John XXIII, John Paul II declared saints "Are Catholic beliefs and practices biblical

[paulsfam4]

John XXIII, John Paul II declared saints "Are Catholic beliefs and practices biblical

Question: "Are Catholic beliefs and practices biblical?"

Answer: The issue concerning any church and its practices should be “Is this biblical?” If a teaching is Biblical (taken in context), it should be embraced. If it is not, it should be rejected. God is more interested in whether a church is doing His will and obeying His Word than whether it can trace a line of succession back to Jesus’ apostles. Jesus was very concerned about abandoning the Word of God to follow the traditions of men (Mark 7:7). Traditions are not inherently invalid…there are some good and valuable traditions. Again, the issue must be whether a doctrine, practice, or tradition is Biblical. How then does the Roman Catholic Church compare with the teachings of the Word of God?

Salvation: The Roman Catholic Church teaches that salvation is by baptismal regeneration and is maintained through the Catholic sacraments unless a willful act of sin is committed that breaks the state of sanctifying grace. The Bible teaches that we are saved by grace which is received through simple faith (Ephesians 2:8-9), and that good works are the result of a change of the heart wrought in salvation (Ephesians 2:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17) and the fruit of that new life in Christ (John 15).

Assurance of salvation: The Roman Catholic Church teaches that salvation cannot be guaranteed or assured. 1 John 5:13 states that the letter of 1 John was written for the purpose of assuring believers of the CERTAINTY of their salvation.

Good Works: The Roman Catholic Church states that Christians are saved by meritorious works (beginning with baptism) and that salvation is maintained by good works (receiving the sacraments, confession of sin to a priest, etc.) The Bible states that Christians are saved by grace through faith, totally apart from works (Titus 3:5; Ephesians 2:8-9; Galatians 3:10-11; Romans 3:19-24).

Baptism: In the New Testament baptism is ALWAYS practiced AFTER saving faith in Christ. Baptism is not the means of salvation; it is faith in the Gospel that saves (1 Corinthians 1:14-18; Romans 10:13-17). The Roman Catholic Church teaches baptismal regeneration of infants, a practice never found in Scripture. The only possible hint of infant baptism in the Bible that the Roman Catholic Church can point to is that the whole household of the Philippian jailer was baptized in Acts 16:33. However, the context nowhere mentions infants. Acts 16:31 declares that salvation is by faith. Paul spoke to all of the household in verse 32, and the whole household believed (verse 34). This passage only supports the baptism of those who have already believed, not of infants.

Prayer: The Roman Catholic Church teaches Catholics to not only pray to God, but also to petition Mary and the saints for their prayers. Contrary to this, we are taught in Scripture to only pray to God (Matthew 6:9; Luke 18:1-7).

Priesthood: The Roman Catholic Church teaches that there is a distinction between the clergy and the “lay people,” whereas the New Testament teaches the priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2:9).

Sacraments: The Roman Catholic Church teaches that a believer is infused with grace upon reception of the sacraments. Such teaching is nowhere found in Scripture.

Confession: The Roman Catholic Church teaches that unless a believer is hindered, the only way to receive the forgiveness of sins is by confessing them to a priest. Contrary to this, Scripture teaches that confession of sins is to be made to God (1 John 1:9).

Mary: The Roman Catholic Church teaches, among other things, that Mary is the Queen of Heaven, a perpetual virgin, and the co-redemptress who ascended into heaven. In Scripture, she is portrayed as an obedient, believing servant of God, who became the mother of Jesus. None of the other attributes mentioned by the Roman Catholic Church have any basis in the Bible. The idea of Mary being the co-redemptress and another mediator between God and man is not only extra-biblical (found only outside of Scripture), but is also unbiblical (contrary to Scripture). Acts 4:12 declares that Jesus is the only redeemer. 1 Timothy 2:5 proclaims that Jesus is the only mediator between God and men.

Many other examples could be given. These issues alone clearly identify the Catholic Church as being unbiblical. Every Christian denomination has traditions and practices that are not explicitly based on Scripture. That is why Scripture must be the standard of Christian faith and practice. The Word of God is always true and reliable. The same cannot be said of church tradition. Our guideline is to be: “What does Scripture say?” (Romans 4:3; Galatians 4:30; Acts 17:11). 2 Timothy 3:16-17 declares, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

 

[Jackson123]

Re: John XXIII, John Paul II declared saints "Are Catholic beliefs and practices bibl

Yup, Roman Catholic is not use Bible as foundation.

 

[Vernon]

Re: John XXIII, John Paul II declared saints "Are Catholic beliefs and practices bibl

