AUTHORITY

Church Authority

                   My sheep hear My voice and follow
How do we hear His voice?
In 1John 4:6, we read; "We are of God. He that knows God hears us.
He that is not of God hears us not. By this we know the spirit of truth and the
spirit of error." In John 10:1-16, Jesus tells us that His sheep hear His voice
and follow Him! How do we hear His voice? Is it the literal, audible voice
of Jesus? Not Likely! In John 10:6, the author admits that Jesus is not
speaking literally, but in a parable! There's something else going on here! A
different meaning! The Protestant will answer, "We hear His voice through
the Bible, God's Word, since Jesus is the Word!" (John 1:1)
But the Bible says that we hear Jesus through men who become shepherds of
His sheep because they entered the sheepfold through Jesus, the Gate! (John
10:1-10).   Jesus is drawing a contrast between the Jewish Leaders ,
(Shepherds), (John 9:13-34), who had not entered the sheepfold through Jesus,
the Gate, and those who are to become His true shepherds under the new
covenant!   Jesus is announcing that there is a new game in town! The
reason Jesus did this was because these "so-called" Jewish Shepherds, the
Pharisees, were imposing their authority on a man born blind whom Jesus had
just healed! Even his parents were afraid of their authority, (John 9:22), that if
anyone confessed that Jesus was the Christ, they would be put out of the
synagogue, (ex-communicated!), which is just what they did to the man born
blind! After interrogating him and ordering him to deny Christ, calling Jesus a
sinner, 9:24, the man born blind defended Jesus against these Pharisees and so
they cast him out! 9:34 (ex-communicated him) In John 9:35, Jesus heard
what these "so called" shepherds had done! This is why Jesus gives His
parable in the next chapter, (John 10:1-10), making the distinction between
false shepherds and true shepherds! The point here is that we hear Jesus, not
just through the Bible, but also through men who become true shepherds of the
sheep by entering through Jesus, the Gate; and Catholics have been hearing
His voice through these shepherds for 2,000 years! In light of this truth, we
can not deny human Church Authority, Apostolic Succession, or Sacred
Tradition! Indeed, there is a new game in town!
All old and false shepherds have gone away...
Replaced by true shepherds, to this very day!
In Luke 10:16, Jesus tells us that we hear Him when we hear those men
appointed and sent by Him!   In John 17:20, Jesus speaks of those sheep who
shall come to believe in Him by hearing men, not the Bible!
("shall" - future tense according to Webster's Dictionary, therefore, future shepherds)
From just these two verses, we prove that these men are the voice of Jesus!

Jesus Himself ensures Infallible Teaching!
In John 17:19, Jesus ensures that these men are sanctified In Truth, and if
sanctified in the truth by Jesus, they can not teach otherwise!
John 17:19 And for them do I sanctify myself, that they also may be sanctified
in truth.

Men are sent with the same
Authority and Truth as Jesus!
Human men are sent into the world just as Jesus was sent, (John 17:18),
therefore they teach just as He taught, in truth and with authority!
John 17:18 As thou hast sent me into the world, I also have sent them into the
world.

Error would never be ratified in Heaven!
Mat 16:19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and
whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and
whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Mat 18:18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be
bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in
heaven.
At this point, we have proof from Scripture, that the Bible alone is not the Sole
Voice of Jesus! We have proof from Scripture that other men, besides Jesus,
can and do have authority from Jesus to teach as He taught! This should be
sufficient enough to convince us that Sola Scriptura Protestantism is an
untenable concept as well as unbiblical; but we will press on to Apostolic
Succession to discover just who these men are that Jesus consecrated in truth,
appointed and sent out into the world just as He was sent!
Pastors who deny authority can not pastor!
First we must address those Protestants who deny human Church authority or
a Shepherd, yet ironically use the title "Pastor" which means "Shepherd!"
Now a Shepherd's job is to tend the flock, to guide and lead the flock to good
pastures, to feed them! He also protects the flock from wild beasts and
thieves! If a shepherd denies his own authority, how can he fulfill his duties?
The sheep, seeing that their shepherd does not exercise authority over them, to
guide and tend them, soon go their own way, (Is 53:6), and become scattered
and lost. This is the very picture of Protestantism today!

