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ROMAN CATHOLIC BELIEFS IN VIEW OF THE APOSTLE PETER'S WORDS
Part IV: Roman Catholicism's Papacy In View Of The Apostle Peter's Words
(2 Peter 3:15-16 with Galatians 2:9-14; 1 Peter 3:15)
  1. Introduction
    1. Roman Catholic dogma asserts the universal headship and infallibility of its pope at the Vatican in Rome.
    2. We view this dogma in light of the words of Roman Catholicism's alleged first pope, the Apostle Peter.
  2. Roman Catholicism's Papacy In View Of The Apostle Peter's Words.
    1. The Roman Catholic Church holds the following beliefs for the given reasons on its papacy:
      1. Catholic dogma holds "...our Lord conferred on...Peter the first place of honor and jurisdiction in the government of His whole church, and...the same...supremacy has always resided in the popes...'" (Cardinal Gibbons, Faith of Our Fathers, p. 95 as cited in Boettner, Roman Catholicism, p. 105) It is thus believed when Jesus announced His giving the keys of the kingdom to Peter in Mtt. 16:13-19 that He appointed Peter the first pope, establishing the papacy in perpetuity through Peter, Ibid., Boettner.
      2. Accordingly, Catholic dogma asserts: "The pope takes the place of Jesus Christ on earth...By divine right the pope has supreme and full power in faith and morals over each and every pastor and his flock...He is the infallible ruler, the founder of dogmas...the universal ruler of truth...the supreme judge of heaven and earth...God himself on earth.'" (New York Catechism as cited in Boettner, Ibid., p. 127)
    2. Yet, this doctrine is countered by Peter's words and by way of his order to use logic to defend the truth:
      1. The Apostle Peter's own words counter the dogma of the Roman Catholic Church's papacy as follows:
        1. In 2 Peter 3:15-16, Peter claimed all of the Apostle Paul's epistles were authoritative Scripture.
        2. Well, in Galatians 2:9-14, Paul reported he had to confront Peter in his ministry as he was to be blamed for hypocrisy: (a) Though Peter extended the right hand of fellowship to Paul, recognizing Paul's call of God to go to the Gentiles, Peter was later publicly confronted by Paul for the sin of hypocrisy IN HIS MINISTRY, Galatians 2:9-10, 11 with 13. (b) Peter was pretending to side with circumcision by withdrawing from uncircumcised believers in the presence of circumcised Hebrew Christians while joining himself with Gentile believers when these Hebrew believers were absent, Galatians 2:12. (c) Paul blamed Peter publicly because Peter's sin was affecting others and the testimony of the Gospel of justification without circumcision, Galatians 2:13-14.
        3. Hence, the Apostle Peter is not a supreme pontiff as Catholicism teaches in that he condoned by way of his words about Paul's writings that Paul had the right publicly to blame him of sin.
        4. Also, the Apostle Peter is neither infallible as the pope is claimed to be in Catholicism, for its founding alleged pope, Peter, had to be blamed for erroneous deceit in public re: his ministry!
      2. Also, heeding Peter's call in 1 Peter 3:15 to use logic in defending the faith (cf. lesson "I" in this series), logically viewing historical facts shows the papacy to be neither infallible nor authoritative:
        1. Viewing historical facts prove some popes were not infallible: (1) Pope Honorius (625-638 A. D.) was excommunicated in 680 A. D. by the 6th ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church for denying the Incarnation (versus 1 John 4:1-3), Ibid., Boettner, p. 249; (2) Gregory I (590-604 A. D.) who is now seen by Catholicism as a pope said any who would accept the Universal Bishop title (or pope) would be an antichrist! Yet, Boniface III (607 A. D.) coerced Emperor Phocas to confer the title upon him, and all popes since have used it! (Ibid., Boettner) (3) Popes Paul V (1605-1621 A. D.) and Urban VIII (1623-1644 A. D.) tortured and imprisoned Galileo for teaching the earth revolved around the sun! (Ins & Outs of Romanism, p. 28 as cited in Boettner, Ibid., p. 250)
        2. The popes are neither authoritative even by official Catholic statements: Catholicism views 29 of those who once held the office of Pope are not now thought to have been legitimate popes, and are listed as "anti-popes" in Glenn D. Kittler's work, The Papal Princes (which holds a Nihil Obstat by Daniel D. Flynn, S.T.D., Censor Librorum, and the Imprimatur by Cardinal Spellman [1969, 358 pages; Funk & Wagnalls, New York] as cited in Boettner, Ibid., p. 251 [the Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur declare Kittler's book to be officially free of doctrinal and moral error respectively]).
Lesson: Through the authority of the words of the alleged first pope himself, the Apostle Peter, the papacy is NOT ordained of God, and the popes hold NO universal papal authority or papal infallibility.