Jesus Christ is God Himself (John 1:1, Colossians 2:9), incarnate in the human person (John 1:14). Through him, all things were made (John 1:3).
Jesus personally founded one Church , which is his one Body (Romans 12:5, 1 Corinthians 12:12). He directed his Church to “[g]o and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all that [he] commanded.” Matthew 28:19-20.
Jesus built his Church on the rock of Simon Peter (Matthew 16:18) and on the foundation of the apostles and prophets (Ephesians 2:20). Jesus promised that he would be with his Church until the end of time (Matthew 28:20) and that the gates of hell would never prevail against his Church (Matthew 16:18).
If Jesus was telling the truth, his Church cannot ever fail (because that would imply his absence) or be extinguished (because that would imply that hell had prevailed). Jesus cannot lie, because he is God (cf. Titus 1:2). Consequently, the one Church that Jesus personally founded must be in continuous, visible operation, in direct, unbroken succession from the original apostles, with the seat of Peter being primary.
We find throughout the centuries and down to our day the objective truth that the Church of Jesus Christ “constituted and organized in the world as a society, subsists in the Catholic Church, which is governed by the successor of Peter and by the Bishops in communion with him, although many elements of sanctification and of truth are found outside of its visible structure.” “Dogmatic Constitution on the Church”, Lumen Gentium, at section 8.
The Apostle Paul instructs us to stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that the apostles taught, either by word of mouth or by letter. 2 Thessalonians 2:15. The more I investigated the Catholic Church, the more I saw that it is the one Church founded on the Apostles with Christ as the cornerstone. The Roman Catholic Church has been faithful to the apostolic teaching (cf. Acts 2:42) and traditions throughout the centuries.
Outside the Church is the lie Satan told Eve: “[Y]our eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:5. The Apostle Paul prophesied what would happen:
For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths.
In a future post, I will talk more about why I believe in the Catholic Church and the the truth of Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus. — Outside the Church there is no salvation.