I figured this type of thread would appear when I read that the Catholic Church had officially proclaimed John XXIII and John Paul II as saints. The leaders of this site have already said that they consider the Catholic Church to be heretical and ban those who attempt to teach catholic doctrine as truth.
As a catholic, I am considered by many on this site to be a heretic or even apostate by some, of the devil by a few, I am grateful to live in a country where they do not persecute anyone for their religious beliefs, though verbal and written abuse is allowed, no one is being physically threatened in my country, while in some areas of the world christians are being physically threatened for their profession of faith. And while some christians contend one against the other, in places where they persecute christians they do not discriminate between sects and cults of christians but persecute them all including catholics. So while some sects and cults deny that catholics are christian, the world considers catholics to be christian because catholics profess Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
I have not been called by God to contend for the catholic faith, but I have been called by God to pray for the unity of all christians, that we might be one, holy, catholic and apostolic. I have been called by God to pray for the salvation of all humanity, to pray for those who persecute christians that they would not perish in unbelief. I have been called by God to follow my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, to lay down my life in him that I might be raised through him to life eternal in the presence of God. I have been called by God to love everyone including my enemies, in the same way that God loves me even when I am yet a sinner.
The Catholic Church is not the enemy of the faith. The evil one and his minions are the enemy of the faith. We contend against the evil one by prayer and fasting, as christians we need one another, we must stand together in Christ, a house divided can not stand, May we pray for one another and lift one another up, so that none fall into the trap of the devil who seeks to divide and destroy.

May the love of Christ be with you all.
Vernon

 

[oldernotwiser]

Re: John XXIII, John Paul II declared saints "Are Catholic beliefs and practices bibl

i am a protestant but here in china i feel most comfortable worshipping at st anthonies catholic church. the first time i attended a mass i asked a priest who spoke excellent english if i could take communion there. he looked at me smiling and asked:"are you a baptized christian?" when i said yes he said ..... "well why not?" that sunday morning here in shenzhen i felt more a part of christ's body than i had in years.

 

[saved1975]

Re: John XXIII, John Paul II declared saints "Are Catholic beliefs and practices bibl

Question: "Are Catholic beliefs and practices biblical?"

Answer: The issue concerning any church and its practices should be “Is this biblical?” If a teaching is Biblical (taken in context), it should be embraced. If it is not, it should be rejected. God is more interested in whether a church is doing His will and obeying His Word than whether it can trace a line of succession back to Jesus’ apostles. Jesus was very concerned about abandoning the Word of God to follow the traditions of men (Mark 7:7). Traditions are not inherently invalid…there are some good and valuable traditions. Again, the issue must be whether a doctrine, practice, or tradition is Biblical. How then does the Roman Catholic Church compare with the teachings of the Word of God?

Salvation: The Roman Catholic Church teaches that salvation is by baptismal regeneration and is maintained through the Catholic sacraments unless a willful act of sin is committed that breaks the state of sanctifying grace. The Bible teaches that we are saved by grace which is received through simple faith (Ephesians 2:8-9), and that good works are the result of a change of the heart wrought in salvation (Ephesians 2:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17) and the fruit of that new life in Christ (John 15).

Assurance of salvation: The Roman Catholic Church teaches that salvation cannot be guaranteed or assured. 1 John 5:13 states that the letter of 1 John was written for the purpose of assuring believers of the CERTAINTY of their salvation.

Good Works: The Roman Catholic Church states that Christians are saved by meritorious works (beginning with baptism) and that salvation is maintained by good works (receiving the sacraments, confession of sin to a priest, etc.) The Bible states that Christians are saved by grace through faith, totally apart from works (Titus 3:5; Ephesians 2:8-9; Galatians 3:10-11; Romans 3:19-24).

Baptism: In the New Testament baptism is ALWAYS practiced AFTER saving faith in Christ. Baptism is not the means of salvation; it is faith in the Gospel that saves (1 Corinthians 1:14-18; Romans 10:13-17). The Roman Catholic Church teaches baptismal regeneration of infants, a practice never found in Scripture. The only possible hint of infant baptism in the Bible that the Roman Catholic Church can point to is that the whole household of the Philippian jailer was baptized in Acts 16:33. However, the context nowhere mentions infants. Acts 16:31 declares that salvation is by faith. Paul spoke to all of the household in verse 32, and the whole household believed (verse 34). This passage only supports the baptism of those who have already believed, not of infants.

Prayer: The Roman Catholic Church teaches Catholics to not only pray to God, but also to petition Mary and the saints for their prayers. Contrary to this, we are taught in Scripture to only pray to God (Matthew 6:9; Luke 18:1-7).

Priesthood: The Roman Catholic Church teaches that there is a distinction between the clergy and the “lay people,” whereas the New Testament teaches the priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2:9).

Sacraments: The Roman Catholic Church teaches that a believer is infused with grace upon reception of the sacraments. Such teaching is nowhere found in Scripture.

Confession: The Roman Catholic Church teaches that unless a believer is hindered, the only way to receive the forgiveness of sins is by confessing them to a priest. Contrary to this, Scripture teaches that confession of sins is to be made to God (1 John 1:9).

Mary: The Roman Catholic Church teaches, among other things, that Mary is the Queen of Heaven, a perpetual virgin, and the co-redemptress who ascended into heaven. In Scripture, she is portrayed as an obedient, believing servant of God, who became the mother of Jesus. None of the other attributes mentioned by the Roman Catholic Church have any basis in the Bible. The idea of Mary being the co-redemptress and another mediator between God and man is not only extra-biblical (found only outside of Scripture), but is also unbiblical (contrary to Scripture). Acts 4:12 declares that Jesus is the only redeemer. 1 Timothy 2:5 proclaims that Jesus is the only mediator between God and men.

