the true church is catholic or universal
Four Marks of the True Church founded by Jesus Christ on Peter, the apostles, and their successors!
One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church!
The church is One:
Mt 16:18
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
John 10:16
And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
John 17:17-23
that they may be one as we are one.
Romans 12:5
so we, who are many, are one body in Christ.
Rom 15:6
1 Corinthians 1:10
I appeal to you... that there be no dissensions among you, but that
you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.
1 Corinthians 12:12
For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
1 Corinthians 12:13
by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body.
1 Corinthians 12:20
But now are they many members, yet but one body.
Eph 1:10
That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
Ephesians 4:4
There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
Colossians 3:15
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were
called in the one body.
Philippians 1:27
Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
Philippians 2:2
be of same the mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of
one mind.
The church is Holy:
The church is Holy because Her founder is God, and Holy is His name.
She is the spotless bride of Christ.
1 Timothy 3:15
know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth.
Colossians 1:18
And he [Jesus] is the head of the body, the church.
1 Peter 2:9-10
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people
belonging to God... Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God.
Ephesians 2:19-22
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
The church is Catholic: (universal)
Jn 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Jn 3:17
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Jn 1:29
The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
Matt 5:14
Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Matt 13:38
The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
Matt 24:14
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
Matt 28:18-20
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
Mark 16:15-16
And he said to them, Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
Jn 1:9
That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
Jn 4:42
And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.
Jn 14:26
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
Jn 6:33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.
Jn 8:12
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Jn 10:36
Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world...
Jn 12:47
And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world
Jn 16:12-13
I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them
now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
2 cor 5:18
And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us (the whole world) to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
World = Universal = Catholic
The church is Apostolic:
Matthew 16:18-10
And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Luke 22:28-30
You [the apostles] are those who have continued with me in my trials; and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
John 15:16
You [the apostles] did not choose me, but I [Jesus] chose you and appointed
you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide...
Matthew 28:16,18-20
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee... And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore
and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.
John 20:21-23
Jesus said to them [the apostles] again, Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.
Ephesians 2:19-20
... but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone.
Acts 1:
Matthias replaces Judas who had the ministry of apostle.
Heb 3:11 Acts 1:
Jesus is an apostle, the apostles are already in succession to Him, they in turn would have successors.
Acts 15:22
Acts 16:4
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Apostolic Succession pre-figured in the successors of Moses!
Mosaic covenant pre-figures apostolic succession with the successors of Moses, sitting in the chair (Greek cathedral) of Moses and Jesus Christ requires obedience of them.
(Mt 23) they had the keys of the kingdom and power to bind and loose!
This power and authority are given to Peter and the apostles and their successors in matt 16:18 and Matt 28:19 the great commission cannot be accomplished by the apostles alone, hence the need for their successors to continue to teach all nations, and baptize the disciples! Jn 4:1 Jesus requires obedience to Peter, the apostles and their successors who have the keys and the power to bind and loose!
