[metmom]

The image of St. Peter in charge of "the pearly gates" is not taken directly from Scripture but is based on two things that Scripture does say. The first is that Peter was given the "keys of the kingdom" and the power to "bind" and "loose" by Christ (Matt. 16:18–19). Indeed, one cannot knowingly and deliberately cut off communion with Peter and his successors without committing schism and denying oneself heaven

Alrighty, then. Salvation is not through Christ after all, it's through Peter and his successors.

Thanks for clearing that up for us after all.

Next time we say then that salvation is through the Catholic church and some Catholic tells us that we're wrong, we can refer back to this.....

[count-your-change]

The correct understanding of Matt. 16:19 and the binding and loosing is that the binding and loosing decisions had already been made in heaven and Peter was announcing them on earth not making the decisions himself.

Both the Greek wording and the Biblical record support this understanding. Obviously Peter operated under the influence of the holy spirit but he wasn't making decisions for heaven.