Inside the Catholic Catechism

By Tom Weaver
 

       Comment: Independent Baptist Tom Weaver has written a detailed analysis of the catechism, “Inside the Catholic Catechism.  Weaver lists major heretical catechisms, and presents Scripture quotations to refute them.  Catholic teaching hinges on four pillars:  (1) Church tradition, (2) Church hierarchy, (3) veneration (worship) of images, and (4) salvation by works.  Catholics hold tradition to be equal with Scripture, but actually their tradition often overrides scripture.  Catholics venerate pictures, crosses, rosaries, and other “aides” to worship, whereas Christians worship the Creator alone.  Acts, or religious activities, are held by Catholics to gain “merit,” which earns them salvation through the Church.  Christians know that salvation comes only through the Son of God, not through any meritorious works of our own.

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Inside the Catholic Catechism

PREFACE

My dear friend, I wish to discuss an issue that would be very offensive and divisive to some.  It is not my desire to hurt, tear down, or hinder your faith.  It is my earnest desire to build you up in faith and truth in the Word of God.  I must, first of all, appeal to your logic and intellect.  God created you to be a freethinking, free moral agent.  There are so many varied religions and beliefs in the world today, and I do not believe it necessary to convince you of the existence of God.  However, everybody does not believe the same thing, and everybody does not believe in the same God.  Each religion or denomination has their own belief system, and methods of salvation.  The question arises, “Who is right?”  If one is to know God, how can he come to know Him?  How can one be sure of who is right?  Where does one start, when seeking to know the truth?

I am hoping that it is truth that you are seeking, for who in their right mind would want to be deceived?  Let me be the first to admit that I am capable of error.  I am not without fault.  I am not without sin.  I am a man who, like some, seek to know more about God.  I am a man who wants to love God more and more.  Since you cannot know for sure the intent of my heart, how can you know what I say is true?  If men are all full of error and bias, how can we trust the preaching of a man?

Look at the stars in the sky, the trees, the creation all around.  His creation declares that there is a God.  If God is capable of creating all that is, then how is He going to deliver His message to man?  Can the message be entrusted solely to sinful man throughout the ages?  Is not the God that created everything that is capable of preserving His word, His instructions for living, His plan for salvation, throughout the ages?  Intellect and logic should tell you that a God so powerful that He could create the universe would have no trouble in inspiring His written Word even through sinful man.

History proves over and over again that man is full of error.  Where is man going to find the truth, and the answers to the most important questions in life?  Where will you go after death?  This is one such question that you or I cannot afford to be wrong about.  I will not put my eternal fate in the hands of another man, and hope that he is telling me the truth.  I must know for myself, beyond a shadow of a doubt.  I hope you would have the same desire to know beyond a shadow of a doubt.

This is where your logic and intellect must play a role.  God gave you a brain that is more marvelous than anything imaginable.  I pray that you use it.  If I am capable of error, how can you trust me?  First of all, pray to God.  Ask him to lead you to the truth, and away from deceit.  It is strange that in everything we deal with in life, except religion, whether it be history, news, or legal affairs, we trust the written page.  That is our nature.  God, I believe, has preserved for us His written Word, the Holy Bible.  Without the written Word of God, how can we, as mortal men, know when someone is telling us truth or telling us un-truth?

I must know the truth!  I must have the truth!  I must know about my destiny!  My friend, I do not wish to lead you astray, and I do not want you to be lead astray.  You need to use the intelligence that God has blessed you with, and check these things out for yourself.  The matter of eternal salvation and eternal damnation are too important to be entrusted to me or any other man.  I believe the Bible is the very Word of God, preserved for us without error.

2 Timothy 3:16, “ALL scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”

Psalm 12:6-7, “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.  Thou shalt KEEP them, O LORD, thou shalt PRESERVE them from this generation FOR EVER.”

God is not much of a God if He cannot preserve His Word without error.  Who will you trust?  Will you trust man, will you trust me, or will you trust God?  I urge you to trust God’s Word and not mine.  I urge you to open the Bible, the Word of God, and see for yourself if everything that I tell you is true or not.  The Bible says in 1 John 2:27, “But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.”  If you are a child of God, then the Spirit of God will lead you and teach you truth through His Word.

The issues that I want to discuss, and repudiate, I will do so using the Word of God as the authority, and not philosophy or traditions.  Satan is a masterful deceiver and a liar.  His number one objective is to take as many people to Hell with him as possible.  If you are a child of God, he knows that he can’t have you, but he can deceive you and cause you to waist your life going after every sort of doctrine under the sun.  This is not God’s plan for us.  He states in Ephesians 4:14, “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.”

Many good people are caught up in false doctrine.  Their intention is well meaning, but they were deceived by the “sleight of men”, who for the most part do not set out with the intention of deceiving anyone.  These men like most who are deceived, believe what they believe because they were raised up in a particular religion.  Hell will be full of well intentioned Baptist, Methodist, Catholics, Pentecostals, Church of Christ, and so on, because they trusted the words of men rather than the Word of God.  I hope and pray that you will trust the Word of God rather than the words of men.

Introduction:

My dear Catholic friend, you are not my enemy.  Satan is my enemy.  Ephesians 6:11-17 teaches that we are in a spiritual warfare.  Friend, I am not your enemy, Satan is.  He is out to destroy you and I.  I believe that if most Catholics knew what the Catholic Church really taught, verses what the Word of God says, they would be obedient to God’s word and separate themselves from the false teachings.  I want to make myself clear, I am not attacking the Catholic people.  Most are good, decent people.  The largest religion in the world is Roman Catholicism, but the majority doesn’t make it right.  As a matter of fact, God’s Word teaches that the majority is always wrong when it comes to religion.  In the book of Matthew chapter seven, Jesus paints a very bleak picture of this fact.  In Matthew 7:13-15, Jesus says, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for WIDE is the gate, and BROAD is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and MANY there be which go in thereat:  Because strait is the gate, and NARROW is the way, which leadeth unto life, and FEW there be that find it.  Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”  My friend, I want to be counted with the few that find the narrow way to life everlasting.

I am convinced that most Catholics do not know the teachings of the Catholic Church.  I have had many tell me that they are misunderstood, or that those outside the Catholic Church do not know what is being taught inside.  This may be true to some degree.  I agree that all Catholics cannot be grouped into one group when it comes to their individual Parish, just as one cannot group all Baptist together, or all Pentecostals together.  For example, all Baptist do not believe the doctrine of eternal security.  Some Baptists believe in doctrines that were at one time predominately found among charismatic.  Some Baptists are very ecumenical in their theology.  You have some groups of Baptist, and Methodist, and non-denominational groups that have separated themselves from a unified parental organization, such as the Southern Baptist.  They call themselves independent.  Many of these independent churches believe in the autonomy of the local Church, that it has a responsibility to give an answer to no one other than God.

For one to know or understand what a Church or organization believes, one must go to the source.  The Church I belong to is a fundamental independent Bible believing Baptist Church.  If you want to know what our official position or doctrine is, you could request a copy of our doctrinal statement.  Some call them their “Statement of Faith.”  I have been told by various Catholics that the church did not teach or they did not agree with various doctrines that I espoused that the Catholic Church held.  I decided to go to the source.

If you want to know the official position the Catholic Church takes on any particular doctrine, you can find it in their Catechisms.  I went to the Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Huntsville, Alabama, and purchased the book, Catechism of the Catholic Church, Image, Doubleday Publishing.  This book contains the entire Catechism of the Catholic Church, which was updated and first published in Latin in 1992, and publish in the English version in 1994.  It is the official statement of faith of the Roman Catholic Church.  It is the Catholic Church’s doctrinal statement.

Children of God are commanded in God’s Word to separate themselves from those who teach and preach a false gospel.  In 2 John 1:9-10 the Bible states, “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God.  He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.  If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, RECEIVE HIM NOT into your house, neither bid him God speed.”

We are commanded to hold fast the teachings or doctrines of Christ.  If one brings teaching that is contrary to the teachings of Christ then we are to reject the teaching, make known those that bring such teachings, and avoid them.  Romans 16:17 states, “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and AVOID them.”  “Contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned”  does not mean doctrine according to the traditions of a church, or philosophies of men.  It means, “Contrary to the doctrines you have learned according to sound Bible teaching, or doctrines.”

Now, whether you will read the rest of this depends on whether you want to know truth or you want someone to tickle your ears with what you want to hear.  The Bible says that many will be like that,
2 Timothy 4:3,  “For the time will come when they will not endure SOUND DOCTRINE; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.”  Do you have itchy ears?  Remember, I said don’t take my word.  Check me out.  See what the Bible says.

There are 2865 catechisms of the Catholic Church.  All catechism references will be taken from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Image, Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc.  For the sake of time, I cannot cover all catechisms.  However, I do want to cover, what I believe are, major doctrinal heresies according to the Word of God.  I will give the catechism number, the catechism, and the page number referenced.  I will then list Bible verses that repudiate the teachings of the catechism.  I purchased the book for about $8.50.  You would do well to purchase this book and compare it to the Word of God.

Turning to the first page, one would find a 6 1/2 page introduction from Pope John Paul II entitled, Apostolic Constitution Fidei Depositum On the Publication Of The Catechism Of The Catholic Church Prepared Following The Second Vatican Ecumenical Council.  That is some impressive title!  That should impress any reader to believe that the writer is pretty smart, and only he, or men like him are capable of fully understanding and interpreting theology.  Don’t be fooled by it.  God gave you good common sense and a good brain.  I challenge you to use it.  It may mean the difference between everlasting life or everlasting damnation.

Looking inside the Catechism:

 

Introduction from John Paul II

1. The Process and Spirit of Drafting the Text

...The editorial committee, for its part, assumed responsibility for writing the text, making the emendations requested by the commission and examining the observations of numerous theologians, exegetes and catechists, and, above all, of the Bishops of the whole world, in order to produce a better text. ...

... It can be said that this Catechism is the result of the collaboration of the whole Episcopate of the Catholic Church, who generously accepted my invitation to share responsibility for an enterprise which directly concerns the life of the Church. ...

2.  Arrangement of the Material

A catechism should faithfully and systematically present the teaching of Sacred Scripture, the living Tradition in the Church and the authentic Magisterium...

3.  The Doctrinal Value of the Text

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, which I approved June 25th last and the publication of which I today order by virtue of my Apostolic Authority, is a statement of the Church’s faith and catholic doctrine, attested to or illumined by Sacred Scripture, the Apostolic Tradition, and the Church’s Magisterium.  I declare it to be a sure norm for teaching the faith and thus a valid and legitimate instrument for ecclesial communion. ...

