'Earnestly contending for the faith,' (Jude 3 ) as well as sharing encouragement and hope through Scripture (Romans 15:4), and through the poems and posts that I write. One of many voices on the Internet warning Christians of the importance of testing the teachings of men (and women) against the unchanging truth of God's Word. (Acts 17:11) I 'warn you with tears' through much of what I write, to 'be on guard against the savage wolves that will come in among us who will distort the Word of God' as God's Word warns us about in Acts 20:26-31
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There are two very important reasons why I felt compelled to write this series of posts, and I’d like to briefly share these reasons with you now before I go any further:
1) Since I am a former Catholic who is very aware of the teachings of the Catholic Church because I attended twelve years of Catholic school, attended Catechism classes, made my First Holy Communion, was Confirmed, and faithfully attended Mass not only every Sunday for many years, but also before school began for three years (as required by the school that I attended at the time), and who came to the knowledge of who Jesus Christ truly is and what He actually accomplished for us by reading a Catholic New Testament Bible exactly like the one pictured above, I decided to write this series with the hope of reaching precious Catholics so that they can not only come to an understanding of who Jesus Christ truly is as His Word, the Bible, declares Him to be, but also so they can see by reading God’s Word that they can have complete forgiveness, lasting joy, true peace, and the assurance of salvation if they choose to believe God’s Word and place their trust in Jesus Christ alone for their salvation. Also, since many Catholics do not realize everything that the Catholic church actually teaches (as I once did not realize until after doing research and reading the CCC), I thought that it was extremely important to share this information to make Catholics aware of many things that are quite disturbing, as you will all soon become aware of as this series continues.
2) This series of posts is also being written with the intention of helping those of you who are born-again, Bible believing followers of Jesus Christ who have no idea of what the teachings of Catholicism are so that you can become aware of their teachings and be prepared to offer hope and assurance of salvation through Jesus Christ to Catholics based solely upon the truth that is recorded in God’s Word.
As we continue on in this series together comparing Scriptures in the Catholic New Testament to teachings found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, we must keep these important thoughts in mind:
When it comes to our eternal destination — heaven or hell — we must be certain that we place our trust in solid truth and not in speculation or in the traditions of men. The Catholic church claims to be the “one true Church.” Therefore, it stands to reason that their teachings must line up with God’s Word and not contradict it since God does not change (Malachi 3:6, James 1:17, Hebrews 13:8), and His Word stands firm forever. (Psalm 119:89, Isaiah 40:8, 1 Peter 1:24,25) If a contradiction is found it must be rejected because God’s Word is our plumb line by which we must measure (or test) the teachings of every religion to see if it lines up or not. If it is off in one point we can be certain that it will lead us further and further away from Biblical truth and lead us into spiritual deception.
This series will cover many different subjects ranging from what does the Catholic Church teach about the Bible, Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, priests, the pope, sin, forgiveness of sins, salvation, prayer, and what must a Catholic believe in order to receive eternal life. Some of these teachings will shock even many Catholics when they learn what their church actually teaches!
Lord willing, I hope to share at least one post every month with you in this new series until I have covered all the most important teachings that need to be brought to your attention. The main goal that I have in writing this series is to present the Word of God to Catholics — and to every person — in order to point everyone to Jesus Christ, who is our only hope and ‘the only name under heaven given among men by which we can be saved.’ (Acts 4:12)
Dear Catholic, please take a minute now to sincerely pray; ask God to open your mind to the Scriptures and to reveal the truth to you –whatever that may be.
Because only God can reveal the truth to you, I will refrain from making any comments unless I find it completely necessary. Since God’s Word is truth I trust that He will not only give you eyes to see the truth, but also I trust that He will give you the courage to respond to His leading. However, each one of you will find yourself having to answer this question when you come to many points that I present to you in these posts after realizing that there are oftentimes extreme differences between what the Word of God says and what Catholicism teaches, and the question that you will have to answer is:
“Are you going to believe the Word of God or the word of man?”
For those of you who are not Catholic, and are taking the time to read these posts in order to learn what Catholicism actually teaches, please keep in mind that every time you see the word “church” spelled with a capital c they are referring to the Catholic church, since they believe that the “Catholic Church” alone is the “one true Church.”All of the information that I will be sharing with you I have obtained from the following sources:
1) CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH (pictured above) – Imprimi Potest – Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (who later became Pope Benedict) – Interdicasterial Commission for the Catechism of the Catholic Church
2) THE WORD OF GOD – THE NEW TESTAMENT OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR IN TODAY’S ENGLISH VERSION – SACRED HEART LEAGUE EDITION – IMPRIMATUR JOHN FRANCIS WHEALON, ARCHBISHOP OF HARTFORD, APRIL 15, 1971 SIGNED AND SEALED BY BISHOP JOSEPH B. BRUNINI, DIOCESE OF JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI
3) Occasionally when I share a Scripture with you from the Sacred Heart League (SHL) Catholic New Testament and notice that it lacks depth and clarity, I will then follow it with the same verse but in the King James Version in order to give you a better understanding of what is being said, and so that you can see what is missing from the SHL translation.
4) Very briefly in this series, when it is necessary to quote from the Old Testament, I will also be quoting from THE CATHOLIC DOUAY RHEIMS VERSION OF THE BIBLE – in which you will find the following statements:
“EXCERPT FROM ENCYCLICAL LETTER OF OUR HOLY FATHER BY DIVINE PROVIDENCE POPE LEO XIII ON THE STUDY OF HOLY SCRIPTURE:
“The God of all Providence, Who in the adorable designs of His love at first elevated the human race to the participation of the Divine nature, and afterwards delivered it from the universal guilt and ruin, restoring it to its primitive dignity, has in consequence bestowed upon man a splendid gift and safeguard–making known to him, by supernatural means, the hidden Mysteries of His divinity, His wisdom, and His mercy. For although in Divine revelations there are contained some things which are not beyond the reach of unassisted reason, and which are made the objects of such revelation in order “that all may come to know them with facility, certainty, and safety from error, yet not on this account can supernatural Revelation be said to be absolutely necessary; it is only necessary because God has ordained man to a supernatural end.” This supernatural revelation according to the belief of the universal Church, is contained both in unwritten Tradition, and in written Books, which are therefore called sacred and canonical because, “being written under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, they have God for their author, and as such have been delivered to the Church.” (Page ix)
“Wherefore it must be recognised that the sacred writings are wrapt in a certain religious obscurity, and that no one can enter into their interior without a guide; God so disposing, as the Holy Fathers commonly teach, in order that men may investigate them with greater ardour and earnestness, and that what is attained with difficulty may sink more deeply into the mind and heart; and, most of all that they may understand that God has delivered the Holy Scriptures to the Church, and that in reading and making use of His Word, they must follow the Church as their guide and their teacher. St. Irenaeus long since laid down, that where the charismata of God were, there the truth was to be learnt, and that Holy Scripture was safely interpreted by those who had the Apostolic succession. His teaching, and that of other Holy Fathers, is taken up by the Council of the Vatican, which, in the renewing of the decree of Trent, declares its “mind” to be this–that “in things of faith and morals, belonging to the building up of Christian doctrine, that is to be considered the true sense of Holy Scripture which has been held and is held by our Holy Mother the Church whose place it is to judge of the true sense and interpretation of the Scriptures; and therefore that it is permitted to no one to interpret Holy Scripture against such sense or also against the unanimous agreement of the Fathers.” (Page xvii)
“Wherefore the first and dearest object of the Catholic commentator should be to interpret those passages which have received an authentic interpretation either by the sacred writers themselves, under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost (as in many places of the New Testament), or from the Church, under the assistance of the same Holy Spirit, whether by her solemn judgment or her ordinary and universal magisterium –to interpret those passages in that identical sense, and to prove, by all the resources of science that sound hermeneutical laws admit of no other interpretation. In the other passages, the analogy of faith should be followed, and Catholic doctrine, as authoritatively proposed by the Church, should be held as the supreme law; for seeing that the same God is the author both of the Sacred Books and of the doctrine committed to the Church, it is clearly impossible that any teaching can by legitimate means be extracted from the former, which shall in any respect be at variance with the latter. Hence it follows that all interpretation is foolish and false which either makes the sacred writers disagree one with another, or is opposed to the doctrine of the Church.” (Page xviii)
“For although the studies of non-Catholics, used with prudence, may sometimes be of use to the Catholic student, he should nevertheless, bear well in mind–as the Fathers also teach in numerous passages –that the sense of Holy Scripture can nowhere be found incorrupt outside of the Church, and cannot be expected to be found in writers who, being without the true faith, only gnaw the bark of the Sacred Scripture and never attain its pith.” (Page xix)
As I have mentioned in some previous posts in this series, in order to get this entire series finished in a timely manner, I have tried to keep my comments very brief and mainly made them in the introduction and closing sections of these posts, which I also tried to do (for the most part) in this last post, although, as you will soon see, the section which contains my closing comments is extra lengthy because it is a summary of the very troubling contrast between some Catholic teachings that:
• Are based on Scriptures that are taken out of context.
• Are based on Catholic “Tradition” that has been added to Scripture which distorts and even changes the true meaning of the text that God intended to present to us.
• Outright contradict Scripture and the gloriously good news of the Biblical gospel that is so clearly presented in their very own Scriptures, which prevents precious Catholics from ever coming to the knowledge of all that Jesus Christ truly accomplished for us through His sinless life, His death in our place on the cross, His burial, and His glorious resurrection from the dead in bodily form three days later.
Although I tried very hard to limit each post in this series to no more than 5000 words, some of the teachings that I came across in the CCC were so shocking and troubling that it made it rather difficult at times to stick to a limit when these teachings needed to be exposed or further information needed to be added so that you could see the spiritual danger of these teachings in light of God’s freeing and wonderful truth as revealed in His Word. I did, however, continue to keep the main focus on Scripture in this final post, which is where it should be.
For those of you who have busy schedules and do not have the time to read lengthy posts, I have highlighted just some of the many troubling things in turquoise, the extremely troubling things are highlighted in red, where the Catholic church has added to Scripture with their teachings based on Catholic Tradition I have highlighted in amethyst, and some things that are Biblical I have highlighted in blue in order to quickly bring these things to your attention. [NOTE: Emphasis on certain words that I have put in bold print throughout this post is mine.]
INTRODUCTION TO PART 23
In this next section in the Catechism Of The Catholic Church we will be covering the last half of page 701 and we will continue on through until the end of page 756 which will finally bring us to the very end of the book. The focus of this section is a continuation on prayer, mainly on the Hail Mary, a prayer that is prayed by Catholics to Mary, and the Our Father.
As you read through this last post in this series, please note the unbiblical emphasis that the Catholic church, once again, puts on the virgin Mary in their teachings by how much they focus on her, (especially in this last section of the CCC), and how they add to and twist Scripture and elevate her to positions that the Mary of the Bible never claimed to have. As an important side note, you will, however, hear the entity who claims to be the ‘Virgin Mary’ in all of the alleged apparitions of the Virgin Mary (most of which have been approved by the Catholic church), say these types of things which you will find in Catholic teachings, such as referring to Mary as the: Mother of all Peoples, Mediatrix of all Graces, Co-Redemptrix, Queen of Heaven, etc. (To learn more and when time allows, please consider reading THIS SERIES regarding the alleged apparitions of the Virgin Mary that I hope to finish writing in March or April of this year –Lord willing.
Also, please note the mystical, sometimes sensual, experiential and completely unbiblical language that is sometimes used (divinize, real presence, rhythms of praying, interior prayer, silent love, contemplate God, becoming other Christs, etc.), as well as the emphasis that is placed on Lectio Divina and especially Contemplative Prayer, which are forms of prayer based on Eastern meditation practices that make these types of praying entirely unbiblical and not Christian at all!
Let’s begin:
ARTICLE 2
THE WAY OF PRAYER
Para 2663
“In the living tradition of prayer, each Church proposes to its faithful, according to its historic, social, and cultural context, a language for prayer: words, melodies, gestures, iconography. The Magisterium of the Church(15) has the task of discerning the fidelity of these ways of praying to the tradition of apostolic faith; it is for pastors and catechists to explain their meaning, always in relation to Jesus Christ. (15 – Cf. DV 10).
Prayer to the Father.
Para 2664
There is no other way of Christian prayer than Christ. Whether our prayer is communal or personal, vocal or interior, it has access to the Father only if we pray “in the name” of Jesus. The sacred humanity of Jesus is therefore the way by which the Holy Spirit teaches us to pray to God our Father.
“Come, Holy Spirit”
Para 2670
“No one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit.”(21) Every time we begin to pray to Jesus it is the Holy Spirit who draws us on the way of prayer by his prevenient grace. Since he teaches us to pray by recalling Christ, how could we not pray to the Spirit too? That is why the Church invites us to call upon the Holy Spirit every day, especially at the beginning and the end of every important action.
If the Spirit should not be worshiped, how can he divinize me through Baptism? If he should be worshiped, should he not be the object of adoraton?(22) (21 – 1 Cor 12:3). (22 – St. Gregory of Nazianzus, Oratio 31, 28: PG 36, 165).
In communion with the Holy Mother of God
Para 2673
In prayer the Holy Spirit unites us to the person of the only Son, in his glorified humanity, through which and in which our filial prayer unites us in the Church with the Mother of Jesus.(27 – Cf. Acts 1:14)
Para 2674
Mary gave her consent in faith at the Annunciation and maintained it without hesitation at the foot of the Cross. Ever since, her motherhood has extended to the brothers and sisters of her Son, who “still journey on earth surrounded by dangers and difficulties.”(28) Jesus, the only mediator, is the way of our prayer; Mary, his mother and ours, is wholly transparent to him; she “shows the way” (hodigitria), and is herself “the Sign” of the way, according to the traditional iconography of East and West. (28 – LG 62).
Para 2675
Beginning with Mary’s unique cooperation with the working of the Holy Spirit, the Churches developed their prayer to the holy Mother of God, centering it on the person of Christ manifested in his mysteries. In countless hymns and antiphons expressing this prayer, two movements usually alternate with one another: the first “magnifies” the Lord for the “great things” he did for his lowly servant and through her for all human beings;(29) the second entrusts the supplications and praises of the children of God to the Mother of Jesus, because she now knows the humanity which, in her, the Son of God espoused. (Cf. Lk. 1:46-55).
Para 2676
This twofold movement of prayer to Mary has found a privileged expression in the Ave Maria.
Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: These two phrases of the angel’s greeting shed light on one another. Mary is full of grace because the Lord is with her. The grace with which she is filled is the presence of him who is the source of all grace. “Rejoice…O daughter of Jerusalem…the Lord your God is in your midst.”(31) Mary, in whom the Lord himself has just made his dwelling, is the daughter of Zion in person, the ark of the covenant, the place where the glory of the Lord dwells. She is “the dwelling of God…with men.“(32) (31 – Zeph 3:14, 17a). (32 – Rev 21:3).
Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. After the angel’s greeting, we make Elizabeth’s greeting our own. “Filled with the Holy Spirit,” Elizabeth is the first in the long succession of generations who have called Mary “blessed.”( 33) “Blessed is she who believed…”(34) Mary is “blessed among women” because she believed in the fulfillment of the Lord’s word. Abraham, because of his faith, became a blessing for all the nations of the earth. Mary, because of her faith, became the mother of believers, through whom all nations of the earth receive him who is God’s own blessing: Jesus, the fruit of thy womb.”(33 – Luke 1:41,48) (34 – Luke 1:45)
Para 2677
Holy Mary, Mother of God: With Elizabeth we marvel, “And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?”(36) Because she gives us Jesus, her son, Mary is Mother of God and our mother; we can trust all our cares and petitions to her: she prays for us as she prayed for herself: “Let it be to me according to your word.”(37) By entrusting ourselves to her prayer, we abandon ourselves to the will of God together with her: “Thy will be done.”(36 – Luke 1:43). (37 – Luke 1:38).
Pray for us sinners,now and at the hour of our death: By asking Mary to pray for us, we acknowledge ourselves to be poor sinners and we address ourselves to the “Mother of Mercy,” the All-Holy One. We give ourselves over to her now, in the Today of our lives, and our trust broadens further, already at the present moment to “surrender the hour of our death” wholly to her care. May she be there as she was at her son’s death on the cross. May she welcome us as our mother at the hour of our passing(38) to lead us to her son, Jesus, in paradise. (38 – Cf. John 19:27)
Para 2679
Mary is the perfect Orans (pray-er), a figure of the Church. When we pray to her, we are adhering with her to the plan of the Father, who sends his Son to save all men. Like the beloved disciple we welcome Jesus’ mother into our homes, for she has become mother of all the living. We can pray with and to her.The prayer of the Church is sustained by the prayer of Mary and united with it in hope.(40 – Cf. LG 68-69).
Para 2682
Because of Mary’s singular cooperation with the action of the Holy Spirit, the Church loves to pray in communion with the Virgin Mary, to magnify with her the great things the Lord has done for her, and to entrust supplications and praises to her.
ARTICLE 3
GUIDES FOR PRAYER
A cloud of witnesses
Para 2683
The witnesses who have preceded us into the kingdom,(41) especially those whom the Church recognizes as saints, share in the living tradition of prayer by the example of their lives, the transmission of their writings, and their prayer today. They contemplate God, praise him and constantly care for those whom they have left on earth. When they entered into the joy of their Master, they were “put in charge of many things.”(42) Their intercession is their most exalted service to God’s plan. We can and should ask them to intercede for us and for the whole world. (41 – Cf. Heb 12:1). (42 – Cf. Mt 25:21).
Servants of prayer
Para 2687
Many religious have consecrated their whole lives to prayer. Hermits, monks, and nuns since the time of the desert fathers have devoted their time to praising God and interceding for his people. The consecrated life cannot be sustained or spread without prayer; it is one of the living sources of contemplation and the spiritual life of the Church.
Para 2690
The Holy Spirit gives to certain of the faithful the gifts of wisdom, faith, and discernment for the sake of this common good which is prayer (spiritual direction). Men and women so endowed are true servants of the living tradition of prayer.
According to St. John of the Cross, the person wishing to advance toward perfection should “take care into whose hands he entrusts himself, for as the master is, so will the disciple be, and as the father is so will be the son.” And further: “In addition to being learned and discreet a director should be experienced…if the spiritual director has no experience of the spiritual life, he will be incapable of leading into it the souls whom God is calling to it, and he will not even understand them.”(47 – St. John of the Cross,The Living Flame of Love, stanza 3, 30, in The Collected Works of St. John of the Cross eds K. Kavanaugh OCD and O. Rodriguez OCD (Washington DC: Institute of Carmelite Studies, 1979), 621.
Places favorable for prayer
Para 2691
The Church, the house of God, is the proper place for the liturgical prayer of the parish community. It is also the privileged place for adoration of the real presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament.
–For personal prayer, this can be a “prayer corner” with the Sacred Scriptures and icons, in order to be there, in secret, before our Father.(48 – Cf. Mt 6:6).
CHAPTER THREE
THE LIFE OF PRAYER
Para 2698
The Tradition of the Church proposes to the faithful certain rhythms of praying intended to nourish continual prayer. Some are daily, such as morning and evening prayer, grace before and after meals, the Liturgy of the Hours. Sundays, centered on the Eucharist, and kept holy primarily by prayer. The cycle of the liturgical year and its great feasts are also basic rhythms of the Christian’s life of prayer.
Para 2699
The Lord leads all persons by paths and in ways pleasing to him, and each believer responds according to his heart’s resolve and the personal expressions of his prayer. However, Christian Tradition has retained three major expressions of prayer: vocal, meditative, and contemplative.
ARTICLE 1
EXPRESSIONS OF PRAYER
II. MEDITATION
Para 2705
Meditation is above all a quest. The mind seeks to understand the why and how of the Christian life in order to adhere and respond to what the Lord is asking. The required attentiveness is difficult to sustain. We are usually helped by books, and Christians do not want for them: the Sacred Scriptures, particularly the Gospels, holy icons, liturgical texts of the day or season, writings of the spiritual fathers, works of spirituality, the great book of creation, and that of history–the page on which the “today” of God is written.
Para 2708
Meditation engages thought, imagination, emotion, and desire. This mobilization of faculties is necessary in order to deepen our convictions of faith, prompt the conversation of our heart, and strengthen our will to follow Christ. Christian prayer tries above all to meditate on the mysteries of Christ, as in lectio divina or the rosary. This form of prayerful reflection is of great value, but Christian prayer should go further: to the knowledge of the love of the Lord Jesus, to union with him.
III. CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER
Para 2709
What is contemplative prayer?St. Teresa answers: “Contemplative prayer [Oración mental] in my opinion is nothing else than a close sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with him who we know loves us.”(6)
Contemplative prayer seeks him “whom my soul loves.”(7) It is Jesus, and in him, the Father. We seek him, because to desire him is always the beginning of love, and we seek him in that pure faith which causes us to be born of him and to live in him. In this inner prayer we can still meditate, but our attention is fixed on the Lord himself. (6 – St. Teresa of Jesus, The Book of Her Life, 8, 5 in the Collected Works of St. Teresa of Avila, tr. K. Kavanough, OCD, and O. Rodriguez, OCD (Washington DC Institute of Carmelite Studies, 1976), I. 67. (7 – Song 1:7; cf. 3:1-4).
Para 2710
The choice of the time and duration of the prayer arises from a determined will, revealing the secrets of the heart. One does not undertake contemplative prayer only when one has the time: one makes the time for the Lord, with the firm determination not to give up, no matter what trials and dryness one may encounter. One cannot always meditate, but one can always enter into inner prayer, independently of the conditions of health, work, or emotional stress. The heart is the place of this quest and encounter, in poverty and in faith.
Para 2711
Entering into contemplative prayer is like entering into the Eucharistic liturgy: we “gather up” the heart, recollect our whole being under the prompting of the Holy Spirit, abide in the dwelling place of the Lord which we are, awaken our faith in order to enter into the presence of him who awaits us. We let our masks fall and turn our hearts back to the Lord who loves us, so as to hand ourselves over to him as an offering to be purified and transformed.
Para 2714
Contemplative prayer is also the pre-eminently intense time of prayer. In it the Father strengthens our inner being with power through his Spirit “that Christ may dwell in (our) hearts through faith” and we may be “grounded in love.”(10 – Eph 3:16-17)
Para 2715
Contemplation is a gaze of faith, fixed on Jesus, “I look at him and he looks at me” : this is what a certain peasant of Ars in the time of his holy curé used to say while praying before the tabernacle. This focus on Jesus is a renunciation of self. His gaze purifies our heart; the light of the countenance of Jesus illumines the eyes of our heart and teaches us to see everything in the light of his truth and his compassion for all men. Contemplation also turns its gaze on the mysteries of the life of Christ. Thus it learns the “interior knowledge of our Lord,” the more to love him and follow him.(11 – Cf. St. Ignatius of Loyola, Spiritual Exercises, 104).
Para 2717
Contemplative prayer is silence, the “symbol of the world to come”(12) or “silent love.”(13) Words in this kind of prayer are not speeches; they are like kindling that feeds the fire of love. In this silence, unbearable to the “outer” man, the Father speaks to us his incarnate Word, who suffered, died, and rose; in this silence the Spirit of adoption enables us to share in the prayer of Jesus. (12 – Cf. St. Isaac of Nineveh, Tract myst. 66). (13 – St. John of the Cross, Maxims and Counsels, 53 in The Collected Works of St. John of the Cross, tr. K. Kavanough, OCD, and O. Rodriguez, OCD (Washington DC: Institute of Carmelite Studies, 1979),678.
Para 2718
Contemplative prayer is a union with the prayer of Christ insofar as it makes us participate in his mystery. The mystery of Christ is celebrated by the Church in the Eucharist, and the Holy Spirit makes it come alive in contemplative prayer so that our charity will manifest it in our acts.
ARTICLE 2
THE BATTLE OF PRAYER
Para 2725
Prayer is both a gift of grace and a determined response on our part. It always presupposes effort. The great figures of prayer of the Old Covenant before Christ, as well as the Mother of God, the saints, and he himself, all teach us this: prayer is a battle. Against whom? Against ourselves and against the wiles of the tempter who does all he can to turn man away from prayer, from union with God.
I. OBJECTIONS TO PRAYER
Para 2726
In the battle of prayer, we must face in ourselves and around us, erroneous notions of prayer. Some people view prayer as a simple psychological activity, others as an effort of concentration to reach a mental void. Still others reduce prayer to ritual words and postures. Many Christians unconsciously regard prayer as an occupation that is incompatible with all of the other things they have to do: they “don’t have the time.” Those who seek God by prayer are quickly discouraged because they do not know that prayer comes also from the Holy Spirit and not from themselves alone.
II. HUMBLE VIGILANCE OF HEART
Para 2729
The habitual difficulty in prayer is distraction. It can affect words and their meaning in vocal prayer; it can concern more profoundly, him to whom we are praying, in vocal prayer (liturgical or personal), meditation, and contemplative prayer. To set about hunting down distractions would be to fall into their trap, when all that is necessary is to turn back to our heart; for a distraction reveals to us what we are attached to, and this humble awareness before the Lord should awaken our preferential love for him and lead us resolutely to offer him our heart to be purified. Therein lies the battle, the choice of which master to serve.”(16 – Cf. Mt 6:21, 24).
III. FILIAL TRUST
Para 2736
Are we convinced that “we do not know how to pray as we ought”?(23) Are we asking God for “what is good for us”? Our Father knows what we need before we ask him,(24) but he awaits our petition because the dignity of his children lies in their freedom. We must pray, then, with his Spirit of freedom, to be able truly to know what he wants.(25) (23 – Rom 8:26). (24 – Cf. Mt 6:8). (25 – Cf. Rom 8:27).
Para 2737
“You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.”(26) If we ask with a divided heart, we are “adulterers”;(27) God cannot answer us, for he desires our well being, our life. “Or do you suppose that it is in vain that the scripture says, ‘He yearns jealously over the spirit which he has made to dwell in us?’ “(28) That our God is “jealous” for us is the sign of how true his love is. If we enter into the desire of his Spirit, we shall be heard.
Do not be troubled if you do not immediately receive from God what you ask him; for he desires to do something even greater for you, while you cling to him in prayer.(29)
God wills that our desire should be exercised in prayer, that we may be able to receive what he is prepared to give.(30) (26 – Jas 4:3; cf. the whole context: Jam 4:1-10; 1:5-8; 5:16). (27 – Jas 4:4). (28 – Jas 4:5) (29 – Evagrius Ponticus, De oratione) (30 – St. Augustine, Ep 130, 8, 17: PL 33, 500).
Para 2741
Jesus also prays for us–in our place and on our behalf. All our petitions were gathered up, once for all, in his cry on the Cross and, in his Resurrection, heard by the Father. This is why he never ceases to intercede for us with the Father.(32) If our prayer is resolutely united with that of Jesus, in trust and boldness as children, we obtain all that we ask in his name, even more than any particular thing: the Holy Spirit himself, who contains all gifts. (32 – Cf. Heb 5:7; 7:25; 9:24).
ARTICLE 3
THE PRAYER OF THE HOUR OF JESUS
Para 2749
Jesus fulfilled the work of the Father completely; his prayer, like his sacrifice, extends until the end of time.
SECTION TWO
ARTICLE 1
“THE SUMMARY OF THE WHOLE GOSPEL”
Para 2763
All the Scriptures –the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms–are fulfilled in Christ.(10) The Gospel is the “Good New.” Its first proclamation is summarized by St. Matthew in the Sermon on the Mount;(11) the prayer to our Father is at the center of this proclamation. It is in this context that each petition bequeathed to us by the Lord is illuminated.(10 – Cf. Lk 24:44). (11 – Cf. Mt 5-7).
ARTICLE 2
“OUR FATHER WHO ART IN HEAVEN”
Para 2782
We can adore the Father because he has caused us to be reborn to his life by adopting us as his children in his only Son: by Baptism, he incorporates us into the Body of his Christ; through the anointing of his Spirit who flows from the head to the members, he makes us other “Christs.”
God, indeed, who has predestined us to adoption as his sons, has conformed us to the glorious Body of Christ. So then you who have become sharers in Christ are appropriately called “Christs.”(34 – St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catech. myst. 3, 1: PG 33, 1088A).
Para 2783
Thus the Lord’s Prayer reveals us to ourselves at the same time that it reveals the Father to us.(36)
O man, you did not dare to raise your face to heaven, you lowered your eyes to the earth, and suddenly you have received the grace of Christ: all your sins have been forgiven. From being a wicked servant you have become a good son…Then raise your eyes to the Father who has begotten you through Baptism, to the Father who has redeemed you through his Son, and say: “Our Father…” But do not claim any privilege. He is the Father in a special way only of Christ, but he is the common Father of us all, because while he has begotten only Christ, he has created us. Then also say by his grace, “Our Father,” so that you may merit being his son.(37) (36 – Cf. GS 22 § 1) (37 – St. Ambrose, De Sacr. 5, 4, 19: PL 16:450-451).
Para 2791
For this reason, in spite of the divisions among Christians, this prayer to “our” Father remains our common patrimony and an urgent summons for all the baptized. In communion by faith in Christ and by Baptism, they ought to join in Jesus’ prayer for the unity of his disciples.(50 – Cf. UR 8; 22).
Para 2798
We can invoke God as “Father” because the Son of God made man has revealed him to us. In this Son, through Baptism, we are incorporated and adopted as sons of God.
Para 2813
In the waters of Baptism, we have been “washed…sanctified…justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.”(79).
By whom is God hallowed, since he is the one who hallows? But since he said, “You shall be holy to me; for I the LORD am holy,” we seek and ask that we who were sanctified in Baptism may persevere in what we have begun to be.(81) (79 – 1 Cor 6:11). (81 – St. Cyprian,De Dom,orat. 12: PL 4, 527A; Lev 20:26).
NOTE: In context, let’s take a look at the verse that they cite as their basis for teaching that a person is sanctified in Baptism –1 Corinthians 6:11:
“Surely you know that the wicked shall not receive God’s Kingdom. Do not fool yourselves; people who are immoral, or worship idols, or adulterers, or homosexual perverts, or who rob, or are greedy, or are drunkards, or who slander others, or are thieves–none of these will receive God’s Kingdom. Some of you were like that. But you have been cleansed from sin; you have been dedicated to God; you have been put right with God through the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11 – Sacred Heart League Catholic New Testament – SHLCNT)
Here is the same passage of Scripture in the Douay-Rheims Catholic Version:
“Know you not that the unjust shall not possess the kingdom of God? Do not err: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, Nor the effeminate, nor liers with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor railers, nor extortioners, shall possess the kingdom of God. And such some of you were; but you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11 – DRV)
In their proper context we see that there is no mention of baptism or water. The truth in this verse clearly speaks for itself; we are sanctified/cleansed from sin through Jesus Christ, and not by baptism as Catholic Tradition teaches.
Let’s take a look at some verses in the Word of God that clearly show us how we become sanctified. As you read them, please note the completeness and finality of Jesus Christ’s once for all sacrifice:
“First he said, “You neither want nor are you pleased with sacrifices and offerings, or with animals burned on the altar and the sacrifices to take away sins.” He said this even though all these sacrifices are offered according to the Law. Then he said, “Here I am, God, to do what you want me to do.” So God does away with all the old sacrifices and puts the sacrifice of Christ in their place. Because Jesus Christ did what God wanted him to do, we are all made clean (sanctified) from sin by the offering that he made of his own body, once and for all. (Hebrews 10:8-10 – SHLCNT)
Here is the same passage of Scripture in the Douay-Rheims Catholic Version:
“In saying before, Sacrifices, and oblations, and holocausts for sin thou wouldest not, neither are they pleasing to thee, which are offered according to the law. Then said I: Behold, I come to do thy will, O God: he taketh away the first, that he may establish that which followeth. In the which will, we are sanctified by the oblation of the body of Jesus Christ once.” (Hebrews 10:8-10 DRV)
Here is another passage of Scripture that clearly shows it is by the blood of Jesus — by fully placing our trust in His once for all sacrifice — that we become sanctified:
“The Jewish High Priest brings the blood of the animals into the Most Holy Place to offer it as a sacrifice for sins; but the bodies of the animals are burned outside the camp. For this reason Jesus also died outside the city gate in order to cleanse (sanctify) the people from sin with his own blood.” (Hebrews 13:11,12 – SHLCNT)
Here is how the above passage of Scripture reads in the Douay-Rheims Catholic Version:
“For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the holies by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people by his own blood, suffered without the gate.
Let’s continue:
II. THY KINGDOM COME
Para 2820
By a discernment according to the Spirit, Christians have to distinguish between the growth of the Reign of God and the progress of the culture and society in which they are involved. This distinction is not a separation. Man’s vocation to eternal life does not suppress, but actually reinforces, his duty to put into action in this world the energies and means received from the Creator to serve justice and peace.(93 – Cf. GS 22; 32; 39; 45; EN 31).
Para 2821:
This petition is taken up and granted in the prayer of Jesus which is present and effective in the Eucharist; it bears its fruit in the new life in keeping with the Beatitudes.(94 Cf. Jn 17:17-20; Mt 5:13-16; 6:24; 7:12-13).
III. THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN
Para 2824
In Christ, and through his human will, the will of the Father has been perfectly fulfilled once for all. Jesus said on entering into this world, “Lo, I have come to do your will, O God.”(99) Only Jesus can say: “I always do what is pleasing to him.”(100) In the prayer of his agony, he consents totally to this will: “not my will but yours be done.”(101) For this reason Jesus “gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.(102) And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” (99 – Heb 10:7; Ps 40:7). (100 – Jn 8:29). (101 – Lk 22:42; cf. Jn 4:34; 5:30; 6:38). (102 – Gal 1:4).
NOTE: They may profess that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus once for all, but in their continual offering of the sacrificeof the Mass (which they say is truly propitiatory), they completely deny the sufficiency of Jesus Christ’s once for all sacrifice.
Continuing on:
Para 2827
“If anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him.”(110) Such is the power of the Church’s prayer in the name of her Lord, above all in the Eucharist.Her prayer is also a communion of intercession with the all-holy Mother of God(111) and all the saints who have been pleasing to the Lord because they willed his will alone. (110 – Jn 9:31; cf. 1 Jn 5:14). (111 – Cf. Lk 1:38; 49).
Para 2832
As leaven in the dough, the newness of the kingdom should make the earth “rise” by the Spirit of Christ.(119) This must be shown by the establishment of justice in personal and social, economic and economic relations, without ever forgetting that there are no just structures without people who want to be just.” (119 – Cf. AA 5).
Para 2835
There is a famine on earth, “not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.”(124) For this reason the specifically Christian sense of this fourth petition concerns the Bread of Life: The Word of God accepted in faith, the Body of Christ received in the Eucharist.(125) (124 – Amos 8:11) (125 – Cf. Jn 6:26-58)
Para 2837
“Daily” (epiousios) occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. Taken in a temporal sense, this word is a pedagogical repetition of “this day”(128) to confirm us in trust “without reservation.” Taken in the qualitative sense, it signifies what is necessary for life, and more broadly every good thing sufficient for subsistence. (129) Taken literally (epi-ousios: “super essential”), it refers directly to the Bread of Life, the Body of Christ, the “medicine of immortality,” without which we have no life within us.(130) Finally in this connection, its heavenly meaning is evident: “this day” is the Day of the Lord, the day of the feast of the kingdom, anticipated in the Eucharist that is already the foretaste of the kingdom to come. For this reason it is fitting for the Eucharist liturgy to be celebrated each day.
The Eucharist is our daily bread. The power belonging to this divine food makes it a bond of union. Its effect is then understood as unity, so that, gathered into his Body and made members of him, we may become what we receive…This also is our daily bread: the readings you hear each day in church and the hymns you hear and sing. All these things are necessities for our pilgrimage.(131) The Father in heaven urges us, as children of heaven, to ask for the bread of heaven. [Christ] himself is the bread who, sown in the Virgin, raised up in the flesh, kneaded in the Passion, baked in the oven of the tomb, reserved in churches, brought to altars, furnishes the faithful each day with food from heaven.(132) (128 – Cf. Ex 16:19-21) (129 – Cf. 1 Tim 6:8). (130 – St. Ignatius of Antioch Ad Eph. 20, 2: PG 5, 661; Jn 6:53-56) (131 – St. Augustine, Sermo 57, 7: PL 38, 389). (132 – St. Peter Chrysologus, Sermo 67: PL 52, 392; cf. Jn 6:51).
V. “AND FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES, AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US”
Para 2839
With bold confidence, we began praying to our Father. In begging him that his name be hallowed, we were in fact asking him that we ourselves might be always made more holy. But though we are clothed with the baptismal garment, we do not cease to sin, to turn away from God. Now, in this new petition, we return to him like the prodigal son and, like the tax collector, recognize that we are sinners before him.(133) Our petition begins with a “confession” of our wretchedness and his mercy. Our hope is firm because, in his Son, “we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”(134) We find the efficacious and undoubted sign of his forgiveness in the sacraments of his Church.(135) (133 – Cf. Lk 15:11-32; 18:13). (134 – Col 1:14; Eph 1:7). (135 – Cf. Mt 26:28; Jn 20:23).
Para 2845
The communion of the Holy Trinity is the source and criterion of truth in every relationship. It is lived out in prayer, above all in the Eucharist.(148 – Cf. Mt 5:23-24; 1 Jn 3:19-24).
VI. AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION
Para 2846
This petition goes to the root of the preceding one, for our sins result from our consenting to temptation; we therefore ask our Father not to “lead” us into temptation. It is difficult to translate the Greek verb used by a single English word: the Greek means both “do not allow us to enter into temptation” and “do not let us yield to temptation.”(150) “God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one.”;(151) on the contrary, he wants to set us free from evil. We ask him not to allow us to take the way that leads to sin. We are engaged in the battle “between flesh and spirit”; this petition implores the Spirit of discernment and strength.
Para 2852
“A murderer from the beginning…a liar and the father of lies,” Satan is “the deceiver of the whole world.”(165) Through him sin and death entered into the world and by his definitive defeat all creation will be “freed from the corruption of sin and death.”(166) Now “we know that anyone born of God does not sin, but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. We know that we are of God, and the whole world is in the power of the evil one.”(167) (165 – Jn 8:44; Rev 12:9). (166 – Roman Missal Eucharistic Prayer IV. 125). (167 – 1 Jn 5:18,19).
Para 2853
Victory over the “prince of this world” was won once for at the Hour when Jesus freely gave himself up to death to give us his life. This is the judgment of this world, and the prince of this world is “cast out.”(170) “He pursued the woman”(171) but had no hold on her: the new Eve, “full of grace” of the Holy Spirit, is preserved from sin and the corruption of death (the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption of the Most Holy Mother of God,Mary, ever virgin). “Then the dragon was angry with the woman, and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring.”(172) Therefore the Spirit and the Church pray: “Come, Lord Jesus,”(173) since his coming will deliver us from the Evil One. (170 – Jn 12:31; Rev 12:10). (171 – Rev 12:13-16). (172 – Rev 12:17). (173 – Rev 22:17,20).
This brings us to the end of the Catechism Of The Catholic Church. Throughout this series I have tried to clearly point out to you how the Catholic church does not place their emphasis on Jesus Christ and the sufficiency of His once for all sacrifice that paid the debt for all sin in full in their teachings.
I have also tried to show you from their own teachings how they twist and distort God’s Word by adding to Scripture instead of basing their teachings on the clear truths presented in Scripture, and how they oftentimes back up their teachings by sharing quotes from Catholic mystics of the past and mystical teachings of monks, known as the desert fathers.
Throughout this series, regarding the Catechism Of The Catholic Church, you have seen how terms such as Contemplative Prayer, Lectio Divina, desert fathers, spiritual director, silent prayer along with “saints”/people such as St. John of the Cross, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Ignatius of Loyola, etc., have been mentioned quite innocently. But as I have tried to document for you throughout this series, these terms and people will lead Catholics and others (who are not aware of the spiritual dangers of Contemplative prayer and what these “saints” and desert fathers believed, taught, and experienced), slowly into the world of the occult!
