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S. Michael Houdmann
Supporter
The term "vicar" comes from the Latin word vicarius, which means "instead of." In the Catholic Church, the vicar is the representative of a higher-ranking official, with all of the same authority a...
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sandra blankespoor
Supporter
In my opinion, the answer given by S. Michael Houdmann is correct. I live in a country that has a monarchy. If the king or queen of my country by royal decree would invite me to mind their royal children for any length of time (or for some unimaginable reason even ask me to adopt the royal children) this would not imply that I could refer to myself as 'royalty' or consider myself to be 'the monarch' even though with regard to the children, I would be performing the same task as their parents. I would merely be the minder or guardian of royal children.
Doreen Lovell
Supporter
Yeshua (Jesus) is the Good Shepherd and all sheep belongs to Him. He did not ask Peter to take control, own or even direct where and when the sheep come or goes. Jesus command is "Feed MY (ownership) Sheep"----in other words teach them the word so that they may continue in My light. The Pope showing supreme authority over the people of God and acting in the place of Yeshua is not biblical and is acting on man made laws.
Manuel lopez
Supporter
In the infinite plan of God, Jesus was sent to save mankind, bringing salvation to those who believe in His name. Do not believe you are to be saved by following his commandments. He loves you and wants to get you to Him. He just asks you to receive Jesus in your heart to make you His own. Ask him to reveal His everlasting plan to set apart to be the head of the church of God. And come to worship the Lord with Us as Christians following the plan of God. He cleans your soul by you receiving him as a savior and Lord. Come and pay attention to the scriptures, receive Jesus Christ in your heart. Live a Christian's life, believe in his name. There is no other name given to mankind in which to be saved. An as we know no men can say to be a vicar of Christ in Earth The one he send to take care his sheep. Later on Denied to know him and to be one of then 3 times. And Peter is said to be by Christ him self the one who need to take care his sheep. We need more than our self to fight in this work. We need Jesus in our hard. Have you invited him to live in your hard He is waiting for you to make his king and lord of your hard. Do no way any longer and ovey him
Olumide Kehinde
Supporter
My response will be to first examine the root, the meaning,the purpose, the possible distraction and the significance or relevance of the office of the Vicar which the Pope occupies in the Roman Catholic organization and which has become a common practice in some religious circuit. THE ROOT: Matt.16:16-19 narrates a situation when The Lord, in response to Peter's accurate and correct answer to the question of whom "Jesus of Nazareth" really is amid confused public opinion of Him. Peter said "thou art Christ, the Son of The Living God". At this juncture, Peter was able to decode (so to say) the divine agenda of The Father God with his declaration, and The Lord said "upon this solid rock truth will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it, not upon or around Peter as some have erroneously asserted. Remember that the Church is the Pillar and ground of the truth. ITim.3:15. THE MEANING: A person delegated with the full authority of the delegator. He may also be considered as a representative of an institution endowed with the alternate power of the same. An ambassador in short. However, the authority and power of The Lord on Earth is delegated to the Church. Matt.28:18-20 and Mark.16:15-18. It implies from these references that every believer have access to the authority and power of The Lord Jesus through faith in his name. THE PURPOSE: as can be inferred from above, the purpose of the office of the vicar is to have a representation, someone or an institution to assume control and dominion in the stead of the personality of the authority and power. Again, we see The Lord in Luke.24:48-49 and Acts.1:8 addressing the apostles/disciples as His witnesses or representatives to the uttermost part of the Earth. POSSIBLE DISTRACTION/DECEPTION: the errors of misinterpretation and or misrepresentation of scriptural truth either calculated or committed is the foundation of deception coupled with mass disinterest in the study of theology. THE RELEVANCE: No biblical support for this office, even the office of the Bishop/overseer as found in 1Tim.3:1 was man made because a man has to desire it and another man has to ordain him but spiritually (Holy Ghost) ordained offices are as found in Eph.4:11-13. We would submit therefore that the Pope is not the Vicar and cannot possibly be the vicar or sole representative of The Lord Jesus Christ.
Vincent Mercado
Supporter
YES OF COURSE. In John 21, Jesus told Peter, "Feed my lambs" "Take care of my sheep" "Feed my sheep". If Jesus is the Good Shepherd, he is obviously setting Peter up to take this same role, to perform the same act in his place.
Arun D'Souza
Learn More'>Supporter
Jesus is the head of the Church and Peter was his first Vicar/Pope on earth and down the ages Pope is and has been the successor of Peter appointed by Jesus! You may have heard a great Evangelical Christian song by the band Audio Adrenaline that says, "I want to be your hands, I want to be your feet." Most Evangelicals understand that Jesus needs people to do his work on earth. Catholics are saying that Jesus wants someone to lead his people on earth. This person is not taking Jesus' place, he is simply guiding the Church the same way Peter did when he stood up in the upper room, and told the apostles that they must replace Judas, and do so with someone who had traveled with them from the time of John the Baptist (Acts 1:15). As the head of the apostles, Peter’s duty was to guide the apostles and oversee a successful unanimous outcome. Catholics think Jesus is still doing that through Peter's successor today. Jesus said, "Upon this rock 'I' will build my Church." (Mat 16:19). Jesus is the head of the Church. Catholics believe the Pope is simply Jesus’"vicar" on earth, the one who He has appointed. The Pope could sing the song, "I want to be your hands, I want to be your feet." Jesus is the King which in Isaiah 22:22 is represented by King Hezekiah. Peter is the Vicar on Earth which in the Isaiah 22:22 passage is represented by Eliakim. The Pope's role is kind of like that of a chairman of a board in a modern organization, or captain of a football team, with the other team players being the bishops. It has been like this since the dawn of Christianity. The owner and leader of the team is Jesus, himself. Let me quote St Cyprian’s message, in 246 A.D. "There is one God and one Christ and but one episcopal chair, originally founded on Peter, by the Lord's authority. There cannot, therefore, be set up another altar or another priesthood. Whatever any man in his rage or rashness shall appoint, in defiance of the divine institution, must be a spurious, profane and sacrilegious ordinance." - St. Cyprian 246 AD, The Unity of the Catholic Church Catholics definitely, do not think that the Church is "man-made." They think it is God made. Jesus said "Upon this rock 'I' will build my Church." (Mt 16:19) He did not say "you" will build my Church. Catholics think the Church was conceived at the Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles. (Acts 2:3) Catholics believe the Holy Spirit has been resting on the Catholic Church ever since. Let me conclude my compilation with the words of Pope Benedict XVI. "The Pope is not an absolute monarch whose thoughts and desires are law. On the contrary: the Pope’s ministry is a guarantee of obedience to Christ and to his Word. He must not proclaim his own ideas, but rather constantly bind himself and the Church to obedience to God’s Word, in the face of every attempt to adapt it or water it down, and every form of opportunism." - Pope Benedict XVI, Mass of Possession of the Chair of the Bishop of Rome, May 2005 So to reiterate once again, Jesus is the head of the Church and Peter was his first Vicar/Pope on earth and all down the ages Pope is and has been the successor of Peter appointed by Jesus! - Compiled by Arun D’Souza (Economist - Warsaw, Poland) 03.03.2015
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