Therefore, I ask all the Church’s Pastors and the Christian faithful to receive this catechism... This catechism is given to them that it may be a sure and authentic reference text for teaching catholic doctrine...  The Catechism of the Catholic Church, lastly, is offered to every individual who asks us to give an account of the hope that is in us (cf. 1 Pet 3:15) and who wants to know what the Catholic Church believes.

Given October 11, 1992, the thirtieth anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, in the fourteenth year of my Pontificate.

Tradition Is Equal With Scripture

The Catholic Church’s view on Bible doctrine seems to be subservient to or at least equal to tradition and philosophy. 

80       “Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture, then, are bound closely together and communicate one with the other.  For both of them, flowing out from the same divine well-spring, come together in some fashion to form one thing and move towards the same goal.”  Each of them makes present and fruitful in the Church the mystery of Christ, who promised to remain with his own “always, to the close of the age.”  (Page 31)

Time and time again, we are warn in Scripture to be cautious of philosophies and traditions.  When one starts following tradition and philosophies, and puts them above the Word of God, then they are wrong.  Somewhere in the world there has to be a standard, a measuring stick, and it is the Word of God.

Colossians 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

1 Peter 1:18-19 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

Notice that it is not through tradition, which is called a corruptible thing, that men are redeemed, but it is through the precious blood of Christ.  Tradition and philosophy tend to corrupt and spoil men.  When Jesus walked the earth in those days He ran into such a crowd.  This crowd was more concerned about tradition and religion than righteousness.  These people were called Pharisees, and Jesus used the strongest language against them.  He called them hypocrites and vipers.  He was not at all impressed by their tradition and philosophies or their self-righteousness.

Matthew 15:2-4 Why do thy disciples transgress the TRADITION of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.  But he (Jesus) answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your TRADITION?  For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.

82       As a result the Church, to whom the transmission and interpretation of Revelation is entrusted, “does not derive her certainty about all revealed truths from the Holy Scriptures alone. Both Scripture and Tradition must be accepted and honored with EQUAL sentiments of devotion and reverence.  (Page 31)

If the church does not derive certainty about truth from the Holy Scriptures, and man being full of sin as he is, where does that leave us?  Who is to determine what is truth?  How is he to determine it?  If we cannot rely on God’s Word alone then we are all most miserable.  We would do well to discard the Bible, eat drink and be merry.  I say, that all men are fallible, and there is only one truth in this world, the Word of God!  From it alone, must we receive instructions and truth from God.  From it, we can know what men tell us is truth or not.

Psalm 118:8  It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.

John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Romans 3:10-12  As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:  There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.  They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Nowhere in Scripture are we told that tradition is equal to Scripture.

Interpretation Of The Bible Is To Be Done Only By The Pope And Bishops

One way to usurp authority and power over the flock is to make them believe that they cannot understand Scripture because they are just mere “laymen.”  Many are led to believe that they would have to be educated in the Greek, Latin, and Hebrew languages in order to fully understand the Bible.  My friend, God has always entrusted his message to a chosen people.  In the days of the Old Testament, He entrusted it to the Jews.  He didn’t produce a Bible in every language on the face of the earth.  During the New Testament period the Greek language was the common language of the day.  It was the language of the “common” man, therefore, the manuscripts were written in Greek.  God has chosen a people today to get his message around the world, as evident by the world wide mission effort.  It started with the mission efforts of Great Britain, and well before then, He had already put godly men into place to produce the English Bible that would go around the world with them, the 1611 King James Bible.

When people began to colonize the New World in America, they brought with them the King James Bible, and a desire to evangelize the world.  Being obedient to the great commission, no other nation on the face of the earth has sent missionaries around the world like America has. It is through the English speaking people in which God has chosen to get his message around the world, and what a “coincidence” that in most parts of the world today, English is taught as a mandatory language in the schools.  It is by no coincidence that God has also provided an English Bible, and preserved it now for almost 400 years.  It was a Bible written and distributed to the “common” man.  The great evangelistic efforts and missionary efforts did not come from Rome, they came from America.  The Catholic Church teaches that only the elite can understand, and should read the Scriptures.  This is erroneous, and in direct opposition to what the Bible teaches.

100     The task of interpreting the Word of God authentically has been entrusted SOLELY to the Magisterium of the Church, that is, to the Pope and to the bishops in communion with him.  (Page 35)

2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

John 5:39  Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

1 John 2:27  But the anointing (Holy Spirit) which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

1 Timothy 4:13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

2 Peter 1:19-20 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:  Knowing this first, that NO prophecy of the scripture is of any PRIVATE INTERPRETATION.

Acts 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

We, as the “common” people or laymen, are commanded to study the Bible and to know what it teaches.  No one, single, person has the market on Bible interpretation.  If you are save, a child of God, then you have the Holy Spirit residing in you, and He will teach you.  That is not to say that one cannot teach you, but you had better check out their teaching with the Word of God.  It is better to heed the instructions of God rather than men.  The instructions of men need to be according to the Word of God.

Mary is: Sinless, a Perpetual Virgin, the Mother of God, the Queen of Heaven, the Co-Redeemer with Christ

We must be careful not to compare ourselves and our righteousness with other men, In 2 Corinthians 10:12, the Bible states, “For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.”  Jesus Christ is the standard, and it is Him that we should be comparing ourselves with.  We tend to elevate men to a high plateau, but we must remember that all men are sinners.  I do not want to minimize who Mary was.  She was a godly woman, the mother of Jesus, but the Bible clearly states that ALL are sinners.  “All” would include Mary.  She needed a savior just like the rest of us, and she knew that Jesus was her savior.

491     Through the centuries the Church has become ever more aware that Mary, “full of grace” through God, was redeemed from the moment of her conception. That is what the dogma of the Immaculate Conception confesses, as Pope Pius IX proclaimed in 1854.

The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race, preserved IMMUNE from all stain of original sin. (Page 138)

Mary was “redeemed from the moment of her conception,” where does it say that in the Bible?  It doesn’t!  Nor does the Bible say that she was “immune” from any kind of sin.

The Apostle Paul spoke very clearly on the matter of righteousness, and sin.  He makes it very clear that none are without sin.

Romans 3:10-12 As it is written, There is NONE righteous, no, NOT ONE: There is NONE that understandeth, there is NONE that seeketh after God.  They are ALL gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is NONE that doeth good, no, NOT ONE.

Romans 3:23 For ALL have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Peter gave warnings about such teachings.

2 Peter 2:1-2 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.  And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

494     At the announcement that she would give birth to “the Son of the Most High” without knowing man, by the power of the Holy Spirit, Mary responded with the obedience of faith, certain that “with God nothing will be impossible”: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.”  Thus, giving her consent to God’s word, Mary becomes the mother of Jesus, Espousing the divine will for salvation wholeheartedly, without a SINGLE SIN to restrain her, she gave herself entirely to the person and to the work of her Son; she did so in order to save the mystery of redemption with him and dependent on him, by God’s grace:

As St. Irenaeus says, “Being obedient she became the cause of salvation for herself and for the whole human race.”  Hence not a few of the early Fathers gladly assert. . : “The knot of Eve’s disobedience was untied by Mary’s obedience: what the virgin Eve bound through her disbelief, Mary loosened by her faith.  Comparing her with Eve, they call Mary “the Mother of the living” and frequently claim: “Death through Eve, life through Mary.” (Page 138)

Mary was a godly virgin when she conceived, no doubt about it.  That is what the Bible says.  This catechism makes the claim that she was without sin, she became the cause of salvation for herself, and for the whole human race.  It also teaches that death and sin came by way of Eve.  This is contradictory to Roman 5:12, it states, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that ALL have sinned.”  This catechism also teaches that life comes through Mary.  This, also, is contradictory to the Word of God.  Examine the following verses that repudiate such teaching:

Acts 4:12  Neither is there salvation IN ANY OTHER (Jesus is in focus here, not Mary): for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, BUT BY ME.

1 John 5:11-12 and this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son (it did not say in Mary). He that hath the Son (not Mary) hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

495     Called in the Gospels “the mother of Jesus,” Mary is acclaimed by Elizabeth, at the prompting of the Spirit and even before the birth of her son, as “the mother of my Lord.”  In fact, the One whom she conceived as man by the Holy Spirit, who truly became her Son according to the flesh, was none other than the Father’s eternal Son, the second person of the Holy Trinity.  Hence the Church confesses that Mary is truly “Mother of God” (Theo-tokos).  (Page 139)

966     “Finally the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death.” The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is a singular participation in her Son’s Resurrection and an anticipation of the resurrection of other Christians.

In giving birth you kept your virginity; in your Dormition you did not leave the world, O Mother of God, but were joined to the source of Life.  You conceived the living God and, by your prayers, will deliver our souls from death”  (Page 274)

No doubt about it, Jesus is God.  He is the second person of the Holy Trinity.  He is 100% God, yet he became 100% man, which did not minimize His deity.  To title Mary the “Mother of God” when the Bible simple calls her the “mother of Jesus”, elevates her to deity status.  By putting this title on her, the Catholic Church has derived the doctrine that Mary maintained her virginity all throughout her life.  God did not have a mother.  God is eternal!  Mary was just the vessel He chose to enter the world in the flesh, and fulfill the law.  Mary was the mother of the Lord Jesus Christ, but also, the mother of James, Jose, Simon, Judas, and of his sisters.  Mary did not remain a virgin!

Acts 1:14  These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

Matthew 13:55-56  Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas (not Judas Iscariot)?  And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?

Mark 6:3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.

Galatians 1:19  But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.

Nowhere in the Bible does it teach anything about Mary being the queen over all things.  In many Catholic Bibles one can find a dedication page to the “Queen of Heaven”, that being Mary.  To the Catholic Church, Mary is the “Queen of Heaven”.  It is interesting to note, the only mentions of the “queen of heaven” in the Bible are done so in a negative, rebuking manner.  It is also interesting to see the similarities between the traditions and practices of these people as compared to those of the Catholic Church.

Jeremiah 7:18  The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes (wafers?) to the QUEEN OF HEAVEN, and to pour out drink offerings (wine) unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger.

Jeremiah 44:15-25  Then all the men which knew that their wives had burned incense unto other gods, and all the women that stood by, a great multitude, even all the people that dwelt in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying,  As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the LORD, WE WILL NOT HEARKEN UNTO THEE.   But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense (candles?) unto the QUEEN OF HEAVEN, and to pour out drink offerings (wine?) unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil.  But since we left off to burn incense to the QUEEN OF HEAVEN, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine.  And when we burned incense to the QUEEN OF HEAVEN, and poured out drink offerings unto her, did we make her cakes (wafers, Eucharist?) to WORSHIP HER, and pour out drink offerings unto her, without our men?  Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying; Ye and your wives have both spoken with your mouths, and fulfilled with your hand, saying, We will surely perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn incense to the QUEEN OF HEAVEN, and to pour out drink offerings unto her: ye will surely accomplish your vows, and surely perform your vows.

