Chapter 72

The Nature of the Visible Church(es)

Ppt by Mark E. Hardgrove, PhD, DMin

There is no mention of one universal visible church, such as the Roman Catholic Church claims to be.

John wrote to seven local churches: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea (Re. 2-3).There are no letters explicitly written to the whole visible church.

Even the General Epistles had less-than-universal targets.

The ecclesiastical debate over the nature of the visible church can be divided into the following points which Catholics affirm and Protestants deny:

1. Is there one visible church?

2. Is the Roman Catholic Church the one visible church? Was Peter appointed by Christ to be the visible head of the church?

3. Is the present bishop of Rome (the Pope) Peter’s successor?

4. Is the Pope infallible in official pronouncements on faith and practice?

The Head of the Local Church(es)

Christ is the head of both the visible and the invisible church (Eph. 1:22-23)

The local church is built on the doctrinal foundation of the apostles (Eph. 2:20; Acts 2:42; Titus 1:5-9).

Even the Apostles submitted to a local church (Acts 2:42; 2 Cor. 12:12)

Acts 15 demonstrates the following concerning the role of apostles in the local church:

1. The apostles’ decision was applicable to all churches.

2. The decision carried apostolic authority, not just apostolic opinion.

3. The issue generally affected the church as a whole, but the two church were directly affected.

4. There is no idea of appealing an infallible bishop.

5. This process cannot be replicated in the modern church because the Apostles are dead.

6. The local church’s role is significant.

The Authority of Apostolic Delegates in the Local Church (Titus 1:5):

1. This work was part of an apostle’s foundational task in establishing a church.

2. An apostle appointed elders to establish self-governing churches.

3. The church was to continue faithfully in apostolic teaching.

According to Catholic dogma, Rome’s teaching magisterium is infallible when officially defining faith and morals for believers.

With respect to Papal infallibility, the Catholic church does not assert that the pope is infallible in everything he speak, but only when he speaks ex cathedra as an official interpreter of faith and morals.

The pope is not infallible when pronouncing on matters not pertaining to faith and morality.

Papal infallibility continued:

The pope is not absolutely infallible, only God has “Absolute infallibly.”

Infallibility entails irrevocability. He cannot nullify previous ex cathedra pronouncements.

Catholic theologians do not believe that the pope is infallible independently of the bishops.

Papal infallibility continued:

The Catholic church points to Peter as the foundation of the church as the supreme teacher of the Faith. This applies to him and his successors.

They point to John 21:15-17 as a proof text.

Catholics argue for Papal infallibility from their Tradition which they view as inspired as Scripture.

Protestants embrace scriptural infallibility but deny that any human being or institution is Scripture’s infallible interpreter.

The appeal by Roman Catholics to Matt. 16:18ff. as a proof text that Peter is the prototypical Pope is wrong on several counts including the argument that the Rock is not Peter, but faith in Christ, and that Peter was not the only foundation upon which the church was built, but all the apostles form the foundation.

Peter’s NT role does not reflect the unique role among the apostles that the Catholics argue for.

It is never hinted in Scripture that Peter had any type of infallibility.

Geisler overstates the case when he subjectively argues for the cessation of certain gifts of the Spirit. While it might be argued that the Twelve Apostles were unique, that does not mean that the gifts they possessed ceased with them.

The problem of heretical Popes. Some of the Popes of the Catholic church proposed things that were later deemed to be heretical by the church. How then could a Pope be infallible?

The problem of revelational insufficiency. Divine revelation is God revealing Himself. The scriptures never say we need an infallible guide to Scripture. The Holy Spirit bring illumination.

If the Pope is infallible, then why is there disagreement among Catholics concerning various Scriptures or theological positions?

The principle of sola scriptura. The Protestant position is the Bible alone is infallible and the ultimate authority for Christian doctrine and practice.

The perspicuity of Scripture. This means simply that the central teachings of Scripture are clear.

No apostolic succession. There may be (a)postles in the form of missionaries and church planters, but no (A)postles as in the Twelve.

The autonomy of the local churches. Ultimately Christ is still the invisible head of the visible local church.

The plurality of elders in the church. There are checks and balances in the leadership of the church and no one man or woman is unchallenged or infallible leader. There is a plurality of leadership positions in the church.

The purpose of the local church is to glorify God and to be the visible manifestation of the character of Christ’s body, to edify other members of the body, and to evangelize the world.