To refresh your memory, and for those of you who may not have read any previous posts in this series, here is some information on Contemplative Prayer, St. John of the Cross, and St. Teresa of Avila, and more:
INFORMATION ON THE UNBIBLICAL NATURE OF SACRED RHYTHMS AND CO-FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OT THE TRANSFORMING CENTER, RUTH HALEY BARTON, WHO PROMOTES THIS, AMONG MANY OTHER PROFESSING CHRISTIAN LEADERS:
Below is a quick capture of some information regarding St. John of the Cross in which you can see that he promoted Contemplative Meditation and unionwith God, terms that can both be found in Eastern religions, not Biblical Christianity. His writings, such as, ‘The Ascent Of Mount Carmel’ and ‘Dark Night Of TheSoul,’ promote mysticism.
Very troubling information on mystic, Teresa of Avila, can be seen in the following video starting at the 24:55 minute mark and ending at the 34:14 minute mark. However, the entire video is well worth watching.
Now I’d now like to share some information with you from a tract that was written by a former Roman Catholic priest, Bartholomew F. Brewer, PH.D., regarding the central focus of Catholicism –the Sacrifice of the Mass. Back in 1980, right after I just became a Christian, I sent away for some information from Mission To Catholics International Inc., and this was one of many tracts that I received.
Although the information in this tract is deeply rooted in Scripture, some Catholics who read this may find what he has to say to be rather harsh. However, when your eternal destiny is at stake regarding what you choose to believe and to place your trust in for the forgiveness of your sins, the truth is what’s most important, and he clearly shares the truth based on the Word of God regarding some of the troubling teachings of Catholicism that denies the sufficiency of Jesus Christ’s once for all sacrifice to pay the debt for all sin –in full!
NOTE: The following information has been added for documentational purposes only and is not necessarily an endorsement of Bart Brewer since I am not aware of all his beliefs and whether they all line up with Scripture or not.]
THE ROMAN CATHOLIC SACRIFICE OF THE MASS
The sacrifice of the Mass is the very heart of Roman Catholic faith. It is the most beautiful, the most sacred part of Catholic worship. “It is the secret of her holiness and vitality.” Saint Francis De Sales said it is “the mainspring of devotion.” According to Pope Urban, if the angels could envy man anything, it would be his power to offer the Holy Sacrifice. Cardinal Newman called it “the greatest action that can be on earth.”
OFFICIAL CATHOLIC TEACHING
The Church of Rome teaches –(1) that at the Last Supper, Christ instituted the Mass, a true, visible, sacrifice…; (2) that Christ bequeathed the Mass to His Church…to be of avail for the remission of sins and the punishment due them, and the benefit of the living and the dead; (3) that Christ established a special priesthood for its celebration; (4) that Christ, through the ministry of His priests, offers Himself in the Mass as He offered Himself on the cross; but that, whereas He offered Himself in a bloody manner on the cross, He offers Himself in an unbloody manner in the Mass; (5) that, this difference apart, the sacrifice of the Mass is the same sacrifice as that of the cross, for there is the same Priest, the same Victim and the same Offering. Rome teaches that just as the sacrifice of Calvary was prefigured in the Jewish sacrifices, so it is continued in the Mass in its essentials as a sacrifice. Catholic doctrine teaches that through the sacrifice of the Mass a friend of God receives the appeasement of God’s anger, the extinction of the debt of temporal punishment and the reception of blessings, which include an increase of Sanctifying Grace, Through the Mass, one’s acts of adoration, praise, thanksgiving, atonement, satisfaction and petition receive a new and special efficacy. In the sacrifice of the Mass one is said to receive, more surely that through any other means, the grace of contrition in the hour of need, the grace of more perfect sanctity, and all temporal blessings not in conflict with one’s spiritual well-being.
FIFTH ARTICLE OF THE CREED OF POPE PIUS IV
“I profess likewise that in the Mass there is offered to God a true, proper, and propitiatory sacrifice for the living and the dead. And that in the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist there is truly, really, and substantially the blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ; and that there is made a conversion of the whole substance of the bread into the body, and of the whole substance of the wine into the blood, which conversion of the Catholic Church calleth Transubstantiation. I also confess that under either kind alone Christ is received whole and entire, and a true sacrament.”
THE COUNCIL OF TRENT
The canons of the Council of Trent on this subject passed in session xxii. cap. ii are as follows:
1. “If any one shall say, that in the Mass there is not offered to God a true and proper sacrifice, or that what is offered is nothing else than Christ given to be eaten, let him be anathema.”
2. “If any one shall say that in those words, This do in remembrance of Me, Christ did not make the apostles priests, or did not ordain that they themselves and other priests should offer His body and blood, let him be anathema.”
3.”If any one shall say that the sacrifice of the Mass is only of praise and thanksgiving, or a bare commemoration of the sacrifice performed on the cross, but not propitiatory; or that it is of benefit only to the person who takes it, and ought not to be offered for the living and the dead for sins, punishments, satisfactions, and other necessities, let him be accursed.”
4. “If any one shall say that a blasphemy is ascribed to the most holy sacrifice of Christ performed on the cross by the sacrifice of the Mass, or the latter derogates from the former, let him be accursed.”
PRONOUNCEMENT FROM VATICAN II
“At the Last Supper…our Saviour instituted the Eucharistic Sacrifice of His Body and Blood. He did this in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the Cross…” p. 154, The Documents of Vatican II, Walter M. Abbott, S. J.
CATHOLIC PROOF – TEXTS EXPLAINED
Malachi 1:11: “From the rising of the sun even to the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering.”
Roman Catholic authorities claim that this prophecy is fulfilled in the sacrifice of the Mass. However, a close look at the meaning of this verse indicates not a literal, external offering, but a spiritual, internal offering. David declared in Psalm 51:17 that “the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart.” Peter admonished the people of God to offer up spiritual sacrifices (1 Peter 2:5), praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light (v. 9). The author of Hebrews speaks of spiritual sacrifices as praise, thanksgiving and alms-giving (13:15,16). The Christians in Rome were admonished to present their bodies (i.e. their whole being) as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1). Catholic authorities say that the Hebrew word for offering (mincha) refers to the unbloody sacrifice of the Mass, but in 1 Samuel 2:17 the word mincha is used in reference to a bloody sacrifice and in Isaiah 66:20 the company of God’s people constitutes the mincha. One cannot, therefore, use this verse to substantiate evidence in favor of the sacrifice of the Mass.
Romans 15:16b: “…that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost…”
Again the offering of the Gentiles was a spiritual, internal sacrifice, that of obedience in word and deed (v. 18).
Genesis 14:18: “And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was a priest of the most high God.”
One cannot assume that this verse speaks of a sacrifice offered to God. Melchizedek was a priest of God and he brought bread and wine, not for a sacrifice but for the refreshment of Abram and his men returning from battle. Cyprian was the earliest of the post-apostolic fathers to teach that Melchizedek was a sacrificer but there is no Biblical reference of Melchizedek offering sacrifice (see Hebrews 7).
1 Corinthians 11:24b: “This do in remembrance of me.”
Catholics are taught that in this verse Jesus was, in effect, saying, “As I have now offered My body and blood under the appearances of bread and wine as a sacrifice, so must you offer in sacrifice My body and blood in every celebration of this sacrament.” Rome teaches that with these words Jesus made the apostles priests and gave Himself as a perpetual victim whom they were to sacrifice daily. It is estimated that there are more than 200,000 sacrifices offered on Roman altars around the world each day of the week. What a perversion of the common expression “this do” which in this context simply means that God’s people are to partake of the bread and wine as a reminder (not a perpetuation) of Christ’s atonement.
John 19:30: “It is finished.”
According to a Roman Catholic priest, Richard W. Grace, in his book, “The Sacrifice of Christ,” “These words do not declare that His sacrifice was finished, but that He had finished His former, normal, earthly life and was now fixed in the state of a victim…He then began His everlasting career as the perpetual sacrifice of the New Law.”
According to Rome, the sacrifice of Christ was completed on Calvary, but not finished, i.e. He must be perpetually sacrificed in the Mass. However, it is not the blood sacrifice of the Cross that is repeated, but the so-called unbloody sacrifice of the upper room, the sacrifice of His flesh and blood under the appearance of bread and wine. It was the shedding of Jesus’ blood that brought remission of sin. That sacrifice was finished as He said and Hebrews 9:22 later tells us that apart from the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin. Therefore, what took place in the upper room was not a sacrifice but an explanation of the sacrifice that was to take place and since admittedly, there is no blood in the sacrifice of the Mass, it cannot be a sacrifice for sin.
John 6:54-55: “Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.” Meat is to satisfy hunger and in verse 35 Jesus said “he that cometh to me shall never hunger.”
Therefore, to come to Him is to eat. To drink is to satisfy thirst and again in verse 35 Jesus said “he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” Therefore, to believe is to drink. No one can say that here Jesus was establishing the eating and drinking of a sacrifice for sin, especially not after what he said in verse 63: “the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” In Levitical law, not only was the blood never eaten, but the sin offering was never to be eaten. Yet Catholics believe that they really eat Christ’s body and drink His blood in their communion. If they insist on a literal meaning in this verse, then they must take literally the whole statement and also believe that all who receive their communion are saved (will live forever) and they do not believe that. Without doubt, to consistently literalize this passage involves some impossible interpretation for the Catholic.
Matthew 26: 26 and 28: “This is my body…this is my blood.”
No one can deny that here we have figurative language. Jesus did not say, touto gignetai (this has become or is turned into) but touto esti (this signifies, represents or stands for). In another passage he said “this cup is the new testament.” For one thing, “the cup” refers to its contents and certainly neither the cup nor its contents constitutes the new covenant, but symbolizes it. Throughout Scripture we find similar metaphorical language: Jesus referred to Himself as “the door,” “the vine,” “the light,” “the root,” “the rock,” “the bright and morning star” as well as “the bread.” If I were to show someone a photograph of my son and say, “this is my son,” they would not take these words literally. The Scripture is written with such common language that it is obvious to any observant reader that the Lord’s Supper was intended primarily as a memorial and in no sense a literal sacrifice. In taking Biblical statements literally, we must be sure that doing so is consistent with the context and not in contradiction to other clear teaching.
THE FINALITY OF CHRIST’S SACRIFICE
The Bible teaches that the priesthood of Jesus Christ is unique:
“Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek” (Psalm 110:4 and Hebrews 7:17); “but this man, because he continueth ever hath an unchangeable priesthood (i.e. it cannot be transferred to another)” (Hebrews 7:3b and 24); “there is…one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).
There is an obvious superiority in Jesus Christ, the one who is approachable and can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities (Hebrews 4:15). The human sacrificing priesthood was weak and unprofitable being made up of “many priests” and men of infirmity, but Christ was holy, undefiled and separate from sinners (Hebrews 7:23 and 28). Roman Catholicism teaches that her priests discharge the priesthood of Jesus Christ, that they are other Christs (Alter Christus). This explains the extravagant adulation and exaltation heaped upon the Roman priest. The French Catholic saint, J. B. M. Vianney said that
“Where there is no priest there is no sacrifice, and where there is no sacrifice there is no religion…Without the priest the death and passion of our Lord would be of no avail to us…See the power of the priest!” By one word from his lips, he changes a piece of bread into a God! A greater feat than the creation of a world.”
He also said:
“If I were to meet a priest and an angel, I would salute the priest before saluting the angel. The angel is a friend of God, but the priest holds the place of God…Next to God Himself, the priest is everything!”
What humiliation for Jesus Christ (the one who is to have preeminence in all things). All mankind must say with John the Baptist:
“He must increase, but I must decrease.”
The epistle to the Hebrews speaks of the once for all sacrifice of Christ on the cross, not a daily sacrifice on altars. It cannot be argued exegetically that the Mass is a real and true sacrifice of reconciliation and that Christ still sacrifices Himself daily by the hands of the priest (Council of Trent) as the Bible repeatedly affirms in the clearest and most positive terms that Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary was complete in that one offering. And that it was never to be repeated is set forth in Hebrews, chapter 7, 9, and 10. There we read:
“Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the peoples: for this he did once, when he offered up himself (7:27).
“…by his own blood he entered in once, into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us” (9:12).
“…and without shedding of blood is no remission…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…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” (9:22-28).
“By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every high priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sin: But this man, after he had offered onesacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God; from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified” (10:10-14).
Dr. Loraine Boettner, in his classic book “Roman Catholicism,” asks the reader to:
“Notice that throughout these verses occurs the statement ‘once for all,’ which has in it the idea of completeness, or finality, and which precludes repetition. Christ’s work on the cross was perfect and decisive. It constituted one historic event which need never repeated and which in fact cannot be repeated. The language is perfectly clear: ‘He offered one sacrifice for sins forever’ (Hebrews 10:12). Paul says that ‘Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more’ (Romans 6:9); and the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews says that ‘By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified’ (10:14)…We are told that Christ has sat down as token that His work is finished. Depend upon it. He never descends from that exalted place to be a further sacrifice upon Rome’s altars or on any other; for of such sacrifice there is no need. …Thank God that we can look back to what our Lord did on Calvary and know that He completed the sacrifice for sins once for all, and that our salvation is not dependent on the whim or arbitrary decree of any priest or church. Any pretense at a continuous offering for sin is worse than vain, for it is a denial of the efficacy of the atoning sacrifice of Christ on Calvary.”
PAGAN ORIGIN
It is shocking for Roman Catholics to learn that the proposal of the Lord’s Supper as a sacrifice was first made by a Benedictine monk, Radbertus, in the ninth century and was the subject of many fierce verbal battles by the bishops until Pope Innocent III declared it an official Roman doctrine in 1215 A.D. The very principles found in the bloodless sacrifice of the Mass as it is in the church of Rome today can be traced back through the labyrinth of paganism to the fountain of idolatry, ancient Babylon. Rome’s most blasphemous and massive religious fraud originated in Chaldean idol worship and will continue until the time of the end when, according to Revelation 17 and 18, amid the wonder and admiration of the world, Rome will be judged with violence and be thrown down and shall be found no more at all, for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
HAS THE MASS REALLY CHANGED?
Today many are expressing hope that Rome is turning toward Scriptural Christianity. Many are thrilled with her changes while failing to realize that they are only superficial. For example, the Church of Rome will never reject the sacrifice of the Mass–just streamline it enough to fool the unlearned in the Scriptures (the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth). Pope John XXIII made it clear that his church is bound “to all the teachings of the Church in its entirety and preciseness, as it still shines forth in the Acts of the Council of Trent and First Vatican Council…” (The Documents of Vatican II, Abbott, S.J.)
CONCLUSION
Based on the authority of the Bible, we must conclude that the Roman Catholic sacrifice of the Mass is a mockery, a deception, a fraud, an abomination before God. As we have shown, it is not the same sacrifice as that of Calvary, regardless of what the priests may say. Yet, under the threat of eternal condemnation, Catholics are, forced to believe what their church teaches, even though it contradicts the Scriptures and reason. The Bible says to “come now, let us reason together,” but Rome demands that her people accept as true that which they know to be false and practice traditions of men which can never bring them to salvation.
Because there are thousands of nominal Roman Catholics who do not believe all that their church requires, we are pleased to announce that they are not Roman Catholics at all, for according to Pope Paul VI, no one may claim to be a member of the Roman Catholic church if he does not maintain fidelity to the churches’ magisterium (teaching authority). On August 24, 1977 he said:
“People who say they are part of the Church and yet are not faithful remain outside.”
Our earnest prayer and expectation is that our beloved Roman Catholic friends will study the Scriptures with an honest desire to know and obey God’s Word to us. The Holy Spirit will then convict them with truth and give them the courage and integrity to separate from false teaching (John 12:46, 1 Timothy 6:3-5, II Timothy 3:5, II Corinthians 6:14-17, Ephesians 5:11, II John 10, Revelation 18:4) and join fellowship with the truly born-again believers in Bible teaching, Christ honoring churches where they can grow in grace and in the knowledge of our wonderful Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. [End of tract.]
HERE IS A LIST OF SOME CATHOLIC TEACHINGS BASED ON TRADITION, NOT ON SCRIPTURE
• Transubstantiation (the teaching that the priest was given the power by Jesus Christ to transform the bread and the wine into the literal body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ) was first made an official doctrine of the Catholic church at the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215 A.D.
• Purgatory was made an official doctrine of the Catholic church in 1274 A.D.
• Immaculate Conception (Mary proclaimed to be sinless) – 1854 A.D.
• Papal Infallibility (In matters of faith and morals) – 1870 A.D.
• The Assumption of Mary – (Mary taken body and soul into heaven) – 1950 A.D.
BRIEF LIST OF SOME MAIN TEACHINGS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH REFUTED BY THE TRUTH CLEARLY REVEALED IN THE WORD OF GOD
PURGATORY (PARA 1472 CCC) REFUTED
“Who being the brightness of his glory, and the figure of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, making purgation of sins, sitteth on the right hand of the majesty on high.” (Hebrews 1:3 – DRV)
“And you, employing all care, minister in your faith, virtue; and in virtue, knowledge; And in knowledge, abstinence; and in abstinence, patience; and in patience, godliness; And in godliness, love of brotherhood; and in love of brotherhood, charity. For if these things be with you and abound, they will make you to be neither empty nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he that hath not these things with him, is blind, and groping, having forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.” (2 Peter 1:5-9 – DRV)
THE SUFFICIENCY OF JESUS CHRIST’S ONCE FOR ALL SACRIFICE
“And so he is able, now and always. to save those who come to God through him, because he lives forever to plead with God for them. Jesus, then, is the High Priest that meets our needs. He is holy; he has no fault or sin in him; he has been set apart from sinful men and raised above the heavens. He is not like other high priests; he does not need to offer sacrifices every day for his own sins first, and then for the sins of the people. He offered one sacrifice, once and for all,when he offered himself.” (Hebrews 7:25-27 – SHLCNT)
“When Christ went through the tent and entered once and for all into the Most Holy Place, he did not take the blood of goats and calves to offer as sacrifice; rather he took his own blood and obtained eternal salvation for us. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of the burnt calf are sprinkled on the people who are ritually unclean, and make them clean by taking away their ritual impurity. Since this is true, how much more is accomplished by the blood of Christ! Through the eternal Spirit he offered himself as a perfect sacrifice to God. His blood will make our consciences clean from useless works, so that we may serve the living God.” (Hebrews 9:12-14- SHLCNT)
“Everyone must die once, and after that be judged by God. In the same manner, Christ also was offered in sacrifice once to take away the sins of many. He will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are waiting for him.” (Hebrews 9:27,28 – SHLCNT)
“Every Jewish priest stands and performs his services every day and offers the same sacrifices many times. But these sacrifices can never take away sins. Christ, however, offered one sacrifice for sins, an offering that is good forever, and then sat down at the right side of God. There he now waits until God puts his enemies as a footstool under his feet. With one sacrifice, then, he has made perfect forever those who are clean from sin. And the Holy Spirit also gives us his witness. First he says, “This is the covenant that I will make with them in the days to come,”says the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts, and write them on their minds.” And then he says, “I will not remember their sins and wicked deeds any longer.” So when these have been forgiven, an offering to take away sins is no longer needed. We have, then, brothers, complete freedom to go into the Most Holy Place by means of the death of Jesus. He opened for us a new way, a living way, through the curtain–that is, through his own body. We have a great priest in charge of the house of God. Let us come near to God, then, with a sincere heart and a sure faith, with hearts that have been made clean from a guilty conscience, and bodies washed with pure water.” (Hebrews 10:11-22- SHLCNT)
The same verse as above in the Douay-Rheims Bible:
“And every priest indeed standeth daily ministering, and often offering the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this man offering one sacrifice for sins, for ever sitteth on the right hand of God, From henceforth expecting, until his enemies be made his footstool. For by one oblation he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. And the Holy Ghost also doth testify this to us. For after that he said:
And this is the testament which I will make unto them after those days, saith the Lord. I will give my laws in their hearts, and on their minds will I write them:
And their sins and iniquities I will remember no more.
Now where there is a remission of these, there is no more an oblation for sin. Having therefore, brethren, a confidence in the entering into the holies by the blood of Christ; A new and living way which he hath dedicated for us through the veil, that is to say, his flesh, And a high priest over the house of God: Let us draw near with a true heart in fulness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with clean water.” (Hebrews 10: 11-22 – DRV)
One more verse for you regarding the sufficiency of Jesus Christ’s once for all sacrifice:
For Christ himself died for you; once and for all he died for sins, a good man for bad men, in order to lead you to God.” (1 Peter 3:18 – SHLCNT)
Here is how the same verse above is presented in the Douay-Rheims Catholic Version which strengthens, emphasizes, and clarifies the contrast between Jesus Christ (the just) and sinful humanity (the unjust):
“Because Christ also died once for our sins, the just for the unjust: that he might offer us to God, being put to death indeed in the flesh, but enlivened in the spirit.” (1 Peter 3:18 DRV)
THE SUFFICIENCY OF JESUS CHRIST’S ONE SACRIFICE TO EVEN CLEANSE OUR CONSCIENCES
“But Christ, being come an high priest of the good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hand, that is, not of this creation: Neither by the blood of goats, or of calves, but by his own blood, entered once into the holies, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and of oxen, and the ashes of an heifer being sprinkled, sanctify such as are defiled, to the cleansing of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who by the Holy Ghost offered himself unspotted unto God, cleanse our conscience from dead works, to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:11-14 – DRV)
MARY AS OUR MEDIATRIX (MEDIATOR) REFUTED
“For there is one God, and one mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus. Who gave himself a redemption for all, a testimony in due time.” (1 Timothy 2:5,6 – DRV)
SACRIFICE OF THE MASS REFUTED
“For Jesus is not entered into the holies made with hands, the patterns of the true: but into heaven itself, that he may appear now in the presence of God for us. Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holies, every year with the blood of others: For then he ought to have suffered often from the beginning of the world: but now once at the end of ages, he hath appeared for the destruction of sin, by the sacrifice of himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this the judgment: So also Christ was offered once to exhaust the sins of many; the second time he shall appear without sin to them that expect him unto salvation.” (Hebrews 9:24-28 – DRV)
Here are just a few thoughts that I’d like to share with you regarding what I have learned as I reflect back to the time when I was a Catholic in light of the joyous thoughts and deep appreciation that I now have after coming to the knowledge of the true Biblical gospel and understanding all that Jesus Christ accomplished for each one of us after I started reading the little Catholic New Testament Bible that was given to me back in the spring of 1980:
Catholicism plays upon the emotions and senses of its people with its rich traditions: the ringing of bells, the incense, images and icons, the mystical idea of the bread and wine literally becoming Jesus’ body, blood, soul, and divinity, the worship of the wafer known as Eucharistic Adoration, processions in which a statue of Mary, the mother of Jesus, is carried into Catholic churches and crowned with a wreath made of flowers, etc., etc. The beauty and amazing truth of the Biblical gospel is veiled by their Catholic Traditions and it is never prominent in their teachings; all that Jesus Christ accomplished for us through His sinless life, His death on the cross in our place, His glorious resurrection from the dead in bodily form three days later showing that God accepted His death as completely satisfying God’s full wrath that He has towards us because of our sins, is never clearly taught. Instead, He is depicted as still hanging on the cross (in most Catholic churches) and He is continually being sacrificed over and over again during every mass, at every altar, in every Catholic church throughout the world! The way to God the Father is never revealed as being coming to Him through Jesus Christ alone as God’s Word says (John 14:6, 1 Timothy 2:5). Instead, precious Catholics are also taught to pray to Mary or one of many different saints telling them that they will intercede before God for their needs; in one breath they speak the truth declared in God’s Holy Word, and in the next they contradict it!
Yes, the Catholic church does indeed teach many Biblical things such as Jesus Christ was God in the flesh, born of a virgin, fully God and fully Man, came to die on the cross for our sins, arose from the dead three days later, the triunity of God (the Biblical concept of the Trinity), but what they add to their teachings and leave out of their teachings causes most, if not all, precious Catholics to place their trust in the Catholic Church to save them instead of Jesus Christ alone, as the Word of God clearly declares; it leads them to wrongly trust in the Catholic Church’s sacramental system and their good works to make them righteous in the sight of a thrice Holy God, which is completely impossible! (Titus 3:4,5, Galatians 2:21, Isaiah 64:6)
Dear reader, no matter what religion or spiritual beliefs you have chosen to adhere to, what truly matters — if one desires to follow the one and only true God, the God of the Bible — are these important questions that I urge you to prayerfully reflect upon and answer:
• Can you honestly say that everything you have been taught can be backed up with Scripture without adding to Scripture or Scripture being taken out of context?
• Have you ever had doubts about something that you have been taught because God’s Word says something completely different, but you choose to push your doubts aside and accept your church’s interpretation of a certain passage of Scripture?
• Do you merely accept everything that you are taught without questioning anything?
• Have you been taught anything that has no Scriptural support whatsoever, but merely based on tradition or supposed new revelations?
These are very important questions to ponder because if you are prone to simply believe whatever you are taught and don’t stop to question things or test things against the truth of God’s Word, you will most likely be deceived and will never come to the knowledge of the truth. A very frightening thought that could be your reality if you ignore this warning.
When people come to faith in Jesus Christ many think that everyone in Christian leadership can be trusted and that everything they say can be believed. However, God’s Word is filled with warnings about spiritual deception in the last days, warnings about false teachers, some even rising from among us (Acts 20:26-31), mysticism, and doctrines of demons. God’s Word also warns us of the fact that the traditions of men nullify God’s Word. (Mark 7:13). Therefore we should always be on guard against false teachings that attempt to distort God’s Word and the Biblical gospel in order to defend their false beliefs.
Please begin to use your critical thinking skills, and, above all, please ask God for discernment and test everything that you are being taught against the truth of the Word of God. I pray that by the power of God’s Holy Spirit the eyes of many precious Catholics, as well as other precious people who truly think that what they believe is true, will have the blinders removed from their eyes as they seek God in His Word — not in the teachings of any religion — and see the gloriously good news of the Biblical gospel regarding everything that Jesus Christ has already done for each one of us, and I pray that many will choose to place their trust in Him alone for the forgiveness of their sins –every last one of them, no matter how horrific of a sin that it may be!
Now that we have finally come to the end of this series, I ask you to please prayerfully reflect on what’s most important –the truth of the Word of God. The reason being that on the day when you find yourself standing before the Lord, the only thing that will truly matter is if you placed your trust in the only way that God has provided for us to be reconciled to Himself, and that is by placing your complete trust in the once for all sacrifice that Jesus Christ willingly offered in our place on the cross of Calvary. Jesus lived the sinless, perfect life that we could never live to become the perfect sacrifice; Jesus took upon Himself the full wrath of God, His Father, that was intended for us because of our sins, and He died in our place. He was buried, and three days later He gloriously arose from the dead in bodily form showing that God, His Father, indeed accepted His death as paying the debt for every one of our sins — in full! No more sacrifices or punishment is required or needed! Now that is the good news of the Biblical gospel!! In contrast, the gospel of Catholicism teaches that more sacrifices for sin is required (Sacrifice of the Mass) and temporal punishment for sins is still due which requires being sent into the purifying fires of a place that the Roman Catholic church calls purgatory where it is taught that one remains there after death to suffer and to be purged from sin for an undetermined amount of time until they are made acceptable to enter heaven. However, remember as I shared with you earlier, the Word of God says in Hebrews 1:3 and 2 Peter 1:5-9 that Jesus purged us from our sins.
If a person ceases from trusting in their good works as the means to obtain God’s forgiveness and chooses instead to place their full trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ’s once for all sacrifice, their sins will be washed away, and will be as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12), cast into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:18,19), never to be remembered again (Romans 4:7,8, Hebrews 8:12, 10:17), and they will be clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. (Isaiah 61:10)
Dear Catholic, for the last time I present the following question to you:
“Are you going to believe the Word of God (Scripture), or the word of man (Catholic Tradition)?
Your response will truly reveal where you have placed your trust for the forgiveness of your sins and will most certainly have eternal consequences. I pray that you will get a Bible and spend time reading it and comparing the teachings of the Catholic church to your own Bible. If you do, you will see for yourself the gloriously good news of the Biblical gospel regarding all that Jesus Christ truly accomplished for us! Jesus Christ has the power to set you free and to fill you with true peace and joy –if you choose to believe it and to fully place your trust in the once for all sacrifice of Jesus Christ as being completely sufficient to pay the debt for every one of your sins in full!
Thank you very much for stopping by today.
God Bless You
Mary Dalke – Living4HisGlory
NOTE: All Scriptures from the Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible were found on: https://biblehub.com/
PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT, AS I HAVE STATED IN MY ‘COMMENT POLICY,’ COMMENTS ON ALL POSTS CLOSE ONE MONTH AFTER THEY ARE PUBLISHED. THANK YOU.
RELATED VIDEOS
NOTE: The Counterfeit Christianity videos that I added above are for informational purposes only, and not an endorsement of all the speakers. As always, be sure to test everything you hear or read against Scripture as we are shown to do in Acts 17:11.
NOTE: This post was updated on Feb. 27th at 10:30 A.M.
UPDATE:
I will be taking some time off to try and start an online business with my photography because I need to try something to bring in some extra money, and I do not want to monetize this site. Your prayers would truly be appreciated at this time! Thank you.
There are two very important reasons why I felt compelled to write this series of posts, and I’d like to briefly share these reasons with you now before I go any further:
1) Since I am a former Catholic who is very aware of the teachings of the Catholic Church because I attended twelve years of Catholic school, attended Catechism classes, made my First Holy Communion, was Confirmed, and faithfully attended Mass not only every Sunday for many years, but also before school began for three years (as required by the school that I attended at the time), and who came to the knowledge of who Jesus Christ truly is and what He actually accomplished for us by reading a Catholic New Testament Bible exactly like the one pictured above, I decided to write this series with the hope of reaching precious Catholics so that they can not only come to an understanding of who Jesus Christ truly is as His Word, the Bible, declares Him to be, but also so they can see by reading God’s Word that they can have complete forgiveness, lasting joy, true peace, and the assurance of salvation if they choose to believe God’s Word and place their trust in Jesus Christ alone for their salvation. Also, since many Catholics do not realize everything that the Catholic church actually teaches (as I once did not realize until after doing research and reading the CCC), I thought that it was extremely important to share this information to make Catholics aware of many things that are quite disturbing, as you will all soon become aware of as this series continues.
2) This series of posts is also being written with the intention of helping those of you who are born-again, Bible believing followers of Jesus Christ who have no idea of what the teachings of Catholicism are so that you can become aware of their teachings and be prepared to offer hope and assurance of salvation through Jesus Christ to Catholics based solely upon the truth that is recorded in God’s Word.
As we continue on in this series together comparing Scriptures in the Catholic New Testament to teachings found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, we must keep these important thoughts in mind:
When it comes to our eternal destination — heaven or hell — we must be certain that we place our trust in solid truth and not in speculation or in the traditions of men. The Catholic church claims to be the “one true Church.” Therefore, it stands to reason that their teachings must line up with God’s Word and not contradict it since God does not change (Malachi 3:6, James 1:17, Hebrews 13:8), and His Word stands firm forever. (Psalm 119:89, Isaiah 40:8, 1 Peter 1:24,25) If a contradiction is found it must be rejected because God’s Word is our plumb line by which we must measure (or test) the teachings of every religion to see if it lines up or not. If it is off in one point we can be certain that it will lead us further and further away from Biblical truth and lead us into spiritual deception.
This series will cover many different subjects ranging from what does the Catholic Church teach about the Bible, Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, priests, the pope, sin, forgiveness of sins, salvation, prayer, and what must a Catholic believe in order to receive eternal life. Some of these teachings will shock even many Catholics when they learn what their church actually teaches!
Lord willing, I hope to share at least one post every month with you in this new series until I have covered all the most important teachings that need to be brought to your attention. The main goal that I have in writing this series is to present the Word of God to Catholics — and to every person — in order to point everyone to Jesus Christ, who is our only hope and ‘the only name under heaven given among men by which we can be saved.’ (Acts 4:12)
Dear Catholic, please take a minute now to sincerely pray; ask God to open your mind to the Scriptures and to reveal the truth to you –whatever that may be.
Because only God can reveal the truth to you, I will refrain from making any comments unless I find it completely necessary. Since God’s Word is truth I trust that He will not only give you eyes to see the truth, but also I trust that He will give you the courage to respond to His leading. However, each one of you will find yourself having to answer this question when you come to many points that I present to you in these posts after realizing that there are oftentimes extreme differences between what the Word of God says and what Catholicism teaches, and the question that you will have to answer is:
“Are you going to believe the Word of God or the word of man?”
For those of you who are not Catholic, and are taking the time to read these posts in order to learn what Catholicism actually teaches, please keep in mind that every time you see the word “church” spelled with a capital c they are referring to the Catholic church, since they believe that the “Catholic Church” alone is the “one true Church.”All of the information that I will be sharing with you I have obtained from the following sources:
1) CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH (pictured above) – Imprimi Potest – Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (who later became Pope Benedict) – Interdicasterial Commission for the Catechism of the Catholic Church
2) THE WORD OF GOD – THE NEW TESTAMENT OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR IN TODAY’S ENGLISH VERSION – SACRED HEART LEAGUE EDITION – IMPRIMATUR JOHN FRANCIS WHEALON, ARCHBISHOP OF HARTFORD, APRIL 15, 1971 SIGNED AND SEALED BY BISHOP JOSEPH B. BRUNINI, DIOCESE OF JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI
3) Occasionally when I share a Scripture with you from the Sacred Heart League (SHL) Catholic New Testament and notice that it lacks depth and clarity, I will then follow it with the same verse but in the King James Version in order to give you a better understanding of what is being said, and so that you can see what is missing from the SHL translation.
4) Very briefly in this series, when it is necessary to quote from the Old Testament, I will also be quoting from THE CATHOLIC DOUAY RHEIMS VERSION OF THE BIBLE – in which you will find the following statements:
“EXCERPT FROM ENCYCLICAL LETTER OF OUR HOLY FATHER BY DIVINE PROVIDENCE POPE LEO XIII ON THE STUDY OF HOLY SCRIPTURE:
“The God of all Providence, Who in the adorable designs of His love at first elevated the human race to the participation of the Divine nature, and afterwards delivered it from the universal guilt and ruin, restoring it to its primitive dignity, has in consequence bestowed upon man a splendid gift and safeguard–making known to him, by supernatural means, the hidden Mysteries of His divinity, His wisdom, and His mercy. For although in Divine revelations there are contained some things which are not beyond the reach of unassisted reason, and which are made the objects of such revelation in order “that all may come to know them with facility, certainty, and safety from error, yet not on this account can supernatural Revelation be said to be absolutely necessary; it is only necessary because God has ordained man to a supernatural end.” This supernatural revelation according to the belief of the universal Church, is contained both in unwritten Tradition, and in written Books, which are therefore called sacred and canonical because, “being written under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, they have God for their author, and as such have been delivered to the Church.” (Page ix)
“Wherefore it must be recognised that the sacred writings are wrapt in a certain religious obscurity, and that no one can enter into their interior without a guide; God so disposing, as the Holy Fathers commonly teach, in order that men may investigate them with greater ardour and earnestness, and that what is attained with difficulty may sink more deeply into the mind and heart; and, most of all that they may understand that God has delivered the Holy Scriptures to the Church, and that in reading and making use of His Word, they must follow the Church as their guide and their teacher. St. Irenaeus long since laid down, that where the charismata of God were, there the truth was to be learnt, and that Holy Scripture was safely interpreted by those who had the Apostolic succession. His teaching, and that of other Holy Fathers, is taken up by the Council of the Vatican, which, in the renewing of the decree of Trent, declares its “mind” to be this–that “in things of faith and morals, belonging to the building up of Christian doctrine, that is to be considered the true sense of Holy Scripture which has been held and is held by our Holy Mother the Church whose place it is to judge of the true sense and interpretation of the Scriptures; and therefore that it is permitted to no one to interpret Holy Scripture against such sense or also against the unanimous agreement of the Fathers.” (Page xvii)
“Wherefore the first and dearest object of the Catholic commentator should be to interpret those passages which have received an authentic interpretation either by the sacred writers themselves, under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost (as in many places of the New Testament), or from the Church, under the assistance of the same Holy Spirit, whether by her solemn judgment or her ordinary and universal magisterium –to interpret those passages in that identical sense, and to prove, by all the resources of science that sound hermeneutical laws admit of no other interpretation. In the other passages, the analogy of faith should be followed, and Catholic doctrine, as authoritatively proposed by the Church, should be held as the supreme law; for seeing that the same God is the author both of the Sacred Books and of the doctrine committed to the Church, it is clearly impossible that any teaching can by legitimate means be extracted from the former, which shall in any respect be at variance with the latter. Hence it follows that all interpretation is foolish and false which either makes the sacred writers disagree one with another, or is opposed to the doctrine of the Church.” (Page xviii)
“For although the studies of non-Catholics, used with prudence, may sometimes be of use to the Catholic student, he should nevertheless, bear well in mind–as the Fathers also teach in numerous passages –that the sense of Holy Scripture can nowhere be found incorrupt outside of the Church, and cannot be expected to be found in writers who, being without the true faith, only gnaw the bark of the Sacred Scripture and never attain its pith.” (Page xix)
[As I have mentioned in some previous posts in this series, in order to get this entire series finished in a timely manner, from now on I will be trying to keep my comments very brief and will mainly be making them in the introduction and closing sections of these posts. I will, however, continue to keep the focus on Scripture which is where it should be. I am also trying very hard (but not succeeding) to limit these posts to no more than 5000 words which makes it rather difficult sometimes. For those of you who have busy schedules and do not have the time to read lengthy posts, I will continue to highlight just some of the many troubling things in turquoise, the extremely troubling things I will highlight in red, where the Catholic church has added to Scripture with their teachings I will highlight in amethyst, and some things that are Biblical I will highlight in blue in order to quickly bring these things to your attention. Emphasis on certain words that I have put in bold print throughout this post is mine.]
INTRODUCTION TO PART 21
In PART 21 of this series we will be covering the second half of page 625 to the end of page 672 of the Catechism Of The Catholic Church (CCC). This portion of the CCC focuses more on the Sixth Commandment as well as on the remainder of the Ten Commandments.
Once again, here is a chart that compares the ten commandments as they are presented in Catholicism compared to how they are presented to us in Scripture. Note the changes that have been made by the Catholic church (it has been said that this was done by Augustine), and which commandment was omitted (#2), and how the tenth commandment was split in two to form the 9th and the 10th commandments of the Catholic church:
Among some of the things that are discussed in this next section of the CCC are as follows: Chastity, homosexuality, fidelity, adultery, divorce, sexual abuse, theft, gambling, respect for creation, more regarding the social doctrineof the [Catholic] Church (social justice), bearing witness to the truth, bearing false witness, lies, sacred art, and coveting someone’s goods or someone’s spouse. Since most of their teachings in this particular section of the CCC line up with Scripture I will just be highlighting some of the troubling things as well as where the Catholic church have added their teachings (based on “Tradition”) to Scripture, thus distorting — and even *nullifying *(read Mark 7:6-8,13) — the truth of God’s Word and leading precious Catholics away from Jesus instead of to Him.
Let’s begin:
Chastity and homosexuality
Para 2357
“Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction towards persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms throughout the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave “depravity,”(140) tradition has always declared that homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.”(141) They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved. (140 – Cf. Gen 19:1-29; Rom 1:24-27; 1 Cor 6:10; 1 Tim 1:10)(141 – CDF, Persona humana 8).
III. THE LOVE OF HUSBAND AND WIFE
Para 2360
Sexuality is ordered to the conjugal love of man and woman. In marriage the physical intimacy of the spouses becomes a sign and pledge of spiritual communion.
