This post is post 7 in a series entitled Letting God Lead: My Journey Through Protestant and Catholic Beliefs. While you certainly can read this post by itself, I highly encourage you to check out the rest of the series as well. Find more about this series and a list of all of posts here. *This post contains affiliate links.
In last week’s post, we talked about the history of Christianity and how the church spread from a small group of Jewish Christ followers throughout the ends of the world. So, how does one take the crucial message of the Gospel and spread it throughout the entire world without losing something important in the translation? Two ways: the Bible and the Church.
About the Bible: I LOVE the Bible. I’ve read it cover to cover a few times now, I post verses around my home, I went to Bible college… Love the Bible. BUT you must remember: the church hasn’t always had the Bible. It didn’t exist in one compilation until a few centuries in, and even then, the Bible was SO expensive, most churches couldn’t afford to own the whole thing. So, how did the early Christians pass the message on? Through the church.
Read more on the proper role of the Bible in Christian history in my post: Who Has the Ultimate Authority? A Biblical Look at Sola Scriptura
Catholic Church Hierarchy
Within the Catholic church– just like within all large churches and organizations–there is a hierarchy of authority. The pope is at the top, and then there are cardinals, patriarchs, bishops, priests and elders. Not only is this hierarchy extremely useful for settling doctrinal debates and for keeping the central message pure, but it dates back to the beginnings of Christianity.
In fact, in Titus 1:5, Paul writes: “For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you.” It wasn’t that a few leaders naturally just emerged. The early church purposely set up a hierarchy to help get things done. A further developed model of that same hierarchy still exists today.
Here are just a few of the New Testament verses that mention bishops, elders, overseers, etc: Acts 11:30, Acts 15:2, Acts 16:4, Phil 1:1, 1 Tim 3:2, 8, Titus 1:7. Check out this article for an in-depth look at Christian Elders in the New Testament and their roles and responsibilities.
Peter: The First Pope
Yet, of all of the Christian church leaders, none is more important or influential than the pope. It’s the pope’s job to guide the people, be a spokesperson and keep the whole operation running smoothly. Today, we have Pope Francis; the first pope was Peter, as seen in this section of Matthew 16:
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
–Matthew 16:13-20
What is this Rock Jesus is Referring to?
In the original Greek, the word for Peter (in verse 18) is Petros while the word for rock is petra. Some Protestants claim that because “petros” was a word for a small stone and “petra” was a word for a large rock, that Jesus was trying to contrast the two. “You are small, but my church will be big.” However, there are a few problems with this statement.
a. The words had lost their distinction by the time this book was written, so they meant the same thing: a rock.
b. The real reason for the distinction is probably more accurately that “os” was added to Peter’s name because he was a male and “os” was the masculine inflection, while the “a” was added to the rock because it was a feminine noun and therefore needed a feminine inflection.
c. But all that is besides the point anyways since Jesus wouldn’t have been speaking in Greek anyways, but Aramic, and in Aramaic, the words are the same. So what Jesus very likely actually said was “You are Kepha and on this kepha I will build my church” — same word.
d. It doesn’t make sense that Jesus would bless Peter, call him insignificant, and then hand him the keys to the kingdom. “You are blessed. You’re an insignificant little stone. Here’s the keys to the kingdom.”
Other Protestants will say the rock Jesus was talking about what the truth Peter just spoke “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God,” but grammatically, the “this rock” should refer back to the nearest noun (Peter).
For these reasons and others, the Catholic Church believes that the rock Jesus would build his church on was Peter. Or in other words, Peter was the first leader of the church, or pope.
What Did it Mean to Be Pope?
As the first leader of the church, Peter had an amazing amount of power and responsibility. Verse 19 says “whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” In other words, whatever Peter said goes. Woah. But… there are a few catches, as we’ll see in a minute.
Why Does the Church Believe the Pope is Infallible?
