Successors to the Apostles

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Are Catholics truly successors to the Apostles?

-- Kevin Walker (kevinlwalker572@cs.com), October 25, 2003

Answers

THE ONLY SUCCESSION!!!

Catholics CANNOT produce the passages for their doctrine of successors because NONE EXIST.

The apostles were the ONLY ones who were to receive the power from on high and were to wait in Jerusalem for it (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4,8). This power enabled them to speak in tongues, prophesy, and work miracles (Acts 2:4,43). 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 the power to others (Acts 8:4 6, 14 19). The apostles and prophets, and they alone, were the chosen ambassadors of Christ through which we are reconciled to God (11 Cor. 5:20). They were chosen to reveal God's will unto mankind (Eph. 3:5). We are to receive their word as the word of God (I Thess. 2:13; I John 4:6). They are the foundation on which we are built (Eph. 2:20). They were selected to deliver "the faith" unto mankind and it has once and for all been delivered (Jude 3). Their message has the promise of God to remain forever (I Pet. 1:23 25).

When the apostles and prophets approached their deaths they did NOT give successors to take their place. Instead, they left their inspired writings. Peter said, "Moreover I will endeavor that even after my death you may often have occasion to call these things to mind." (11 Pet. 1:15). This would have been an excellent opportunity for Peter to tell us that he was leaving a successor through which we could recall the things of Christ, if indeed that was the truth regarding it. However, he said, "This, beloved, is now the second epistle that I am writing to you wherein I stir up your pure mind to remembrance, that you may be mindful of what I formerly preached of the words of the holy prophets and of your apostles, which are the precepts of the Lord and Savior." (11 Pet. 3:1 2). Thus, Peter PLAINLY declared that the things of Christ would be recalled through his writings.

The inspired writings, therefore, are the ONLY infallible succession that we have from the apostles and prophets.

The apostle Paul also demonstrated this fact. He said, "For I an? already on the point of being sacrificed; the time of my departure has come. " (2 Tim. 4:6; Catholic edition R.S.V.). Again, this would have been a wonderful opportunity for an apostle to teach that unerring guidance was to be handed down through their successors. He was writing to the young man Timothy who had been his faithful companion and who had received his spiritual guidance from him. Surely if successors were to be ordained, he would have mentioned it to him so that he would know where to obtain unerring guidance. Or, if perhaps he had made Timothy his successor, surely he would have instructed him regarding it in order that he and others would know about it. However, there is NO hint whatsoever of successors as this apostle approaches death.

On the contrary he points Timothy as well as all men, to the sacred writings which the inspired men left us: "For from thy infancy thou hast known the Sacred Writings, which are able to instruct thee unto salvation by the faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproving, for correcting, for instructing in justice; that the man of God may be perfect, equipped for every good work." (2 Tim. 3:15 17).

Please notice the following quotations from Catholic sources: "Jesus sends forth the Apostles with plenipotentiary powers to preach the Gospel. "As the Father,' He says, 'hash sent me, I also send you.' (John 20:21). 'Going therefore, teach all nations, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.' (Matt. 28:19 20). 'Preach the Gospel to every creature.' (Mark 16:15). 'Ye shall be witnesses unto Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the uttermost part of the earth.' (Acts 1:8).

"This commission evidently applies not to the Apostles only, but also to their successors, to the end of time, since it was utterly impossible for the Apostles personally to preach to tile whole world." (The Faith of Our Fathers, p. 56).

"Since it was physically impossible for the Apostles to preach to the whole world, the mission must have been intended also for their successors to the end of time, our Catholic Bishops and priests." (My Catholic Faith, p. 145).

As before, the above Catholic writers ASSUME that our Lord's words to the apostles demand successors. Their whole doctrine of successors is based on this ASSUMPTION. The words of Jesus were spoken to the apostles ONLY.

There is NO mention of successors in the verses. As Jesus had commanded them, the apostles went into all the world and preached the gospel to every creature. The apostle Paul said concerning the gospel, "It has been preached to every creature under heaven... " (Col. 1:23). The task of unerringly revealing the gospel was completed by the apostles and their many helpers -those on whom they laid their hands the New Testament prophets. The apostles and prophets still witness and preach to the world today through their writings. John said, "But these are written that you may believe..." (John 20:31) and, "What we have seen and heard we announce to you...And these things we write to you... " (I John 1:3 4). Furthermore, Jesus said, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." (Matt. 24:35). Thus, the apostles and prophets by inspiration delivered our Lord's words to mankind and they will remain forever.

