Papacy is Unbiblical

The following are my arguments:ON THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVENQuestion: How many keys was given in Matthew 16:19? Answer: According to the context, there are only two keys: 1) The key to bound and; 2) The key to loose. Question: What does bounding and loosing mean? Answer: To bound means to tie up. To loose means to set free. Both of these are metaphors that represents a reality. The reality it represents is the very authority it to function with those keys. Question: In what context do these keys are used? Answer: The context wherein these keys are used is in the context of both church growth and church discipline. Church growth Matthew 16:18 I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. ” Church discipline Matthew 18:15-18 15 “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. 16 But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18 Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven. Question: Who uses the keys? Answer: Simon who was called Peter: 13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is? ” 14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets. ” 15 “But what about you? ” he asked. “Who do you say I am? ” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God. ” 17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter,[b] and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades[c] will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be[d] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[e] loosed in heaven. ” 20 Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah. All the Disciples ( Every Christians) Matthew 18:1, 15-201 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven? ” 15 “If your brother or sister[b] sins,[c] go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. ’[d] 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. 18 “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be[e] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[f] loosed in heaven.19 “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them. ”ON SIMON AS PETER Simon is the name of the son of Jonah based on Mt.16:17. Jesus Christ calls Him by another new name which is Cephas (Aramaic for “rock”) based on Jn 1:42 and Peter (Greek for “rock”) based on Mt.16:18. NOTESimon’s new name as “Rock” did not replace his name “Simon. ” Jesus still calls him by his name “Simon” even after He gave him the name “Peter” (Luke 22:21-22 and John 21:17). Accoring to Simon himself, he is “Simon Peter” or “Simon the Rock” ( 2 Peter 1:1). Question: What does the new name “Peter” of Simon means? Answer: The new name “Peter” of Simon has twofold meanings: 1) It represents the firm-ness, solid-ness and stability of the church at large ( 2 Pet 1:10) and its relationship with Simon as the foundation-instrument specifically of theChristian faith wherein others are built upon ( …living stones…1 Pet 2:5). 2) It speaks of the office or task-job of Simon as the one whose function is to be the foundation-instrument of the church because he is styled by Jesus Christ himself as the one on whom He will build his church (…upon this Rock I will build my church…Mt. 16:18). Question: How is Simon a “foundation-instrument”of the church? Answer: Simon is a foundation-instrument of the church by his active office of imparting the Good News. He is such because Jesus Christ is the “chief-cornerstone” of the church based on Eph 2:20. What this means coheres with Mt. 16:18 wherein it says that Jesus Christ will build his church through Simon and Simon can do that by being Peter. Simon Peter is not the one who will build Jesus’ church but rather, the church will be build on him by Jesus himself. It’s Jesus Christ , not Simon, who will build a church and that’s this church is not Peter’s but Christ’s. These are the obvious reasons why Simon is the foundation-instrument. Question: How did Jesus Christ build his church through Simon by making him “Peter”? Answer: Jesus Christ build his church through Simon by making him “Peter” or the foundation-instrument of the church. Jesus said to Simon, ” You are Peter and on this Rock i will build my church. ” Matthew 16:18The task of the Lord Jesus is “to cause the church to exists. ” That’s his goal and He uses Simon to accomplish just that. He did this by assigning Simon with a task which is evident the new name He has given him which is “Peter. ” Purpose: BUILD THE CHURCH ( Mt. 16:18). —> Who does it? JESUS CHRIST based on Mt. 16:18. —> How did Jesus Christ do it? THROUGH SIMON’S PREACHING OF THE GOOD NEWS based on Acts 2 and 10 ( 15:9) THROUGH THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT based on Acts 16:4 ( 19:2) and THROUGH THE FAITH OF THE ONE CALLED INTO THE GOOD NEWS based on 2 Thess 2:14 (Rom. 1:16-17, 3:22). As we can see, there exist three acts working together to obtain the free gift instantaneously. All of the power comes from God himself (Mt. 28:19). ON THE SUB-APOSTOLIC CHURCH AGAINST PAPACY Clement 1 ( doctrine not jurisdiction) r. A. D. 88-97 [in the life-time of St. John) To Corinthian church: 1) Heal their schism2) Submit to hierarchical authority in their local church Ignatius ( President of the Society of Love) Refers to the Roman Church not specifically to the Roman Bishop. Irenaeus ( disciple of Polycarp) Against Heretics: Christianity = body of truth handed down by the apostles. Orthodoxy ( correct teaching) must be “apostolic. ” “Of these the greatest and most ancient is Rome. ” It did NOT say “only” Rome but “of these” which highly implies other churches. Victor 1 ( r. 189-199) – the FIRST assertion of jurisdictional authority. Why would Polycarp not submit to the Pope? Stephen 1 ( 3rd century) Why would Cyprian not submit to the Pope? Pope Leo 1 ( 4th century) Why would the church not submit to the Pope? ANSWER: It is because there is no such thing as “singular” Pope who rules over other bishops in the early church. Conclusion: From the first 4 centuries of the church, the eastern church do not submit to the bishop of Rome as a singular ruler of the entire flock of God. ON THE FIRST CENTURY CHURCH POLITY AGAINST PAPACY The word “catholic church” is in reference to the sub-apostolic church based on Acts 9:31 ( ekklessia kath holes). Yup. St. Ignatius did get it from the Bible as well as the whole “orthodox” church at that time for there is no division yet between the eastern church and western church. Concerning the lists of the bishops of Rome, it does not necessarily means that those bishops were “Popes” in the sense of the word today. Rather, the evolution of church “polity” makes it obvious that Papacy or the claim of the bishop of Rome as the supreme leader of the entire church does not exists prior to the sub-apostolic age. See for your self: 1st century church polity = autocephalous plurality of elders who functions as bishops among its local church ( Acts 20:28, 1 Peter 5:1-5). 2nd century church polity = autonomous one bishop ( Diocesan) over elders and its local church ( Episcopal Presbytery) 3rd century church polity = one bishop ( Metropolitan) ) over other local church ( city) 4th century church polity = one bishop ( Patriarch) over other local church ( geography)