My response to Robby Oi, on the Papacy,

Orange is Robby Oi, black is me and red is Scripture.

//Acts 13:2
As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.

This is being chosen by the Holy Spirit.

The disciples chose the candidates (Joseph, and Matthias) not the Holy Spirit.

Acts 1:23
And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.//

The call of the Holy Spirit is not alway explicitly seen within Scripture, but the intentions are there. Every human being has been called by the Holy Spirit. It is up to us to answer the call.

Let us look closer to Acts 1: 15-26, brother Robbi,

V 15. “And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)”

Note here my dear brother how St Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples. This here in its self is already a sign of leadership. One that the Jewish faith would take seriously. As we see our Lord Jesus Christ standing in the midst of His disciples many times within Scripture. This goes deep into the roles of leadership in the OT.

V16. “Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.”

Note how he, St Peter spoke with full Authority on this matter of great importance. Also note that the Holy Spirit is spoken of here.  

V17. “For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.”

Ministry of reconciliation.  

V18, “Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.  

And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood.”  

V20. “For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his BISHOPRICK let another take.”  

A sign of apostolic succession.

Vs 21 and 22, “Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.”

Note they were chosen by God already, as it states they were among them, thus it was by power of the Holy Spirit.  

“And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.”

24. And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men (this would be the Holy Spirit), shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,”

They prayed about this to chose from Justus and Matthias which again were with them from the beginning as seen in v22.

V25. “That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.”

Again another sign of apostolic succession.   

“And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.”

I would say that this here is another way of saying the Holy Spirit picked St Matthias.  

Acts 1:15‭-‬26 KJV


//Yes, we do agree that all the disciples had authority, but Peter being first in receiving this authority is nowhere written in Scripture. Scripture teaches that Jesus authorized them all at the same time.//

Not so bro, again in Matthew 16:18-19 we see St Peter and him alone given this authority first. Then later in Matthew 18:18 days later, two different times we see this and in the first one, again Peter was singled out.

//The husband, and wife example, is a good example (but not in Peter's case)
The Bible never teaches that Peter is the head of the Church, and the Bible never teaches that we are to submit unto Peter as to a husband.//

But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
Luke 22:32 KJV

This here brother Robby can be sad to a father at home. This is said to St Peter. One in Authority has this obligation to do, and to me this shows submission to the one in authority.  If you have no kind of authority, then strengthening anyone else is futile.  

//Ephesians 5:22-24
Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

As I said, the husband, and wife example, is a good example (but not in Peter's case) but in Christ's case. For Christ is the head of the Church, not Peter.//

The example of St Peter is a good case for the Authority of the Church, his authority does not take away from Christ's Full Authority. If you look back at IS 22: 20-22, you would see the Authority of king David was given to Eliakim not as full king, but as a prime minister. Note what God says, “And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.” Isaiah 22:22 KJV

Here is the full text,
“And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah:  And I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah.  And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.”
Isaiah 22:20‭-‬22 KJV

Remember I've given you this passage before linked with Matthew 16:18-20 where Jesus Christ does a very similar thing.

The key of the house of David is the sign of authority. Note how it is given and the wording of it.

//True, one always leads, but the structure of the Church is completely different than the structure of what we see universally (whether in a corporation, or the Church itself)//

Not so, because it is a Universal thing, we the Lay people should be mimicking the church's structure. Our leadership or authority should be Christ like.

//The authority given by Jesus to the disciples, in itself is a whole different matter, because they experienced what was prophesied in part of Joel 2:28-32, so this is a bit different than what we receive at our baptism.//

“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:

And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.

And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.  

The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come.  

And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.”
Joel 2:28‭-‬32 KJV

I do not understand what you are saying by this here bro…

//I hope that you understand what I am saying, our Church leaders have the authority given by God, but none of them experienced Pentecost, or a Pentecost.//

Well before Pentecost my dear brother, the Holy Spirit fall upon the Leaders of the Church a week or two before Pentecost. We see this in John 20: 21-23 here is what is said, “Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.  And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:   Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.”

This right here is when the Leaders of the Church were given a very special grace and blessing. Take note in verse 24, it stated that only 11 were there with Jesus Christ.  In verse 22, we see a very beautiful text that is not seen, but in only one other places in Scripture, Genesis 2:7, “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”, if my mind serves me right, these are the only two places we see the breath of life. And the early Church Fathers had a lot to say about this here.

I'll put it in my own words, as God gave life to man in Genesis, in John's Gospel, He gives life to the Ministry of reconciliation and Leadership of the Church as a Whole.  

Take note and pay close attention to this fact, it was only the 11 Apostles, leaders of the Church, (it would have been all 12, if St Thomas would not have doubt it) that God set His foundation upon these men days before He let the Spirit fall upon the Church as a Whole on Pentecost.

//This is the authority that will be given to the true believers living in the last days, to preach the last message of repentance to a dying world.
But in general, the disciples had the authority given by Jesus to interpret Scripture, correct (in all facets of life, believers, as well as non-believers) instruct, cast out demons, forgive sins, retain sins, organize, and guide the Church, planted new Churches, preach to all nations, baptize, heal, officiate Communion,
and to write Scripture down.
If there is anything that I left out, feel free to let me know.//

Also in John's Gospel chapter 17, Jesus Christ prays a beautiful prayer known to us as the priestly prayer. In this prayer we see a structure of Christ's Church.

Vs1-5, He prays for Himself,  “These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:   

As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.   

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.   

I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.   

And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.”

V6-19, He prays the Apostles and their successors, “I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.   

Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.   

For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.   

V9. I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.   Note how he states it here, I pray for them, who is them? The Apostles and their successor, the Leaders of the Church.

And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.   

And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.   

While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.   

And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.   

I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.   

I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.   

They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.   

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.   

V18. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.  

As God sent forth Jesus Christ, He sent out the Apostles and their successor into the world.

And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.   

Vs 20-26 prays for everyone else that believe,

v20. “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

I love hiw our Lord Jesus Christ starts the next part of His prayer and this here says a lot.  Here is a better translation with emphasis added,  “I pray not only for them (The Apostles and their successor), but also for those who will believe (Those that are believers and nonbelievers) in me through their (Apostles and their successor) word,”

That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.   

And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:  

I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.   

Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.   

O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.   

And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.”
John 17:1‭-‬26

In Jesus’ prayer we see a clear structure of the Church that Christ Established.