Many other examples could be given. These issues alone clearly identify the Catholic Church as being unbiblical. Every Christian denomination has traditions and practices that are not explicitly based on Scripture. That is why Scripture must be the standard of Christian faith and practice. The Word of God is always true and reliable. The same cannot be said of church tradition. Our guideline is to be: “What does Scripture say?” (Romans 4:3; Galatians 4:30; Acts 17:11). 2 Timothy 3:16-17 declares, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

I thank God that He declares born again Christians, "Saints", We are Saints from the moment we get saved.
Whereas catholics have to be dead a good number of years before they are declared saints.

 

[crossnote]

Re: John XXIII, John Paul II declared saints "Are Catholic beliefs and practices bibl

I would limit the thread to the catholic view of what constitutes a saint.
Is it biblical? No, it is based on church tradition and not scripture.
Is one's definition of a saint a matter of one's salvation? No, but it may contribute to a messed up view of sanctification.

 

[phil112]

Re: John XXIII, John Paul II declared saints "Are Catholic beliefs and practices bibl

I thank God that He declares born again Christians, "Saints", We are Saints from the moment we get saved.
Whereas catholics have to be dead a good number of years before they are declared saints.

Here we have a man who understands it. Like saved1975, I don't need man's approval to be a saint. My walk is the determining factor.

 

[And]

Re: John XXIII, John Paul II declared saints "Are Catholic beliefs and practices bibl

Sanctification is hearing and doing the word of God

Mat 23:9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

Peter was married

Luke 4:38 And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon's house. And Simon's wife's mother was taken with a great fever; and they besought him for her.
Mat 4:18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
Luke 4:38 And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon's house. And Simon's wife's mother was taken with a great fever; and they besought him for her.

you didnt know that because the king james translators were English anglican (presbetyrian) and they honored peter as sort of a pope which is of course against the Bible

but putting 2 and 2 together Peter was married

Blasphemy is over ruling God

God says do A
satan says do B

if you do A you are like Abel
if you do B you are like cain

Genesis 2:2,3 through revellation 22:14 God says keep the Sabbath
never mentinions sunday

it doesnt matter about anything you believe or about the law or anything

sunday is not mentioned and neither is monday or twuesday
but Sabbath is metnioned a lot as crucial to the relationship with God
So
Jesus word says do A
pope says do B

why are you doing B?
Blasphemy.

 

[And]

Re: John XXIII, John Paul II declared saints "Are Catholic beliefs and practices bibl

Sanctification is hearing and doing the word of God

Mat 23:9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

Peter was married

Luke 4:38 And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon's house. And Simon's wife's mother was taken with a great fever; and they besought him for her.
Mat 4:18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
Luke 4:38 And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon's house. And Simon's wife's mother was taken with a great fever; and they besought him for her.

you didnt know that because the king james translators were English anglican (presbetyrian) and they honored peter as sort of a pope which is of course against the Bible

so they COVERED UP THE FACT THAT PETER WAS MARRIED

in the original aramic is says PETER
and they put in simon

on purpose
to cover up the fact that Peter was married

ust lke they covered up the new testament mentions DOZENS of times to keep the sabbath and they change it to the word WEEK
to cover it up

and they covered up

KNEEL IN WORSHIP TO GOD hundreds of times
because anglicans and presbyterians are once saved always saved and they dont feel like getting on their knees....

so
dig and study

and you will come out of Babylon

anyone who goes against the word of God is babylon

the Bible says the BEAST of babylon will be world famous and will decieve all the world and thee number of a beast is a number of a MAN and the bible says the MAN BEAST will have the whole world worship the MAN

woshipping a MAN is a no no according to the Bible


but putting 2 and 2 together Peter was married

Blasphemy is over ruling God

Rev 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.


Rev 22:9 Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.


Don't worship a MAN
dont worship a PROPHET
dont worship and angel

notice worship means ON YOUR KNEES


Rev 22:8 And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen,
I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which showed me these things.


to worship you need to be on your knees.


how is it when you see the pope you are required to get on your knees
but when you go to church you stand?

who is your God?









God says do A
satan says do B

if you do A you are like Abel
if you do B you are like cain

Genesis 2:2,3 through revellation 22:14 God says keep the Sabbath
never mentions sunday

if you are keeping sunday

you are not following the whole Bible


peiople say it doesnt matter if you worship on this day or that

God says it matters

who do YOU worship?

God?
or
Simon says?

 

[And]

Re: John XXIII, John Paul II declared saints "Are Catholic beliefs and practices bibl

interesting how everything on this planet run by satan is programming us to obey without question, and hate the Bible and ignore it

even the kids in school play simon says
simon peter says


well if it isnt in the Bible
JEsus ignored it

the pharisees said that when he healed that JEsus broke the Sabbath
Bible never said that
Jesus ignored it
then they killed him

and that is what satans church will do with you

Rev 19:19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his children.


Rev 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him,
with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast (forcing people), and them that worshipped his image (sudnay).
These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.




no, they will TRY to kill you


hey, whatever you do, do it quickly
I want to go home.
if you ignore their pharisees and follow the Bible instead,
they will kill you.

 

[Hizikyah]

Re: John XXIII, John Paul II declared saints "Are Catholic beliefs and practices bibl

“Perhaps the boldest thing, the most revolutionary change the Church ever did, happened in the first century. The holy day, the Sabbath, was changed from Saturday to Sunday. ‘The day of the Lord’ was chosen, not from any direction noted in the Scriptures, but from the (Catholic) Church’s sense of its own power...People who think that the Scriptures should be the sole authority, should logically become 7th Day Adventists, and keep Saturday holy.” St. Catherine Church Sentinel, Algonac, Michigan, May 21, 1995.

