Is Apostolic Succession True?

Is apostolic succession true? That’s in the Bible - not! Right teaching is not automatically passed on by continuously consecutive ordinations (2 Timothy 2:2; 4:2-5; Titus 1:5; 2:15; 1 Timothy 5:19-22). Some church leaders will be false teachers. We should compare their dogmas with the Bible. The Bible is the ultimate written teaching authority (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:18-21). The church repeatedly overly focuses on human traditions, earthly reasoning and popular experiences. It wanders from the Bible to the right ditch of legalism and the left ditch of liberalism. Faithful believers are brought back to right doctrine by knowing their Bibles. The Bible reforms the church in a way that apostolic succession could not.

Is Papal Dogma Infallible?

Are ex-cathedra dogmatic statements of popes infallible? That’s in the Bible - not! Matthew 16:18-19 does not call Peter the first pope or chief of the apostles. James chaired the first church council (Acts 15:1-23). Paul corrected Peter (Galatians 2:1-14). The church is built on the foundation of all the apostles (Ephesians 2:19-20) and Jesus is the chief. Peter was not alone in having the authority to loose and bind (Matthew 18:15-19). It was Peter who said not to be authoritarian, lording it over others (1 Peter 5:3). A heavy-handed way to coerce people is by claiming that your dogmatic statements are infallible. Is infallibility bullying? Does Infallibility deny the need for human leaders to repent of bad doctrines?

Do Catholics Teach Salvation by Works?

Do Catholics teach salvation by works? That’s in the Bible - not! Some Protestants falsely accuse the Roman Church of teaching salvation by works. We Protestants ought to repent of bearing false witness towards our Roman brothers and sisters. Catholics, Protestants and Eastern Orthodox Christians believe what the Bible teaches on this. Let me explain. All major branches of Christianity, east and west, believe in salvation by faith. But, a saving faith is not a dead faith. What is a living faith? Jesus said that good trees produce good fruit. We can be identified by our actions (Matthew 7:15-20). James explains it plainly. A saving faith is evidenced by good works and faith without works is dead (James 2:17-26).

Is Justification by Faith Alone?

Is justification by faith that is alone, sola fide? That’s in the Bible - not! Luther added the word alone to Romans 3:28, believing it made the text clearer. The letter of James annoyed Luther. He called it an epistle of straw and removed it from the Bible among other books. James 2:14-26 says that faith is proven by action, good deeds, and we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone. Faith is dead without good works. Later theologians wrote, “We are justified by faith alone but not by a faith that is alone.” What makes faith not alone? Could it be works? Are Catholics and Protestants closer than we think?

Is the One True Church Visible?

Are apostolic succession, baptist succession, sabbatarianism, or restorationism reasons to declare any denomination the one true church? That’s in the Bible - not! The church is built upon the foundation of all the apostles (Ephesians 2:20). One of those apostles was Thomas who started churches in south western India. Those churches were separated for 1500 years and some remain independent to this day. Are they not part of the one true church? Thomas and Bartholomew also planted the Assyrian Church much of which remains independent. The church is not visibly one but invisibly one in Christ (Galatians 3:28; 1 Peter 3:8; Philippians 2:2; 2 Corinthians 13:11; Colossians 3:14; 1 Corinthians 1:10; Acts 4:32).

Is Financial Success Having Money?

Is financial success measured by having lots of money? That’s in the Bible - not! Throughout the Bible those who give are considered by God to be truly successful and those who focus on getting are miserable losers. Selflessness is success. Selfishness is the ultimate failure. The parable of the sheep and goats (Matthew 25:31-46) reveals eternal bliss for the charitable and hell for the greedy. The story of the widow’s mite (Luke 21:1-4) shows that it is not the amount that gauges successful giving, but the percentage. There are two kinds of people, givers and takers. Givers are winners and takers are losers. True financial success is not gauged by what we accumulate, but by what we give.

Sabbath Freedom (Luke 13:14-17)

This is actually a story of two people in bondage, a crippled woman and a synagogue leader. The woman was in bondage to a crippling spirit. The synagogue leader was in bondage to human traditions and the letter of the law. Both needed a healing word from Jesus, one was the word “you are healed;” the other was an intervention.
Literally, two people needed to be healed, but in different ways. Morally, Israel was given the Sabbath as a day of freedom from seven workdays in Egypt. By analogy, human society tends to enforce a yoke of bondage, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Prophetically, only Jesus can truly free us from our natural human tendency to take freedom from each other.

Rejoice in Freedom (Luke 13:14-17)

Jesus set a woman free on the Sabbath day, but the synagogue leader could only see the day as a day of bondage to man-made rules of Sabbath observance. Jesus bluntly addresses the clear hypocrisy where cattle are set free to be watered on the Sabbath and clearly this “daughter of Abraham” should be set free of her crippling disease.
Literally, the comparison of freeing cattle and the woman shamed the synagogue leader. By analogy, many of our man-made church rules are called into question. Morally, any interpretation of Scripture that causes more bondage and less freedom ought to be questioned. Prophetically, would our church traditions sometimes become more Pharisaic than Christ-like? Christianity is a religion of freedom not bondage.

Biblical Healing (Luke 13:10-13)

Jesus healed a woman through word and touch. James (5:13-16) mentions faith, prayer and anointing oil. Naaman dipped in the Jordan seven times. Jesus made mud from spit and dirt. Faith is not always mandated. Paul sent (anointed) cloths to the sick (Acts 19:11-12). The Bible mentions many ways that healing was done. Within those guidelines is safety.
Literally, God heals us, not our prayer efforts or olive oil. By analogy, our care for the sick is a physical representation of the hands of Jesus, who does the healing. Morally, we have no right to draw attention to ourselves. Mystically, any healing in this life is only temporary, but symbolic of the permanent healing we receive in eternity.

You are Set Free (Luke 13:10-13)

In the synagogue on the Sabbath, Jesus saw a woman with a spirit of weakness, some kind of muscular disorder, caused by evil forces. Jesus told her that she was released or set free from the sickness. Jesus touched her in an appropriate gesture of encouragement to her faith and she was made straight and praised God for her healing. Literally, Jesus healed a woman with a weakness caused by an evil spirit. By analogy, she was freed on the day of freedom from work. Morally, Jesus, as the creator of the Sabbath day, had every right to determine what was appropriate conduct on that day. Prophetically the Sabbath pictures our day of eternal rest from wickedness all around us.