True shepherds enter through Jesus, the Gate!
We must ask how each man who claims to be a Shepherd or Pastor, whether
Catholic or Protestant, entered the Sheepfold? In John 10:7, Jesus calls
Himself the "Gate" to the Sheepfold. In John 10:2, Jesus says that "he that
enters by the Gate, (Jesus), is the shepherd of the sheep," while in John 10:1,
Jesus says, "Amen, amen, I say to you: He that entereth not by the Gate into
the sheepfold but climbeth up another way, the same is a thief and a robber. "

His own Sheep know those shepherds
who enter through Jesus, the Gate!
The true sheep of Jesus, (John 10:3-4) recognize His voice through the voice of
a true shepherd who entered the sheepfold through Jesus! But a stranger they
follow not, but fly from him, because they know not the voice of strangers.
(John 10:5) Again, a picture of Protestantism today! All these, like sheep, have gone
astray, each turning aside to his own way... (Is:53:6:) So the question is, "How does one
know which Pastors or Shepherds entered through the Gate?" Everyone,
(Catholic and Protestant), claims they did, but is there a way to know for
sure? All claims being equal, until more proof reveals the true Pastors (or
shepherds), what does one have over the other? Here's the answer: Catholics
have the additional claim of "Holy Orders", (Priestly Ordination), in an
unbroken line that can be traced back to the Apostles! Protestants can not
make this claim, since their roots are from a more recent time! (Luther,
Calvin, Baptist, Presbeterians, etc.)

Holy Orders: Called by God just as Aaron was!
No one takes this honor for himself for : Every high priest is taken from
among men and made their representative before God, to offer gifts and
sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal patiently with the ignorant and erring,
for he himself is beset by weakness and so, for this reason, must make sin
offerings for himself as well as for the people. No one takes this honor upon
himself but only when called by God, just as Aaron was. (Heb 5:1-4)

Aaron was called to the Priesthood by God through his brother, Moses, a
human man and shepherd of Gods people!
Exo 28:1 And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him,
from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest's
office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's sons.

But how do we know who are called by God?
Jesus is God, and we hear God when we hear those He handpicked, appointed
and sanctified in truth as we have shown above. He also gave them Authority
to bind and loose, which would include the authority to pass their authority on
to others through the laying on of hands, (Ordination/Holy Orders)! (Mat 16:19
& Mat 18:18). So when a Bishop, who entered the sheepfold through Jesus,
the Gate, (through the unbroken line of succession by the laying on of hands of those before him
back to the Apostles), calls one of the sheep, (a man), into the Priesthood, it is the
voice of Jesus, who is God! A Protestant Pastor can not claim that he was
called by God because they have not heard the voice of God through a true
Shepherd as Scripture teaches! (John 10:1-16) They also can not make this
claim because they deny the authority of any man to Ordain them! So the
question remains; who ordained them? Did they take this honor upon
themselves? How did they hear God call them into the ministry, if not through
men appointed by Jesus Himself, some 2000 years ago:
Eph 4:11 And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and other some
evangelists, and other some pastors and doctors:
Eph 4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the word of the ministry, for the
edifying of the body of Christ:
Eph 4:13 Until we all meet into the unity of faith and of the knowledge of the
Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the age of the fulness of
Christ:
Eph 4:14 That henceforth we be no more children tossed to and fro and
carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the wickedness of men, by
cunning craftiness by which they lie in wait to deceive.

Apostolic Succession
John 21:15-17 - Jesus tells Peter to tend His flock!
1 Peter 5:1-2 - Peter tells his fellow presbyters also to tend God's flock!
Ephesians 2:19-20 - The Church is built upon the foundation of the Apostles
and prophets
Ephesians 4:11 - That some should be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors
and teachers
Acts 1:23-26 - Matthias is chosen to replace Judas (Succession after one's
Death)
Acts 9:26-30 - Paul is approved by the Apostles
Acts 14:14 - Paul and Barnabas are also called apostles
Titus 1:5 - Titus performs the duties of an apostle and ordains elders in every
city.
1 Timothy 1:3-7 - Timothy is instructed to exercise the authority of an apostle
1 Timothy 3:1-7 - Qualifications for bishops (successors to the apostles)
1 Timothy 4:14 - The office of bishop was conferred upon Timothy by the
laying on of hands.
2 Peter 1:15 Peter will ensure that teachings are passed on after his death!
Acts 5:13 - No man dare join himself to God's Shepherds!

