Scriptural Truths for Roman Catholics

And A List Of Catholic Church Inventions By Date

Bartholomew F. Brewer, Ph.D. 
Former Roman Catholic Priest

**All Scripture quotations and references found below are taken from the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine Translation of the Catholic New Testament and the Douay Version of the Old Testament**

The Roman Catholic Church claims to be God’s true Church and all members are to promise obedience to the Bishop of Rome, whom she claims is successor to Saint Peter, Prince of the Apostles and Vicar of Jesus Christ.

The Roman Catholic Church is built on the assumption that in Matthew 16:13-19 Jesus appointed Peter the first pope and so founded His Church and established the papacy. If this is true, then all true Christians must become Catholic. If it is false, the whole Catholic religion is false and cultic and no true Christians could be identified with such a system. We must, then, search the Scriptures in order to know what is true. The Scriptures are not merely the writings of men, “But holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (II Peter 1:21). “All Scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproving, for correcting, for instructing in justice; that the man of God may be perfect, equipped for every good work: (II Timothy 3:16-17). “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words (the Bible) shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:35). Both Scripture and history testify to the authenticity, reliability, efficiency, and sufficiency of the Bible. Though some Catholic translations are better than others, all are reliable enough for general study with Catholics.

When Jesus, in Matthew 16:18, said, “Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” He used the demonstrative “this” (taute), pointing to Peter’s confession, “Thou are the Christ, the Son of the living God” as the rock. Jesus said, “Thou are Peter (petros, a stone – all believers are stones, see I Peter 2:5 and Ephesians 2:21), and upon this rock (petra, a huge rock foundation – the confession that Jesus is the Christ), I will build my church”. He did not promise to build His Church upon Peter. Jesus would not have trusted such a precious possession as His Church to the leadership of even one fallible man much less a whole succession of them. The pope of Rome is called the Vicar of the Son of God (Vicarius Filii Dei). In the Bible we find that the Holy Spirit, not a pope, was sent to take the place of Jesus on earth. That is what Vicar means. The Holy Spirit was given to guide us into all truth (John 16:7-15) and the Scriptures were given for teaching, for reproving, for correction, and for instruction (II Timothy 3:16). Christ did not leave His Church to human leadership. Jesus Himself is still the Head of His Church. He speaks to us through His infallible Word, the Holy Scriptures, by His ever present and infallible Holy Spirit.

Let us remember that Christ is the Rock and only Head of the Church.
 
I Corinthians 3:11 – For other foundation no one can lay, but that which has been laid, which is Christ Jesus.
I Corinthians 10:4 – The rock was Christ.
Ephesians 1:22,23 – Head over all the Church.
Ephesians 2:20 – Christ Jesus… the chief corner stone.

Around thirty-four times in the Old Testament God is call a Rock or the Rock of Israel. You see, the Bible clearly teaches that when Jesus founded His Church, He was to be the only Head, the Holy Spirit the Vicar and Guide, and the Bible the only authority for faith and practice. All true Christians constitute THE TRUE CHURCH (those in whom the Holy Spirit dwells, who believe and obey Christ’s teachings). True believers were called “Christians”, not “Catholics”.

 
Acts 11:26 Disciples were first called Christians.
Acts 26:28 Persuade me to become a Christian.
I Peter 4:16 Suffer as a Christian

There were no Roman Catholics until Christianity was merged with paganism into a state religion around 315 A.D. The true Christians obeyed God’s Word, they never joined in the pagan corruption. The gates of hell have never prevailed against the true believers, they are few, their way is narrow, they would rather suffer martyrdom than compromise the Word of God or deny their Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. “Go out from her, my people, that you may not share in her sins, and that you may not receive of her plagues” (Apocalypse 18:4). Believers must not be identified with compromising or counterfeit Churches!

The Pope is called “Our Holy Father”. See encyclical letter of Pope Leo XIII in the Douay Version of the Bible. He is also called “Our Most Holy Lord”, Pope Pius X. See Cardinals Oath. Moreri, a famous historian said, “To make war against the Pope is to make war against God, seeing the Pope is God and God is the Pope”. Decius said, “The Pope can do all things God can do”. Pope Leo XIII said of himself, “The supreme teacher in the Church is the Roman Pontiff. Union of minds, therefore, requires, together with a perfect accord in the one faith, complete submission and obedience of will to the Church and to the Roman Pontiff, as to God himself.” Pope Pius X said, “The Pope is not only the representative of Jesus Christ, but he is Jesus Christ himself hidden under the veil of the flesh. Does the Pope speak? It is Jesus Christ who speaks.” Pope Pius XI once declared, “You know that I am the Holy Father, the representative of God on earth, the Vicar of Christ, which means that I am God on the earth.” All this is blasphemy! 

