Hebrews 13:17: Obey your leaders and submit to them; for they are keeping watch over your souls, as men who will have to give account. Let them do this joyfully, and not sadly, for that would be of no advantage to you.
Matthew 18:17: “If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.”
Luke 10:16: “He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”
Matthew 16:19: “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.”
Galatians 1:8-9: But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed.
The claims of authority for the leadership of the Catholic Church find verification in the Scriptures. It is given by Christ and affirmed by the apostles. Since the Church acts in the name of our Lord, we even back up the Decalogue with the precepts of the Catholic Church. Chapter 15 of Acts gives a wonderful instance of leadership among “the apostles and the elders” over the community against those who “troubled [them] with words.” This troubling continues today in the voices of secularism and anti-Catholic fundamentalism.
For more such reading, contact me about getting my book, DEFENDING THE CATHOLIC FAITH.
Filed under: Anti-Catholicism, Apologetics, Bible, Catholic, Church, Discipleship, Evangelization, Faith, Jesus, Magisterium, Pope |
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