It seems very strange and odd that the successor of a king is a king, the successor of a president is a president, and the successor of a governor is a governor, but the successor of an apostle is a Catholic bishop or priest!

Who can believe it???

-- Kevin Walker (kevinlwalker572@cs.com), October 25, 2003.


SACRED TRUTH :

THE MAGISTERIUM OF THE 2000 YEAR OLD MOST HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH SAYS :

THE CHURCH IS APOSTOLIC The Church is apostolic because she is founded on the apostles, in three ways:

1. She was and remains built on "the foundation of the Apostles," (Eph 2:20; Rev 21:14) the witnesses chosen and sent on mission by Christ himself; (Mt 28:16-20; Acts 1:8; 1 Cor 9:1; 15:7-8; Gal 1:1; etc)

2. With the help of the Spirit dwelling in her, the Church keeps and hands on the teaching, (Acts 2:42) the "good deposit," the salutary words she has heard from the apostles; (2 Tim 1:13-14)

3. She continues to be taught, sanctified, and guided by the apostles until Christ's return, through their successors in pastoral office: the college of bishops, "assisted by priests, in union with the successor of Peter, the Church's supreme pastor":

You are the eternal Shepherd who never leaves his flock untended. Through the apostles you watch over us and protect us always. You made them shepherds of the flock to share in the work of your Son. . . .

THE APOSTLES' MISSION

Jesus is the Father's Emissary. From the beginning of his ministry, he "called to him those whom he desired; . . . . And he appointed twelve, whom also he named apostles, to be with him, and to be sent out to preach." (Mk 3:13-14) From then on, they would also be his "emissaries" (Greek apostoloi). In them, Christ continues his own mission: "As the Father has sent me, even so I send you." (Jn 20:21; cf. 13:20; 17:18.) The apostles' ministry is the continuation of his mission; Jesus said to the Twelve: "he who receives you receives me." (Mt 10:40; cf. Lk 10:16.)

Jesus unites them to the mission he received from the Father. As "the Son can do nothing of his own accord," but receives everything from the Father who sent him, so those whom Jesus sends can do nothing apart from him, (Jn 5:19, 30; cf. Jn 15:5) from whom they received both the mandate for their mission and the power to carry it out. Christ's apostles knew that they were called by God as "ministers of a new covenant," "servants of God," "ambassadors for Christ," "servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God." (2 Cor 3:6; 6:4; 5:20; 1 Cor 4:1)

In the office of the apostles there is one aspect that cannot be transmitted: to be the chosen witnesses of the Lord's Resurrection and so the foundation stones of the Church. But their office also has a permanent aspect. Christ promised to remain with them always. The divine mission entrusted by Jesus to them "will continue to the end of time, since the Gospel they handed on is the lasting source of all life for the Church. Therefore, . . . the apostles took care to appoint successors." (Mt 28:20)

THE BISHOPS ~ THE SUCCESSORS OF THE APOSTLES

"In order that the mission entrusted to them might be continued after their death, [the apostles] consigned, by will and testament, as it were, to their immediate collaborators the duty of completing and consolidating the work they had begun, urging them to tend to the whole flock, in which the Holy Spirit had appointed them to shepherd the Church of God. They accordingly designated such men and then made the ruling that likewise on their death other proven men should take over their ministry." (Acts 20:28)

"Just as the office which the Lord confided to Peter alone, as first of the apostles, destined to be transmitted to his successors, is a permanent one, so also endures the office, which the apostles received, of shepherding the Church, a charge destined to be exercised without interruption by the sacred order of bishops." Hence the Church teaches that "the bishops have by divine institution taken the place of the apostles as pastors of the Church, in such wise that whoever listens to them is listening to Christ and whoever despises them despises Christ and him who sent Christ."

THE APOSTOLATE

The whole Church is apostolic, in that she remains, through the successors of St. Peter and the other apostles, in communion of faith and life with her origin: and in that she is "sent out" into the whole world. All members of the Church share in this mission, though in various ways. "The Christian vocation is, of its nature, a vocation to the apostolate as well." Indeed, we call an apostolate "every activity of the Mystical Body" that aims "to spread the Kingdom of Christ over all the earth."