 
Isaias 44:8 – Is there a God besides me?
Matthew 23:9 – Call no one on earth your father.
Ephesians 4:5 – One Lord.
Philippians 2:11 – Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father.
I Peter 5:3 – Nor yet as lording it over your charges.
I Peter 5:1-4 – I, your fellow-presbyter.

Peter called himself a presbyter (pastor), not a pope. He refused honor (Acts 10:25,26) saying “Stand up for I myself also am a man”. The apostles argued regarding who was greatest in the kingdom (Matthew 18:1) which indicates that even they did not accept Peter as head of the Church. The wealth and power of the Roman Popes could have come to Peter or any of the apostles. They had charisma, they could heal and raise the dead and perform many other miracles. They could have accumulated gold and land and conquering armies, but they gave away all that was placed at their feet (Acts 4:37, 3:6). They rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer for the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 5:41). How could anyone be so naive as to think that the papacy evolved out of such humility and simplicity. The office of Pope is of pagan origin and cannot in any way be substantiated in Scripture. Because of the work and ministry of the Holy Spirit, such an office is not necessary or even desirable.

The Roman Catholic Church teaches that Jesus Christ ordained the twelve apostles to the priesthood at the Last Supper and that the powers of the priesthood were handed down during the past two thousand years. This teaching is clearly contrary to the Word of God.

In the Old Testament the work of Christ was prefigured under the three offices of prophet, priest and king. The nation of Israel had each office. With the coming of Christ each of these offices found its fulfillment in Him. Thus in the New Testament there is no need for a human sacrificing priesthood.

 
John 19:30 – It is consummated.
I Timothy 2:5 – There is one God, and one Mediator…Christ Jesus.
Hebrews 7:24 – Because he continues forever, has an everlasting (non-transferable, intransmissible) priesthood.
Hebrews 7:25 – He lives always to make intercession.
Hebrews 7:27 – He does not need to offer sacrifices daily.
Hebrews 9:12 – Having obtained eternal redemption.
Hebrews 10:10 – We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
I Corinthians 12:28 – God indeed has placed some in the Church, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers…(no mention of sacramental priests).
Ephesians 4:11 – He Himself gave some men as apostles, and some as prophets, others again as evangelists, and others as pastors and teachers…(again no mention of sacramental priests).
I Peter 5:1-3. I, your fellow-presbyter and witness…(Nothing about being a priest).

The office of priest is not the same as minister. The concept of a mediating, sacrificing priesthood originated and developed under Cyprian, the theological authority in the West until the time of Augustine, and was part of the merger of paganism with Christianity. Nowhere in the Scriptures will on find evidence of a mediating, sacrificing priesthood after Christ.

The Roman Catholic Church teaches that the Mass is the unbloody sacrifice of the body and blood of Jesus Christ. It also teaches that the Mass is the same sacrifice as that of the Cross. Both are against God’s teaching.

 
Hebrews 7:27 – He died once for all.
Hebrews 9:11-15 – He entered once for all.
Hebrews 9:26 – Once for all.
Hebrews 9:28 – Christ offered once.
Hebrews 10:10 – Once for all.
Hebrews 10:11,12 – One sacrifice for sins.
Hebrews 10:14 – For by one offering.
Hebrews 10:15-20 – There is no longer offering for sin.

If Christ is offered again by Roman Catholic priests as they claim, then the above Scriptures are not true. There are more than 100,000 Masses said all over the world every day. Jesus suffers the terrible agony of Calvary at least 100,000 times every twenty-four hours instead of “once for all” as the Scriptures teach. We must believe the Scriptures. If we truly love the Lord Jesus Christ and seek to follow His Word, we will have no regard for the teaching that the bread and wine are “changed” into the body and blood of Christ and then presented to God as a sacrifice by which God is appeased and atonement o sin is made. When Jesus said, “This is my body” or “blood”, He did not “change” the substance, but was explaining that He is the one “represented” by the Passover bread and wine. Jesus did not say touto gignetai, this has become or is turned into, but touto esti, which can only mean this represents or stands for. Just as the Passover was a remembrance, so is Communion of the Lord’s Supper a remembrance until He comes. The Roman Church, in advocating the doctrine of transubstantiation, departs from the literal sense of Scripture. May we be able to say with the Apostle Paul: “We at least, are not, as many others, adulterating the Word of God.” (II Corinthians 2:17)

The Roman Catholic Church teaches that her priests exercise the power of forgiving sins by hearing confession of sins and granting pardon for them as ministers of God and in His name. This teaching is not from the Bible.

