What our Catholic friends are either failing to grasp or are in complete denial about is the "weight" of Scriptures given for extremely important events and then eyewitnesses of that event. What I mean by that is God gave prophetic utterances in the OT for things that would happen in New Testament times which He considered very important for people to know about, especially those of the household of faith.
In fact the opposite is true in the RCC. Very weighty events (in Roman Catholicism) are not backed up by multiple scriptures or eyewitnesses. What we allegedly have is ONE scripture to tell the church about an extremely significant event and that event is that Peter went to Rome. The Scripture is 1 Peter 5:13 where the RCC allegedly knows what Peter was thinking when he used the word Babylon. They base the fact that he was in Rome for 25 years, no less on this one scripture. Then, as usual they provide multiple non-scriptural sources to prove their point. No other believers or Apostles corroborate this fact, but plenty of so-called non scriptural sources allegedly do.
The RCC says that Peter used Babylon as a code word for Rome. Where did this gnostic knowledge come from? Paul was called to the circumcision (the Jews) and there was a large population of them in Babylon. In 1 Peter 1:1 we have this: "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia."
Can any of the Catholic apologists please tell me what Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia were "CODE WORDS" for?
Then for an extremely significant event that is probably the greatest event in the Catholic church we have their interpretation of Matthew 16 where they say Jesus Christ made Peter the first Pope (Papa or Father) of the Church. In fact it is what the Catholic church has built all their dogma on. If there is no Pope, then there are no Priests, then there is no turning of the bread and wine into the actual body and blood of Jesus (since only "priests" can do this).
To comfort the church and give them multiple witnesses concerning extremely important events God has a reputation for giving us many advance notices PLUS eyewitnesses on the ground. There is not one single prophecy about Peter becoming the "Father" of the Church (we have a heavenly Father, by the way) and there are no Believers on the ground (in the scriptures) that can attest to Peter being in Rome and serving as the Pope of Rome.
The Bible gives us all the important "bible words" we should know about. The Catholic church has added an innumerable amount of new words (new meanings and concepts) that don't come close to existing in the Bible.
This and many other reasons are why so many will not accept the Catholic Church's claims.
1. No prophetic proof of major events (Peter as Pope (Father), Mary's Ascension (Mother of the Church))
2. No eyewitnesses (Peter as Pope, Peter in Rome, people adoring Mary and asking her to intercede for them)
However, they seem to be able to provide unlimited proof outside of Scripture. And God has given us a history of Himself working within Scripture, especially for major events.
Believers are directly related to Jesus Christ, by the way. The Church of Jesus Christ (all true believers) have been persecuted and killed throughout the centuries. It is a Red Herring to say we should be able to trace our "lineage" to the Apostles.
Again, all true Believers are directly related to Jesus Christ through the Spirit. The Spirit is at work throughout the world, moving where He wills and when He wills, to bring men to the same revelation that the Spirit of God revealed to Peter. That Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.
Axehead