=Protestant101;5067734] You are really behind the times. Catholicism; especially in North America has become a house divided, on abortion, and other issues. **The ** only ** difference is Catholics won’t call the differences “denominations.” ** They use other fancy words and terminology.
As highlighted I tend to agree with you on this one point. But that is not “the only difference.”
The Catholic Church in America (what some of refer to as the American catholic? Church) holds many different views, moral, political and biblical than us Roman Catholics living here in America.
I would like just one Catholic to tell me specifically what they think these keys are that were given to their church. I would be willing to bet that the OP doesn’t even know and will have to look it up.
Allow me to at least try to respond to your challenge. (Sorry, I’m not the OP and I did not have to look it up.) And might I share that this is “
Catholic 101”
In order to do so I must attempt to answer for you the W’s, who, what, where and why?
Who? Jesus the Christ (Mt. 16:16) The Son of God. All Knowing - all Wise - all everything Good. A key element of Gods Perfect Goodness is that God is and has to be “All-Fair and All Just.” Otherwise He would not be God.
So from this we are able to understand that when God teaches He does so with complete understanding of what it is He is teaching, and does so in a manner those whom He chooses to enlighten WILL UNDERSTAND His message. (Mt. 11:25-26)
**The words used by Jesus are carefully selected to insure proper understanding. **
What? Pulling out ONLY the words “Key’s (plural as in more than one) to the Kingdom of Heaven.” (Lk.26:1-3) , is like offering one a sandwich without bread. It has value, but is clearly incomplete.
This is part of the discourse in which Christ makes clear in unambiguous language that He intends to:
1. Form His Church (singular use of “I” and “you” and “church.”
2. That it is to be only ONE church.** 3.** That Peter is given the access (gate keys) to heaven.
4. Peter (and Peter alone) is given all of the power and authority to govern with COMPLETE autonomous authority, answering ONLY to God Himself!
We can know this by the choice of words selected by Christ. To **“bind” and to “loose” **were common, rabbinical, legally binding at Law terms for exactly that! Complete, and free governance. Jesus, Peter and all that heard knew exactly what Jesus meant! Exactly what Jesus meant!
WHERE? Mt. 16:13: “Now when Jesus came into the district of
Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do men say that the Son of man is?” “
The timing and the location were of great significance to the message, the purpose and the mission of what Jesus was in the process of setting up and doing. Jesus was aware of when and how soon He would be put to death.
Caesarea Philippi is in the hill country of Judea. It was a by their standards, a large town. It was also the site of the areas Major Pagan Temple. Thus Jesus ask, “ who do people say that I am.” Not satisfied with the response Jesus then “ask His deciples (plural.)
PETER answers, (Mt. 16: 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
This is significant, for the mandate that follows is directly out of the mouth of God! And all there were aware of this fact.
The location Jesus chooses is a clear indication of the Mission of His Church, and Peter and the Apostles. “Overcome, do away with pagan worship.” Jesus not only gives His Church this Mission, He gives His Church all of the tools and authority needed to accomplish it!
Why? Why indeed! Jesus knew from the moment of his Conception in the Virgin womb of His Mother, what Gods plan (His Plan) was. He knew that he would suffer and die that He would rise from the Dead, and be our Redeemer. He further knew that (Mt. 22:14 “14 For many are called, but few are chosen." The word “chosen, in this context means “chosen BY US!” In other words, many will deny, and many will die because of unbelief, because of the personal choices we make.
Mk. 10: “35 And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him, and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” 36 And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” 37 And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” 38 But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking.
Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?" 39 And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized;”
Jesus clearly knew what lie in store for His Deciples and the persecution His Church, and His Deciples, would have to face.
This is precisely why the mandate, why the authority, why the church, why they too would die professing that Christ is Lord! That Jesus remains present “ Really Present,” why Jesus instituted the Seven Sacraments. All this so that His Church would have the power and the authority, the tools and the grace, to become the “Narrow Gate” of Christ plan for our Salvation. (Mt. 7: 13.)
The “Keys to the Kingdom of Heaven” is a literal statement of FACT!
This is what Jesus said, did, intended and has accomplished. It’s what the Word of God clearly says and clearly means. Amen!
And friend, it’s not “what we think,” it’s what is The Truth as taught by Jesus Himself.
Amen! My prayerful hope is that I have been specific and clear enough for you?