The Strongest Proof of Apostolic Succession
as well as passing on Sacred Tradition:
2 Tim 2:2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses,
the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
From Paul to Timothy,
From Timothy to faithful men,
            From Faithful men to teach others,
                                               Was meant to Continue!
In all of the above proofs on Church Authority,
Apostolic Succession and Sacred Tradition, I have
not found anything in Scripture that teaches that
these things have come to an end or will come to an
end at some point, with the exception of when
Jesus, the Chief Shepherd, returns! (1 Peter 5:2-4)
Trust is very important in our relationships with each other and with God!
Division among professed followers of Christ certainly does not help bring
others into a particular "Fold" but results in what I would call "Lone Sheep"
left to fight the spiritual battles alone! While in the Flock, we have the
protection of the Shepherd and the support and safety of the sheer numbers of
surrounding sheep. (no pun intended)
Those who deny Church Authority also deny the need for a Shepherd on earth,
claiming that Jesus is their Shepherd, and the Bible alone, is their sole
authority. The result, from the time of the Reformation, has been a different
understanding of Divine Revelation, and for each different understanding, a
different sect, (denomination). All these, like sheep, have gone astray, each
turning aside to his own way... (Is:53:6:); all listening to an ever changing
cluster of opinions, seeking out one church or opinion after another, hoping to
find one that sounds right! Like children tossed to and fro and carried about
with every wind of doctrine...(Eph 4:14 DRV) This is the formula for "chaos!"
Imagine the chaos that would result without a U.S. Supreme Court; if every
American were permitted to interpret the Constitution and laws on their own.
Sheep Without A Shepherd Are Soon Scattered!
Sheep Without A Shepherd Are Soon Distressed!
Sheep Without A Shepherd Soon Lose Their Way & Become Lost!
Sheep Without A Shepherd Are Soon Devoured By Wolves!
Below are some Scriptures from the Old and New Testament that
demonstrates the dangers of sheep without a shepherd:
1Kgs:22:17:
17 And he said: I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, like sheep that have
no shepherd; and the Lord said: These have no master: let every man of them
return to his house in peace. (DRV)
2Chr:18:16:
16 Then he said: I saw all Israel scattered in the mountains, like sheep
without a shepherd: and the Lord said: These have no masters: let every man
return to his own house in peace. (DRV)
Ps:119:176:
176 (118-176) I have gone astray like a sheep that is lost: seek thy servant,
because I have not forgotten thy commandments. (DRV)
Is:53:6:
6 All we like sheep have gone astray, every one hath turned aside into his
own way: and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (DRV)
Mt:9:36:
36 And seeing the multitudes, he had compassion on them: because they were
distressed, and lying like sheep that have no shepherd. (DRV)
Mk:6:34:
34 And Jesus going out saw a great multitude: and he had compassion on
them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd, and he began to
teach them many things. (DRV)
Jn:10:12:
12 But the hireling and he that is not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are
not, seeth the wolf coming and leaveth the sheep and flieth: and the wolf
casteth and scattereth the sheep, (DRV)
1Pt:2:25:
25 For you were as sheep going astray: but you are now converted to the
shepherd and bishop of your souls. (DRV)
Of course, the Chief Shepherd is Jesus Christ Himself, who goes in search of
each lone sheep to bring it back to the safety of the flock. With 30,000
different Christian denominations, (separate flocks) and countless numbers of
lone sheep who do not belong to any flock, Jesus is constanly busy going after
all His Sheep, so that we may be "One Flock."
John Chapter 10:16
16 I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead,
and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd."
(Note: When Jesus Says, "there will be"...Count on it!)
So, if I know that Jesus is the Chief Shepherd, why do I follow the Pope?
Because... "There's A New Game In Town!"   Peter was the first of many to
enter the sheepfold through Jesus, the Gate when he proclaimed Jesus the Son
of God and he was given the Keys and the authority to bind and loose. The old
game was over, for just as God, (in Isa 22), stripped Shebna from his station and
gave the Key and authority to open and close, (bind and loose), to Eliakim, the
same is now turned over to Simon, renamed Cephas, Rock in Aramaic, (Matthew
16:19) Peter in Greek.
Isa 22
Isa 22:15 Thus saith the Lord GOD of hosts, Go, get thee unto this treasurer, even unto Shebna, which
is over the house, and say,
Isa 22:16 What hast thou here? and whom hast thou here, that thou hast hewed thee out a sepulcher
here, as he that heweth him out a sepulcher on high, and that graveth a habitation for himself in a rock?
Isa 22:17 Behold, the LORD will carry thee away with a mighty captivity, and will surely cover thee.
Isa 22:18 He will surely violently turn and toss thee like a ball into a large country: there shalt thou die,
and there the chariots of thy glory shall be the shame of thy lord's house.
Isa 22:19 And I will drive thee from thy station, and from thy state shall he pull thee down.
Isa 22:20 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah:
Isa 22:21 And I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy
government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of
Judah.
Isa 22:22 And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall
shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.
Each Pope can be traced back to a previous Pope all the way back to St Peter.
(Off Site Link to List of Popes) Of course, if St Peter were still on earth, there would
have been no need for this line of succession! Why do I think that Jesus
appointed Peter to Shepherd His Flock? Because I read it in the Bible!
John Chapter 21:15-17
15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son
of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord, you
know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs." 16 He then said to
him a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him,
"Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep." 17
He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was
distressed that he had said to him a third time, "Do you love me?" and he said
to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." (Jesus) said to
him, "Feed my sheep."
How long did Jesus intend to have others "Tend" His Sheep?
Again we have recourse to Sacred Scripture:
1 Peter Chapter 5:2-4
2 Tend the flock of God in your midst, (overseeing) not by constraint but
willingly, as God would have it, not for shameful profit but eagerly. 3 Do not
lord it over those assigned to you, but be examples to the flock. 4 And when
the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.
So we see that Christ's Flock is to have someone to "Tend" it until the Chief
Shepherd returns! In the above two passages, (John 21:15-17 & 1 Peter 5:2-4), Jesus first
tells Peter to feed and tend His Sheep, (John 21:15-17), then we see Peter, (in 1 Peter
5:2-4),   telling others to do the same things Jesus told Peter to do; (to feed and
tend His Sheep, the Flock)! This is "Apostolic Succession!" Because Christs
Flock grew, He has need of more than one laborer, since the Pope can not be
everywhere at once! So we have other "Assistant" Shepherds we call Bishops,
Priests, and Deacons, each gathering sheep and tending the flock in their
respective Diocese all over the world! These are the Presbyters, Elders and
Deacons! Each one of these is taken from among men and made our
representative before God This can be traced back through the Laying on of
hands on each Bishop, Priest and Deacon, all the way back to the Apostles.
Here's the Scripture support for this claim:
* Heb 5:1-4 1 Every high priest is taken from among men and made their
representative before God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He is able
to deal patiently with the ignorant and erring, for he himself is beset by
weakness
3 and so, for this reason, must make sin offerings for himself as well as for the
people. 4 No one takes this honor upon himself but only when called by God,
just as Aaron was.
(Just a side note: Catholics apply this verse above when we participate in
the Mass; Notice the use of the present tense..."is taken...")
* Acts:6: 1 And in those days, the number of the disciples increasing, there
arose a murmuring of the Greeks against the Hebrews, for that their widows
were neglected in the daily ministration.
2 Then the twelve, calling together the multitude of the disciples, said: It is not
reason that we should leave the word of God and serve tables.
3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of good reputation,
full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the
word.
5 And the saying was liked by all the multitude. And they chose Stephen, a
man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip and Prochorus and
Nicanor, and Timon and Parmenas and Nicolas, a proselyte of Antioch.
6 These they set before the apostles: and they praying, imposed hands
upon them.
* Acts 14:23 They appointed presbyters for them in each church and, with
prayer and fasting, commended them to the Lord in whom they had put their
faith.
* 1 Tim 4:14 Do not neglect the gift you have, which was conferred on you
through the prophetic word with the imposition of hands of the presbyterate.
* 2 Tim 1:6 For this reason, I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that
you have through the imposition of my hands.
* Titus 1: 5 For this reason I left you in Crete so that you might set right what
remains to be done and appoint presbyters in every town, as I directed you, 6
on condition that a man be blameless, married only once, with believing
children who are not accused of licentiousness or rebellious.
If my brother sins and he refuses
to listen to me or others with me,
do we tell it to the Bible or The Church?
What does the Bible say?
Matthew 18:17
17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen even
to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector. (Notice
the use of the word,"even" in this verse, as if the author would be astounded
that a man would not listen even to the Church!)
The Church, (not the Bible), is the pillar and foundation of truth!
1 Tim 3:15
But if I should be delayed, you should know how to behave in the household
of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of
truth.
The Church possess the prophetic message...no personal interpretation! You
can not "will" it to come to you, as if by command or even by desire, for it is
completely the prerogative and initiative of God, The Holy Spirit!
2 Peter 1:19-21
19 Moreover, we possess the prophetic message that is altogether reliable.
You will do well to be attentive to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until
day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
20 Know this first of all, that there is no prophecy of scripture that is a
matter of personal interpretation,
21 for no prophecy ever came through human will; but rather human beings
moved by the holy Spirit spoke under the influence of God.
We Are To Tell It To The Church!
Ah, but which Church? Tell me where to go! Which denomination should I
trust with the final word? Sola Scriptura Christians can not apply this verse,
can they? All "Bible Only" Christians deny an ultimate authority! How can
one claim to follow the Bible, yet ignore one of it's commandments; (to tell
the church)?
If two believers disagree on Infant Baptism, shouldn't there be a final authority
that would interpret Scripture? Now suppose the disagreement between two
"Sola Scriptura" Christians concerns a current moral question not covered in
the Bible; say Human Cloning or Stem Cell Harvesting from live embryos? If
Johnny accepts these while Billy considers them a "sin," who does Billy tell?
What "Church" does he go to if his own church does not have the authority,
and the Bible is silent on the matter?
MANY INTERPRETATIONS....ONLY ONE IS CORRECT!
How many interpretations or meanings does the following statement have?
(Let's say it was written 2000 years ago) (Borrowed from Patrick Madrid)
"I never said you stole money."
There are five different interpretations to the above statement!
1. "I never said you stole money."
Interpreted as, "Someone else said you stole money."
2. "I never said you stole money."
Interpreted as, "I thought and suspected you stole money,