IV. OFFENSES AGAINST THE DIGNITY OF MARRIAGE
Adultery
Para 2380
Adultery refers to marital infidelity. When two partners, of whom at least one is married to another party, have sexual relations–even transient ones–they commit adultery. Christ condemns even adultery of mere desire.(170) The sixth commandment and the New Testament forbid adultery absolutely.(171) The prophets denounce the gravity of adultery; they see it as an image of the sin of idolatry.(172) (170 – Cf. Mt 5:27-28). (171 – Cf. Mt 5:32; 19:6; Mk 10:11; 1Cor 6:9-10). (172 – Cf. Hos 2:7; Jer 5:7; 13:27)
Para 2381
Adultery is an injustice. He who commits adultery fails in his commitment. He does injury to the sign of the covenant which the marriage bond is, transgresses the rights of the other spouse, and undermines the institution of marriage by breaking the contract on which it is based. He compromises the good of human generation and the welfare of children who need their parent’s stable union.
Divorce
Para 2382
The Lord Jesus insisted on the original intention of the Creator who willed that marriage be indissoluble.(173) He abrogates the accommodations that had slipped into the old Law.(174) (173 – Mt)(174 – Cf. Mt 19:7-9)
Para 2384
Divorce is a grave offense against the natural law. It claims to break the contract, to which the spouses freely consented, to live with each other till death. Divorce does injury to the covenant of salvation, of which sacramental marriage is the sign. Contracting a new union, even if it is recognized by civil law, adds to the gravity of the rupture; the remarried spouse is then in a situation of public and permanent adultery:
If a husband, separated from his wife, approaches another woman, he is an adulterer because he makes that woman commit adultery; and the woman who lives with him is an adulteress, because she has drawn another’s husband to herself.(177 – St. Basil, Moralia 73, 1: PG 31, 849-852).
Other offenses against the dignity of marriage
Para 2388
Incest designates intimate relations between relatives or in-laws within a degree that prohibits marriage between them.(180) St. Paul stigmatizes this especially grave offense: “It is actually reported that there is immorality among you…for a man is living with his father’s wife…In the name of the Lord Jesus…you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh…”(181) Incest corrupts family relationships and marks a regression toward animality. (180 – Cf. Lev 18:7-20). (181 – 1Cor 5:1, 4-5)
Para 2389
Connected to incest is any sexual abuse perpetrated by adults on children or adolescents entrusted to their care. The offense is compounded by the scandalous harm done to the physical and moral integrity of the young, who will remain scarred by it all their lives, and the violation of responsibility for their upbringing.
Para 2393
By creating the human being man and woman, God gives personal dignity equally to the one and the other. Each of them, man and woman, should acknowledge and accept his sexual identity.
Para 2400
Adultery, divorce, polygamy, and free union are grave offenses against the dignity of marriage.
III. THE SOCIAL DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH
Para 2420
The Church makes a moral judgment about economics and social matters “when the fundamental rights of the person or the salvation of souls requires it.”(199 – GS 76 § 5).
ARTICLE 7
THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT
Para 2427
Human work proceeds directly from persons created in the image of God and called to prolong the work of creation by subduing the earth, both with and for one another.(209) Hence work is a duty: “If any one will not work, let him not eat.”(210) Word honors the Creator’s gifts and talents received from him. It can also be redemptive. By enduring the hardship of work in union with Jesus, the carpenter of Nazareth and the one crucified on Calvary, man collaborates in a certain fashion with the Son of God in his redemptive work. He shows himself to be a disciple of Christ by carrying the cross, daily, in the work he is called to accomplish.” (211) (209 – Cf. Gen 1:28; GS 34; CA 31). (210 – 2 Thess 3:10; cf. 1 Thess 4:11). (211 – Cf. Gen 3:14-19).
Para 2442
The Church’s social teaching comprises a body of doctrine, which is articulated as the Church interprets events in the course of history, with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, in the light of the whole of what has been revealed by Jesus Christ.(201) This teaching can be more easily accepted by men of good will, the more the faithful let themselves be guided by it. (201 – Cf. SRS 1; 41).
[MY NOTE: The Word of God and the Holy Spirit are sufficient to guide us into all truth; we do not need any new teachings; the canon is closed!
“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the truth, rebuking error, correcting faults, and giving instruction for right living, so that the man who serves God may be fully qualified and equipped to do every kind of good work.”(2 Timothy 3:16,17 – SHLCNT)
“The Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and make you remember all that I have told you.” (John 14:26)]
VI. LOVE FOR THE POOR
Para 2446
St. John Chrysostom vigorously recalls this:
“Not to enable the poor to share in our goods is to steal from them and deprive them of life. The goods we possess are not ours, but theirs.”(238) The demands of justice must be satisfied first of all; that which is already due in justice is not to be offered as a gift of charity.”(239) (238 – St. John Chrysostom, Hom.in Lazaro 2, 5: PG 48, 992). (239 – AA 8 § 5)
Para 2460
The primordial value of labor stems from man himself, its author and beneficiary. By means of his labor man participates in the work of creation. Work united to Christ can be redemptive.
ARTICLE 8
THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT
Para 2464
The eighth commandment forbids misrepresenting the truth in our relations with others. This moral prescription flows from the vocation of the holy people to bear witness to their God who is the truth and wills the truth. Offenses against the truth express by word or deed a refusal to commit oneself to moral uprightness: they are fundamental infidelities to God and, in this sense, they undermine the foundation of the covenant.
I. LIVING IN THE TRUTH
Para 2465
The Old Testament attests that God is the source of all truth. His Word is truth. His Law is truth. His “faithfulness endures to all generations.”(254) Since God is “true,” the members of his people are called to live in the truth.(255) (254 – Ps 119:90; cf. Prov 8:7; 2 Sam 7:28; Ps 119:142; Lk 1:50). (255 – Rom 3:4; cf. Ps 119:30).
II. TO BEAR WITNESS TO THE TRUTH
Para 2471
Before Pilate, Christ proclaims that he “has come into the world, to bear witness to the truth.”(265) The Christian is not to “be ashamed then of testifying to our Lord.”(266) (265 – Jn 18:37). (266 – 2 Tim 1:8).
III. OFFENSES AGAINST TRUTH
Para 2476
False witness and perjury. When it is made publicly, a statement contrary to the truth takes on a particular gravity. In court it becomes false witness.(275) When it is under oath, it is perjury. Acts such as these contribute to condemnation of the innocent, exoneration of the guilty, or the increased punishment of the accused.(276) They gravely compromise the exercise of justice and the fairness of judicial decisions. (275 – Cf. Prov 19:9). (276 – Cf. Prov 18:5).
Para 2484
The gravity of a lie is measured against the nature of the truth it deforms, the circumstances, the intentions of the one who lies, and the harm suffered by its victims. If a lie in itself only constitutes a venial sin, it becomes mortal when it does grave injury to the virtues of justice and charity.
Para 2486
Since it violates the virtue of truthfulness, a lie does real violence to another. It affects his ability to know, which is a condition of every judgment and decision. It contains the seed of discord and all consequent evils. Lying is destructive of society; it undermines trust among men and tears apart the fabric of social relationships.
VI. TRUTH, BEAUTY, AND SACRED ART
Para 2500
The practice of goodness is accompanied by spontaneous spiritual joy and moral beauty. Likewise, truth carries with it the joy and splendor of spiritual beauty. Truth is beautiful in itself. Truth in words, the rational expression of the knowledge of created and uncreated reality, is necessary to man, who is endowed with intellect. But truth can also find other complementary forms of human expression, above all when it is a matter of evoking what is beyond words: the depths of the human heart, the exaltation of the soul, the mystery of God. Even before revealing himself to man in words of truth, God reveals himself to him through the universal language of creation, the work of his Word, of his wisdom: the order and harmony of the cosmos–which both the child and the scientist discover–“from the greatness and beauty of created things comes a corresponding perception of their Creator, “for the author of beauty created them.”(289) (289 – Wisdom 13:3,5).
Para 2502
Sacred art is true and beautiful when its form corresponds to its particular vocation: evoking and glorifying, in faith and adoration, the transcendent mystery of God–the surpassing invisible beauty of truth and love visible in Christ who “reflects the glory of God and bears the very stamp of his nature,” in whom “the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.”(296) This spiritual beauty of God is reflected in the most holy Virgin Mother of God, the angels, and saints.Genuine sacred art draws man to adoration, to prayer, and to the love of God, Creator and Savior, the Holy One and Sanctifier. (296 – Heb 1:3; Col 2:9).
NOTE: When we turn to art and images in order to experience God through our emotions, this leads to desiring unbiblical, mystical, spiritual experiences as ways to come to know God and will lead us astray! (Lord willing, I will be writing some posts in 2021 regarding the focus on mysticism in Catholic teachings). God has given us His very Word in which He has revealed Himself to us, and He also gave us His only begotten Son through whom He revealed Himself to us! We have been given all that we need in order to come to know Him! We just need to set aside some time to study His Word in order to know Him and His Word better so that we will not be deceived by the many false teachings that have permeated so many churches these days!
ARTICLE 9
THE NINTH COMMANDMENT
You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or his maidservant, or his ox, or his ass, or anything that is your neighbor’s.(298)
Every one who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”(299) (298 – Ex 20:17). (299 – Mt 5:28).
Para 2514
St. John distinguishes three kinds of covetousness or concupiscence: lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life.”(300) In the Catholic catechetical tradition, the ninth commandment forbids carnal concupiscence; the tenth forbids coveting another’s goods. (300 – Cf. 1 Jn 2:16).
I. PURIFICATION OF THE HEART
Para 2517
The heart is the seat of moral personality: “Out of the heart comes evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication…”(304) (304 – Mt 15:19).
II. THE BATTLE FOR PURITY
Para 2520
Baptism confers on its recipient the grace of purification from all sins. But the baptized must continue to struggle against concupiscence of the flesh and disordered desires. With God’s grace he will prevail.
NOTE: The Catholic church may teach that baptism gives grace to purify one from sin, but the Word of God clearly says that it is the blood of Jesus Christ alone that purifies us from sin and provides salvation for us:
“When Christ went through the tent and entered once and for all into the Most Holy Place, he did not take the blood of goats and calves to offer as sacrifice, rather, he took his own blood and obtained eternal salvation for us. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of the burnt calf are sprinkled on the people who are ritually unclean, and makes them clean by taking away their ritual impurity. Since this is true, how much more is accomplished by the blood of Christ! Through the eternal Spirit he offered himself as a perfect sacrifice to God. His blood will make our consciences clean from useless works, so that we may serve the living God.” (Hebrews 9:12-14)
“Indeed, according to the Law, almost everything is made clean by blood; and sins are forgiven only if blood is poured out.” (Hebrews 9:22 – SHLCNT)
“Now this is the message that we have heard from his Son and announce to you: God is light and there is no darkness at all in him. If, then, we say that we have fellowship with him, yet at the same time live in the darkness, we are lying both in our words and in our actions. But if we live in the light–just as he is in the light–then we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, makes us clean from every sin.” (1 John 1:7)
Let’s continue on:
Para 2527
The Good News of Christ continually renews the life and culture of fallen man; it combats and removes the error and evil which flows from the ever-present attraction of sin. It never ceases to purify and elevate the morality of peoples. It takes the spiritual qualities and endowments of every age and nation, and with supernatural riches it causes them to blossom, as it were, from within; it fortifies, completes, and restores them in Christ.”(315) (315 – GS 58 § 4).
ARTICLE 10
THE TENTH COMMANDMENT
Para 2534
The tenth commandment unfolds and completes the ninth, which is concerned with concupiscence of the flesh. It forbids coveting the goods of another, as the root of theft, robbery, and fraud, which the seventh commandment forbids. “Lust of the eyes” leads to the violence and injustice forbidden by the fifth commandment.(318) Avarice, like fornication, originates in the idolatry prohibited by the first three prescriptions of the Law.(319) The tenth commandment concerns the intentions of the heart; with the ninth, it summarizes all the precepts of the Law. (318 – Cf. 1 Jn 2:16; Mic 2:2). (319 – Cf. Wisdom 14:12)
Para 2538
The tenth commandment requires that envy be banished from the human heart. When the prophet Nathan wanted to spur King David to repentance, he told him a story about the poor man who had only one ewe lamb that he treated like his own daughter and the rich man who, despite the great number of his flocks, envied the poor man and ended by stealing his lamb. Envy can lead to the worst crimes.(323) “Through the devil’s envy death entered the world.” (324) (323 – Cf. Gen 4:3-7; 1 Kings 21:1-29). (324 – Wisdom 2:24)
III. POVERTY OF HEART
Para 2544
Jesus enjoins his disciples to prefer him to everything and everyone, and bids them “renounce all that [they have]” for his sake and that of the Gospel.(334) Shortly before his passion he gave them the example of the poor widow of Jerusalem who, out of her poverty, gave all that she had to live on.(335) The precept of detachment from riches is obligatory for entrance into the Kingdom of heaven. (334 – Lk 14:33; cf. Mk 8:35). (335 – Lk 21:4).
IV. “I WANT TO SEE GOD”
Para 2550
On this way of perfection, the Spirit and the Bride call whoever hears them” to perfect communion with God:
There will true glory be, where no one will be praised by mistake or flattery, true honor will not be refused to the worthy, nor granted to the unworthy; likewise, no one unworthy will pretend to be worthy, where only those who are worthy will be admitted. There true peace will reign, where no one will experience opposition either from self or others. God himself will be virtue’s reward; he gives virtue and has promised to give himself as the best and greatest reward that could exist… “I shall be their God and they will be my people…” This is also the meaning of the Apostle’s words: “So that God may be all in all.” God himself will be the goal of our desires, we shall contemplate him without end, love him without surfeit, praise him without weariness. This gift, this state, this act, like eternal life itself, will assuredly be common to all.”(345 – St. Augustine, De civ. Dei 22, 30: PL 41, 801-802; cf. Lev 26:12; cf. 1 Cor 15:28).
Para 2556
Detachment from riches is necessary for entering the Kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are the poor in spirit.”
CLOSING COMMENTS
Once again, if you read through this entire post you will probably agree with me when I say: Yes, Catholicism does indeed teach many moral and Biblical things. However, I hope that by now you are beginning to realize that it’s when they add their own teachings to Scripture that are derived from Tradition and the supposed infallible teachings of popes in matters of faith and morals when they speak “ex cathedra” (from the chair ), do they begin to deviate from the Biblical gospel and render it powerless to save! Any teaching that does not line up with the truth of God’s Word should be rejected! Catholics are taught to place their trust in the Catholic church and the sacramental system of the Catholic church — especially the Sacrifice of the Mass — to save them. However, our only hope for the forgiveness of sins and an eternity spent in heaven and not in the fires of hell, is found in placing one’s trust in:
Jesus Christ’s sinless life that He lived in our place, His willingness to die on the cross in our place taking upon Himself the full wrath of God that we deserve for our sins, His burial, and His glorious resurrection from the dead in bodily form three days later, as being completely sufficient to save us! Anything else is “another gospel” that has no power whatsoever to save us from sin and from the wrath of God.
So, dear Catholic, once again I must present you with this extremely important question that you must answer before God:
“Are you going to believe the Word of God (His infallible Word, the Bible) or the word of man?” (Tradition and teachings of the Catholic church, many of which do not line up with Scripture).
Dear reader, whether you are a Catholic, a Mormon, one of many Jehovah’s Witnesses — or whatever religion or spiritual belief you may have — I strongly urge you to test what you are being taught against what the Word of God has to say to see if what you are being taught is true or not, because your eternal destiny truly does depend upon in whom and in what you place your trust in.
RELATED SCRIPTURES
“You shall not add to the word that I speak to you, neither shall you take away from it: keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you. “(Deuteronomy 4:2 – Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible)
“What I command thee, that only do thou to the Lord: neither add any thing, nor diminish.” (Deuteronomy 12:32 – Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible)
“I solemnly urge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge all men, living and dead: because of his coming and of his Kingdom, I command you to preach the message, to insist upon telling it, whether the time is right or not; to convince, reproach, and encourage, teaching with all patience. The time will come when men will not listen to the true teaching, but will follow their own desires, and will collect for themselves more and more teachers who will tell them what they are itching to hear. They will turn away from listening to the truth and give their attention to legends.”(2 Timothy 4:1-4)
“I am jealous for you just as God is; you are like a pure virgin whom I have promised in marriage to one man only, who is Christ. I am afraid that your minds will be corrupted and that you will abandon your full and pure devotion to Christ–in the same way that Eve was deceived by the snake’s clever lies. For you gladly tolerate anyone who comes to you and preaches a different Jesus, not the one we preached; and you accept a spirit and a gospel completely different from the Spirit and the gospel you received from us!” (2 Corinthians 11:2-4 – SHLCNT)
“I am surprised at you! In no time at all you are deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ, and are going to another gospel. Actually there is no “other gospel,” but I say it because there are some people who are upsetting you and trying to change the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel that is different from the one we preached to you, may he be condemned to hell! We have said it before, and now I say it again: if anyone preaches to you a gospel that is different from the one you accepted, may he be condemned to hell!” (Galatians 1:6-9)
“He that believeth in the Son, hath life everlasting; but he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him “(John 3:36 – Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible)
NOTE: Please keep in mind that the Word of God also says that the demons believe and they know who Jesus is, and they tremble, but they will not be saved! (Read James 2:19, Matthew 8:28,29, Mark 1:24, Luke 4:34, ) True Biblical belief means: to commit to; to rely upon; to trust in completely.(Read John 6:28,29, Acts 16:31, )
Let’s continue on with more related Scriptures:
“I, John, solemnly warn everyone who hears the prophetic words of this book: if anyone adds anything to them, God will add to his punishment the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes away anything from the prophetic words of this book, God will take away from his share of the fruit of the tree of life, and his share of the Holy City, which are described in this book.”(Revelation 22:18,19 – SHLCNT)
“For I testify to every one that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book: If any man shall add to these things, God shall add unto him the plagues written in this book. And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from these things that are written in this book.” (Revelation 22:18,19 Douay-Rheims Catholic Version)
[NOTE 1: I added the Douay-Rheims translation of this verse, as well, because I found it troubling that the Sacred Heart League Catholic version had changed the words book of life to the tree of life, and wanted to bring that to your attention.]
[NOTE 2: Although this very strong warning is specifically written regarding adding to or taking away from God’s Word in the Book of Revelation, it should still fill anyone who is even considering the idea of adding to or taking away from any part of God’s Word with a deep and healthy fear of God and fear for their eternal destination!]
I will end with these final Bible verses that show the exclusivity of Christianity and Jesus Christ as being our only Savior and Mediator between God and mankind, and only name that we can call upon (not the virgin Mary, not any saint, not any pope, not any church or religious organization), and how He is our only hope in order to presently have complete assurance of salvation because these teachings come from the infallible Word of God:
“Jesus answered him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one goes to the Father except by me.” (John 14:6)
“Salvation is to be found through him alone; for there is no one else in all the world, whose name God has given to men, by whom we can be saved.” (Acts 4:12 – SHLCNT)
“For there is one God, and one who brings God and men together, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself to redeem all men.”(1 Timothy 2:5,6 – SHLCNT)
“He that believeth in the Son, hath life everlasting; but he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (John 3:36 – Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible)
“We believe the witness that men give; the witness that God gives is much stronger, and this is the witness that God has given about his Son. So whoever believes in the Son of God has this witness in his heart; but whoever does not believe God has made a liar out of him, because he has not believed what God has said as a witness about his Son. This, then, is the witness: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has this life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write you this so that you may know that you have eternal life–you that believe in the name of the Son of God.” (1 John 5:9-13 – SHLCNT)
There are two very important reasons why I felt compelled to write this series of posts, and I’d like to briefly share these reasons with you now before I go any further:
1) Since I am a former Catholic who is very aware of the teachings of the Catholic Church because I attended twelve years of Catholic school, attended Catechism classes, made my First Holy Communion, was Confirmed, and faithfully attended Mass not only every Sunday for many years, but also before school began for three years (as required by the school that I attended at the time), and who came to the knowledge of who Jesus Christ truly is and what He actually accomplished for us by reading a Catholic New Testament Bible exactly like the one pictured above, I decided to write this series with the hope of reaching precious Catholics so that they can not only come to an understanding of who Jesus Christ truly is as His Word, the Bible, declares Him to be, but also so they can see by reading God’s Word that they can have complete forgiveness, lasting joy, true peace, and the assurance of salvation if they choose to believe God’s Word and place their trust in Jesus Christ alone for their salvation. Also, since many Catholics do not realize everything that the Catholic church actually teaches (as I once did not realize until after doing research and reading the CCC), I thought that it was extremely important to share this information to make Catholics aware of many things that are quite disturbing, as you will all soon become aware of as this series continues.
2) This series of posts is also being written with the intention of helping those of you who are born-again, Bible believing followers of Jesus Christ who have no idea of what the teachings of Catholicism are so that you can become aware of their teachings and be prepared to offer hope and assurance of salvation through Jesus Christ to Catholics based solely upon the truth that is recorded in God’s Word.
As we continue on in this series together comparing Scriptures in the Catholic New Testament to teachings found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, we must keep these important thoughts in mind:
When it comes to our eternal destination — heaven or hell — we must be certain that we place our trust in solid truth and not in speculation or in the traditions of men. The Catholic church claims to be the “one true Church.” Therefore, it stands to reason that their teachings must line up with God’s Word and not contradict it since God does not change (Malachi 3:6, James 1:17, Hebrews 13:8), and His Word stands firm forever. (Psalm 119:89, Isaiah 40:8, 1 Peter 1:24,25) If a contradiction is found it must be rejected because God’s Word is our plumb line by which we must measure (or test) the teachings of every religion to see if it lines up or not. If it is off in one point we can be certain that it will lead us further and further away from Biblical truth and lead us into spiritual deception.
This series will cover many different subjects ranging from what does the Catholic Church teach about the Bible, Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, priests, the pope, sin, forgiveness of sins, salvation, prayer, and what must a Catholic believe in order to receive eternal life. Some of these teachings will shock even many Catholics when they learn what their church actually teaches!
Lord willing, I hope to share at least one post every month with you in this new series until I have covered all the most important teachings that need to be brought to your attention. The main goal that I have in writing this series is to present the Word of God to Catholics — and to every person — in order to point everyone to Jesus Christ, who is our only hope and ‘the only name under heaven given among men by which we can be saved.’ (Acts 4:12)
Dear Catholic, please take a minute now to sincerely pray; ask God to open your mind to the Scriptures and to reveal the truth to you –whatever that may be.
Because only God can reveal the truth to you, I will refrain from making any comments unless I find it completely necessary. Since God’s Word is truth I trust that He will not only give you eyes to see the truth, but also I trust that He will give you the courage to respond to His leading. However, each one of you will find yourself having to answer this question when you come to many points that I present to you in these posts after realizing that there are oftentimes extreme differences between what the Word of God says and what Catholicism teaches, and the question that you will have to answer is:
“Are you going to believe the Word of God or the word of man?”
For those of you who are not Catholic, and are taking the time to read these posts in order to learn what Catholicism actually teaches, please keep in mind that every time you see the word “church” spelled with a capital c they are referring to the Catholic church, since they believe that the “Catholic Church” alone is the “one true Church.”All of the information that I will be sharing with you I have obtained from the following sources:
1) CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH (pictured above) – Imprimi Potest – Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (who later became Pope Benedict) – Interdicasterial Commission for the Catechism of the Catholic Church
2) THE WORD OF GOD – THE NEW TESTAMENT OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR IN TODAY’S ENGLISH VERSION – SACRED HEART LEAGUE EDITION – IMPRIMATUR JOHN FRANCIS WHEALON, ARCHBISHOP OF HARTFORD, APRIL 15, 1971 SIGNED AND SEALED BY BISHOP JOSEPH B. BRUNINI, DIOCESE OF JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI
3) Occasionally when I share a Scripture with you from the Sacred Heart League (SHL) Catholic New Testament and notice that it lacks depth and clarity, I will then follow it with the same verse but in the King James Version in order to give you a better understanding of what is being said, and so that you can see what is missing from the SHL translation.
4) Very briefly in this series, when it is necessary to quote from the Old Testament, I will also be quoting from THE CATHOLIC DOUAY RHEIMS VERSION OF THE BIBLE – in which you will find the following statements:
“EXCERPT FROM ENCYCLICAL LETTER OF OUR HOLY FATHER BY DIVINE PROVIDENCE POPE LEO XIII ON THE STUDY OF HOLY SCRIPTURE:
“The God of all Providence, Who in the adorable designs of His love at first elevated the human race to the participation of the Divine nature, and afterwards delivered it from the universal guilt and ruin, restoring it to its primitive dignity, has in consequence bestowed upon man a splendid gift and safeguard–making known to him, by supernatural means, the hidden Mysteries of His divinity, His wisdom, and His mercy. For although in Divine revelations there are contained some things which are not beyond the reach of unassisted reason, and which are made the objects of such revelation in order “that all may come to know them with facility, certainty, and safety from error, yet not on this account can supernatural Revelation be said to be absolutely necessary; it is only necessary because God has ordained man to a supernatural end.” This supernatural revelation according to the belief of the universal Church, is contained both in unwritten Tradition, and in written Books, which are therefore called sacred and canonical because, “being written under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, they have God for their author, and as such have been delivered to the Church.” (Page ix)
“Wherefore it must be recognised that the sacred writings are wrapt in a certain religious obscurity, and that no one can enter into their interior without a guide; God so disposing, as the Holy Fathers commonly teach, in order that men may investigate them with greater ardour and earnestness, and that what is attained with difficulty may sink more deeply into the mind and heart; and, most of all that they may understand that God has delivered the Holy Scriptures to the Church, and that in reading and making use of His Word, they must follow the Church as their guide and their teacher. St. Irenaeus long since laid down, that where the charismata of God were, there the truth was to be learnt, and that Holy Scripture was safely interpreted by those who had the Apostolic succession. His teaching, and that of other Holy Fathers, is taken up by the Council of the Vatican, which, in the renewing of the decree of Trent, declares its “mind” to be this–that “in things of faith and morals, belonging to the building up of Christian doctrine, that is to be considered the true sense of Holy Scripture which has been held and is held by our Holy Mother the Church whose place it is to judge of the true sense and interpretation of the Scriptures; and therefore that it is permitted to no one to interpret Holy Scripture against such sense or also against the unanimous agreement of the Fathers.” (Page xvii)
“Wherefore the first and dearest object of the Catholic commentator should be to interpret those passages which have received an authentic interpretation either by the sacred writers themselves, under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost (as in many places of the New Testament), or from the Church, under the assistance of the same Holy Spirit, whether by her solemn judgment or her ordinary and universal magisterium –to interpret those passages in that identical sense, and to prove, by all the resources of science that sound hermeneutical laws admit of no other interpretation. In the other passages, the analogy of faith should be followed, and Catholic doctrine, as authoritatively proposed by the Church, should be held as the supreme law; for seeing that the same God is the author both of the Sacred Books and of the doctrine committed to the Church, it is clearly impossible that any teaching can by legitimate means be extracted from the former, which shall in any respect be at variance with the latter. Hence it follows that all interpretation is foolish and false which either makes the sacred writers disagree one with another, or is opposed to the doctrine of the Church.” (Page xviii)
“For although the studies of non-Catholics, used with prudence, may sometimes be of use to the Catholic student, he should nevertheless, bear well in mind–as the Fathers also teach in numerous passages –that the sense of Holy Scripture can nowhere be found incorrupt outside of the Church, and cannot be expected to be found in writers who, being without the true faith, only gnaw the bark of the Sacred Scripture and never attain its pith.” (Page xix)
[As I have mentioned in some previous posts in this series, in order to get this entire series finished in a timely manner, from now on I will be trying to keep my comments very brief and will mainly be making them in the introduction and closing sections of these posts. I will, however, continue to keep the focus on Scripture which is where it should be. I am also trying very hard (but not succeeding) to limit these posts to no more than 5000 words which makes it rather difficult sometimes. For those of you who have busy schedules and do not have the time to read lengthy posts, I will continue to highlight just some of the many troubling things in turquoise, the extremely troubling things I will highlight in red, where the Catholic church has added to Scripture with their teachings I will highlight in amethyst, and some things that are Biblical I will highlight in blue in order to quickly bring these things to your attention. Emphasis on certain words that I have put in bold print throughout this post is mine.]
INTRODUCTION TO PART 20
In PART 20 of this series we will be covering pages 575 to the first half of page 625 of the Catechism Of The Catholic Church (CCC). This portion of the CCC focuses on the Second through the Sixth Commandments.
Here is a chart that compares the ten commandments as they are presented in Catholicism compared to how they are presented to us in Scripture. Note the changes that have been made by the Catholic church (it has been said that this was done by Augustine), and which commandment was omitted (#2), and how the tenth commandment was split in two to form the 9th and the 10th commandments of the Catholic church:
Some of the topics that are covered in this section are as follows:
Honoring the Lord’s name, the Sabbath Day, loving your neighbor, the family and society, respect for human life, and sexual purity.
As you will see in this portion of the CCC most of the teachings do line up with Scripture. Therefore I will mainly be highlighting the troubling things (in turquoise) as well as highlighting (in amethyst) where the Catholic church has added to Scripture thereby not only oftentimes taking the glory from Jesus Christ that is due to Him alone in one way or another, but also when they add to Scripture it obscures the truth from precious Catholics regarding the sufficiency of Jesus Christ’s oncefor all sacrifice when He willingly died in your place and in mine taking upon Himself God’s full wrath that He has towards us because of our sin and paid our debt in full; no temporal punishment due for sin remains!
Let’s begin:
I. THE NAME OF THE LORD IS HOLY
Para 2142
The second command prescribes respect for the Lord’s name. Like the first commandment, it belongs to the virtue of religion and more particularly it governs our use of speech in sacred matters.
Para 2146
The second commandment forbids the abuse of God’s name, i.e., every improper use of the names of God, Jesus Christ, but also of the Virgin Mary and all the saints.
Para 2162
The second commandment forbids every improper use of God’s name. Blasphemy is the use of the name of God, of Jesus Christ, of the Virgin Mary, and of the saints in an offensive way.
ARTICLE 3
THE THIRD COMMANDMENT
Para 2173
The Gospel reports many instances where Jesus was accused of violating the sabbath law. But Jesus never fails to respect the holiness of this day.(98) He gives this law its authentic and authoritative interpretation: “The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath.”(99) With compassion Christ declares the sabbath for doing good rather than harm, for saving life rather than killing.(100) The sabbath is the day of the Lord of mercies and a day to honor God.(101) “The Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.”(102) (98 – CF Mk 1:21; Jn 9:16). (99 – Mk 2:27). (100 – Cf. Mk) (101 – Cf. Mt 12:5; Jn 7:23). (102 – Mk 2:28).
The Sunday Eucharist
Para 2177
The Sunday celebration of the Lord’s Day and his Eucharist is at the heart of the Church’s life. “Sunday is the day on which the paschal mystery is celebrated in light of the apostolic tradition and is to be observed as the foremost holy day of obligation in the universal Church.”(110 – CIC can. 1246 § 1).
“Also to be observed are the day of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Epiphany, the Ascension of Christ, the feast of the Body and Blood of Christ, the feast of Mary the Mother of God, her Immaculate Conception, her Assumption, the feast of Saint Joseph, the feast of the Apostles Saints Peter and Paul, and the feast of All Saints.”(111 CIC, can. 1246 § 2: “The conference of bishops can abolish certain holy days of obligation or transfer them to a Sunday with prior approval of the Apostolic See.”)
The Sunday obligation
Para 2180
The precept of the Church specifies the law of the Lord more precisely: “On Sundays and other holy days of obligation the faithful are bound to participation in the Mass.”(117) The precept of participating in the Mass is satisfied by assistance at a Mass which is celebrated anywhere in a Catholic rite either on a holy day or on the evening of the preceding day.”(118) (117 – CIC, can. 1247). (118 – CIC, can. 1248 § 1).
Para 2181
The Sunday Eucharist is the foundation and confirmation of all Christian practice. For this reason the faithful are obliged to participate in the Eucharist on days of obligation, unless excused for a serious reason (for example, illness, the care of infants) or dispensed by their own pastor.(119) Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin.(119 – Cf. CIC, can. 1245).
Para 2186
Sunday is a time for reflection, silence, cultivation of the mind, and meditation which furthers the growth of the Christian interior life.
Para 2192
“Sunday…is to be observed as the foremost holy day of obligation in the universal Church” (CIC, can. 1246 § 1). “On Sundays and other holy days of obligation the faithful are bound to participate in the Mass.” (CIC, can. 1246)
CHAPTER 2
YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF
Article 4
THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT
Para 2197
The fourth commandment opens the second table of the Decalogue. It shows us the order of charity. God has willed that, after him, we should honor our parents to whom we owe life and who have handed on to us the knowledge of God. We are obliged to honor and respect all those whom God, for our good, has vested with his authority.
Para 2198
This commandment is expressed in positive terms of duties to be fulfilled. It introduces the subsequent commandments which are concerned with particular respect for life, marriage, earthly goods, and speech. It constitutes one of the foundations of the social doctrine of the Church.
THE FAMILY IN GOD’S PLAN
The nature of the family
Para 2202
A man and a woman united in marriage, together with their children, form a family. This institution is prior to any recognition by public authority, which has an obligation to recognize it. It should be considered the normal reference point by which the different forms of family relationships are to be evaluated.
MY NOTE: I highlighted the above portion of Para 2202 to point out what the Catholic church has always taught in order to contrast that with what Pope Francis has recently come out and declared which not only completely goes against what God has to say about homosexuality in His Word, but also what Pope Francis has said has caused many Catholics to strongly disagree with him, which is a good thing.
Pope Francis is the very first pope to endorse civil unions for homosexual couples, and is referred to by some as the modernizing pope. Yes, we are to be loving to all homosexual people, but it is not love to accept them in their sin without lovingly telling them what God has to say in His Word about homosexuality and that it is a sin which is an “abomination” and is detestable in God’s sight.
“Thou shalt not lie with mankind as with womankind, because it is an abomination.” (Leviticus 18:22 Douay-Rheims Catholic Version)
“If any one lie with a man se with a woman, both have committed an abomination, let them be put to death: their blood be upon them.” (Leviticus 20:13)
Those who continue in the sin of homosexuality will not inherit the Kingdom of heaven, but there is forgiveness and cleansing from this sin — and every other sin — if one comes to place their trust in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins. (Read 1 Corin. 6:9-11 further below).
Let’s continue:
II. THE FAMILY AND SOCIETY
Para 2212
The fourth commandment illuminates other relationships in society. In our brothers and sisters we see the children of our parents; in our cousins, the descendants of our ancestors, in our fellow citizens, the children of our country; in the baptized, the children of our mother the Church; in every human person, a son or daughter of the One who wants to be called “our Father.” In this way our relationships with our neighbors are recognized as personal in character. The neighbor is not a “unit” in the human collective; he is someone who by his known origins deserves particular attention and respect.
III. THE DUTIES OF FAMILY MEMBERS
Para 2215
Respect for parents (filial piety) derives from gratitude toward those who, by the gift of life, their love, and their work, have brought their children into the world and enabled them to grow in stature, wisdom, and grace.
Para 2217
As long as a child lives at home with his parents, the child should obey his parents in all that they ask of him when it is for his good or that of the family. “Children obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.”(22) Children should also obey the reasonable directions of their teachers and all to whom their parents have entrusted them. But if a child is convinced in conscience that it would be morally wrong to obey a particular order, he must not do so. (22 –Col 3:20;cf. Eph 6:1)
V. THE AUTHORITIES IN CIVIL SOCIETIES
The duties of citizens.
Para 2242
The citizen is obliged in conscience not to follow the directives of civil authorities when they are contrary to the demands of the moral order, to the fundamental rights of persons or the teachings of the Gospel. Refusing obedience to civil authorities, when their demands are contrary to those of an upright conscience, finds its justification in the distinction between serving God and serving the political community. “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”(48 – Mt 22:21) “We must obey God rather than men.”(49 – Acts 5:29)
Para 2257
Every society’s judgments and conduct reflect a vision of man and his destiny. Without the light the Gospel sheds on God and man, societies easily become totalitarian.
ARTICLE 5
THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT
“You shall not kill.”
Para 2258
Human life is sacred because from its beginning it involves the creative action of God and it remains for ever in a special relationship with the Creator, who is its sole end. God alone is the Lord of life from its beginning until its end: no one can under any circumstance claim for himself the right directly to destroy an innocent human being.”(56 – CDF, instruction Donum vitae, intro 5).
I. RESPECT FOR HUMAN LIFE
The witness of sacred history
Para 2260
The covenant between God and mankind is interwoven with reminders of God’s gift of human life and man’s murderous violence:
“For your lifeblood I will surely require a reckoning…Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for God made man in his own image.”(59 – Gen 9:5-6).
Para 2261
Scripture specifies the prohibition contained in the fifth commandment: “Do not slay the innocent and the righteous.”(61) The deliberate murder of an innocent person is gravely contrary to the dignity of the human being, to the golden rule, and to the holiness of the Creator. The law forbidding it is universally valid: it obliges each and everyone, always and everywhere. (61 – Ex 23:7)
Para 2265
Legitimate defense can be not only a right but a grave duty for one who is responsible for the lives of others.
Para 2267
Assuming that the guilty party’s identity and responsibility have been fully determined, the traditional teaching of the Church does not exclude recourse to the death penalty, if this is the only possible way of effectively defending human lives against the unjust aggressor.
If, however, non-lethal means are sufficient to defend and protect people’s safety from the aggressor, authority will limit itself to such means, as these are more in keeping with the concrete conditions of the common good and more in conformity with the dignity of the human person.
Intentional homicide
Para 2268
The fifth commandment forbids direct and intentional killing as gravely sinful. The murderer and those who cooperate voluntarily in murder commit a sin that cries out to heaven for vengeance.(68 – Cf. Gen 4:10).
Infanticide, fratricide, parricide, and the murder of a spouse are especially grave crimes by reason of the natural bonds which they break. Concern for eugenics or public health cannot justify any murder, even if commanded by public authority.
Abortion
Para 2270
Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of its existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person–among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life.(71 – Cf. CDF, Donum vitae I, 1).
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you.(72 – Jer 1:5; cf. Job 10:8-12; Ps 22:10-11).
My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately wrought in the depths of the earth.(73 – Ps 139:15).
Para 2274
Since it must be treated from conception as a person, the embryo must be defended in its integrity, cared for, and healed, as far as possible, like any other human being.
Euthanasia
Para 2276
Those whose lives are diminished or weakened deserve special respect. Sick or handicapped persons should be helped to lead lives as normal as possible.
Para 2277
Whatever its motives and means, direct euthanasia consists in putting an end to the lives of handicapped, sick, or dying persons. It is morally unacceptable. Thus an act or omission which, of itself or by intention, causes death in order to eliminate suffering constitutes a murder gravely contrary to the dignity of the human person and to the respect due to the living God, his Creator. The error of judgment into which one can fall in good faith does not change the nature of this murderous act, which must always be forbidden and excluded.
Para 2278
Discontinuing medical procedures that are burdensome, dangerous, extraordinary, or disproportionate to the expected outcome can be legitimate; it is the refusal of “over-zealous” treatment. Here one does not will to cause death; one’s inability to impede it is merely accepted. The decisions should be made by the patient if he is competent and able or, if not, by those legally entitled to act for the patient, whose reasonable will and legitimate interests must always be respected.
Suicide
Para 2280
Everyone is responsible for his life before God who has given it to him. It is God who remains the sovereign Master of life. We are obliged to accept life gratefully and preserve it for his honor and the salvation of our souls. We are stewards, not owners, of the life God has entrusted to us. It is not ours to dispose of.