There it is, the only mention in the Word of God about the queen of heaven.  It is also interesting to note that the Bible only mentions “Mary” 19 times.  Not much emphasis is given to her, however, I scanned the 756 pages of the book, Catechism of the Catholic Church, and found 169 references made to “Mary”, 76 references made to the “Blessed Virgin” or “Virgin”, and 27 references to Mary as the “Mother of God.”  The some total being 272 references given to Mary.  Keep in mind that I only scanned the pages, therefore, there is no doubt I missed many.  That is a very high percentage when you consider the Bible only devotes .9% of its pages to Mary as compared to 36% of the pages devoted to her in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.  Who is the Catholic Church lifting up, Jesus or Mary?  It is Jesus that must me lifted up.  I don’t believe Mary should be given any more importance than what Scripture gives to her.

John 12:32  And I (Jesus), if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

Beware of those that put more emphasis on someone other that Jesus Christ.

John 3:30  He (Jesus) must increase, but I MUST DECREASE.

This is the principle that God teaches in His Word.  Christ is to be first, pre-emanate.  Christ is the head of all things, and He is the one who intercedes for the believers.  Christ is the one that should have preeminence, He is the one who prays for those that believes and puts their trust in Him.

Colossians 1:18  And he (Jesus) is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the PREEMINENCE.

Ephesians 1:20-22  Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,  FAR ABOVE all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:  And hath put ALL THINGS under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church.

1 Timothy 2:5  For there is one God, and ONE MEDIATOR between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;Hebrews 9:24  For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

Hebrews 7:25  Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

The teaching that Mary was above sin, and bless above all women is just not sound Biblical teaching.  She, was a godly woman, no doubt, but she, like Abraham, had faith in God, and her faith was accounted unto her for righteousness.  She was not bless above all women, but rather she was blessed among women.  It is clear from Scripture that God is not a respecter of persons.  That means He doesn’t put any more value or importance over the life of Mary, than He did Peter, Paul, or the other disciples, or for you or I.  All souls are precious to the Lord.

508     From among the descendants of Eve, God chose the Virgin Mary to be the mother of his Son. “Full of grace,” Mary is “the most excellent fruit of redemption” (SC 103): from the first instant of her conception, she was totally preserved from the stain of original sin and she remained pure from all personal sin throughout her life.  (Page 142)

The angel Gabriel, told her:

Luke 1:28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou AMONG women.

The Bible is very clear.  She was blessed among women, not above women! 

Mary’s cousin, Elizabeth, told her:

Luke 1:42  And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou AMONG women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

Acts 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons.

To say that Mary was pure from personal sin would contradict the Word of God.

1 John 1:8  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the TRUTH IS NOT IN US.

1 John 1:10  If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and HIS WORD IS NOT IN US.

964     Mary’s role in the Church is inseparable from her union with Christ and flows directly from it. “This union of the mother with the Son in the work of salvation is made manifest from the time of Christ’s virginal conception up to his death”; it is made manifest above all at the hour of his Passion:

Thus the Blessed Virgin advanced in her pilgrimage of faith, and faithfully preserved in her union with her Son unto the Cross.  There she stood, in keeping with the divine plan, enduring with her only begotten Son the intensity of his suffering, joining herself with his sacrifice in her mother’s heart, and lovingly consenting to the immolation of this victim, born of her: to be given, by the same Christ Jesus dying on the cross, as a mother to his disciple, with these words: “Woman, behold your son.”  (Page 273)

This all sounds lovely and good, but nowhere in the Bible does it teach that Mary assumes an exalted position.   As a matter of fact, women were to be silent in the Churches, and in subjection to their husbands.  They were not to have authority over men.  This was not because men were better, it is because God is a God of order.  Everyone is in subjection to someone.  Christ is over the Church, and the husband is to be in subjection to Christ, and the woman to be subject to the husband, and the children to their parents.  Paul gave many such clear instructions to the church on this matter.  To teach that Mary had this exalted position directly contradicts clear Bible teaching.

1 Timothy 2:11-13  Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.  But I suffer (allow) not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.  For Adam was first formed, then Eve.

1 Corinthians 14:34-35 Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.  And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.

1 Timothy 2:11-14 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.  But I suffer (allow)  not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.  For Adam was first formed, then Eve.  And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

Many women rebel at these Bible verses, but remember, “ALL” scripture is inspired of God (II Timothy 3:16).  God is a God of order.  Many men like to abuse these verses.  They do not teach that a man is supposed to be a dictator over his wife and run rough shod over her.  He is to love his wife.  Read the verses following:

Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, LOVE your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

Ephesians 5:33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so LOVE his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she REVERENCE her husband.

If you will notice, the Bible does not command the wife to love the husband, but it does command the husband to love the wife.  God made men and women differently.  If the man will treat the wife right and love her, the wife will naturally love the husband.

Mary only gave one commandment to men.  At the marriage feast, the servants came to her when they ran out of wine.  Mary directed them to do only what Jesus told them to do.  Jesus is omnipotent (all knowing), and I believe that He knew that one day men and women would worship and adore Mary, and he calls her “Woman”, not mother.  Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit it is recorded in Scripture that he calls her “Woman” and not mother, or Blessed Mother.

John 2:3-4  And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.  Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.  His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he (speaking of Jesus) saith unto you, do it.

John 19:26 When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!

968     Her role in relation to the Church and to all humanity goes still further.  “In a wholly singular way she cooperated by her obedience, faith, hope and burning charity in the Savior’s work of restoring supernatural life to souls. For this reason she is a mother to us in the order of grace.” (Page 274)

Where is this found in the Bible?  This is nothing more than babbling and men’s philosophy.  It sounds nice, but it is not based on Bible teaching.  We are warned not to follow after philosophies that lead away from Christ.

2 Timothy 2:16  But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

Colossians 2:8  Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, AND NOT AFTER CHRIST.

969     “This motherhood of Mary in the order of grace continues uninterruptedly from the consent which she loyally gave at the Annunciation and which she sustained without wavering beneath the cross, until the eternal fulfillment of all the elect.  Taken up to heaven she did not lay aside this SAVING OFFICE but by her manifold intercession continues to bring us gifts of eternal salvation. . . . Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix.”  (Page 275)

My friend, this is blasphemous.  Only God has the power to save.  To elevate someone to the position of Savior is to elevate them to deity or Godhood.  Mary never had a saving office.  The office of Savior has always belonged to the Lord Jesus Christ, and Him alone.  He is God!  He needs no help from man!  The Bible teaches that Jesus is our advocate.

1 John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

Acts 4:12  Neither is there salvation IN ANY OTHER (than Jesus): for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

John 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: NO MAN cometh unto the Father, BUT BY ME.

It is through His Gospel that we are saved.

Romans 1:16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for IT is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

It is through the work of the Gospel of Jesus Christ that God saves man.  Paul defines the Gospel as the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ..

1 Corinthians 15:1-4  Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;  By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ DIED for our sins according to the scriptures;  And that he was BURIED, and that he ROSE again the third day according to the scriptures:

There it is, just as plain as the nose is on your face.  He defined the Gospel as the DEATH, the BURIAL, and the RESURRECTION.  That is the Gospel of Christ!  Paul gives a strong warning against those who pervert this Gospel, and make up “other gospels”. To say that the Gospel is a mixture of works, or that it comes through anyone other than Christ is perverting the Gospel.

Galatians 1:6-9  I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:  Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would PERVERT the gospel of Christ.  But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, LET HIM BE ACCURSED.  As we said before, so say I now again, If ANY MAN preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, LET HIM BE ACCURSED.

Notice he says there is not other Gospel of Christ, and there are those that pervert it.  He indicates that there is a Satanic influence in preaching other gospels, and anyone, whether it be angelic or human, would be accursed for doing so.  It was so important a point to be made that he repeated himself.  Who are you going to trust?  Are you going to trust man, or are you going to trust the Word of God?  Be careful; the Bible says that Satan has his angels, and they can appear as good, or ministering spirits of light.

2 Corinthians 11:13-15 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

You had better beware of those who claim to be an apostle.  There are no more apostles.  One of the qualifying factors for an apostle was that he had to have seen Jesus Christ personally in the flesh.

1 Corinthians 9:1 Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?

1 John 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;

Doctrines of the Rosary And Prayers To Mary

971     “All generations will call me blessed”:  “The Church’s devotion to the Blessed Virgin IS INTRINSIC to Christian WORSHIP.” The Church rightly honors “the Blessed Virgin with special devotion.  From the most ancient times the Blessed Virgin has been honored with the title of ‘Mother of God,’ to whose protection the faithful fly in all their dangers and needs. . .  This very special devotion . . . differs essentially from adoration which is given to the incarnate Word and equally to the Father and the Holy Spirit, and greatly fosters this adoration.” The liturgical feasts dedicated to the Mother of God and Marian prayer, such as the rosary, an “epitome of the whole Gospel,” express this devotion to the Virgin Mary.  (Page 275)

My friend, you can call it what every you like, but when you bow yourself to a statue or erect a statue of Mary, and pray to her, it is WORSHIP.  All through the Old Testament you can see how God hated this practice.  He is a jealous God, and will not share his glory with anyone, because He alone is worthy to accept praise and honor and worship.  This teaching is clearly unscriptural.

 Revelation 4:11  Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

Revelation 5:9  And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

The Magi (wise men) came seeking the Lord, it is interesting to note that they did not kneel and worship, or pray to Mary, they worshipped the Lord Jesus.

Matthew 2:11  And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and WORSHIPPED HIM: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto HIM gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

Matthew 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

The Word of God forbids prayers and worship to anyone but to God Himself.  In all cultures and religions people pray to their God.  I know that Catholics pray to Mary out of ignorance, not realizing that what they are really doing is rendering worship to her.

Exodus 34:14  For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:

Matthew 4:10  Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and HIM ONLY shalt thou serve.

We are also commanded not to have any images of anything in heaven or on earth, and not to even bow down before them.  Again this is very common practice among Catholics.  I have seen the statues of Mary in the yards as I drive by.  Many of the Catholic Churches have a life-size crucifix hanging on the wall.  The Church members bow down to them, they say out of respect.  None the less, they bow down.  This is expressly forbidden in Scripture.