“Nowhere in the Bible is it stated that worship should be changed from Saturday to Sunday...Now the Church...instituted, by God’s authority, Sunday as the day of worship. This same Church, by the same divine authority, taught the doctrine of Purgatory long before the Bible was made. We have, therefore, the same authority for Purgatory as we have for Sunday.” Martin J. Scott, Things Catholics Are Asked About, 1927 edition, p. 136.

“Question - Which is the Sabbath day?
“Answer - Saturday is the Sabbath day.
“Question - Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday?
“Answer - We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church, in the Council of Laodicea (A.D. 364), transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday.” Peter Geiermann, C.S.S.R., The Convert’s Catechism of Catholic Doctrine, p. 50, 3rd edition, 1957.

“Is Saturday the seventh day according to the Bible and the Ten Commandments? I answer yes. Is Sunday the first day of the week and did the Church change the seventh day - Saturday - for Sunday, the first day? I answer yes. Did Christ change the day’? I answer no!”
“Faithfully yours, J. Card. Gibbons.” James Cardinal Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore, Md. (1877-1921), in a signed letter.

“Question. - How prove you that the Church hath power to command feasts and holy days?
“Answer. - By the very act of changing Sabbath into Sunday which Protestants allow of; and therefore they fondly contradict themselves, by keeping Sunday strictly, and breaking most other feasts commanded by the same Church.
“Question. - How prove you that?
“Answer. - Because by keeping Sunday, they acknowledge the Church’s power to ordain feasts, and to command them under sin: and by not keeping the rest by her commanded, they again deny, in fact, the same power.” An Abridgment of the Christian Doctrine, composed by Henry Tuberville, p. 58.

“Some theologians have held that God likewise directly determined the Sunday as the day of worship in the New Law, that He Himself has explicitly substituted the Sunday for the Sabbath. But this theory is now entirely abandoned. It is now commonly held that God simply gave His Church the power to set aside whatever day or days she would deem suitable as Holy Days. The (Roman Catholic) Church chose Sunday, the first day of the week, and in the course of time added other days as holy days.” John Laux, A Course in Religion for Catholic High Schools and Academies, 1936 edition, vol. 1, p. 51.

“Question. What warrant have you for keeping Sunday preferably to the ancient sabbath which was Saturday?
“Answer. We have for it the authority of the Catholic church and apostolic tradition.
“Question. Does the Scripture anywhere command the Sunday to be kept for the Sabbath?
“Answer. The Scripture commands us to hear the church (St.Matt.18:17; St. Luke 10:16), and to hold fast the traditions of the apostles. 2 Thess 2:15. But the Scripture does not in particular mention this change of the Sabbath. (Yes it actually does, Daniyl 7:25, "And he will speak great words against Yahweh, and will wear out; mentally attack to cause to fall away, the saints of Yahweh, and think to change times and Laws.")

“Protestantism, in discarding the authority of the (Roman Catholic) Church, has no good reasons for its Sunday theory, and ought logically to keep Saturday as the Sabbath.” John Gilmary Shea, American Catholic Quarterly Review, January 1883.

“The Catholic church for over one thousand years before the existence of a Protestant, by virtue of her divine mission, changed the day from Saturday to Sunday...The Protestant World at its birth found the Christian Sabbath too strongly entrenched to run counter to its existence; it was therefore placed under the necessity of acquiescing in the arrangement, thus implying the (Catholic) Church’s right to change the day, for over three hundred years. The Christian Sabbath is therefore to this day, the acknowledged offspring of the Catholic Church as spouse of the Holy Ghost, without a word of remonstrance from the Protestant World.” James Cardinal Gibbons in the Catholic Mirror, September 23, 1983.

“They [the Protestants] deem it their duty to keep the Sunday holy. Why? Because the Catholic Church tells them to do so. They have no other reason...The observance of Sunday thus comes to be an ecclesiastical law entirely distinct from the divine law of Sabbath observance...The author of the Sunday law...is the Catholic Church.” Ecclesiastical Review, February 1914.

“The Sunday...is purely a creation of the Catholic Church.”American Catholic Quarterly Review, January 1883.
“Sunday...is the law of the Catholic Church alone...” American Sentinel (Catholic), June 1893.

“Sunday is a Catholic institution and its claim to observance can be defended only on Catholic principles...From beginning to end of Scripture there is not a single passage that warrants the transfer of weekly public worship from the last day of the week to the first.” Catholic Press, Sydney, Australia, August 1900.

“It is well to remind the Presbyterians, Baptists, Methodists, and all other Christians, that the Bible does not support them anywhere in their observance of Sunday. Sunday is an institution of the Roman Catholic Church, and those who observe the day observe a commandment of the Catholic Church.” Priest Brady, in an address reported in The News, Elizabeth, New Jersey, March 18, 1903.

