the gospel, and the faith once delievered to the saints, sadly.
The book of Romans was written for the Romans to understand who Jesus is and what He did, but this was before a thing called the RCC existed. There were no popes back then, it became the official state religion under Constantine which was about 300 years later. Much of it is man made and departs from the simplicity of the gospel, and the faith once delievered to the saints, sadly.
M
It could be the case that the first church was in Antioch, which
seems to be in modern day turkey.
It was Antioch that believers were first called Christians.
Or maybe it was Jerusalem, see the following verses.
Acts 11:19-26 NKJV
[19] Now those who were scattered after the persecution that
arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch,
preaching the word to no one but the Jews only.
[20] But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when
they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the
Lord Jesus. [21] And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a
great number believed and turned to the Lord.
[22] Then news of these things came to the ears of the church
in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch.
[23] When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad,
and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should
continue with the Lord. [24] For he was a good man, full of the
Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.
[25] Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul. [26] And when
he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a
whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great
many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
seems to be in modern day turkey.
It was Antioch that believers were first called Christians.
Or maybe it was Jerusalem, see the following verses.
Acts 11:19-26 NKJV
[19] Now those who were scattered after the persecution that
arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch,
preaching the word to no one but the Jews only.
[20] But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when
they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the
Lord Jesus. [21] And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a
great number believed and turned to the Lord.
[22] Then news of these things came to the ears of the church
in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch.
[23] When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad,
and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should
continue with the Lord. [24] For he was a good man, full of the
Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.
[25] Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul. [26] And when
he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a
whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great
many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.