Infallibility...
Exactly what does the word
'Infallible' mean when referring to the Bishop of Rome?
There are so many misconceptions as to just what it
means to others, especially to our Protestant brothers and sisters. Here
are some answers we have received:
1. The Pope cannot tell a lie.
2. The Pope cannot sin.
3. The Pope cannot make a mistake.
4. Everything the Pope says is the absolute truth.
5. The Pope is perfect in every way.
And the correct answer is...
'None' of the above.
If I were told to believe any of those answers,
I would have second thoughts about 'Papal Infallibility' myself.
Substitute the name 'Jesus Christ' for 'the
Pope' in all the answers above and the correct answer to all of them is
a resounding 'YES'. The Pope is the human visible head of the Church just
as Jesus Christ is the invisible head.
The correct definition of Papal infallibility (ex Cathedra),
as defined by the First Vatican Council (1870), is:
"The Roman Pontiff, when he speaks ex cathedra-that is, when in discharge
of the office of pastor and teacher of all Christians, by virtue of his
supreme apostolic authority, he defines a doctrine regarding Faith
or Morals to be held by the universal Church,
by the divine assistance promised to him in Blessed Peter, is possessed
of that infallibility with which the divine Redeemer willed that His Church
should be endowed in defining doctrine regarding Faith
or Morals;
and therefore such definitions are irreformable of themselves, and not
in virtue of consent of the Church."
Condensed, this means, a Papal infallible statement, when all conditions
are met, has freedom from error in teaching the universal Church in matters
of faith or morals.
So, is the Pope a sinner?
Yes, we all are sinners. He is no different from us in that respect.
"But when Simon Peter saw this, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying,
'Depart from me for I am a sinful man, O Lord'...And Jesus said to Simon,
'Do not be afraid; henceforth thou shall catch men'." Luke 5:8-10.
Now what about
the authors of the Bible, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, Peter and others?
Were they infallible people or were they sinners? As I have already shown,
Peter admitted that he was a sinner, and we all know the story of Saul
who became Paul. We know they were all sinners. How then, could fallible
men write such infallible documents as the books they authored? It is because
they were guided by the Holy Spirit. GOD prevented them from writing error.
GOD is the same yesterday, today, and forever. If GOD prevented these men
from writing error, why then could He not do the same for the successor
of St. Peter today?
"Remember
the Word I have spoken to you: No servant is greater than his master. If
they have persecuted Me, they will persecute you also; if they have kept
My Word, they will keep yours also." John 15:20.
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