 
I Esdras 10:11 – Now make confession to the Lord the God of your fathers.
Mark 2:7 – Who can forgive sins, but only God.
Acts 4:12 – Neither is there salvation in any other.
Acts 8:12 – Repent…and pray to God. (Peter did not hear his confession and forgive him, but said, “pray to God”.)
I John 1:7 – The Blood of Jesus Christ…cleanses us from all sin.
I John 1:9 – If we acknowledge our sins. (To God, not to a priest – automatic confession and absolution.)
I John 2:1 – If anyone sins we have an advocate (Jesus) with the Father.

Throughout the Bible remission of sin and salvation are connected with faith in Christ, nowhere with priestly absolution. In order to support her tribunal upon earth, the Roman Catholic Church mis-interprets Matthew 16:19, “I will give thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven”. Also Matthew 18:18, “Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound also in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven”. And John 20:23, “Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained”. First of all, the “keys of the kingdom” refers to the authority to proclaim the terms of salvation in Christ. This is the privilege and duty of all Christian believers. The authority to bind and loose is first and foremost the commission to proclaim the gospel which liberates those who believe it, and consigns to bondage those who reject it. The Roman Catholic Church misinterprets this text in order to support the practice of confessing sins to a priest. The Biblical context clearly indicates, however, that the words of Matthew 16:19, 18:18, and John 20:23 were not only spoken to the apostles but also to those believers who were with them. Christian ministers are to preach repentance, but nothing is said about hearing confession and the granting of absolution (forgiveness of sins).

The most important question pertinent to religion is, “how may a man obtain the forgiveness of (his) sins?” Here is where the most significant deviation occurs. The Bible teaches that “faith” secures the remission of sins (Acts 10:43) while Roman Catholicism teaches that the “sacraments” (in addition to faith) do. We must be very precise here for the Apostle Paul said that any different way of salvation, even if given by an angel, would be accursed. Jesus said that the seed sown on good ground “understood” the way of salvation (Matthew 13:23). We urge you to embrace the Lord’s way and let go of the former way. The Scripture says, “Having been justified therefore by faith, let us have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). One Catholic writer is defending his Church made a statement that we all should heed. He said that if faith alone saves “the whole traditional structure of Christianity is a needless empty show, the Mass, the sacraments, the sacrificing priesthood, the teaching hierarchy, the papacy, practices of penance, asceticism, habits of self-restraint, prayer. Nay, these things are a hindrance, an enormous sham, a terrible system of lies, and therefore to be utterly swept away and destroyed.” Philip Hughes, A POPULAR HISTORY OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, p. 176. True Biblical Christianity rejects the notion that salvation is a moral process, that the sinner is “made” just, or “works out” his salvation by his own deeds.

Heed what God teaches in the following texts:

 
John 3:3 – Unless a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
John 3:16 – For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that those who believe in him may not perish, but may have life everlasting.
John 5:24 – He who hears my word, and believes him who sent me, has life everlasting, and does not come to judgment, but has passed from death to life.
Acts 4:12 – Neither is there salvation in any other.
Romans 4:5 – but to him who does not work, but believes in him who justifies the impious, his faith is credited to him.
Romans 4:6 – David declares the blessedness of the man to whom God credits justice without works.
Romans 3:28 – We reckon that a man is justified by faith independently of the works of the Law.
Romans 5:1 – Having been justified therefore by faith.
Romans 10:3 – Ignorant of the justice of God, and seeking to establish their own, they have not submitted to the justice of God.
Titus 3:5 – Not by reason of good works that we did ourselves, but according to his mercy…

Prayer: Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus I ask forgiveness of my sins. I give my life to you that I may receive the Son and that the Holy Spirit may work in me to will and to do of His good pleasure. Because your Word says so, I believe that You have heard my prayer and have forgiven my sins. I promise to study and obey the Scriptures so that my knowledge and faith can increase. Amen.