Papal infallibility is based on the following verses:
“The one who listens to you listens to Me, and the one who rejects you rejects Me; and he who rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.” –Luke 10:16
“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” –Matthew 16:19
“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.” –John 16:13
“if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.” –1 Tim. 3:15
In other words, Jesus gave Peter (and the apostles, really), the authority that whatever they said would be.
It’s like if I were to hire a babysitter for my children. I’m still their mother and what I say goes. I can make new rules just by speaking them into existence and my children are obligated to obey. But if I were to hire a babysitter for my children, I would give her authority as well. She isn’t me, but she would have the power to act in the place of me while I was gone. If she said “It’s bedtime” or “You must get in your pajamas before I read stories” — those things become binding by her speaking them because I gave her that authority. And Jesus gave this same authority to the apostles–to act in place of him while he is gone.
What Does “Infallible” Mean?
Catholics believe that the pope is infallible. But the word “infallible” may not mean what you think it does. So for clarification…
1. Catholics do NOT worship the pope. He is the leader or the head of the organization, not God or divine or supreme or anything like that.
2. “Infallible” does NOT mean “sinless.” The pope is human and sins just like the rest of us.
3. The pope doesn’t have any sort of “magic powers.” He doesn’t just automatically know the right thing to do. Instead, he has to study the Scriptures, church history and previous council decisions, and rely on the Holy Spirit to hep him make the right decision.
4. Papal infallibility ONLY applies to official doctrinal declarations. That’s an incredibly important distinction that shouldn’t be overlooked. The Church doesn’t teach that the pope will never mess up, ONLY that he will never make an official doctrinal declaration in error.
5. There are restrictions.
- The pope must be making a formal declaration as the pope. He can’t just accidentally say something and it doesn’t even count if he’s teaching or writing about something in a church or in a book. It has to be official and on purpose.
- He must be speaking about faith and morals. (He can’t declare pineapple pizza the best kind).
- The decision has to be in line with Scripture and Tradition. (He can’t suddenly declare that Jesus was married.)
- The decision has to be in line with what previous church councils have decided. (He can’t declare a new canon.)
- The decision has to be logical. (He can’t declare squares circles.)
So… he’s important and he’s got a lot of power, BUT it’s not unrestrained. He can’t just go do or proclaim anything he wants.
Instances of Papal Infallibility
If I were the pope (Heaven help us all!), I’m not sure if I would be making formal declarations left and right or if I’d shy away from them altogether. Either way, Catholic popes make far less official infallible decisions than many people think.
Research papal infallibility, and you’ll find most sources say that only two official declarations have ever been made:
- In 1854, Pope Pius IX formally declared the doctrine of Immaculate Conception (That Mary was born without original sin).
- In 1950, Pope Pius XII formally declared the doctrine of the Assumption (That Mary was assumed into Heaven with both body and soul–after she died).
A few other sources will list a few more:
- In Acts 15:28, Peter declares that circumcision is not a requirement for the Gentiles.
- In 1870, the doctrine of papal infalliblity was officially declared at the first Vatican Council.
- When the pope declares someone a saint, that is supposed to be infallible as well.
Either way, it doesn’t happen often, and it usually doesn’t occur unless it is the settling of a dispute. (Catholics believe a lot of things, but they generally don’t feel the need to “declare” them to be true until they are challenged.)
**Okay, so hopefully that answers your questions on the pope! Let’s switch gears now and talk about confession for a minute.**
Why Do Catholics Confess Their Sins to a Priest?
The Catholic practice of confessing to a priest is based on the following verses:
“Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” –John 20:21-23
“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” –Matthew 16:19
“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” –James 5:16
In other words, Jesus told the disciples that they had the power to forgive (or not forgive) sins! Why would he give it to them if he didn’t expect them to use it? And how could priests forgive or not forgive our sins if we don’t tell them what they are? Catholics confess to a priest not because they CAN’T go straight to God–they can–but because that’s how they believe God intended for things to work.
This super cute little video does a good job of explaining it:
And here’s a really handy guide to confession, so you can know exactly what happens there!
