How can we get rid of our sinfulness?

[sanctus]

so, your point is that hitler was not an evil man? he was totally evil, dont you agree.

I suppose it was mapleleafgirl. Who knows but God the contents of Hitler's heart, or anyone's for that matter? We know the media take on him and his political policies, but we really do not know all about him.

Note, I am NOT defending the man's political agenda or his racist policies!

However, Hitler was a man like every other man. He must have had needs, wants and desires just as any man does and would.

No-one it totally evil or good, to be honest with you. We all have pieces inside that go together to make up the whole. Generally all of us, by the time we reach adulthood, have learned what public face we want to display and we go with that.
Note how different you are when "company" is over than when you are alone or with your family!

 

[sanctus]

How can one escape something that doesn't exist?

How do you know it doesn't exist?

But to the point of my comments, I was talking about the hell inside, as a metaphoric construct, not as an actual place inside of us.

 

[sanctus]

What do you mean he didnt succeed? there is already churches dedicated to him..he must have been succeful

Having buildings dedicated to you is not evidence of success of your teachings. In the USA, for example, all sorts of roads and schools are dedicated to Dr. King, but has America become a non-violent country?

The same with our Saviour. Yes, many, many people use His name, profess belief in His teachings, but where is the evidence of their faith? Is Canada a nation dedicated to Christian principles?

Even in the days when we claimed this, was it true? In the time we professed to being a Christian nation, how Christian was our behaviour and attitudes?

 

[sanctus]

Well, you asked about my background and you got more than expected.

So, I;; leave you with those thoughts.

Peace>>>AJ

Thank you! I did enjoy the post though heh heh heh

 

[sanctus]

God says that what ever we shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven.

You are mis-translating the Scriptures, if you'll permit me to point that out to you.Jesus did not tell "us" that, he told the Apostles that. He did not indicate this was so for his disciples, but just the Apostles. It was through such teachings that Jesus was establishing His priesthood for His Church. He gave His priesthood the "power" to forgive sins in His name, hence the Sacrament of Reconciliation(confession).

 

[sanctus]

This is the kind of thinking that resulted in the development of political correctness - "Oh, we better not do this, that, or the other thing because someone will be offended." Gimme a break, there has to be room for a person to use a bit of judgement or discretion. Otherwise everyone would be hermits.

Not at all. You misunderstood me, or I did not express myself clearly. I am stating that we always have to be on guard for those things we say or do that may hurt other people. This is also part of our faith, I believe. It is wrong to cause harm to people, and the accidental comment may cause more harm than we may realize. The Scriptures teach, and this is true, that the tongue is our greatest enemy.

In abusive relationships, for example, emotional and verbal abuse carries much more chances for psychological damage than physical abuse.

 

[sanctus]

Web def. of minarchist:

Thank you for explaining it. So what would such a believer think about government at all? In other words, what exactly would the government's role in society be in such a system?

 

[BitWhys]

Nuts. Having liberty means having the freedom to do as one wishes. The principle concept of libertarianism is to have the freedom to do whatever one wishes without having a deleterious effect on anyone else. Hardly likely to happen. But I think one must have some sort of thing to play with. And libertarianism sure as hell beats authoritarianism (its antonym).

Oh I get it.

I'm talking about "libertarianism" as in the likes of such seminal socio-political genres as classical liberalism and objectivism developed and defined by thinkers who at least had the wherewithal to take a stand on something even if their product doesn't stand up to the light of day.

You're talking about "libertarianism" the over-simplified generalization defined primarily in terms of what its not, makes exclusive claim to a much larger theoretical domain than it actually occuppies and relies on undistinguished populism for presentability.

In other words you prefer to use "libertarianism" in the meaningless sense. Go right ahead.

 

[sanctus]

Oh I get it.



In other words you prefer to use "libertarianism" in the meaningless sense. Go right ahead.

