We Speak truth in LOVE tell us if we have misrepresented Catholic Faith. Catholics are taught that Peter was the first Pope and that there has been a succession, one after the other, of Popes that. It may only need a bit of cleaning and I really don’t fiddle with the “innards’ of the mixers myself. If the electric cords are good, it should work fine but some mixers do have a slight odor when running, especially. Luke 17:34-37, One taken.34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. 35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Welcome to the Miller Center. From presidents Carter, George H.W. Bush, Clinton, and George W. Box 400406, Charlottesville, VA 22904 Directions. We have spoken to Muslim women, including the fabulous Dr. They are the ones trying to garner attention to this problem. So, you’re saying we should ignore these.The false doctrine of Roman Catholic apostolic succession! We Speak truth in LOVEtell us if we have misrepresented Catholic Faith. Apostolic Succession. Catholics are taught that Peter was the first Pope and that there has been a succession, one after the other, of Popes that followed Peter. One excellent example of this is found within the foyer of many Catholic churches. As you walk in the front door, there are a series of large plaques that dominate the main wall. On each plaque is the name of a Pope. Starting with the current living Pope, they trace the names of every Pope sequentially back in history to Apostle Peter, who they claim was the first Pope. Yet the office of Pope did not exist for the first 6. Such displays are a powerful deception to the masses, for historically and Biblically this is simply untrue. The Catholic church prides itself as the original church that Jesus started in 3. AD and that all other denominations broke away from them and are therefore deviant. Catholics are led to believe from their priests, that if they were transported back in time to 1. A. D, they would be able to attend a Catholic church just like to day. The facts of history, however, paint an entirely different picture, because the Roman Catholic church, in its present organizational structure, did not exist prior to 6. A. D. Examining Catholic Successors. The aim of this study is to carefully examine the Scriptures regarding the Roman Catholic claim of successors. As in all our writings, our purpose is not to stir up hatred or to create strife. We wish only to make an honest inquiry regarding the validity of the successor doctrine as taught by the Catholic Church. Our intent is to secure an accurate knowledge of God's truth that we might abide therein. We ask our readers to investigate with open minds and honest hearts the things presented. God requires this of everyone. All scriptural quotations in this work are from authorized Catholic translations (from the Confraternity Version unless otherwise indicated), and all quotes are from authorized Catholic books. A complete bibliography is furnished at the close of this document. Apostolic Authority In this age, God speaks to us through His Son, Jesus Christ (Heb. Christ spoke the words and commandments given to Him from the Father (John 1. We are to hear Jesus, not Moses or Elijah (Mark 9: 2- 8). Christ is the mediator of the New Testament (Heb. Christ is that great prophet who was to come (Deut. Acts 3: 2. 2- 2. 3). The name of Jesus is the only name by which we can be saved (Acts 4: 1. We cannot reject His word and be guiltless (John 1. God, therefore, makes known His will to us today through His Son. Jesus makes known God's will through His apostles and prophets. Christ gave the same words and commandments that He received from the Father to His twelve apostles (John 1. He promised them the Holy Spirit who would remind them of all He had said and would guide them into all truth. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your mind whatever I have said to you. Furthermore, Jesus said, . And you also bear witness, because from the beginning you are with me. From the foregoing passages, we learn two important facts: (1) The promise of the Holy Spirit was to the apostles only. They were the ones to whom Jesus was speaking; they were the ones who had been with Him from the beginning. The apostles were to wait in Jerusalem to receive the Holy Spirit as was promised. But wait here in the city, until you are clothed with power from on high. All of this was in fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies which said, . The apostles received the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost as recorded in Acts 2: 1- 4 and . Thus, they began to proclaim by inspiration the will or law of God as Jesus had declared in the words, . What Jesus said to Peter concerning binding and loosing (Matt. He also said to all the apostles (Matt. The meaning is not that the binding and loosing would come from their own devising- -God alone is the lawgiver (James 4: 1. His word is forever firmly fixed in the heavens (Psalm 1. Holy Spirit guiding them they would proclaim the things God wanted bound and loosed. For example, they declared what God bound for forgiveness of sins (Acts 2: 3. God loosed- -. This principle is expressed in Matt. Again, the meaning is not that they would forgive and retain sins in and of themselves. They would not from their own devising arbitrarily say to one . When the apostles received the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2), they began to do as the Lord had said. This and other similar passages are inspired examples of how their authority to forgive sins was exercised. Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, they laid down the conditions by which sins are forgiven. If we do as they commanded, our sins are forgiven, if we do not, our sins are retained. Since this is the only thing revealed in the New Testament concerning their power to forgive and retain sins, this constitutes the full extent of their authority in this matter. Up to the point as recorded in Acts 2, only the twelve had obtained the ability to speak by the inspiration of God. Verse 1. 4 of Acts 2 shows that Peter, standing with the eleven, declared that the gift which they had received was in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. God worked with them by giving them the power to work miracles. As we read a little farther in the book of Acts we see how New Testament prophets were made. The first account of someone besides an apostle working a miracle is that of Stephen. Stephen, as well as Philip, was of the seven on whom the apostles had laid their hands. As we read still farther, we see that Philip is the next person who was able to work miracles. And the crowds with one accord gave heed to what was said by Philip, listening to him and seeing the miracles that he worked. Although Philip was a New Testament prophet and could work miracles, he was unable to give the Holy Spirit to others. Only the apostles were empowered with that ability. On their arrival they prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit; for as yet he had not come upon any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. But when Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, saying, 'Give me also this power, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.' . This is the only way New Testament prophets were made and the prophets themselves were unable to give the Spirit to others. Philip could not give the Holy Spirit to the people of Samaria. Some apostles, Peter and John, had to be sent from Jerusalem before that could be done. When an apostle laid his hands on someone, he received miraculous powers. Thus, we have shown that the apostles were the only ones who were to receive the power from on high and were to wait in Jerusalem for it (Luke 2. Acts 1: 4,8). This power enabled them to speak in tongues, prophesy and work miracles (Acts 2: 4,4. Also, it gave them the ability to transmit the Holy Spirit by laying their hands on others. New Testament prophets were made in this manner and they also could speak in tongues, prophesy and work miracles but could not pass on the power to others (Acts 8: 4- 6; 1. Apostolic Succession. We will now notice several quotations from Catholic sources which assert that the present day officials in the Catholic Church are successors to the apostles. Please notice the following: . On the contrary, as the Apostles transmitted to their successors their power to preach, to baptize, to ordain, to confirm, etc., they must also have handed down to them the no less essential gift of infallibility. Please notice, first of all, that the Catholic writer says, . We claim that there is just ground for denying it. No one is a successor to the apostles and has their authority today because no one is inspired by the Holy Spirit today. The possession of the Spirit is the factor that determined the apostles' authority. They had the power to bind and loose, forgive and retain, because God was speaking through them. On that basis only were they enabled to unerringly deliver God's message to mankind. How can anyone claim to have authority such as theirs, being their successors, when not inspired by the Holy Spirit? Furthermore, the apostles and those on whom they laid their hands could speak with tongues, prophesy and work miracles. They worked miracles to demonstrate their authority, to show that they were indeed inspired of God. In defense of his own authority, Paul said, . No one can work miracles today as they did; thus, no one is inspired today and no one has the same authority today. Secondly, the Catholic writer said, . However, we must inquire, . The Catholic official, however, tries to show that it is handed down through men as successors of the apostles and prophets. He affirmed that the Divine Word nowhere indicates that it was not to be transmitted to their successors. In reality, the opposite is true. The Divine Word nowhere indicates that it was to be transmitted to successors. A look at the qualifications of the apostles reveal they would not have successors. An apostle had to be an eye- witness of Christ. Paul defended his apostleship by saying, ? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? The apostles were indeed witnesses in the fullest sense. They were the eye- witnesses, carefully chosen by the Lord, who would witness to mankind what they saw and heard concerning Jesus. Realizing this important fact helps us to understand how the apostles witness to us today. They certainly do not do it through other ordained witnesses. It is impossible for one in our time to be a witness in the sense they were. Instead, it is through their writings- -the holy Scriptures.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
January 2017
Categories |