But God is the Only One Who Has the Power to Forgive Sins!
According to whom? In Mark 2:7, the Pharisees ASK: “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” But the Pharisees asking is NOT the same as Jesus or one of the disciples declaring. To my knowledge, Jesus and the apostles don’t ever say only God can forgive sins. (If they do–please leave the verse in the comments section!!)
And anyways, this passage would have occurred BEFORE the passages in John 20 and Matthew 16… so it probably WAS true then… until Jesus also gave this responsibility to the apostles.
A Few Clarifications on Confession
- Catholics are not required to confess ALL their sins, just the major ones.
- If you legitimately forget something, you’re still forgiven; you just can’t *forget* on purpose.
- Catholics are required to confess any mortal sins at least once a year.
- These requirements don’t kick in until you reach a certain age.
- Priests CAN NOT repeat anything they heard in confession or in ANY WAY change their actions based on what they have heard.
- Priests cannot require you to confess to someone else (They can recommend it, but they can’t require it).
- When priests forgive sins, they are acting in persona Christi, or in place of Christ.
- This doesn’t mean that they ARE Christ, but that they are exercising their authority to act on his behalf, or as his ambassador.
- Priests–and even the pope–also go to confession. They can’t forgive themselves. (Well, they can, but it doesn’t “count.”)
- Those of you who have actually BEEN to confession–feel free to add more in the comments!
Benefits of Confession
Honestly–though I have yet to go myself–I’ve always liked the idea of confession.
- Confessing your sins out loud forces you to own up to them–not just ignore them.
- Also, I imagine it must make you less likely to keep doing the same sin in the future. Who wants to admit the same thing over and over again?
- It reminds you that you are a part of a community of believers–and that your sins affect others.
Catholics list a few more benefits:
- You can know for sure your sins are forgiven.
- Confessing imparts a special grace that helps you sin less in the future.
- It helps you know yourself more/identify your habitual sin patterns.
- The priest will sometimes offer you counsel or advice.
And assuming it’s not sinful (and I really don’t think it is)–why not??
Why Can’t Women Be Priests?
This article pretty much sums up any arguments I could give: Why Can’t Women Be Priests. Like it or not, the church isn’t changing its mind on this one.
But for the record, the Catholic Church doesn’t do it out of spite or disdain for women. In fact, the church calls women the “crown of creation,” and the church has FAR more women leaders in other areas than the average company. Statistically, they out-perform at promoting women, just not as priests.
Aren’t Catholic Priests a Bunch of Child Molesters?
We actually discussed this topic quite a bit in the comments section of my 10 Common Catholic Myths Critics Believe Post, so I won’t go into it in much detail here, other than to make a couple points.
1. What the church teaches and what certain members of the church do are two COMPLETELY different issues.
If the church were TEACHING people to molest or teaching that it was acceptable to molest or that it was acceptable to allow others to molest, that would be a huge problem. BUT this is NOT what the Catholic church teaches at all. Just because a few people don’t follow the rules doesn’t mean that the rules are flawed–just that the people didn’t follow them.
That’d be like saying America is a horrible country and democracy is a joke because a few people steal and kill. It’s not democracy’s fault. It’s the people’s fault.
2. Just because a few did something horrible doesn’t mean that all do.
Yes, some priests committed a horrible, horrible, shameful crime. It was absolutely inexcusable. BUT that doesn’t mean that all of the rest of the priests who were not involve deserve the same reputation.
That’d be like saying that because a few Americans kill and steal that we are ALL murderers and thieves.
And honestly, can you imagine trying to be a priest today–trying to serve God and His people–all while being accused and scorned because of a scandal you had nothing to do with? Yes, we should put the blame and responsibility where it is due–but it isn’t with the entire church or with every priest–just those who were involved in some way.
3. Priests aren’t the only ones involved in scandals like these.
Statistically, more teachers are convicted of molestation than priests. Are all teachers rapists? Hardly! Furthermore, MANY Protestant pastors, political leaders and parents are involved in crimes like these every day as well. Does that mean we’re all doomed? No, it means we’re all sinners and we all mess up sometimes–some in more horrible and public ways than others.
