Catholicism
Exposed
With over a billion adherents and an incalculable amount of wealth, the Roman Catholic Church is one of the largest and wealthiest religions in the world. Its followers can be found all around the world and its influence has been felt in nearly every country since ancient times. The Catholic Church teaches many "doctrines" which cannot be found in the Bible. This article will compare four of them with the Bible. We will see how they contradict the Bible.
(Contents:
1. The Sacrifice of the Mass (Eucharist)
2. Mary the “Mediatrix” is False Doctrine and Contradicts Scripture
3. Purgatory is Not Found in the Bible but Catholics Teach It Regardless
4. Bowing to Images and Praying to Statues Is against God’s Word
5. If You Would Like to Have a Relationship with God...)
1. The
Sacrifice of the Mass (Eucharist)
The Catholic
Church teaches that every Catholic must partake of the Eucharist (round wafers and wine or grape juice), during the Mass, in order to be saved.
"The Eucharist is
necessary for salvation, to be received either sacramentally or in
desire." (The Question and Answer Catholic Catechism, Q. 1217.) (Bold
added)
Catholics
believe that the round wafers and wine of the Eucharist transform into Christ’s
actual physical body and blood: literal flesh and blood.
"After the consecration, nothing remains of the bread
and wine except their external properties. Their
substance becomes the living body and blood of Christ." (The Question
and Answer Catholic Catechism, Q. 1225.) (Bold added)
"The Eucharist is
a sacrament which really, truly, and substantially contains the body and blood,
soul, and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ under the appearances of bread
and wine. It is the great sacrament..." (The Question and Answer Catholic
Catechism, p. 244, Q. 1212.) (Bold added)
But, what
does the Bible teach about this subject? Romans 6 addresses this topic.
Romans 6:6-11 (Emphasis added)
6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that
the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall
also live with him:
9 Knowing that
Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion
over him.
10 For in that he
died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto
sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Jesus Christ
“died unto sin once: but in that he
liveth, he liveth unto God.” Jesus does not die all over again each
time someone takes part of the Eucharist. His sacrifice at the Cross of Calvary
was done one time to pay for all the sins of the world.
Hebrews 10 explains…
3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made
of sins every year.
4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats
should take away sins.
5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith,
Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:
6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no
pleasure.
7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is
written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt
offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure
therein; which are offered by the law;
9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh
away the first, that he may establish the second.
10 By the which will
we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for
all.
Notice verse
10? The Holy Spirit, through the writer of Hebrews says that Christians “are sanctified through the offering of the
body of Jesus Christ once for all.” This offering of the body of Jesus Christ
is again not many times during many Masses, but “once for all”.
Hebrews 10:14-18
14 For by one offering
he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after
that he had said before,
16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after
those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their
minds will I write them;
17 And their sins and
iniquities will I remember no more.
18 Now where remission
of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
Jesus Christ
was offered up “once for all”. Verse 18 says, “Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.” To
teach otherwise contradicts the Bible, God’s Holy Word.
2. Mary the
“Mediatrix” is False Doctrine and Contradicts Scripture
"She [Mary] is also mediatrix because she continues to
intercede for us who are still working out our salvation on earth or suffering
in purgatory." (The Question and Answer Catholic Catechism, p. 244, Q. 253.)
Nowhere in
scripture is Mary taught to be a mediatrix (or female intercessor between God
and man). 1 Timothy 2 reveals…
1 Timothy 2:5-6
5 For there is one
God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due
time.
Notice verse
5? “For there is one God, and
one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;” There is
only one mediator, Jesus Christ.
Mary, the
wife of Joseph, had several children. She was never mentioned by any of the
writers of the New Testament or by the writers of the Gospel accounts as being
someone to pray to. Jesus never ever called Mary “mother”. Instead, Jesus
called Mary “woman”, which was a respectful way of addressing her. One time
when Jesus was teaching a crowd, Mary and some of her sons came to visit Jesus.
Jesus did not call her mother. Instead, he said…
Luke 8:19-21
19 Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could
not come at him for the press.
20 And it was told him by certain which said, Thy mother and
thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee.
21 And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my
brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.
