ORGANIZATION OF
THE CHURCH
Jesus founded "his Church" ((Matt.16:18), and gave her an specific way of government on earth, which is not a "democracy", but rather a "theocracy", like a kingdom on earth.
- The 12 Apostles were not chosen by popular election, rather Jesus picked them up. The leader of the 12, Peter, was also picked up by Jesus (Mat..16:19).
- In the Acts, when one was chosen to substitute Judas, he was not elected by the people, but the 11 Apostles cast lots among two proposed, and the lot fell on Matthias (Act.1:21-26).
- The "deacons", however were elected democratically: The multitude chose 7 men, whom they set before the Apostles, who confirmed them laying their hands on them (Act.6:1-6).
- When Timothy and Titus were elected to be the Bishops of Ephesus and Crete, were not elected by the people, but picked up by St. Paul... and they should do the same (1Tim., Tit.).
- So, these are the rough outlines of how the leaders of the Church of Christ were chosen.
- And, may be, the most important part, is the position of the "leaders", and what they should do, as Jesus told them: "Whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all" (Mr.10:43)... "servant", "slave"...
- The first words of John Paul II when he was elected Pope: "I am the servant of the servants".
"Peter" was chosen by Jesus to be the "leader" of the 12, and of the whole Church of Christ:
- In Matt.16, Jesus promised Peter the primacy
- In John 21, Jesus gave it to him.
- In Acts, Peter exercised it.
"I will give you, Peter, the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven".
- Here, Jesus offers to Peter, 2 things:
1- Jesus offers Peter, and only to Peter, the "keys of the kingdom", in front of the other 11.
2- Jesus promises Peter "infallibility"... if whatever he binds or looses on earth, shall be bound or loosed in heaven, it is because whatever he binds or looses it is the truth, "infallible", "without any possibility of error"!.
- A friend of mine told me, it is impossible, because no one is infallible on earth... but then, he agreed with me that when Mattew or Solomon wrote the Bible, they were "infallible", it is the word of God!... so, hundreds of people were infallible, when they wrote the Bible!...
... And to John, Luke, or David, God did not promised infallibility to write the Bible... but to Peter, Jesus promised directly "infallibility", in whatever he binds or looses on earth!...
... The Holy Spirit who inspired the authors of the Bible, is the same one who inspires Peter when he binds or looses on earth!.
in his first apparition to the Apostles after resurrection, "Jesus said to Simon Peter... feed "my" lambs... a second time... tend "my" sheep... the third time... feed "my" sheep"...
- The other Apostles were there, but only to Peter Jesus gave the order: Feed and tend my lambs and sheep... "my" sheep!... those of Jesus!.
David and Jesus:
Jesus did exactly what God had done in the Old Testament: In Ezekiel 34:15 God says, "I myself shall tend my sheep"... but a few verses later, God says, "I shall raise up one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them; he shall feed them and be their shepherd" (Ez.34:23)...
... And so, he who faithful to David, or his successors, belongs to the people of God, and he who ius not loyal to david, or his successors, does not belong to the people of God, even if he is a Jew born in Jerusalem... rather, he is a rebel, or a heretic ("heretic"means "rebel")...
... Jesus did exactly the same: In John 10, Jesus says, "I am the good shepherd"... but in John 21, Jesus says to Peter 3 times, "feed "my" lambs, tend "my" sheep"... the sheep of Jesus!... so now, like in the Old Testament, he who is loyal to Peter, or his successors, belongs to the Church of Christ... and he who is not loyal to Peter, or his successors, does not belong to the Church of Christ, even if he knows all the Bible by heart, he is a "rebel", a "heretic".
Noah and Peter:
- Jesus compared "his Church" to the "Ark of Noah" in his Sermon of the End of Times, in Matt.24:37: At the times of Noah, there were many good boats, built by experts, but the only bout that did not sink was the boat of Noah, because the only bout of God was the one where Noah was... and at the end of times there will also be many boats, many churches, but the only Church of Jesus Christ is where Peter is!.
Peter exercises his "supremacy". He is the one talking, when all the Apostles are present. The first 11 chapters of Acts, report 8 rather long sermons of Peter (1:15, 2:14, 3:12, 4:8, 5:29, 8:20, 10:34, 11:4).
- Another important fact:
When Judas died, the other Apostles decided to name one to do the job Judas was supposed to do, "to take the place in this ministry and apostleship which Judas abandoned... and they choose Matthias, who was added to the 11 apostles" (Act.1:15-26)... you can be sure that when Peter died, the other apostles did the same, they choose one to do the job Peter was supposed to do... the actual Pope John Paul II is the 262 successor of Peter... and the Catholic Church is the only one to claim a successor of Peter!.
- Only to Peter Jesus said: "I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may nor fail, and when you are restored, you must strengthen your brothers" (Luk.22:32)... that's what Peter did in the first 11 chapters of Acts... and Peter was a sinner, the only one called "Satan" by Jesus! (Matt.16:23).
See also: The Church