In an odd way, what you wrote reminds me of the modern Church. There is the faith and what it has always taught us, and there are those who pick and choose those parts or variations of those parts they have personally decided they "believe". It amuses me because like anything, one is either with it or is not. No grey areas here. Catholicism has been defined many ways, but down to personal choice never. In other words, the doctrines are the doctrines are the doctrines. You either accept them or you don't, but if you don't accept them all, you can hardly run around calling yourself a Catholic. Makes me wonder sometimes why people remain in a faith group in which they have rejected half of its teachings.

 

[BitWhys]

In an odd way, what you wrote reminds me of the modern Church. There is the faith and what it has always taught us, and there are those who pick and choose those parts or variations of those parts they have personally decided they "believe". It amuses me because like anything, one is either with it or is not. No grey areas here. Catholicism has been defined many ways, but down to personal choice never. In other words, the doctrines are the doctrines are the doctrines. You either accept them or you don't, but if you don't accept them all, you can hardly run around calling yourself a Catholic. Makes me wonder sometimes why people remain in a faith group in which they have rejected half of its teachings.

I think for the most part on the practical level this is true but designations are made less simple when one considers the role of the prophetic voice as it is manifest within Christ's church. Almost by definition and certainly historically the leaders of the flock have always been more than a little slow on the uptake on that.

 

[look3467]

You are miss-translating the Scriptures, if you'll permit me to point that out to you. Jesus did not tell "us" that, he told the Apostles that. He did not indicate this was so for his disciples, but just the Apostles. It was through such teachings that Jesus was establishing His priesthood for His Church. He gave His priesthood the "power" to forgive sins in His name, hence the Sacrament of Reconciliation(confession).

Thanks Sanctus for the tactful response. This shows me that temperance is a virtue you have. And that can only come from God Himself.

Now, as for miss-translating scripture: I believe scripture is revealed according to the level of faith one has.

For example: One wouldn’t feed meat to a baby, only milk.

The priest hood of mankind was done away with in the priesthood of Jesus. Now, before you jump to any conclusions, hear me out.

Jesus is the center of all life period. Why: Because, Jesus brought life to all mankind, which makes Him the beginning and the end. The: Alfa and the Omega.

The priest hood of man was temporary, while the priesthood of God (Jesus) is everlasting: Continuously.

The priesthood of man:

Num 18:1 And the LORD said unto Aaron, Thou and thy sons and thy father's house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary: and thou and thy sons with thee shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood.

One tribe:

Heb 7:5 And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:

The human priesthood was established as a “Picture” of the everlasting priest coming.
Just as the animal sacrifices was a picture also.

So, if salvation is to come, it must come by some other priesthood, not by man and the law, for the law does not save, but condemns.

If perfection were by man’s priesthood:

Heb 7:11 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron

This latest and only one does have an everlasting priesthood, not made by human hands but by God Himself.

Heb 7:24 But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.

Now that Jesus is our high Priest in the heavens, we are as lively stones:

1Pe 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

Spiritual sacrifices are not of the earthly type, but of the heart of the one’s soul.

Each of us in our own way offerings praises, and personal sacrifices as we minister as a holy priesthood to humanity, is acceptable to God by Jesus Christ “the” High Priest.

What does that say about the Catholic Church? Nothing derogatory for it serves its purpose, until the individual souls make an effort to seek out God as a personal friend. (By studying the bible)

And when that personal friend is found, then we can go directly to that friend for whatever ails us.

Rom 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father

The spirit of bondage is being under mans religious rule thus fearing coming short of it.

But under Gods rule, fear is gone, because we are accepted (Adopted)“as is”, and frees us to come to Him and cry Abba Father.

Now that is praise worthy! To even think that He would even consider this little pebble of life in an ocean of sand pebbles, and rescue me from my own sinfulness, and lift me up in love. To me it is worth a million praises to a God worthy of my life’s sacrifices.

Me and my God, a personal relationship in whom I receive via His Holy Spirit all the comfort and support I could ever need in a world troubled with fear and death.

Peace>>>AJ



?