but I didn't say it!"
3. "I never said you stole money."
Interpreted as, "I said someone else stole money!"
4. "I never said you stole money."
Interpreted as, "I said you lost someone's money or
squandered it!" (etc)
5. "I never said you stole money."
Interpreted as, "Maybe you stole his hat or his pig, but
not his money!"
So what's my point?
You can see how easily this simple six word sentence could be misinterpreted!
Which would you say is more likely to be open to misinterpretations, this six
word sentence or the Bible? This simple quiz demonstrates that there can be
more than one interpretation with the written word. With some 30,000
different Christian denominations and countless lone Christians, each claiming
they can rightly interpret the Bible, there should be absolutely no disagreement
between any of them on anything they read. Yet they each come to different
conclusions on the key issues of God's commandments! ie; Infant Baptism?
Divorce and Remarriage? Which Sacraments? Salvation by Faith alone? Once
Saved Always Saved? etc. The truth is different for each!   They can't all be
right! Someone has to be wrong! A Doctrine can not be both true and false at
the same time! Just like the little quiz above, there can be more than one
interpretation of a certain Bible passage, but only one interpretation is correct.
But which one? In our quiz, you would have to go back to the source some
2,000 years ago, to the author, or to some other witnesses of that time, to get
the correct interpretation. This is what the Catholic Church calls "Sacred
Tradition!" which she has safeguarded and passed down along with, and
never contrary to Sacred Scripture for 2,000 years! The definition of this word,
"Tradition" is literally "Spoken, Oral Word" and is what the early Church
relied on to feed and tend the flock. There were no Bibles! They spoke and
wrote letters. This is what St Paul is saying, "Hold fast to the traditions,
whether spoken or from a letter. (2 Thess 2:15) So we see the harmony of the
deposit of faith which includes Scripture and Tradtion equally passed down
from the early Church to you today! Many claim that the Pope is not
infallible in matters of faith and morals, yet these same people open their
Bibles and infallibly interpret, for themselves, what they read! Each infallibly
interpreting different meanings for the same passages! This is not how God
would have it! In fact, Jesus prayed for unity; for all to be one, just as He
and the Father are one! St Paul also preached about "unity!" One Lord,
One Faith, One Baptism! Yet many want to go it alone!
Jn:17:
17 Sanctify them in truth. Thy word is truth.
18 As thou hast sent me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.
19 And for them do I sanctify myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.
20 And not for them only do I pray, but for them also who through their word
shall believe in me.
21 That they all may be one, as thou, Father, in me, and I in thee; that they
also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
22 And the glory which thou hast given me, I have given to them: that, they
may be one, as we also are one.
23 I in them, and thou in me: that they may be made perfect in one: and the
world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them, as thou hast also
loved me.(DRV)
1Cor 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you;
but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same
judgment.
Eph:4:
3 Careful to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4 One body and one Spirit: as you are called in one hope of your calling.
5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism.
6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in us all.
11 And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and other some
evangelists, and other some pastors and doctors:
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the word of the ministry, for the
edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Until we all meet into the unity of faith and of the knowledge of the Son
of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the age of the fullness of
Christ:
14 That henceforth we be no more children tossed to and fro and carried
about with every wind of doctrine, by the wickedness of men, by cunning
craftiness by which they lie in wait to deceive.(DRV)
Sola Scriptura Christians also deny the doctrine of Purgatory, and Praying for
the Dead. This is predicated on their denial of the two old testament books
that give the strongest proof of Purgatory, Wisdom & 2 Maccabees.   This
denial is based on their misunderstanding of the Jewish Canon; (see below)
and the denial of Church Authority to Determine Canon:
*Wisdom 3:1-8 1 But the souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no
torment shall touch them. 2 They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be
dead; and their passing away was thought an affliction 3 and their going forth
from us, utter destruction. But they are in peace. 4 For if before men, indeed,
they be punished, yet is their hope full of immortality; 5 Chastised a little, they
shall be greatly blessed, because God tried them and found them worthy of
himself. 6 As gold in the furnace, he proved them, and as sacrificial offerings
he took them to himself. 7 In the time of their visitation they shall shine, and
shall dart about as sparks through stubble; 8 They shall judge nations and rule
over peoples, and the LORD shall be their King forever.
*2 Mac 12:41-45 41 They all therefore praised the ways of the Lord, the just
judge who brings to light the things that are hidden. 42 Turning to supplication,
they prayed that the sinful deed might be fully blotted out. The noble Judas
warned the soldiers to keep themselves free from sin, for they had seen with
their own eyes what had happened because of the sin of those who had fallen.
43 He then took up a collection among all his soldiers, amounting to two
thousand silver drachmas, which he sent to Jerusalem to provide for an
expiatory sacrifice. In doing this he acted in a very excellent and noble way,
inasmuch as he had the resurrection of the dead in view; 44 for if he were not
expecting the fallen to rise again, it would have been useless and foolish to
pray for them in death. 45 But if he did this with a view to the splendid reward
