Serious Questions for Serious Catholic Apologists

[rcuk]

The keys to the kingdom was an analogy to the master leaving his keys to the servant when the master went away. I think this is correct. It is a symbol of authority.

The old testament indicates primacy will be given to one of the appointed 12. (Isiah, I believe).

 

[steve_b]

The question was never asked if the CC was a manmade institution.

I included it because I think the CC being Divinely instituted and necessary for salvation, plays an important part in answering the opening questions.

for example

those who died prior to Jesus or who have died since without hearing the gospel presented fully and accurately would or will have the gospel preached to them in some extraordinary manner in the afterlife.

1. • Before the creation of the world, was it God’s will that everyone be formal members of the Catholic Church in full communion with the Bishop of Rome?
   • Is it God’s will today?

1. 
   [1 (http://forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=11950879&postcount=1)
   my further explanation follows
   r:
   

   The question was from the beginning were people to be in communion with the Pope.

   there is no doubt in my mind when defining “from the beginning” in the context we’re using it, that could also include, before the foundation of the world, because God who is outside of time, knew when in time He would announce the incarnation, establish a new and everlasting covenant through His son, establish the CC, the sacraments etc etc? Even though the OT people had to wait for the answer to come, and before they could enter heaven they needed to learn this and who better than Jesus to teach them?..
   r:
   

   As I stated no, simply because the Pope was not available in the O.T. And the CC was not available.
   Rather God know all future and past has nothing to do with him setting up his Kingdom here on earth. It was not available then.
   I don’t see how God knowing what he would do, has anything to do with Father Abraham, etc needing to be in communion with the Pope who did not exist at the time of Abraham.

   Remember when Job was getting a bit impatient with God and God asked Job to answer a bunch of questions? e.g. where were you when I laid the foudation of the world? Job 38 :1-41 etc etc? No question, God put Job on the spot.
   
   When Jesus went to preach to the souls in prison after He died, (not the hell of the damned) what do you suppose He preached to them about?
   • Did they even know who Jesus is? Nope! That had to be a surprise
   • Did they even know the testament they lived in and died in was considered the “old” testement, and a new and everlasting testement was to come from God after the old one? Likewise I would think that had to come as a shock.
   • By Jesus preaching to them, it tells me it was necessary to educate them 1st, get them on the same page, or they weren’t ready for heaven.
   • I think Jesus gave them a crash course on everythin. including His Church, His sacraments, …all of it… so that they could be prepared for going to heaven.
   • That’s because Jesus requires perfect unity in what He establishes. John 17:20-23 . That goes for EVERYONE, OT folks he saved as well as NT folks He saves.
   Just thinking outloud