Summary

Cardinal Newman, in his book, The Development Of The Christian Religion, admits that “temples, incense, oil lamps, votive offerings, holy water, holidays, and seasons of devotion, processions, blessings of fields, sacerdotal vestments, the tonsure (of priests and monks and nuns), images …are all of pagan origin.” (p.359) Yet, we are told that to practice these traditions is to make void the Word of God (Matthew 15:16), to worship in vain (Matthew 15:9). Also see II John 9-10.

 
The Bible itself declares that the way of salvation is so plain that even “fools shall not err therein” (Isaias 35:8). When the blind lead the blind, both fall (Matthew 15:14). The urgent need of our day is to search the never changing Scriptures to see if what popes, cardinals, bishops, priests, minister, and teachers tell us is the truth or not. In apostolic days this was done: “Now these were a nobler character than those of Thessalonica and they received the word with great eagerness, studying the Scriptures every day to see whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11). Those who do not teach and preach the Gospel as it is found in the Scriptures are under the curse of God. “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel to you other than that which we have preached to you, let him be anathema!” (Galatians 1:8). Do not be deceived by false teachers. See Colossians 2:8. Test everything! (I Thessalonians 5:21)

These Biblical truths are offered in a spirit of true Christian love. We ask you to consider them objectively so that with the Psalmist you can declare, “I have chosen the way of truth” (Psalm 118:30).

Roman Catholicism In The Light Of Their Own Scriptures And Authorities

This book was written in 1915 and copyrighted in 1917 by H.M. Riggle.

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Hardcover, softcover and kindle versions of the book “Roman Catholicism In The Light Of Their Own Scriptures” can be purchased at amazon.com at this link.
 

Errors Of The Roman Catholic Church, Or, Centuries Of Oppression, Persecution And Ruin

This book was published in 1899 by a group of 15 authors.

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Roman Catholics In America Falsifying History And Poisoning The Minds Of Protestant School Children

This book was written in 1928 by Thomas E. Watson.

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My Last Confession

A Conversation In A Catholic Confession Booth

Catholic penitent: Bless me father, for I have sinned.  It has been something like 25 years since my last confession, if my memory is correct.

Catholic priest: My, that’s a long time… I’ll have to assign you 20 Hail Mary’s just for being such a procrastinator.  What took you so long to come in for confession?

Catholic penitent: I didn’t want to be molested by you creeps!  Just kidding!

Catholic priest: That’ll be another 20 Hail Mary’s, even if it was a joke.  I don’t like people reminding me of what a wicked organization I belong to.  So what sins are you here to confess?

Catholic penitent: All of them, of course!

Catholic priest: Well I hope so, but I need to know specifically which sins and how many times for each sin so I can calculate the proper number of Hail Marys and Our Fathers.

Catholic penitent: You think I can remember all that after 25 years?  You gotta be kidding!  How about you just give me a whole lotta stuff to recite over and over – enough to make sure that I’m in the clear with the Lord.

Catholic priest: Sorry, but the rules of the church don’t allow me to do that.  You need to tell me the specifics, as best as you can remember things, especially the really juicy stuff… I mean the really serious stuff.

Catholic penitent: OK, but how about you telling me your sins too.  What’s fair is fair, right?

Catholic priest: No, my sins are none of your business… they’re between me and God.

Catholic penitent: Oh really? What about me? Aren’t my sins against God and not against you?

Catholic priest: Technically yes.  However, since we Catholic priests claim to be God’s intermediators for you poor slobs – I mean poor souls – here on earth, you need to come to us priests so we can go to God on your behalf (and so we can have something to blackmail you with if the need arises – hee hee).

Catholic penitent: Well how do I know that God hears you?

Catholic priest: Because I say so and because “mother church” says so.

Catholic penitent: Oh.  Well how do YOU know that God is satisfied by me saying so many Hail Marys and Our Fathers?  And where do you come up with your numbers for how many times I should repeat those prayers?

Catholic priest: You ask too many questions.  Just trust me.  I’m your spiritual father, remember?  That’s why you need to call me “father”.

Catholic penitent: But what if your calculations are wrong?  What if I don’t say enough Hail Marys and Our Fathers?

Catholic priest: Well then, when you die, your relatives will have to pay me and “mother church” to say masses for you, to get your soul out of Purgatory.