Exodus 20:3-5  Thou shalt have no other gods before me.  Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any LIKENESS of any thing THAT IS IN HEAVEN above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:  Thou shalt not BOW DOWN thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.

If you are involved in this practice, I know that it is not your intention to do wrong and worship idols, and you do not consider it to be idol worship.  It doesn’t matter what you or I think or anyone else thinks.  What does matter is what God thinks?  What does God call it?  Who are you going believe, man or God’s Word?  Read the Bible, check me out!  You are capable of understanding the simple truths of the Word of God, no matter what some men might tell you.   Remember 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 from above.

Salvation Only Comes Through The Catholic Church

The Second Vatican Council’s Decree on Ecumenism explains: “For it is through Christ’s Catholic Church ALONE, which is the universal help toward salvation, that the fullness of the means of salvation can be obtained. It was to the apostolic college alone, of which Peter is the head, that we believe that our Lord entrusted all the blessings of the New Covenant, in order to establish on earth the one Body of Christ into which all those should be fully incorporated who belong in any way to the People of God.”

846     How are we to understand this affirmation, often repeated by the Church Fathers?  Re-formulated positively, it means that all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is his Body:

Basing itself on Scripture and Tradition, the Council teaches that the Church, a pilgrim now on earth, is necessary for salvation: the one Christ is the mediator and the way of salvation; he is present to us in his body which is the Church.  He himself explicitly asserted the necessity of faith and Baptism, and thereby affirmed at the same time the necessity of the Church which men enter through Baptism as through a door. Hence they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it or to remain in it.  (Page 244)

I do understand the doctrine of Baptism of the Holy Spirit, which every true believer in Christ takes part in when they trust in Christ Jesus.  The Bible clearly teaches that all who are saved are baptized into the body of Christ and this body is called the Church.  The Church is “the called out assembly.”  It is clear through many of the catechisms of the Catholic Church they are not teaching salvation in the body of Christ but through the institution of the Catholic Church.  They clearly state that they are basing this on Scripture and Tradition.  It appears to me that they are basing it on more tradition than Scripture.  They are mingling the work of baptism with salvation.  Clearly, the Bible teaches that salvation is a free gift, and not of righteous works.  One might say that they are referring to the baptism of the Holy Spirit here.  As I will show more clearly a little later, what is really being taught is water baptism, due to the fact that the Catholic Church approves of “infant baptism.”  Scripture teaches clearly that water baptism is only for those who believe.

Acts 4:12  Neither is there salvation IN ANY OTHER (than Jesus): for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

John 1:12  But as many as received him (Jesus), to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

John 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Ephesians 2:8-9  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  NOT OF WORKS, lest any man should boast.

Galatians 2:16  Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall NO flesh be justified.

My friend, becoming a Catholic will not save you just as becoming a Baptist or anything else will not save you, but Jesus will save you if you will trust Him, and ask Him too.

All Grace Comes Through The Catholic Church

819     “Furthermore, many elements of sanctification and of truth” are found outside the visible confines of the Catholic Church: “the written Word of God; the life of grace; faith, hope, and charity, with the other interior gifts of the Holy Spirit, as well as visible elements”  Christ’s Spirit uses these Churches and ecclesial communities AS MEANS OF SALVATION, whose power derives from the fullness of grace and truth that Christ has entrusted to the Catholic Church. All these blessings come from Christ and lead to him, and are in themselves calls to “Catholic unity.”  All these blessings come from Christ and lead to him, and are in themselves calls to “Catholic unity.”   (Page 235, 236)

Again, the claim made here is that salvation comes through the “Churches”, that being the Catholic Church.  They are teaching that if one is not a part of the Catholic Church there is no blessing for them, because Christ only works through the Catholic Church.  My friend, many thousands of non-Catholics, including my self have witnessed the blessings of God.  I do not have enough time or pages to tell you all the blessings God has bestowed upon me.  There have been countless direct answers to my prayers, and answered in a way that God allowed me to know that they were answered as a direct result of my prayers to Him.  I had Cancer in 1994, and He healed me.  I guess this would be the biggest answer to my prayers, except for my salvation.  As a matter of fact, you don’t have to be saved to enjoy the benefits and blessings from God.  As of today, I don’t believe God has started charging anything for the air we breath.  Grace come to us from God the Father through the Lord Jesus Christ, not the Church.

John 1:15-17  John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.  And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.  For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

Romans 1:7  To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 16:24  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

834     Particular Churches are fully catholic through their communion with one of them, the Church of Rome “which presides in charity.” “For with this church, by reason of its pre-eminence, the whole Church, that is the faithful everywhere, must necessarily be in accord”  Indeed, “from the incarnate Word’s descent to us, all Christian churches everywhere have held and hold the great Church that is here [at Rome] to be their only basis and foundation since, according to the Savior’s promise, the gates of hell have never prevailed against her.” (Page 240, 241)

The only one that should have pre-eminence is the Lord Jesus Christ.  It is also obvious form this catechism that when they speak of the Church, they are not really speaking of the Church being the body of Christ, but they are speaking of the institution, the Church of Rome.

Colossians 1:18  And he (Jesus) is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the PREEMINENCE.

2 John 1:9-10  Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.  If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:

No Christian Unity Apart From The Catholic Church

820     “Christ bestowed unity on his Church from the beginning.  This unity, we believe, subsists in the Catholic Church as something she can never lose, and we hope that it will continue to increase until the end of time.”  Christ always gives his Church the gift of unity, but the Church must always pray and work to maintain, reinforce, and perfect the unity that Christ wills for her.  This is why Jesus himself prayed at the hour of his Passion, and does not cease praying to his Father, for the unity of his disciples:  “That they may all be one.  As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be one in us, . . . so that the world may know that you have sent me.”  The desire to recover the unity of all Christians is a gift of Christ and a call of the Holy Spirit.  (Page 236)

All who have received (put their trust in) Jesus as Savior are one in the body of Christ, not in a man made institution.  We are united through baptism of the Holy Spirit in one body through our faith in Jesus Christ.  We are separated upon this earth through theology.  Truth and doctrine divide.  Jesus was not for everybody getting together.  When men got together at the Tower of Babel men begin to devise their own religion, and build their own tower to Heaven.  God divided men and confounded their language to keep them from coming together. 

Romans 12:5  So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

1 Corinthians 12:13  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

Galatians 3:26-28  For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.  For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

Genesis 11:5-8 And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.  And the LORD said, Behold, the people is ONE, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.  Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.  So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.

God hasn’t changed his mind, He is still the same.

Malachi 3:6 For I am the LORD, I CHANGE NOT; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ THE SAME yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

Look at what Jesus said about unity.

Luke 12:51-53 Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather DIVISION:  For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.  The father shall be DIVIDED against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

You see, the Gospel of Jesus Christ divides people.  The truth divides, that is why many who start out reading this will not make it this far, because truth and doctrine divide.  It does not unite!

Salvation Includes The Muslims

841     “The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind’s judge on the last day.” (Page 242, 243)

The plan of salvation is simple, and it does include the Muslims.  It also includes the Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Catholic, Baptist, Presbyterian, Buddhist, and anyone else who will put their trust in Jesus alone.  It all depends on whose plan one is referring to.  Is it man’s plan or God’s plan?

Romans 10:9-10 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt BELIEVE in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Who’s plan of salvation are they speaking of?  I think it is obvious that they are referring to theirs.  I would like to point out that just acknowledging the Creator does not save anyone.  Satan acknowledges God, but he is not saved. 

James 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

The Muslims deny the deity of Jesus Christ.  They believe that He was just a good man and teacher.  They do not believe that He is the Messiah.

2 John 1:7  For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ (Messiah) is come in the flesh. This is a DECEIVER and an ANTICHRIST.

2 John 1:10  If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, RECEIVE HIM NOT into your house, neither bid him God speed:

The Muslim savior is a dead “savior” whom they call Allah.  A true Christian depends and puts his trust in a risen savior, Jesus Christ.  No one can go to heaven unless he goes through Jesus, not even a disbelieving Muslim, Baptist, Church of Christ, a good Catholic, or anyone else who denies Him.

John 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: NO MAN cometh unto the Father, but by me.

The Muslims, like many religious people, depend on their good works of righteousness to get them to Heaven.  The faith of Abraham was that he put his trust and faith in God (Jehovah); without faith it is impossible to please God

Titus 3:5  Not by WORKS of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Romans 4:3  For what saith the scripture? Abraham BELIEVED God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

Genesis 15:6  And he (Abraham) BELIEVED in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness. Hebrews 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God MUST BELIEVE that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

The Doctrine Of The Supremacy Of The Pope

882     The Pope, Bishop of Rome and Peter’s successor, “is the perpetual and visible source and foundation of the unity both of the bishops and of the whole company of the faithful.” “For the Roman Pontiff, by reason of his office as Vicar of Christ, and as pastor of the entire Church has FULL, SUPREME and UNIVERSAL POWER over the whole Church, a power which he can ALWAYS exercise UNHINDERED.”  (Page 254)

This is a bold claim to make.  From where and from whom did he get this authority and power?  From God?  How do you know that?  Do you know what is in a man’s heart?  I don’t think so.  Are you willing to trust what this man says, or any other man, or me for that matter?  You had better check these things out for yourself.  Go to the source of truth, God’s Word.  This man, like all men, are wicked sinners, yet, he claims to be the Vicar of Christ.  In other words the substitute of Christ.  The Elementary Edition, Webster’s New World Dictionary defines Vicar like this:  “Vicar - a person who acts in place of another; substitute”.  That, my friend, is blasphemous, to make the claim that he is the substitute for Christ.  Not a single one of us deserves the grace of God, nor do we deserve the pre-eminence.  Only Christ has that right.  All the righteousness that man can muster up is nothing but filthy, putrid rags.

Colossians 1:18  And he (Jesus) is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in ALL things he might have the PREEMINENCE.

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately WICKED: who can know it?

1 John 1:8-10  If we say that we have no sin, WE DECEIVE OURSELVES, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins (to Jesus), he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness.  If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Isaiah 64:6  But we are ALL as an unclean thing, and ALL our righteousnesses are as FILTHY RAGS; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

What is in view here is a leprous man who scrapes the puss from his sores, and wraps them with rags.  Those are the filthy rags that God compares our righteousness with.

Romans 3:10-12  As it is written, There is NONE righteous, no, NOT ONE:  There is NONE that understandeth, there is NONE that seeketh after God.  They are ALL gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is NONE that doeth good, no, NOT ONE.

