Read the excerpt from the Catholic apologetics, then read my view on it.
The following para is an excerpt from a Catholic apologetics:-
Quote:- "There are many reasons the Roman Catholic Church is the true Church of Jesus Christ, however, some of those reasons are necessary for discussions with those outside the Catholic Church. Jesus prayed for unity of believers and unity begins with understanding. The understanding of the Church’s beliefs is essential in working toward that unity. Here are some key reasons to keep in mind when speaking to non-Catholics:
1.) Authority– Jesus gave specific instructions regarding dealing with members of the Church who were in sin. Matthew 18:15-18 says “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that ‘every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector. Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” What Evangelical/Protestant Church has the authority to remove someone completely from the church? None. If an individual is removed from a ‘congregation’ then he/she can go down the street and join another ‘congregation’ of the same denomination. The congregations are individualized and have no authority outside their own denomination. That is not true with the Catholic Church. If removed from the Catholic Church, one cannot go to another city and join another Catholic Parish." Unquote.
My answer to this is as follows:-
In Matthew Chapter 18 Jesus was talking to His apostles giving them the authority as a body of church. Not to Peter specifically. Now every believer's duty is to correct a believer who is not walking in the ways of Christ. By telling the apostles that they have to go through the 3 steps before treating him as a Gentile shows that we cannot keep silent when we see our brother sinning and next after the three steps he does not listen, we are to treat him as a Gentile or a tax collector, meaning that we are to leave him alone. Not chase him away from the very place where there is a chance that he may repent and change eventually. The priest or pastor in his sermons must keep expounding the gospels and the epistles and pray with a group of sincere believers for those hardened sinners that they may repent and change instead of chasing all who would not listen. It is as if they are helping Satan to populate hell. Then immediately after this Jesus says, Matthew 18:18-20 NIV
“Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be 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.”
Here Jesus wants two or more believers to pray for the one who would not listen, for the one who was treated like a Gentile and a tax collector. He wants us to do spiritual warfare, the binding of the strongman (evil spirit) and the loosing of God's virtues and the Holy Spirit into him.
Jesus is not saying, "I only give you Peter the authority to bind and loose!" And furthermore what is this binding and loosing about? Is it not the strongmen(the spirits of satan and it's cohorts) which we must bind and is it not the virtues of the Holy Spirit we must loose within the people we pray for? The Catholic church is taking this out of context.
In those days when the popes were ruling and had great powers, they kept excommunicating all those who went against their authority. It was merely for political reasons that they were excommunicated. Thus it has been handed down as a tradition.
James in his letter says... James 5:16 King James Version (KJV)
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Yes the effectual fervent prayer of the priest or pastor if he is righteous will avail much.
In verses 22-35 Jesus answers Peter who asks Him how many times he must forgive the one who sins against him, that he must forgive him 77times and ends with a parable. This again is connected with verse 15. This clearly proves that Jesus wants us to forgive that person and not cut him off from the community of believers.
Now to say that the Catholic who is removed from the church will not and cannot go to another church is pure rubbish. Because I personally have seen many such Catholics go to another Catholic church in a different district and also they receive communion after going through divorce and re-marrying outside the church, receiving communion while still living in sin (in an adulterous relationship) cause they want to portray themselves as normal good Catholics in the eyes of those in church. All because they are not prayed for and corrected in love. They still want to follow traditions and think that if they leave they will go to hell. The Catholic church has taught them and frightened them thus. It has not taught them to follow Christ's commandments to love God ( never to hurt Him by sinning against Him - first 3 commandments) and to love their neighbour as themselves ( to follow the rest of the commandments in love).
Now I disagree with the excommunication of Catholics from church. When the Catholic church chases them out where would they go?
There are wolves out there waiting for people to be excommunicated, to pounce on them in pretentious love and lure them to the seemingly loving and caring Hindhu, Buddhist and Muslim communities where they will be welcomed with arms of love.
Has the Catholic church thought about their souls? Where would they end up in? Why did Jesus even mention praying in His name and about the binding and loosing immediately after telling them to treat them as Gentiles?
This is what we as Christians must do. We must tell the person if he is doing wrong, that he is doing something against God's laws. If he refuses to listen bring along another believer to talk to him. If he still refuses to change bring the matter to his priest or pastor. If he still is adamant in his ways, then leave him alone. But pray with another believer or more believers for him in Jesus' name and bind the strongman in him, cast it out and loose the gifts of God's Holy Spirit in him. Keep praying for him till he changes. Trust in the promises of Christ for the man's change.
If the Catholic church is the true church as they claim, then God's Word and His Commandments will take precedence and only Christ will be worshipped, not traditions, human (papal)authority, power and money.
Christianity had already spread to many parts of the world even before the Roman church was established. Here is the proof:- https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_centers_of_Christianity
Be blessed when you know the TRUTH!
Mary Augustine.
