shw:Most of your recent post was very tedious, and irrelevant! Jesus’s disciples partook of communion, by each taking of the bread, and drinking from the cup! As believers, we are also disciples(Matthew 28:20), and therefore should partake of communion in the same manner(each taking of the bread, and drinking from the cup! Other than interpretation, and oral tradition, there doesn’t seem to be a precedent for the priest to be the sole drinker! And I don’t believe that anyone is the vicar of Christ, or the visible representative of Jesus on this earth(sorry, pope!)
My “post was very tedious and irrelevant” to you and perhaps to some others also, but I did not write it just for you non-Catholics alone. Catholics are on Catholic Answers Forum to learn about their faith.
Catholics are allowed at the present time to take the Precious Body of Christ in the hand and also to drink His Precious Blood from the cup if they desire to.
It really, truly, does not matter one whit whether you believe that the pope is the vicar (representative) of Christ on earth.
Truth is truth whether anyone believes it or not. What does matter is that truth should be searched out and then believed in after it is found, regardless of the personal cost. (Matthew 10:37-38)
The popes, beginning with Peter, are the only persons in Christ’s Church who are given the “keys of the kingdom of heaven” which is the chief stewardship office/position which began in the Davidic kingdom (key of the house of David–Isaiah 22:19-23). He is the chief steward/representative of Christ on earth in Jesus’ Church. (Matthew 16:18-19) This is an office (chief stewardship position) as explained in Isaiah 22 and only one person can hold this office at a time. When he can no longer serve, another chief steward is chosen to carry on the duties of this office. It cannot be left vacant.
Only the chief steward has the keys to the storehouse/treasury in the kingdom. He ranks above all other stewards. (1 Corinthians 4:1, 1 Corinthians 9:17, Colossians 1:25) The New Covenant is the fulfillment of the Old Covenant and some of the things from the OC are carried over into the NC, but they are without fault in the NC because Jesus is the author and mediator of the NC. (Hebrews 8:6-7, Hebrews 8:13)
Even though persons such as yourself do not believe it, it is fact that
the pope is Christ’s chief representative on earth, and this fact will not ever change no matter how many people such as yourself dislike the idea or refuse to acknowledge him as Christ’s chief representative (vicar) on earth.
Jesus structured His Church as a hierarchy and this hierarchy rules over the members of Christ’s Church. We cannot change this structure. It is mandated by God. We are required to accept it or else we become like Satan who was the first to say, “I will not serve.” We all know what happened to Satan.
Hebrews 13:7
Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.
Hebrews 13:17
Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.
Paul tells the new bishop Titus to “Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.” Titus 2:15
Moses seat/chair (office of authority) in the OC (Matthew 23:2) is changed to Peter’s chair (office of authority) in the NC and this is recorded in the early church writings.
staycatholic.com/ecf_primacy_of_rome.htm
The Church is hierarchical in nature according to Christ’s mandate and this cannot ever be changed by men who decide to
reform Jesus’ Church. People who try to change Christ’s Church’s dogmas and Its structure into their own individual churches based on their own private interpretation of Scripture are called heretics. (2 Peter 2:1-3)
Maintaining the Oral traditions and safeguarding the correct interpretations of the Written Scriptures (Bible) traditions are responsibilities of the Catholic Church’s hierarchy. (2 Thessalonians 2:15)
Was that treating elvisman as you would Christ?
One last thing about treating others like we would Christ. If I wanted to be a jerk, I could have called elvisman or any other peson on this forum, something a lot worse! But I do believe that we all are obsessive about something, and anal retentive, is a term used to describe someone who can’t or won’t see the other person’s point of view, because it conflicts with theirs; what they have been taught! I think we need to look at each person as if they were Christ, in blue jeans or a dress, and treat them with love, respect and tolerance, probably the hardest to do! Let me apologize to elvisman, and any other catholics, whom I may have offended in the last 5 months! You know, as far as the communion, it may just be how these catholic churches do it(including my friend’s church
Phil 1:6)