that awaits those who had gone to rest in godliness, it was a holy and pious
thought.
Indeed it is a holy and pious thought, even if you do not accept these books as
Canon, they are still useful in seeing what the Jews believed and practiced in
the past! The fact remains that the Jews believed in praying for the Dead, as
they still do today! Check it out for yourself:
The Jewish Way of Death
             by Rabbi Maurice Lamm
A Jewish funeral is a ceremony of quiet dignity; a white shroud worn by rich
and poor alike, a plain wooden casket, a speedy burial bereft of fanfare are
some of the simple customs that dominate.
Death is the crisis of life. How a man handles death indicates a great deal
about how he approaches life. As there is a Jewish way of life, there is a
Jewish way of death.
As the Jewish way of life implies, it is a distinctive outlook and a unique
life-style based on very specific views of God and the place of man in society
and the universe. So too does the Jewish way of death imply singular attitudes
toward God and nature, and toward the problem of good and evil; and it
proffers a distinctive way of demonstrating specific Jewish qualities of
reverence for man and respect for the dead.
For example, the prohibition of both cremation (the unnaturally speedy
disposal of the dead) and embalming (the unnatural preservation of the dead),
bespeaks a philosophy of man and his relationship to God and nature:
Repugnance for the mutilation of a body expresses a reverence for man,
because he was created in God's image. The ban on necromancy is founded on
very precise theological concepts of creature and Creator.
The commandment to bury the dead without delay draws a very fine, but clear
line between reverence for the dead and worship of the dead.
The profound psychological insights implicit in the highly structured Jewish
mourning observances speak eloquently of Judaism's concern for the
psychological integrity of the human personality.
PREPARATION OF THE REMAINS
"As he came, so shall he go," says Ecclesiastes. Just as a newborn child is
immediately washed and enters this world clean and pure, so he who departs
this world must be cleansed and made pure through the religious ritual called
taharah, "purification."
The taharah is performed by the Chevra Kadisha (the Holy Society, i.e. the
Burial Society), consisting of Jews who are knowledgeable in the area of
traditional duties, and can display proper respect for the deceased. In addition
to the physical cleansing and preparation of the body for burial, they also
recite the required prayers asking God for forgiveness for any sins the
deceased may have committed, and praying that God may guard him and
grant him eternal peace.
Jewish tradition recognizes the democracy of death. It therefore demands that
all Jews be buried in the same type of garment -- a simple white shroud.
Wealthy or poor, all are equal before God, and that which determines their
reward is not what they wear, but what they are. Almost 2,000 years ago,
Rabbi Gamaliel instituted this practice so that the poor would not be shamed
and the wealthy would not vie with each other in displaying the costliness of
their burial clothes.
The clothes to be worn should be appropriate for one who is shortly to stand in
judgment before God Almighty, Master of the universe and Creator of man.
Therefore, they should be simple, handmade, perfectly clean, and white. These
shrouds symbolize purity, simplicity, and dignity.
                                              BURIAL
The Bible, in its mature wisdom, required burial to take place as soon as
possible following death.
The religious concept underlying this law is that man, made in the image of
God, should be accorded the deepest respect.
It is considered a matter of great shame and discourtesy to leave the deceased
unburied -- his soul has returned to God, but his body is left to linger in the
land of the living.
Jewish law is unequivocal in establishing absolutely, and uncompromisingly,
that the dead must be buried in the earth. Man's body returns to the earth as it
was. The soul rises to God, but the physical shelter, the chemical elements that
clothed the soul, sink into the vast reservoir of nature.
"For dust thou art, and unto dust shaft thou return" (Genesis 3:19) is the
guiding principle in regard to the selection of caskets ... The coffin must be
made completely of wood. The Bible tells us that Adam and Eve hid among
the trees in the Garden of Eden when they heard the Divine judgment for
committing the first sin.   Said Rabbi Levi: "This was a sign for their
descendants that, when they die and are prepared to receive their reward, they
should be placed in coffins made of wood."
                                   NON-JEWISH CUSTOMS
Cremation is never permitted. The deceased must be interred, bodily, in the
earth. It is forbidden -- in every and any circumstance -- to reduce the dead to
ash in a crematorium. It is an offensive act, for it does violence to the spirit
and letter of Jewish law, which never, in the long past, sanctioned the ancient
pagan practice of burning on the pyre.
The Jewish abhorrence of cremation has already been noted by Tacitus, the
Roman historian of the 1st century CE, who remarked upon what appeared to
be a distinguishing characteristic that Jews buried, rather than burned, their
dead.
In ancient days, the Talmud informs us, fragrant flowers and spices were used
at the funeral to offset the odor of the decaying body. Today, this is no longer
essential and they should not be used at Jewish funerals at all.
It is much better to honor the deceased by making a contribution to a
synagogue or hospital, or to a medical research association for the disease
which afflicted the deceased. This method of tribute is more lasting and
meaningful.
In our days, flowers are used primarily at Christian funerals, and are
considered to be a non-Jewish ritual custom which should be discouraged.
Another custom which is definitely alien to Jewish custom, and its spirit does
violence to Jewish sensitivity and tradition is the "wake."
Visiting the funeral parlor on the night before interment to comfort the
mourners and to view the remains is clearly a Christian religious practice, and
not merely an American folkway.
In Judaism, the place for offering condolences is at home, during the seven
special days of mourning called shivah.