Okay, discussion time! What questions do you still have? What points did I miss? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below!
Enjoyed this post? Don’t miss the rest of the posts in the series!
The Day I Realized My Religion Got it Wrong
10 Common Catholic Church Myths that Critics Believe
Is the Eucharist Really Just a Symbol?
Who has the Ultimate Authority? A Biblical Look at Sola Scriptura
A Brief Look at the History of Christianity
What All Christians Should Know About Priests, the Pope and Confession
What Do Catholics Really Believe About Mary, Saints and Statues?
Infant Baptism or Believer’s Baptism? Which is Correct?
What is Purgatory? What are Indulgences?
Why Do Catholics….? Honest Answers to Your Burning Questions
Protestant and Catholic Beliefs Series Conclusion
Resources and Further Reading
I’m not asking you to believe because I say so. Please DON’T take my word for it! The purpose of this series is only to share what I’ve learned on my journey in order to inspire you to begin a journey of your own. Here are a few helpful resources to get you started.
*This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, I may make a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you!
Catechism of the Catholic Church
Surprised by Truth: 11 Converts Give Biblical and Historical Reasons for Becoming Catholic by Patrick Madrid
The Catholic Church: What Everyone Needs to Know by John L. Allen
http://www.catholic.com/tracts/papal-infallibility
http://www.catholic.com/tracts/the-forgiveness-of-sins
http://catholicexchange.com/is-confession-still-an-easter-duty
http://catholicism.about.com/od/beliefsteachings/f/Did-The-Virgin-Mary-Die.htm
http://www.catholicscomehome.org/two-minute-answers/
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/infallibility-and-the-catholic-pope.html
http://www.goodconfession.com/five-benefits-of-frequent-confession/
http://jimmyakin.com/2004/06/two_instances_o.html
http://www.remnantnewspaper.com/Archives/2013-0402-siscoe-infallibility.htm
Brittany Ann is an ECPA bestselling author and founder of Equipping Godly Women and Monetize My Ministry. She’s also a Christian speaker, podcaster, and conference host. Her work has been featured on numerous TV, radio, and online ministries, including CBN, MSN, Christianity Today, Evangelical Alliance, Patheos, Crosswalk, and more.
Girl you are spot on!!! I actually showed that Confession video a few weeks back to the teens at our youth ministry meeting. I appreciate you also talking about the misconception that sometimes all priest hurt children. Yes it was a horrible sin in the Church, but sadly it goes also across all denomination lines too. Its not just Catholic priests and its not because they are celibate… excited to see oyur next topic:)
Thanks, Patty! I think some people think I’m heartless for not making enough of us a fuss over it–because it was horrible–but really, people are making a fuss over the wrong thing. Hopefully people will start to see that.
I have tried to find the answer to a question for a while now, but have been unable to find it in writing. Perhaps you can help me. Can you give me Scripture or some source of Catholic Tradition where it is in writing that the specific office of Pope (Peter) was to be handed down to others. I’m only interested in seeing it in writing for the Pope – the head of the Church (I can see it for cardinals, patriarchs, bishops, priests, elders, etc.). Thanks!
This is a fantastic question–and one that I still have too. It’s on my list to ask the priest I’ve been talking to, but I haven’t been able to meet with him again yet. I’ll let you know when I know more 🙂
I’m curious to see what your research finds on this. I have always though of it as when Jesus ascended into Heaven, he said that he would be with us always – so why would he establish a church and a leader, only for that leadership line to die? I think we also see this idea of apostolic succession with the apostles choosing Matthias to replace Judas (the beginning of Acts, I think). They didn’t *need* to replace Judas, but it was so important to continue that line that it was one of the first things they did as a church.
Oh yeah, I was going to include a section on that too and I completely forgot about it (plus the post was already getting crazy long lol). I think the question isn’t whether the church was supposed to die out, but if priests/the pope should still have all the rights/responsibilities that the apostles did back then.
