Apostolic succession
Posted: Sat Oct 17, 2009 1:09 pm
Dear all
I am a Jewish believer and i am a pastor in one of the Messianic congregations in Israel
For the last years we have discovered the richness of the Catholic heritage. It was amazing and we are still in our search for the deeper revelation of our God and Messiah in the Catholic church. So i agree on almost all doctrines of Catholic Church. Therefore i would say i am a catholic becuase i belong to the "Catholic" Universal Church. As this is only one true Body of Messiach. I know some may not agree with me
However the issue which is really interesting is of apostolic succession. Accoding to the doctrine if i am not mistaken only the Priests are allowed to bless the Bread and the Wine in the Eucharist and only under their prayer we receive the dwelling of Messian in the bread and wine. However here we face a problem. Take as an example any small pagan tribe somewhere in Africa. Suddently they were enlightned by the light of God through any testimony and they became Christians. They celebrate the Eacharist and everything. However according to the doctrine the Eucharist it is not real as it is not given by the Catholic priest. But i ask my self could be God Almighty deny from them the real Bread from Heaven becuase they have no official priest?
The more real situation is with our church in Israel. We have Eucharist each Shabath. We bless the wine and bread. Could it be that God is not blessing us the same way He blesses the catholic believers that receive it from the Catholic priest
I would be thankful for your comments.
Eli
I am a Jewish believer and i am a pastor in one of the Messianic congregations in Israel
For the last years we have discovered the richness of the Catholic heritage. It was amazing and we are still in our search for the deeper revelation of our God and Messiah in the Catholic church. So i agree on almost all doctrines of Catholic Church. Therefore i would say i am a catholic becuase i belong to the "Catholic" Universal Church. As this is only one true Body of Messiach. I know some may not agree with me
However the issue which is really interesting is of apostolic succession. Accoding to the doctrine if i am not mistaken only the Priests are allowed to bless the Bread and the Wine in the Eucharist and only under their prayer we receive the dwelling of Messian in the bread and wine. However here we face a problem. Take as an example any small pagan tribe somewhere in Africa. Suddently they were enlightned by the light of God through any testimony and they became Christians. They celebrate the Eacharist and everything. However according to the doctrine the Eucharist it is not real as it is not given by the Catholic priest. But i ask my self could be God Almighty deny from them the real Bread from Heaven becuase they have no official priest?
The more real situation is with our church in Israel. We have Eucharist each Shabath. We bless the wine and bread. Could it be that God is not blessing us the same way He blesses the catholic believers that receive it from the Catholic priest
I would be thankful for your comments.
Eli