Answering allegation of Infallibility of the Biblical Christian Church
This is by no means a comprehensive list. David Lim is just filing some thoughts as answers to the view of Roman Catholics in infallibility of the Catholic Church.
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Roman Catholic view:
The Church has never contradicted itself in its official teaching.
Infallibility applies to the Church's teaching on faith and morals, which are in turn based on revelation.
David:
The Concise Oxford Dictionary defines infallibility [ n.] as Incapable of erring; (of method or remedy or test) unfailing; (esp. of Pope speaking ex cathedra).
No mentioning of the peculiar RC doctrine (of selective infallibility). Either all is infallible; or fallible if part/s thereof erred.
It is not hard to show that the Roman Catholic Church is not (honest)telling the truth, or practicing the truth (what she teaches), taking this (redefinition unspoken of) belief/faith/sense of infallible Church teaching as on faith and morals only.
The RCC teaches "You must not commit murder" [ Exodus 20v13 ] in her teaching of the 10 commandments.
And yet RC guards at Vatican (Spanish Guards carrying halberds)and other places (soldiers of RC belief carrying loaded guns and operating battle stations, and RC chaplains blessed them prior to combat) carry lethal weapons .The Pope John Paul II preached God the Mother and affirms the Virgin Mary.
The Bible teaches God the Father and God the Son; and never teaches that the creator consist of mother or female entity.The Bible teaches the Mary gave birth to other brothers of Christ ( Matt 12v47, Matt 13v55, Mk 3vv31-2 )rather than remaining a virgin perpetually.
Brothers/brethren ( adelphon) are not relatives ( suggenon, suggeneia, suggenes ), as there is other words for relatives ( Lk 21v16 ).
[The Gk term: Adelphos] in the bible is used for true blood brothers and spiritual brothers in Christ; not for relatives [ suggeneia ] of other fathers and mothers.
There were alleged immoral/adultrous Popes. Infallibly teaching christian moral ( Ex 20v14 ) by conduct, example , reputation?
Even Apostles and overseers got married ( 1Tim 3v2, 1Tim 3v12, Ti 1v6 ), and Jewish priests got married ( Lk 1v24 ), and yet RC priests must not get married while in office.
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RCC teaches ongoing development of doctrines. RCs believes in oral and written tradition contradicting scriptural teachings. Is development overruling/disregarding established teachings and practices laid down in scriptures?
Scriptures makes no distinction between teachings for daily living, faith and moral. They are all revelation of the same Spirit for the welfare of the body of Christ.
Scripture teaches that people of God have to walk blamelessly to warrant salvation and approval of God ( Pr 28v18 ). Yet practices of RCC have not been blameless. The organisation sinned so much and so obvious that she had to apologise to the World of non-believers of her crimes.
Scriptures teach/recorded that it is possible to lead a blameless life. ( 2Sam 22v33, 2Ch 15v17, Job 1v8, Jb 2v3, Ps 18vv23, 25, Ps 37v18, Ps 119v1, Pr 28v10, Ezk 28v15, Acts 24v16, Lk 1v6, 1Thes2v10 ) And RC Popes and priests are not free from sin (public and private), commiting indecent and shameful acts.
In terms of kneeling and praying to crucifix (such as the statues of Mary and other canonised saints), this is idolatry, setting other images before the Almighty. Is this an act of faith?
RCs use the argument that christians ask other christians to pray for them as well. But kneeling while asking? Using gesture used for praying to God? Praying in the name of the Trinity ( does this not resemble compulsion by inciting the authority of the Trinity? )while not speaking direct to the Trinity? Moral?
Scriptures do not teach praying to dead/parted believers for mediation.
Scriptures do not teach that the departed are closer to Christ than living believers. Christ is amongst believers. ( Matt 28v20, Acts 2v25 ) God is everywhere and He sent angels to minister to the saints.
POPE DECLARES VATICAN 'MOTHER' OF ALL CHRISTIAN CHURCHES
September 3, 2000 AP reports: One of Pope John Paul II's closest aides has written to bishops worldwide declaring that the Catholic church is the "mother'' of other Christian churches, a move which could hurt Vatican efforts toward unity with other believers. The Vatican Saturday had no comment on the document, which was reported on Friday by the Italian religious news agency Adista.