“From this we may understand how great is the authority of the church in interpreting or explaining to us the commandments of God - an authority which is acknowledged by the universal practice of the whole Christian world, even of those sects which profess to take the holy Scriptures as their sole rule of faith, since they observe as the day of rest not the seventh day of the week demanded by the Bible, but the first day. Which we know is to be kept holy, only from the tradition and teaching of the Catholic church.” Henry Gibson, Catechism Made Easy, #2, 9th edition, vol. 1, p. 341-342.

“.’ AnI have repeatedly offered $1,000 to anyone who can prove to me from the Bible alone that I am bound to keep Sunday holy. There is no such law in the Bible. It is a law of the holy Catholic Church alone. The Bible says, ‘Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.’ The Catholic Church says: ‘No. By my divine power I abolish the Sabbath day and command you to keep holy the first day of the week and lo! The entire civilized world bows down in a reverent obedience to the command of the holy Catholic Church.” father T. Enright, C.S.S.R. of the Redemptoral College, Kansas City, in a lecture at Hartford,Kansas, February 18, 1884, printed in History of the Sabbath, p. 802

“The (Roman Catholic) Church changed the observance of the Sabbath to Sunday by right of the divine, infallible authority given to her by her founder, Jesus Christ. The Protestant claiming the Bible to be the only guide of faith, has no warrant for observing Sunday.” The Catholic Universe Bulletin, August 14, 1942, p. 4.

“Regarding the change from the observance of the Jewish Sabbath to the Christian Sunday, I wish to draw your attention to the facts:
“1) That Protestants, who accept the Bible as the only rule of faith and religion, should by all means go back to the observance of the Sabbath. The fact that they do not, but on the contrary observe the Sunday, stultifies them in the eyes of every thinking man.
“2) We Catholics do not accept the Bible as the only rule of faith. Besides the Bible we have the living Church, the authority of the Church, as a rule to guide us. We say, this Church, instituted by Christ to teach and guide man through life, has the right to change the ceremonial laws of the Old Testament and hence, we accept her change of the Sabbath to Sunday. We frankly say, yes, the Church made this change, made this law, as she made many other laws, for instance, the Friday abstinence, the unmarried priesthood, the laws concerning mixed marriages, the regulation of Catholic marriages and a thousand other laws...

“The arguments...are firmly grounded on the word of God, and having been closely studied with the Bible in hand, leave no escape for the conscientious Protestant except the abandonment of Sunday worship and the return to Saturday, commanded by their teacher, the Bible, or, unwilling to abandon the tradition of the Catholic Church, which enjoins the keeping of Sunday, and which they have accepted in direct opposition to their teacher, the Bible, consistently accept her (the Catholic Church) in all her teachings. Reason and common sense demand the acceptance of one or the other of these alternatives: either Protestantism and the keeping holy of Saturday, or Catholicism and the keeping holy of Sunday. Compromise is impossible.” James Cardinal Gibbons, in Catholic Mirror, December 23, 1893.


“If they who were concerned in old things, arrived at a newness of hope, no longer observing the Sabbath, but living according to the Lord’s day, by which our life sprung from him and by his death (whom certain persons deny)…we have been made his disciples, let us live according to Christianity.” Ignatius (appointed by Peter as Bishop of Antioch) in the IX chapter of his letter to the Magnesians in 110 A.D.


“And since his [Constantine] desire was to teach his whole army zealously to honor the Saviour’s day (which derives its name from light, and from the sun), he freely granted to those among them who were partakers of the divine faith, leisure for attendance on the services of the Church of God, in order that they might be able, without impediment, to perform their religious worship”. Eusebius, a Roman Bishop and historian, wrote “The Life of Constantine”.

 

[FranC]

Re: John XXIII, John Paul II declared saints "Are Catholic beliefs and practices bibl

Question: "Are Catholic beliefs and practices biblical?"

Answer: The issue concerning any church and its practices should be “Is this biblical?” If a teaching is Biblical (taken in context), it should be embraced. If it is not, it should be rejected. God is more interested in whether a church is doing His will and obeying His Word than whether it can trace a line of succession back to Jesus’ apostles. Jesus was very concerned about abandoning the Word of God to follow the traditions of men (Mark 7:7). Traditions are not inherently invalid…there are some good and valuable traditions. Again, the issue must be whether a doctrine, practice, or tradition is Biblical. How then does the Roman Catholic Church compare with the teachings of the Word of God?

Salvation: The Roman Catholic Church teaches that salvation is by baptismal regeneration and is maintained through the Catholic sacraments unless a willful act of sin is committed that breaks the state of sanctifying grace. The Bible teaches that we are saved by grace which is received through simple faith (Ephesians 2:8-9), and that good works are the result of a change of the heart wrought in salvation (Ephesians 2:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17) and the fruit of that new life in Christ (John 15).

Assurance of salvation: The Roman Catholic Church teaches that salvation cannot be guaranteed or assured. 1 John 5:13 states that the letter of 1 John was written for the purpose of assuring believers of the CERTAINTY of their salvation.

Good Works: The Roman Catholic Church states that Christians are saved by meritorious works (beginning with baptism) and that salvation is maintained by good works (receiving the sacraments, confession of sin to a priest, etc.) The Bible states that Christians are saved by grace through faith, totally apart from works (Titus 3:5; Ephesians 2:8-9; Galatians 3:10-11; Romans 3:19-24).

