Lesson 2343

(Lesson 2343)(05-11-18) Matthew 16:13-20
    “When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.”

    Today’s lesson tells us that, after Peter told Jesus that He was indeed the Messiah, the Son of God, Jesus said, “thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” By making that statement, Jesus made Peter the first member of His (Jesus’) church and granted Peter the power to increase or decrease the membership.
    At this point it behooves us to remember that at the time Jesus made that statement, all of the Jews (With the exception of the apostles) were still subject to the rules of the old Hebrew law binding them to the obedience of it.
    After Jesus had ascended back to heaven completing His divine mission as the ultimate sin remitter, All the rules concerning the church, as we see in the acts of the apostles”, would change, granting all authority over earthly control of the church to it’s membership.
    Roman Catholicism bases the majority of it’s erroneous contention that the pope, bishops and priests have the authority to forgive sin on what is said in today’s lesson. It is so horribly sad that so many lost souls have fallen victim that that wholly false contention.~