 

[mapleleafgirl]

sanctus. you seem to know a bit about catholic things. how do you know the pope was chosen be jesus. i mean, you wrote somewhere that peter was the first pope and that sounds ok,but how do you know this was so. my friend says the early church didn't think peter was a pope or that poes were part of the early church.

 

[sanctus]

sanctus. you seem to know a bit about catholic things. how do you know the pope was chosen be jesus. i mean, you wrote somewhere that peter was the first pope and that sounds ok,but how do you know this was so. my friend says the early church didn't think peter was a pope or that poes were part of the early church.

Matt. to Rev. - Peter is mentioned 155 times and the rest of apostles combined are only mentioned 130 times. Peter is also always listed first except in 1 Cor. 3:22 and Gal. 2:9 (which are obvious exceptions to the rule).

Matt. 10:2; Mark 1:36; 3:16; Luke 6:14-16; Acts 1:3; 2:37; 5:29 - these are some of many examples where Peter is mentioned first among the apostles.
Matt. 14:28-29 - only Peter has the faith to walk on water. No other man in Scripture is said to have the faith to walk on water. This faith ultimately did not fail.
Matt. 16:16, Mark 8:29; John 6:69 - Peter is first among the apostles to confess the divinity of Christ.
Matt. 16:17 - Peter alone is told he has received divine knowledge by a special revelation from God the Father.
Matt. 16:18 - Jesus builds the Church only on Peter, the rock, with the other apostles as the foundation and Jesus as the Head.
Matt. 16:19 - only Peter receives the keys, which represent authority over the Church and facilitate dynastic succession to his authority.
Matt. 17:24-25 - the tax collector approaches Peter for Jesus' tax. Peter is the spokesman for Jesus. He is the Vicar of Christ.
Matt. 17:26-27 - Jesus pays the half-shekel tax with one shekel, for both Jesus and Peter. Peter is Christ's representative on earth.
Matt. 18:21 - in the presence of the disciples, Peter asks Jesus about the rule of forgiveness. One of many examples where Peter takes a leadership role among the apostles in understanding Jesus' teachings.
Matt. 19:27 - Peter speaks on behalf of the apostles by telling Jesus that they have left everything to follow Him.
Mark 10:28 - here also, Peter speaks on behalf of the disciples by declaring that they have left everything to follow Him.
Mark 11:21 - Peter speaks on behalf of the disciples in remembering Jesus' curse on the fig tree.
Mark 14:37 - at Gethsemane, Jesus asks Peter, and no one else, why he was asleep. Peter is accountable to Jesus for his actions on behalf of the apostles because he has been appointed by Jesus as their leader.
Mark 16:7 - Peter is specified by an angel as the leader of the apostles as the angel confirms the resurrection of Christ.
Luke 5:3 – Jesus teaches from Peter’s boat which is metaphor for the Church. Jesus guides Peter and the Church into all truth.
Luke 5:4,10 - Jesus instructs Peter to let down the nets for a catch, and the miraculous catch follows. Peter, the Pope, is the "fisher of men."
Luke 7:40-50- Jesus addresses Peter regarding the rule of forgiveness and Peter answers on behalf of the disciples. Jesus also singles Peter out and judges his conduct vis-à-vis the conduct of the woman who anointed Him.
Luke 8:45 - when Jesus asked who touched His garment, it is Peter who answers on behalf of the disciples.
Luke 8:51; 9:28; 22:8; Acts 1:13; 3:1,3,11; 4:13,19; 8:14 - Peter is always mentioned before John, the disciple whom Jesus loved.
Luke 9:28;33 - Peter is mentioned first as going to mountain of transfiguration and the only one to speak at the transfiguration.
Luke 12:41 - Peter seeks clarification of a parable on behalf on the disciples. This is part of Peter's formation as the chief shepherd of the flock after Jesus ascended into heaven.
Luke 22:31-32 - Jesus prays for Peter alone, that his faith may not fail, and charges him to strengthen the rest of the apostles.
Luke 24:12, John 20:4-6 - John arrived at the tomb first but stopped and waited for Peter. Peter then arrived and entered the tomb first.
Luke 24:34 - the two disciples distinguish Peter even though they both had seen the risen Jesus the previous hour. See Luke 24:33.
John 6:68 - after the disciples leave, Peter is the first to speak and confess his belief in Christ after the Eucharistic discourse.
John 13:6-9 - Peter speaks out to the Lord in front of the apostles concerning the washing of feet.
John 13:36; 21:18 - Jesus predicts Peter's death. Peter was martyred at Rome in 67 A.D. Several hundred years of papal successors were also martyred.