II. RESPECT FOR THE DIGNITY OF PERSONS
Para 2296
Organ transplants are in conformity with the moral law if the physical and psychological dangers and risks to the donor are proportionate to the good that is sought for the recipient. Organ donation after death is a noble and meritorious act and is to be encouraged as an expression of generous solidarity. It is not morally acceptable if the donor or his proxy has not given explicit consent. Moreover, it is not morally admissible directly to bring about the disabling mutilation or death of a human being, even in order to delay the death of other persons.
Respect for bodily integrity
Para 2297
Kidnapping and hostage taking bring on a reign of terror; by means of threats they subject their victims to intolerable pressures. They are morally wrong. Terrorism threatens, wounds, and kills indiscriminately is gravely against justice and charity. Torture which uses physical or moral violence to extract confessions, punish the guilty, frighten opponents, or satisfy hatred is contrary to respect for the person and for human dignity. Except when performed for strictly therapeutic medical reasons, directly intended amputations, mutilations, and sterilizations performed on innocent persons are against the moral law.(90 – Cf. DS 3722).
Para 2298
In times past, cruel practices were commonly used by legitimate governments to maintain law and order, often without protest from the Pastors of the Church, who themselves adopted in their own tribunals the prescriptions of Roman law concerning torture. Regrettable as these facts are, the Church always taught the duty of clemency and mercy. She forbade clerics to shed blood. In recent times it has become evident that these cruel practices were neither necessary for public order, nor in conformity with the legitimate rights of the human person. On the contrary, these practices let to ones even more degrading. It is necessary to work for their abolition. We must pray for the victims and their tormentors.
[Note: Although the Catechism Of The Catholic Church may say that they are against torture and speak about mercy, history clearly shows otherwise. Many Christians were brutally tortured and killed because they refused to compromise their faith by accepting some of the blasphemous teachings of the Roman Catholic Church such as the Sacrifice of the Mass and purgatory, both of which deny the sufficiency of Jesus Christ’s once for all sacrifice on the cross that paid the debt for all sin –in full; no more sacrifices for sins are needed! Read Hebrews 10:10-19.]
[NOTE: This is not to be considered as an endorsement of Richard Bennett. I have, however, always had a deep respect for Richard Bennett and his ministry to reach precious Catholics, but I reject the Calvinism and Reformed Theology that he embraced. This video is solely for informational purposes.]
Respect for the dead
Para 2301
Autopsies can be morally permitted for legal inquests or scientific research. The free gift of organs after death is legitimate and can be meritorious.
Para 2318
In [God’s] hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.” (Job 12:10)
Para 2319
Every human life from the moment of conception until death, is sacred because the human person has been willed for its own sake in the image and likeness of the living and holy God.
Para 2320
The murder of a human being is gravely contrary to the dignity of the person and the holiness of the Creator.
Para 2323
Because it should be treated as a person from conception, the embryo must be defended in its integrity, cared for, and healed, like every other human being.
ARTICLE 6
THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT
I. “MALE AND FEMALE HE CREATED THEM…”
Para 2331
“God is love and in himself he lives a mystery of personal loving communion. Creating the human race in his own image…, God inscribed in the humanity of man and woman the vocation, and thus the capacity and responsibility of love and communion.”(114)
“God created man in his own image…male and female he created them.”;(115) He blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply”;(116)”When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and named them Man when they were created.”(117 )(114 – FC 11). (115 – Gen 1:27). (116 – Gen 1:28). (117 – Genesis 5:1,2).
Para 2333
Everyone, man and woman, should acknowledge and accept his sexual identity. Physical, moral, and spiritual differences and complimentarity are oriented toward the goods of marriage and the flourishing of the family life. The harmony of the couple and of society depends in part on the way in which the complimentarity, needs, and mutual support between the sexes are lived out.
MY NOTE: In light of transgenderism and the growing acceptance of it by the Catholic church (and society), I thought it was important to highlight what the CCC teaches above in Para 2333 regarding the sexuality of all whom God has created.
Let’s continue:
Para 2334
“In creating men ‘male and female,’ God gives man and woman an equal personal dignity.”(118) Man is a person, man and woman equally so, since both were created in the image and likeness of the personal God.”(119) (118 – FC 22; cf. GS 49 § 2). (119 – MD 6).
II. THE VOCATION TO CHASTITY
Para 2345
Chastity is a moral virtue. It is also a gift from God, a grace, a fruit of spiritual effort. (131) The Holy Spirit enables one whom the water of Baptism has regenerated to imitate the purity of Christ.(132) (131 – Cf. Gal 5:22). (132 – Cf. 1 Jn 3:3)
Para 2353
Fornication is carnal union between an unmarried man and an unmarried woman. It is gravely contrary to the dignity of persons and of human sexuality which is naturally ordered to the good of spouses and the generation and education of children. Moreover, it is a grave scandal when there is corruption of the young.
Para 2354
Pornography consists in removing real or simulated sexual acts from the intimacy of the partners, in order to display them deliberately to third parties. It offends against chastity because it perverts the conjugal act, the intimate giving of spouses to each other. It does grave injury to the dignity of its participants (actors,vendors, the public), since each one becomes an object of base pleasure and illicit profit for others. It immerses all who are involved in the illusion of a fantasy world. It is a grave offense. Civil authorities should prevent the production and distribution of pornographic materials.
Para 2356
Rape is the forcible violation of the sexual intimacy of another person. It does injury to justice and charity. Rape deeply wounds the respect, freedom, and physical and moral integrity to which every person has a right. It causes grave damage that can mark the victim for life. It is always an intrinsically evil act. Graver still is the rape of children committed by parents (incest) or those responsible for the education of the children entrusted to them.
CLOSING COMMENTS
If you took the time to read through this entire post I am sure that you now realize that the Catholic church does indeed take a strong stand for many things: the sanctity of human life from the womb until death, marriage, the family, and many other important Biblical things. You have also seen the areas in which they have added to Scripture as well as where they are presently compromising not only with the Word of God but also with their very own teachings!
Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Heb. 13:8) The truth that God has preserved in His Word stands forever (Isaiah 40:8, 1 Peter 1:25, Psalm 199:89) and is not up for debate. It should never be added to with the traditions of men and any part of truth set forth for us in His Word should never be changed or extracted from (Deut. 4:2, 12:32) in order to appear more palatable for today’s culture and society. To do so is to bring the judgment of God upon those who do. (Read Revelation 22:18,19 for an example). There is nothing that we can do to earn or to merit our salvation. (Read Titus 3:4-7, Ephesians 2:8,9, Romans 3:10-28, Galatians 2:19-21).
Dear Catholic, once again I present you with this important question that you need to answer because what you choose to believe as truth and in what and in whom you choose to place your trust in will determine where you will spend eternity –in heaven or in hell, for there is no second chance after death as Catholicism teaches.
“Are you going to believe the Word of God (the Bible), or the word of man (Catholic “Tradition”)?”
I truly pray that you will seek the Lord in His Word for the truth regarding how one obtains the forgiveness of sins because your eternal destiny truly is at stake.
RELATED SCRIPTURES
“You shall not add to the word that I speak to you, neither shall you take away from it: keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.” (Deuteronomy 4:2)
“What I command thee, that only do thou to the Lord: neither add any thing, nor diminish.” (Deuteronomy 12:32)
“God’s wrath is revealed coming down from heaven upon all the sin and evil of men whose evil ways prevent the truth from being known. God punishes them, because what men can know about God is plain to them. God himself made it plain to them. Ever since God created the world, his invisible qualities, both his eternal power and his divine nature, have been clearly seen. Men can perceive them in the things that God has made. So they have no excuse at all! They know God, but they do not give him the honor that belongs to him, nor do they thank him. Instead, their thoughts have become complete nonsense and their empty minds are filled with darkness. They say that they are wise, but they are fools; instead of worshiping the immortal God, they worship images made to look like mortal man or birds or animals or reptiles. Because men are such fools, God has given them over to do the filthy things their hearts desire, and they do shameful things with each other. They exchange the truth about God for a lie; they worship and serve what God has created instead of the Creator himself, who is to be praised forever! Amen.
Because men do this, God has given them over to shameful passions. Even the women pervert the natural use of their sex by unnatural acts. In the same way the men give up natural sexual relations with women and burn with passion for each other. Men do shameful things with each other, and as a result they themselves are punished as they deserve for their wrongdoing. Because men refuse to keep in mind the true knowledge about God, he has give them over to corrupted minds, so that they do the things that they should not.”(Romans 1:18-28)
“Surely you know that the wicked will not receive God’s Kingdom. Do not fool yourselves; people who are immoral, or worship idols, or are adulterers, or homosexual perverts, or who rob, or are greedy, or are drunkards, or who slander others, or are thieves–none of these will receive God’s Kingdom. Some of you were like that. But you have been cleansed from sin; you have been dedicated to God; you have been put right with God through the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)
“I, John, solemnly warn everyone who hears the prophetic words of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to his punishment the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes away anything from the prophetic words of this book, God will take away from him his share of the fruit of the tree of life, and his share of the Holy City, which are described in this book. ” (Revelation 22:18,19)
RELATED VIDEOS
VIDEO POSTED BY A CATHOLIC SOURCE – FOR DOCUMENTATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY
There are two very important reasons why I felt compelled to write this series of posts, and I’d like to briefly share these reasons with you now before I go any further:
1) Since I am a former Catholic who is very aware of the teachings of the Catholic Church because I attended twelve years of Catholic school, attended Catechism classes, made my First Holy Communion, was Confirmed, and faithfully attended Mass not only every Sunday for many years, but also before school began for three years (as required by the school that I attended at the time), and who came to the knowledge of who Jesus Christ truly is and what He actually accomplished for us by reading a Catholic New Testament Bible exactly like the one pictured above, I decided to write this series with the hope of reaching precious Catholics so that they can not only come to an understanding of who Jesus Christ truly is as His Word, the Bible, declares Him to be, but also so they can see by reading God’s Word that they can have complete forgiveness, lasting joy, true peace, and the assurance of salvation if they choose to believe God’s Word and place their trust in Jesus Christ alone for their salvation. Also, since many Catholics do not realize everything that the Catholic church actually teaches (as I once did not realize until after doing research and reading the CCC), I thought that it was extremely important to share this information to make Catholics aware of many things that are quite disturbing, as you will all soon become aware of as this series continues.
2) This series of posts is also being written with the intention of helping those of you who are born-again, Bible believing followers of Jesus Christ who have no idea of what the teachings of Catholicism are so that you can become aware of their teachings and be prepared to offer hope and assurance of salvation through Jesus Christ to Catholics based solely upon the truth that is recorded in God’s Word.
As we continue on in this series together comparing Scriptures in the Catholic New Testament to teachings found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, we must keep these important thoughts in mind:
When it comes to our eternal destination — heaven or hell — we must be certain that we place our trust in solid truth and not in speculation or in the traditions of men. The Catholic church claims to be the “one true Church.” Therefore, it stands to reason that their teachings must line up with God’s Word and not contradict it since God does not change (Malachi 3:6, James 1:17, Hebrews 13:8), and His Word stands firm forever. (Psalm 119:89, Isaiah 40:8, 1 Peter 1:24,25) If a contradiction is found it must be rejected because God’s Word is our plumb line by which we must measure (or test) the teachings of every religion to see if it lines up or not. If it is off in one point we can be certain that it will lead us further and further away from Biblical truth and lead us into spiritual deception.
This series will cover many different subjects ranging from what does the Catholic Church teach about the Bible, Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, priests, the pope, sin, forgiveness of sins, salvation, prayer, and what must a Catholic believe in order to receive eternal life. Some of these teachings will shock even many Catholics when they learn what their church actually teaches!
Lord willing, I hope to share at least one post every month with you in this new series until I have covered all the most important teachings that need to be brought to your attention. The main goal that I have in writing this series is to present the Word of God to Catholics — and to every person — in order to point everyone to Jesus Christ, who is our only hope and ‘the only name under heaven given among men by which we can be saved.’ (Acts 4:12)
Dear Catholic, please take a minute now to sincerely pray; ask God to open your mind to the Scriptures and to reveal the truth to you –whatever that may be.
Because only God can reveal the truth to you, I will refrain from making any comments unless I find it completely necessary. Since God’s Word is truth I trust that He will not only give you eyes to see the truth, but also I trust that He will give you the courage to respond to His leading. However, each one of you will find yourself having to answer this question when you come to many points that I present to you in these posts after realizing that there are oftentimes extreme differences between what the Word of God says and what Catholicism teaches, and the question that you will have to answer is:
“Are you going to believe the Word of God or the word of man?”
For those of you who are not Catholic, and are taking the time to read these posts in order to learn what Catholicism actually teaches, please keep in mind that every time you see the word “church” spelled with a capital c they are referring to the Catholic church, since they believe that the “Catholic Church” alone is the “one true Church.”All of the information that I will be sharing with you I have obtained from the following sources:
1) CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH (pictured above) – Imprimi Potest – Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (who later became Pope Benedict) – Interdicasterial Commission for the Catechism of the Catholic Church
2) THE WORD OF GOD – THE NEW TESTAMENT OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR IN TODAY’S ENGLISH VERSION – SACRED HEART LEAGUE EDITION – IMPRIMATUR JOHN FRANCIS WHEALON, ARCHBISHOP OF HARTFORD, APRIL 15, 1971 SIGNED AND SEALED BY BISHOP JOSEPH B. BRUNINI, DIOCESE OF JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI
3) Occasionally when I share a Scripture with you from the Sacred Heart League (SHL) Catholic New Testament and notice that it lacks depth and clarity, I will then follow it with the same verse but in the King James Version in order to give you a better understanding of what is being said, and so that you can see what is missing from the SHL translation.
4) Very briefly in this series, when it is necessary to quote from the Old Testament, I will also be quoting from THE CATHOLIC DOUAY RHEIMS VERSION OF THE BIBLE – in which you will find the following statements:
“EXCERPT FROM ENCYCLICAL LETTER OF OUR HOLY FATHER BY DIVINE PROVIDENCE POPE LEO XIII ON THE STUDY OF HOLY SCRIPTURE:
“The God of all Providence, Who in the adorable designs of His love at first elevated the human race to the participation of the Divine nature, and afterwards delivered it from the universal guilt and ruin, restoring it to its primitive dignity, has in consequence bestowed upon man a splendid gift and safeguard–making known to him, by supernatural means, the hidden Mysteries of His divinity, His wisdom, and His mercy. For although in Divine revelations there are contained some things which are not beyond the reach of unassisted reason, and which are made the objects of such revelation in order “that all may come to know them with facility, certainty, and safety from error, yet not on this account can supernatural Revelation be said to be absolutely necessary; it is only necessary because God has ordained man to a supernatural end.” This supernatural revelation according to the belief of the universal Church, is contained both in unwritten Tradition, and in written Books, which are therefore called sacred and canonical because, “being written under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, they have God for their author, and as such have been delivered to the Church.” (Page ix)
“Wherefore it must be recognised that the sacred writings are wrapt in a certain religious obscurity, and that no one can enter into their interior without a guide; God so disposing, as the Holy Fathers commonly teach, in order that men may investigate them with greater ardour and earnestness, and that what is attained with difficulty may sink more deeply into the mind and heart; and, most of all that they may understand that God has delivered the Holy Scriptures to the Church, and that in reading and making use of His Word, they must follow the Church as their guide and their teacher. St. Irenaeus long since laid down, that where the charismata of God were, there the truth was to be learnt, and that Holy Scripture was safely interpreted by those who had the Apostolic succession. His teaching, and that of other Holy Fathers, is taken up by the Council of the Vatican, which, in the renewing of the decree of Trent, declares its “mind” to be this–that “in things of faith and morals, belonging to the building up of Christian doctrine, that is to be considered the true sense of Holy Scripture which has been held and is held by our Holy Mother the Church whose place it is to judge of the true sense and interpretation of the Scriptures; and therefore that it is permitted to no one to interpret Holy Scripture against such sense or also against the unanimous agreement of the Fathers.” (Page xvii)
“Wherefore the first and dearest object of the Catholic commentator should be to interpret those passages which have received an authentic interpretation either by the sacred writers themselves, under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost (as in many places of the New Testament), or from the Church, under the assistance of the same Holy Spirit, whether by her solemn judgment or her ordinary and universal magisterium –to interpret those passages in that identical sense, and to prove, by all the resources of science that sound hermeneutical laws admit of no other interpretation. In the other passages, the analogy of faith should be followed, and Catholic doctrine, as authoritatively proposed by the Church, should be held as the supreme law; for seeing that the same God is the author both of the Sacred Books and of the doctrine committed to the Church, it is clearly impossible that any teaching can by legitimate means be extracted from the former, which shall in any respect be at variance with the latter. Hence it follows that all interpretation is foolish and false which either makes the sacred writers disagree one with another, or is opposed to the doctrine of the Church.” (Page xviii)
“For although the studies of non-Catholics, used with prudence, may sometimes be of use to the Catholic student, he should nevertheless, bear well in mind–as the Fathers also teach in numerous passages –that the sense of Holy Scripture can nowhere be found incorrupt outside of the Church, and cannot be expected to be found in writers who, being without the true faith, only gnaw the bark of the Sacred Scripture and never attain its pith.” (Page xix)
[As I have mentioned in some previous posts in this series, in order to get this entire series finished in a timely manner, from now on I will be trying to keep my comments very brief and will mainly be making them in the introduction and closing sections of these posts. I will, however, continue to keep the focus on Scripture which is where it should be. I am also trying very hard (but not succeeding) to limit these posts to no more than 5000 words which makes it rather difficult sometimes. For those of you who have busy schedules and do not have the time to read lengthy posts, I will continue to highlight just some of the many troubling things in turquoise, the extremely troubling things I will highlight in red, and some things that are Biblical I will highlight in blue in order to quickly bring these things to your attention. Emphasis on certain words that I have put in bold print throughout this post is mine.]
INTRODUCTION TO PART 18
In Part 18 of this series we will begin PART 3 in the Catechism Of The Catholic Church book, which is entitled, Life In Christ. We will begin on page 471 and continue on until page 525. In this particular section many Biblical things are presented, such as:
Man’s freedom to choose; man was created with a free will
Man has a conscience
A person is culpable for the evil they commit
Human virtue; faith, hope, charity
Gifts of the Spirit
However, serious problems begin to arise when the topic of sin is presented (Pages 504-510 CCC) as you will soon see.
What I also found to be extremely troubling is their section regarding human society in which socialism is gently woven into their teachings as you will also see. (Pages 511-525 CCC)
I have included additional information for you below to clearly document this for you, as well as a first hand account of what happened to me and my family when I was a little girl and attended the Catholic school across the alley (as we would say in the city). (Also, be sure to watch video of former Dominican priest of 22 years, Richard Bennett, who presents some documented evidence on this at the end of this post).
Let’s begin:
PART THREE
LIFE IN CHRIST
Para 1692
“Coming to see in the faith their new dignity, Christians are called to lead henceforth a life “worthy of the gospel of Christ.” (4 – Philippians 1:7) They are made capable of doing so by the grace of Christ and the gifts of his Spirit, which they receive through the sacraments and through prayer.”
Para 1696
The way of Christ “leads to life”; a contrary way “leads to destruction.” The Gospel parable of the “two ways,” remains ever present in the catechesis of the Church; it shows the importance of moral decisions for our salvation: “There are two ways, the one of life, the other of death; but between the two, there is a great difference.”(21 – Didache 1, 1:SCh 248,140.)
ARTICLE 3
MAN’S FREEDOM
Para 1730
God created man a rational being, conferring on him the dignity of a person who can initiate and control his own actions. “God willed that man should be left in the hand of his own counsel,” so that he might of his own accord seek his Creator and freely attain his full and blessed perfection by cleaving to him.”(26 – GS 17; Sir 15:14).
“Man is rational and therefore like God: he is created with free will and is master over his acts.”(27 – St. Irenaeus, Adv. haeres. 4, 4, 3:PG 7/1, 983).
Para 1734
Freedom makes man responsible for his acts to the extent that they are voluntary.
Para 1738
Freedom is exercised in relationships between human beings. Every human person, created in the image of God, has the natural right to be recognized as a free and responsible being. All owe the duty to each other the duty of respect. The right to the exercise of freedom, especially in moral and religious matters, is an inalienable requirement of the dignity of the human person. This right must be recognized and protected by civil authority within the limits of the common good and public order.(32 – Cf. DH 2 §7 )
II. HUMAN FREEDOM IN THE ECONOMY OF SALVATION
Para 1739
Freedom and sin.Man’s freedom is limited and fallible. In fact, man failed. He freely sinned. By refusing God’s plan of love, he deceived himself and became a slave to sin.
Para 1740
By deviating from the moral law man violates his own freedom, becomes imprisoned within himself, disrupts neighborly fellowship, and rebels against divine truth.
Para 1741
Liberation and salvation. By his glorious Cross Christ has won salvation for all men. He redeemed them from the sin that held them in bondage.
Para 1745
Freedom characterizes properly human acts. It makes the human being responsible for acts of which he is the voluntary agent. His deliberate acts properly belong to him.
ARTICLE 6
MORAL CONSCIENCE
I. THE JUDGMENT OF CONSCIENCE
Para 1777
When he listens to his conscience, the prudent man can hear God speaking.
Para 1778
Conscience is a judgment of reason whereby the human person recognizes the moral quality of a concrete act that he is going to perform, is in the process of performing, or has already completed. In all he says and does, man is obliged to follow faithfully what he knows to be just and right. It is by the judgment of his conscience that man perceives and recognizes the prescription of the divine law.
Para 1781
Conscience enables one to assume responsibility for the acts performed.
Para 1782
Man has the right to act in conscience and in freedom so as personally to make moral decisions. “He must not be forced to act contrary to his conscience. Nor must he be prevented from acting according to his conscience, especially in religious matters.” (53 – DH 3 § 2).
II. THE FORMATION OF CONSCIENCE
Para 1785
In the formation of conscience the Word of God is the light for our path,” we must assimilate it in faith and prayer and put it into practice. We must also examine our conscience before the Lord’s Cross. We are assisted by the gifts of the Holy Spirit, aided by the witness or advise of others, and guided by the authoritative teaching of the Church.
IV. ERRONEOUS JUDGMENT
Para 1790
A human being must always obey the certain judgment of his conscience. If he were to deliberately act against it, he would condemn himself. Yet it can happen that moral conscience remains in ignorance and makes erroneous judgments about acts to be performed or already committed.
Para 1791
This ignorance can often be imputed to personal responsibility. This is the case when a man “takes little trouble to find out what is true and good, or when conscience is by degrees almost blinded through the habit of committing sin.” (59 – GS 16). In such cases the person is culpable for the evil he commits.
ARTICLE 7
THE VIRTUES
I. THE HUMAN VIRTUES
Para 1807
Justice is the moral virtue that consists in the constant and firm will to give their due to God and neighbor. Justice toward God is called the “virtue of religion.” Justice toward men disposes one to respect the rights of each and to establish in human relationships the harmony that promotes equity with regard to persons and to the common good.
The virtues and grace
Para 1811
Christ’s gift of salvation offers us the grace necessary to persevere in the pursuit of the virtues. Everyone should always ask for this grace of light and strength, frequent the sacraments, cooperate with the Holy Spirit, and follow his calls to love what is good and shun evil.
II. THE THEOLOGICAL VIRTUES
Faith
Para 1814
Faith is the theological virtue by which we believe in God and believe all that he has said and revealed to us, and that Holy Church proposes for our belief, because he is truth itself.
Para 1815
The gift of faith remains in one who has not sinned against it.(80 – Cf. Council of Trent (1547); DS 1545).
Para 1816
Service of and witness to the faith are necessary for salvation.
Para 1821
We can therefore hope in the glory of heaven promised by God to those who love him and do his will. In every circumstance, each one of us should hope, with the grace of God, to persevere “to the end”(93 – Mt. 10:22; cf. Council of Trent: DS 1541) and to obtain the joy of heaven, as God’s eternal reward for the good works accomplished with the grace of Christ.
ARTICLE 8
SIN
I. MERCY AND SIN
Para 1846
The Gospel is the revelation in Jesus Christ of God’s mercy to sinners.(113) The angel announced to Joseph: “You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (114) The same is true of the Eucharist, the sacrament of redemption: “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”(115) (113 – Cf. Luke 15) (114 – Mt.1:21) (115 – Mt. 26:28)
Para 1848
Conversion requires convincing of sin; it includes the interior judgment of conscience, and this, being a proof of the action of the Spirit of truth in man’s inmost being, becomes at the same time the start of a new grant of grace and love: “Receive the Holy Spirit.” Thus in this “convincing concerning sin” we discover a double gift: the gift of the truth of conscience and the gift of certainty of redemption. The Spirit of truth is the Consoler.(120 – Pope John Paul II, DeV 31 § 2).
[MY NOTE: If conversion requires “convincing of sin” as stated above, then it is impossible for a baby to be born again by the sacrament of Baptism as Catholic doctrine teaches since they are unable to yet sin or be convinced of sin.]
II. THE DEFINITION OF SIN
Para 1849
Sin is an offence against reason, truth, and right conscience; it is failure in genuine love for God and neighbor caused by a perverse attachment to certain goods. It wounds the nature of man and injures human solidarity. It has been defined as “an utterance, a deed, or a desire contrary to the eternal law.”(121 – St. Augustine, Contra Faustum 22: PL 42, 418; St. Thomas Aquinas, StH I-II, 41, 436).
Para 1850
Sin is an offence against God: “Against you, you alone, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in your sight.” (122) Sin sets itself against God’s love for us and turns our hearts away from it. (122 – Psalm 51:4)
IV. THE GRAVITY OF SIN: MORTAL AND VENIAL SIN
Para 1862
One commits venial sin when, in a less serious matter, he does not observe the standard prescribed by the moral law, or when he disobeys the moral law in a grave matter, but without full knowledge or without complete consent.
Para 1863
Venial sin weakens charity; it manifests a disordered affection for created goods; it impedes the soul’s progress in the exercise of the virtues and the practice of the moral good; it merits temporal punishment. Deliberate and unrepented venial sin disposes us little by little to commit mortal sin. However venial sin does not break the covenant with God. With God’s grace it is humanly reparable. “Venial sin does not deprive the sinner of sanctifying grace, friendship with God, charity, and consequently eternal happiness.”(134 – Pope John Paul II RP 17 § 9).
NOTE: It is extremely important to stop right now and point out to you what the Word of God has to say regarding sin. All sin separates us from God –no matter what it may be; minor or extremely serious! Only by placing one’s faith and trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ — the sinless life that he led, the price that He paid when He died in your place and in mine on the cross to satisfy God’s just demands for sin, and His glorious resurrection from the dead in bodily form — can one have “friendship with God” and “eternal happiness” in heaven.
“All we like sheep have gone astray, every one hath turned aside into his own way: and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6 – Doua-Rheims Catholic Bible)
“But your iniquities have divided between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you that he should not hear.” (Isaiah 59:2 – Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible)
“But now God’s way of putting men right with himself has been revealed, and it has nothing to do with law. The Law and the prophets gave their witness to it: God puts men right through their faith in Jesus Christ. God does this to all who believe in Christ, because there is no difference at all: all men have sinned and are far away from God’s saving presence. But by the free gift of God’s grace they are all put right with him through Christ Jesus, who sets them free. God offered him so that by his death he should become the means by which men’s sins are forgiven, through their faith in him. God did this in order to demonstrate his righteousness.” (Romans 3:21-25a SHLCNT)
“Sin came into the world through one man, and his sin brought death with it. As a result, death spread to the whole human race, because all men sinned. There was sin in the world before the Law was given; but where there is no law, no account is kept of sins. But from the time of Adam to the time of Moses death ruled over all men, even over those who did not sin as Adam did by disobeying God’s command. Adam was a figure of the one who was to come. But the two are not the same, because God’s free gift is not like Adam’s sin. It is true that many men died because of the sin of that one man. But God’s grace is much greater, and so is his free gift to so many men through the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ. And there is a difference between God’s gift and the sin of one man. After the one sin came the judgment of “Guilty”; but after so many sins comes the undeserved gift of “Not guilty!” It is true that through the sin of one man death began to rule, because of that one man. But how much greater is the result of what was done by the one man, Jesus Christ! All who receive God’s abundant grace and the free gift of his righteousness will rule in life through Christ. So then, as the one sin condemned all men, in the same way the one righteous act sets all men free and gives them life. And just as many men were made sinners as the result of the disobedience of one man, in the same way many will be put right with God as the result of the obedience of the one man. Law was introduced in order to increase wrongdoing, but where sin increased, God’s grace increased much more. So then, just as sin ruled by means of death, so also God’s grace rules by means of righteousness, leading us to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 5:12-21 – SHLCNT)
“For sin pays its wage–death; but God’s free gift is eternal life in union with Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23 – SHLCNT)
“What human nature does is quite plain. It shows itself in immoral, filthy, and indecent actions; in worship of idols and witchcraft. People become enemies, they fight, become jealous, angry and ambitious. They separate into parties and groups; they are envious, get drunk, have orgies, and do other things like this. I warn you now as I have before: those who do these things will not receive the Kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5:19-21 – SHLCNT)
As I had previously stated, the Catholic church classifies sin into two categories; venial sin and mortal sin. I was taught that venial sins are things such as lying and disobeying one’s parents, whereas mortal sins are grave sins, such as murder. However, if precious Catholics believe this particular teaching about venial sins and place their trust in all that they have been taught in the Catholic church for their salvation they will find out how wrong they were when it’s too late. I say this because the Word of God classifies all liars along with murderers and other sinners:
“But the cowards, the traitors, and the perverts, the murderers and the immoral, those who practice magic and worship idols, and all liars–the place for them is the lake burning with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8)
” I did not see a temple in the city, because its temple is the Lord God, the Almighty, and the Lamb. The city has no need of the sun or the moon to shine on it, because the glory of God shines on it, and the Lamb is its lamp. The peoples of the world will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their wealth into it. The gates of the city will stand open all day; they will never be closed, because there will be no night there. The greatness and the wealth of the nations will be brought into the city. But nothing that is impure will enter the city, nor anyone who does shameful things or tells lies. Only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of the living will enter the city.” (Revelation 21:22-27)
This is what the Word of God has to say about those who put their complete trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ’s once for all sacrifice on the cross as full payment for their sins –no matter how sinful they may have been in the past:
“Surely you know that the wicked will not receive God’s Kingdom. Do not fool yourselves; people who are immoral, or worship idols, or are adulterers, or homosexual perverts, or who rob, or are greedy, or are drunkards, or who slander others, or are thieves–none of these will receive God’s Kingdom. Some of you were like that. But you have been cleansed from sin; you have been dedicated to God; you have been put right with God through the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11 – SHLCNT)
Let’s continue on:
ARTICLE 2
PARTICIPATION IN SOCIAL LIFE
Para 1902
Authority does not derive its moral legitimacy from itself. It must not behave in a despotic manner, but must act for the common good as a “moral force based on freedom and a sense of responsibility.”(21 – GS 74 § 2).
Para 1903
Authority is exercised legitimately only when it seeks the common good of the group concerned and if it employs morally licit means to attain it.
II. THE COMMON GOOD
Para 1908
Second, the common good requires the social well-being and development of the group itself.
III. RESPONSIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION
Para 1917
Participation begins with education and culture.
Para 1925
The common good consists of three essential elements: respect for and promotion of the fundamental rights of the person; prosperity or the development of the spiritual and temporal goods of society; the peace and security of the group and its members.
Para 1927
It is the role of the state to defend and promote the common good of civil society. The common good of the whole human family calls for an organization of society on the international level.
ARTICLE 3
SOCIAL JUSTICE
Para 1928
Society ensures social justice when it provides the conditions that allows associations or individuals to obtain what is their due, according to their nature and their vocation. Social justice is linked to the common good and the exercise of authority.
II. EQUALITY AND DIFFERENCES AMONG MEN
Para 1934
Created in the image of the one God and equally endowed with rational souls, all men have the same nature and the same origin. Redeemed by the sacrifice of Christ, all are called to participate in the same divine beatitude: all therefore enjoy an equal dignity.
Para 1936
On coming into the world, man is not equipped with everything he needs for developing his bodily and spiritual life. He needs others. Differences appear tied to age, physical abilities, intellectual or moral aptitudes, the benefits derived from social commerce, and the distribution of wealth.” (41 Cf. GS 29 § 2).
Para 1937
These differences belong to God’s plan, who wills that each receive what he needs from others, and that those endowed with particular “talents” share the benefits with those who need them. These differences encourage and often oblige persons to practice generosity, kindness, and sharing of goods; they foster the mutual enrichment of cultures:
I distribute the virtues quite diversely; I do not give all of them to each person, but some to one, some to others…I shall give principally charity to one; justice to another; humility to this one, a living faith to that one…And so I have given many gifts and graces, both spiritual and temporal, with such diversity that I have not given everything to one single person, so that you may be constrained to practice charity towards one another…I have willed that one should need another and that all should be my ministers in distributing the graces and gifts they have received from me.”(43 – St. Catherine of Sienna, Dial. I 7).
[My Note: The quote above, as stated, was given by “Saint Catherine of Sienna. It is said that she had a dialogue with God the Father and when she was in a state of ecstasy she dictated what she was allegedly told and her secretaries wrote it down. Therefore these teachings that the Catholic church is presenting are clearly unbiblical because they go beyond what is recorded in Scripture. The canon is closed; no other words are necessary. Jesus Christ was God’s final Word. (Hebrews 1:1 – See further below for this Scripture in context.]
Here is a quick capture of some information on Catherine of Sienna, who claims to have had a mystical marriage with Jesus Christ:
What I found to be the most troubling was the portion that says the following:
“The Catholic Encyclopedia notes that such a wedding ceremony “is but the accompaniment and symbol of a purely spiritual grace,” and that “as a wife should share in the life of her husband, and as Christ suffered for the redemption of mankind,the mystical spouse enters into a more intimate participation in his sufferings.”
It has also been said that during this alleged mystical marriage with Jesus, the ring he gave her was made from “the foreskin from his circumcision.”
Upon doing some further research I discovered that mystic, Catherine of Sienna, reportedly received the stigmata; the wounds upon her body that Jesus Christ had when He was brutally crucified on the cross to pay the debt for all of our sins –in full. This may be what is referred to in the highlighted portion of the quick capture above where it states that “the mystical spouse enters into a more intimate participation in his sufferings.”
As disturbing as all of this is to share with all of you, my intention in doing so was to show you more examples of how Catholicism focuses on mysticism. (Many more examples will be given to document my claim in future posts). The most troubling thing, though, is the implication that Catherine of Siena participated in Jesus Christ’s sufferings! This is adding to Scripture and denying that Jesus Christ alone suffered for our sins and paid the debt in full!
The Word of God says the following:
“In the past God spoke to our ancestors many times and in many ways through the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us through his Son. He is the one through whom God created the universe, the one whom God has chosen to possess all things at the end. He shines with the brightness of God’s glory; he is the exact likeness of God’s own being, and sustains the universe with his powerful word. After he had made men clean from their sins, he sat down in heaven at the right side of God, the Supreme Power.” (Hebrews 1:1-3 Sacred Heart League Catholic New Testament – SHLCNT)
Here is this passage of Scripture in the King James Version which uses emphatic language showing that Jesus Christ alone purged us from our sins:
“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;” (Hebrews 1:1-3 KJV)
Let’s continue:
III. HUMAN SOLIDARITY
Para 1940
Solidarity is manifested in the first place by the distribution of goods and remuneration for work.
Para 1941
Socio-economic problems can be resolved only with the help of all the forms of solidarity: solidarity of the poor among themselves, between rich and poor, of workers among themselves, between employers and employees in a business, solidarity among nations and peoples. International solidarity is a requirement of the moral order; world peace depends in part upon this.
Para 1947
The equal dignity of human persons requires the effort to reduce excessive social and economic inequalities. It gives urgency to the elimination of sinful inequalities.
CLOSING COMMENTS AND SOME MORE ADDED INFORMATION
The basis for our faith must be built upon the truth of God’s Word and not on traditions of men and mystical experiences. When a teaching cannot be validated with Scripture but instead contradicts it, then it must be completely rejected.
As I had mentioned in the INTRODUCTION to this post, I have a personal experience that I would like to share with you regarding what happened to me and my family many years ago and how it relates to socialism and the common good spoken of quite frequently in this section of the Catechism Of The Catholic Church. My dear Mom shared the detailed account with me a year or so before she died to refresh my mind regarding all that had happened when this topic came up one evening during our nightly phone conversations. Wanting to make sure that I would present the facts accurately I took notes knowing that it was something important that needed to be presented at some point in this series in order to show the unscrupulous tactics that the Catholic church sometimes uses to get what they want. Here now is that account:
My family owned an apartment building that was located in the city of Chicago directly across the street from the Catholic school that we were attending and in between the rectory (the building where the Catholic priests lived) and the convent (the building where the Catholic nuns lived). One day when my Dad was out in front of our building doing some painting, a man approached him and asked if he would be interested in selling the building. My Dad paused for a moment and then told the man that he would consider selling it to the church before he would consider selling it to anyone else. Well, a short time later (maybe a month or so), my parents received a letter in the mail informing them that our property, (along with a few other apartments surrounding us), was going to be purchased by the church in order to build their new school building. It was at this point that my parents realized who that man was that approached our Dad that day asking if he would consider selling our apartment building. Although cities buy up property all the time in order to create highways or to make other changes, in my humble opinion that was not a very honest or Christ-like way for leaders of a church to go about demanding requesting to purchase someone’s home.
We were given approximately nine months to vacate the premises which wasn’t very much time at all considering that we not only had to find a place to live but also we had to pack up all of our belongings! When the time was up we were forced to leave even though we still had some of our things inside. It was mid November. My parents, along with my three sisters, one brother and I, stood across the street and watched as the wrecking ball came crashing through the walls. I remember my dear Mom, four months pregnant at the time with number six, looking on and expressing the deep sorrow that was within her heart. Thankfully we had already found a new place to live, but the church did not pay us near the amount of money that our apartment building was worth. For a church to force out families from their homes in order to build an extravagant new school — complete with wall to wall carpeting and central air — was not done for the common good of all concerned, but only for the good of those who ran this particular Catholic church and the people who were a part of this parish. None of us became bitter from what we experienced, because we never would have met the wonderful people that came into our lives after moving from that area if we had stayed there.
In the following video, former Roman Catholic priest of twenty-two years, the late Richard Bennett, presents God’s view of wealth and human responsibility and the Roman Catholic’s view on economics. He also shares some of Pope Francis’ teachings on wealth that can be found in the Vatican’s official documents.
Below you will see a few quick captures of some quotes from the following video. I have highlighted the most troubling things in turquoise. which shockingly includes the approval of stealing to meet one’s needs and denying that it is thievery/robbery:
“Christian tradition has never recognized the right to private property as absolute and untouchable: On the contrary, it has always understood this right within the broader context of the right common to all to use the goods of the whole creation: the right to private property is subordinated to the right to common use, to the fact that goods are meant for everyone.” -Compendium Of The Social Doctrine Of The Church, Section 177
“In cases of need, all things are common property, so that there would seem to be no sin in taking another’s property, for need has made it common. …it is lawful for a man to succor his own need by means of another’s property by taking it either openly or secretly, nor is this, properly speaking, theft and robbery…” Thomas Aquinas, The Suma Theologica, 11-11, 7th article
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RICHARD BENNETT – WORSE THAN MARX – POPE FRANCIS’ DOGMA ON ECONOMICS
NOTE: This is neither an endorsement of Paul Flynn of Megiddo Radio nor is it an endorsement of Richard Bennett. I have always had a deep respect for Richard Bennett and his ministry to reach precious Catholics, but I reject the Calvinism and Reformed Theology that he embraced. This video is solely for documentation purposes.
