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What about in the Gospels where Christ gives the keys of the kingdom to Peter and says, “Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”??????

This is Christ giving Peter, the head of the Apostles the ability to bind or forgive sin. I think it is one of the verses (just like Luke 25-56) that Protestants have a problem with, because it doesn’t quite go with their strong beliefs in other parts of the New Testament.

But it is still there. The Apostles passed that down to the next generation of priests and so it has been passed down from generation to generation.

That is why the Catholic Church claims
“Apostolis”
as one of the four marks of the Catholic Church. Our faith came from Christ through the Apostles to our present day bishops and priests.

I do realize there is a difference of opinion here, but we will have to agree to disagree on it. I know I won’t change my beliefs and I doubt that I can sway your beliefs either.

I would just ask that you ponder that part of Matthew — I believe Chapter 16. (There’s a FR Bible Study thread on it right now.

I have major differences with your theology, but I appreciate the honorable way you have presented yourself, without personal attacks on those who disagree with you! Thank you!

Now this: "There’s a FR Bible Study thread on it right now." There's FReeper Bible studies here?! I never knew that! :-) Very cool. I will definitely have to check that out! Even though I've been a Christian for *cough*manydecades*cough*, I'm always learning more and more through studying the Scripture. Thanks for the heads up!

IMHO, there is great temptation to confuse worldly religion with God’s Plan.

Additionally, I do agree that authority being given that what is bound on earth will be bound in heaven, but I also suspect many believers today do not realize the far reaching consequences of their faith has not only here on earth, but also in heaven.

I don’t believe it is limited to a few noble fellows wearing mitres, rather the power of faith is far reaching and many believers do not know the significance of the power which has been made available to them in this Mystery Church Age which believers did not possess in prior Ages.

The only discernment I see in His Plan amongst believers are for the Jews as the original olive tree and the Gentiles as the grafted branch. I know those with faith in Him who are not members of the RCC still have eternal life and part of that grafted branch. I also see many who were mentioned in Romans as Jews but were not accounted as His spiritual seed, so I find the parallel of generational passage of power within the RCC to be a religious artifice at best and blasphemous at worst.