Baptism: In the New Testament baptism is ALWAYS practiced AFTER saving faith in Christ. Baptism is not the means of salvation; it is faith in the Gospel that saves (1 Corinthians 1:14-18; Romans 10:13-17). The Roman Catholic Church teaches baptismal regeneration of infants, a practice never found in Scripture. The only possible hint of infant baptism in the Bible that the Roman Catholic Church can point to is that the whole household of the Philippian jailer was baptized in Acts 16:33. However, the context nowhere mentions infants. Acts 16:31 declares that salvation is by faith. Paul spoke to all of the household in verse 32, and the whole household believed (verse 34). This passage only supports the baptism of those who have already believed, not of infants.

Prayer: The Roman Catholic Church teaches Catholics to not only pray to God, but also to petition Mary and the saints for their prayers. Contrary to this, we are taught in Scripture to only pray to God (Matthew 6:9; Luke 18:1-7).

Priesthood: The Roman Catholic Church teaches that there is a distinction between the clergy and the “lay people,” whereas the New Testament teaches the priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2:9).

Sacraments: The Roman Catholic Church teaches that a believer is infused with grace upon reception of the sacraments. Such teaching is nowhere found in Scripture.

Confession: The Roman Catholic Church teaches that unless a believer is hindered, the only way to receive the forgiveness of sins is by confessing them to a priest. Contrary to this, Scripture teaches that confession of sins is to be made to God (1 John 1:9).

Mary: The Roman Catholic Church teaches, among other things, that Mary is the Queen of Heaven, a perpetual virgin, and the co-redemptress who ascended into heaven. In Scripture, she is portrayed as an obedient, believing servant of God, who became the mother of Jesus. None of the other attributes mentioned by the Roman Catholic Church have any basis in the Bible. The idea of Mary being the co-redemptress and another mediator between God and man is not only extra-biblical (found only outside of Scripture), but is also unbiblical (contrary to Scripture). Acts 4:12 declares that Jesus is the only redeemer. 1 Timothy 2:5 proclaims that Jesus is the only mediator between God and men.

Many other examples could be given. These issues alone clearly identify the Catholic Church as being unbiblical. Every Christian denomination has traditions and practices that are not explicitly based on Scripture. That is why Scripture must be the standard of Christian faith and practice. The Word of God is always true and reliable. The same cannot be said of church tradition. Our guideline is to be: “What does Scripture say?” (Romans 4:3; Galatians 4:30; Acts 17:11). 2 Timothy 3:16-17 declares, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

I know Catholic doctrine well (but am not Catholic) and have scrolled quickly through this thread.

I'll only say that much of what you have written above is incorrect. It would take too much to get into all in detail; however, I will go through it quickly. I will say right now that Catholics are also quilty of not understanding protestantism.
We cannot be expected to understand the doctrines of both, but we should also not seminate incorrect information.

Here is what the Catholic church teaches:
SALVATION: Baptism is for removal of original sin, although the effects of it remain (concupiscense, we know it as the sin nature). It also welcomes the infant into the family of God. Salvation is by faith. At some point in someone's life, their baptism must be "accepted." They must serve God and not satan. No third choice.
See Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraph no. 161

WORKS: Same as stated above. The RESULT of faith.

ASSURANCE OF SALVATION: There is much misunderstanding on this. Salvation can be known at the foot of the cross and at the MOMENT. No one can know if at the END of their lives they will be saved. The CC does not believe in OSAS.

GOOD WORKS: The CC believes James 2:14-17
James 2:17 states that faith without works is dead. Works show that one has faith. Works are the fruit of faith. One who truly believes cannot do otherwise than to do good works for the sake of humanity. (not for salvation).

BAPTISM: The poster is correct and infant baptism creates theological difficulties.

PRAYER: Catholics are supposed to ask only for intercessory prayer of Mary or the saints. This is misunderstood within the laity and some do pray to saints, although it is not correct to do so even by RC standards. Worship is only for God.

PRIESTHOOD: The poster is correct.

SACRAMENTS: The poster is correct.

CONFESSION: In Catholicism there is gradation of sins. Venial sins can be forgiven simply by asking God for forgiveness.
Mortal, or big sins, must be confessed to a priest for absolution.

MARY: The poster is correct but I'd like to say that as of right now Mary is not considered to be a co-redemptrix; however, they are getting dangerously close to this proclamation.

I agree with everything else the poster says to end his post.
Of course, the RCC will tell you that THEY held on to the original traditions of the Apostles since there was no bible until the 300's. They will also remind you that THEY put the bible together and canonized the letters.

I agree that the bible should be the standard. When we stray from the bible, we create theological problems which could sometimes become rather amusing.