                              THE FUNERAL SERVICE
The most striking Jewish expression of grief is the rending of outer garments
by the mourner prior to the funeral service.
Who must rend the clothing?
Seven relatives are obligated to perform this command: son, daughter, father,
mother, brother, sister, and spouse.
They must be adults, above the age of thirteen. Minors, who are in fact
capable of understanding the situation, and appreciating the loss, should have
other relatives or friends make the tear for them.
Divorced mates may cut their clothing, but they are not obligated to do so.
The funeral service is a brief and simple service designed primarily for the
honor and dignity of the deceased. The service consists of:
reading a selection from the Psalms appropriate to the life of the deceased, a
eulogy of his fine qualities which his survivors should seek to implant in their
own lives, and a memorial prayer asking that God shelter his soul "on the
wings of His Divine presence."
                                            Author Biography:
Rabbi Maurice Lamm is the author of "The Jewish Way of Death and Mourning," "The Jewish Way in
Love and Marriage", "Becoming A Jew" and many other books. A professor at Yeshiva University's
Rabbinical Seminary, he lectures nationally to Jewish and Christian audiences.
In light of the above, when it comes to praying for the dead, what harm
would it do to pray for them if you are not required to, compared to the
harm of not praying for them if you are required, as the Jews and
Catholics have done and continue to do to this day! What a shame to have
so many deceased family members who have no one on earth praying for
their souls because they don't believe in the practice!
                 The Canon of Scripture
                                             by Sebastian R. Fama
There is a significant difference between Catholic and Protestant Bibles.
Catholic Bibles contain seven more books than Protestant Bibles do. The
seven books, all in the Old Testament, are Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach,
Baruch and 1 and 2 Maccabees. Catholics call the disputed books
Deuterocanonical and consider them to be inspired. Bible Christians call them
Apocryphal and consider them to be spurious.
The list of books that comprise the Bible is referred to as the canon. During
Jesus' time there were two Old Testament canons in use. There was the
Palestinian canon, which is identical to the Protestant Old Testament, and
there was the Alexandrian canon (also known as the Septuagint) which is
identical to the Catholic Old Testament. The reason why the Catholic Bible
has the longer canon is simple. The Apostles and the early Church used the
Septuagint.
Bible Christians use the shorter canon because it matches the present day
Jewish canon. They will often quote Romans 3:2, which says, "The Jews are
entrusted with the oracles of God." They reason that since God entrusted the
Old Testament to the Jews, they should be the ones who determine which
books belong in it.   This reasoning presents a couple of problems. Firstly,
both Old Testament canons were received from the Jews. Thus neither canon
is eliminated by this verse. Secondly, the Jews didn't settle on the Palestinian
canon until at least 90 AD at the Council of Jamnia. This was well after
authority had passed from the Jews to the Church (Acts 4:19). Ironically it
was at the Council of Jamnia that the Jews also rejected the New Testament.
Logically speaking, anyone who would consider Jamnia as being
authoritative would also have to reject the New Testament.
Most Church Fathers regarded the Septuagint as the standard form of the Old
Testament. When the Councils of Hippo (393 AD) and Carthage (397 AD) set
the canon of the New Testament they also confirmed the Septuagint as the Old
Testament. Further evidence of the Septuagint's acceptance by the early
Church can be found in the New Testament itself. It quotes the Old Testament
approximately 350 times. Three hundred of those quotes are from the
Septuagint. Surely this amounts to an overwhelming endorsement by the early
Church.
Some raise objections over supposed errors. One example is in Judith 1:1-7.
Here Nebuchadnezzar is called the king of Assyria when in fact it is well
known that he was the king of Babylon. But Judith is not a historical book; it's
a religious novel. The combining of the Babylonians and the Assyrians is a
representation of the enemies of Israel. Both had conquered Israel at one time
or another. Judith means Jewess and she represents the whole of Judaism. The
lesson of the book is to rely on God's way of deliverance no matter what the
method. Similar objections are raised over verses in Tobit, which are likewise
symbolic and not historical.
Critics will often dismiss the role of the Church in determining the New
Testament. They contend that the Holy Spirit caused the books of the New
Testament to fall into place on their own. They would have us believe that the
Church councils that dealt with the canon were nothing more than bishops
getting together to say "Wow, look at that." Once again, history tells us
another story.
The book of 1 Clement was considered inspired by most in the early Church
(Eusebius, The History of the Church 3:16, 325 AD). We also know that the
book of Revelation was disputed by many at the time. And yet Revelation
made it into the canon and 1 Clement didn't. That's because the Church set the
canon of Scripture, and she did so under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Just
as God worked infallibly through men in writing the Bible, He worked
infallibly through men in communicating exactly which books comprised it.
And so the canon stood. Unchanged until the Protestant Reformation when
Martin Luther threw out the seven Deuterocanonicals because they
contradicted his new doctrines. He also wanted to throw out Hebrews, James,
2 Peter, 2 and 3 John, Jude, and Revelation. Fortunately, cooler heads
prevailed.
In Revelation 22:19 the apostle John proclaims, "If any one takes away from
the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the
tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book." It's true that
this verse refers to the book of Revelation. However, common sense tells us
that the same principal should apply to all of Scripture. Certainly God would
never be pleased with us tampering with any part of His word.

