TEXT:
Revelation 2:24 24 But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.
The Catholic church contends that the Apostle Simon Peter was the first pope and that all subsequent popes are a direct succession of this line originating with Peter.
It furthers tastes that all priests are an additional apostolic succession (a direct line descending from the apostles).
This teaches that all Catholic priests are the successors to James, John, Andrew, Thomas, etc.
The Catholic church teaches that priests are called Gods (spelled with a capital "G")
According to Catholic Doctrine The priest is a God who makes Gods
The Catholic church teaches that if a person blindly obeys his priest, he cannot possible sin!
If what the priest commands is not correct, the responsibility is the priest's, not his.
By obeying the priests, a person cannot possibly go wrong.
According to Catholic doctrine when a person obeys the priest, he is obeying God.
Of course, when a person obeys God, he can do no wrong.
A person should force himself, therefore, to obeys his priest, despite any questions or doubts that may creep into his mind.
He should suspend his rational judgment as he "receives by faith" whatever the priest may choose to tell him.
But what if a still, small voice speaks to his heart and ask, "But what if I am condemned to Hell because of obeying my priest? To whom do I 'then' turn?"
The Catholic answer? "An impossible situation. Don't even think about it."
John A. O'Brien, in his book, The Faith of Millions, explains that Christ is "brought down from heaven by the priest and presented as the victim of man's sins."
He awaits His next summons from some neophyte priest who will then utilize His eternal sacrifice to exorcise sin from some penitent.
One Catholic stated, "If I were to simultaneously met a priest and an angel, I would salute the priest before saluting the angel.
The priest holds the place of God."
The TRUTH:
No priest is a successor to the Apostles.
The role of the Priest was forever eliminated on the day that Christ was placed on the cross.
Since then, the role of priest is not recognized as such by God Almighty and has absolutely no place or position in New Testament Christianity.
"God deigns to make prelates His own equals. If, then, you receive a command from one who holds the place of God, you should observe it with the same diligence as if it came from God himself.
Though a confessor might (by chance) make a mistake, the penitent in obeying him is secure and does not err."
The seven churches were chosen by the Holy Spirit! And portray the entirety of the church age.
Ephesus
Smyrna
Pergamos
Thyatira
Sardis
Philadelphia
Laodicea
Comments