How could the Church teach something wrong if the Holy Spirit always teaches you “the whole truth”?
First, we must clarify that anyone who does not agree with what the Church teaches, does not know exactly what Jesus taught, did and sent us to do. He founded the Church on St. Peter and the Apostles so that she was the “spokesman” of God on Earth. The Lord said to them: “Who listens to you, listen to me; who rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects Me rejects him who sent me “(cf. lk 10.16). I mean, who doesn’t listen to the Church, does not listen to Jesus! Those who do not obey the Church, do not obey Him.
Jesus said to them: “fear not, little flock, for it is the liking of your father to give you the Kingdom.” (Luke 12, 32). And it was to the Church that Jesus commanded: “go out into the world and preach the Gospel to every creature” (mark 16.15). How, then, do you not agree with the word of the Church? And more: “whose sins you forgive, their sins will be forgiven” (John 20.22). The father sent the Son to save the world; the Son sent the Church. She is the “universal sacrament of salvation” (LG 4), Noah’s Ark that saves us from the deluge of sin.
In the Lord’s Supper, in farewell of the Apostles, Jesus made several promises to the church formed by his disciples. There are many things John narrated, in five chapters of his Gospel (13 to 17), that Jesus promised to the Church:
“I will pray to the father, and he will give you another Paraclete who will stay with you, forever. He is the spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because they don’t see or know him, but you know Him, because He will remain with you and will be in you “. “But the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, whom the father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said (John 14, 15.25). How, could the Church teach something wrong if the Holy Spirit always remains with her and she teaches all things “?
Jesus said to them: “Many things I still have to tell you, but I can support now. When the Paraclete comes, the spirit of truth, to teach you the whole truth. ” (John 16.12 -13). How the Church could teach something wrong or inconvenient if the Holy Spirit teaches you always “the whole truth”?
Moreover, Jesus himself is in the Church, because He promised, before ascending to heaven: “behold I am with you all the days until the end of the world” (Matthew 28.20). It was His last word to his disciples. How could the Church err if Jesus is with her all the time? It’s impossible! That is why St. Paul said to St. Timothy: “the Church is the pillar and Foundation of truth” (1 Tim. 3.15). So, the Church holds the truth that Jesus said that sets us free.
It’s because of all this that our Creed is 2 thousand years old and never changed nor will change; it is the expression of truth that saves. The same thing happens with the sacraments, the commandments and the liturgy. The Church already had 266 Popes and never one of them canceled a doctrinal teaching that a predecessor has taught. Already she carried out 21 universal Councils, and none of them canceled a teaching of a previous one. The truth does not change, and it is in the Church. The Holy Spirit does not contradict Himself.
I don’t agree with what the Church teaches? That would be because of ignorance of what has been reported above; or, it would be an act of spiritual pride, you think you know more than the Church, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Away from us, this!
We may not be able to live what the Church teaches us and tells us to live – that is understandable because of our weakness, but we can never say that she is wrong or that I do not agree with what she teaches. The Church does not teach what she wants, but what the Lord had entrusted her.
Felipe Aquino
Professor Felipe Aquino, a widow and father of five children. On TV New Song [Canção Nova], he presents the program “School of faith” and “Ask and respond”, on radio he presents the program “in the heart of the Church”. On weekends he preaches deepening meetings throughout Brazil and abroad. He wrote 73 books (Portuguese) on Catholic background by publishers, Loyola, Cleopas and Canção Nova. Twitter: @pfelipeaquino