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This is one of my \u201capologetics inserts\u201d from The Catholic Answer Bible<\/em><\/a> (2002, OSV; you can purchase my 44 inserts only<\/a>, for $2.99: PDF); later expanded as The New Catholic Answer Bible<\/em> <\/a>(2005): my biggest-selling book ever, which is a shame insofar as I receive no ongoing royalties. I was paid a one-time fee (ah, the life of full-time theological authors . . . please pray for me, to pay my bills!).<\/p>\n I have cut-and-pasted the \u201cRelated Scripture\u201d (i.e., entire passages) from RSV, whereas the original only lists<\/em> the passages; and I have also provided the Catechism<\/em> passages in full as well, making this quite the \u201cdeluxe\u201d version and \u201cone-stop\u201d treatment of this vexed topic.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n The Bible clearly teaches that the Church is composed of both saints and sinners. We see\u00a0this most indisputably in several parables of Jesus about the kingdom of heaven (that is,\u00a0the Church), such as the wheat and the tares (or weeds), where Jesus teaches that they\u00a0will grow together until the final judgment, or harvest time (Mt 13:24-30; cf. Mt 3:12).<\/p>\n He compares the Church to a fishnet that draws good and bad fish, ultimately separated\u00a0(Mt 13:47-50), and a marriage banquet, from which one guest was cast out into the outer\u00a0darkness (Mt 22:1-14). This parable ends with the famous phrase, \u201cMany are called, but\u00a0few are chosen,\u201d which may be interpreted as the distinction between lukewarm or\u00a0nominal Christians who lack the \u201cwedding garment\u201d of righteous deeds and the actual elect who will be saved in the end. Both are present in\u00a0the Church, according to Jesus.<\/p>\n A similar state of affairs is seen in the parables of the ten\u00a0virgins (Mt 25:1-13) and the talents (Mt 25:14-30). In addition, Jesus chose Judas as His disciple, even though He knew the future; and Judas was truly an apostle (Mt 10:1, 4; Mk 3:14; Jn\u00a06:70-71; Acts 1:17). Likewise, St. Paul, in addressing elders (Acts 20:17, 28) states that the\u00a0Holy Spirit Himself has made them bishops<\/em>, yet from among these very same men,\u00a0heretics and schismatics would arise (Acts 20:30). He echoes this thought in the parable-like\u00a0verse 2 Timothy 2:20 (see also 2:15-19).<\/p>\n Related Scripture<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Matthew 7:14, 21-23<\/strong>\u00a0For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few. . . .\u00a0[21]\u00a0\u201cNot every one who says to me, `Lord, Lord,\u2019 shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.\u00a0[22] On that day many will say to me, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?\u2019\u00a0\u00a0[23] And then will I declare to them, `I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.\u2019<\/p>\n Matthew 9:37-38<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0Then he said to his disciples, \u201cThe harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few;\u00a0\u00a0[38] pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.\u201d<\/p>\n Matthew 24:10<\/strong>\u00a0And then many will fall away, and betray one another, and hate one another.<\/p>\n Luke 13:23-24<\/strong>\u00a0And some one said to him, \u201cLord, will those who are saved be few?\u201d And he said to them,\u00a0\u00a0[24] \u201cStrive to enter by the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.\u201d<\/p>\n 1 Corinthians 3:1-4<\/strong>\u00a0But I, brethren, could not address you as spiritual men, but as men of the flesh, as babes in Christ.\u00a0[2] I fed you with milk, not solid food; for you were not ready for it; and even yet you are not ready,\u00a0[3] for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh, and behaving like ordinary men?\u00a0[4] For when one says, \u201cI belong to Paul,\u201d and another, \u201cI belong to Apol\u2019los,\u201d are you not merely men?<\/p>\n 1 Corinthians 5:1-2<\/strong>\u00a0It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and of a kind that is not found even among pagans; for a man is living with his father\u2019s wife. [2] And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.<\/p>\n 1 Corinthians 11:21<\/strong> For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal, and one is hungry and another is drunk.<\/p>\n 2 Corinthians 11:2-4<\/strong>\u00a0I feel a divine jealousy for you, for I betrothed you to Christ to present you as a pure bride to her one husband.\u00a0[3] But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.\u00a0[4] For if some one comes and preaches another Jesus than the one we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you submit to it readily enough.<\/p>\n 2 Corinthians 12:20-21<\/strong>\u00a0For I fear that perhaps I may come and find you not what I wish, and that you may find me not what you wish; that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder.\u00a0[21] I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those who sinned before and have not repented of the impurity, immorality, and licentiousness which they have practiced.<\/p>\n Galatians 3:1-4\u00a0<\/strong>O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?\u00a0[2] Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law, or by hearing with faith?\u00a0\u00a0[3] Are you so foolish? Having begun with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh?\u00a0\u00a0[4] Did you experience so many things in vain? \u2014 if it really is in vain.<\/p>\n Galatians 4:9-20<\/strong>\u00a0but now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and beggarly elemental spirits, whose slaves you want to be once more?\u00a0[10] You observe days, and months, and seasons, and years!\u00a0[11] I am afraid I have labored over you in vain.\u00a0[12]\u00a0Brethren, I beseech you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong;\u00a0[13] you know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first;\u00a0[14] and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.\u00a0[15] What has become of the satisfaction you felt? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.\u00a0[16] Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth?\u00a0[17] They make much of you, but for no good purpose; they want to shut you out, that you may make much of them.\u00a0[18] For a good purpose it is always good to be made much of, and not only when I am present with you.\u00a0[19] My little children, with whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you!\u00a0[20] I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.<\/p>\n Galatians 5:1-7\u00a0<\/strong>For freedom Christ has set us free; stand fast therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.\u00a0[2]\u00a0Now I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you.\u00a0[3] I testify again to every man who receives circumcision that he is bound to keep the whole law.\u00a0[4] You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.\u00a0[5] For through the Spirit, by faith, we wait for the hope of righteousness.\u00a0[6] For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is of any avail, but faith working through love.\u00a0[7] You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth?<\/p>\n [see also the passage about the seven local churches: Revelation 1:10-20; 2:1-29, and 3:1-22]<\/p>\n Catechism of the Catholic Church<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n 671<\/strong>\u00a0Though already present in his Church, Christ\u2019s reign is nevertheless yet to be fulfilled \u201cwith power and great glory\u201d by the King\u2019s return to earth. This reign is still under attack by the evil powers, even though they have been defeated definitively by Christ\u2019s Passover. Until everything is subject to him, \u201cuntil there be realized new heavens and a new earth in which justice dwells, the pilgrim Church, in her sacraments and institutions, which belong to this present age, carries the mark of this world which will pass, and she herself takes her place among the creatures which groan and travail yet and await the revelation of the sons of God.\u201d That is why Christians pray, above all in the Eucharist, to hasten Christ\u2019s return by saying to him:\u00a0Marana tha<\/em>! \u201cOur Lord, come!\u201d<\/p>\n 769<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cThe Church .\u00a0.\u00a0. will receive its perfection only in the glory of heaven,\u201d at the time of Christ\u2019s glorious return. Until that day, \u201cthe Church progresses on her pilgrimage amidst this world\u2019s persecutions and God\u2019s consolations.\u201d Here below she knows that she is in exile far from the Lord, and longs for the full coming of the Kingdom, when she will \u201cbe united in glory with her king.\u201d The Church, and through her the world, will not be perfected in glory without great trials. Only then will \u201call the just from the time of Adam, \u2018from Abel, the just one, to the last of the elect,\u2019 .\u00a0.\u00a0. be gathered together in the universal Church in the Father\u2019s presence.\u201d<\/p>\n 823<\/a><\/b>\u00a0\u201cThe Church .\u00a0.\u00a0. is held, as a matter of faith, to be unfailingly holy. This is because Christ, the Son of God, who with the Father and the Spirit is hailed as \u2018alone holy,\u2019 loved the Church as his Bride, giving himself up for her so as to sanctify her; he joined her to himself as his body and endowed her with the gift of the Holy Spirit for the glory of God.\u201d289<\/sup>\u00a0The Church, then, is \u201cthe holy People of God,\u201d290<\/sup>\u00a0and her members are called \u201csaints.\u201d291<\/sup><\/p>\n 824<\/a><\/b>\u00a0United with Christ, the Church is sanctified by him; through him and with him she becomes sanctifying. \u201cAll the activities of the Church are directed, as toward their end, to the sanctification of men in Christ and the glorification of God.