Fran

 

[Ahwatukee]

Re: John XXIII, John Paul II declared saints "Are Catholic beliefs and practices bibl

I figured this type of thread would appear when I read that the Catholic Church had officially proclaimed John XXIII and John Paul II as saints. The leaders of this site have already said that they consider the Catholic Church to be heretical and ban those who attempt to teach catholic doctrine as truth.
As a catholic, I am considered by many on this site to be a heretic or even apostate by some, of the devil by a few, I am grateful to live in a country where they do not persecute anyone for their religious beliefs, though verbal and written abuse is allowed, no one is being physically threatened in my country, while in some areas of the world christians are being physically threatened for their profession of faith. And while some christians contend one against the other, in places where they persecute christians they do not discriminate between sects and cults of christians but persecute them all including catholics. So while some sects and cults deny that catholics are christian, the world considers catholics to be christian because catholics profess Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
I have not been called by God to contend for the catholic faith, but I have been called by God to pray for the unity of all christians, that we might be one, holy, catholic and apostolic. I have been called by God to pray for the salvation of all humanity, to pray for those who persecute christians that they would not perish in unbelief. I have been called by God to follow my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, to lay down my life in him that I might be raised through him to life eternal in the presence of God. I have been called by God to love everyone including my enemies, in the same way that God loves me even when I am yet a sinner.
The Catholic Church is not the enemy of the faith. The evil one and his minions are the enemy of the faith. We contend against the evil one by prayer and fasting, as christians we need one another, we must stand together in Christ, a house divided can not stand, May we pray for one another and lift one another up, so that none fall into the trap of the devil who seeks to divide and destroy.

May the love of Christ be with you all.
Vernon

Hello Vernon,

As those in Christ we must also discern between what is the truth and what isn't and the system of Roman Catholicism is in no way the Church. Regarding this, scripture states the following:

"But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!"

Though the RCC claims to be in Christ, they are preaching another gospel. Regardless of your sincerity, anyone who is following after the practices and rituals of the RCC is believing in a different Lord and a different gospel. The institution of Roman Catholicism is just paganism wearing Christian clothing. With just a cursory look at the RCC it is obvious that she is a counterfeit church, from the pagan obelisk that sits out in St. Peter's square, to the worship of Mary as queen of heaven with all of the other aspects that the RCC has deemed upon her, the sacraments (works for salvation), the changing of the bread and wine into the Eucharis, transubstantiation, purgatory and the list goes on. Most of her practices and rituals can be traced to the mystery religions of Babylon.

If you are truly for Christ, then God is calling you and others to come out of her. For she is going to play a key roll in the beasts kingdom as that last day religious system with one of the future pope's as the false prophet. She is Mystery Babylon and that coming beast is going provide her the power that the office of pope and the RCC have been wanting to regain. For they believe that everyone should be accountable to the pope and the RCC as the true church.

Regarding the title in the OP, a believer in Christ does not work their way to sainthood, but becomes a saint, a member of the body of Christ upon receiving Christ as Lord and Savior. It is not something to be worked for, but scripture states that believer's are credited with righteousness through faith.

"Come out of her, my people,’[SUP] [/SUP]so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues; for her
sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered he crimes. Give back to her as she has given; pay her back double for what she has done. Pour her a double portion from her own cup. Give her as much torment and grief as the glory and luxury she gave herself. In her heart she boasts, ‘I sit enthroned as queen. I am not a widow;[SUP] [/SUP]I will never mourn.’ Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her: death, mourning and famine. She will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her."

 

[Depleted]

Re: John XXIII, John Paul II declared saints "Are Catholic beliefs and practices bibl

Question: "Are Catholic beliefs and practices biblical?"

Answer: The issue concerning any church and its practices should be “Is this biblical?” If a teaching is Biblical (taken in context), it should be embraced. If it is not, it should be rejected. God is more interested in whether a church is doing His will and obeying His Word than whether it can trace a line of succession back to Jesus’ apostles. Jesus was very concerned about abandoning the Word of God to follow the traditions of men (Mark 7:7). Traditions are not inherently invalid…there are some good and valuable traditions. Again, the issue must be whether a doctrine, practice, or tradition is Biblical. How then does the Roman Catholic Church compare with the teachings of the Word of God?

Salvation: The Roman Catholic Church teaches that salvation is by baptismal regeneration and is maintained through the Catholic sacraments unless a willful act of sin is committed that breaks the state of sanctifying grace. The Bible teaches that we are saved by grace which is received through simple faith (Ephesians 2:8-9), and that good works are the result of a change of the heart wrought in salvation (Ephesians 2:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17) and the fruit of that new life in Christ (John 15).

Assurance of salvation: The Roman Catholic Church teaches that salvation cannot be guaranteed or assured. 1 John 5:13 states that the letter of 1 John was written for the purpose of assuring believers of the CERTAINTY of their salvation.

Good Works: The Roman Catholic Church states that Christians are saved by meritorious works (beginning with baptism) and that salvation is maintained by good works (receiving the sacraments, confession of sin to a priest, etc.) The Bible states that Christians are saved by grace through faith, totally apart from works (Titus 3:5; Ephesians 2:8-9; Galatians 3:10-11; Romans 3:19-24).

Baptism: In the New Testament baptism is ALWAYS practiced AFTER saving faith in Christ. Baptism is not the means of salvation; it is faith in the Gospel that saves (1 Corinthians 1:14-18; Romans 10:13-17). The Roman Catholic Church teaches baptismal regeneration of infants, a practice never found in Scripture. The only possible hint of infant baptism in the Bible that the Roman Catholic Church can point to is that the whole household of the Philippian jailer was baptized in Acts 16:33. However, the context nowhere mentions infants. Acts 16:31 declares that salvation is by faith. Paul spoke to all of the household in verse 32, and the whole household believed (verse 34). This passage only supports the baptism of those who have already believed, not of infants.