The teachings of the Catholic church may deny the right to private property, attempt to justify stealing, and emphasize mystical experiences, but the Word of God has this to say about these things, which includes the fact that although God does desire for us to help those who are in need, He is not against people owning property/private possessions:
“But there was a man names Ananias, whose wife was named Sapphira. He sold some property that belonged to them, but kept part of the money for himself, as his wife knew, and turned the rest over to the apostles. Peter said to him, “Ananias, why did you let Satan take control of your heart and make you lie to the Holy Spirit by keeping part of the money you received for the property? Before you sold the property it belonged to you, and after you sold it the money was yours. Why, then, did you decide in your heart that you would do such a thing? You have not lied to men–you have lied to God!” (Acts 5:1-4 – SHLCNT)
“Remember how it was with you in the past. In those days, after God’s light had shone on you, you suffered many things, yet were not defeated by the struggle. You were at times publicly insulted and mistreated, and at other times you were ready to join those who were being treated in this way. You shared the sufferings of prisoners, and when all your belongings were seized you endured your loss gladly, because you knew that you still had for yourselves something much better, which would last forever.” (Hebrews 10:32-34 – SHLCNT)
Jesus Christ, Himself, said,
“The poor you will always have with you.” (Matthew 26:11, Mark 14:7)
From this verse alone we can see that the responsibility of Christians is not to eradicate poverty as the social gospel teaches. Instead we are to preach the good news of the Biblical gospel and urge people to be reconciled to God. (Matthew 28:19, Mark 16:15 2 Corinthians 5:19,20)
No matter what the Catholic church may say, to take something that belongs to someone else — even if one is in need — is called stealing, and it is clearly a sin.
“Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house: neither shalt thou desire his wife, nor his servant, nor his handmaid, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is his.” (Exodus 20:15, 17 – Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible Version)
“Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife: nor his house, nor his field, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is his.” (Deuteronomy 5:21 – Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible Version)
“They see vain things, and they foretell lies, saying: The Lord saith: whereas the Lord hath not sent them: and they have persisted to confirm what they have said.” (Ezekiel 13:6 – Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible Version)
“The Spirit says clearly that some men will abandon the faith in later times; they will obey lying spirits and follow the teachings of demons.” (1 Timothy 4:1 – SHLCNT)
“I have to boast, even though it doesn’t do any good . But I will now talk about visions and revelations given me by the Lord I know a certain Christian man who fourteen years ago was snatched up to the highest heaven (I do not know whether this actually happened, or whether he had a vision–only God knows). I repeat, I know that this man was snatched to Paradise (again, I do not know whether this actually happened, or whether it was a vision–only God knows), and there he heard things which cannot be put into words, things that human lips may not speak.” (2 Corinthians 12:1-4 – SHLCNT)
“The Spirit says clearly that some men will abandon the faith in later times; they will obey lying spirits and follow the teachings of demons. These teachings come from the deceit of men who are liars, and whose consciences are dead, as if burnt with a hot iron.”(1 Timothy 4:1,2 – SHLCNT)
“My dear friends: do not believe all who claim to have the Spirit, but test them to find out if the spirit they have comes from God. For many false prophets have gone out everywhere.” (1 John 4:1 – SHLCNT)
“This is how you disregard God’s Word to follow your own teaching. You hypocrites! How right Isaiah was when he prophesied about you! “These people, says God, honor me with their words, but their heart is really far away from me. It is no use for them to worship me, because they teach man-made commandments as though they were God’s rules.” (Matthew 15:7-9 – SHLCNT)
“See to it, then, that no one makes a captive of you with the worthless deceit of human wisdom, which comes from the teachings handed down by men, and from the ruling spirits of the universe, and not from Christ.” (Colossians 2:8 – SHLCNT)
Dear Catholic, once again I present you with this question that ultimately you must give an answer to which will affect your eternal destination depending upon if you place your trust in Jesus Christ or in the Catholic church for the forgiveness of your sins:
Are you going to believe the Word of God –the Bible– or the word of man – Traditions of the Catholic church?”
Dear reader — no matter what your beliefs may be — I pray that you will realize the seriousness of this matter and seek God in His Word for the truth while there is still time for you to do so.
Thank you very much for stopping by today.
God Bless You
~Mary Dalke – Living4HisGlory
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Below is a quick capture from Channel ABC 7 News article that follows. I just came across this article on Facebook that was published on Sunday, October 4, 2020 which clearly shows you a present day push towards socialism.
Lord willing, I am hoping to complete this series by the end of this year, or early January 2021. After taking time to divide up the remaining pages of the CCC that still need to be covered, it appears that there will only be five more sections to go through. With God’s help, and if time permits, this can be accomplished! When this series is finally finished, Lord willing, I hope to then be able to complete the series, Apparitions Of The Virgin Mary Or Demons In Disguise – Examining The Evidence In Light Of Scripture.
There are two very important reasons why I felt compelled to write this series of posts, and I’d like to briefly share these reasons with you now before I go any further:
1) Since I am a former Catholic who is very aware of the teachings of the Catholic Church because I attended twelve years of Catholic school, attended Catechism classes, made my First Holy Communion, was Confirmed, and faithfully attended Mass not only every Sunday for many years, but also before school began for three years (as required by the school that I attended at the time), and who came to the knowledge of who Jesus Christ truly is and what He actually accomplished for us by reading a Catholic New Testament Bible exactly like the one pictured above, I decided to write this series with the hope of reaching precious Catholics so that they can not only come to an understanding of who Jesus Christ truly is as His Word, the Bible, declares Him to be, but also so they can see by reading God’s Word that they can have complete forgiveness, lasting joy, true peace, and the assurance of salvation if they choose to believe God’s Word and place their trust in Jesus Christ alone for their salvation. Also, since many Catholics do not realize everything that the Catholic church actually teaches (as I once did not realize until after doing research and reading the CCC), I thought that it was extremely important to share this information to make Catholics aware of many things that are quite disturbing, as you will allsoon become aware of as this series continues.
2) This series of posts is also being written with the intention of helping those of you who are born-again, Bible believing followers of Jesus Christ who have no idea of what the teachings of Catholicism are so that you can become aware of their teachings and be prepared to offer hope and assurance of salvation through Jesus Christ to Catholics based solely upon the truth that is recorded in God’s Word.
As we continue on in this series together comparing Scriptures in the Catholic New Testament to teachings found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, we must keep these important thoughts in mind:
When it comes to our eternal destination — heaven or hell — we must be certain that we place our trust in solid truth and not in speculation or in the traditions of men. The Catholic church claims to be the “one true Church.” Therefore, it stands to reason that their teachings must line up with God’s Word and not contradict it since God does not change (Malachi 3:6, James 1:17, Hebrews 13:8), and His Word stands firm forever. (Psalm 119:89, Isaiah 40:8, 1 Peter 1:24,25) If a contradiction is found it must be rejected because God’s Word is our plumb line by which we must measure (or test) the teachings of every religion to see if it lines up or not. If it is off in one point we can be certain that it will lead us further and further away from Biblical truth and lead us into spiritual deception.
This series will cover many different subjects ranging from what does the Catholic Church teach about the Bible, Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, priests, the pope, sin, forgiveness of sins, salvation, prayer, and what must a Catholic believe in order to receive eternal life. Some of these teachings will shock even many Catholics when they learn what their church actually teaches!
Lord willing, I hope to share at least one post every month with you in this new series until I have covered all the most important teachings that need to be brought to your attention. The main goal that I have in writing this series is to present the Word of God to Catholics — and to every person — in order to point everyone to Jesus Christ, who is our only hope and ‘the only name under heaven given among men by which we can be saved.’ (Acts 4:12)
Dear Catholic, please take a minute now to sincerely pray; ask God to open your mind to the Scriptures and to reveal the truth to you –whatever that may be.
Because only God can reveal the truth to you, I will refrain from making any comments unless I find it completely necessary. Since God’s Word is truth I trust that He will not only give you eyes to see the truth, but also I trust that He will give you the courage to respond to His leading. However, each one of you will find yourself having to answer this question when you come to many points that I present to you in these posts after realizing that there are oftentimes extreme differences between what the Word of God says and what Catholicism teaches, and the question that you will have to answer is:
“Are you going to believe the Word of God, or the word of man?”
For those of you who are not Catholic, and are taking the time to read these posts in order to learn what Catholicism actually teaches, please keep in mind that every time you see the word “church” spelled with a capital c they are referring to the Catholic church, since they believe that the “Catholic Church” alone is the “one true Church.”All of the information that I will be sharing with you I have obtained from the following sources:
1) CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH (pictured above) – Imprimi Potest – Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (who later became Pope Benedict) – Interdicasterial Commission for the Catechism of the Catholic Church
2) THE WORD OF GOD – THE NEW TESTAMENT OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR IN TODAY’S ENGLISH VERSION – SACRED HEART LEAGUE EDITION – IMPRIMATUR JOHN FRANCIS WHEALON, ARCHBISHOP OF HARTFORD, APRIL 15, 1971 SIGNED AND SEALED BY BISHOP JOSEPH B. BRUNINI, DIOCESE OF JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI
3) Occasionally when I share a Scripture with you from the Sacred Heart League (SHL) Catholic New Testament and notice that it lacks depth and clarity, I will then follow it with the same verse but in the King James Version in order to give you a better understanding of what is being said, and so that you can see what is missing from the SHL translation.
4) Very briefly in this series, when it is necessary to quote from the Old Testament, I will also be quoting from THE CATHOLIC DOUAY RHEIMS VERSION OF THE BIBLE – in which you will find the following statements:
“EXCERPT FROM ENCYCLICAL LETTER OF OUR HOLY FATHER BY DIVINE PROVIDENCE POPE LEO XIII ON THE STUDY OF HOLY SCRIPTURE:
“The God of all Providence, Who in the adorable designs of His love at first elevated the human race to the participation of the Divine nature, and afterwards delivered it from the universal guilt and ruin, restoring it to its primitive dignity, has in consequence bestowed upon man a splendid gift and safeguard–making known to him, by supernatural means, the hidden Mysteries of His divinity, His wisdom, and His mercy. For although in Divine revelations there are contained some things which are not beyond the reach of unassisted reason, and which are made the objects of such revelation in order “that all may come to know them with facility, certainty, and safety from error, yet not on this account can supernatural Revelation be said to be absolutely necessary; it is only necessary because God has ordained man to a supernatural end.” This supernatural revelation according to the belief of the universal Church, is contained both in unwritten Tradition, and in written Books, which are therefore called sacred and canonical because, “being written under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, they have God for their author, and as such have been delivered to the Church.” (Page ix)
“Wherefore it must be recognised that the sacred writings are wrapt in a certain religious obscurity, and that no one can enter into their interior without a guide; God so disposing, as the Holy Fathers commonly teach, in order that men may investigate them with greater ardour and earnestness, and that what is attained with difficulty may sink more deeply into the mind and heart; and, most of all that they may understand that God has delivered the Holy Scriptures to the Church, and that in reading and making use of His Word, they must follow the Church as their guide and their teacher. St. Irenaeus long since laid down, that where the charismata of God were, there the truth was to be learnt, and that Holy Scripture was safely interpreted by those who had the Apostolic succession. His teaching, and that of other Holy Fathers, is taken up by the Council of the Vatican, which, in the renewing of the decree of Trent, declares its “mind” to be this–that “in things of faith and morals, belonging to the building up of Christian doctrine, that is to be considered the true sense of Holy Scripture which has been held and is held by our Holy Mother the Church whose place it is to judge of the true sense and interpretation of the Scriptures; and therefore that it is permitted to no one to interpret Holy Scripture against such sense or also against the unanimous agreement of the Fathers.” (Page xvii)
“Wherefore the first and dearest object of the Catholic commentator should be to interpret those passages which have received an authentic interpretation either by the sacred writers themselves, under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost (as in many places of the New Testament), or from the Church, under the assistance of the same Holy Spirit, whether by her solemn judgment or her ordinary and universal magisterium –to interpret those passages in that identical sense, and to prove, by all the resources of science that sound hermeneutical laws admit of no other interpretation. In the other passages, the analogy of faith should be followed, and Catholic doctrine, as authoritatively proposed by the Church, should be held as the supreme law; for seeing that the same God is the author both of the Sacred Books and of the doctrine committed to the Church, it is clearly impossible that any teaching can by legitimate means be extracted from the former, which shall in any respect be at variance with the latter. Hence it follows that all interpretation is foolish and false which either makes the sacred writers disagree one with another, or is opposed to the doctrine of the Church.” (Page xviii)
“For although the studies of non-Catholics, used with prudence, may sometimes be of use to the Catholic student, he should nevertheless, bear well in mind–as the Fathers also teach in numerous passages –that the sense of Holy Scripture can nowhere be found incorrupt outside of the Church, and cannot be expected to be found in writers who, being without the true faith, only gnaw the bark of the Sacred Scripture and never attain its pith.” (Page xix)
[As I have mentioned in some previous posts in this series, in order to get this entire series finished in a timely manner, from now on I will be trying to keep my comments very brief and will mainly be making them in the introduction and closing sections of these posts. I will, however, continue to keep the focus on Scripture which is where it should be. I am also trying very hard (but not succeeding) to limit these posts to no more than 5000 words which makes it rather difficult sometimes. For those of you who have busy schedules and do not have the time to read lengthy posts, I will continue to highlight just some of the many troubling things in turquoise, the extremely troubling things I will highlight in red, and some things that are Biblical I will highlight in blue in order to quickly bring these things to your attention.]
INTRODUCTION TO PART 17
In Part 17 of this series regarding the Catechism Of The Catholic Church we will be covering the topics of the Sacrament of Matrimony, as well as Sacramentals, and Funerals. We will begin on the second half of page 446 and go all the way up to page 470 of the Catechism Of The Catholic Church. That will bring us to the end of Part 2 in this book after which we will still have 310 more pages to go through in this 756 page book which does not include the Subject Index.
Regarding Marriage, the Catholic church has many Biblical things to say about it. However, problems arise due to the fact that the Catholic church adds many of their unbiblical Traditions of men to God’s Word thus distorting and detracting from the truth that is so clear in Scripture. We will be zeroing in on some of these troubling teachings in this post and then we will take a look at some specific Scriptures that will reveal these particular teachings as being unbiblical.
For those of you who were not raised Catholic, the main thing that you need to keep in mind throughout this whole series is that, in Catholicism, the Eucharistic sacrifice — the offering up of the bread and wine (that is said to be an unbloody, yet propitiatory sacrifice) is not done simply in memory of all that Jesus Christ already did for us to pay the debt for all of our sins in full! They teach that the bread and wine literally transforms into the actual body, blood, soul, and divinityof Jesus Christ when the priest pronounces the words over the bread and wine at every single Mass in every Catholic church around the world! This teaching is what the Catholic church links almost every one of their other teachings to. In other words, Catholicism is not built upon the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross and His victory over sin and death. Instead, during every Catholic Mass, Jesus Christ is literally not only called, but also portrayed as a victim! Catholicism’s foundation is built upon the continuation of Jesus Christ’s once for all sacrifice that they claim was commanded for them to carry on by Jesus Christ, Himself. In order to point out to you how Catholicism links many of their teachings to the Eucharistic sacrifice, I will highlight these things in lemon yellow.
Let’s begin:
ARTICLE 7
THE SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY
I. MARRIAGE IN GOD’S PLAN
Marriage in the order of creation
Para 1603
“The intimate community of life and love which constitutes the married state has been established by the Creator and endowed by him with its own proper laws. …God himself is the author of marriage.”(87 – GS 48 § 1.) The vocation to marriage is written in the very nature of man and woman as they came from the hand of the Creator.
Para 1605
Holy Scripture affirms that man and woman were created for one another: “It is not good that the man should be alone.”(92 – Gen. 2:18) The woman, “flesh of his flesh,” his equal, his nearest in all things, is given to him by God as a “helpmate”; she thus represents God from whom comes our help. (93 – Cf. Gen. 2:18-25.) “Therefore a man leaves his father and mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh.” (94 – Gen. 2:24.) The Lord himself shows that this signifies an unbreakable union of their two lives by recalling what the plan of the Creator had been “in the beginning”: “So they are no longer two, but one flesh.” (95 -Mt. 19:6)
Para 1617
The entire Christian life bears the mark of the spousal love of Christ and the Church. Already Baptism, the entry into the People of God, is a nuptial mystery; it is so to speak the nuptial bath (111 – Cf. Eph. 5:26,27.) which precedes the wedding feast, the Eucharist.Christian marriage in its turn becomes an efficacious sign, the sacrament of the covenant of Christ and the Church. Since it signifies and communicates grace, marriage between baptized persons is a true sacrament of the New Covenant.(112 – Cf. DS 1800; CIC, can. 1055 § 2.)
II. THE CELEBRATION OF MARRIAGE
Para 1621
In the Latin Rite the celebration of marriage between two Catholic faithful normally takes place during Holy Mass, because of the connection of all the sacraments with the Paschal mystery of Christ.(120 – Cf. SC 61.) In the Eucharist the memorial of the New Covenant is realized, the New Covenant in which Christ has united himself for ever to the Church, his beloved bride for whom he gave himself up.(121 -Cf. LG 6.)It is therefore fitting that the spouses should seal their consent to give themselves to each other through the offering of their own lives by uniting it to the offering of Christ for his Church made present in the Eucharistic sacrifice,and by receiving the Eucharist so that, communicating in the same Body and the same Blood of Christ they may form but “one body” in Christ.(122 – Cf. 1 Cor 10:17)
VI. THE DOMESTIC CHURCH
Para 1658
The doors of homes, the “domestic churches,” and of the great family which is the Church must be open to all of them. “No one is without a family in this world: the Church is a home and family for everyone, especially those who ‘labor and are heavy laden.’ “ (170 – FC 85; cf. Mt. 11:28.)
CHAPTER FOUR
OTHER LITURGICAL CELEBRATIONS
ARTICLE 1
SACRAMENTALS
Para 1667
“Holy Mother Church has, moreover, instituted sacramentals. These are sacred signs which bear a resemblance to the sacraments. They signify effects, particularly of a spiritual nature, which are obtained through the intercession of the Church…” (171 – SC 60; cf. CIC, can. 1166; CCEO, can. 867.)
Para 1670
Sacramentals do not confer the grace of the Holy Spirit in the way that the sacraments do, but by the Church’s prayer, they prepare us to receive grace and dispose us to cooperate with it. “For well-disposed members of the faithful, the liturgy of the sacraments and sacramentals sanctifies almost every event of their lives with the divine grace which flows from the Paschal mystery of the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Christ. From this source all sacraments and sacramentals draw their power. There is scarcely any proper use of material things which cannot be thus directed toward the sanctification of men and the praise of God.”(174 – SC 61.)
Popular piety
Para 1674
The religious sense of the Christian people have 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, (178) etc. (178 – Cf. Council of Nicaea II: DS 601; 603; Council of Trent: DS 1822.)
Para 1676
The Catholic wisdom of the people is capable of fashioning a vital synthesis. …It creatively combines the divine and the human, Christ and Mary, spirit and body, communion and institution, person and community, faith and homeland, intelligence and emotion. This wisdom is a Christian humanism that radically affirms the dignity of every person as a child of God, establishes a basic fraternity, teaches people to encounter nature, and understand work, provides reasons for joy and humor even in the midst of a very hard life.
My Note: Although God created every person, not every person is a child of God. Only those who believe and receive Jesus Christ are considered to be God’s children. The Word of God declares:
“The Word, then, was in the world. God made the world through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own country, but his own people did not receive him. Some, however, did receive him and believed in him; so he gave them the right to become God’s children.” (John 1:12 – SHLCNT)
“Those who are led by God’s Spirit are God’s Sons. For the Spirit that God has given you does not make you a slave and cause you to be afraid; instead, the Spirit makes you God’s Sons, and by the Spirit’s power we cry to God, “Father! My Father!” God’s Spirit joins himself to our spirits to declare that we are God’s children.” (Romans 8:14-16 – SHLCNT)
“It is through faith that all of you are God’s sons in union with Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:26 – SHLCNT)
The apostle John, being moved by the Holy Spirit as he addressed believers in Jesus Christ, said the following:
“See how much the Father has loved us! His love is so great that we are called God’s children–and so, in fact, we are. This is why the world does not know us: it has not known God. My dear friends, we are now God’s children, but it is not yet clear what we shall become. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall become like him, because we shall see him as he really is. Everyone who has this hope in Christ keeps himself pure, just as Christ is pure.”
“Whoever is a child of God does not continue to sin, because God’s very nature is in him; and because God is his Father, he cannot continue to sin. Here is the clear difference between God’s children and the Devil’s children: anyone who does not do what is right, or does not love his brother, is not God’s child.” (1 John 3:1-3, 9,10 – SHLCNT)
Let’s continue on:
ARTICLE 2
CHRISTIAN FUNERALS
I. THE CHRISTIAN’S LAST PASSOVER
Para 1682
For the Christian the day of death inaugurates, at the end of his sacramental life, the fulfillment of his new birth begun at Baptism, the definitive “conformity” to “the image of the Son” conferred by the anointing of the Holy Spirit, and participation in the feast of the Kingdom which was anticipated in the Eucharist—even if final purifications are still necessary for him in order to be clothed with the nuptial garment.
My Note: Death is final; there is no second chance after death to be purified from sin. There is no such place as purgatory. Nothing can be done after one dies to become pure before the Lord. God’s Word is clear and it shows us that if we place our faith and trust in Jesus Christ and all that He did for us to provide forgiveness for every one of our sins, we can have total assurance of being with the Lord after we die:
“Now this is the message that we have heard from his Son and announce to you: God is light and there is no darkness at all in him. If, then, we say that we have fellowship with him, yet at the same time live in the darkness, we are lying both in our words and in our actions. But if we live in the light–just as he is in the light–then we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, makes us clean from every sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and there is no truth in us. But if we confess our sins to God, he will keep his promise and do what is right: he will forgive us our sins and make us clean from all our wrongdoing. If we say that we have not sinned, we make a liar out of God, and his word is not in us. I write you this, my children, so that you will not sin; but if anyone does sin, we have Jesus Christ, the righteous, who pleads for us with the Father. And Christ himself is the means by which our sins are forgiven, and not our sins only, but also the sins of all men.” (1 John 1:5-2:2 – SHLCNT)
“We believe the witness that men give; the witness that God gives is much stronger, and this is the witness that God has given about his Son. So whoever believes in the Son of God has this witness in his heart; but whoever does not believe God has made a liar out of him, because he has not believed what God has said as a witness about his Son. This, then, is the witness: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has this life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write you this so that you may know that you have eternal life–you that believe in the name of the Son of God.” (1 John 5:9-13 – SHLCNT)
Para 1683
The Church, who, as Mother, has borne the Christian sacramentally in her womb during his earthly pilgrimage, accompanies him at his journey’s end, in order to surrender him “into the Father’s hands.” She offers to the Father, in Christ, the child of his grace, and she commits to the earth, in hope, the seed of the body that will rise in glory.”(184) This offering is fully celebrated in the Eucharistic sacrifice; the blessings before and after Mass are sacramentals.(184 – Cf. 1 Cor 15:42-44.)
II. THE CELEBRATION OF FUNERALS
Para 1689
When the celebration takes place in church, the Eucharist is the heart of the Paschal reality of Christian death.(189 – Cf. OCF 1.) In the Eucharist, the Church expresses her efficacious communion with the departed:offering to the Father in the Holy Spirit the sacrifice of the death and resurrection of Christ, she asks to purify his child of his sins and their consequences, and to admit him to the Paschal fullness of the table of the Kingdom.(190 – Cf. OCF 57.) It is by the Eucharist thus celebrated thatthe community of the faithful, especially the family of the deceased, learn to live in communion with the one who “has fallen asleep in the Lord,” by communicating in the Body of Christ of which he is a living member and, then, by praying for him and with him.
MY NOTE: It’s too late to pray for a person to be purified of his sins and their consequences after they have died, and it is impossible to pray with a deceased person, because the Word of God says that once we die we are judged and are sent to either heaven or hell:
“Everyone must die once, and after that be judged by God.” (Hebrews 9:27 – SHLCNT)”
The Word of God also makes it clear that we are unable and even forbidden to try to contact a person who has died! (Read Luke 16:19-31, Leviticus 19:31, Deuteronomy 18:10-13)
If a person does not choose to believe by placing their trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ’s once for all sacrifice on the cross as being sufficient to pay the debt for all of their sins in full before they take their final breath, instead of being clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ, they will stand before the Lord in judgment still in their sins and will forever be separated from the presence of the Lord. The Word of God says:
“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever disobeys the Son will never have life, but God’s wrath will remain on him forever.” (John 3:36 – SHLCNT)
“He that believeth in the Son hath life everlasting: but he that believeth not the Son shall not see life: but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (John 3:36 – Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible) [My Note: The reason that I added the Douay-Rheims translation above was to point out to you that some words are changed in Catholic versions (such as the Sacred Heart League Catholic New Testament that I am mainly using in this series) to reflect Catholic doctrine, which is tampering with the true meaning of God’s Word. The Douay-Rheims version does not deviate from the intended meaning by equating the word believe with obedience.]
“Everyone must die once, and after that be judged by God.” (Hebrews 9:27)
CLOSING COMMENTS
Dear Catholic — and dear reader, whomever you may be and whatever your religious belief system may be — according to the Word of God our eternal destiny does not depend upon our own righteousness, our good works, or our religion. It is based only upon accepting the one and only way that God has provided for us to be forgiven for our sins and to have a relationship with Him and that is by coming to Him through Jesus Christ alone by placing your complete trust in all that He has already accomplished for us by His once for all sacrifice when He willingly went to the cross and died in our place, was buried, and arose from the dead in bodily form three days later. Jesus Christ is the only Mediator between God and mankind, the only name under heaven by which we can be saved, and the only way to God, the Father (John 14:6).
Dear Catholic, once again I must ask you this question that needs to be asked, for your eternal destiny is at stake:
“Are you going to believe the Word of God, or the word of man?”
I truly pray that you will choose to believe the truth of God’s Word and come to know the joy and peace that comes through Jesus Christ alone.
RELATED SCRIPTURES
“For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to be its Judge, but to be its Savior. Whoever believes in the Son is not judged; whoever does not believe, has already been judged, because he has not believed in God’s only Son.” (John 3:16-18 – SHLCNT)
“And we are all become as one unclean, and all our justices as the rag of a menstruous woman: and we have all fallen as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” (Isaiah 64:6 – Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible)
“For his sake I have thrown everything away; I consider it all mere garbage, so that I may gain Christ, and be completely united with him. No longer do I have a righteousness of my own, the kind to be gained by obeying the Law. I now have the righteousness that is given through faith in Christ, the righteousness that comes from God, and is based on faith.” (Philippians 3:8b,9 – SHLCNT)
“Jesus did many other mighty works in his disciples’ presence which are not written down in this book. These have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through this faith you may have life in his name.” (John 20:31 – SHLCNT)
“Jesus answered, “You come from here below, but I come from above. You come from this world, but I do not come from this world. That is why I told you that you will die in your sins. And you will die in your sins if you do not believe that ‘I Am Who I Am.’ ” (John 8:23,24 – SHLCNT)
There are two very important reasons why I felt compelled to write this series of posts, and I’d like to briefly share these reasons with you now before I go any further:
1) Since I am a former Catholic who is very aware of the teachings of the Catholic Church because I attended twelve years of Catholic school, attended Catechism classes, made my First Holy Communion, was Confirmed, and faithfully attended Mass not only every Sunday for many years, but also before school began for three years (as required by the school that I attended at the time), and who came to the knowledge of who Jesus Christ truly is and what He actually accomplished for us by reading a Catholic New Testament Bible exactly like the one pictured above, I decided to write this series with the hope of reaching precious Catholics so that they can not only come to an understanding of who Jesus Christ truly is as His Word, the Bible, declares Him to be, but also so they can see by reading God’s Word that they can have complete forgiveness, lasting joy, true peace, and the assurance of salvation if they choose to believe God’s Word and place their trust in Jesus Christ alone for their salvation. Also, since many Catholics do not realize everything that the Catholic church actually teaches (as I once did not realize until after doing research and reading the CCC), I thought that it was extremely important to share this information to make Catholics aware of many things that are quite disturbing, as you will all soon become aware of as this series continues.
2) This series of posts is also being written with the intention of helping those of you who are born-again, Bible believing followers of Jesus Christ who have no idea of what the teachings of Catholicism are so that you can become aware of their teachings and be prepared to offer hope and assurance of salvation through Jesus Christ to Catholics based solely upon the truth that is recorded in God’s Word.
As we continue on in this series together comparing Scriptures in the Catholic New Testament to teachings found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, we must keep these important thoughts in mind:
When it comes to our eternal destination — heaven or hell — we must be certain that we place our trust in solid truth and not in speculation or in the traditions of men. The Catholic church claims to be the “one true Church.” Therefore, it stands to reason that their teachings must line up with God’s Word and not contradict it since God does not change (Malachi 3:6, James 1:17, Hebrews 13:8), and His Word stands firm forever. (Psalm 119:89, Isaiah 40:8, 1 Peter 1:24,25) If a contradiction is found it must be rejected because God’s Word is our plumb line by which we must measure (or test) the teachings of every religion to see if it lines up or not. If it is off in one point we can be certain that it will lead us further and further away from Biblical truth and lead us into spiritual deception.
This series will cover many different subjects ranging from what does the Catholic Church teach about the Bible, Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, priests, the pope, sin, forgiveness of sins, salvation, prayer, and what must a Catholic believe in order to receive eternal life. Some of these teachings will shock even many Catholics when they learn what their church actually teaches!
Lord willing, I hope to share at least one post every month with you in this new series until I have covered all the most important teachings that need to be brought to your attention. The main goal that I have in writing this series is to present the Word of God to Catholics — and to every person — in order to point everyone to Jesus Christ, who is our only hope and ‘the only name under heaven given among men by which we can be saved.’ (Acts 4:12)
Dear Catholic, please take a minute now to sincerely pray; ask God to open your mind to the Scriptures and to reveal the truth to you –whatever that may be.
Because only God can reveal the truth to you, I will refrain from making any comments unless I find it completely necessary. Since God’s Word is truth I trust that He will not only give you eyes to see the truth, but also I trust that He will give you the courage to respond to His leading. However, each one of you will find yourself having to answer this question when you come to many points that I present to you in these posts after realizing that there are oftentimes extreme differences between what the Word of God says and what Catholicism teaches, and the question that you will have to answer is:
“Are you going to believe the Word of God, or the word of man?”
For those of you who are not Catholic, and are taking the time to read these posts in order to learn what Catholicism actually teaches, please keep in mind that every time you see the word “church” spelled with a capital c they are referring to the Catholic church, since they believe that the “Catholic Church” alone is the “one true Church.”All of the information that I will be sharing with you I have obtained from the following sources:
1) CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH (pictured above) – Imprimi Potest – Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (who later became Pope Benedict) – Interdicasterial Commission for the Catechism of the Catholic Church
2) THE WORD OF GOD – THE NEW TESTAMENT OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR IN TODAY’S ENGLISH VERSION – SACRED HEART LEAGUE EDITION – IMPRIMATUR JOHN FRANCIS WHEALON, ARCHBISHOP OF HARTFORD, APRIL 15, 1971 SIGNED AND SEALED BY BISHOP JOSEPH B. BRUNINI, DIOCESE OF JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI
3) Occasionally when I share a Scripture with you from the Sacred Heart League (SHL) Catholic New Testament and notice that it lacks depth and clarity, I will then follow it with the same verse but in the King James Version in order to give you a better understanding of what is being said, and so that you can see what is missing from the SHL translation.
4) Very briefly in this series, when it is necessary to quote from the Old Testament, I will also be quoting from THE CATHOLIC DOUAY RHEIMS VERSION OF THE BIBLE – in which you will find the following statements:
“EXCERPT FROM ENCYCLICAL LETTER OF OUR HOLY FATHER BY DIVINE PROVIDENCE POPE LEO XIII ON THE STUDY OF HOLY SCRIPTURE:
“The God of all Providence, Who in the adorable designs of His love at first elevated the human race to the participation of the Divine nature, and afterwards delivered it from the universal guilt and ruin, restoring it to its primitive dignity, has in consequence bestowed upon man a splendid gift and safeguard–making known to him, by supernatural means, the hidden Mysteries of His divinity, His wisdom, and His mercy. For although in Divine revelations there are contained some things which are not beyond the reach of unassisted reason, and which are made the objects of such revelation in order “that all may come to know them with facility, certainty, and safety from error, yet not on this account can supernatural Revelation be said to be absolutely necessary; it is only necessary because God has ordained man to a supernatural end.” This supernatural revelation according to the belief of the universal Church, is contained both in unwritten Tradition, and in written Books, which are therefore called sacred and canonical because, “being written under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, they have God for their author, and as such have been delivered to the Church.” (Page ix)
“Wherefore it must be recognised that the sacred writings are wrapt in a certain religious obscurity, and that no one can enter into their interior without a guide; God so disposing, as the Holy Fathers commonly teach, in order that men may investigate them with greater ardour and earnestness, and that what is attained with difficulty may sink more deeply into the mind and heart; and, most of all that they may understand that God has delivered the Holy Scriptures to the Church, and that in reading and making use of His Word, they must follow the Church as their guide and their teacher. St. Irenaeus long since laid down, that where the charismata of God were, there the truth was to be learnt, and that Holy Scripture was safely interpreted by those who had the Apostolic succession. His teaching, and that of other Holy Fathers, is taken up by the Council of the Vatican, which, in the renewing of the decree of Trent, declares its “mind” to be this–that “in things of faith and morals, belonging to the building up of Christian doctrine, that is to be considered the true sense of Holy Scripture which has been held and is held by our Holy Mother the Church whose place it is to judge of the true sense and interpretation of the Scriptures; and therefore that it is permitted to no one to interpret Holy Scripture against such sense or also against the unanimous agreement of the Fathers.” (Page xvii)
“Wherefore the first and dearest object of the Catholic commentator should be to interpret those passages which have received an authentic interpretation either by the sacred writers themselves, under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost (as in many places of the New Testament), or from the Church, under the assistance of the same Holy Spirit, whether by her solemn judgment or her ordinary and universal magisterium –to interpret those passages in that identical sense, and to prove, by all the resources of science that sound hermeneutical laws admit of no other interpretation. In the other passages, the analogy of faith should be followed, and Catholic doctrine, as authoritatively proposed by the Church, should be held as the supreme law; for seeing that the same God is the author both of the Sacred Books and of the doctrine committed to the Church, it is clearly impossible that any teaching can by legitimate means be extracted from the former, which shall in any respect be at variance with the latter. Hence it follows that all interpretation is foolish and false which either makes the sacred writers disagree one with another, or is opposed to the doctrine of the Church.” (Page xviii)
“For although the studies of non-Catholics, used with prudence, may sometimes be of use to the Catholic student, he should nevertheless, bear well in mind–as the Fathers also teach in numerous passages –that the sense of Holy Scripture can nowhere be found incorrupt outside of the Church, and cannot be expected to be found in writers who, being without the true faith, only gnaw the bark of the Sacred Scripture and never attain its pith.” (Page xix)
[As I have mentioned in some previous posts in this series, in order to get this entire series finished in a timely manner, from now on I will be trying to keep my comments very brief and will mainly be making them in the introduction and closing sections of these posts. I will, however, continue to keep the focus on Scripture which is where it should be. I am also trying very hard (but not succeeding) to limit these posts to no more than 5000 words which makes it rather difficult sometimes. For those of you who have busy schedules and do not have the time to read lengthy posts, I will continue to highlight just some of the many troubling things in turquoise, the extremely troubling things I will highlight in red, and anything that is Biblical I will highlight in blue in order to quickly bring these things to your attention.]
INTRODUCTION TO PART 16
Part 16 will focus on The Sacrament of Extreme Unction/Anointing of the Sick as well as the Sacrament of Holy Orders/Priesthood. We will begin on page 417 and go all the way through until the first half of page 446 of the Catechism Of The Catholic Church.
Again, I want to remind you that grace, as taught by the Catholic Church, is something that can be received through their sacramental system and lost as a result of sin. Grace, according to the Bible, however, is unmerited favor; something given freely and not earned. It’s like the grace period extended to someone in certain business transactions, or the grace period given to someone who didn’t return their library book by the date that it was due, but returned it within the time allowed before a fine was required to be paid.
Let’s begin with some Scriptures so that you can keep the truth of God’s Word in your mind (especially regarding what God has to say in the New Testament about priests and sacrifices and how because of what Jesus Christ has already accomplished for us through His once for all sacrifice we can now come directly before God the Father through Jesus Christ, the Son) while you are reading through Part 16 of this series in which we are comparing Scriptures in a Catholic New Testament to many teachings that can be found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
These Scriptures are taken from:
THE WORD OF GOD THE NEW TESTAMENT OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR IN TODAY’S ENGLISH VERSION – SACRED HEART LEAGUE EDITION
Imprimatur: John Francis Whealon, S.T.L., S.S.L
Archbishop of Hartford
April 15, 1971
“So then, my brothers, because of God’s great mercy to us, I make this appeal to you: Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to his service and pleasing to him. This is the true worship that you should offer.” (Romans 12:1)
“When anyone is joined to Christ he is a new being; the old is gone, the new has come. All this is done by God, who through Christ changed us from enemies into his friends, and gave us the task of making others his friends also. Our message is that God was making friends of all men through Christ. God did not keep an account of their sins against them, and he has given us the message of how he makes them his friends. Here we are, then, speaking for Christ, as though God himself were appealing to you through us: on Christ’s behalf, we beg you, let God change you from enemies to friends” (2 Corinthians 5:17-20)
“Come to the Lord, the living stone, rejected as worthless by men, but chosen as valuable by God. Come as living stones, and let yourselves be used in building the spiritual temple, where you will serve as holy priests to offer spiritual and acceptable sacrifices to God through Jesus Christ. For the Scripture says,
“I chose a valuable stone, which now I place for the cornerstone in Zion; and whoever believes in him will never be disappointed.”
This stone is of great value for you that believe, but for those who do not believe:
The very stone which the builders rejected turned out to be the most important stone.”(1 Peter 2:4-7)
“But you are the chosen race, the King’s priests, the holy nation, God’s own people, chosen to proclaim the wonderful acts of God, who called you from the darkness into his own marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9)
“In union with him, and through our faith in him, we have the freedom to enter into God’s presence with all confidence.” (Ephesians 3:12)
“Here, then, is my receipt for everything you have given me–and it has been more than enough! I have all I need, now that Epaphroditus has brought me all your gifts. These are like a sweet smelling offering to God, a sacrifice which is acceptable and pleasing to him.”(Philippians 4:18)
“See to it, then, that no one makes a captive of you with the worthless deceit of human wisdom, which comes from the teachings handed down by men, and from the ruling spirits of the universe, and not from Christ. For the full content of divine nature lives in Christ, in his humanity, and you have been given full life in union with him. He is supreme over every spiritual ruler and authority. In union with him you were circumcised, not with the circumcision that is made by men, but with Christ’s own circumcision, which consists of being freed from the power of this sinful body. For when you were baptized, you were buried with Christ, and in baptism you were also raised with Christ through your faith in the active power of God, who raised him from death. You were at one time spiritually dead because of your sins, and because you were Gentiles without the Law. But God has now brought you to life with Christ; God forgave us all our sins. He cancelled the unfavorable record of our debts, with its binding rules, and did away with it completely by nailing it to the cross. And on that cross Christ freed himself from the power of the spiritual rulers and authorities; he made a public spectacle of them by leading them as captives in his victory procession. ” (Colossians 2:8-15)
“Let us, then, hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we have a great high priest who has gone into the very presence of God–Jesus, the Son of God. Our high priest is not one who cannot feel sympathy with our weaknesses. On the contrary, we have a high priest who was tempted in every way that we are, but did not sin. Let us be brave, then, and come forward to God’s throne, where there is grace. There we will receive mercy and find grace to help us just when we need it.” (Hebrews 4:14-16)
Now let’s begin Part 16:
ARTICLE 5.