\u201d292<\/sup>\u00a0It is in the Church that \u201cthe fullness of the means of salvation\u201d293<\/sup>\u00a0has been deposited. It is in her that \u201cby the grace of God we acquire holiness.\u201d294<\/sup><\/p>\n 825<\/a><\/b>\u00a0\u201cThe Church on earth is endowed already with a sanctity that is real though imperfect.\u201d295<\/sup>\u00a0In her members perfect holiness is something yet to be acquired: \u201cStrengthened by so many and such great means of salvation, all the faithful, whatever their condition or state \u2013 though each in his own way \u2013 are called by the Lord to that perfection of sanctity by which the Father himself is perfect.\u201d296<\/sup><\/p>\n 826<\/a><\/b>\u00a0Charity is the soul of the holiness to which all are called: it \u201cgoverns, shapes, and perfects all the means of sanctification.\u201d297<\/sup><\/p>\n 8<\/strong>27<\/a><\/b>\u00a0\u201cChrist, \u2018holy, innocent, and undefiled,\u2019 knew nothing of sin, but came only to expiate the sins of the people. The Church, however, clasping sinners to her bosom, at once holy and always in need of purification, follows constantly the path of penance and renewal.\u201d299<\/sup>\u00a0All members of the Church, including her ministers, must acknowledge that they are sinners.300<\/sup>\u00a0In everyone, the weeds of sin will still be mixed with the good wheat of the Gospel until the end of time.301<\/sup>\u00a0Hence the Church gathers sinners already caught up in Christ\u2019s salvation but still on the way to holiness:<\/p>\n 828<\/a><\/b>\u00a0By\u00a0canonizing\u00a0<\/i>some of the faithful, i.e., by solemnly proclaiming that they practiced heroic virtue and lived in fidelity to God\u2019s grace, the Church recognizes the power of the Spirit of holiness within her and sustains the hope of believers by proposing the saints to them as models and intercessors.303<\/sup>\u00a0\u201cThe saints have always been the source and origin of renewal in the most difficult moments in the Church\u2019s history.\u201d304<\/sup>\u00a0Indeed, \u201choliness is the hidden source and infallible measure of her apostolic activity and missionary zeal.\u201d305<\/sup><\/p>\n 829<\/a><\/b>\u00a0\u201cBut while in the most Blessed Virgin the Church has already reached that perfection whereby she exists without spot or wrinkle, the faithful still strive to conquer sin and increase in holiness. And so they turn their eyes to Mary\u201d:306<\/sup>\u00a0in her, the Church is already the \u201call-holy.\u201d<\/p>\n 867<\/b>\u00a0The Church is holy: the Most Holy God is her author; Christ, her bridegroom, gave himself up to make her holy; the Spirit of holiness gives her life. Since she still includes sinners, she is \u201cthe sinless one made up of sinners.\u201d Her holiness shines in the saints; in Mary she is already all-holy.<\/p>\n 2030<\/strong>\u00a0<\/b>It is in the Church, in communion with all the baptized, that the Christian fulfills his vocation. From the Church he receives the Word of God containing the teachings of \u201cthe law of Christ.\u201d From the Church he receives the grace of the sacraments that sustains him on the \u201cway.\u201d From the Church he learns the\u00a0example of holiness<\/em>\u00a0and recognizes its model and source in the all-holy Virgin Mary; he discerns it in the authentic witness of those who live it; he discovers it in the spiritual tradition and long history of the saints who have gone before him and whom the liturgy celebrates in the rhythms of the sanctoral cycle.<\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n Photo credit: <\/strong>Wheat grain; photograph by\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>Stones<\/a>\u00a0(6-14-14)<\/span> [Pixabay<\/a> \/ CC0 Creative Commons<\/a> license]<\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" This is one of my \u201capologetics inserts\u201d from The Catholic Answer Bible (2002, OSV; you can purchase my 44 inserts only, for $2.99: PDF); later expanded as The New Catholic Answer Bible (2005): my biggest-selling book ever, which is a shame insofar as I receive no ongoing royalties. I was paid a one-time fee (ah, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2331,"featured_media":20039,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[230],"tags":[870,1545,1546,4021,4018,1550,1549,1512,1548,5765,1547,1118,5762,3369,141],"class_list":["post-20036","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-inquisition-crusades-scandals","tag-catholic-answer-bible","tag-christian-hypocrites","tag-christian-perfection","tag-corinthian-church","tag-corinthians","tag-galatian-church","tag-galatians","tag-hypocrisy","tag-lax-christians","tag-lousy-christians","tag-nominal-christians","tag-sanctification","tag-seven-churches-of-revelation","tag-sinners","tag-sinners-in-the-church"],"yoast_head":"\n\n
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