-VS-

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Church Authority; the greatest difference between Catholics and
Protestants! It remains the single most dividing factor between Christians.
In general, all Protestants object to the Teaching Authority of the
Catholic Church. This is the main reason they are not Catholic!
Individually, each Protestant denomination also objects to other Protestant
denomination's interpretation of Scripture, which in reality, is the same
refusal to yield to the teaching authority of the Catholic Church! For
example, let's say that Pastor Joe teaches against infant baptism while
several in his congregation accept infant baptism. Remember that Pastor
Joe, a protestant, does not claim authority in faith and morals, holding the
Bible as the sole authority. But when confronted by these members who
accept infant baptism, Pastor Joe, holds firm and does not accept their
interpretation! What happens next, has been happening since the time of
the Reformation. These members leave, in search of another church that
agrees with them, and if they can not find one, they establish a new
church! This is how we have 30,000 different Christian denominations
today! Was Pastor Joe exercising Church Authority? Was he
Pontificating? Were the members? It seems that both sides were
imposing their Authority on the other. Catholics can either be
excommunicated or they can excommunicate themselves for not holding
fast to the teaching authority of the Church! Protestants practice a more
polite form of this; either Pastor Joe asks those who disagree with him to
find another church to their liking, or the members leave on their own!
Any way you cut it, the result is division and disunity! We all agree that
the Body of Christ is made up of Christians. Is Christ Divided?
Church Authority! The Great Debate! If we can overcome this one
obstacle, by proving from Scripture, the truth of Church Authority, all of
the other doctrinal differences that separate us will come tumbling down
like the walls of Jericho! So, let us begin!

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