Psalm 50:14-15
14 Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the
most High:
15 And call upon me
in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify
me.
God is the
only one we offer prayers to. He is the only one who will deliver us. Psalm 97
says…
Psalm 97:7-9
7 Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast
themselves of idols: worship him, all ye
gods.
8 Zion heard, and was glad; and the daughters of Judah
rejoiced because of thy judgments, O Lord.
9 For thou, Lord, art
high above all the earth: thou art exalted far above all gods.
God alone is
to be worshiped (worship is a form of prayer). God alone is to be praised. Hebrews 7 teaches us that Jesus Christ makes intercession for us.
Hebrews 7
22 By so much was
Jesus made a surety of a better testament.
23 And they truly were many priests, because they were not
suffered to continue by reason of death:
24 But this man,
because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.
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.
Jesus Christ “ever liveth to make intercession for them.” Only Jesus Christ intercedes to
God the Father on behalf of those who believe in Jesus. Mary is not mentioned
anywhere as making intercession, but the Holy Spirit is. Romans 8 tells how the
Holy Spirit “maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be
uttered.”
Romans 8:26-27
26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we
know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which
cannot be uttered.
27 And he that
searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he
maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
The Holy
Spirit is masculine, just to note. He “maketh
intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” The Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ both
intercede for saints, or Christians (see Hebrews 7:25 again). A saint is never
a special Christian who has attained some high position. The Bible teaches that
every true Christian who serves God is a saint (as in Romans 8:27).
3. Purgatory is Not Found in the Bible but Catholics Teach
It Regardless
The Catholic
doctrine of Purgatory states that…
"Purgatory is a
state or condition in which the souls of the just, who die with the stains of
sin, are cleansed before they are admitted to heaven." (The Question
and Answer Catholic Catechism, Q. 316.)
"Stain of sin means the temporal punishment still due to
venial or forgiven mortal sins. If the punishment has not been satisfied before
death, a person must suffer in purgatory to repay this debt which is owed to
the divine Majesty." (The Question and Answer Catholic Catechism, Q. 317.)
The Bible
teaches that Jesus Christ’s precious blood cleanses all the sin of those
who trust in Him for Salvation (see Hebrews 9:12). Nowhere is Purgatory, or
anything like it, mentioned.
Hebrews 9:11-12
11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to
come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to
say, not of this building;
12 Neither by the
blood of goats and calves, but by
his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal
redemption for us.
Colossians 1:13-14
13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath
translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
14 In whom we have
redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
Colossians
1:14 teaches that those who trust in Jesus Christ and His blood for salvation “have
redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:” This is nothing we
can obtain by good works. It is a free gift of God and “Not of works, lest any
man should boast.” Ephesians 2 says…
Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of
yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest
any man should boast.
Hebrews 9
talks more about Jesus Christ’s one-time sacrifice to pay for all the sin of
those who trust in Him for salvation.
Hebrews 9:24-28
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:
25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high
priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;
26 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.
27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after
this the judgment:
28 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.
Hebrews 9:26
and 28 reveal that Jesus Christ “put
away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” Jesus Christ did this sacrifice
“once in the end of the world”.
Jesus did this not twice, not many times, but once. One time, Jesus paid for all the sins of those who believe in
His name…who believe that He died for their sins, shedding His precious blood
on the cross to pay for all their sins (see Romans 10:9-10 and 1 Corinthians
15:3-4).
4. Bowing to Images and Praying to Statues Is against God’s Word
Exodus 20:4-5
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.
5 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;
The
Catholics deny that they are breaking the Ten Commandments by bowing before
these images and statues. Catholics are told that showing "special devotion" to (and praying to) "the Blessed Virgin", to statues, and to “saints” is fine because Catholics also give "adoration" to the "Father".
The Catholic Catechism 971 states in part:
The Jesus Christ clearly told Satan…
Worship is defined as (1):
Jesus Christ also clearly taught...
The Catholic Catechism 971 states in part:
"The Church's devotion to the Blessed Virgin is intrinsic to Christian worship."
The Jesus Christ clearly told Satan…
Matthew 4:10
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.