Thanks so much for this continuing series!
It’s so hard to address some of these issues, and you do a good job on covering some of the basics. I find that the Catechism of the Catholic Church is a great source to reference when trying to explain the harder theological concepts. It includes the history of many practices, and has so many references I bet you would find helpful!
As a Catholic, I just wanted to clarify an important point about confession: our sins are forgiven by Jesus through the priest. It is not the actual priest granting us forgiveness, but him acting as God’s tool. This concept is called in persona Christi.
Looking forward to continuing to read these!
I’m in the process of reading through it now 🙂 (Got just over half way and got sidetracked, lol)
And great clarification. I like to think of it like they are Christ’s ambassadors. They aren’t Him, but they have the authority to act in His place while He’s away.
I wait in anticipation for Wednesday’s and your most recent posts. Thank you for these posts, they have lead me to do a lot of research on my own and have lead me to strike up great conversations with both Protestants and Catholics. I really feel as though the general population of church goers could learn a ton from reading these posts and subsiquent links. I grew up in the Catholic church and went to Catholic school and I am learning things now that I never knew or at least never realized. Thanks again for all of your hard work and dedication to this subject. I find it very refreshing and renewing for my faith.
Thanks, Erin! That was my hope! That people would dive into the issues and really examine their beliefs for themselves–no matter which side they ended up on.
Very interesting, Brittany. I’m always fascinated and curious of other branches of Christianity.
If only I had the time to cover them all! This one is really heavy on Catholicism, but the truths and Scriptures are ones that we ALL need to dive into.
Thank you for sharing your research. There are a lot of holes in my Catholic education. I guess 45 minutes a week as a child isn’t enough. I’ve learned more as an adult volunteering in our church’s religious education program, and I have learned so much more just from a few weeks of reading your posts.
Though I am still not totally comfortable with the idea of having to go through a priest (though it makes a lot more sense after reading this) to be forgiven for my sins, one thing I learned while teaching the sacraments to kids is how important the “examination of conscience” step of confession is. Whether you’re Christian or not, that is a great reflection process that everyone should do periodically. We may think we’re doing pretty good – not stealing, murdering anyone, committing adultery etc, but when we really stop to think about whether or not we’re living as Christ would want us to, we can find many areas in which to improve. The process makes us more aware of our weaknesses. We can’t improve something until we first acknowledge that it is an issue. For me it’s things like gossiping or maybe being grouchy or impatient with someone.
Exactly, and I think that’s something that not nearly enough of us do on a regular basis.
And as far as confessing to a priest–I don’t imagine it could really hurt anything, could it? Even if you believe God is the one forgiving your sins, not the priest (and Catholics believe God is the one forgiving your sins too), then really, you’re talking to God too. You just happen to be next to a priest while doing it 🙂
As a Catholic, I’m really enjoying this series 🙂 It’s a great refresher on the basics for those of us who are Catholic, and a great intro to those who aren’t!
I did want to make one clarification – You write that “Catholics are expected to confess at least once a year, during Lent.” Part of this is true – Catholics are expected and obligated to receive the sacrament of Reconciliation at least once a year (see CCC 1457), but it does not have to be during Lent. It can be any time during the year. We are encouraged to go during Lent since Lent is a penitential season – thus fitting for us to reconcile with God and do penance! – but it isn’t required to be during this time.
My quick 2 cents on confession – I grew up Catholic, but was not educated in the faith very well – I was never taught about the beauty of confession or why we needed it. After learning more about my faith and returning to confession after being away for 10 years – it is such an amazing source of grace. There have been times where I have gone to confession and walk out having completely forgot what I just confessed (!!) because it no longer weighs on me. I often even feel like a weight has been physically lifted off my shoulders. I agree with a commenter above – it is not the priest forgiving my sins – no matter what priest I go to, it is hearing Christ saying that my sins are forgiven. It’s very similar to the priest being able to consecrate the Eucharist – he is acting in persona Christi.