THE ANOINTING OF THE SICK
I. ITS FOUNDATION IN THE ECONOMY OF SALVATION
Heal the sick…”
Para 1505
On the cross Christ took upon himself the whole weight of evil and took away the “sin of the world,”(112) of which illness is only a consequence. By his passion and death on the cross, Christ has given a new meaning to suffering: it can henceforth configure us to him and unite us with his redemptive Passion.
Para 1509
“Heal the sick!”(120) The Church has received this charge from the Lord and strives to carry it out by taking care of the sick as well as by accompanying them with her prayer of intercession. She believes in the life-giving presence of Christ, the physician of souls and bodies. This presence is particularly active through the sacraments, and in an all together special way through the Eucharist, the bread that gives eternal life and that St. Paul suggests is connected with bodily health. (120 – Mt. 10:8) (121 – Cf. Jn. 6:, 58, 1 Cor. 11:30.)
IV. THE EFFECTS OF THE CELEBRATION OF THIS SACRAMENT
Para 1521
Union with the passion of Christ. By the grace of this sacrament the sick person receives the strength and the gift of uniting himself more closely to Christ’s Passion: in a certain way he is consecrated to bear fruit by configuration to the Savior’s redemptive Passion. Suffering, a consequence of original sin, acquires a new meaning; it becomes a participation in the saving work of Jesus.
Para 1522
An ecclesial grace. The sick who receive this sacrament “by freely uniting themselves to the passion and death of Christ” “contribute to the good of the People of God.” (137) By celebrating this sacrament the Church, in the communion of saints, intercedes for the benefit of the person, and he, for his part, through the grace of this sacrament, contributes to the sanctification of the Church and to the good of all men for whom the Church suffers and offers herself through Christ to God the Father. (137 – LG 11 § 2)
Para 1523
A preparation for the final journey The anointing of the sick completes our conformity to the death and Resurrection of Christ, just as Baptism began it. It completes the holy anointings that mark the whole Christian life: that of Baptism which sealed the new life in us, and that of Confirmation which strengthened us for the combat of this life. This last anointing fortifies the end of our earthly life like a solid rampart for the final struggles before entering the Father’s house. (139 – Council of Trent (1551): DS 1694.)
V. VIATICUM, THE LAST SACRAMENT OF THE CHRISTIAN
Para 1524
In addition to the Anointing of the Sick, the Church offers those who are about to leave this life the Eucharist as viaticum. [Note: Viaticum – Last Communion received near death, the literal meaning of the word “travel.” Source – Wiki
ARTICLE 6
THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY ORDERS
Para 1536
Holy Orders is the sacrament through which the mission entrusted by Christ to his apostles continues to be exercised in the Church until the end of time: thus it is the sacrament of apostolic ministry.
II. THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY ORDERS IN THE ECONOMY OF SALVATION
The priesthood of the Old Covenant
Para 1539
A special rite consecrated the beginnings of the priesthood of the Old Covenant. The priests “are appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.”(8 – Heb. 5:1; cf. Ex 29:1-30; Lev 8.)
Para 1545
The redemptive sacrifice of Christ is unique, accomplished once for all;yet it is made present in the Eucharistic sacrifice of the Church. The same is true of the one priesthood of Christ; it is made present through the ministerial priesthood without diminishing the uniqueness of Christ’s priesthood: “Only Christ is the true priest, the others being only his ministers.”(19 – St. Thomas Aquinas, Hebrews 8, 4.)
In the person of Christ the head
Para 1548
In the ecclesial service of the ordained minister, it is Christ himself who is present to his Church as Head of his Body, Shepherd of his flock, high priest of the redemptive sacrifice, Teacher of Truth. This is what the Church means by saying that the priest, by virtue of the sacrament of Holy Orders, acts in persona Christi Capitis:(23 – Cf. LG 10; 28; SC 33 CD 11; PO 2; 6)
It is the same priest, Christ Jesus, whose sacred person his minister truly represents. Now the minister, by reason of the sacerdotal consecration which he has received, is truly made like to the high priest and possesses the authority to act in the power and place of the person of Christ himself (virtute ac persona ipsius Christi).(24 – Pope Pius XII, encyclical Mediator Dei: AAS, 39 (1947) 548.)
Christ is the source of all priesthood: the priest of the old law was a figure of Christ, and the priest of the new law acts in the person of Christ.(25 – St. Thomas Aquinas STh III. 22, 4c.)
Para 1549
In the beautiful expression of St. Ignatius of Antioch, the bishop is typos tou Patros:he is like the living image of God the Father. (27 – St. Ignatius of Antioch, Ad. Trall. 3, 1: SCh 10, 96; cf. Ad Magn. 6, 1: SCh 10, 82-84.)
Para 1550
This presence of Christ in the minister is not to be understood as if the the latter were preserved from all human weaknesses, the spirit of domination, error, even sin.
III. THE THREE DEGREES OF THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY ORDERS
Para 1554
Let everyone revere the deacons as Jesus Christ, the bishop as the image of the Father, and the presbyters as the senate of God and the assembly of the apostles. For without them one cannot speak of the Church.(33 – St. Ignatius of Antioch, Ad Trall 3, 1: SCh 10, 96.)
Para 1566
“It is the Eucharist cult or in the Eucharistic assembly of the faithful (synaxis) that they exercise in a supreme degree their sacred office; there, acting in the person of Christ and proclaiming his mystery, they unite the votive offerings of the faithful to the sacrifice of Christ their head, and in the sacrifice of the Mass they make present again and apply, until the coming of the Lord, the unique sacrifice of the New Testament, that namely of Christ offering himself once for all a spotless victim to the Father.”(49) From this unique sacrifice their whole priestly ministry draws its strength.(50) (49 – LG 28; cf. 1 Cor. 11:26.) (50 – Cf. PO 2.)
Para 1567
The promise of obedience they make to the bishop at the moment of ordination and the kiss of peace from him at the end of the ordination liturgy means that the bishop considers them his co-workers, his sons, his brothers and his friends, and that they in return owe him love and obedience.
VII. THE EFFECTS OF THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY ORDERS
The grace of the Holy Spirit
Para 1588
With regard to deacons, “strengthened by sacramental grace, they are dedicated to the People of God, in conjunction with the bishop and his body of priests, in the service of the liturgy, of the Gospel, and of works of charity.”(81 – LG 29.)
Para 1589
[Who then is the priest? He is] the defender of truth, who stands with angels, gives glory with archangels, causes sacrifices to rise to the al-tar on high, shares Christ’s priesthood, refashions creation, restores it in God’s image, recreates it for the world on high and, even greater, is divinized and divinizes. (82) And the holy Curé of Ars: “The priest continues the work of redemption on earth…If we really understood the priest on earth, we would die not of fright but of love…The Priesthood is the love of the heart of Jesus.” (83) (82 -St. Gregory of Nazianzus, Oratio 2, 71, 74, 73: PG 35, 480-481.) (83 – St. John Vianney, quoted in B. Nodet, Jean-Marie Vianney, Curé de’ Ars, 100.)
CLOSING COMMENTS:
Regarding the sacrament of Extreme Unction/Anointing of the Sick:
Yes, God’s Word does tell us in James 5:14:
“Is there anyone who is sick? He should call the church elders, who will pray for him and rub oil on him in the name of the Lord.” (SHLCNT)
However, it is completely blasphemous for the Catholic Church to say that our physical suffering:
“…becomes a participation in the saving work of Jesus.” (CCC Para 1521 – See further above for full context).
This is adding to the already completely sufficient work of Jesus Christ’s once for all sacrifice and thus presenting a false gospel and robbing Jesus Christ of the glory due to Him and to Him alone for all that He accomplished to pay the debt for every single one of our sins!
Regarding priests:
Dear Catholic, priests were needed in the Old Testament in order to offer sacrifices for their own sins and for the sins of the people. (Please read through the Book of Hebrews). They would mediate between a holy God and sinful mankind. However, if you took the time to read the Scriptures that we opened up this post with, then you should now realize that those who choose to put their faith and trust in the once for all sacrifice of Jesus Christ (when He willingly went to the cross and bore the full wrath of God, His Father, that we deserve for our sins, died in our place, was buried, and arose from the dead three days later), are now considered to be priests.
The wall of sin that separated us from a thrice holy God was removed and we can now enter in before His very throne; there is no need for any more sacrifices, thus no need for priests! The only sacrifices that are spoken of in the New Testament are spiritual sacrifices and the sacrifice of praise that we offer to God who is so worthy to be praised!! (Hebrews 13:15) If this truth becomes as clear to you as it became to me, then the need for the Sacrifice of the Mass as well as the sacramental system of the Catholic church should crumble before your very eyes as you come to realize all that Jesus Christ accomplished for you and for me to provide for our salvation!
Jesus Christ is neither a babe in the arms of Mary as He is often depicted in Catholic art, nor is He a victim as the Catholic Church refers to Him during the Sacrifice of the Mass and in the Catechism of the Catholic Church! He is in fact the Victor over sin and death and He is seated at the right hand of God, the Father, in heaven and He also intercedes for us! (Mark 16:19, Acts 2:33, Colossians 3:1, 1 Peter 3:22, Romans 8:34). To say that the bread and wine literally becomes the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ (CCC Para 1374) as the priest says the words over the host, and that the Eucharist is an actual sacrifice (Para 1365, Para 1366) that is truly propitiatory (CCC Para 1367), is to deny the sufficiency of His once for all sacrifice! Dear Catholic, once again I pose this question to you that you must answer before God:
“Are you going to believe the Word of God (The Bible), or the word of man (Catholic Tradition)?”
Your eternal destination truly does depend upon whom you place your trust in; will you place your trust in Jesus Christ alone for the forgiveness of your sins? Or will you choose to reject the truth that is so clearly revealed in Scripture and continue to cling to those teachings of the Catholic Church that contradict the truth of God’s Word? The choice is yours to make. I pray that you will choose to place your trust in Jesus Christ and that you will take the time to not only read and study His Word, but I pray that you will also take the time to test everything that you have ever been taught (during the many years that you have been a Catholic) against the truth of God’s Word and seek God for the truth! If you choose to place your trust in Jesus Christ alone, by the truth revealed in God’s Word I promise you that you will find true forgiveness and assurance of heaven as well as His joy, peace, and strength to help you face whatever heartache or trial that may come your way as you walk down this road called life.
There are two very important reasons why I felt compelled to write this series of posts, and I’d like to briefly share these reasons with you now before I go any further:
1) Since I am a former Catholic who is very aware of the teachings of the Catholic Church because I attended twelve years of Catholic school, attended Catechism classes, made my First Holy Communion, was Confirmed, and faithfully attended Mass not only every Sunday for many years, but also before school began for three years (as required by the school that I attended at the time), and who came to the knowledge of who Jesus Christ truly is and what He actually accomplished for us by reading a Catholic New Testament Bible exactly like the one pictured above, I decided to write this series with the hope of reaching precious Catholics so that they can not only come to an understanding of who Jesus Christ truly is as His Word, the Bible, declares Him to be, but also so they can see by reading God’s Word that they can have complete forgiveness, lasting joy, true peace, and the assurance of salvation if they choose to believe God’s Word and place their trust in Jesus Christ alone for their salvation. Also, since many Catholics do not realize everything that the Catholic church actually teaches (as I once did not realize until after doing research and reading the CCC), I thought that it was extremely important to share this information to make Catholics aware of many things that are quite disturbing, as you will all soon become aware of as this series continues.
2) This series of posts is also being written with the intention of helping those of you who are born-again, Bible believing followers of Jesus Christ who have no idea of what the teachings of Catholicism are so that you can become aware of their teachings and be prepared to offer hope and assurance of salvation through Jesus Christ to Catholics based solely upon the truth that is recorded in God’s Word.
As we continue on in this series together comparing Scriptures in the Catholic New Testament to teachings found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, we must keep these important thoughts in mind:
When it comes to our eternal destination — heaven or hell — we must be certain that we place our trust in solid truth and not in speculation or in the traditions of men. The Catholic church claims to be the “one true Church.” Therefore, it stands to reason that their teachings must line up with God’s Word and not contradict it since God does not change (Malachi 3:6, James 1:17, Hebrews 13:8), and His Word stands firm forever. (Psalm 119:89, Isaiah 40:8, 1 Peter 1:24,25) If a contradiction is found it must be rejected because God’s Word is our plumb line by which we must measure (or test) the teachings of every religion to see if it lines up or not. If it is off in one point we can be certain that it will lead us further and further away from Biblical truth and lead us into spiritual deception.
This series will cover many different subjects ranging from what does the Catholic Church teach about the Bible, Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, priests, the pope, sin, forgiveness of sins, salvation, prayer, and what must a Catholic believe in order to receive eternal life. Some of these teachings will shock even many Catholics when they learn what their church actually teaches!
Lord willing, I hope to share at least one post every month with you in this new series until I have covered all the most important teachings that need to be brought to your attention. The main goal that I have in writing this series is to present the Word of God to Catholics — and to every person — in order to point everyone to Jesus Christ, who is our only hope and ‘the only name under heaven given among men by which we can be saved.’ (Acts 4:12)
Dear Catholic, please take a minute now to sincerely pray; ask God to open your mind to the Scriptures and to reveal the truth to you –whatever that may be.
Because only God can reveal the truth to you, I will refrain from making any comments unless I find it completely necessary. Since God’s Word is truth I trust that He will not only give you eyes to see the truth, but also I trust that He will give you the courage to respond to His leading. However, each one of you will find yourself having to answer this question when you come to many points that I present to you in these posts after realizing that there are oftentimes extreme differences between what the Word of God says and what Catholicism teaches, and the question that you will have to answer is:
“Are you going to believe the Word of God, or the word of man?”
For those of you who are not Catholic, and are taking the time to read these posts in order to learn what Catholicism actually teaches, please keep in mind that every time you see the word “church” spelled with a capital c they are referring to the Catholic church, since they believe that the “Catholic Church” alone is the “one true Church.”All of the information that I will be sharing with you I have obtained from the following sources:
1) CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH (pictured above) – Imprimi Potest – Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (who later became Pope Benedict) – Interdicasterial Commission for the Catechism of the Catholic Church
2) THE WORD OF GOD – THE NEW TESTAMENT OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR IN TODAY’S ENGLISH VERSION – SACRED HEART LEAGUE EDITION – IMPRIMATUR JOHN FRANCIS WHEALON, ARCHBISHOP OF HARTFORD, APRIL 15, 1971 SIGNED AND SEALED BY BISHOP JOSEPH B. BRUNINI, DIOCESE OF JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI
3) Occasionally when I share a Scripture with you from the Sacred Heart League (SHL) Catholic New Testament and notice that it lacks depth and clarity, I will then follow it with the same verse but in the King James Version in order to give you a better understanding of what is being said, and so that you can see what is missing from the SHL translation.
4) Very briefly in this series, I will also be quoting from THE CATHOLIC DOUAY RHEIMS VERSION OF THE BIBLE – in which you will find the following statements:
“EXCERPT FROM ENCYCLICAL LETTER OF OUR HOLY FATHER BY DIVINE PROVIDENCE POPE LEO XIII ON THE STUDY OF HOLY SCRIPTURE:
“The God of all Providence, Who in the adorable designs of His love at first elevated the human race to the participation of the Divine nature, and afterwards delivered it from the universal guilt and ruin, restoring it to its primitive dignity, has in consequence bestowed upon man a splendid gift and safeguard–making known to him, by supernatural means, the hidden Mysteries of His divinity, His wisdom, and His mercy. For although in Divine revelations there are contained some things which are not beyond the reach of unassisted reason, and which are made the objects of such revelation in order “that all may come to know them with facility, certainty, and safety from error, yet not on this account can supernatural Revelation be said to be absolutely necessary; it is only necessary because God has ordained man to a supernatural end.” This supernatural revelation according to the belief of the universal Church, is contained both in unwritten Tradition, and in written Books, which are therefore called sacred and canonical because, “being written under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, they have God for their author, and as such have been delivered to the Church.” (Page ix)
“Wherefore it must be recognised that the sacred writings are wrapt in a certain religious obscurity, and that no one can enter into their interior without a guide; God so disposing, as the Holy Fathers commonly teach, in order that men may investigate them with greater ardour and earnestness, and that what is attained with difficulty may sink more deeply into the mind and heart; and, most of all that they may understand that God has delivered the Holy Scriptures to the Church, and that in reading and making use of His Word, they must follow the Church as their guide and their teacher. St. Irenaeus long since laid down, that where the charismata of God were, there the truth was to be learnt, and that Holy Scripture was safely interpreted by those who had the Apostolic succession. His teaching, and that of other Holy Fathers, is taken up by the Council of the Vatican, which, in the renewing of the decree of Trent, declares its “mind” to be this–that “in things of faith and morals, belonging to the building up of Christian doctrine, that is to be considered the true sense of Holy Scripture which has been held and is held by our Holy Mother the Church whose place it is to judge of the true sense and interpretation of the Scriptures; and therefore that it is permitted to no one to interpret Holy Scripture against such sense or also against the unanimous agreement of the Fathers.” (Page xvii)
“Wherefore the first and dearest object of the Catholic commentator should be to interpret those passages which have received an authentic interpretation either by the sacred writers themselves, under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost (as in many places of the New Testament), or from the Church, under the assistance of the same Holy Spirit, whether by her solemn judgment or her ordinary and universal magisterium –to interpret those passages in that identical sense, and to prove, by all the resources of science that sound hermeneutical laws admit of no other interpretation. In the other passages, the analogy of faith should be followed, and Catholic doctrine, as authoritatively proposed by the Church, should be held as the supreme law; for seeing that the same God is the author both of the Sacred Books and of the doctrine committed to the Church, it is clearly impossible that any teaching can by legitimate means be extracted from the former, which shall in any respect be at variance with the latter. Hence it follows that all interpretation is foolish and false which either makes the sacred writers disagree one with another, or is opposed to the doctrine of the Church.” (Page xviii)
“For although the studies of non-Catholics, used with prudence, may sometimes be of use to the Catholic student, he should nevertheless, bear well in mind–as the Fathers also teach in numerous passages –that the sense of Holy Scripture can nowhere be found incorrupt outside of the Church, and cannot be expected to be found in writers who, being without the true faith, only gnaw the bark of the Sacred Scripture and never attain its pith.” (Page xix)
[As I have mentioned in some previous posts in this series, in order to get this entire series finished in a timely manner, from now on I will be trying to keep my comments very brief and will mainly be making them in the introduction and closing sections of these posts. I will, however, continue to keep the focus on Scripture which is where it should be. I am also trying very hard (but not succeeding) to limit these posts to no more than 5000 words which makes it rather difficult sometimes. For those of you who have busy schedules and do not have the time to read lengthy posts, I will continue to highlight just some of the many troubling things in turquoise, and anything that is Biblical I will highlight in blue in order to quickly bring these things to your attention.]
Part 15 will focus on The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation and cover pages 396 to the beginning portion of page 417.
First I would like to begin this post by sharing many Scriptures with you in order to make it very clear to you that on the basis of the truth of God’s Word we can have complete assurance of the forgiveness of sins because of everything that Jesus Christ has already done for us. There is no need for us to confess our sins to a priest or to anyone other than to God and God alone. If a person accepts the free gift of salvation paid with the precious blood of Jesus Christ, there is no punishment for sin that remains; Jesus Christ’s “once for all sacrifice” completely satisfied the just demands of a fully Holy God.
Even though the Catholic church does teach that Christ alone expiated our sins once for all (See below – Para 1460 in the CCC), their teachings of “purgatory,” “indulgences,” and “the Sacrifice of the Mass” nullify the truth of God’s Word by these “Traditions” (Matthew 15:3-9) of men that they put on the same level as Scripture. Sadly, many of the teachings that the Catholic church presents to precious Catholics do not allow them to discover the sufficiency of Jesus Christ’s “once for all” sacrifice. Instead they add man-made teachings to the truth of God’s Word, and the simplicity and joyously good news of the Biblical gospel remains hidden from them.
Keep the truth of the following Scriptures in mind as you take the time to read through Part 15 of this series in which we are continuing to compare Scriptures in a Catholic New Testament Bible to many teachings that can be found in the Catechism Of The Catholic Church not only to show precious Catholics the importance of testing what they are being taught in the Catholic church against the truth of God’s Holy Word, but also to inform Bible believing Christians what their precious Catholic friends believe because of what they are being taught:
“I am, I am he that blot out thy iniquities for my own sake, and I will not remember thy sins.” (Isaiah 43:25)
“I have blotted out thy iniquities as a cloud, and thy sins as a mist: return to me, for I have redeemed thee.” (Isaiah 44:22)
“You must not be called ‘Teacher,’ because you are all brothers of one another and have only one Teacher. And you must not call anyone here on earth ‘Father’ because you have only the one Father in heaven.” (Matthew 23:8,9)
“Jesus was preaching the message to them, when a paralyzed man, carried by four men, was brought to him. Because of the crowd, however, they could not get the man to Jesus. So they made a hole in the roof right above the place where Jesus was. When they had made an opening, they let the man down, lying on his mat. Jesus saw how much faith they had, and said to the paralyzed man, “My son, your sins are forgiven.” Some teachers of the Law who were sitting there, thought to themselves, “How does he dare talk against God like this? No man can forgive sins; only God can!” (Mark 2:2b-7, Luke 5:17-24 )
“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever disobeys the Son will never have life, but God’s wrath will remain on him forever.” (John 3:36 – SHLCNT)
Now look at how the same verse above reads in the Catholic Douay-Rheims Version below. Note the troubling difference between the two translations, the SHLCNT version above translates it as “whoever disobeys the Son will never have life, whereas the Douay-Rheims version (along with many other versions), shows that if anyone chooses not to believe in the Son they do not have life, and God’s wrath remains upon them:
“He that believeth in the Son, hath life everlasting; but he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”
Continuing on with a few more verses that reveal God’s truth to us on these important eternal matters:
“A man who works is paid; his wages are not regarded as a gift, but as something that he has earned. But the man who has faith, not works, who believes in the God who declares the guilty to be innocent, it is his faith that God takes into account in order to put him right with himself. This is what David meant when he spoke of the happiness of the man whom God accepts as righteous, apart from any works:
“Happy are those whose wrongs God has forgiven, whose sins he has covered over! Happy is the man whose sins the Lord will not keep account of!” (Romans 4:4-8 – SHLCNT)
“He was given over to die because of our sins, and was raised to life to put us right with God.” (Romans 4:25 – SHLCNT)
“For when we were still helpless, Christ died for the wicked, at the time that God chose. It is a difficult thing for someone to die for a righteous person. It may be that someone might dare to die for a good person. But God has shown us how much he loves us; it was while we were still sinners that Christ died for us! By his death we are now put right with God; how much more, then, will we be saved by him from God’s wrath. We were God’s enemies, but he made us his friends through the death of his Son. Now that we are God’s friends, how much more will we be saved by Christ’s life! But that is not all; we rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, who has now made us God’s friends.” (Romans 5:6-11 – SHLCNT)
“And there is a difference between God’s gift and the sin of one man. After the one sin came the judgment of “Guilty”; but after so many sins comes the undeserved gift of “Not guilty!” It is true that through the sin of one man death began to rule, because of that one man. But how much greater is the result of what was done by the one man, Jesus Christ! All who receive God’s abundant grace and the free gift of his righteousness will rule in life through Christ. So then, as the one sin condemned all men, in the same way the one righteous act sets all men free and gives them life.”(Romans 5:16-18 – SHLCNT)
“Surely you know that the wicked will not receive God’s Kingdom. Do not fool yourselves; people who are immoral, or worship idols, or are adulterers, or homosexual perverts, or who rob, or are greedy, or are drunkards, or who slander others, or are thieves–none of these will receive God’s Kingdom. Some of you were like that. But you have been cleansed from sin; you have been dedicated to God; you have been put right with God through the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11 – SHLCNT)
“When anyone is joined to Christ he is a new being; the old has gone, the new has come. All this is done by God, who through Christ changed us from enemies into his friends, and gave us the task of making others his friends also. Our message is that God was making friends of all men through Christ. God did not keep an account of their sins against them, and he has given us the message of how he makes them his friends. Here we are, then, speaking for Christ, as though God himself were appealing to you through us: on Christ’s behalf, we beg you, let God change you from enemies into friends.”(2 Corinthians 5:17-20 – SHLCNT)
“God had already decided that through Jesus Christ he would bring us to himself as his sons–this was his pleasure and purpose. Let us praise God for his glorious grace, for the free gift he gave us in his dear Son! For by the death of Christ we are set free, that is, our sins are forgiven. How great is the grace of God, which he gave to us in such large measure!” (Ephesians 1:5-8a – SHLCNT)
“For there is one God, and there is one who brings God and men together, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself to redeem all men.” (1 Timothy 2:5,6 – SHLCNT)
“For there is one God, and one mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus: Who gave himself a redemption for all, a testimony in due times. ” (1 Timothy 2:5,6 – Douay-Rheims)
“I write you this, my children, so that you will not sin; but if anyone does sin, we have Jesus Christ, the righteous, who pleads for us with the Father. And Christ himself is the means by which our sins are forgiven, and not our sins only, but also the sins of all men.” (1 John 2:1,2 – SHLCNT)
Now let‘s begin Part 15.
Please take a moment to pray, asking God for discernment before you begin reading:
CHAPTER TWO
THE SACRAMENTS OF HEALING
Para 1421
The Lord Jesus Christ, physician of our souls and bodies, who forgave the sins of the paralytic and restored him to bodily health,(3 – Cf. Mk 2:1-12) has willed that his Church continue, in the power of the Holy Spirit, his work of healing and salvation, even among her own members. This is the purpose of the two sacraments of healing: the sacrament of Penance and the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick.
ARTICLE 4
THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE AND RECONCILIATION
Para 1422
Those who approach the sacrament of Penance obtain pardon from God’s mercy for the offense committed against him, and are, at the same time reconciled with the Church which they have wounded by their sins, and which by charity, by example, and by prayer labors for their conversion.” (4 – LG 11 § 2).
I. WHAT IS THE SACRAMENT CALLED?
Para 1424
It is called the sacrament of confession since the disclosure or confession of sins to a priest is an essential element of this sacrament.
It is called the sacrament of forgiveness, since by the priest’s sacramental absolution God grants the penitent “pardon and peace.”
V. THE MANY FORMS OF PENANCE IN CHRISTIAN LIFE
Para 1435
Conversion is accomplished in daily life by gestures of reconciliation, concern for the poor, the exercise and defense of justice and right, by the admission of faults to one’s brethren, fraternal correction, revision of life, examination of conscience, spiritual direction, acceptance of suffering, endurance of persecution for the sake of righteousness. Taking up one’s cross each day and following Jesus is the surest way of penance. (34 – Cf. Luke 9:23).
Para 1436
Eucharist and Penance.Daily conversion and penance find their source and nourishment in the Eucharist, for in it is made present the sacrifice of Christ which has reconciled us with God.Through the Eucharist those who live from the life of Christ are fed and strengthened. “It is a remedy to free us from our daily faults and preserve us from mortal sins.” (35 – Council of Trent (1551): DS 1638).
Para 1437
Reading Sacred Scriptures, praying the Liturgy of the Hours, and the Our Father–every sincere act of worship or devotion revives the spirit of conversion and repentance within us and contributes to the forgiveness of our sins.
VI. THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE AND RECONCILIATION
Para 1440
Sin is before all else an offense against God, a rupture of communion with him. At the same time it damages communion with the Church. For this reason conversion entails both God’s forgiveness and reconciliation with the Church, which are expressed and accomplished liturgically by the sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation.(38 – Cf. LG 11).
Para 1445
Reconciliation with the Church is inseparable from reconciliation with God.
The sacrament of forgiveness
Para 1446
Christ instituted the sacrament of Penance for all sinful members of his Church: above all for those who, since Baptism, have fallen into grave sin, and have thus lost their baptismal grace and wounded ecclesial communion. It is to them that the sacrament of Penance offers a new possibility to convert and to recover the grace of justification. The Fathers of the Church present this sacrament as “the second plank [of salvation] after the shipwreck which is the loss of grace.”(47 – Terrtullian, De Paenit. 4, 2: PL 1, 1343; cf. Council of Trent (1547): DS 1542).
Para 1447
During the seventh century Irish missionaries, inspired by the Eastern monastic tradition, took to continental Europe the “private” practice of penance, which does not require public and prolonged completion of penitential works before reconciliation with the Church.
Para 1448
Beneath the changes in discipline and celebration that this sacrament has undergone over the centuries, the same fundamental structures is to be discerned. It comprises two equally essential elements; on the one hand, the acts of the man who undergoes conversion through the action of the Holy Spirit: namely, contrition, confession, and satisfaction; on the other, God’s action through the intervention of the Church. The Church, who through the bishop and his priests forgive sins in the name of Jesus Christ and determines the manner of satisfaction, also prays for the sinner and does penance with him. Thus the sinner is healed and re-established in ecclesial communion.
VII. THE ACTS OF THE PENITENT
Contrition
Para 1452
When it arises from a love by which God is loved above all else, contrition is called “perfect” (contrition of charity). Such contrition remits venial sin; it also obtains forgiveness of mortal sins if it includes the firm resolution to have recourse to sacramental confession as soon as possible. (51 – Cf. Council of Trent (1551): DS 1677).
The confession of sins
Para 1456
Confession to a priest is an essential part of the sacrament of Penance.
Para 1458
Without being strictly necessary, confession of every day faults (venial sins) is nevertheless is strongly recommended by the Church. (59 – Cf. Council of Trent: DS 1680; CIC, can. 988 § 2).
Satisfaction
Para 1459
But sin also injures and weakens the sinner himself, as well as his relationship with God and neighbor. Absolution takes away sin, but it does not remedy all the disorders sin has caused. (62) Raised up from sin, the sinner must still recover his full spiritual health by doing something more to make amends for the sin: he must “make satisfaction for” or “expiate” his sins. This satisfaction is also called “penance.” (62 – Cf. Council of Trent (1551): DS 1712).
Para 1460
It can consist of prayers, an offering, works of mercy, service of neighbors, voluntary self-denial, sacrifices, and above all the patient acceptance of the cross we must bear. Such penances help configure us to Christ, who alone expiated our sins once for all. They allow us to become co-heirs with the risen Christ, “provided we suffer with him.” (63 – Romans 8:17; Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:1-2; cf. Council of Trent (1551): DS 1690).
VIII. THE MINISTER OF THIS SACRAMENT
Para 1462
Forgiveness of sins brings reconciliation with God, but also with the [Catholic] Church. (67 – Cf. CIC, cann. 844; 967-969; 972; CCEO, can. 722 §§ 3-4). [NOTE: The word Catholic was inserted by me for clarification and to remind you that every time you see the word church used with a capital C, they are referring to the Catholic Church.]
IX. THE EFFECTS OF THIS SACRAMENT
Para 1468
“The whole power of the sacrament of Penance consists in restoring us to God’s grace and joining us with him in an intimate friendship.”(73 – Roman Catechism, II, V, 18).
Para 1469
This sacrament reconciles us with the Church.
Para 1470
In this sacrament, the sinner, placing himself before the merciful judgment of God, anticipates in a certain way the judgement to which he will be subjected at the end of his earthly life. For it is now, in this life, that we are offered the choice between life and death, and it is only by the road of conversion that we can enter the kingdom, from which one is excluded by grave sin. (79 – Cf. 1 Corin. 5:11; Gal 5:19-21; Rev 22:15). In converting to Christ through penance and faith, the sinner passes from death to life and “does not come under judgment.”(80 – Jn. 5:24).
X. INDULGENCES
Para 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 partial or plenary according as it removes either part or all of the temporal punishment due to sin.(82) The faithful can gain indulgences for themselves or apply them to the dead.* *(82 – CIC, can. 944.)
The punishment of sin
Para 1472
To understand this doctrine and practice of the Church, it is necessary to understand that sin has a double consequence. Grave sin deprives of communion with God and therefore makes us incapable of eternal life, the privation of which is called the “eternal punishment” of sin. On the other hand every sin, even venial entails an unhealthy attachment to creatures, which must be purified either here on earth, or after death in the state called Purgatory. This purification frees one from what is called the “temporal punishment” of sin. These two punishments must not be conceived of as a kind of vengeance inflicted by God from without, but as following from the very nature of sin. A conversion which proceeds from a fervent charity can attain the complete purification of the sinner in such a way that no punishment would remain.”(83 – Cf. Council of Trent (1551): DS 1712-1713; (1563): 1820).
Para 1473
The forgiveness of sin and restoration of communion with God entail the remission of the eternal punishment of sin, but temporal punishment of sin remains. While patiently bearing sufferings and trials of all kinds and, when the day comes, serenely facing death, the Christian must strive to accept this temporal punishment of sin as a grace. He should strive by works of mercy and charity, as well as by prayer and the various practices of penance, to put off completely the “old man” and to put on the “new man.” (84 – Eph. 4:22,24)
In the Communion of Saints
Para 1475
In the communion of saints “a perennial link of charity exists 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.” (86 – Indulgentiarum doctrina, 5). 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 punishment for sin.
Para 1476
We also call these spiritual goods of the communion of saints the Church’s treasury, which is not the sum total of the 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.” (87 – Indulgentiarum doctrina, 5).
Para 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 treasure, 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.”(88 – Indulgentiarum doctrina, 5.)
Obtaining indulgence from God through the Church
Para 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 temporal punishment 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. (89 – Cf. Indulgentiarum doctrina, 5).
Para 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 punishment due for their sins may be remitted.
XI. THE CELEBRATION OF THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE
Para 1480
Like all the sacraments, Penance is a liturgical action. The elements of the celebration are ordinarily these: a greeting and blessing from the priest, reading the word of God to illuminate the conscience and elicit contrition, and an exhortation to repentance; the confession, which acknowledges sins and makes them known to the priest; the imposition and acceptance of a penance; the priest’s absolution; a prayer of thanksgiving and praise and dismissal with the blessing of the priest.
Para 1491
The sacrament of Penance is a whole consisting in three actions of the penitent and the priest’s absolution. The penitent’s acts are repentance, confession or disclosure of sins to the priest, and the intention to make reparation and do works of reparation.
Para 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.
Para 1495
Only priests who have received the faculty of absolving from the authority of the Church can forgive sins in the name of Christ.
Para 1496
The spiritual effects of the sacrament of Penance are:
–reconciliation with God by which the penitent recovers grace;
–reconciliation with the Church;
–remission of the eternal punishment incurred by mortal sins;
–remission, at least in part, of temporal punishments resulting from sin;
–peace and serenity of conscience, and spiritual consolation;
–an increase of spiritual strength for the Christian battle
Para 1497
Individual and integral confession of grave sins followed by absolution remains the only ordinary means of reconciliation with God and with the Church.
Para 1498
Through indulgences the faithful can obtain the remission of temporal punishment resulting from sin for themselves and also for the souls in Purgatory.
RELATED VIDEOS ALONG WITH A FEW MORE THOUGHTS
RICHARD BENNETT, FORMER CATHOLIC PRIEST
WALTER MARTIN, FORMER BAPTIST PASTOR AND FOUNDER OF THE ‘BIBLE ANSWER MAN’ RADIO PROGRAM
MORTAL AND VENIAL SIN
In Catholicism, sin is classified into two categories; mortal sin and venial sin. (You will hear a Catholic priest explain this in the video further below). As a young child I was taught that mortal sins are serious sins, such as murder, and venial sins are lesser sins, like fighting with your brothers and sisters, disobeying your parents, and lying. However, God’s Word makes it abundantly clear that all sin is mortal; the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). God’s Word also says that all liars will be thrown into the lake of fire –hell. (Revelation 21:8)
“Then the one who sits on the throne said, “And now I make all things new!” He also said to me, “Write this, because these words are true and can be trusted.” And he said, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To anyone who is thirsty I will give a free drink of water from the spring of the water of life. Whoever wins the victory will receive this from me. I will be his God, and he will be my son. But the cowards, the traitors, and the perverts, the murderers, and the immoral, those who practice magic and those who worship idols, and all liars–the place for them is the lake burning with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:5-8 – SHLCNT)
Regardless of how minor the sin may appear to us, or how horrific the sin may be, all sin separates us from a completely Holy God and all sin can be forgiven. There is no other way for any of us (Catholic, Protestant, Buddhist, Hindu, Jehovah Witness, Mormon, Muslim, etc., etc.), to be forgiven for our sins and to be reconciled with God except by coming to God the Father through Jesus Christ the Son — the second Person of the Trinity and only Mediator between sinful man and a thrice Holy God — and by receiving the free gift of eternal life by placing our full trust in all that Jesus Christ has already done for us. This is the only way that God has provided for us to be forgiven and to have a relationship with Him. We can neither receive forgiveness for sin by trusting in a sacramental system that is said to impart grace that can be lost again by committing more sin, nor can we receive or earn God’s forgiveness by doing good works or by going to Mass (or any church service). Only by choosing to place our full trust in the “once for all” sacrifice that Jesus Christ offered to God His Father when He willingly took upon Himself God’s full wrath that He has towards us because of our sins after He was nailed to the cross, died in our place, and arose from the dead in bodily form three days later, can we receive His forgiveness. Jesus Christ lived the perfect, sinless life that we could never live; He was the perfect, spotless Lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world.
In the following video, this is some of what the priest has to say:
“Venial sin wounds our friendship with God. Mortal sins, as the name implies, deals to our souls a mortal wound. That is to say it destroys the life of grace in us. It ruptures our friendship with God, and, if we have the misfortune to die in a state of mortal sin, why then, we suffer eternal death in hell. Mortal sin is something we can’t simply stumble into by accident…”
‘Hey Father! What is the difference between venial and mortal sin?’
In the following video, Pastor Dan Carpenter answers a caller’s question. He addresses apostolic succession, do priests have the power to forgivesins (as the Catholic church teaches based on John 20:23), and is there any other mediator besides Jesus Christ:
In the following video this pastor makes an excellent point regarding John 20:23 by basically saying that if Jesus truly was giving the apostles the power to forgive sins, the context of this passage of Scripture clearly shows that the apostle Thomas wasn’t present that day, and Jesus certainly wouldn’t have done something so important as that when the apostles weren’t all together.
IN CLOSING:
So much more could be said, and I could share so many more Scriptures with you, but this post is now much longer than I had intended for it to be and I must bring it to a close. I can think of no better way to end this particular post than by sharing this powerful and encouraging Scripture with you that God brought to my attention in the spring of 1980. I was at the point where I was struggling between believing the joyously good news of the Biblical gospel that I discovered as I read that little Catholic New Testament, and what I believed regarding all that I had been taught as a Catholic. As I held my little Catholic New Testament, I cried out to God and asked Him to confirm to me in His Word that what I was reading was really true. To think that Jesus Christ actually paid the debt for all of my sins — in full — and that I didn’t have to burn in purgatory for “temporal punishment still due for sins” as I was taught, just seemed too amazingly good to be true! I opened my little Catholic New Testament and saw this verse in 1 John for the very first time:
“We believe the witness that men give; the witness that God gives is much stronger, and this is the witness that God has given about His Son. So whoever believes in the Son of God has this witness in his heart; but whoever does not believe God has made a liar out of him, because he has not believed what God has said as a witness about his Son. This, then is the witness: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write you this so that you may know that you have eternal life–you that believe in the name of the Son of God.” (1 John 5:9-13) [NOTE: Emphasis is mine.]
When I first read that verse, the truth about the power and splendor of who Jesus Christ really was — and is — and the reality of all that He truly accomplished for us by His once for all sacrifice on the cross (which led to His death, burial, and glorious resurrection from the dead) became crystal clear to me! I no longer had the fear of death or any doubt remaining about the sufficiency of Jesus’ once for all sacrifice because God’s Word clearly shows us that we can have the assurance of salvation now, as long as our faith and trust are only in all that Jesus Christ already did for us. I pray that your eyes will also be opened to see this amazing truth that can be found in God’s Word and that you also will choose to believe it.