John 21:2-3,11 - Peter leads the fishing and his net does not break. The boat (the "barque of Peter") is a metaphor for the Church.
John 21:7 - only Peter got out of the boat and ran to the shore to meet Jesus. Peter is the earthly shepherd leading us to God.
John 21:15 - in front of the apostles, Jesus asks Peter if he loves Jesus "more than these," which refers to the other apostles. Peter is the head of the apostolic see.
John 21:15-17 - Jesus charges Peter to "feed my lambs," "tend my sheep," "feed my sheep." Sheep means all people, even the apostles.
Acts 1:13 - Peter is first when entering upper room after our Lord's ascension. The first Eucharist and Pentecost were given in this room.
Acts 1:15 - Peter initiates the selection of a successor to Judas right after Jesus ascended into heaven, and no one questions him. Further, if the Church needed a successor to Judas, wouldn't it need one to Peter? Of course.
Acts 2:14 - Peter is first to speak for the apostles after the Holy Spirit descended upon them at Pentecost. Peter is the first to preach the Gospel.
Acts 2:38 - Peter gives first preaching in the early Church on repentance and baptism in the name of Jesus Christ.
Acts 3:1,3,4 - Peter is mentioned first as going to the Temple to pray.
Acts 3:6-7 - Peter works the first healing of the apostles.
Acts 3:12-26, 4:8-12 - Peter teaches the early Church the healing through Jesus and that there is no salvation other than Christ.
Acts 5:3 - Peter declares the first anathema of Ananias and Sapphira which is ratified by God, and brings about their death. Peter exercises his binding authority.
Acts 5:15 - Peter's shadow has healing power. No other apostle is said to have this power.
Acts 8:14 - Peter is mentioned first in conferring the sacrament of confirmation.
Acts 8:20-23 - Peter casts judgment on Simon's quest for gaining authority through the laying on of hands. Peter exercises his binding and loosing authority.
Acts 9:32-34 - Peter is mentioned first among the apostles and works the healing of Aeneas.
Acts 9:38-40 - Peter is mentioned first among the apostles and raises Tabitha from the dead.
Acts 10:5 - Cornelius is told by an angel to call upon Peter. Angels are messengers of God. Peter was granted this divine vision.
Acts 10:34-48, 11:1-18 - Peter is first to teach about salvation for all (Jews and Gentiles).
Acts 12:5 - this verse implies that the "whole Church" offered "earnest prayers" for Peter, their leader, during his imprisonment.
Acts 12:6-11 - Peter is freed from jail by an angel. He is the first object of divine intervention in the early Church.
Acts 15:7-12 - Peter resolves the first doctrinal issue on circumcision at the Church's first council at Jerusalem, and no one questions him. After Peter the Papa spoke, all were kept silent.
Acts 15:12 - only after Peter (the Pope) speaks do Paul and Barnabas (bishops) speak in support of Peter's definitive teaching.
Acts 15:13-14 - then James speaks to further acknowledge Peter's definitive teaching. "Simeon (Peter) has related how God first visited..."
Rom. 15:20 - Paul says he doesn't want to build on "another man's foundation" referring to Peter, who built the Church in Rome.
1 Cor. 9:5 – Peter is distinguished from the rest of the apostles and brethren of the Lord.
1 Cor. 15:4-8 - Paul distinguishes Jesus' post-resurrection appearances to Peter from those of the other apostles. Christ appeared “to Cephas, then to the twelve.”
Gal.1:18 - Paul spends fifteen days with Peter privately before beginning his ministry, even after Christ's Revelation to Paul.
1 Peter 5:1 - Peter acts as the chief bishop by "exhorting" all the other bishops and elders of the Church.
1 Peter 5:13 - Some Protestants argue against the Papacy by trying to prove Peter was never in Rome. First, this argument is irrelevant to whether Jesus instituted the Papacy. Secondly, this verse demonstrates that Peter was in fact in Rome. Peter writes from "Babylon" which was a code name for Rome during these days of persecution. See, for example, Rev. 14:8, 16:19, 17:5, 18:2,10,21, which show that "Babylon" meant Rome. Rome was the "great city" of the New Testament period. Because Rome during this age was considered the center of the world, the Lord wanted His Church to be established in Rome.
2 Peter 1:14 - Peter writes about Jesus' prediction of Peter's death, embracing the eventual martyrdom that he would suffer.
2 Peter 3:16 - Peter is making a judgment on the proper interpretation of Paul's letters. Peter is the chief shepherd of the flock. Matt. 23:11; Mark 9:35; 10:44 - yet Peter, as the first, humbled himself to be the last and servant of all servants.

