The Apostolic Succession

who are the disciples of Christ? - true discipleship

 

The Catholic Church teaches that it is the only repository of the doctrines of Jesus Christ, as the teachings originally entrusted by Christ to the apostles would have been handed down through an uninterrupted series of lineages to the Catholic bishops of our time. The Catholic Church, in essence, considers itself superior to other churches, and points out that non-Roman Christians (such as Evangelicals and Protestant churches) have nothing to do with this lineage.

They forget that one does not become a disciple of Christ by descent, through real or hypothetical genealogies from which we must stay away (1 Timothy 1: 4; Titus 3: 9). The word "Christian" itself means "disciple of Christ" (Acts 11:26).
To every believer who wants to be a disciple of His, Jesus is told to carry his own cross every day, obeying Him (Luke 14:33). So many anonymous believers did and still do today in every part of the world, dedicating their lives to their Lord who loved them by sacrificing himself to save them. Already among the first Christians we read of disciples such as Mnason of Cyprus (Acts 21:16), Ananias (Acts 9:10), or Joseph of Arimathea (Matthew 27:57), perhaps unknown, but unequivocally called disciples. To them, as to all of us who believe and obey in all that the Lord Jesus has taught, His words, His teachings, His commandments (including the preaching of the Gospel, in Mark 16:15, and that of abiding in Him day by day to bear fruit to His glory, John 15: 2,8).

According to the Catholic concept of apostolic succession, the alleged descent of the bishops from the apostles should ensure that their church still teaches the pure doctrine of Christ as we find it in the Bible today. Yet as we know during the first centuries the Christian church did not know Marian theology, the Roman primacy, the papacy did not yet exist; there were not all those dogmas that have developed over the centuries, and the so-called apostolic traditions were rejected.

Furthermore, if this succession rule is a valid rule, and not one of the many "religious" inventions of men, why shouldn't others be able to apply it, for example the Orthodox Church? This church claims descent from the apostles by right, and the same two thousand years of history, yet it contradicts the Roman Catholic church on fundamental issues such as the primacy and universal jurisdiction of the bishop of Rome, the pope, and defines Catholic doctrines as heretical the immaculate conception and purgatory.
In addition to the Orthodox, this is also the case with the Anglicans, Copts, and successionist Baptists.
It is evident that to establish whether a doctrine is true or false, much more than an "apostolic succession" is necessary.

Religious leaders should teach faithful men, who in turn should teach others, so that the gospel is preserved and passed on from one generation to another, as it is written: "the things you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust them to faithful men who are capable of teaching them to others " (2 Timothy 2: 2).

In any case, the mere succession of bishops, elders, or pastors in no way guarantees that the original message is preserved and remains pure.

First of all it must be said that the bishops are not apostles, nor do they have the same authority as the apostles. The apostles were a particular group of men commissioned by Jesus Christ himself to prepare the foundations of His Church. The church elders were less than apostles.

Furthermore, the apostle Paul warned the bishops of the church of Ephesus saying: "I know that after my departure ravenous wolves will come among you, which will not spare the flock; and even among you yourselves men will arise who will teach perverse things for drag the disciples along " (Acts 20: 29,30). It is known that "ravenous wolves" originated precisely among the bishops of the church of Ephesus, and that they began to teach "perverse things". Clearly, although those bishops could claim their own "apostolic lineage" (according to the Roman Catholic concept), their doctrines remained perverse.

Historically, Israel's priests, Levites, and religious leaders were "successors", descendants of Moses and the prophets, yet in Christ's time they taught all sorts of false doctrines and filled the house of Israel with Pharisaic "leaven" . The early Christians found themselves forced to turn away from the priests because they saw their infidelity in faithfully teaching the doctrines of the Scriptures.

I hope that sincere Catholic believers will be able to open their eyes, and recognize the emptiness of the statements of the Catholic bishops in declaring themselves infallible authorities thanks to mere historical genealogies. They are very closely reminiscent of the religious leaders of Israel who often claimed to be descendants of Abraham. Remember how the Lord rebuked them? "Do not think to say within yourselves: 'We have Abraham as our father'; for I tell you that from these stones God can raise up children to Abraham" (Matthew 3: 9).
Concerning the successors of the patriarchs, Jesus warned His disciples: "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees" (Matthew 16: 6). This principle applies today just as in times past.

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From the apostles to our day

(The following text is taken from the website www.incontraregesu.it )

Nineteen centuries have unfortunately demonstrated, unequivocally, that man, as always, ruins everything that God entrusts to him. Certainly God has kept faithful witnesses, has allowed happy returns to the truth and has magnified his grace everywhere; He proved faithful! Even today it continues to operate: the Word is intact and continues to spread, the Gospel is announced and many souls are converted.

The children of God have been scattered by the ravenous wolves that negligent shepherds have let into the flock. Among the shepherds themselves, men of perverse doctrines have risen and have dragged disciples in their wake. The Master's authority has been trampled on and has been denied. And for "itch to hear" not only do they no longer recognize the voice of the Shepherd, but they have accumulated "doctors according to their will" (2 Timothy 4: 3). The outward appearance of Christianity may create illusions, today more than ever, but the "big house" has allowed the world to enter broadly into it and dominate.