Romans 3:23  For ALL have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Peter, the supposedly first Pope, was fallible; he was sinful.  He denied the Lord.  He was rebuked by Jesus, and Paul withstood him to his face.  He was an imperfect man.

Matthew 26:72-74  And again HE (Peter) DENIED with an oath, I do not know the man (speaking of Jesus).  And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee.  Then began he to CURSE and to SWEAR, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.

Matthew 16:23  But he (Jesus) turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: THOU art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

Galatians 2:11  But when Peter was come to Antioch, I (Paul) withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.

891     The Roman Pontiff, head of the college of bishops, enjoys this INFALLIBILITY in virtue of his office, when, as supreme pastor and teacher of all the faithful--who confirms his brethren in the faith--he proclaims by a definitive act a doctrine pertaining to faith or morals. . . . The INFALLIBILITY promised to the Church is also present in the body of bishops when, together with Peter’s successor, they exercise the supreme Magisterium,” above all in an Ecumenical Council.  When the Church through its supreme Magistrium proposes a doctrine “for belief as being divinely revealed,” and as the teaching of Christ, the definitions “must be adhered to with the obedience of faith.”  This INFALLIBILITY extends as far as the deposit of divine Revelation itself.  (Page 256)

Here again, the claim is that the Pope is infallible, sinless.  This is not what the Bible teaches.  We are told to try the spirits, and see whether they be of God or not.  You had better see what God’s Word says.

1 John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

All true believers have equal access to God through Jesus Christ our mediator.  Believers can come to God with boldness, because Christ has made each believer a priest of God.  We do not need to go to another man.  Jesus is our High Priest.  You do not need the Pope to mediate for you.

1 Timothy 2:5  For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

Hebrews 4:16  Let us therefore COME BOLDLY unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Revelation 1:5-6  And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and PRIESTS unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

There are many false teachings about Peter.  The Catholic Church teaches that he was the first Pope, and that the Pope and Bishops must remain celibate.  Celibacy is not commanded for anyone.  This doctrine is designed to separate the clergy from the laity.  You see, they are “Holy men,” pure, virgin, untarnished.  It is true that a man can devote more of his time to the work of God if he is not married, but celibacy is not commanded.  Peter was not the first Pope, in fact, Peter was even married.  This is very unbecoming of a Pope.  When Jesus told Peter, “...thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”  Jesus was using a play on words, “thou  art Peter (Petros = little stone), and upon this rock (petra = large rock) I will build my church...”  Jesus referred to Peter as a little stone, and to Himself as a large stone.  Jesus is the chief corner stone, He was referring to Himself, the large stone, in which the church would be built upon, not Peter.  It is Jesus Christ that the gates of Hell shall not prevail against, not sinful, weak, mortal man.

Matthew 8:14  And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw HIS WIFE'S mother laid, and sick of a fever.

1 Timothy 3:2  A bishop then MUST BE blameless, the HUSBAND of one WIFE, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

1 Timothy 3:12 Let the deacons be the HUSBANDS of one WIFE, ruling their children and their own houses well.

There it is!  It is not an option.  The Bishop/Pastors/Elders, as they are called in the Bible, and the deacons, are to be HUSBANDS.

Prayers From The Dead

956     “Being more closely united to Christ, those who dwell in heaven fix the whole Church more firmly in holiness. . . . They do not cease to intercede with the Father for us, as they proffer the merits which they acquired on earth through the one mediator between God and men, Christ Jesus. . . . So by their fraternal concern is our weakness greatly helped.” (Page 271)

The only one that prays or intercedes for us in Heaven is Christ. 

Hebrews 7:25 Wherefore he (Jesus) is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

The only recorded prayer of a dead man praying was from the rich man who died and went to Hell.  In fact, he didn’t even pray to God.  The Word of God teaches that when one dies in their sins they are eternally separated from God.  It further teaches that when one dies in their sins, Jesus doesn’t even know them.

Luke 16:23-25  And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.  And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.  But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

Notice, in Hell, this man was still full of pride and would not call upon God.  At the Great White Throne Judgment where all the damned will be cast into the lake of fire, Jesus says that He never knew them.  They were never saved before because He says that He knows His sheep.

John 10:27-28 My sheep hear my voice, and I KNOW THEM, and they follow me:  And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall NEVER perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

Here is the scene at the Great White Throne Judgment:

Matthew 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I NEVER KNEW YOU: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Matthew 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

Matthew 25:46  And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

Christ is the one who mediates/prays for Believers.  He is our advocate/lawyer.

1 Timothy 2:5  For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

1 John 2:1  My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

Prayers For The Dead

958     “In full consciousness of this communion of the whole Mystical Body of Jesus Christ, the Church in its pilgrim members, from the very earliest days of the Christian religion, has honored with great respect the memory of the dead; and ‘because it is a holy and a wholesome thought to pray for the dead that they may be loosed from their sins’ she offers her suffrages for them.” Our prayer for them is capable not only of helping them, but also of making their intercession for us effective.  (Page 272)

I cherish the memories of my loved ones who have died, but I can do nothing for them, and neither can anyone else.  The claim made in this catechism is not supported anywhere in the Bible.  Where is your source of truth, the word’s of men or the Word of God?  The rich man in Hell prayed to Abraham, and even righteous Abraham could not change his situation.

Luke 16:27-31  Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:  For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.  Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.  And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.  And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

Abraham was very clear.  He told this rich man in Hell that while his brothers were alive they have a chance to repent.  They have the option to hear Moses and the prophets.  Moses was dead by this time.  It is clear that he was talking about the writings of Moses and the prophets, the written Word of God.  It is through the preaching of the Word of God that God has chosen to lead men to Christ, and to the world this seems foolish.

1 Corinthians 1:18 For the PREACHING of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

1 Corinthians 1:21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of PREACHING to save them that BELIEVE.

Salvation Comes Through Baptism

1263   By Baptism all sins are forgiven, original sin and all personal sins, as well as all punishment for sin.  In those who have been reborn nothing remains that would impede their entry into the Kingdom of God, neither Adam’s sin, nor personal sin, nor the consequences of sin, the gravest of which is separation from God.  (Page 353)

First of all, sin is sin is sin.  There is no such thing as different degrees of sin as far as guilt is concerned.

James 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in ONE point, HE IS GUILTY OF ALL.

There is only one requirement for baptism, that is, you must be saved; you must be born again; you must believe the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Belief (trusting faith/salvation) always comes first.  The teaching here is of water baptism and I will prove that a little later when we discuss infant baptism.  The requirement for baptism is belief!

Acts 8:36-37  And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?  And Philip said, If thou BELIEVEST with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

It is those that BELIEVE that are saved, and those that are damned are the ones who do not believe.  Baptism only comes after believing.  Baptism is not the element missing for those that go to Hell, rather the element missing is belief.

Mark 16:16  He that BELIEVETH and is baptized shall be saved; but he that BELIEVETH NOT shall be damned.

Notice, it did not say, “but he that believeth not and is not baptized shall be damned.”  It is unbelief that condemns people to Hell.  They choose not to believe God’s Word, and trust in the deceitful words of men.

1257   The Lord himself affirms that Baptism is necessary for salvation. He also commands his disciples to proclaim the Gospel to all nations and to baptize them.  Baptism is necessary for salvation for those to whom the Gospel has been proclaimed and who have had the possibility of asking for this sacrament.  The Church does not know of any means other than Baptism that assures entry into eternal beatitude; this is why she takes care not to neglect the mission she has received from the Lord to see that all who can be baptized are “reborn of water and the Spirit.” God has bound salvation to the sacrament of Baptism, but he himself is not bound by his sacraments.  (Page 352)

Multitudes of Scripture are clear; salvation comes from putting your trust in Christ.  The Lord teaches the difference between a natural birth which one passes through the water sack, and the saving birth, the birth of the Spirit.

John 3:4-7  Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb (natural birth), and be born?  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water (natural birth) and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh (natural) is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit (spiritual) is spirit.  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

Baptism is a picture of the Gospel.  It is commanded of the Lord, only for those who are saved.  It is the first step in obedience once someone is saved.  One is baptized because they are saved not to get saved.  When one is baptized, he is making a public profession of his faith in Christ.  I preach in the nursing home, and I have seen those that have trusted the Lord who are not physically able to be baptized.  As a matter of fact, the thief that hung on the cross could not be baptized, yet he put his trust in the Lord and was saved.

1265   Baptism not only purifies from all sins, but also makes the neophyte “a new creature,” an adopted son of God, who has become a “partaker of the divine nature,” member of Christ and co-heir with him, and a temple of the Holy Spirit.  (Page 354)

One becomes an heir of salvation and is indwelled by the Holy Spirit after he believes, not after he is baptized.  Read what God’s Word has to say.

Ephesians 1:13-14   In whom  (Jesus) ye also TRUSTED, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also AFTER THAT YE BELIEVED, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

It says, “after that ye believed,” not, “after that ye believed and was baptized.”  My friend, the Holy Spirit only indwells the saved.  There is no other way that you can interpret this verse.  It is very clear.

1267   Baptism makes us members of the Body of Christ:  “Therefore . . . we are members one of another.”  Baptism incorporates us into the Church.  From the baptismal fonts is born the one People of God of the New Covenant, which transcends all the natural or human limits of nations, cultures, races, and sexes:  “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body.”  (Page 354)

I agree that all true believers are baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ.  However, when the Catholic Church speaks of baptism they are referring to water baptism by sprinkling.  Paul had some things to say about baptism.  He said that God didn’t call him to baptize, rather to preach the Gospel.  If baptism is necessary for salvation, why wouldn’t Paul emphasize baptism?

1 Corinthians 1:14-17 I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;  Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.  And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.  For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

Infants Are Born Again Through Baptism

            The Baptism of infants

1250   Born with a fallen human nature and tainted by original sin, children also have need of the new birth in Baptism to be freed from the power of darkness and brought into the realm of the freedom of the children of God, to which all men are called.  The sheer gratuitousness of the grace of salvation is particularly manifest in infant Baptism.  The Church and the parents would deny a child the priceless grace of becoming a child of God were they not to confer Baptism shortly after birth.  (Page 350)

It is true that all are born with a sin nature, but nowhere does the Bible indicate that a baby is accountable for sin to whom the Holy Spirit has not convicted.  God is a fare and righteous God, and He will secure those who are too young and has not convicted them of sin.  God is not a barbarian.  He is Holy, righteous and just.

Psalm 19:9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.

Also, no where in Scripture will you find infants being baptized, or this practice even eluded to -- NOT ONE TIME.  I stated earlier that I would prove that water baptism is in view when the Catholic Church refers to baptism.  This catechism claims that one becomes save, or a “child of God” by being baptized.  It refers to water baptism.  A baby cannot believe!  Baptism is a picture of the Gospel, the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Christ. 