 

[sanctus]

Me and my God, a personal relationship in whom I receive via His Holy Spirit all the comfort and support I could ever need in a world troubled with fear and death.

Peace>>>AJ



?

AJ, I'll tackle this later..in a bit of a hurry at present.

 

[mapleleafgirl]

Matt. to Rev. - Peter is mentioned 155 times and the rest of apostles combined are only mentioned 130 times. Peter is also always listed first except in 1 Cor. 3:22 and Gal. 2:9 (which are obvious exceptions to the rule).

Matt. 10:2;ed himself to be the last and servant of all servants.

well my goodness. all these bible verses. is there any proof though, outside of the bible, that the first cnetury church believed in having popes.???/

 

[mapleleafgirl]

I think for the most part on the practical level this is true but designations are made less simple when one considers the role of the prophetic voice as it is manifest within Christ's church. Almost by definition and certainly historically the leaders of the flock have always been more than a little slow on the uptake on that.

i dont get it, so are you saying leaders of churches are dense?

 

[mapleleafgirl]

How do you know it doesn't exist?

But to the point of my comments, I was talking about the hell inside, as a metaphoric construct, not as an actual place inside of us.

so if hell is inside of us, do you think hell actually exists? is it an actual place where sinners go??

 

[sanctus]

.

Now that is praise worthy! To even think that He would even consider this little pebble of life in an ocean of sand pebbles, and rescue me from my own sinfulness, and lift me up in love. To me it is worth a million praises to a God worthy of my life’s sacrifices.

Me and my God, a personal relationship in whom I receive via His Holy Spirit all the comfort and support I could ever need in a world troubled with fear and death.

Peace>>>AJ



?

The Council of Trent teaches: "If anyone says that Order, or Sacred Ordination, is not truly and properly a Sacrament instituted by Christ the Lord; that it is a kind of human figment devised by men unskilled in ecclesiastical matters; or that it is only a sort of rite for choosing ministers of the word of God and the Sacraments; let him be anathema" . "If anyone says that by these words: 'Do this for a commemoration of Me' (Luke ) that Christ did not constitute the Apostles priests, or did not ordain that they and other priests offer His Body and Blood, let him be anathema" .

At the Last Supper, Jesus Christ, the High Priest of the New Law according to the order of Melchisedech (Ps. cix. 4; Heb. vii. 11), instituted as a permanent and official act of worship the Eucharistic Sacrifice which He had just offered, and in commanding His Apostles to do what He Himself had done, He gave them the power to do what He commanded; i. e., to offer this self-same Sacrifice as the representatives and sharers of His Eternal Priesthood. And to complete the communication of His Priesthood to His Apostle, He added on the first Easter day the other strictly sacerdotal power of forgiving and retaining sins .

