Expert: Edward Bode - 6/18/2006

Question
Thanks, for respnding, a lot of it still doesn't make sense to me, like how you were saying that you have to look at the bible overall to get the whole story and not just a few verses.  There aren't that many verses about Peter, and definatley not more than the ones about Jesus.  The thing about Peter being the "rock" just doesn't make sence in the context of the Bible.

Why would the Apostles be able to forgive sins?  They weren't the only disciples, and we are all called disciples as we follow Christ, if God wanted to give sinful humans the power to forgive sins, why didn't he just do that and not come and die for us.  I mean the disiples themselves had to be forgiven, it doesn't make sense to me.  The fact that they are dead, and not eternal beings as Christ proved he was, and the fact that the bible says we are to pray to only God, not angels, not Mary, and rightly so because they aren't God and can't do anything for me, makes me wonder why waste your time praying to them?  

Another question that I totally forgot about, what do you believe happens after death?  

Thanks, Rachel.
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Followup To

Question -



Sorry that I keep asking questions, I just have so many...The first thing I want to clarify is that by "man made rules" I meant things like the rosery, that aren't mentioned in the bible.

"We also know that God will give the grace we need for salvation through faith and good works."  This confussed me, according to the bible all we need is to believe in Christ and we will be eternally saved, yes our faith may faulter but as John 3:16 says "whosoever believes in him shall have everlasting life."  and the next verse says that it is through Him.  he is the perfect one who died for our sins.  

Also the verses you refered to me in John speak of Paul's confessing to Christ that He is the Christ, the only way.  Jesus is glad and says that God has revealed this to him himself, and on this, the fact that Christ is Lord and his grace can bring salvation to many, the Gospel, is what he will build his church on.  And he is the centre.  It just makes more sense to me too seeing as Christ is God and Paul is only a sinful man like everyone else.  Maybe I need more clarification on what you mean by that.

Another question, what do you think of baptisim.  A teacher at my school applied to have her child attend a catholic school and was rejected because "the child had not been baptised in a Catholic Church."  Their family has a devout faith in Christ and is very disturbed that God's people would think this way.  I'm wondering why that might be because God called for a unity among believers, not seperation because some are viewed more highly than others...

I would appreciate your response, I enjoy discussing these things.

In Christ,

Rachel


Answer -
According to Catholic practice, no one is obliged to pray the rosay.  The rosary is a popular devotion since the 13th century.  The main prayers are the Our Father [according to Matthew] and the Hail Mary [some of which comes from Luke 1:26-33].  
In addition to faith, Jesus also demanded that we live in a moral way.  For example, He amplified the Ten Commandments -- see Mt. 5:21-48,19:16-19, 25:31-48.  To understand the message of Jesus, one cannot just look at one or two verses but must check the whole bible.
If you are referring to Jn 20:23, the message is not to Paul but to the Apostles.
I do not know the circumstances of the case about baptism.  Possibly, the school was overcrowded and so restricted pupils to members of the Catholic parish.  There is one baptism -- see Mt 28:16-20, which speaks also of observing commandments and of God's assistance to his apostles.  I would need more information to decipher what the school meant.
I hope, Rachel, that I have shed some light on your quandries.  If you write again, I'll respond.
Best wishes.

Answer
What I am saying about understanding the bible, Rachel, is that one cannot just look at one verse/message [faith] and therefore conclude that other passages [good works] can be ignored.  One had to examine all the verses of the whole bible that deal with the topic.  I just mentioned the tip of the iceberg in dealing with the faith and good works.  Both are important, two sides of the same coin.
Peter in Greek means Rock.  The rock is the foundation upon which the Church is built.  If you look for all the verses about Peter, you will find quite a few, in addition to the two letters of his.
That Jesus transferred to the apostles His authority to forgive sin is clear.  I think that He did so because He knew that mankind would sin and be in need of forgiveness.  
The power to forgive passed from the apsotles to those to whom they passed on their power.  The forgiveness comes not from the human being but from the power of God.
As I have said, no one is obliged to pray to saints.  However, through the ages many have found the practice to be rewarding.
Concerning what happens after death, I refer you to The Catechism of the Catholic Church, which you can find on the net:
www.nccbuscc.org/catechism/text/index.htm
see especially, paragraphs: 1023-41.
I hope you find some light in the answers.  For now, best wishes.
Until you write again.