The "church" Jesus said would withstand the gates of hell is the church universal. The body of all believers no matter what earthly church they attend and that church cannot and will not be overcome by Satan.
While Jesus and the Apostles spoke Aramaic, the Gospel of Matthew was written in Greek and inspired by the Holy Spirit. Each word that was chosen in the Greek, was chosen for a reason. We are reading a bare-bones, written account. We don't know what inflection Jesus may have used or if He pointed with His hands when He spoke those words. Perhaps He pointed to Himself when He said "and upon this rock I will build my church?" We don't have recorded for us any discussion that took place afterward where perhaps the meaning was made more clear. While all four Gospels include this account, only Matthew's records Jesus' words about "the rock."
We can only go by what was written, as the rest is speculation, but I find nothing outside that one account in Matthew that would support that God's church on earth is built on Peter. Peter never mentions it in his epistles, nor does Paul. That one account in Matthew, which can be legitimately understood in other ways, is not enough for me to believe the church is built on Peter. Paul said it is built on the prophets and the Apostles. Jesus said He is the chief cornerstone. The fact that centuries later the Catholic church claims their Pope is the successor to Peter does not make it so.
You assume by "church" Jesus meant a specific institution on earth as opposed to the church universal. We are instructed in Scripture to avoid the company of those who would lead us astray. Sometimes departing is the only way. You also assume Peter had the authority to name a successor. Maybe his office was only for him to last until the end of his life by which time the church would be firmly established and would have no need for a single head? We don't even know with 100% certainty that Peter made it to Rome much less headed the church there. That bishops of regional churches would have successors is logical but that doesn't mean Peter had special powers or authority to hand to his successor even if he made it to Rome.
This has been done by many scholars over the centuries, but it makes no difference to Catholics because you can just say, "That's your opinion," and dismiss what was said. So your statement makes no sense given that you would dismiss any definite proof as just an opinion.
His was a unique case, though, as he had no Scriptures and no teacher. God does gift some with the gift of teaching. They have a gift for understand and explaining things in ways that are beneficial to others. This is true in all areas of life. The Ethiopian Eunuch evidently had some exposure to the OT but had likely never sat in a Synagogue and been taught. He also likely did not have personal access to a copy. He wanted someone to explain it to him. The vast majority of Scripture is easily understood by anyone who can read. It does not take years of seminary training and linguistic expertise to understand. We are blessed to live in an age where the Bible is easy to own although sadly not in some countries. The Apostles are no longer with us but we have the next best thing. We have their written words and the Holy Spirit to guide us.
According to the Council of Trent, Protestants are anathema as we believe salvation is by faith alone. I have also read Catholic documents that say those baptized outside the Catholic church can be considered "separated brethren" so long as they do not knowingly and willingly reject the teachings of the Catholic church. My paraphrase. In other words, if you are separated by ignorance, you are still covered by the church but if you willingly reject the Catholic church, then you are outside her salvation. That would mean someone like me is considered anathema and beyond salvation because I willingly and knowingly departed from her. By the church's own teaching, most Protestants are not separated brethren.
Where does Scripture say that the Church is invisible?
The things that the Church has anathemtized, most Protestants agree with.
Most I have encountered do not believe in antinomianism, which would be no law at all
We would have people that make a one time profession of faith and then lead a deplorable sinful life and still call themselves “saved”. Most Protestants do not believe that, although some come close
The Bible says we are not saved by faith alone. It says we are saved by GRACE through faith and that not of ourselves.
When you really think about it, Protestants say we are not saved by works; however the faith most teach is a work, in that it is something the believer does by his own effort. The sinner’s prayer is a work, the confessing with the mouth is a work, yet it is called faith. Is this the “alone” that we are taking about? I have also heard it said that if you go though the motions of this “faith” work, that God is now legally obligated to save the soul no matter what else is done. Is this what scripture teaches?
Can’t find it anywhere. James says no faith alone , and Paul describes the state of faith alone in his letter to the Corinthians chapter 13, if I have faith so as to move mountains, yet have not charity, I am nothing. Paul does not teach faith alone because he says work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
What does scripture teach? We are saved by grace, as does the Catholic Church. There is nothing a human can do to receive grace
We receive it by doing what Christ said to do, follow His commandments. He says if anyone comes after me, he must deny himself take up his cross and follow me. We hear the word of God preached and realize we need to repent, yet our flesh is weak. We can only submit in obedience and receive baptism. It is at baptism that we receive the theological virtues. These cannot be obtained by human effort, but are freely given when we submit in obedience and stop the protest that God must save us. God is the author and finisher of our faith and He told us what to do to receive it.
The three gifts that we receive at baptism are Faith, Hope, and Charity. Faith to know that God is and is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him. Hope to know that God will complete His work in us beginning in this life. He has called us to deny ourselves. Our flesh is weak and we want to exalt ourselves, but this is absurd before God. If we humble ourselves and practice self denial, God will reward us with spiritual strength because He said He would. The last gift is the greatest gift which is charity or divine love. Some think this refers to other people; it does somewhat, but the command to love is two fold.
We God grants us the gift of Charity. Charity allows us to love God with our whole heart and fills us with a burning desire to obey Christ and His Church. That is the first commandment to love God with our whole heart whole life and whole soul. The second part is to love our neighbor as ourselves. We cannot say that we love our neighbor as ourselves and ignore the commands of God. He commands us to practice self denial, and if we wish to follow Him, that is what we do. We practice mortification of our flatly desires and develop virtue, that takes work. Our flesh is weak and must become disciplined, that is being a disciple. We are not all called to be Apostles, but we are all called to be disciples
He says take my yoke on your shoulders and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart. He does not say to repeat the sinner’s prayer and keep living in sin because one says he is too weak to stop, even though God promises to deliver us if we ask Him.
The gifts we receive at justification are Faith, Hope, and Charity, not faith alone, and certainly not a work generated within ourselves which makes God bound to save us.
Scripture says that in heaven, we are judged by our works. They are important, because we are judged by them. If we say we cannot do works and just wait for death, we ignore God’s commands and refuse to learn from Him. How is it we say we love Him by not working when He says if you love me keep my commandments?
It is the sin of sloth to say that good works are of no value. Do we just say Lord, Lord and expect to get into heaven? Readers of scripture know that we wont.
The works that we do after justification are not of ourselves, they are the grace of God. As scripture says, it is no longer I that liveth, but Christ that liveth me.
We do not anathemetize the Gospel, rather perversions of the Gospel that most Protestants would agree are perversions.