Although most likely Christ made His Apostles priests without any special ceremony ,the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistles of St. Paul mention all the elements of the Sacrament of Orders; the external symbolic rite of the imposition of hands and prayer; the internal grace given by this rite; and its institution by Christ.

The external sign is the imposition of hands. "These (the seven deacons) they set before the Apostles, and they praying, imposed hands upon them" (Acts ). "Then they, fasting and praying, and imposing their hands upon them (Paul and Barnabas), sent them away" (Acts ). Paul and Barnabas ordain priests for the different churches. "And when they had ordained to them priests in every church, they commended them to the Lord, in whom they believed" (Acts ). St. Paul, writing to Timothy (1 Tim. v. 22), tells us that the Sacrament of Orders was to be handed down by an external rite: "Impose not hands lightly upon any man."

That the imposition of hands communicates internal grace is taught clearly by St. Paul. "Neglect not the grace that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with imposition of the hands of the priesthood" (1 Tim.). "I admonish thee that thou stir up the grace of God which is in thee by the imposition of my hands" (2 Tim.).

The divine institution of Orders is also mentioned by St. Paul who says that He (Christ) "gave some Apostles, and some prophets, and other some evangelists, and other some pastors and doctors, for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the Body of Christ" (Eph. ).

No one has the right to teach the Gospel authoritatively, or carry on its sacred ministry, unless he is divinely commissioned as a successor of the Apostles, or a sharer in the Priesthood of Jesus Christ. "Neither does any man take the honor to himself, but he that is called by God, as Aaron was" (Heb. v. 4). "How can they preach," asks St. Paul, "unless they be sent?" (Rom. v. 4), i. e.y divinely commissioned.

The Council of Trent declares that Orders is proved to be a Sacrament "on the testimony of the Scriptures, the Apostolic tradition, and the unanimous consent of the Fathers"

From the earliest times we find mention of bishops, priests and deacons (Acts xx. 17-28; Phil. i. 1; 1 Tim. iii. 2, 8, 12; v. 1, 17, 19; Tit. i. 5, 7). St. Clement (90-99) writes: "Christ is from God, and the Apostles from Christ. Preaching from city to city and throughout the country, the Apostles appointed their first converts, testing them by the Spirit, to be bishops and deacons for the future Christians" (Clement). He severely rebukes the Christians of Corinth for daring "to dismiss from the ministry those who had been placed in office by the Apostles or their successors with the approval of the whole Church" . His rebuke was well received, for the letter of Pope Clement was placed by the Corinthians almost on a level with the Bible, and was read in the churches for nearly seventy-five years (Eusebius).

The Didache or Teaching of the Twelve Apostles (290), tells the layman to honour and respect the Bishop as a father and a king; as the priest and the intermediary between God and man, whom the layman must not call to account, in order not to oppose God and give offense to the Lord" .

St. Gregory of Nyssa (395) writes: "The same power of the word renders sublime and honourable the priest, who, by the newness of Ordination, has been singled out from the multitude; he who was yesterday one of the people suddenly becomes a commander, a presiding officer, a teacher of righteousness, and the dispenser of hidden mysteries" (Orat. in Bapt. Christi).

Sc. John Chrysostom (344-407) writes: "If the pledge of the Holy Spirit no longer existed, there would be no Baptism and no remission of sins . . . nor should we consume the mysteries. . . . Nor would we have priests, because, without such a descent, Orders would be impossible" (De Ress. Mortis, 8).

St. Augustine (354-430) places Orders on a level with the Sacrament of Baptism. "Each is a Sacrament, and each is given to man by a certain consecration: Baptism when a man is baptized, the other when he is ordained; and for this cause, in the Catholic Church, neither can be repeated" (Contra Epis. Per men., h, 13).

It is true that St. Peter (1 Peter ii. 9), and St. John (Apoc. i.6), call Christians priests, because at Mass they really offer up the Sacrifice with the priest and in union with him. Although the priest by Divine Ordination alone can consecrate the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of the Lord, he does so as the representative of the Christian people. The Christian is also styled a priest because he offers up spiritual sacrifices; the sacrifice of one's body (Phil. ); of prayer (Heb.); of almsgiving (Heb. ); of faith in Jesus Christ (Phil. ).