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;  By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ DIED for our sins according to the scriptures;  And that he was BURIED, and that he ROSE again the third day according to the scriptures:

Just like in the Old Testament, the sacrificial lamb was a picture of the one true sacrifice that would come, the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ.  Baptism is a retelling of the Gospel.  When one dies, they do not lay him on the ground and sprinkle him with dirt, they dig a grave and cover him completely.  Sprinkling was never practiced by the early church fathers, and can nowhere be found in the Bible.   Baptism means to be immersed.  The Bible warns about perverting the Gospel, and this would also include picturing the Gospel in any form, even baptism.

Galatians 1:6-9  I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:  Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would PERVERT the gospel of Christ.  But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, LET HIM BE ACCURSED.  As we said before, so say I now again, If ANY MAN preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, LET HIM BE ACCURSED.

Penance Necessary For Salvation

980     It is through the sacrament of Penance that the baptized can be reconciled with God and with the Church:

“Penance has rightly been called by the holy Fathers ‘a laborious kind of baptism.’ This sacrament of Penance is necessary for salvation for those who have fallen after Baptism, just as Baptism is necessary for salvation for those who have not yet been reborn”   (Page 278)

The doctrine of penance is taught nowhere in the Bible.  The Bible teaches that when believer is saved, they are eternally saved and in no danger of falling from salvation.  The Scriptures overwhelmingly prove this.

Ephesians 1:13-14   In whom  (Jesus) ye also TRUSTED, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye BELIEVED, ye were SEALED with that holy Spirit of promise,  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

John 6:37  All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I WILL IN NO WISE CAST OUT.

Jude 1:24  Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

Jesus says that he knows his sheep.

John 10:27-29  My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:  And I give unto them ETERNAL life; and they shall NEVER perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.  My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

At the Great White Throne Judgment where all the lost damned will be cast into the lake of fire, Jesus says that he never knew those that were lost.  Either they were never saved or Jesus knew them, and then said He didn’t know them.  That would make Jesus a liar.  I choose to believe His written Word than trust the traditions and philosophies of men.

Matthew 7:22-23  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful WORKS? (Notice the lost are claiming this, Jesus does not confirm this.  They evidently were depending on their works)  And then will I profess unto them, I NEVER KNEW YOU: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

God says whatever He does that is shall be done for ever.  You are not saved if you can loose it.  Tell a drowning man in the ocean that he is saved as you toss out a life saver and the rope, and tell him that he must do the rest of the work.  He is not saved until someone lifts him out of the stormy seas and into safety.  My friend, Jesus is a safe refuge that is able to keep his sheep saved.

Romans 8:38-39 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Ecclesiastes 3:14  I know that, whatsoever God doeth, IT SHALL BE FOR EVER: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.

The Church Can Forgive Sins

982     There is no offense, however serious, that the Church cannot forgive. “There is no one, however wicked and guilty, who may not confidently hope for forgiveness, provided his repentance is honest.   Christ who died for all men desires that in his Church the gates of forgiveness should always be open to anyone who turns away from sin.  (Page 278)

It was not the Church that died for me, it was not my denomination, it was not by my good works.  It was Christ who died for me, and redeemed me. How can sinful men forgive sinners?  There is only one who is able to forgive sins, the Lord Jesus Christ.  This sounds to me like a perverting of the Gospel.

Acts 5:30-31  The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.  Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

Acts 13:37-39  But he (Jesus), whom God raised again, saw no corruption.  Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man (Jesus) is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:  And by him (Jesus) ALL that believe are justified from ALL things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

1 Peter 1:18-19 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;  But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

Doctrine Of Purgatory

1030   All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation, but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.  (Page 291)

Purgatory is a man made doctrine.  It was never taught by the early church fathers, and it is not taught in the Word of God!  It is, as catechism 1031 says, a “tradition.”  The rich man that died and went to hell in Luke 16, prayed to Father Abraham, but Abraham told him that his fate was sealed.  It could not be changed.

Luke 16:22-26  And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;  And in hell (what happened to purgatory?) he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.  And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.  But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime (you had your chance when you were living) receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.  And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you CANNOT; NEITHER CAN THEY PASS TO US, that would come from thence. 

You cannot change what God has done.  It cannot be changed.

Ecclesiastes 3:14  I know that, whatsoever God doeth, IT SHALL BE FOR EVER: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.

1031   The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned. The CHURCH FORMULATED her doctrine of faith on Purgatory especially at the Council of Florence and Trent. The TRADITION of the Church, by reference to certain texts of Scripture, speaks of a cleansing fire.

As for certain lesser faults, we must believe that, before the Final Judgment, there is a purifying fire.  He who is truth says that whoever utters blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will be pardoned neither in this age nor in the age to come.  From this sentence we understand that certain offenses can be forgiven in this age, but certain others in the age to come.  (Page 291)

The only blasphemy against the Holy Spirit mentioned in the Bible must be spoken.  There is no sin too great that God can not save.  The sin and blasphemy that He cannot forgive is a continual “NO” spoken to the Holy Spirit when He convicts one of sin, and prods them to trust in Jesus.  The passage of Scripture that is being perverted here is dealing with accusations made against Jesus.  Jesus had just cast a devil out of a poor soul, and the religious crowd, the Pharisees, accused Jesus of doing this wonderful work by the power of Beelzebub, who was the prince of filth, the devil.  They attributed the good work of the Holy Spirit to that of Satan.  They were saying “NO” to the convicting Holy Spirit.  They witnessed the good work and miracles of Christ, yet they were saying “NO.”  There is the context of this blasphemy.

Matthew 12:31-32 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.  And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever SPEAKETH (it was a spoken word)  against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

The Bible clearly teaches the Christian will be judged for rewards, not salvation, at the Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:6-10).  There are several rewards of crown that can be earned for the WORK of the Christian life (2 Tim. 4:8, Jas. 1:12, Rev. 2:10; 3:10, 1 Pet. 5:4).  A Christian can loose his reward but will be SAVED, SO AS BY FIRE.  This is not a purifying Purgatory to see whether or not you will make it.  Purgatory is a man made doctrine designed to keep men under the power and fear of other men.  It is not in the Word of God!

1 Corinthians 3:11-16  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.  Now if any man build upon this (Jesus Christ) foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;  Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is (gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble).   If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a REWARD (did not say salvation, salvation is a free gift of God).  If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss (did not say loss of salvation, but rewards is the subject): but he himself SHALL BE SAVED; yet so as by fire.  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

If the Spirit of God dwells in you, and you go to Hell, then the Holy Spirit would have to go to Hell with you, because he promised, “...I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Heb 13:5b.

Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, NOR FORSAKE THEE.

Doctrines Of Indulgences And Good Works For The Dead

1032   This teaching is also based upon the practice of prayer for the dead, already mentioned in Sacred Scripture:  “Therefore [Judas Maccabeus] made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin.”  From the beginning the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God. The Church also commends almsgiving, indulgences and works of penance undertaken on behalf of the dead:

Let us help and communicate them. If Job’s sons were purified by their father’s sacrifice, why would we doubt that our offerings for the dead bring them some consolation?  Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers for them.  (Page 291)

First of all, the book of Maccabeus was not a part of the Cannon of Scripture.  One of the things that authenticated acceptable books of the Bible was their mention in the New Testament.  All of the books of the Old Testament of the “Textus Receptus” where referenced to by the Lord Jesus, or the Apostles.  This validated their authority.  The book of the Maccabeus was never mention, and was not used by early church fathers. 

The son’s of Job referenced in Job 1:5 above, were not even dead at this time.  “While Job beheld the harmony and comforts of his sons with satisfaction, his knowledge of the human heart made him fearful for them. He sent and sanctified them, reminding them to examine themselves, to confess their sins, to seek forgiveness; and as one who hoped for acceptance with God through the promised Saviour, he offered a burnt-offering for each. We perceive his care for their souls, his knowledge of the sinful state of man, his entire dependence on God's mercy in the way he had appointed.” (Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary)

Those that die without trusting Christ as their Savior are dead in their sins, without hope, condemned to eternal Hell.  Those without Christ do not have to wait until they die to be condemned because they are already condemned.  You can do nothing for the dead.  See comments about catechism  #956, & #958.

John 3:18  He that believeth on him (Jesus) is not condemned: but he that believeth not is CONDEMNED ALREADY, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

1 John 5:11-12  And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  He that HATH the Son hath life; and he that HATH NOT the Son of God hath not life.

Those that sleep, or die in Christ, have hope.  All else has no hope!

1 Thessalonians 4:13-14  But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren (he is talking to the saved), concerning them which are asleep (died in Christ), that ye sorrow not, even as others which HAVE NO HOPE.  For if we BELIEVE that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus WILL God bring with him.

Sacraments And Liturgy Communicate Grace

1084   ”Seated at the right hand of the Fatter” and pouring out the Holy Spirit on his Body which is the Church, Christ now acts through the sacraments he instituted to communicate his grace.  The sacraments are perceptible signs (word and actions) accessible to our human nature.  By the action of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit they the sacraments make present efficaciously the grace that they signify.  (Page 307)

1131   The sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us.  The visible rites by which the sacraments are celebrated signify and make present the grace proper to each sacrament.  They bear fruit in those who receive them with the required dispositions.  (Page 320)

Sacraments are not Scriptural.  There was only two ordinances given to the church to be practiced only by the saved.  Baptism for the believer, and the Lord’s Supper.  The Lord’s Supper is to be done to help us remember what Jesus did for us, and that we may examine our lives, and confess our sins to Him.  Strong warnings are given for taking the Lord’s Supper unworthily.  Some are sick, and some even suffer death for their wrongfully partaking.

1 Corinthians 11:2631  For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.  Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, SHALL BE GUILTY of the body and blood of the Lord.  But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.  For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh DAMNATION TO HIMSELF, not discerning the Lord's body.  For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.  For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

Sacraments Are Necessary For Salvation

1129   The Church affirms that for believers the sacraments of the New Covenant are necessary for salvation.  “Sacramental grace” is the grace of the Holy Spirit, given by Christ and proper to each sacrament.  The Spirit heals and transforms those who receive him by conforming them to the Son of God.  The fruit of the sacramental life is that the Spirit of adoption makes the faithful partakers in the divine nature by uniting them in a living union with the only Son, the Saviour.  (Page 319)

This is a man made tradition based upon works.  The Bible is overwhelmingly clear that salvation does not come by works, but rather, it is a free gift.  All one has to do is reach out and receive it.

