In a literal sense the word catholic simply means universal. The Scriptures are quite clear that there is one ekklesia - that is, one assembly or body of God’s people. You are either a child of God or a child of Satan; you are in the kingdom of darkness or the kingdom of light. Perhaps the most familiar use of this term in proper context is in the Apostles’ Creed, which reads in part:
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
I am a catholic because I am part of one body with the Lord Jesus Christ as the head. I am not a Catholic because I am not a member of the Catholic denomination. It is unfortunate that our degrees of separation keep the emphasis on what denominational affiliation we maintain rather than on what we actually believe. I read a survey by the Barna Group a number of years ago that revealed more Catholics believe salvation depends on faith in Jesus Christ alone than do Protestants in certain denominations. All who name Jesus Christ as Lord are part of the same body and we do all need each other.
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