 

[sanctus]

well my goodness. all these bible verses. is there any proof though, outside of the bible, that the first cnetury church believed in having popes.???/

Yes, some of the early Church Fathers wrote:


St. Clement of Rome, Letter to the Corinthians (C. 98 A.D.):
"The Church of God which sojourns in Rome to the Church of God which sojourns in Corinth...Owing to the sudden and repeated calamities and misfortunes which have befallen us, we must acknowledge that we have been somewhat tardy in turning our attention to the matters in dispute among you."
Shepherd of Hermas (C. 140-150 A.D.):
[Hermas recounts that the old woman who is the Church came to him in a vision and said:] "Therefore shall you write two little books and send one to Clement and one to Grapte. Clement shall then send it to the cities abroad, because that is his duty; and Grapte shall instruct the widows and the orphans. But you shall read it in this city along with the presbyters who are in charge of the Church."
St. Irenaeus of Lyons, Against Heresies (C. 180 A.D.):
"The successions of the bishops of the greatest and most ancient Church known to all, founded and organized at Rome by the two most glorious Apostles, Peter and Paul, that Church which has the tradition and the faith which comes down to us after having been announced to men by the Apostles. For with this the whole world; and it is in her that the faithful everywhere have maintained the Apostolic tradition..."
St. Cyprian of Carthage, Letter to all His People (251 A.D.):
"There is one God and one Christ, and one Church, and one Chair founded on Peter by the word of the Lord. It is not possible to set up another altar or for there to be another priesthood besides that one altar and that one priesthood. Whoever has gathered elsewhere is scattering."
St. Jerome (+420 A.D.), Ad Damasum:
"I speak with the successor of the fisherman...Though I acknowledge none as first except Christ, I am joined in communion with your Holiness, that is to say, in communion with the Chair of Peter. I know that it is upon that rock that the Church has been built."
St. Augustine of Hippo (+430 A.D.), Ps. In Par. Donat.:
"Run through the list of those priests who have occupied the See of Peter Himself; and in that list of Fathers, see who succeeded to whom. This is the Rock which the proud Gates of Hell do not overcome."
Catechism of the Council of Trent (1566):
The Church has but one ruler and one governor, the invisible one, Christ, whom the eternal Father hath made head over all the Church, which is his body; the visible one, the Pope, who, as legitimate successor of Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, fills the Apostolic chair.
Catechism of the Catholic Church (1992):
No. 880: When Christ instituted the Twelve, "he constituted [them] in the form of a college or permanent assembly, at the head of which he placed Peter, chosen from among them." Just as "by the Lord’s institution, St. Peter and the rest of the apostles constitute a single apostolic college, so in like fashion the Roman Pontiff, Peter’s successor, and the bishops, the successors of the apostles, are related with and united to one another."
No. 881: The Lord made Simon alone, whom he named Peter, the "rock" of his Church. He gave him the keys of his Church and instituted him shepherd of the whole flock. The office of binding and loosing which was given to Peter was also assigned to the college of apostles united to its head. This pastoral office of Peter and the other apostles belongs to the Church’s very foundation and is continued by the bishops under the primacy of the Pope.
No. 882: The Pope, Bishop of Rome and Peter’s successor, "is the perpetual and visible source and foundation of the unity both of the bishops and of the whole company of the faithful." "For the Roman Pontiff, by reason of his office as Vicar of Christ, and as pastor of the entire Church has full, supreme, and universal power over the whole Church, a power which he can always exercise unhindered."

 

[sanctus]

so if hell is inside of us, do you think hell actually exists? is it an actual place where sinners go??

We must assume so, since Jesus Himself confirmed and taught this. What is Hell though? In popular mythology it is a place of fire and pain, but perhaps real hell is the absence of life and God. We do know that the Scriptures teach of a state of the soul absent from the presence of God as being in Hell.