Titus 3:5  NOT BY WORKS of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Ephesians 2:8-9  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the GIFT of God: NOT OF WORKS, lest any man should boast.

Galatians 2:16  Knowing that a man IS NOT justified by the WORKS of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the WORKS of the law: for by the WORKS of the law SHALL NO FLESH BE JUSTIFIED.

Romans 3:27-28  Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.  Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith WITHOUT THE DEEDS of the law.

Galatians 3:11  But that NO MAN is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just SHALL live by FAITH.

The Mass Is A Re-Sacrifice Of Christ

1414   As sacrifice, the Eucharist is also offered in reparation for the sins of the living and the dead and to obtain spiritual or temporal benefits from God.  (Page 395)

1365   Because it is the memorial of Christ’s Passover, the Eucharist is also a sacrifice. The sacrificial character of the Eucharist is manifested in the very words of institution:  “This is my body which is given for you”  and “This cup which is poured out for you is the New Covenant in my blood.”  In the Eucharist Christ gives us the VERY body which he gave up for us on the cross, the VERY blood which he “poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”  (Page 380)

1367   The sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice: “The victim is one and the SAME: the SAME now offers through the ministry of priest, who then offered himself on the cross; only the manner of offering is different.”   “In this divine sacrifice which is celebrated in the Mass, the SAME Christ who offered himself once in a bloody manner on the altar of the cross IS CONTAINED and offered in an unbloody manner.”  (Page 381)

This is an unscriptural teaching.  Christ was the one time sacrifice for all.  He finished his work of salvation, and sat down at the right hand of God.  He sat down because the work of salvation was completed.  For man to continue to sacrifice is to say that the Jesus’ sacrifice was not sufficient.  It is man’s pride that causes him to think that he must continue this sacrifice.  I am satisfied in the finished work of Christ.  Are you?

Hebrews 7:27  Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he (Jesus) did ONCE, when he offered up himself.

Hebrews 9:24-28  For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:  Nor yet that he should OFFER HIMSELF OFTEN, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;  For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: BUT NOW ONCE in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:  So Christ was ONCE offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

1 Corinthians 3:11  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

The Mass Is A Conversion Of Bread And Wine Into The Very Christ

1376   The Council of Trent summarizes the Catholic faith by declaring: “Because Christ our Redeemer said that it was truly his body that he was offering under the species of bread, it has always been the conviction of the Church of God, and this holy Council now declares again, that by the consecration of the bread and wine there takes place a change of the whole substance of the bread into the substance of the body of Christ our Lord and of the whole substance of the wine into the substance of his blood. This change the holy Catholic Church has fittingly and properly called transubstantiation.”  (Page 384, 385)

1413    By the consecration the transubstantiation of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ is brought about. Under the consecrated species of bread and wine Christ himself, living and glorious, is present in a true, real and substantial manner: his Body and his Blood, with his soul and his divinity (cf. Council of Trent: DS 1640; 1651).  (Page 395)

1374   The mode of Christ’s presence under the Eucharistic species is unique.  It raises the Eucharist above all the sacraments as “the perfection of the spiritual life and the end to which all sacraments tend.”  In the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist “the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ is truly, REALLY, and SUBSTANTIALLY CONTAINED.”  “This presence is called ‘real’--by which is not intended to exclude the other types of presence as if they could not be ‘real’ too, but because it is presence in the fullest sense: that is to say, it is a substantial presence by which Christ, God and man, makes himself wholly and entirely present.”  (Page 383, 384)

To be saved one must receive Jesus Christ as their personal savior.

John 1:12  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

However, one must be very careful to define their terminology.  Receiving Christ does not mean eating a wafer.  It simply means accepting Christ, and believing, trusting in His finished work on the cross.  The doctrine of transubstantiation actually teaches nothing more than cannibalism.  This is certainly an abominable practice.  No child of God, giving serious thought to their actions, would ever consider cannibalism.  The Lord’s Supper dealt with symbolism.  The breaking of the bread  symbolizes the body of Christ, which was beaten, bruised, and broken for you.  The wine, unfermented fruit of the vine, symbolizes the blood that he shed for you.

By taking the Lord’s Supper one should understand what these symbolize, and reflect with adoration and worship in what Jesus did for us.  He suffered such a shameful death in our place.  He did not do it that men could make a mockery of his death by defiling the Lord’s Supper.

See comments on catechism #1084, and #1131.

Priest Has Supernatural Power To Convert The Bread And Wine Into Christ

1375   It is by the conversion of the bread and wine into Christ’s body and blood that Christ BECOMES PRESENT in this sacrament. The Church Fathers strongly affirmed the faith of the Church in the efficacy of the Word of Christ and of the action of the Holy Spirit to bring about this conversion.  Thus St. John Chrysostom declares:

It is not man that causes the things offered to become the Body and Blood of Christ, but he who was crucified for us, Christ himself.  The priest, in the role of Christ, pronounces these words, but their power and grace are God’s.  This is my body, he says.  This word transforms the things offered,

And St. Ambrose says about this conversion:

Be convinced that this is not what nature has formed, but what the blessing has consecrated.  The power of the blessing prevails over that of nature, because by the blessing nature itself is changed. Could not Christ’s word, which can make from nothing what did not exist, change existing things into what they were not before?”  It is no less a feat to give things their original nature than to change their nature.  (Page 384)

Nowhere in the Word of God is this doctrine taught.  Men have turned the Lord’s Supper into a pagan cannibalistic ritual rather than a remembrance of what the Lord has done for man.  The Lord’s Supper is so often defiled by non-believers receiving it, and by saved people receiving it without confessing their sins to the Lord.  Transubstantiation is another way to separate the clergy from the laity.  The priest must be something special if he can say some magical words and miraculously the Eucharist turns in to Christ.  It is designed to deceive men, and to elevate men above others in order that they may usurp their power and authority over other men.  All true believers are saints of God, and are of no greater importance than another. God is not a respecter of persons.  These “priest” are just men, as I am.

1 Corinthians 6:1-2  Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?  Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by YOU, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

Acts 10:34  Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:

Romans 2:11  For there is no respect of persons with God.

Mass Conducted In Communion With The Dead

1370   To the offering of Christ are united not only the members still here on earth, but also those already in the glory of heaven. In communion with and commemorating the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints, the Church offers the Eucharistic sacrifice.  In the Eucharist the Church is as it were at the foot of the cross with Mary, united with the offering and intercession of Christ.  (Page 382)

See comments on catechism #956, & #958

Elements Of The Mass To Be Worshipped And Carried In Processions

1418   Because Christ himself is present in the sacrament of the altar he is to be honored with the WORSHIP of adoration.  “To visit the Blessed Sacrament is . . . a proof of gratitude, an expression of love, and duty of adoration toward Christ our Lord” (Paul VI, MF 66).  (Page 395)

1378   WORSHIP of the Eucharist. In the liturgy of the Mass we express our faith in the real presence of Christ under the species of bread and wine by, among other ways, genuflecting or bowing deeply as a sign of adoration of the Lord. “The Catholic Church has always offered and still offers to the sacrament of the Eucharist the cult of adoration, not only during Mass, but also outside of it, reserving the consecrated hosts with the utmost care, exposing them to the solemn veneration of the faithful, and carrying them in procession.”  (Page 385)

Men have the propensity to worship things rather than God.  Romans chapter 1 clearly spells this out.

Romans 1:20-25  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,  And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.  Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

God is not in the wafer, and to worship the Eucharist, as the catechism says, is nothing more than idolatry.  Don’t believe me, but believe God.  I do not say this to anger you.  I say it because it is the truth according to the Word of God.  Read it for yourself in the Bible.  God gave clear instructions concerning such things.

Exodus 20:4  THOU SHALT NOT make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:

Leviticus 26:1  Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to BOW DOWN unto it: for I am the LORD your God.

Exodus 34:14  For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:

All Sins Must Be Confessed To A Priest

1493   One who desires to obtain reconciliation with God and with the Church, must confess to a priest all the unconfessed grave sins he remembers after having carefully examined his conscience. The confession of venial faults, without being necessary in itself, is nevertheless strongly recommended by the Church.  (Page 416)

1456   Confession to a priest is an essential part of the sacrament of Penance: “All mortal sins of which penitents after a diligent self-examination are conscious must be recounted by them in confession, even if they are most secret and have been committed against the last two precepts of the Decalogue; for these sins sometimes wound the soul more grievously and are more dangerous than those which are committed openly.

When Christ’s faithful strive to confess all the sins that they can remember, they undoubtedly place all of them before the divine mercy for pardon, But those who fail to do so and knowingly withhold some, place nothing before the divine goodness for remission through the mediation of the priest, “for if the sick person is too ashamed to show his wound to the doctor, the medicine cannot heal what it does not know.”  (Page 405, 406)

1497   Individual and integral confession of grave sins followed by absolution remains the only ordinary means of reconciliation with God and with the Church.  (Page 416, 417)

This is totally unscriptural.  Man cannot be trusted with the dirty little secrets of the heart.  No priest can forgive you of your sins.   He did not die on the cross for you.  He, himself, is nothing more than a sinner.  To call him Father and confess your sins to him is not taught anywhere in Scripture.  If you sin against a brother, then you confess to the Lord and ask forgiveness of the Lord and then of the brother.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins (it doesn’t say to a priest, it is talking about confessing to the Lord), he (Jesus) is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

James 5:16 Confess your faults (did not say sins) one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Matthew 23:8-9  But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.  And CALL NO MAN YOUR FATHER upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

Confessing your faults one to another does not mean airing your dirty linen for the world to see, nor does the Scriptures ever indicate that one should confess their sins to a priest or an Apostle, nor was this practiced or taught by the early church fathers, and Apostles.

Confessing your secret sins to another man is a dangerous thing.  What power the priest would have over the one who has given him all of his dirty little secrets.

Jeremiah 17:9  The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: WHO CAN KNOW IT?

Forgiveness Of Sins And Escape From Purgatory Through Indulgences

1471   The doctrine and practice of indulgences in the Church are closely linked to the effects of the sacrament of Penance.

What is an indulgence?

      “An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the Church which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the saints.”

