The authority of the Church is the basis of people’s knowledge of Christ since everything they learn about Christ comes from the Church’s ministry. The only reason people have knowledge about Christ is that the Church has passed the testimony about him. The first way how the Church informed people about Christ was by passing down the gospel, meaning good news, which contained historical facts and events from Christ’s life. Also, the gospel incorporated the facts related to Christ’s death and resurrection as observed and recorded by the apostles. Furthermore, the Church taught people the true doctrine about Christ and his supernatural life. Through commemorating his divine rites and sharing his love, the Church made Christ indeed exist in the sacraments. Two millennia have passed since Christ lived on Earth, which makes it impossible for people to know anything about him by themselves; hence, the Church’s role cannot be overestimated.
Whereas people are not holy, the Church is, holiness being one of its distinctive marks. The Church’s moral principles, sacraments, and doctrine are holy and pure since they come from Christ. However, her people, including clergymen and congregation, are not pure in several dimensions. Firstly, the Church’s human members are not pure in their perception of the doctrines. Secondly, they are not holy in their living according to the Church’s moral principles. Thirdly, people are not holy in their participation in the Church’s rites. In fact, people cannot be holy since the Church was established by Christ not as an exhibition of saints but as a place for treating sinners. Christ is perfectly holy, but his followers are not since they engage in sinful actions and need to atone for their sins. All Church members, both laymen and ministers, should realize that the Church is holy, but they are sinful.
The major difference between the Catholic and Protestant understanding of the forgiveness of sins is their expectations of what people should do to be forgiven. Both religions consider faith an important prerequisite for gaining salvation. However, Protestants believe that people can be saved by faith alone, while Catholics additionally recognize the role of good deeds. The Bible maintains faith’s importance for salvation, but in a combination with good works. At the same time, the Church emphasizes that good deeds alone cannot bring one closer to heaven. Without faith – the symbol of receiving Christ’s Blood – one cannot be saved. Still, good deeds, which stand for the works of love, are rather significant in Christianity. Not only love as a feeling is crucial but also such acts of love as charity are necessary. Protestants believe that forgiveness is external, whereas Catholics assume that forgiveness has the power to change a person’s soul.
The meaning of Christ’s resurrection is much more significant than merely coming back from death. Whereas the soul was always immortal, resurrection introduced a new reality: a new kind of body that was immortal as well as the soul. The soul’s immortality is taught in many religions, hence not being unique to Christianity. However, the body’s resurrection, prophesied by the Jews, was described only in Christianity. Immortality is much less significant and hopeful than resurrection with Christ. In fact, immortality of the body is not always a positive thing. For instance, people committing suicide do not want immortality, their major desire being to die. Meanwhile, if all people were granted bodily immortality, some of them would suffer from not being able to die. Therefore, the resurrection of the body is much more complicated than merely coming back from the dead. Resurrection is different from immortality and is much more meaningful.