For almost two millennia, no attacks on the beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church were humbly accepted by their leaders. Neither was there any explanation for their beliefs or correction for their flaws. For example, time and again, they insist that Peter is the "rock" foundation of the church and therefore, was the first pope that gave the right to succeeding popes to rule over spiritual, political, and economic matters of the church. Is this correct? Are they even checking where their beliefs come from?
This goes back to the problem of their dictionary that is supposed only to define, being a dictionary. But the Modern Catholic Dictionary goes beyond defining. The supposed dictionary arrogates unto itself the right to include many other myths and false stories that directly oppose the teachings of the Bible and attaches them to the word being defined. The effect is more propagation of falsities. The following information explains why.
The publisher, Amazon, introduces the Modern Catholic Dictionary (1980) by John Hardon as “A compilation of five thousand concisely defined terms which deal directly and indirectly with Catholic faith, worship, morals, history, and spirituality, supplemented by The Credo of the People of God as pronounced by Pope Paul VI.”
The source of their teachings contained in their dictionary is clearly not the Bible but tradition, history, popes. Hardon is an American Jesuit priest who was born in 1914 and died in 2000.
In the Modern Catholic Dictionary, the Apostle Peter is incorrectly referred to as “the rock” and claims that, that is the meaning of Matthew 16:18 in the Bible.
It is also the foundation of the false belief that there is continuity of power emanating from the chair of Peter up to now. The chair of Peter represents the power to teach infallibly ex-cathedra according to them.
This belief attracted almost all kinds of people from all walks of life to adhere to the alleged genuineness of the Roman Catholic Church. But the Bible refutes every angle of this doctrine, and let me show you how.
First, Peter is not the foundation rock of the true church.
Let us refer to the teachings of the Bible. In Matthew 16:18, the word used as foundation is "petra".
G4073
πέτρα
petra
pet'-ra
Feminine of the same as G4074; a (mass of) rock (literally or figuratively): - rock.
Petra in the feminine gender is clearly not "petros" in the masculine gender that they presume to be Peter.
G4074
Πέτρος
Petros
pet'-ros
Apparently a primary word; a (piece of) rock (larger than G3037); as a name, Petrus, an apostle: - Peter, rock. Compare G2786.
MATTHEW 16:18
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.
The use of the word "upon" or "ἐπί (epi)" means it is the foundation. Christ is the foundation laid by God Himself.
I CORINTHIANS 3:11
For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Time and again, Christ being the corner stone, is repeated in the Holy Scriptures.
THE ACTS 4:10-12
10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
11 This is the stone which was set at naught of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
PSALMS 118:22
The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
The concluding and the sealing truth is that even Peter was founded upon this foundation. It is also logical that a mere human being cannot be the foundation or corner stone of truth upon which to build a church.
EPHESIANS 2:20
And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
The foundation even of Peter is Christ! PERIOD!
A human being like Peter cannot be the foundation of truth. Only someone divine or God can be, as only God does not lie.
THE ROMANS 3:4
God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.
TITUS 1:2
In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
HEBREWS 6:18
That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
Someone divine like Christ is worthy of being the foundation of the truth and the true church.
I TIMOTHY 3:15-16 (LAMSA TRANSLATION)
15 So that if I am delayed, you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.
16 Truly great is this divine mystery of righteousness; it is revealed in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached to the Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up into glory.
Christ – not Peter - by His power is worthy to be the foundation of every great and fragile truth!
COLOSSIANS 2:2-3
2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
As the Word of God, Christ – not Peter - is the foundation of faith.
JOHN 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
MATTHEW 7:24-25
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not; for it was founded upon a rock.
Christ is the foundation of creation.
JOHN 1:1-3
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
COLOSSIANS 1:16
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
HEBREWS 11:3
Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
Christ is the foundation of faith.
HEBREWS 12:2
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
JAMES 2:1
My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
REVELATION 14:12
Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
The RCC claim that someone sitting and speaking from the throne of Peter is infallible.
This claim is not substantiated by facts and history!
One simple truth is about two hundred sixty (260) popes speaking ex cathedra of limbo and purgatory. But one pope speaking ex cathedra, denies limbo.
Can you not see this very simple contradiction? Majority of popes speaking "ex cathedra" said that "there is no salvation outside the Catholic Church."
Later popes speaking ex cathedra said that salvation can be attained outside the Catholic Church.
Here is what the Modern Catholic Dictionary has to say on Ecumenism. Popes from the Vatican Council pronounced ex cathedra in Ecumenism the belief that they must be one with other churches.
And yet you can still hear them hammering on their man-made truth that there is no salvation outside the Catholic Church.
There are yet the many lies coming out of their having made Peter their rock of their salvation. Many of their believers have been beguiled and robbed of their salvation. To begin with, building your foundation upon a human being is bound to make a mountain of lies. Even Peter would not agree since he is a true follower of Christ.
More to come. May God bless you.