Oops, I’ll fix that. I mixed up Confession and the Eucharist–apparently partaking in the Eucharist is required at least once a year during the Easter season, if at all possible. (According to this article: http://catholicexchange.com/is-confession-still-an-easter-duty)
And good to know! I look forward to going myself.
Yes – once a year for the Eucharist during the Easter season is correct! I recommend daily though, if possible 🙂
Well, apparently confession during Easter isn’t mandatory, but the Eucharist is so technically you don’t HAVE to go (if you don’t have moral sin), but practically… you probably do 🙂 (According to this article: http://catholicexchange.com/is-confession-still-an-easter-duty)
I have been loving this series; it’s been so great to direct some of my Protestant friends to. One point of clarification, non-Catholics can only go to Confession under really extreme, life-or-death type of circumstances (Canon 844:3 and 844:4) or if they’re in the process of converting. They can, of course, always talk to a priest though!
Hmm…. I didn’t know that! I wonder if I qualify… I guess I’d have to ask the priest to be sure.
This was a very interesting and thorough article. It has been a long time since I have had to call to mind so many verses! I hope that my response isn’t hurtful. Also, I will pray about areas where I may be misinterpreting scripture.
Okay, so while there is that one scripture about Peter being the rock the church is built upon, Scripturally speaking, I really do not see him as being the head of the church. And the passage does not seem to be a mandate for the position of “Pope.” In fact, I think there are several scriptures that seem to conflict with the idea of the Pope. The Bible says that Jesus is the one and the only one that intercedes/is mediator for the church.
1 Timothy 2:5-6 says, “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.”
Romans 8:33-34 33 “Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.”
It also says that Jesus, not the Peter is the head of the church. He needs to be the focus and “face” of the church. God does not like to share his glory with man.
Isaiah 42:8 “I am the Lord, that is My name;
I will not give My glory to another,
Nor My praise to graven images.”
Colossions 1:17-20 “17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.”
He is not only the head but he is also the one that heads up our sanctification (the process of us becoming more like Christ) and growth. Yes, God wants the body of Christ to be a part of that and it is his plan to use other Christians to spur each other on towards this growth but in the end, he is the one that causes growth. And also, that encouragement we receive and outlet for confessing our sins to one another was intended to be in a Christian community with other believers that we are doing life with.
Ephesians 5:22-27 “Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.”
1 Corinthians 3:5-7 “What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.”
Also the Bible is clear that Peter (or the Pope) is not the foundation but Jesus Christ is:
1 Corinthians 3:10-11 “According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
I also do not believe the Bible calls for us to confess our sins to priests. Yes, elders were appointed in the church, God is a God of order, but when scripture commands us to confess our sins to one another it does not say to the elders specifically. The whole reason we are to confess our sins to one another is to bring our sins out of the darkness and secret places of our heart and into the open among believers who will help us to truly repent and give those sin struggles to the Lord.
And even then, It’s not just about confessing our sins but also about spurring one another on towards the good works God has planned for us. It’s not God’s will for us just to avoid sin but to pursue righteousness and sanctification.
James 5:16 “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one “another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”
The above verse tells us to confess our sins to one another and to pray for one another. The priest, confessee relationship does not go both ways like the verse prescripts.
Galatians 6:1-2 “Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.”
Hebrews 3:13 “But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”
I’ve always believed that only God can forgive us of our sins and was surprised to hear that Catholics believe the Pope and Priests can do that. My first thoughts were these two passages…
1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He [being Jesus–not the Pope or a priest] is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Mark 2:5-11 “And Jesus seeing their faith *said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” But some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins but God alone?” Immediately Jesus, aware in His spirit that they were reasoning that way within themselves, *said to them, “Why are you reasoning about these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven’; or to say, ‘Get up, and pick up your pallet and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—He *said to the paralytic, “I say to you, get up, pick up your pallet and go home.”
