First lesson•Developed over centuries•Doctrine of priests – power of God

Believe the pope is the vicar of Christ•Representative of Christ on earth•Leader of the church on earth•Higher and holier than all men

“The title pope, once used with far greater latitude…is at present employed solely to denote the Bishop of Rome, who, in virtue of his position as successor of St. Peter, is the chief pastor of the whole Church, the Vicar of Christ upon earth.” CE

Peter never was a pope•Church founded on truth, Mt. 16:16-18•Peter not so solid, Mt. 14:22-31; 26:69-75; Gal. 2:11-14•Married, Mt. 8:14, 15•Not worshipped, Acts 10:25, 26•Not above others, Mk. 9:33-37•Fellow elder, 1 Pt. 5:1-4

Where are the qualifications?•Apostles, Acts 1:21-25; cf. 1 Cor. 15:8•Elders, 1 Tim. 3:1-7•Deacons, 1 Tim. 3:8-13•Pope?

Perverts the Word of God•One Head for One body, Eph. 1:22, 23; 4:4•One foundation, 1 Cor. 3:11

Claim to be pope assumes God’s place, 2 Thes. 2:1-12

•Arrogant•Blasphemy•Corrupt

“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.” Faith of Our Fathers

“The guidance of Christ was, therefore, to continue with their successors. This is clearly disclosed by the words of Christ: 'Behold I am with you all days even to the consummation of the world.' Since the Apostles were not to live until the end of the world, Christ promised to be with them in the person of their successors unto the end of time.” The Faith of Millions

Claim is contrary to Scriptures•Where is the teaching of succession?•Where are the other apostolic successors?

Claim is contrary to Scriptures•What they need, but lack

“apostles and prophets and their successors”Eph. 2:20“apostles and prophets and their successors”Eph. 3:5“we and our successors are ambassadors”2 Cor. 5:20

Claim is contrary to Scriptures•What they need, but lack

“we and our successors are of God”1 Jn. 4:6“hears us and our successors”1 Jn. 4:6“I also send you and your successors”Jn. 20:21-23

“The Vatican Council has defined as ‘a divinely revealed dogma’ that ‘the Roman Pontiff, when he speaks ex cathedra—that is, when in the exercise of his office as pastor and teacher of all Christians he defines, by virtue of his supreme Apostolic authority, a doctrine of faith or morals to be held by the whole Church…

“…is, by reason of the Divine assistance promised to him in blessed Peter, possessed of that infallibility with which the Divine Redeemer wished His Church to be endowed in defining doctrines of faith and morals; and consequently that such definitions of the Roman Pontiff are irreformable of their own nature (ex sese) and not be reason of the Church’s consent’ (Desinger no. 1839 – old no. 1680).” CE

“Infallibility is not attributed to every doctrinal act of the pope…” CE

“Further it must be sufficiently evident that he intends to teach with the fullness and finality of his supreme Apostolic authority…” CE

“It should be observed in conclusion that papal infallibility is a personal and incommunicable charisma, which is not shared by any pontifical tribunal…Hence doctrinal decisions or instructions issued by the Roman congregations, even when approved by the pope in the ordinary way, have no claim to be considered infallible…” CE

Utterly contrary to the Bible•Paul’s teaching: infallible in public & private, Acts 20:18-21•Paul infallible in writings,Eph. 3:3, 4; 2 Pet. 3:14-16

If the pope…•Is the only infallible one, then how can he be infallibly declared infallible by the Vatican Council?•Is infallible, then why did he need to apologize for his remarks on Islam?

Believe the pope is the vicar of Christ•Representative of Christ on earth•Leader of the church on earth•Higher and holier than all men