Would you choose to believe the Word of God or the words of men? It is impossible to believe both. (Paragraph numbers in parenthesis are from the new Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1994).
Authority:
- The Bible teaches Scripture has authority over the church. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).
- Catholicism teaches the Church has authority over Scriptures. The manner of interpreting Scripture is ultimately subject to the judgment of the Church….to the Pope and to the bishops. (100, 119).
Justification:
- The Bible teaches man is justified once by faith because justification provides a permanent right standing before God and results in glorification (Romans 8:30). “To the man who does not work, but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness” (Romans 4:5).
- Catholicism teaches man is to be justified repeatedly by sacraments and works because he loses the grace of justification each time a mortal sin is committed. The Sacrament of Penance offers a new possibility to convert and to recover the grace of justification (1446).
Regeneration:
- The Bible teaches man is regenerated at the baptism of the Spirit. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body (1 Corinthians 12:13). “From the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth” (2 Thessalonians 2:13).
- Catholicism teaches baptism of water is the sacrament of regeneration (1213). The water of Baptism truly signifies our birth into the divine life (694).
Salvation:
- The Bible teaches man is saved by God’s unmerited grace. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, so that no one can boast (Ephesians 2:8-9).
- Catholicism teaches man is saved by meriting the graces needed for salvation. We can merit for ourselves and for others the graces needed for the attainment of eternal life (2010).
- The Bible teaches man is saved for good works. “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10).
- Catholicism teaches man is saved by meriting the graces needed for salvation. We can merit for ourselves and for others the graces needed for the attainment of eternal life (2010).
- The Bible teaches man is saved for good works. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Eph. 2:10).
- Catholicism teaches man is saved by good works. In this way they attain their own salvation and cooperate in saving their brothers (1477).
- The Bible teaches man is saved for all eternity. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance. (Eph. 1:13-14).
- Catholicism teaches man is saved only until the next mortal sin is committed. Those who die in a state of mortal sin descent into hell (1035).
- The Bible teaches salvation is offered to those outside the church. “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors as though God were making His appeal through us, be reconciled to God” (2 Cor. 5:20).
- Catholicism teaches salvation is offered through the Church. Basing itself on Scripture and Tradition, the Church is necessary for salvation. Anyone refusing to enter it or remain in it cannot be saved (846).
- The Bible teaches that all sins are purified by the blood of Jesus (1 John 1:7).
- Catholicism teaches some sins are purified by the fires of Purgatory. They undergo purification in Purgatory, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven (1030-31).
Saints and Priests :
- The Bible teaches man becomes a saint when the Spirit baptizes him into the body of Christ. (Eph. 4:11-12).
- Catholicism teaches man becomes a saint only if the Pope canonizes him. This occurs when he solemnly proclaims that they practiced a heroic virtue and lived in fidelity to God’s grace (828).
- The Bible teaches every Christian is a priest and a member of the royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9).
- Catholicism teaches every man needs a priest for salvation. Catholic priests guarantee that Christ is acting in the sacraments which are necessary for salvation (1120-29).
The Lord’s Supper :
- The Bible teaches the Lord’s Supper is a memorial. “Do this in remembrance of me” (1 Cor. 11:24-25).
- Catholicism teaches the Lord’s Supper is a sacrifice. The sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice…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 (1367).
- The Bible teaches that believers receive Jesus once, spiritually, in the heart. God… put his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee (2 Cor. 1:22).
- Catholicism teaches Catholics receive Jesus physically, frequently, in the stomach. The body, blood…soul and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ…is truly, really and substantially contained in the Eucharist (1374-78).
Condemnation:
- The Bible condemns anyone who perverts the Gospel including the Roman Catholic clergy. If we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! (Gal. 1: 6-9).
- Catholicism condemns with over 100 anathemas those who believe the Bible instead of the Canons of the Council of Trent. These condemnations are still in effect today.
These thirteen teachings of Roman Catholicism demonstrate how the traditions of men can nullify and oppose the Word of God (Mark 7:7013). True saving faith is granted by God as people hear and believe His Word (Rom. 10:17). Eternal life can be received only as a gift of God’s grace, through faith in Jesus Christ. Accordingly, we must come to the cross of Christ with empty hands of faith, leaving everything behind, except or sins (2 Cor. 5:21).
Evangelist Mike Gendron
Proclaiming the Gospel
PO Box 940871
Plano, TX 75094
www.pro-gospel.org
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