Dear Catholic, (and dear reader, whoever you may be), once again I present you with this important question that I had to answer back in 1980:
Are you going to believe the Word of God (Scripture), or the word of man (Tradition)?
There are two very important reasons why I felt compelled to write this series of posts, and I’d like to briefly share these reasons with you now before I go any further:
1) Since I am a former Catholic who is very aware of the teachings of the Catholic Church because I attended twelve years of Catholic school, attended Catechism classes, made my First Holy Communion, was Confirmed, and faithfully attended Mass not only every Sunday for many years, but also before school began for three years (as required by the school that I attended at the time), and who came to the knowledge of who Jesus Christ truly is and what He actually accomplished for us by reading a Catholic New Testament Bible exactly like the one pictured above, I decided to write this series with the hope of reaching precious Catholics so that they can not only come to an understanding of who Jesus Christ truly is as His Word, the Bible, declares Him to be, but also so they can see by reading God’s Word that they can have complete forgiveness, lasting joy, true peace, and the assurance of salvation if they choose to believe God’s Word and place their trust in Jesus Christ alone for their salvation. Also, since many Catholics do not realize everything that the Catholic church actually teaches (as I once did not realize until after doing research and reading the CCC), I thought that it was extremely important to share this information to make Catholics aware of many things that are quite disturbing, as you will all soon become aware of as this series continues.
2) This series of posts is also being written with the intention of helping those of you who are born-again, Bible believing followers of Jesus Christ who have no idea of what the teachings of Catholicism are so that you can become aware of their teachings and be prepared to offer hope and assurance of salvation through Jesus Christ to Catholics based solely upon the truth that is recorded in God’s Word.
As we continue on in this series together comparing Scriptures in the Catholic New Testament to teachings found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, we must keep these important thoughts in mind:
When it comes to our eternal destination — heaven or hell — we must be certain that we place our trust in solid truth and not in speculation or in the traditions of men. The Catholic church claims to be the “one true Church.” Therefore, it stands to reason that their teachings must line up with God’s Word and not contradict it since God does not change (Malachi 3:6, James 1:17, Hebrews 13:8), and His Word stands firm forever. (Psalm 119:89, Isaiah 40:8, 1 Peter 1:24,25) If a contradiction is found it must be rejected because God’s Word is our plumb line by which we must measure (or test) the teachings of every religion to see if it lines up or not. If it is off in one point we can be certain that it will lead us further and further away from Biblical truth and lead us into spiritual deception.
This series will cover many different subjects ranging from what does the Catholic Church teach about the Bible, Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, priests, the pope, sin, forgiveness of sins, salvation, prayer, and what must a Catholic believe in order to receive eternal life. Some of these teachings will shock even many Catholics when they learn what their church actually teaches!
Lord willing, I hope to share at least one post every month with you in this new series until I have covered all the most important teachings that need to be brought to your attention. The main goal that I have in writing this series is to present the Word of God to Catholics — and to every person — in order to point everyone to Jesus Christ, who is our only hope and ‘the only name under heaven given among men by which we can be saved.’ (Acts 4:12)
Dear Catholic, please take a minute now to sincerely pray; ask God to open your mind to the Scriptures and to reveal the truth to you –whatever that may be.
Because only God can reveal the truth to you, I will refrain from making any comments unless I find it completely necessary. Since God’s Word is truth I trust that He will not only give you eyes to see the truth, but also I trust that He will give you the courage to respond to His leading. However, each one of you will find yourself having to answer this question when you come to many points that I present to you in these posts after realizing that there are oftentimes extreme differences between what the Word of God says and what Catholicism teaches, and the question that you will have to answer is:
“Are you going to believe the Word of God, or the word of man?”
For those of you who are not Catholic, and are taking the time to read these posts in order to learn what Catholicism actually teaches, please keep in mind that every time you see the word “church” spelled with a capital c they are referring to the Catholic church, since they believe that the “Catholic Church” alone is the “one true Church.”All of the information that I will be sharing with you I have obtained from the following sources:
1) CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH (pictured above) – Imprimi Potest – Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (who later became Pope Benedict) – Interdicasterial Commission for the Catechism of the Catholic Church
2) THE WORD OF GOD – THE NEW TESTAMENT OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR IN TODAY’S ENGLISH VERSION – SACRED HEART LEAGUE EDITION – IMPRIMATUR JOHN FRANCIS WHEALON, ARCHBISHOP OF HARTFORD, APRIL 15, 1971 SIGNED AND SEALED BY BISHOP JOSEPH B. BRUNINI, DIOCESE OF JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI
3) Occasionally when I share a Scripture with you from the Sacred Heart League (SHL) Catholic New Testament and notice that it lacks depth and clarity, I will then follow it with the same verse but in the King James Version in order to give you a better understanding of what is being said, and so that you can see what is missing from the SHL translation.
4) Very briefly in this series, I will also be quoting from THE CATHOLIC DOUAY RHEIMS VERSION OF THE BIBLE – in which you will find the following statements:
“EXCERPT FROM ENCYCLICAL LETTER OF OUR HOLY FATHER BY DIVINE PROVIDENCE POPE LEO XIII ON THE STUDY OF HOLY SCRIPTURE:
“The God of all Providence, Who in the adorable designs of His love at first elevated the human race to the participation of the Divine nature, and afterwards delivered it from the universal guilt and ruin, restoring it to its primitive dignity, has in consequence bestowed upon man a splendid gift and safeguard–making known to him, by supernatural means, the hidden Mysteries of His divinity, His wisdom, and His mercy. For although in Divine revelations there are contained some things which are not beyond the reach of unassisted reason, and which are made the objects of such revelation in order “that all may come to know them with facility, certainty, and safety from error, yet not on this account can supernatural Revelation be said to be absolutely necessary; it is only necessary because God has ordained man to a supernatural end.” This supernatural revelation according to the belief of the universal Church, is contained both in unwritten Tradition, and in written Books, which are therefore called sacred and canonical because, “being written under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, they have God for their author, and as such have been delivered to the Church.” (Page ix)
“Wherefore it must be recognised that the sacred writings are wrapt in a certain religious obscurity, and that no one can enter into their interior without a guide; God so disposing, as the Holy Fathers commonly teach, in order that men may investigate them with greater ardour and earnestness, and that what is attained with difficulty may sink more deeply into the mind and heart; and, most of all that they may understand that God has delivered the Holy Scriptures to the Church, and that in reading and making use of His Word, they must follow the Church as their guide and their teacher. St. Irenaeus long since laid down, that where the charismata of God were, there the truth was to be learnt, and that Holy Scripture was safely interpreted by those who had the Apostolic succession. His teaching, and that of other Holy Fathers, is taken up by the Council of the Vatican, which, in the renewing of the decree of Trent, declares its “mind” to be this–that “in things of faith and morals, belonging to the building up of Christian doctrine, that is to be considered the true sense of Holy Scripture which has been held and is held by our Holy Mother the Church whose place it is to judge of the true sense and interpretation of the Scriptures; and therefore that it is permitted to no one to interpret Holy Scripture against such sense or also against the unanimous agreement of the Fathers.” (Page xvii)
“Wherefore the first and dearest object of the Catholic commentator should be to interpret those passages which have received an authentic interpretation either by the sacred writers themselves, under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost (as in many places of the New Testament), or from the Church, under the assistance of the same Holy Spirit, whether by her solemn judgment or her ordinary and universal magisterium –to interpret those passages in that identical sense, and to prove, by all the resources of science that sound hermeneutical laws admit of no other interpretation. In the other passages, the analogy of faith should be followed, and Catholic doctrine, as authoritatively proposed by the Church, should be held as the supreme law; for seeing that the same God is the author both of the Sacred Books and of the doctrine committed to the Church, it is clearly impossible that any teaching can by legitimate means be extracted from the former, which shall in any respect be at variance with the latter. Hence it follows that all interpretation is foolish and false which either makes the sacred writers disagree one with another, or is opposed to the doctrine of the Church.” (Page xviii)
“For although the studies of non-Catholics, used with prudence, may sometimes be of use to the Catholic student, he should nevertheless, bear well in mind–as the Fathers also teach in numerous passages –that the sense of Holy Scripture can nowhere be found incorrupt outside of the Church, and cannot be expected to be found in writers who, being without the true faith, only gnaw the bark of the Sacred Scripture and never attain its pith.” (Page xix)
[In order to get this entire series finished in a timely manner, from now on I will be keeping my comments very brief and will mainly be making them in the introduction and closing sections of these posts. I will, however, continue to keep the focus on Scripture which is where it should be.]
In PART 11 we will be covering pages 321-340 in the Catechism Of The Catholic Church which continues to address Catholic liturgy and tradition. Note as you read through the following selected portions (that I chose to share with you from this next section of the Catechism Of The Catholic Church), how the Catholic church in many instances tries to justify their reasons for encouraging Catholics to embrace many things that Scripture prohibits, such as images, icons, statues, etc. No matter what title one may hold in the Catholic church — priest, bishop, archbishop, cardinal, pope — their word must never supersede God’s Word! God’s Word is very clear regarding images, statues, icons, and idolatry of any kind as you will see by reading the Scriptures that I posted further below.
Another thing that I would like to bring to your attention regarding what you will read in this particular post is to notice how often Catholicism focuses on presenting things in a mystical way instead of focusing on the truth that can be found in Scripture. You will see that in many instances in this particular post by their promotion of lectio divina, silent prayer, the use of images in contemplation, which are all New Age mystical practices in disguise. (See Para 1177) These practices are entering many churches these days through spiritual formation classes and through popular teachers such as Beth Moore, Priscilla Shirer, Rick Warren, Margaret Feinstein, Ruth Haley Barton, Pete Scazzero, etc., etc. God wants us to believe things by faith and not through signs and wonders and by having mystical experiences that are common occurrences in the world of the occult.
One last thing for you to watch for as you read through this post, is their promotion of the worship of the communion host, which is commonly referred to as Eucharistic Adoration and is called adoration and worship of the Blessed Sacrament in this particular post. (See Para 1178)
The official teaching of the Catholic church regarding their communion wafer clearly states that they believe it to be the literal body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ and therefore it is put on display in a monstrance so that all Catholics can worship it. This teaching does not line up with Scripture, for God’s Word clearly says that Jesus is in heaven seated at the right hand of God the Father, and that He is also interceding on our behalf. (Mark 16:19, Acts 7:55, Romans 8:34, Ephesians 1:20, Colossians 3:1, Hebrews 1:3, Hebrews 7:25, Hebrews 9:24)
In God’s Word, the Bible, Jesus clearly tells us in Matthew 12:39,40 (and a similar passage in Matthew 16:1-4), that:
“An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”
In Jesus’ own words He is making it absolutely clear that the focus of our faith is to be on Him (on His death, burial, and resurrection) and on Him alone!
For those of you who have very busy schedules and thus very little time to read long articles such as these, I have highlighted some of the many statements that I found to be quite troubling in turquoise in order to quickly draw your attention to them with the hope of also saving you some time.
Let’s begin:
CHAPTER TWO
THE SACRAMENTAL CELEBRATION OF THE PASCHAL MYSTERY
The catechesis of the liturgy entails first of all an understanding of the sacramental economy (Chapter One). In this light, the innovation of its celebration is revealed. This chapter will therefore treat of the celebration of the sacraments of the Church. It will consider that which, through the diversity of liturgical traditions, is common to the celebration of the seven sacraments.
ARTICLE 1
CELEBRATING THE CHURCH’S LITURGY
Para 1152
Sacramental signs. Since Pentecost, it is through the sacramental signs of his Church that the Holy Spirit carries on the work of sanctification. The sacraments of the Church do not abolish but purify and integrate all the richness of the signs and symbols of the cosmos and of social life. Further, they fulfill the types and figures of the Old Covenant, signify and make present the salvation wrought by Christ, and prefigure and anticipate the glory of heaven.
Para 1155
The liturgical word and action are inseparable both insofar as they are signs and instruction and insofar as they accomplish what they signify. When the Holy Spirit awakens faith, he not only gives an understanding of the Word of God, but through the sacraments also makes present the “wonders” of Godwhich it proclaims.
Para 1158
The harmony of signs (song, music, words, and actions) is all the more expressive and fruitful when expressed in the cultural richness of the People of God who celebrate. (25 – Cf. SC 119) Hence “religious singing by the faithful is to be intelligently fostered so that in devotions and sacred exercises as well as in liturgical services,” in conformity with the Church’s norms, “the voices of the faithful may be heard.” But “the texts intended to be sung must always be in conformity with Catholic doctrine. Indeed they should be drawn chiefly from the Sacred Scripture and from liturgical sources.” (26 – SC 118; 121)
Holy Images
Para 1159
“The sacred image, the liturgical icon, principally represents Christ. It cannot represent the incomprehensible God, but the incarnation of the Son of God has ushered in a new “economy” of images:
Previously God, who has neither a body nor a face, absolutely could not be represented by an image. But now that he has made himself visible in the flesh and has lived with men, I can make an image of what I have seen of God…and contemplate the glory of the Lord, his face unveiled. (27 – St. John Damascene De Imag. 1,16: PG 96: 1245-1248)
Para 1160
Christian iconography expresses in images the same Gospel message that Scripture communicates by words. Image and word illuminate each other:
We declare that we preserve intact all the written and unwritten tradition of the Church which have been entrusted to us. One of these traditions consists in the production of representational artwork, which accords with the history of the preaching of the Gospel. For it confirms that the incarnation of the Word of God was real and not imaginary, and to our benefit as well, for realities that illustrate each other undoubtedly reflect each other’s meaning. (28 – Council of Nicaea II (787): COD 111)
This is what the Word of God has to say which clearly shows that because we have God’s Word and the many eye witness accounts recorded in the Bible of those who personally heard, saw, and touched Jesus Christ, we do not need artwork to show that the incarnation of the Word of God was real and not imaginary:
“Before the world was created, the Word already existed; he was with God, and he was the same as God. From the very beginning, the Word was with God. Through him God made all things; not one thing in all creation was made without him.The Word was the source of life, and this life brought light to men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has never put it out.” (John 1:1-5) (Sacred Heart League Catholic New Testament – SHLCNT)
“We have not depended on made-up legends in making known to you the mighty coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. With our own eyes we saw his greatness. We were there when he was given honor and glory by God the Father, when the voice came to him from the Supreme Glory, saying, “This is my own dear Son, with whom I am well pleased!” We ourselves heard this voice coming from heaven, when we were with him on the sacred mountain. So we are even more confident of the message proclaimed by the prophets. You will do well to pay attention to it, because it is like a lamp shining in a dark place, until the Day dawns and the light of the morning star shines in your hearts. Above all else, however, remember this: no one can explain by himself, a prophecy in the Scriptures. For no prophetic message ever came just from the will of man, but men were carried along by the Holy Spirit as they spoke the message that came from God.” (2 Peter 1:16) (SHLCNT)
“In the past God spoke to our ancestors many times and in many ways through the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us through his Son. He is the one through whom God created the universe, the one whom God has chosen to possess all things at the end. He shines with the brightness of God’s glory; he is the exact likeness of God’s own being, and sustains the universe with his powerful word. After he had made men clean from their sins, he sat down in heaven at the right side of God, the Supreme Power.” (Hebrews 1:1-3) (SHLCNT)
“We write to you about the Word of life, which has existed from the very beginning: we have heard it and we have seen it with our eyes; yes, we have seen it and our hands have touched it. When this life became visible, we saw it; so we speak of it and tell you about the eternal life which was with the Father and was made known to us. What we have seen and heard we tell to you also, so that you will join with us in the fellowship that we have with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.” (1 John 1:) (SHLCNT)
Let’s continue:
Para 1161
All the signs in the liturgical celebration are related to Christ: as are sacred images of the holy Mother of God and of the saints as well. They truly signify Christ, who is glorified in them. They make manifest the “cloud of witnesses” (29 – Hebrews 12:1) who continue to participate in the salvation of the worldand to whom we are united, above all in sacramental celebrations. Through their icons, it is “man in the image of God,” finally transfigured “into his likeness,” who is revealed to our faith. So to are the angels, who also are recapitulated in Christ:
Following the divinely inspired teaching of our holy Fathers and the tradition of the Catholic Church (for we know that this tradition comes from the Holy Spirit who dwells in her) we rightly define with full certainty and correctness, that, like the figure of the precious and life-giving cross, venerable and holy images of our Lord and God and Savior, Jesus Christ, our inviolate Lady, the holy Mother of God, and the venerated angels, all the saints and the just, whether painted or made of mosaic or another suitable material are to be exhibited in the holy churches of God, on sacred vessels and vestments, walls and panels, in houses and on streets. (31 – Council of Nicaea II DS 600)
Para 1162
“The beauty of the images moves me to contemplation, as a meadow delights the eyes and subtly infuses the soul with the glory of God.” (32 – St. John Damascene, De imag. 1, 27: PG 94, 1268A, B.) Similarly, the contemplation of sacred icons, united with meditation on the Word of God and the singing of liturgical hymns, enters into the harmony of the signs of celebration so that the mystery celebrated is imprinted in the heart’s memory and is then expressed in the new life of the faithful.
Regardless of how the Catholic church tries to justify their usage of images, statues, icons, etc., which is idolatry, let’s take some time now to look at what the Word of God has to say about these things:
“Thou shalt not make to thyself a graven thing, nor the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, nor of those things that are in the waters under the earth. Thou shalt not adore them, nor serve them: I am the Lord thy God, mighty, jealous, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.” (Exodus 20:4,5) (Catholic version – Douay Rheims Bible) (DRB)
“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…” (Exodus 20:4,5)(KJV)
“Turn ye not to idols: nor make to yourselves molten gods. I am the LORD your God.” (Leviticus 19:4) (DRB)
“Turn ye not unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I am the LORD your God.” (Leviticus 19:4) (KJV)
“I am the LORD your God. You shall not make to yourselves any idol or graven thing: neither shall you erect pillars, nor set up a remarkable stone in your land, to adore it. For I am the LORD your God.” (Leviticus 26:1) (DRB)
“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.” (Leviticus 26:1)(KJV)
“Lest perhaps being deceived you might make you a graven similitude, or image of male or female, The similitude of any beasts, that are upon the earth, or of birds, that fly under heaven,Or of creeping things, that move on the earth, or of fishes, that abide in the waters under the earth.” (Deuteronomy 4:16-18) (DRB)
“Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire: Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female, The likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air, The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth.” (Deuteronomy 4:16-18) (KJV)
“Beware lest thou ever forget the covenant of the Lord thy God, which he hath made with thee: and make to thyself a graven likeness of those things which the Lord hath forbid to be made: Because the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.” (Deuteronomy 4:23,24) (DRB)
“Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, which the LORD thy God hath forbidden thee. For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.” (Deuteronomy 4:23,24) (KJV)
“I the LORD, this is my name: I will not give my glory to another, nor my praise to graven things.” (Isaiah 42:8) (DRB)
“I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.” (Isaiah 42:8) (KJV)”
“Fear ye not, neither be ye troubled from that time I have made thee to hear, and have declared: you are my witnesses. Is there a God besides me, a maker, whom I have not known? The makers of idols are all of them nothing, and their best beloved things shall not profit them. They are their witnesses, that they do not see, nor understand, that they may be ashamed. Who hath formed a god, and made a graven thing that is profitable for nothing? Behold, all the partakers thereof shall be confounded: for the makers are men: they shall all assemble together, they shall stand and fear, and shall be confounded together.” (Isaiah 44:8-11) (DRB)
“Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God besides me? yea, there is no God; I know not any. They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witness; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.”Who hath formed a god, or molten image that is profitable for nothing? Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they are of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together.” (Isaiah 44:8-11) (KJV)
“Every man is become a fool for knowledge, every artist is confounded in his graven idol: for what he hath cast is false, and there is no spirit in them. They are vain things, and a ridiculous work: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.” (Jeremiah 10:14,15) (DRB)
“Every man is brutish in his knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is false and there is no breath in them. They are vanity and the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.” (Jeremiah 10:14,15) (KJV)
“What doth the graven thing avail, because the maker thereof hath graven it, a molten, and a false image? because the forger thereof hath trusted in a thing of his own forging, to make dumb idols. Woe to him that saith to wood: Awake: to the dumb stone: Arise: can it teach? Behold, it is laid over with gold, and silver, and there is no spirit in the bowels thereof. But the Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.” (Habakkuk 2:18-20) (DRB)
“What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols?Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it. But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.” (Habakkuk 2:18-20) (KJV)
“Know you not that the unjust shall not possess the kingdom of God? Do not err: Neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers: Nor the effeminate nor liers with mankind nor thieves nor covetous nor drunkards nor railers nor extortioners shall possess the kingdom of God. And such some of you were. But you are washed: but you are sanctified: but you are justified: in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11) (DRB)
“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11) (KJV)
(Sources – kingjamesbibleonline.org – biblereasons.com – and biblehub.com)
Let’s continue:
The sanctoral in the liturgical year
Para 1172
“In celebrating this annual cycle of the mysteries of Christ, Holy Church honors the Blessed Mary, Mother of God, with a special love. She is inseparably linked with the saving work of her Son. In her the Church admires and exalts the most excellent fruit of redemption and joyfully contemplates, as in a faultless image, that which she herself desires and hopes wholly to be.” (44 – SC 103)
However, the Word of God says:
“God, who at sundry times and in divers manner spake in times past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds, Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” (Hebrews 1:1-3) (KJV)
Jesus Himself — Jesus alone — provided purification for sins; Mary is not linked in any way with the saving work of her Son beyond humbly submitting to the will of God to become the mother of Jesus Christ in His humanity.
Para 1177
The hymns and litanies of the Liturgy of the Hours integrate the prayer of the psalms into the age of the Church, expressing the symbolism of the time of day, the liturgical season, or the feast being celebrated. Moreover, the reading from the Word of God at each Hour (with the subsequent responses or troparia) and readings from the Fathers and spiritual masters at certain Hours, reveal more deeply the meaning of the mystery being celebrated, assist in understanding the psalms, and prepare for silent prayer. The lectio divina, where the Word of God is so read and meditated that it becomes a prayer, is thus rooted in the liturgical celebration.
Para 1178
The Liturgy of the Hours, which is like an extension of the Eucharisticcelebration, does not exclude but rather in a complimentary way calls forth the various devotions of the People of God, especially adoration and worship of the Blessed Sacrament.
IV. WHERE IS THE LITURGY CELEBRATED?
Para 1181
A church, “a house of prayer in which the Eucharist is celebrated and reserved, where the faithful assemble, and where is worshipped the presence of the Son of God our Savior, offered for us on the sacrificial altar for the help and consolation of the faithful–this house ought to be in good taste and a worthy place for prayer and sacred ceremonial.” (57 – PO 5; cf. SC 122-127)
Para 1182
The altar of the New Covenant is the Lord’s Cross(59) from which the sacraments of the Paschal mystery flows: On the altar, which is the center of the church, the sacrifice of the Cross is made present under sacramental signs. The altar is also the table of the Lord to which the People of God are invited.(60) In certain Eastern liturgies, the altar is also the symbol of the tomb (Christ truly died and is truly risen). (59 – Cf. Heb. 13:10 ) (60 – Cf. GIRM 259)
Para 1183
The tabernacle is to be situated “in churches in a most worthy place with the greatest honor.”(61) The dignity, placement, and security of the Eucharistic tabernacle should foster adoration before the Lord really present in the Blessed Sacrament of the altar.(62) (61 – Pope Paul VI Mysterium Fidei:AAS (1965) 771). (62 – Cf. SC 128).
Para 1192
Sacred images in our churches and homes are intended to awaken and nourish our faithin the mystery of Christ. Through the icon of Christ and his works of salvation, it is he whom we adore. Through sacred images of the holy Mother of God, of the angels, and of the saints, we venerate the persons represented.
[MY NOTE: Venerate definition: 1) To regard with deep respect or reverence. Source – Cambridge English Dictionary) 2) To venerate is to worship, adore, be in awe of. You probably don’t venerate your teacher or boss; however, you may act like you do! The word hasn’t come far from its Latin roots in venerari, “to worship.” (Source – vocabulary.com/dictionary)]
ARTICLE 2
LITURGICAL DIVERSITY AND THE UNITY OF THE MYSTERY
Para 1203
“In faithful obedience to tradition, the sacred Council declares that Holy Mother Church holds all lawfully recognized rights to be of equal right and dignity, and that she wishes to preserve them in the future and to foster them in every way.”(69 – SC 4).
Para 1206
“Liturgical diversity can be a source of enrichment, but it can also provoke tension, mutual misunderstandings, and even schisms. In this manner it is clear that diversity must not damage unity. It must express only fidelity to the common faith, to the sacramental signs that the Church has received from Christ, and no hierarchical communion. Cultural adaption also requires a conversion of the heart and even, when necessary, a breaking with ancestral customs incompatible with the Catholic faith.”(74 – Pope John Paul II Vicesimus quintus annus, 16).
CLOSING COMMENTS
In spite of the fact that I tried to make this post shorter than previous posts in this series, it ended up being much longer than most of them due to the many Bible verses that needed to be brought to the attention of those who may read this post. God’s Word must always be our focus when it comes to determining what is true and what isn’t. (Acts 17:11, 2 Thessalonians 5: 21,22) When traditions clearly contradict the truth of God’s Word we must choose to make the decision of rejecting them and believing God’s Word instead –no matter what!
Dear Catholic — and everyone who is taking the time to read these posts — what you believe about Jesus Christ and where or in whom you choose to place your trust regarding sin and forgiveness, will truly determine where you will spend eternity after you die. Do you believe that Jesus Christ was simply a good teacher or a prophet? Or do you truly believe that He is God, the second Person in the Trinity, who came to this earth wrapped in human flesh and lived a sinless, perfect life so that He could be our substitute and die in our place on the cross to bear our sins, guilt, and shame and the full wrath of God that was intended for us because of our sins? He offers salvation to all as a gift by choosing to place our trust in Jesus Christ alone and not in our good works which are like filthy rags in the sight of a completely holy God! Are you really willing to hold on to the many Traditions of the Catholic church (or of any other religion) if they do not line up with the truth of God’s Word? I pray that you will seriously consider the ramifications of the choice that you — and each one of us — will have to make before it’s too late!
There are two very important reasons why I felt compelled to write this series of posts, and I’d like to briefly share these reasons with you now before I go any further:
1) Since I am a former Catholic who is very aware of the teachings of the Catholic Church because I attended twelve years of Catholic school, attended Catechism classes, made my First Holy Communion, was Confirmed, and faithfully attended Mass not only every Sunday for many years, but also before school began for three years (as required by the school that I attended at the time), and who came to the knowledge of who Jesus Christ truly is and what He actually accomplished for us by reading a Catholic New Testament Bible exactly like the one pictured above, I decided to write this series with the hope of reaching precious Catholics so that they can not only come to an understanding of who Jesus Christ truly is as His Word, the Bible, declares Him to be, but also so they can see by reading God’s Word that they can have complete forgiveness, lasting joy, true peace, and the assurance of salvation if they choose to believe God’s Word and place their trust in Jesus Christ alone for their salvation. Also, since many Catholics do not realize everything that the Catholic church actually teaches (as I once did not realize until after doing research and reading the CCC), I thought that it was extremely important to share this information to make Catholics aware of many things that are quite disturbing, as you will all soon become aware of as this series continues.
2) This series of posts is also being written with the intention of helping those of you who are born-again, Bible believing followers of Jesus Christ who have no idea of what the teachings of Catholicism are so that you can become aware of their teachings and be prepared to offer hope and assurance of salvation through Jesus Christ to Catholics based solely upon the truth that is recorded in God’s Word.
As we continue on in this series together comparing Scriptures in the Catholic New Testament to teachings found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, we must keep these important thoughts in mind:
When it comes to our eternal destination — heaven or hell — we must be certain that we place our trust in solid truth and not in speculation or in the traditions of men. The Catholic church claims to be the “one true Church.” Therefore, it stands to reason that their teachings must line up with God’s Word and not contradict it since God does not change (Malachi 3:6, James 1:17, Hebrews 13:8), and His Word stands firm forever. (Psalm 119:89, Isaiah 40:8, 1 Peter 1:24,25) If a contradiction is found it must be rejected because God’s Word is our plumb line by which we must measure (or test) the teachings of every religion to see if it lines up or not. If it is off in one point we can be certain that it will lead us further and further away from Biblical truth and lead us into spiritual deception.
This series will cover many different subjects ranging from what does the Catholic Church teach about the Bible, Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, priests, the pope, sin, forgiveness of sins, salvation, prayer, and what must a Catholic believe in order to receive eternal life. Some of these teachings will shock even many Catholics when they learn what their church actually teaches!
Lord willing, I hope to share at least one post every month with you in this new series until I have covered all the most important teachings that need to be brought to your attention. The main goal that I have in writing this series is to present the Word of God to Catholics — and to every person — in order to point everyone to Jesus Christ, who is our only hope and ‘the only name under heaven given among men by which we can be saved.’ (Acts 4:12)
Dear Catholic, please take a minute now to sincerely pray; ask God to open your mind to the Scriptures and to reveal the truth to you –whatever that may be.
Because only God can reveal the truth to you, I will refrain from making any comments unless I find it completely necessary. Since God’s Word is truth I trust that He will not only give you eyes to see the truth, but also I trust that He will give you the courage to respond to His leading. However, each one of you will find yourself having to answer this question when you come to many points that I present to you in these posts after realizing that there are oftentimes extreme differences between what the Word of God says and what Catholicism teaches, and the question that you will have to answer is:
“Are you going to believe the Word of God, or the word of man?”
Please keep in mind, as you are carefully reading all of the statements made from the following Catholic sources, that every time you see the word “church” spelled with a capital c they are referring to the Catholic church, since they believe that the “Catholic Church” alone is the “one true Church.”All of the information that I will be sharing with you I have obtained from the following sources:
1) CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH (pictured above) – Imprimi Potest – Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (who later became Pope Benedict) – Interdicasterial Commission for the Catechism of the Catholic Church
2) THE WORD OF GOD – THE NEW TESTAMENT OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR IN TODAY’S ENGLISH VERSION – SACRED HEART LEAGUE EDITION – IMPRIMATUR JOHN FRANCIS WHEALON, ARCHBISHOP OF HARTFORD, APRIL 15, 1971 SIGNED AND SEALED BY BISHOP JOSEPH B. BRUNINI, DIOCESE OF JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI
3) Occasionally when I share a Scripture with you from the Sacred Heart League (SHL) Catholic New Testament and notice that it lacks depth and clarity, I will then follow it with the same verse but in the King James Version in order to give you a better understanding of what is being said, and so that you can see what is missing from the SHL translation.
4) Very briefly in this series, I will also be quoting from THE CATHOLIC DOUAY RHEIMS VERSION OF THE BIBLE – in which you will find the following statements:
“EXCERPT FROM ENCYCLICAL LETTER OF OUR HOLY FATHER BY DIVINE PROVIDENCE POPE LEO XIII ON THE STUDY OF HOLY SCRIPTURE:
“The God of all Providence, Who in the adorable designs of His love at first elevated the human race to the participation of the Divine nature, and afterwards delivered it from the universal guilt and ruin, restoring it to its primitive dignity, has in consequence bestowed upon man a splendid gift and safeguard–making known to him, by supernatural means, the hidden Mysteries of His divinity, His wisdom, and His mercy. For although in Divine revelations there are contained some things which are not beyond the reach of unassisted reason, and which are made the objects of such revelation in order “that all may come to know them with facility, certainty, and safety from error, yet not on this account can supernatural Revelation be said to be absolutely necessary; it is only necessary because God has ordained man to a supernatural end.” This supernatural revelation according to the belief of the universal Church, is contained both in unwritten Tradition, and in written Books, which are therefore called sacred and canonical because, “being written under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, they have God for their author, and as such have been delivered to the Church.” (Page ix)
“Wherefore it must be recognised that the sacred writings are wrapt in a certain religious obscurity, and that no one can enter into their interior without a guide; God so disposing, as the Holy Fathers commonly teach, in order that men may investigate them with greater ardour and earnestness, and that what is attained with difficulty may sink more deeply into the mind and heart; and, most of all that they may understand that God has delivered the Holy Scriptures to the Church, and that in reading and making use of His Word, they must follow the Church as their guide and their teacher. St. Irenaeus long since laid down, that where the charismata of God were, there the truth was to be learnt, and that Holy Scripture was safely interpreted by those who had the Apostolic succession. His teaching, and that of other Holy Fathers, is taken up by the Council of the Vatican, which, in the renewing of the decree of Trent, declares its “mind” to be this–that “in things of faith and morals, belonging to the building up of Christian doctrine, that is to be considered the true sense of Holy Scripture which has been held and is held by our Holy Mother the Church whose place it is to judge of the true sense and interpretation of the Scriptures; and therefore that it is permitted to no one to interpret Holy Scripture against such sense or also against the unanimous agreement of the Fathers.” (Page xvii)
“Wherefore the first and dearest object of the Catholic commentator should be to interpret those passages which have received an authentic interpretation either by the sacred writers themselves, under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost (as in many places of the New Testament), or from the Church, under the assistance of the same Holy Spirit, whether by her solemn judgment or her ordinary and universal magisterium –to interpret those passages in that identical sense, and to prove, by all the resources of science that sound hermeneutical laws admit of no other interpretation. In the other passages, the analogy of faith should be followed, and Catholic doctrine, as authoritatively proposed by the Church, should be held as the supreme law; for seeing that the same God is the author both of the Sacred Books and of the doctrine committed to the Church, it is clearly impossible that any teaching can by legitimate means be extracted from the former, which shall in any respect be at variance with the latter. Hence it follows that all interpretation is foolish and false which either makes the sacred writers disagree one with another, or is opposed to the doctrine of the Church.” (Page xviii)
“For although the studies of non-Catholics, used with prudence, may sometimes be of use to the Catholic student, he should nevertheless, bear well in mind–as the Fathers also teach in numerous passages –that the sense of Holy Scripture can nowhere be found incorrupt outside of the Church, and cannot be expected to be found in writers who, being without the true faith, only gnaw the bark of the Sacred Scripture and never attain its pith.” (Page xix)
Time does not permit me to make comments on everything that raises deep concern within me regarding what is taught in the Catechism Of The Catholic Church, but as you read through many of these official statements below, please note how often the Catholic church places much more emphasis upon the word, “liturgy” (and all of the various forms of that word) rather than on Jesus Christ Himself and His “once for all” sacrifice on the cross. This promotes the false notion of dependency upon the Catholic church for salvation instead of relying upon Jesus Christ alone for salvation. God’s Word makes the truth about His free gift of salvation and all that Jesus Christ accomplished for us (through His sinless life, His death in our place on the cross, His burial, and His glorious bodily resurrection from the dead) very clear to us if one will only take the time to read it.
Let’s begin:
PART TWO
THE CELEBRATION OF THE CHRISTIAN MYSTERY
Para 1067
For it was from the side of Christ as he slept the sleep of death upon the cross that there came forth ‘the wondrous sacrament of the whole Church.’ (SC 5 2; cf. St. Augustine, En in Ps. 138,2; PL 37, 1784-1785) For this reason, the Church celebrates in the liturgy above all the Paschal mystery by which Christ accomplished the work of our salvation.
Para 1068
It is this mystery of Christ that the Church proclaims and celebrates in her liturgy so that the faithful may live from it and bear witness to it in the world: For it is in the liturgy, especially in the divine sacrifice of the Eucharist, that the “work of our redemption is accomplished,” and it is through the liturgy especially that the faithful are enabled to express in their lives and manifest to others the mystery of Christ and the real nature of the true Church. (4 SC 2)
What does the word liturgy mean?
Para 1069
The word “liturgy” originally meant a “public work” or a “service in the name of/on behalf of the people.” In Christian tradition it means the participation of the People of God in “the work of God.” (5 – Cf. Jn. 17:4) Through the liturgy Christ, our redeemer and high priest, continues the work of our redemption in, with, and through his Church.
Catechesis and liturgy
Para 1074
Catechesis is intrinsically linked with the whole of liturgical and sacramental activity, for it is in the sacraments, especially in the Eucharist, that Christ Jesus works in fullness for the transformation of men.” (14 – [Pope] John Paul II, CT 23) [Note: Insertion is mine.]
SECTION ONE
THE SACRAMENTAL ECONOMY
In this age of the Church Christ now lives and acts in and with his Church, in a new way appropriate to this new age. He acts through the sacraments in what the common Tradition of the East and West calls “the sacramental economy”; this is the communication (or “dispensation”) of the fruits of Christ’s Paschal mystery in the celebration of the Church’s “sacramental” liturgy.
CHAPTER ONE
THE PASCHAL MYSTERY IN THE AGE OF THE CHURCH
II. CHRIST’S WORK IN THE LITURGY
Christ glorified…
Para 1084
“…The sacraments are perceptible signs (words and actions) accessible to our human nature. By the action of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit they make present efficaciously the grace that they signify.
…from the time of the Church of the Apostles…
Para 1086
“Accordingly, just as Christ was sent by the Father so also he sent the apostles, filled with the Holy Spirit. This he did so that they might preach the Gospel to every creature and proclaim that the Son of God by his death and resurrection had freed us from the power of Satan and from death and brought us into the Kingdom of his Father. But he also willed that the work of salvation which they preached should be set in train through the sacrifice and sacraments, around which the entire liturgy life revolves.” (9) SC 6
Para 1087
Thus the risen Christ, by giving the Holy Spirit to the apostles, entrusted to them his power of sanctifying: (10) they became sacramental signs of Christ. By the power of the same Holy Spirit they entrusted this power to their successors. This “apostolic succession” structures the whole liturgical life of the Church and is itself sacramental, handed on by the sacrament of Holy Orders. (10 – Cf. John 20:21-23)
…is present in the earthly liturgy…
Para 1088
“To accomplish so great a work”–the dispensation or communication of his work of salvation–“Christ is always present in his Church, especially in her liturgical celebrations. He is present in the Sacrifice of the Mass not only in the person of his minister, ‘the same now offering, through the ministry of priests, who formerly offered himself on the cross,’ but especially in the Eucharistic species. By his power he is present in the sacraments so that when anybody baptizes, it is really Christ himself who baptizes.”
III. THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE CHURCH IN THE LITURGY
Para 1091
When the Spirit encounters in us the response of faith which he has aroused in us, he brings about genuine cooperation. Through it, the liturgy becomes the common work of the Holy Spirit and the Church.
The Holy Spirit prepares for the reception of Christ
Para 1093
In the sacramental economy the Holy Spirit fulfills what was prefigured in the Old Covenant. Since Christ’s Church was prepared in marvellous fashion in the history of the people of Israel and in the Old Covenant.” (14) the Church’s liturgy has retained certain elements of the worship of the Old Covenant as integral and irreplaceable, adopting them as her own:
–notably reading the Old Testament
–praying the Psalms
–above all, recalling the saving events and significant realities which have found their fulfillment in the mystery of Christ (promise and covenant, Exodus and Passover, kingdom and temple, exile and return).