But then I read this passage:
John 20:22-23 “And when He had said this, He breathed on them and *said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.”
I will definitely be in prayer about what this passage means but honestly, the over arching theme of scripture seems to be that mankind can’t do anything about their sins…only God can.
One more thought…Peter being given the power to bind and loose things doesn’t necessarily pertain to sin…among other things it could be in reference to a power over demons.
I find all of your comments very interesting, but I think you will find that Catholics do not believe that the Pope and Priest forgive them of their sins. It is cleary stated and taught that it is Jesus who can forgive them of there sins.
That is a lot of verses! My hope was that this series would get people digging into the Word themselves and it looks like it has 🙂 It’s a lot to think about. I certainly am not claiming to have all of the answers either!
*I do agree that we should confess our sins to each other.
*As far as one mediator–well, if that were the case, we could never ask our friends to pray for us, because then they would be mediators. So I don’t think that’s what that verse means. (I need to look into it more; I hope to include it in next week’s discussion on Mary and the Saints)
*Yes, it COULD refer to only demons, but I don’t think the text supports one interpretation more than the other, and looking back at Catholic history and what the first century Christians believed, they seemed to believe it meant confession.
These are all still questions I’m working through myself!
Grace,
You bring up a lot of great points to be explored. As others have rightly pointed out, official Church teaching is that absolution comes from Christ. It is the priest who says the words to forgive and absolve us, but the grace which causes us to actually be forgiven comes from Christ.
It is also important to note the difference between mortal and venial sins. Mortal sins are those which actually completely separate us from Christ (murder, for example) unless we repent. These are the ones which MUST be confessed to a priest.
Venial sins account for about 99.9 percent (just my best guess) of sins committed by Christians. They still wound our relationship with Christ, but they do not completely separate us. These can be confessed straight to God or to a priest. The key point is desire to repent and sin no more.
The final thought I want to share with you and others regarding the pope is the idea of parallels. I’ve been thinking of this a lot lately, and how we often miss things which the 1st century Jews would catch instantly because we just don’t have the same cultural mindset. We weren’t raised on the history of the patriarchs and prophets the way they were. To us, Joseph, Moses, and David were more fable than fact. But to them, it was their history.
As it pertains to the office of the pope, let’s first agree that Christ is King. He is the top guy, and has His Kingdom of which Christians are members.
Now let’s take a walk down memory lane-
Genesis 41:40 – “(Joseph) shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people shall dart at your command. Only in respect to the throne shall I outrank you.”
In this passage, Pharaoh places Joseph into a position of authority over the enter kingdom. Everyone but Pharaoh must answer to him in all things. To show his importance, Pharaoh gave him his signet ring and put a gold chain around his neck (41:42).
During the time of the dynastic kingdom, there was a similar office of “master of the palace” which had authority to negotiate on the king’s behalf (2 Kings 18:18-19:2, Isaiah 22:20-22, 36:3-37:2). Eliakim holds this office in the scriptures listed, because Shebna was found unworthy and removed (Isaiah 22:15-19).
The master of the palace did not replace the king, but served as his representative. He had authority to act on the king’s behalf. The symbol of this office were keys worn around the neck (Isaiah 22:22).
Where else in Scripture do we see a king giving someone keys? Oh yeah! Matthew 16:19!
I love this series, I’m learning a lot 🙂
One really important thing about this: confession doesn’t “undo” all of the bad things someone had done. God forgives you, but it doesn’t mean that you’ll go straight to heaven. For example, if you have stolen from someone, you can’t just confess it and not give back the money, it doesn’t count in that case. Same thing with sins like adultery. If someone’s cheating on their spouse and they go to confession, but have no intention to stop the affair, they would not be forgiven.
(which is why divorced people who live with someone else can’t go to the confession and recieve Eucharist)
I thought it was important to mention this because a lot of my atheist friends seem to think we can just do whatever we want, confess it and go straight to heaven without worries.
Thanks 🙂 And that’s very true. You do have to be sorry and have the intention to not keep doing it.