"Christ, sent by the Father, is the source of the Church's whole apostolate"; thus the fruitfulness of apostolate for ordained ministers as well as for lay people clearly depends on their vital union with Christ. (Jn 15:5) In keeping with their vocations, the demands of the times and the various gifts of the Holy Spirit, the apostolate assumes the most varied forms. But charity, drawn from the Eucharist above all, is always "as it were, the soul of the whole apostolate."

The Church is ultimately one, holy, catholic, and apostolic in her deepest and ultimate identity, because it is in her that "the Kingdom of heaven," the "Reign of God," (Rev 19:6) already exists and will be fulfilled at the end of time. The kingdom has come in the person of Christ and grows mysteriously in the hearts of those incorporated into him, until its full eschatological manifestation. Then all those he has redeemed and made "holy and blameless before him in love," (Eph 1:4) will be gathered together as the one People of God, the "Bride of the Lamb," (Rev 21:9) "the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God." (Rev 21:10-11) For "the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb." (Rev 21:14)



-- james (elgreco1541@hotmail.com), October 27, 2003.


Catholic officials CLAIM (falsely) that apostolic authority has been transmitted to mankind through successors of the apostles.

Please notice the following from a Catholic source: "There is no just ground for denying to the Apostolic teachers of the nineteenth century in which we live a prerogative clearly possessed by those of the first, especially as the Divine Word nowhere intimates that this unerring guidance was to die with the Apostles. 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." (The Faith of Our Fathers, p. 54).

Please notice, first of all, that the Catholic writer says, "There is no just ground for denying to the Apostolic teachers of the nineteenth century in which we live a prerogative clearly possessed by those of the first..."

In other words, he is saying that there is no just ground for denying that the present day teachers in the Catholic Church are successors to the apostles. 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 of the Holy Spirit? They CANNOT.

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, "Indeed, the signs of the apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in miracles and wonders and deeds of power." (2 Cor. 12:12). 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, "...The Divine Word nowhere intimates that this unerring guidance was to die with the apostles." We agree that the unerring guidance was not to die with the apostles.

However, we must inquire, "In what way is the unerring guidance transmitted or handed down to us today?"

The Scriptures affirm that we receive it through the inspired writings of the apostles and prophets.

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 CLEARLY reveals they would not have successors. An apostle had to be an eye witness of Christ. (See Acts 1: 15, 26). Paul defended his apostleship by saying, "Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?" (1 Cor. 9:1). The apostles were indeed witnesses in the fullest sense. They were the eye witnesses, carefully chosen by the Lord, who would witness unto mankind what they saw and heard concerning Jesus. Acts 1:8 says, "...But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you shall be witnesses for me in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and even to the very ends of the earth. "

The Lord said to Paul, "...I have appeared to thee for this purpose, to appoint thee to be a minister and a witness to what thou hast seen, and to the visions thou shalt have of me." (Acts 26:16). Peter declared, "For we were not following fictitious tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eye witnesses of his grandeur." (2 Pet. 1: 16).

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 a man in our time to be a witness in the sense they were. Instead, it it through their writings the holy Scriptures.

The apostle John in his introduction to his first epistle declared that he was bearing witness to those things which they had heard, had seen with their eyes, and had touched with their hands, concerning the word of life. John bore witness to those things by writing them for us. (See 1 John 1 :1 4). The apostles' testimony given in their writings was to "all who call upon the name of our Lord in every place"(l Cor. 1:2), and to "the faithful in Christ Jesus" (Eph. 1:1).

The apostles witness to us today through their writings and this is the ONLY WAY their unerring guidance is transmitted to the present.

Jesus prayed for unity of all those who would believe on his through" the word of the apostles. "'Yet not for these only do I pray, but for those also who through their word are to believe in me.'" (John 17:20). In this prayer Jesus revealed how believers are to be made "through the apostles' word."

Since we do not have the apostles present with us, we must inquire, "How are believers made through their word today?" It is not through their present day successors, but as John said, "But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name." (John 20:31).

Very simply, therefore, individuals were made believers at first as a result of the inspired apostles witnessing to them while in their presence. Individuals are made believers today as a result of the apostles witnessing through the inspired writings.

-- Kevin Walker (kevinlwalker572@cs.com), October 28, 2003.


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