Sunday, June 25, 2006

The Pope: Infallible

According to Catholic doctrine, the Pope is infallible in matters of doctrine, faith and morals.


"In order to preserve the Church in the purity of the faith handed on by the apostles,
Christ who is Truth willed to confer on her a share in his own infallibility. By
a supernatural sense of faith the People of God, under the guidance of the
Church's living magisterium, unfailingly adheres to this faith." Pg. 235,
#889


The Catechism restates the same belief this way:


"The Roman Pontiff... enjoys this infallibility in virtue of his office, when, as supreme
pastor and teacher of all the faithful - who confirms his brethren in the faith
- he proclaims by a definitive act a doctrine pertaining to faith or morals...
This infallibility extends as far as the deposit of divine Revelation
itself." Pg. 235, #891


Sadly, this doctrine is but another tradition of men that contradicts Scripture. The Bible declares that all people are sinners. No one is perfect or infallible in anything:


"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" Romans 3:23


"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:" Romans 3:10


Notice, you didn't read, " no one, except the pope." Jesus is the only infallible person who ever lived:


"For he (God) hath made him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin..." 2
Corinthians 5:21


Are other Catholics infallible too?


The Catechism further alleges that other Catholic leaders have also somehow achieved this state of infallibility:


"The pastoral duty of the Magisterium is aimed at seeing to it that the People of God
abides in the truth that liberates. To fulfill this service, Christ endowed the
Church' s shepherds with the charism of infallibility in matters of faith and
morals." Pg. 235, #890


"The infallibility of the Magisterium of the Pastors extends to all the elements of
doctrine, including moral doctrine, without which the saving truths of the faith
cannot be preserved, expounded, or observed." Pg. 495, #2051


It is important to understand that God did not declare these people to be infallible,
other sinful men did.


Scriptures overflow with stories of sinful people. Even those whom God used the most were sinners. God referred to King David as "a man after mine own heart" (Acts 13:22), yet David was a murderer and an adulterer, among other things.


The Apostle Paul and all the other apostles were sinners. Paul said of himself:


"Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should
preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;" Ephesians 3:8



Nobody in Scripture, except Jesus, was infallible.


More questions


Aside from being unscriptural, this far reaching doctrine raises other important questions which you must answer for yourself:



  • When the pope and other Catholic leaders, who claim to be infallible, disagree
    with God' s Holy Word, then God must be wrong. Are you willing to accept
    this?
  • Why does the Catholic church want you to believe that the pope and other
    Catholic leaders are infallible in matters of doctrine? Is it to bring
    members into further bondage and obedience to the Catholic church?
  • Where do fallible men obtain the authority to declare other men infallible?
  • Why does the Catholic church refuse to honor Jesus Christ by acknowledging


Him as the only infallible One, as the Holy Scriptures teach?


Conclusion


Here is another tradition of men that raises more questions than it answers.


Please don't blindly accept this Catholic doctrine as truth. Look to God's Word for answers to these questions, then settle this issue in your own heart:


"And being made perfect, he (Jesus) became the author of eternal salvation unto all
them that obey him;" Hebrews 5:9




1 comments:

Timothy said...

" The Bible declares that all people are sinners. No one is perfect or infallible in anything: "

So, you folks being sinners are also very fallible. Thus, the teaching above is quite likely in error.

I concur.