      “An indulgence is partial or plenary according as it removes either part or all of the temporal punishment due to sin.”  Indulgences may be applied to the living or the dead.  (Page 411)

1478   An indulgence is obtained through the Church who, by virtue of the power of binding and loosing granted her by Christ Jesus, intervenes in favor of individual Christians and opens for them the treasury of the merits of Christ and the saints to obtain from the Father of mercies the remission of the punishments due for their sins.  Thus the Church does not want simply to come to the aid of these Christians, but also to spur them to works of devotion, penance, and charity.  (Page 413)

1479   Since the faithful departed now being purified are also members of the same communion of saints, one way we can help them is to obtain indulgences for them, so that the temporal punishments due for their sins may be remitted.  (Page 413)

Put simply, indulgences is like a bank account of good favor that is left over grace from Jesus, and the saints who have gone home to glory.  Indulgences can be purchased with money or good works, thereby granting grace to the sinner.  This is a neat system, but it sounds more like the fleecing of the flock to me.  Only one problem with indulgences, it is not in the Bible.  Not one verse in the Bible speaks of temporal punishment.  Indulgences are wicked unscriptural doctrine, designed to fleece the masses.   Over the centuries the Catholic Church has amassed her wealth by extorting money from her flock under the auspices of indulgences.  Read your history!  See catechism #1030, #1031, #1032

Look what Peter says about purchasing the gifts of God.

Acts 8:20-22 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.  Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart IS NOT RIGHT in the sight of God.  Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

When it comes to religion, the majority is always wrong!  Jesus said this better than anyone else.

Matthew 7:13-16  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for WIDE is the gate, and BROAD is the way, that LEADETH TO DESTRUCTION, and MANY there be which go in thereat:  Because strait is the gate, and NARROW is the way, which LEADETH UNTO LIFE, and FEW there be that FIND IT.  Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.  Ye shall know them by their fruits...

You had better check things out for yourself.  You search the Scriptures.  Don’t take my word, or anybody else’s.  You will give an account for yourself.

John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

1 John 2:27 ... ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie...

Romans 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of HIMSELF to God.

What will you say?  Will you say, “I was told by my priest!”  God will say, “...Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels,” Matthew 25:41.

INDULGENCES IS NOT IN THE BIBLE!

Salvation Through The Good Works Of The “Saints”

1475   In the communion of saints, “a perennial link of charity exist between the faithful who have already reached their heavenly home, those who are expiating their sins in purgatory and those who are still pilgrims on earth.  Between them there is, too, an abundant exchange of all good things.”  In this wonderful exchange, the holiness of one profits others, well beyond the harm that the sin of one could cause others.  Thus recourse to the communion of saints lets the contrite sinner be more promptly and efficaciously purified of the punishments for sin.  (Page 412)

1476   We also call these spiritual goods of the communion of saints the Church’s treasury, which is “not the sum total of material goods which have accumulated during the course of the centuries.  On the contrary the ‘treasury of the Church’ is the infinite value, which can never be exhausted, which Christ’s merits have before God.  They were offered so that the whole of mankind could be set free from sin and attain communion with the Father.  In Christ, the Redeemer himself, the satisfactions and merits of his Redemption exist and find their efficacy.”  (Page 412)

1477   This treasury includes as well the prayers and good works of the Blessed Virgin Mary. They are truly immense, unfathomable and even pristine in their value before God. In the treasury, too, are the prayers and good works of all the saints, all those who have followed in the footsteps of Christ the Lord and by his grace have made their lives holy and carried out the mission the Father entrusted to them.  In this way they attained their own salvation and at the same time cooperated in saving their brothers in the unity of the Mystical Body.  (Page 412)

This is a common road that most of the world takes.  It is a Broad Road that leadeth to destruction.  Do you think God is such a barbarian that He would give His only begotten Son to die for wretched sinners such as us, if there was anyway for us to redeem ourselves?  The only Work that counts is the work on the cross of Calvery.  Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe.  I will work, not for salvation, but because of salvation.  It is God who authored salvation and not man.

Ecclesiastes 3:14  I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: NOTHING can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.

Proverbs 14:12  There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Isaiah 64:6  But we are all as an unclean thing, and ALL our righteousnesses are as FILTHY RAGS; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and THAT NOT OF YOURSELVES: it is the gift of God:  NOT OF WORKS, lest any man should boast.

Titus 3:5  NOT BY WORKS of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Galatians 2:16  Knowing that a man IS NOT JUSTIFIED by the WORKS of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and NOT BY THE WORKS of the law: for BY the WORKS of the law shall NO FLESH be justified.

Romans 3:28  Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith WITHOUT the DEEDS of the law.

Veneration Of Relics

1674   Besides sacramental liturgy and sacramentals, catechesis must take into account the forms of piety and popular devotions among the faithful.  The religious sense of the Christian people has always found expression in various forms of piety surrounding the Church’s sacramental life, such as the veneration of relics, visits to sanctuaries, pilgrimages, processions, the stations of the cross, religious dances, the rosary, medals, etc. (Page 466)

Webster’s 21st Century Dictionary defines Veneration as “respect deeply; WORSHIP; revere.”  My friend, we are commanded not to worship anything or anyone but God.  You can call it what you want, respect, revere.  How can one respect an inanimate object?  No, it is WORSHIP.

The Word of God teaches that we are to put no worldly value on inanimate objects.  We are told to put our value on those things that have eternal value.  Nothing material will last.,  It will all burn up in the end.

Matthew 6:19-20  Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:  But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

Matthew 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

2 Peter 3:10  But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

Veneration Of Images

2131   Basing itself on the mystery of the incarnate Word the seventh ecumenical council at Nicaea (787) justified against the iconoclasts the veneration of icons of Christ, but also of the Mother of God, the angels and all the saints. By becoming incarnate, the Son of God introduced a new “economy” of images.  (Page 573)

We are commanded not to make or worship any image of those things in Heaven, on Earth, or in the Oceans.  The crucifix is certainly an image of Christ on the cross, who by the way is not a dead savior still hanging on the cross, but is a risen savior setting at the right hand of the Father in Heaven.  He is alive and well!

Exodus 20:4  Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:

Leviticus 26:1  Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God.

Angels are also not to receive praise or worship.  The Bible bares this out.

Revelation 19:10 And I fell at his (the angel) feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant ... worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

Revelation 22:8-9  ...I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.  Then saith he unto me, SEE THOU DO IT NOT: for I am thy fellowservant ...worship God.

CONCLUSION

This is but a few of the heresies taught by the Catholic Church, as evident in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.  It may be that you do not agree with her teachings.  Friend, if that is your case, then you have but one option.  You must separate yourself from those that teach such heresies.  We are commanded by God’s Word to separate from them, Romans 16:17 states, “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.”  If you are not sure about where you stand, then I urge you to pray to God, and ask Him to open your eyes to this His truth.  He will lead you to the truth.

The Catholic Church has, for centuries now, lead many down that broad road that leads to destruction.  Remember, the Word of God teaches that few will find the straight and narrow path that leads to life eternal.  Matthew 7:13-14 states, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”  The majority of the world is on the broad road to Hell.  Throughout the centuries many have been martyred at her hand.  I use the word “her” because that is how the catechisms refer to the Catholic Church.  God does refer to a universal (Catholic) feminine gender church in the book of Revelation.  There are approximately 1259 references to the Catholic Church in the feminine gender found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.  These are words such as “she”, “her”, and the “Holy Mother Church”.  God never refers to His church in the feminine gender, but He does refer to the great whore that made all nations drunk with HER wicked doctrine.  Read the following verses:

Revelation 17:1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters (she is all over the world).

Revelation 19:2 For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth (she had a world-wide influence) with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand (she persecuted God’s servants).

Revelation 14:8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

I believe that history will prove that the Church of Rome is this great whore spoken of in Revelation.  Anyone wanting to know the history of the Catholic Church can go to any public library, and find many historical books on the Inquisition, and the Dark Ages.  The brutality of the Catholic Church can be clearly seen through secular history alone.  I suggest that one who wants to read more about those martyred for Christ sake, read Fox’s Book of Martyrs, by John Fox.  This is a historical book written in the 1500s.  The English is a little hard to read at times, but it is a very graphic account of those who were beaten, brutally tortured, fed to the lions, and burned at the stake for holding fast the name of Jesus Christ.  You would do well to read this book. 

I want to reiterate what I said at the beginning of this study.  Catholics are not my enemy.  Satan is my enemy, and by the way, he is your enemy too!  I love Catholics, just as I love all mankind.  I do not want to see anybody deceived, nor, do I want to see anybody die and go to Hell.  If I didn’t care, I would not try to persuade you otherwise, but the Bible states in 2 Corinthians 5:11, “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.”  Also, in Jude 1:22-23, it states, “ And of some have compassion, making a difference:  And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.”

God’s plan of salvation is very simple.  There is only one way to Heaven, and that is by placing your faith and trust in the hands of Jesus Christ.  John 14:6 states, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”  Over and over again in this study I have shown how the Bible, the Word of God, teaches that salvation comes by faith in the Lord Jesus, and not by works, that it is a free gift not to be earned.  If you have observed closely, you will notice that throughout the catechisms I have referenced, they teach that there are many ways of salvation, in which many claim to be “necessary for salvation.”  They teach that salvation comes through the Church, through baptism, through the Eucharist, through Mary, through indulgences, and it goes on, and on, and on.  It sounds like a broad road to me.

My purpose in writing this is to point people to Jesus Christ.  I’m not trying to point you to the Baptist Church, but I am trying to get you out of an apostate church.  It is Christ that I want you to see.  Maybe you are one who has trusted Christ, but have been brought up in the false doctrine of the Catholic Church, and you have not grown in the Lord.  I am not saying that one cannot be saved because one maybe a Catholic.  What I am saying is, that one cannot get saved believing and trusting in their doctrine, because it is not the Gospel, rather it is “another gospel.”  If you are saved, you got saved by trusting in the finished work of Christ, the Gospel.  Maybe you are one that has never truly trusted in Jesus Christ as your personal savior.  God has given you the faith to trust Him, Romans 12:3b states, “...God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”  I urge you to listen to that small still voice inside that is speaking to you.  That is the Holy Spirit of God calling you.  Use the faith He has given you to call upon Him, and trust Him.  Romans 10:13 states, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”   Once you have done this, I urge you to ask God to lead you to a good Bible believing Church that lifts up the name of Jesus and goes after the souls of men to win them to Christ.  If there is anything that I can do to help make things clearer please feel free to contact me.  I can be reached at the address given below.

May the Lord light your pathway.

 “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”  (Psalm 119:105)

“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  ( John 8:32)

 

Robert T. Weaver

Route 3 Box 139B

Cedar Cove Road

Hartselle, AL 35640

(205) 773-0980

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Copyright © 1996 Robert T. Weaver

Permission is given to reproduce this document without making any changes to the content.

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 "I am an old-fashioned preacher of the old-time religion, that has warmed this cold world's heart for two thousand years." -Billy SUNDAY.