Human materials (1 Corinthians 3: 12-15) have been mixed everywhere with "living stones", the profaners of God's temple have multiplied. Whole multitudes are called "Christians" who do not in the least manifest the life of Christ. Believers and non-believers, associates, are organized according to the principles of human societies. The weeds have increasingly mixed with the wheat. But all this was foretold and we should not be surprised.

The seven letters of Revelation chap. 2 and 3 draw a prophetic picture to which reality faithfully corresponds. But must we resign ourselves? God forbid! Until the end, the Lord's call wants to awaken "winners". And this because he is victorious, and because he keeps faithful witnesses to the end. The work of man would have long ago totally and irremediably ruined God's work, were it not really His work.

Thus, on the one hand, the true Church of God, the work of his hands, is no longer humanly identifiable, and on the other the professing Church, but without life, the work of men, is not yet deprived of its title of church. Let us not be disturbed by this apparent contradiction. Again and always the two faces of the "seal" of II Timothy 2 reassure us and teach us about this double aspect. As for the first: "God knows those who are his", faith entrusts the care of His work to God. As for the second: "Let anyone who names the name of the Lord turn away from iniquity"; faith itself obeys and separates itself from evil. Yes, "the solid foundation of God stands firm".

To withdraw to be alone? Certainly not! (Proverbs 18: 1), but to unite with those who call upon the Lord with a pure heart, that is, without covenants with that which dishonors this Name. Anyone who loves the Lord will find a path prepared by him to meet other believers animated by the same desire. This too is the work of God. In every age that is a pure "path". Elijah experienced this when he believed himself alone; God knows how to reserve a faithful remnant. To those who make it up, He asks (and consequently enables them to do so) to enjoy the privileges together and to assume together the precious functions that are proper to the Church of God.

The great promise made by the Lord remains valid, despite all the unfaithfulness of men: "Wherever two or three are gathered in my name, I am here among them". A gathering could literally be reduced to this small number and would be far from manifesting the totality of the Church on earth; but it will be an expression, approved by the One who is always with the "afflicted and humiliated people who trust in the name of the Lord" (Zephaniah 3:12). We found this overview necessary before going into the present state of the Church.

Christianity and the Church

Despite the current confusion, one certainty comforts us: God has on earth, today as in other times, a large number of his sons, of Christ's redeemed, who together constitute the Church of God. There is a body of Christ. on earth, that is, all those born again who are vitally linked by the Holy Spirit.

Nothing has changed, neither in the way in which one becomes children of God (those who "believe in his name") nor in the way in which Christ tenderly nourishes and loves the Church which is his body. Let us not forget this thought that, today as in the time of the apostles, the Church of God is only made up of all true believers, whether they are called Catholics, Protestants or otherwise; and they are more numerous than we can believe and know, and for Christ and before God their unity is just as real today as it was yesterday. We don't separate them in our hearts, and we don't use the name "Church" without remembering all of Christ's redeemed.

But where can we see this Church of God down here? It is evident that if we look for a global expression of it we will not find it. It has long been lost. Very quickly, from the very beginning, it would no longer be possible to precisely count those who were really part of the Church of God; and precisely what Paul says in II Timothy 2: "the Lord knows those who are his". On the one hand, millions of people who have received baptism have never manifested life; on the other hand, true believers are divided into a large number of different groups.

The claim to be called Christians is not lacking, nor is that of being the Church, or a Christian Church, even though Christians are considered to be 'not converted'. There is in this a hateful profanation for God, because His name cannot be abused. And since one declares to be part of the Church of Christ or to belong to him, God gives to this profession all the responsibility that it entails. To the world that calls itself Christian, to its organizations that call themselves Christian churches, the Lord says: "I know your works". What inspired them? Where are the faith, love, hope? What have you done with my Word? What did you do with my name you claim to be called? What did you do with my memorial? What have you been looking for down here?

His patience still waits. How can we not be touched by considering with what long-suffering He speaks to Sardis and Laodicea? "I advise you .... All those I love I take them back and punish them". The Lord continues to consider this Christianity as it claims (without realizing how solemn this is) and that is the bearer of the Christian profession. But He is the faithful and true witness. He will soon vomit it out of his mouth. Moreover, he has dealt with it throughout the course of his history, chastising, reproving, praising what was good, encouraging the faithful, but also denouncing what he could not approve. Divine government has never ceased: judgment begins with the house of God.

Soon this judgment will be complete and final. The Lord will cease to call "Church" the one who abandoned and put him out. When he has taken his own with him, when the Bridegroom has kidnapped the Bride in heaven where the wedding will be celebrated, on earth there will be nothing but the "great prostitute", usurper of this beautiful name of Bride. Until that time He will endure even the most reprehensible things; but since this grace that still awaits is despised, a more severe judgment will result. The master of the parable of the talents does not dispute the title of servant to the evil servant, but applies to him all the rigor of the treatment due to the "useless servant".