Worship is defined as (1):
"[1.] reverent honor and homage paid to God or a sacred personage, or to any object regarded as sacred." [Bold added]
"[2.] formal or ceremonious rendering of such honor and homage: 'They attended worship this morning.'
"[3.] adoring reverence or regard: 'excessive worship of business success.'"
Jesus Christ also clearly taught...
Luke 16:13-15
13 No servant can
serve two masters: for either he
will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and
despise the other. Ye cannot serve
God and mammon.
14 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these
things: and they derided him.
15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your
hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in
the sight of God.
What men
hold in high esteem “is abomination
in the sight of God.” That includes statues and images. Nowhere does
the Bible teach that bowing down to statues is okay. The Catholic Catechism 2113
teaches that it is wrong to serve other gods (or creatures or demons or
ancestors), in place of God, but implies it is fine to bow before and
pray to statues and “saints”. This condition of people claiming to both serve God and also serve graven images
is found in 2 Kings 17. God forbids this idolatry.
2 Kings 17:11-12
11 And there they
burnt incense in all the high
places, as did the heathen whom the
Lord carried away before them; and wrought wicked things to provoke the
Lord to anger:
12 For they served
idols, whereof the Lord had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing.
2 Kings 17:39-41
39 But the Lord your
God ye shall fear; and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your
enemies.
40 Howbeit they did
not hearken, but they did after their former manner.
41 So these nations feared
the Lord, and served their graven images, both their children, and their
children's children: as did their fathers, so do they unto this day.
These people
“feared the Lord, and served their
graven images”.
Is this any different than what most Catholics do today?
Please remember: Worship is defined as (1):
Remember, Jesus Christ clearly said...
(Note: Mary has been called "The Queen of Heaven" for a long time by the Roman Catholic Church. The Bible speaks about how the ancient Jews worshiped the "queen of heaven" and provoked God. See Jeremiah 7:17-18.)
Is this any different than what most Catholics do today?
Please remember: Worship is defined as (1):
"[1] reverent honor and homage paid to God or a sacred personage, or to any object regarded as sacred." [Bold added]
Remember, Jesus Christ clearly said...
Matthew 4:10
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.
5. If You
Would Like to Have a Relationship with the true God, Be an Adopted Child of
God, and Go to Heaven…
God loves us
so much that He sent His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins
and shed His precious blood to pay for all of these sins (John 3:16 and 1
Corinthians. 15:3-4). And He rose from the grave on the third day (1 Cor.
15:4).
The Bible
says this about Jesus and Salvation:
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 Timothy 2:5
“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men,
the man Christ Jesus;”
Acts 4:12
“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none
other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
HOW TO GET SAVED and KNOW GOD:
1. If you believe and confess aloud, genuinely from
your heart, that Jesus Christ has paid for all your sins with His
precious blood and has risen from the dead (…knowing that you
cannot earn this free gift of salvation) (Romans 10:9-10; 1 Corinthians
15:3-5; and Colossians 1:14);
2. And if you repent from your sins (You
do this by confessing only to God Himself that you are a sinner and that
you want to turn away from sin.)
(Romans 3:23; Acts 3:19; and 1 John 1:8-9);
3. And if you have made Jesus Christ your Lord and
Savior, you are saved (Jesus cannot
be your Lord if you are serving yourself and living selfishly. If He is not
your Lord, you would have another master. Jesus said in Luke 16:13: “No servant
can serve two masters…”) (Romans 10:9-10 and Luke 16:13).
4. Now seek God with all your heart. Seek to know Him
and you will (Jeremiah 29:13).
We need to
emphasize this: God does not want us
following a strict system of rules in order to please Him. God loves us and is
about having a good personal relationship with each one of us as we seek Him
and obey Him. God loves you and wants you to get to know Him personally.
John 17:3 says: "And this is life
eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom
thou hast sent."
__________________________
Works Cited
"Worship." Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, LLC. n.d. Web. 3 Sept. 2014.
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The Mormon Religion Exposed (LDS Church Exposed)
Exposed: “Jehovah’s Witnesses” (Watchtower Bible and Tract Society Exposed)
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