Prayer: The Roman Catholic Church teaches Catholics to not only pray to God, but also to petition Mary and the saints for their prayers. Contrary to this, we are taught in Scripture to only pray to God (Matthew 6:9; Luke 18:1-7).

Priesthood: The Roman Catholic Church teaches that there is a distinction between the clergy and the “lay people,” whereas the New Testament teaches the priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2:9).

Sacraments: The Roman Catholic Church teaches that a believer is infused with grace upon reception of the sacraments. Such teaching is nowhere found in Scripture.

Confession: The Roman Catholic Church teaches that unless a believer is hindered, the only way to receive the forgiveness of sins is by confessing them to a priest. Contrary to this, Scripture teaches that confession of sins is to be made to God (1 John 1:9).

Mary: The Roman Catholic Church teaches, among other things, that Mary is the Queen of Heaven, a perpetual virgin, and the co-redemptress who ascended into heaven. In Scripture, she is portrayed as an obedient, believing servant of God, who became the mother of Jesus. None of the other attributes mentioned by the Roman Catholic Church have any basis in the Bible. The idea of Mary being the co-redemptress and another mediator between God and man is not only extra-biblical (found only outside of Scripture), but is also unbiblical (contrary to Scripture). Acts 4:12 declares that Jesus is the only redeemer. 1 Timothy 2:5 proclaims that Jesus is the only mediator between God and men.

Many other examples could be given. These issues alone clearly identify the Catholic Church as being unbiblical. Every Christian denomination has traditions and practices that are not explicitly based on Scripture. That is why Scripture must be the standard of Christian faith and practice. The Word of God is always true and reliable. The same cannot be said of church tradition. Our guideline is to be: “What does Scripture say?” (Romans 4:3; Galatians 4:30; Acts 17:11). 2 Timothy 3:16-17 declares, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

This message brought to you by Are Catholic beliefs and practices biblical?
(Why pretend you did all this work, when the same info could be easily found online if we were interested in looking for it? At least cite your source.)

 

[achildofGod]

Re: John XXIII, John Paul II declared saints "Are Catholic beliefs and practices bibl

This thread is over 2 years old.
The op, has left the building.

 

[keepitsimple]

Re: John XXIII, John Paul II declared saints "Are Catholic beliefs and practices bibl

There will be some Catholics in heaven. Our Father judges the hearts of men and women .. not the denomination of the church they attend. I recently confessed to a pastor that I had long judged a cousin of mine who is a Catholic priest. My judgement was private of course, meaning that I had kept my thoughts to myself. Last year I attended the funeral of his brother's early death. And after listening to my priest cousin's homily honouring his dear brother while simultaneously preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, I found myself feeling ashamed for having judged somebody that belonged to a church that has some doctrines and beliefs that I strongly disagree with. But there was no mistaking where his heart was and is. I didn't leave the funeral home that night without first hugging my priest cousin and telling him that I loved him. It was my way of asking God to forgive me for judging. May I never fall into that trap again. Being humbled always does more good than harm. This "saint" business they practice and declare is silliness. And there has undoubtedly been serious corruption and stain. The church itself may be judged ... but we people are judged as individuals. God knows the heart of man.

 

[mailmandan]

Re: John XXIII, John Paul II declared saints "Are Catholic beliefs and practices bibl

There will be some Catholics in heaven. Our Father judges the hearts of men and women .. not the denomination of the church they attend. I recently confessed to a pastor that I had long judged a cousin of mine who is a Catholic priest. My judgement was private of course, meaning that I had kept my thoughts to myself. Last year I attended the funeral of his brother's early death. And after listening to my priest cousin's homily honouring his dear brother while simultaneously preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, I found myself feeling ashamed for having judged somebody that belonged to a church that has some doctrines and beliefs that I strongly disagree with. But there was no mistaking where his heart was and is. I didn't leave the funeral home that night without first hugging my priest cousin and telling him that I loved him. It was my way of asking God to forgive me for judging. May I never fall into that trap again. Being humbled always does more good than harm. This "saint" business they practice and declare is silliness. And there has undoubtedly been serious corruption and stain. The church itself may be judged ... but we people are judged as individuals. God knows the heart of man.

There are certain churches that teach false gospels (like the Roman Catholic church), which will lead all of those to their doom, who strictly follow their teachings. But those who believe the gospel of Christ, and not just whatever their church teaches, are saved regardless of the group with which they are associated. Conversely, one's church may truly preach the gospel of Christ. If one believes the gospel, then one has eternal salvation. But if one does not believe the gospel, then one is lost even though the official teaching of one's church is correct.

 

[dcontroversal]

Re: John XXIII, John Paul II declared saints "Are Catholic beliefs and practices bibl

THERE IS ONLY ONE WHO DETERMINES WHO IS AND WHO IS NOT A SAINT.....the Catholic church, Pope, redbirds, friars etc...(ain't it)<---ain't is in the dictionary.....

 

[Vdp]

Re: John XXIII, John Paul II declared saints &quot;Are Catholic beliefs and practices bibl

How can a Catholic who prays to Mary enter into Heaven?

 

[RobbyEarl]

Re: John XXIII, John Paul II declared saints &quot;Are Catholic beliefs and practices bibl

Most Catholics re not saved and it's not even Christian. It's more about relics and works, just like all other false religions.