If you
are asked by someone to explain why you
believe what you believe can you answer
effectively? Most non-catholic
Christians will want bible proof for
what we believe and while not all that
we believe is explicitly given in the
bible there is nothing in our faith that
is contradicted by the bible. I will
give examples of some areas that come up
in discussions:
Jesus answered him,
"Truly truly I say to you, unless a man
is born anew he cannot enter the kingdom
of God. John 3:3
Are Catholics "born
again"? Well just how is someone
born again? Catholics following
scripture are born anew by baptism.
For example looking at Romans 6:3,4 "Do
you not know that all of us who have
been baptized into Christ Jesus, have
been baptized into his death. We
were buried, therefore with him, into
death, so that as Christ was raised from
the dead by the glory of the Father, we
too might walk in the newness of life.
Then going to 1Peter 3:21
"Baptism, corresponds to this, now you
are saved, not by the removal of dirt
from the body but as an appeal to God
for a clear conscience through the
resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Apostolic Church
Jn15:16 Jesus chose special men to be
his Apostles
Jn 20:21 Jesus gave the Apostles His own
mission Mt 16:18 Jesus built His Church
on Peter the rock
Lk 22:29-30 Jesus gave them a kingdom
Jn 10:16 one shepherd to shepherd
Christ's sheep
Jn 21:17 Lk22:32 Peter is appointed
chief shepherd
1Tim 3:1,8; 5:17 identifies roles of
bishops, priests, deacons
Eph 4:11 church leaders are hierarchical
Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist
Jn 6:35-71 Eucharist promised
Mt 26:26.. Mk 14:22.. Lk 22:17..
Eucharist is instituted by Jesus
1Cor 10:16 Eucharist equals
participation in Christ's body and blood
1 Cor 11:23-29 if you receive unworthily
you are guilty of His body and blood
Ex 12:8, 46 the paschal lamb had to be
eaten
Jn 1:29 Jesus is called the "lamb of
God"
1 Cor 5:7 Jesus is called the "paschal
lamb who has been sacrificed"
Jn 4:31-34 Mt 16:5-12 Jesus is talking
symbolically about food
1Cor 2:14-3:4 explains what "the flesh"
means in Jn 6:63
Ps 14:4; Is9:18-20; Is 49:26; Mic 3:3; 2
Sm 23:15-17 Rv 176, 16 to symbolically
eat & drink one's body and blood equals
assault.
In the early Catholic church there is
plenty of evidence right after the death
of Jesus that the church considered the
Eucharist the real body and blood of
Jesus not symbolism.
St Ignatius 110AD "heretics abstain from
Eucharist and from prayer, because they
do not confess that the Eucharist is the
Flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ
Justin Martyr 150AD "not as common bread
nor common drink do we receive these;
but ...as we have been taught, the food
which has been made into the Eucharist
by the Eucharistic prayer set down by
Him, and by the change of which our
blood and flesh is nourished, is both
the Flesh and Blood of the incarnated
Jesus"