NOTE: It will be made clear at the end of this entire series that Catholicism has indeed retained many of the elements of the worship of the Old Covenant. In doing so, they nullify the “once for all” sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Since Catholicism teaches that the Sacrifice of the Mass is truly a sacrifice and not simply done in memory of what Jesus Christ did (Catechism Of The Catholic Church Para 1365-1372, 1410, 1414), it is declaring that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross at Calvary was not sufficient to pay the debt for our sins in full. Dear Catholic, this is total blasphemy! I again strongly urge you to read Chapters 7-10 in the Book of Hebrews to see why I say that. Here is just one passage of Scripture for you to seek God about:
God’s Word Says:
“Every *Jewish priest stands and performs his services every day and offers the same sacrifices many times. But these sacrifices can never take away sins. Christ, however, offered one sacrifice for sins, an offering that is good forever, and then sat down at the right side of God. There he now waits until God puts his enemies as his footstool under his feet. With one sacrifice, then, he has made perfect forever those who are clean from sin. And the Holy Spirit also gives us his witness. First he says, “This is the covenant that I will make with them in the days to come, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts, and write them on their minds.” And then he says, “I will not remember their sins and wicked deeds any longer.” So when these have been forgiven, an offering to take away sins is no longer needed.”
Let Us Come Near To God
“We have then, brothers, complete freedom to go into the Most Holy Place by means of the death of Jesus. He opened for us a new way, a living way, through the curtain–that is, through his own body. We have a great priest in charge of the house of God. Let us come near to God, then, with a sincere heart and a sure faith, with hearts that have been made clean from a guilty conscience, and bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold on firmly to the hope we profess, because we can trust God to keep his promise.” (Hebrews 10:11-23) (Sacred Heart League Catholic New Testament)
[NOTE: Regarding *Jewish priest in verse 11 – Of all the different Bible translations that I checked, the only other one that added the word Jewish before the word priest is the Good News Bible translation, which also has Catholic versions. Yes, it is understood by reading that verse in context that it is referring to Jewish priests, but IMHO it is as if the Catholic church added the word Jewish to precede the word, priest, so as to try and prevent precious Catholics from thinking of the possibility that the Sacrifice of the Mass is not necessary, and is indeed blasphemous, instead.
Consider this precious Catholic mom who asked a question about the Sacrifice of the Mass because she was reading through Chapter 10 in the Book of Hebrews. She saw the truth in God’s Word which caused confusion because that is what oftentimes happens when we realize that what we have been taught in our religion contradicts the truth in God’s Word. Also, read the replies that she was sadly given:
To refer to Jesus Christ as a victim as the Catholic church frequently does, not only in the Catechism Of The Catholic Church, but also during the Sacrifice of the Mass, is to contradict Scripture.
God’s Word says:
“The hired man, who is not a shepherd and does not own the sheep, leaves them and runs away when he sees a wolf coming; so the wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them. The hired man runs away because he is only a hired man and does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. As the Father knows me and I know the Father, in the same way I know my sheep and they know me. And I am willing to die for them. There are other sheep that belong to me that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them too; they will listen to my voice, and they will become one flock with one shepherd. The Father loves me because I am willing to give up my life, in order that I may receive it back again. No one takes my life away from me. I give it up of my own free will. I have the right to give it, and I have the right to take it back. This is what my Father has commanded me to do.” (John 10:12-18) (SHLCNT)
Jesus Said:
“The greatest love a man can have for his friends is to give his life for them.” (John 15:13)
“For this reason, when Christ was about to come into the world, he said to God: “You do not want sacrifices and offerings, but you have prepared a body for me. You are not pleased with animals burned whole on the altar, or with sacrifices to take away sins. Then I said, ‘Here I am, God, to do what you want me to, just as it is written of me in the book of the Law.’ ” (Hebrews 10:5-7)
At The Moment Of His Death Jesus Willingly Gave Up His Spirit
“It was about twelve o’clock when the sun stopped shining and darkness covered the whole country until three o’clock, and the curtain hanging in the temple was torn in two. Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Father! In your hands I place my spirit!” He said this and died.” (Luke 23:44-46) (SHLCNT)
Let’s continue on:
Para 1094
It is on this harmony of the two Testaments that the Paschal catechesis of the Lord is built (15), and then, that of the Apostles and the Fathers of the Church. This catechesis unveils what lay hidden under the letter of the Old Testament: the mystery of Christ. It is called “typological” because it reveals the newness of Christ on the basis of the “figures” (types) which announce him in the deeds, words, and symbols of the first covenant. By this re-reading in the Spirit of Truth, starting from Christ, the figures are unveiled. (16) Thus the flood and Noah’s ark prefigured salvation by Baptism (17), as did the cloud and the crossing of the Red Sea. Water from the rock was the figure of the spiritual gifts of Christ, and manna in the desert prefigured the Eucharist, “the true bread from heaven.” (18) (15 – Cf. DV 14-16; Luke 24:13-49) (16 Cf. 2 Corin. 3:14-16) (17 – Cf. 1 Peter 3:21) (18 – John 6:32; cf. 1 Corin. 10:1-6)
Para 1095
For this reason, the Church, especially during Advent and Lent and above all at the Easter Vigil, re-reads and re-lives the great events of salvation history in the “today” of her liturgy. But this also demands that catechesis help the faithful to open themselves to this spiritual understanding of the economy of salvation as the Church’s liturgy reveals it and enables us to live it.
Para 1096
For both Jews and Christians Sacred Scripture is an essential part of their respective liturgies: in the proclamation of the Word of God, the response to this word, prayer of praise and intercession for the living and the dead, invocation of God’s mercy. In its characteristic structure the Liturgy of the Word originates in Jewish prayer. The Liturgy of the Hours and other liturgical texts and formularies, as well as those of our most venerable prayers, including the Lord’s Prayer, have parallels in Jewish prayer. The Eucharist Prayers also draw their inspiration from the Jewish tradition.
The Holy Spirit makes present the mystery of Christ
Para 1105
The Epiclesis (“invocation upon”) is the intercession in which the priest begs the Father to send the Holy Spirit, the Sanctifier, so that the offerings may become the body and blood of Christ and that the faithful, by receiving them, may themselves become a living offering to God. (23 – Cf. Romans 12:1)
ARTICLE 2
THE PASCHAL MYSTERY IN THE CHURCH’S SACRAMENTS
Para 1113
The whole liturgical life of the Church revolves around the Eucharistic sacrifice and the sacraments. (29 – Cf. SC 6)
[Note: If ever there was a true statement spoken regarding Catholicism, the above statement is it. The main focus of Catholicism is the Eucharistic sacrifice as well as the sacraments, because without the sacraments there would be no priests to perform the ‘Sacrifice of the Mass.‘
The Catholic church teaches that the Sacrifice of the Mass is offered in an “unbloody manner” and yet they still claim that it is done for the forgiveness of sins:
Para 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 priests, who then offered himself on the cross; only the manner of offering is different. And since 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…this sacrifice is truly propitiatory.”(188 – Council of Trent (1562) Doctrina de ss Missae sacrificio) (Emphasis in lavender and red are mine).
God’s Word, however, has this to say which clearly shows the Eucharistic sacrifice is truly not propitiatory:
“Indeed, according to the Law, almost everything is made clean by blood; and sins are forgiven only if blood is poured out.” (Hebrews 9:22)
Many priests have left the Catholic church after they came to the realization that the Sacrifice of the Mass renders the once for all sacrifice of Jesus Christ as being insufficient. One such former priest of twenty-two years is the late Richard Bennett, who always spoke the truth about Catholicism in love to precious Catholics:
More of Richard Bennett’s videos can be seen at this link.
[NOTE: Even though I discovered that Richard Bennett was a Calvinist a few years ago, and I do not see Calvinism and Reformed Theology as being Biblical after testing these teachings against God’s Word, I still truly appreciated his ministry as he exposed the false teachings of Catholicism with Scripture out of his desire to reveal the truth about Jesus Christ to precious Catholics.]
Let’s continue on:
I. THE SACRAMENTS OF CHRIST
Para 1114
“Adhering to the teaching of the Holy Scriptures, to the apostolic traditions, and to the consensus …of the Fathers,” we profess that “the sacraments of the new law were…all instituted by Jesus Christ our Lord.” (31 – Council of Trent (1547): DS 1600-1601)
Para 1115
Jesus’ words and actions during his hidden life and public ministry were already salvific, for they anticipated the power of his Paschal mystery. They announced and prepared what he was going to give the Church when all was accomplished. The mysteries of Christ’s life are the foundations of what he would henceforth dispense in the sacraments, through the ministers of his Church, for “what was visible in our Savior has passed over into his mysteries.” (32 – St. Leo the Great, Sermo. 74, 2: PL 54, 398)
II. THE SACRAMENTS OF THE CHURCH
Para 1117
As she has done for the canon of Sacred Scripture and for the doctrine of the faith, the Church, by the power of the Spirit who guides her “into all truth,” has gradually recognized this treasure received from Christ and, as the faithful steward of God’s mysteries, has determined its “dispensation.” (34) Thus the Church has discerned over the centuries that among liturgical celebrations there are seven that are, in the strict sense of the term, sacraments instituted by the Lord.
III. THE SACRAMENTS OF FAITH
Para 1124
Liturgy is a constitutive element of the holy and living Tradition.
IV. THE SACRAMENTS OF SALVATION
Para 1127
Celebrated worthily in faith, the sacraments confer the grace that they signify. They are efficacious because in them Christ himself is at work: it is he who baptizes, he who acts in his sacraments in order to communicate the grace that each sacrament signifies,
Para 1128
This is the meaning of the Church’s affirmation(49) that the sacraments act ex opere operato (literally: “by the very fact of the action’s being performed”), i.e., by virtue of the saving work of Christ, accomplished once for all. (49 – Cf. Council of Trent (1547): DS 1608)
NOTE: In spite of the fact that Catholicism clearly states that the saving work of Christ was “accomplished once for all,” in practice they continually demonstrate through the Sacrifice of the Mass that they clearly deny this Biblical truth.
The teachings of Catholicism also denies Jesus Christ’s once for all sacrifice as being sufficient to pay the debt of our sins in full by saying salvation is contingent upon receiving the sacraments:
Para 1129
The Church affirms that for believers the sacraments of the New Covenant are necessary for salvation. (51 – Cf. Council of Trent (1547):DS 1604)
Para 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 graces proper to each sacrament. They bear fruit in those who receive them with the required dispositions.
IN CLOSING
Reflecting back on the many years when I was a Catholic, I can honestly say that I completely and firmly believed all that I was taught; I believed without a doubt that I belonged to the one true Church –the Catholic Church. It was only when I began to read that little Sacred Heart League Catholic New Testament Bible that was given to me by my former husband (which had an official Imprimatur to show that it was approved by the Catholic church), did I come to see the truth –the gloriously good news of the Biblical gospel regarding all that Jesus Christ truly accomplished for us and that there is no longer any need for any more sacrifices; Jesus’ once for all sacrifice was truly enough!
Even though the truth of God’s Word powerfully exposed the many errors that I was taught as a Catholic, I was held in bondage by Catholic doctrine for around another year. I prayed and cried out to God to show me if the good news that I was reading in His Word was true because the fear of leaving what I thought was “the one true Church” was terrifying me! However, the truth of God’s Word set me free when I chose to believe it with all of my heart –especially these verses:
“We believe the witness that men give; the witness that God gives is much stronger, and this is the witness that God has given about his Son. So whoever believes in the Son of God has this witness in his heart; but whoever does not believe God has made a liar out of him, because he has not believed what God has said as a witness about his Son. This, then, is the witness: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has this life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write you this so that you may know that you have eternal life–you that believe in the name of the Son of God.” (1 John 5:9-13) (SHLCNT)
The fear that filled me for so many years as a Catholic (because I had found no assurance of salvation in Catholicism) was replaced with joy, astonishment, and appreciation as I came to realize all that Jesus Christ truly accomplished for us all!
The price for our sin, guilt, and shame has already been paid in full by Jesus Christ’s sinless life, death on the cross in our place, burial, and His glorious resurrection from the dead in bodily form. If we choose to believe this we will then be filled with His Holy Spirit who will give us the power to overcome the sin in our lives. We then choose to obey out of our love and gratitude to Him for all that He did for us, not to try and earn our salvation.
Precious Catholic, will you choose to believe this and place your full trust in Jesus Christ alone for forgiveness of sins instead of trusting in your good works and Catholic Traditions of men that nullify God’s Word? (Mark 7:7,8) I truly pray that you will.♥
Thank you very much for stopping by today.
God Bless You
~Mary Dalke – Living4HisGlory
[NOTE: All words throughout this post emphasized in lavender and red are mine,]
There are two very important reasons why I felt compelled to write this series of posts, and I’d like to briefly share these reasons with you now before I go any further:
1) Since I am a former Catholic who is very aware of the teachings of the Catholic Church because I attended twelve years of Catholic school, attended Catechism classes, made my First Holy Communion, was Confirmed, and faithfully attended Mass not only every Sunday for many years, but also before school began for three years (as required by the school that I attended at the time), and who came to the knowledge of who Jesus Christ truly is and what He actually accomplished for us by reading a Catholic New Testament Bible exactly like the one pictured above, I decided to write this series with the hope of reaching precious Catholics so that they can not only come to an understanding of who Jesus Christ truly is as His Word, the Bible, declares Him to be, but also so they can see by reading God’s Word that they can have complete forgiveness, lasting joy, true peace, and the assurance of salvation if they choose to believe God’s Word and place their trust in Jesus Christ alone for their salvation. Also, since many Catholics do not realize everything that the Catholic church actually teaches (as I once did not realize until after doing research and reading the CCC), I thought that it was extremely important to share this information to make Catholics aware of many things that are quite disturbing, as you will all soon become aware of as this series continues.
2) This series of posts is also being written with the intention of helping those of you who are born-again, Bible believing followers of Jesus Christ who have no idea of what the teachings of Catholicism are so that you can become aware of their teachings and be prepared to offer hope and assurance of salvation through Jesus Christ to Catholics based solely upon the truth that is recorded in God’s Word.
As we continue on in this series together comparing Scriptures in the Catholic New Testament to teachings found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, we must keep these important thoughts in mind:
When it comes to our eternal destination — heaven or hell — we must be certain that we place our trust in solid truth and not in speculation or in the traditions of men. The Catholic church claims to be the “one true Church.” Therefore, it stands to reason that their teachings must line up with God’s Word and not contradict it since God does not change (Malachi 3:6, James 1:17, Hebrews 13:8), and His Word stands firm forever. (Psalm 119:89, Isaiah 40:8, 1 Peter 1:24,25) If a contradiction is found it must be rejected because God’s Word is our plumb line by which we must measure (or test) the teachings of every religion to see if it lines up or not. If it is off in one point we can be certain that it will lead us further and further away from Biblical truth and lead us into spiritual deception.
This series will cover many different subjects ranging from what does the Catholic Church teach about the Bible, Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, priests, the pope, sin, forgiveness of sins, salvation, prayer, and what must a Catholic believe in order to receive eternal life. Some of these teachings will shock even many Catholics when they learn what their church actually teaches! Lord willing, I hope to share at least one post every month with you in this new series until I have covered all the most important teachings that need to be brought to your attention. The main goal that I have in writing this series is to present the Word of God to Catholics — and to every person — in order to point everyone to Jesus Christ, who is our only hope and ‘the only name under heaven given among men by which we can be saved.’ (Acts 4:12)
Dear Catholic, please take a minute now to sincerely pray; ask God to open your mind to the Scriptures and to reveal the truth to you –whatever that may be.
Because only God can reveal the truth to you, I will refrain from making any comments unless I find it completely necessary. Since God’s Word is truth I trust that He will not only give you eyes to see the truth, but also I trust that He will give you the courage to respond to His leading. However, each one of you will find yourself having to answer this question when you come to many points that I present to you in these posts after realizing that there are oftentimes extreme differences between what the Word of God says and what Catholicism teaches, and the question that you will have to answer is:
“Are you going to believe the Word of God, or the word of man?”
Please keep in mind, as you are carefully reading all of the statements made from the following Catholic sources, that every time you see the word “church” spelled with a capital c they are referring to the Catholic church, since they believe that the “Catholic Church” alone is the “one true Church.”All of the information that I will be sharing with you I have obtained from the following sources:
1) CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH (pictured above) – Imprimi Potest – Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (who later became Pope Benedict) – Interdicasterial Commission for the Catechism of the Catholic Church
2) THE WORD OF GOD – THE NEW TESTAMENT OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR IN TODAY’S ENGLISH VERSION – SACRED HEART LEAGUE EDITION – IMPRIMATUR JOHN FRANCIS WHEALON, ARCHBISHOP OF HARTFORD, APRIL 15, 1971 SIGNED AND SEALED BY BISHOP JOSEPH B. BRUNINI, DIOCESE OF JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI
3) Occasionally when I share a Scripture with you from the Sacred Heart League (SHL) Catholic New Testament and notice that it lacks depth and clarity, I will then follow it with the same verse but in the King James Version in order to give you a better understanding of what is being said, and so that you can see what is missing from the SHL translation.
4) Very briefly in this series, I will also be quoting from THE CATHOLIC DOUAY RHEIMS VERSION OF THE BIBLE – in which you will find the following statements:
“EXCERPT FROM ENCYCLICAL LETTER OF OUR HOLY FATHER BY DIVINE PROVIDENCE POPE LEO XIII ON THE STUDY OF HOLY SCRIPTURE:
“The God of all Providence, Who in the adorable designs of His love at first elevated the human race to the participation of the Divine nature, and afterwards delivered it from the universal guilt and ruin, restoring it to its primitive dignity, has in consequence bestowed upon man a splendid gift and safeguard–making known to him, by supernatural means, the hidden Mysteries of His divinity, His wisdom, and His mercy. For although in Divine revelations there are contained some things which are not beyond the reach of unassisted reason, and which are made the objects of such revelation in order “that all may come to know them with facility, certainty, and safety from error, yet not on this account can supernatural Revelation be said to be absolutely necessary; it is only necessary because God has ordained man to a supernatural end.” This supernatural revelation according to the belief of the universal Church, is contained both in unwritten Tradition, and in written Books, which are therefore called sacred and canonical because, “being written under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, they have God for their author, and as such have been delivered to the Church.” (Page ix)
“Wherefore it must be recognised that the sacred writings are wrapt in a certain religious obscurity, and that no one can enter into their interior without a guide; God so disposing, as the Holy Fathers commonly teach, in order that men may investigate them with greater ardour and earnestness, and that what is attained with difficulty may sink more deeply into the mind and heart; and, most of all that they may understand that God has delivered the Holy Scriptures to the Church, and that in reading and making use of His Word, they must follow the Church as their guide and their teacher. St. Irenaeus long since laid down, that where the charismata of God were, there the truth was to be learnt, and that Holy Scripture was safely interpreted by those who had the Apostolic succession. His teaching, and that of other Holy Fathers, is taken up by the Council of the Vatican, which, in the renewing of the decree of Trent, declares its “mind” to be this–that “in things of faith and morals, belonging to the building up of Christian doctrine, that is to be considered the true sense of Holy Scripture which has been held and is held by our Holy Mother the Church whose place it is to judge of the true sense and interpretation of the Scriptures; and therefore that it is permitted to no one to interpret Holy Scripture against such sense or also against the unanimous agreement of the Fathers.” (Page xvii)
“Wherefore the first and dearest object of the Catholic commentator should be to interpret those passages which have received an authentic interpretation either by the sacred writers themselves, under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost (as in many places of the New Testament), or from the Church, under the assistance of the same Holy Spirit, whether by her solemn judgment or her ordinary and universal magisterium –to interpret those passages in that identical sense, and to prove, by all the resources of science that sound hermeneutical laws admit of no other interpretation. In the other passages, the analogy of faith should be followed, and Catholic doctrine, as authoritatively proposed by the Church, should be held as the supreme law; for seeing that the same God is the author both of the Sacred Books and of the doctrine committed to the Church, it is clearly impossible that any teaching can by legitimate means be extracted from the former, which shall in any respect be at variance with the latter. Hence it follows that all interpretation is foolish and false which either makes the sacred writers disagree one with another, or is opposed to the doctrine of the Church.” (Page xviii)
“For although the studies of non-Catholics, used with prudence, may sometimes be of use to the Catholic student, he should nevertheless, bear well in mind–as the Fathers also teach in numerous passages –that the sense of Holy Scripture can nowhere be found incorrupt outside of the Church, and cannot be expected to be found in writers who, being without the true faith, only gnaw the bark of the Sacred Scripture and never attain its pith.” (Page xix)
In Part 9 we will be covering the very end of page 276 and going through to the end of page 299 which will finally bring us to the end of PART 1 of the Catechism Of The Catholic Church’s 756 pages. The topics that are covered in this section will be baptism, forgiveness of sins, purgatory, death, judgment, and resurrection.
Let’s begin:
ARTICLE 10:
“I BELIEVE IN THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS”
(Part Two of the Catechism will deal explicitly with the forgiveness of sins through Baptism, the sacrament of Penance, and the other sacraments, especially the Eucharist. Here it will suffice to suggest some basic facts briefly.)
Para 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.
II. THE POWER OF THE KEYS
Para 981
[The Church] has received the keys of the Kingdom of heaven so that, in her, sins may be forgiven through Christ’s blood and the Holy Spirit’s action. In this Church, the soul dead through sin comes back to life in order to live with Christ, whose grace has saved us.
Para 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.
Para 983
Catechesis strives to awaken and nourish in the faithful faith in the incomparable greatness of the risen Christ’s gift to his Church: the mission and the power to forgive sins through the ministry of the apostles and their successors:
Priests have received from God a power that he has given neither to angels nor to archangels…God above confirms what priests do here below.
Were there no forgiveness in the Church, there would be no hope of life to come or eternal liberation. Let us thank God who has given his Church such a gift.
Para 987
“In the forgiveness of sins, both priests and sacraments are instruments which our Lord Jesus Christ, the only author and liberal giver of salvation, wills to use in order to efface our sins and give us the grace of justification.” Roman Catechism, 1, 11, 6).
I. CHRIST’S RESURRECTION AND OURS
Para 993
The Pharisees and many of the Lord’s contemporaries hoped for the resurrection. Jesus teaches it firmly. To the Sadducees who deny it he answers, “Is not this why you are wrong, that you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God?” Faith in the resurrection rests on faith in God who “is not God of the dead, but of the living.” (541 – Mark 12:27)
Para 994
But there is more. Jesus links faith in the resurrection to his own person: “I am the Resurrection and the life.” (542 – John 11:25) It is Jesus himself who on the last day will raise up those who have believed in him, who have eaten his body and drunk his blood. (543 – Cf. John 5:24-25; 6:40,54)
How do the dead rise?
Para 997
What is “rising”? In death, the separation of the soul from the body, the human body decays and the soul goes to meet God, while awaiting its reunion with its glorified body. God, in his almighty power, will definitely grant incorruptible life to our bodies by reuniting them with our souls, through the power of Jesus’ Resurrection.
Para 1000
This “how” exceeds our imagination and understanding; it is accessible only to faith. Yet our participation in the Eucharist already gives us a foretaste of Christ’s transfiguration of our bodies: Just as bread that comes from the earth, after God’s blessing has been invoked upon it, is no longer ordinary bread, but Eucharist, formed of two things, the one earthly and the other heavenly; so to our bodies, which partake of the Eucharist, are no longer corruptible, but possess the hope of resurrection. (554 – St. Irenaeus, Adv. haeres, 4, 18, 4-5 PG 7/1, 1028,1029)
Para 1003
United with Christ by Baptism, believers already truly participate in the heavenly life of the risen Christ, but this life remains “hidden with Christ in God.” (558 – Colossians 3:3) The Father has already “raised us up with him, and made us sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” (559 – Eph. 2:6) Nourished with his body in the Eucharist, we already belong to the Body of Christ. When we rise on the last day we “also will appear with him in glory.” (560 – Colossians 3:4)
Para 1014
The Church encourages us to prepare ourselves for the hour of our death. In the ancient litany of the saints, for instance, she has us pray: “From a sudden and unforeseen death, deliver us, O Lord”; to ask the Mother of God to intercede for us “at the hour of our death” in the Hail Mary; and to entrust ourselves to St. Joseph, the patron of a happy death.
Praised are you, my Lord, for our sister bodily Death, from whom no living man can escape. Woe on those who will die in mortal sin! Blessed are they who will be found in your most holy will, for the second death will not harm them. (588 – St. Francis of Assisi, Canticles of the Creatures).
I. THE PARTICULAR JUDGMENT
Para 1022
Each man receives his eternal retribution in his immortal soul at the very moment of his death, in a particular judgment that refers his life to Christ: either entrance into the blessedness of heaven–through a purification or immediately, –or immediate and everlasting damnation. (592) (Cf. Council of Lyons II (1274): DS 857-858; Council of Florence (1439): DS 1304-1306; Council of Trent (1563): DS 1820. (593) Cf. Benedict XII, Benedictus Deus (1336): DS 1000-1001; John XXII, Ne super his (1334): DS 990. (594) Cf. Benedict XII, Benedictus Deus (1336). DS 1002.
II. HEAVEN
Para 1023
Those who die in God’s grace and friendship and are perfectly purified live for ever with Christ. They are like God for ever, for they “see him as he is,” face to face. (596 – 1 Jn. 3:2; cf. 1 Cor 13:12; Rev. 22:4)
III. THE FINAL PURIFICATION, OR PURGATORY
Para 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.
Para 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 Councils of Florence and Trent. The Tradition of the Church, by reference to certain texts of Scripture, speaks of a cleansing fire: (605) (Cf. 1 Corin. 3:15, 1 Peter 1:7)
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. (606) (St. Gregory the Great, Dial. 4, 39; PL 77, 396)
My Note: There is no purifying fire after death and there is no need for it. According to God’s Word Jesus Christ’s once for all sacrifice was sufficient to purify us from all sin. If we choose to place our trust completely in all that Jesus Christ accomplished for us and not in our own efforts/good works to try and earn God’s forgiveness, we will then be covered in His righteous and stand before Him blameless. Consider these Scriptures:
“He [Jesus Christ] shines with the brightness of God’s glory; he is the exact likeness of God’s own being, and sustains the universe with his powerful word. After he had made men clean from their sins he sat down in heaven at the right side of God, the Supreme Power.” (Hebrews 1:3 – Sacred Heart League Catholic New Testament)
“Who being the brightness of his glory, and the figure of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, making purgation of sins, sitteth on the right hand of the majesty on high.” (Hebrews 1:3 – Douay Rheims)
“Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” (Hebrews 1:3 – King James Version)
“God’s divine power has given us everything we need to live a godly life through our knowledge of the one who called us to share his own glory and goodness. In this way he has given us the very great and precious gifts he promised, so that by means of these gifts you may escape from the destructive lust that is in the world, and come to share the divine nature. For this very reason do your very best to add goodness to your faith; to your goodness add knowledge; to your knowledge add self-control; to your self-control add endurance; to your endurance add godliness; to your godliness add brotherly love; and to your brotherly love add love. These are the qualities you need, and if you have them in abundance they will make you active and effective in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is so shortsighted that he cannot see, and has forgotten that his past sins have been washed away.” (2 Peter 1:3-9 – Sacred Heart League)
“As all things of his divine power which appertain to life and godliness are given us through the knowledge of him who hath called us by his own proper glory and virtue. By whom he hath given us most great and precious promises: that by these you may be made partakers of the divine nature: flying the corruption of that concupiscence which is in the world. And you, employing all care, minister in your faith, virtue: And in virtue, knowledge: And in knowledge, abstinence: and in abstinence, patience: and in patience, godliness: And in godliness, love of brotherhood: and in love of brotherhood, charity. For if these things be with you and abound, they will make you to be neither empty nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he that hath not these things with him is blind and groping, having forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. (2 Peter 1:3-9 – Douay Rheims)
“According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.” (2 Peter 1:3-9 King James Version)
“The Jewish Law is not a full and faithful model of the real things. It is only a faint outline of the good things to come. The same sacrifices are offered forever, year after year. How can the Law, then, by means of these sacrifices, make perfect the people who come to God? If the people worshiping God had been made really clean from their sins, they would not feel guilty of sin any more, and all sacrifices would stop. As it is, however, the sacrifices serve to remind people of their sins year after year. For the blood of bulls and goats can never take sins away. For this reason, when Christ was about to come into the world, he said to God: “You do not want sacrifices and offerings, but you have prepared a body for me. You are not pleased with animals burned whole on the altar, or with sacrifices to take away sins. Then I said, ‘Here I am, God, to do what you want me to, just as it is written of me in the book of the Law.'” First he said, “You neither want nor are you pleased with sacrifices and offerings, or animals burned on the altar and the sacrifices to take away sins.” He said this even though all these sacrifices are offered according to the Law. Then he said, “Here I am, God, to do what you want me to do.” So God does away with all the old sacrifices and puts the sacrifice of Christ in their place. Because Jesus Christ did what God wanted me to do, we are all made clean from sin by the offering that he made of his own body, once and for all. Every Jewish priest stands and performs his services every day and offers the same sacrifices many times. But these sacrifices can never take away sins. Christ, however, offered one sacrifice for sins, an offering that is good forever, and then sat down at the right side of God.” (Sacred Heart League – Hebrews 10:1-12)
“For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, not the very image of the things, by the selfsame sacrifices which they offer continually every year, can never make the comers thereunto perfect. For then they would have ceased to be offered: because the worshippers once cleansed should have no conscience of sin any longer. But in them there is made a commemoration of sins every year:For it is impossible that with the blood of oxen and goats sin should be taken away. Wherefore, when he cometh into the world he saith: Sacrifice and oblation thou wouldest not: but a body thou hast fitted to me. Holocausts for sin did not please thee.Then said I: Behold I come: in the head of the book it is written of me: that I should do thy will, O God.In saying before, Sacrifices, and oblations, and holocausts for sin thou wouldest not, neither are they pleasing to thee, which are offered according to the law. ‘Then said I: Behold, I come to do thy will, O God: He taketh away the first, that he may establish that which followeth. In the which will, we are sanctified by the oblation of the body of Jesus Christ once. And every priest indeed standeth daily ministering and often offering the same sacrifices which can never take away sins. But this man, offering one sacrifice for sins, for ever sitteth on the right hand of God.” (Hebrews 10:1-12 – Douay Rheims)”
“For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. 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; Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;” (Hebrews 10:1-12 – KJV)
[Note: Emphasis on portions of Scripture using bold print and italics are mine.]
Para 1032
This teaching is also based on the practice of prayers for the dead, already mentioned in Sacred Scripture: “Therefore [Judas Maccabeus] made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin.” (607) (2 Macc. 12:46) 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. (608) (Cf. Council of Lyons II (1274): DS 856. The Church also commends almsgiving, indulgences, and works of penance undertaken on behalf of the dead: Let us help and commemorate 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. (609) St. John Chrysostom, Hom. in 1 Cor. 41, 5: PG 61, 361; cf. Job 1:5.
[My Note: So here you see that Catholicism’s teaching on purgatory is based — in part — on verses from 2 Maccabees which is a book regarding the history of the Jews in the first century. 2 Maccabees was not deemed fit to be included in the Canon of Scripture.]
IV. HELL
Para 1033
To die in mortal sin without repenting and accepting God’s merciful love means remaining separated from him for ever by our own free choice. This state of definitive self-exclusion from communion with God and the blessed is called “hell.”
My Note: I must stop at this point and bring your attention to what God’s Word has to say about sin. All sin separates us from God who is completely holy. The Catholic church teaches that there are two types of sins –mortal and venial. Catholicism classifies mortal sins as being horrific things such as murder, and venial sins are considered lesser sins, which they say are sins such as telling lies. However, look at what God’s Word has to say about sin and those who tell lies:
“But the cowards, the traitors, and the perverts, the murderers and the immoral, those who practice magic and those who worship idols, and all liars–the place for them is the lake burning with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8 – Sacred Heart League Catholic New Testament)
“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, they shall have their portion in the pool burning with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8 – Douay Rheims Bible)
My Note: Sin — no matter how seemingly harmless or unspeakably horrific it may be — separates us from a completely holy God. If a person dies trusting in their own attempts at trying to be “good enough” to be accepted by God into heaven and chooses not to place their complete trust in Jesus Christ’s substitutionary death in our place on the cross, His burial, and His glorious bodily resurrection from the dead as being sufficient to pay the debt for all of our sins and guilt in full, we will be eternally separated from Him and cast into the lake of fire that was not created for man, but for the devil and his angels, according to God’s Holy Word. (Matthew 25:41) (See directly below).
Para 1034
Jesus often speaks of “Ghenna,” of the “unquenchable fire” reserved for those who to the end of their lives refuse to believe and be converted, where both soul and body can be lost. (612 – Cf. Matt. 5:22,29; 10:28; 13:42, 50; Mk. 9:43-48) Jesus solemnly proclaims that “he will send his angels, and they will gather…all evil doers, and throw them into the furnace of fire,” (613 – Matt. 13:41-42) and that he will pronounce the condemnation: “Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire!” (614 – Matt. 25:41)
[My Note: Sadly, the rest of verse 41 of Matthew 25 has been left out; Matthew 25:41 in the Sacred Heart League Catholic New Testament reads as follows: “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Away from me, you that are under God’s curse! Away to the eternal fire which has been prepared for the Devil and his angels!’
Para 1053
“We believe that the multitude of those gathered around Jesus and Mary in Paradise forms the Church of heaven, where in eternal blessedness they see God as he is and where they are also, to various degrees, associated with the holy angels in the divine governance exercised by Christ in glory, by interceding for us and helping our weakness by their fraternal concern.” (Pope Paul VI, CPG 29)
IN CLOSING:
Sadly, many of the teachings in Catholicism focus on death and induce fear and dependency on the Catholic church for salvation in their people. Being a former Catholic I can honestly say that since I was filled with a lot of fear and had no joy or peace through what I learned. Their is no hope or assurance of salvation that can be found in what Catholicism teaches. If a Catholic would dare to say that they are sure that they will be going to heaven after they die it is actually considered to be a sin of presumption.
So many more thoughts could be added to this post, but I have already exceeded five thousand words, so I must focus on trying to finally bring this post to an end.
Dear Catholic, I pray that you will begin to see the errors in what Catholicism teaches as the truth of God’s Word reveals the glorious good news of the Biblical gospel to you.
To those of you who are Bible believing Christians by choosing to place your trust only in all that Jesus Christ has already accomplished for us, I pray that you will have compassion and love for the precious Catholics in your lives. I pray that you will take time and patience with them as you pray and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you as you seek to share the glorious good news of the Biblical gospel with them, focusing on Jesus Christ and not on the errors in their teachings –unless the Holy Spirit leads you to do so with certain people. Many teachings in Catholicism hold precious Catholics in bondage by making them think that they need to depend on the Catholic church, priests, the pope, the sacraments, the Virgin Mary, and the “Eucharist” for their salvation. Many do not yet realize the simplicity and the truly good news of the Biblical gospel that proclaims all the glory and splendor of all that Jesus Christ truly accomplished by His “once for all” sacrifice that need never be repeated again!
Lord willing, at some point I hope to write separate posts regarding the Sacrifice of the Mass and the Eucharist as well as one that will focus on the virgin Mary, and another one that will focus on the pope. I was going to add in depth information about these topics in this post, but it will take much more time in order to do that and this post is already quite lengthy!
Thank you very much for stopping by today.
God Bless You
~Mary Dalke/Living4HisGlory
RELATED SCRIPTURES
“Happy are those whose wrongs God has forgiven, whose sins he has covered over! Happy is the man whose sins the Lord will not keep account of!” (Romans 4:7,8)
“He [Jesus Christ] was given over to die because of our sins, and was raised to life to put us right with God.” (Romans 4:25) (Insertion done by me).
“In the past you were spiritually dead because of your disobedience and sins. At that time you followed the world’s evil way; you obeyed the ruler of the spiritual powers in space, the spirit who now controls the people who disobey God. Actually all of us were like them, and lived according to our natural desires and did whatever suited the wishes of our own bodies and minds. Like everyone else, we too were naturally bound to suffer God’s wrath. But God’s mercy is so abundant, and his love for us is so great, that why we were spiritually dead in our disobedience he brought us to life with Christ. It is by God’s grace that you have been saved. In our union with Christ Jesus he raised us up with him to rule with him in the heavenly world. He did this to demonstrate for all time to come the extraordinary greatness of his grace in the love he showed us in Christ Jesus. For it is by God’s grace that you have been saved, through faith. It is not your own doing, but God’s gift. There is nothing here to boast of, since it is not the result of your own efforts. God is our Maker, and in our union with Christ Jesus he has created us for a life of good works which he has already prepared for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:1-10)
“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us. It was not because of any good works that we ourselves have done, but because of his own mercy that he saved us through the washing by which the Holy Spirit gives us new birth and new life. God poured out the Holy Spirit abundantly on us, through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that by his grace we might be put right with God and come into possession of the eternal life we hope for. This is a true saying.” (Titus 3:4-7)
“We believe the witness that men give; the witness that God gives is much stronger, and this is the witness that God has given about his Son. So whoever believes in the Son of God has this witness in his heart; but whoever does not believe God has made a liar out of him, because he has not believed what God has said as a witness about his Son. This, then, is the witness: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has this life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (1 John 5:9-12)
[Note: Emphasis on portions of certain Scriptures in this post using bold print and italics, are mine.]
Desiring for God to use all that I have been through in life, I decided to start my first blog, living4hisglory.wordpress.com, in order to write poems about some of those experiences to bring glory to God, as well as to share them with others with the hope of encouraging those of you who have been broken and shattered by life's circumstances and hurt by those who were supposed to have loved you rather than abuse you in some way.
Also, because of some pastors and teachers today who seem to be abandoning Biblical Christianity and instead seem to be either seeking to build their own empires and promoting their own agendas, and at times even leading the people in their churches into unbiblical, 'mystical practices' without some people even realizing it, I saw the importance and necessity to begin writing poems and posts in order to inform Christians, as well as to make Christians realize the extreme importance of testing what people say (who claim to speak for God) against the truth of God's Word, (Acts 17:11) so that they will not be deceived. It has never been -- nor shall it ever be -- my intention to bash any particular pastor or teacher; my sole purpose in bringing attention to false teachings is to make Christians realize that we are to be followers of Jesus Christ, and not to be followers of any man (or woman) and his (or her) ministry. I hope that you will be blessed -- as well as challenged -- by the things that I write.
NOTE: COMMENTS ON ALL POSTS CLOSE ONE MONTH AFTER THEY ARE PUBLISHED.
Thank you for stopping by and taking time to read some of my posts and poems.
God Bless You
~Mary - Living4HisGlory
Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog's author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Mary K. Dalke and Living4HisGlory Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
NOTE: Any adds that may be displayed on my blog have not been chosen or approved by me; I can't even see any adds that WordPress chooses to post here.
Desiring for God to use all that I have been through in life, I decided to start my first blog, living4hisglory.wordpress.com, in order to write poems about some of those experiences to bring glory to God, as well as to share them with others with the hope of encouraging those of you who have been broken and shattered by life's circumstances and hurt by those who were supposed to have loved you rather than abuse you in some way.
Also, because of some pastors and teachers today who seem to be abandoning Biblical Christianity and instead seem to be either seeking to build their own empires and promoting their own agendas, and at times even leading the people in their churches into unbiblical, 'mystical practices' without some people even realizing it, I saw the importance and necessity to begin writing poems and posts in order to inform Christians, as well as to make Christians realize the extreme importance of testing what people say (who claim to speak for God) against the truth of God's Word, (Acts 17:11) so that they will not be deceived. It has never been -- nor shall it ever be -- my intention to bash any particular pastor or teacher; my sole purpose in bringing attention to false teachings is to make Christians realize that we are to be followers of Jesus Christ, and not to be followers of any man (or woman) and his (or her) ministry. I hope that you will be blessed -- as well as challenged -- by the things that I write.
NOTE: COMMENTS ON ALL POSTS CLOSE ONE MONTH AFTER THEY ARE PUBLISHED.
Thank you for stopping by and taking time to read some of my posts and poems.
God Bless You
~Mary - Living4HisGlory
Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog's author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Mary K. Dalke and Living4HisGlory Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
NOTE: Any adds that may be displayed on my blog have not been chosen or approved by me; I can't even see any adds that WordPress chooses to post here.
Mary Dalke - Living4HisGlory
Living4HisGlory 