Catholic penitent: But my neighbor says that there is no such place as Purgatory, only Heaven and Hell.  He told me that the Bible says “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” [Hebrews 9:27].  So what good would it do for my relatives to pay you to say masses if there is no such place as Purgatory and if instead I’m forever damned in Hell?

Catholic priest: Who are you going to believe? Me or some Bible quoting neighbor?

Catholic penitent: But my neighbor has nothing to gain by what he told me.  But you and the Roman Catholic church stand to gain money from people who pay you to say masses for the dead.

Catholic priest: We need the money to operate our business… I mean our church.  So quit beating around the bush and just tell me your sins, so I can get back to the convent… oops… I mean back to the rectory.

Catholic penitent: But I am still wondering how I can get rid of my sins just by reciting some prayers.  How does that make up for all the bad things I’ve done and why did Jesus die on the cross if I could get rid of my sins simply by chanting a bunch of words over and over again?

Catholic priest: Those words are no ordinary words.  They are very special words, almost magical words!  You need to recite them to prove that you are really sorry for your sins and we priests do the rest!   Jesus did his part and now you and I have to do our part.

Catholic penitent: But I read in the Bible that God condemns repetitious prayers like the ones you priests assign us to recite for penance.  In Matthew 6:7 Jesus said “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.” 

Catholic priest: Don’t worry about what Jesus said.  Just do what I tell you to do.

Catholic penitent: I’m not sure I like what you’ve been telling me, nor do I even like this whole confession system.  So before I confess my sins to you I have just one more question.

Catholic priest: Ok. What is it?

Catholic penitent: Well, I started reading the Bible for myself and it says in the gospel of Mark, chapter 2 and verse 7: “Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?”. That sure sounds to me like only God can forgive sins.

Catholic priest: Who said you can read the Bible for yourself, let alone interpret the Bible for yourself?  Don’t you know that you need to leave it to us priests and “mother church” to tell you what the Bible means?  In fact, you should not even be reading the Bible. It will only confuse you.  Even though what you read sounds like only God can forgive sins, you must remember that what “mother church” says always overrides what the Bible says.

Catholic penitent: I think I’d rather take my chances with the Bible and what God says in that Bible. 

Catholic priest: Now you’ve done it! You’ve proven yourself to be a heretic. If you don’t recant what you just said, and say 523 Hail Marys by sundown, I’ll have to excommunicate you.

Catholic penitent: Well then, excommunicate me.  I’d rather have Jesus anyway – the real Jesus that is.  He said in John 6:37 “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”

Catholic priest: Get out of my confession booth you Bible quoting heretic!  Away with you!

“But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”
[Matthew 15:9]

If this article about Catholic confession offends you, bear in mind that GOD is highly offended by the Catholic MAN-MADE confession system that substitutes the clergy of the Catholic Church for the ONE mediator God has provided, which is His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ…
 

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

 
And don’t believe the lie of the Catholic Church that it is OK to pray to their man-made saints because (as they claim) they are not mediators but only intercessors, which is nothing more than one of many word-twisting exercises of the Roman Catholic Church.
 
The Catholic confession “system” is a license to sin, allowing Catholics to “get rid of their sins” simply by reciting some arbitrary number of “Hail Marys”. When a person sins, they are to confess to God, because their sins are violations of GOD’S LAWS. Also, when a person sins, they have not sinned against the priest at confession, they have sinned against others – if they lied to, cursed at, stole from or attacked or slandered someone. We are to confess to God and to the person sinned against. Also, we should apologize to and make restitution to the person offended. A Catholic priest should not even be part of the equation… So that whole Catholic confession system is illogical and useless and unbiblical.
 
Also, on a more personal note, my own mother was verbally harassed by a Catholic priest in a confession booth when she was a young woman. The ungodly priest was not satisfied with her confession and wanted her to tell him something more “juicy” as they say. Later on in life, I had a complete stranger, a 60 year old man, share with me that a Catholic priest had tried to rape him when he was just a 10 year old altar boy. That boy was spared when the priest chose another altar boy to rape who as an easier target. Please think long and hard about these things before you violate God’s commandments and go to some false priest instead of the living and true High Priest – the Lord Jesus Christ – to confess your sins.— RM Kane
 

“Seeing then that WE HAVE A GREAT HIGH PRIEST, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:14-16

SEE ALSO: The Priest, The Woman And The Confessional