In the document, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger told the bishops that it was incorrect to refer to Christian churches, ranging from Orthodox to Protestant, as "sister'' churches of the Catholic church. "It must be always clear that the one, holy, catholic and apostolic universal church is not the sister, but the mother of all the churches,''
Ratzinger was quoted as saying. The term "sister churches'' often is used in dialogue aimed at fostering closer ties among Christians. John Paul has made steps toward unity with other Christians, a key goal of his papacy in Christianity's third millennium.David: Our Lord Jesus tells us in the Gospel record that those who do God's will is His mothers and brothers.
Paul in his revelational instruction tells all christians to shrink from geneaology.
In the New Testament we have many local churches and many letters of instruction and admonishment written to local churches from the apostles. There was not one mother church but one body of Christ which has always been the many assemblies of the saints.
The RCC goes against the bible/scriptures and make a different order of saints that can only be affirmed by the Vatican.
The first church is in Jerusalem, Israel.
Peter means Petros, means small stone has been used as the common name/designation of Peter, being the head of the 12. Yet Paul, Barnabas, Timothy, Silas and other apostles established the church amongst the gentiles. Peter and other apostles had their right hand held out to Paul.
When Peter was at fault, Paul spoke against him to his face. There was no absolute human head infallibility, supremacy.
Vatican I and II are not included in scriptures. The revelation of God Most High is no matter of courts or councils.
The Aramaic scriptures, which tend to give weight to the RCC argument that Peter is the foundation stone, KEPHA, of the church, is not even used by the RCC; instead Latin bible translation was used.
In the scriptures Peter never went to establish or move the church centre to Rome. The letter to the Romans was not even considered written by Peter.
The first overseer of Rome - Clement of Rome did not hold himself infallible or supreme amongst his brethren in Christ.
The Apostolic Church as having the apostolic authority passed down in succession does not exist. There is no apostle in the RCC, much less having 12 successors from the 12 starting at Jerusalem.
Other successors still exist in Turkey, in Greece that have the same apostolic laying on of hands as the RC popes have. Laying on of the hand does not make supremacy. The anointing of/from God can be removed from God at any time, such as in the case of King Saul.
In the Revelation the Angel spoke out against the belief of Godly churches being always Godly. The idea of one mother church is not found in this book either. Anyone who changed this manifestation will be judged and punished at the end time.
God can use sinners. Being used by God in history is no proof of being right with God. 2Jn v9-11 Pharaoh was defeated at the Red Sea; Pilate and Herod were no christian. Constantine built no triumphal arch for Christ or God; not in Thessalonica, not anywhere!
No chanting and incense burning can purify the soul.
No political power can annex God's kingdom.
No adherence to historical institute can do away with true biblical repentance. - Christ is standing outside knocking.
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Isaiah 44
v8. Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one." -NIVThere is no other Rock besides God. No Peter. No Simon Barjona who were later named Peter.
God did not name another Rock.
Isaiah 17
v10. You have forgotten God your Savior; you have not remembered the Rock, your fortress. ..Peter is not our Savior, nor is he our fortress.
Isaiah 26
v4. Trust in the LORD forever, for Lord, YHWH, is the Rock eternal.Trust in the Lord. Not in human institution. His name is not Peter. The Lord does not edite and amend decree from time to time. He is! Now and for ever.
There is no other Rock eternal.
Isaiah 30
v29. And you will sing as on the night you celebrate a holy festival; your hearts will rejoice as when people go up with flutes to the mountain of the LORD, to the Rock of Israel. -NIVThe Rock of Israel is the mountain of the LORD. Exceedingly huge. It is the strong fortress of the people of the Lord God.
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Answering errancy allegation ||
Copying produce mistakes ? || Examining jewish geneaology from Exodus ||
Examining jewish geneaology from Ezra || Answering some opposition ||
Preaching one thing and doing another || Witness of a Christian layman (1) ||
Baptism by Immersion? || Preservation of Christian Doctrines ||
The lowly and the far-reaching || Just War and Love || Did Jesus speak only Aramaic? ||
A Failed Prophesy on Tyre? || Another Failed Prophesy on Tyre? ||
Why 4 Gospels? || Answering Errancy Allegation ||
Hebrew Matthew and document Q || Census in Luke Ch 2 ( Anachronism? ) ||
A Christian Witness || Marrying non-believer ||
Similarity warrants Recognition and Unity? || Freewill and pre-destination ||
Dynamic Equivalence and Propitiation ||
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