19. ROMAN CATHOLICISM:
Occult Tradition vs. The Bible
THE MASS
"The Mass is the unbloody sacrifice of the body and blood of Christ....The Mass is the same sacrifice as that of the Cross" (RC Catechism).
The plain facts about our salvation through the sacrifice of Christ are stated in His Word. Nowhere does God give anyone or any church the authority to add or take away from the simple statement of facts upon which our eternal destiny depends. Will you believe God's Word or man's word which does not have divine authority? Is Christ re-crucified in the millions of masses said each year? Check it by your Bible:
"...Jesus (Yahshua)...needeth not daily to offer sacrifices... for this he did ONCE, in offering Himself" (Hebrews 7:27, RC Bible). "And every priest indeed standeth daily ministering and often offering the same sacrifices which can never take away sins. But this man (Christ), offering ONE sacrifice for sins, forever sitteth on the right hand of God... For by one oblation (offering) he hath perfected FOREVER them that are sanctified" (Hebrews 10:10, 12, RC Bible). The Catholic Bible plainly says that Christ needs no more to be sacrificed, having died once for all.
PURGATORY
"Purgatory is a state in which those suffer for a time who die guilty of venial sins, or without having satisfied for the punishment due to their sins" (RC Catechism). The Bible nowhere mentions purgatory nor can any good logic infer such a remaining punishment when the Bible clearly states that the sins are allw ashed away and no condemnation remains! Check it in your Bible:
"Whereby He is able also to save FOREVER them that come to God by Him; ALWAYS living to make intercession for us" (Hebrews 7:25, RC Bible). "And the blood of Jesus Christ (Yahshua haMashiach) cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John 1:7, RC Bible). "There is now therefore no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus (Yahshua haMashiach)" (Romans 8:1, RC Bible). "...Jesus Christ (Yahshua haMashiach)... who hath loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood" (Apocalypse* 1:5, RC Bible).
THE CONFESSIONAL
"The priests of the Church exercise the power of forgiving sins by hearing the confession of sins, and granting pardon for them as ministers of God and in His name" ("Hello Father" by Richard Ginder, Catholic Information Society). It is clear from the Bible that no Catholic priest or pope ever had power to forgive sins and, furthermore, never was given authority to make such claims. Check it by your Bible:
"If any man sin we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ (Yahshua haMashiach)... and He is the propitiation for our sins" (1 John 2:1-2, RC Bible). "If we confess our sins, HE is faithful and just, to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from ALL iniquity" (1 John 1:9, RC Bible). We are not commanded to confess our sins to any man who calls himself a priest. These Scriptures are plain that there is only one who has access to God and that is Yahshua haMashiach (Jesus Christ).
PRAYING TO SAINTS & ADORING MARY
"Why do we believe that the Saints will help us? Because both they and we are members of the same Church, and they love us as brethren" (Ibid.). Catholics ascribe to Mary such names as "Morning Star", "Ark of the Covenant", "Gate of Heaven". This cannot be found in the Bible. Yahshua (Jesus) did not even call His mother, but "woman", foreseeing the great idolatry that would follow. Check it in your Bible:
"For there is ONE God: and ONE MEDIATOR of God and men, the man Christ Jesus (Yahshua haMashiach)" (1 Timothy 2:5, RC Bible). In Hebrews 7:25 Yahshua (Jesus) is spoken of as "always living MAKE INTERCESSION FOR US" (RC Bible). Yahshua (Jesus) said that, spiritually speaking, those who did His will were His brethren and mother, "For whosoever shall do the will of My Father that is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother" (Matthew 12:50, RC Bible). "Thou shalt adore the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve" (Luke 4:8, RC Bible)-
DOES THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH NEVER CHANGE?
In his book, "The Development of the Christian Religion", Roman Catholic Cardinal Newman admits that - "Temples, incense oil lamps, votive offerings, holy water, holidays and seasons of devotion, processions, blessing of fields, sacerdotal vestments, the tonsure (of priests and monks and nuns)... are all of pagan origin" (p.359).
Search the Scriptures! God says they are able to make you "wise unto salvation". See for yourself "whether these things be so". Do not risk your eternal salvation to any human being, no matter how fantastic his claims. "For God so loved the world, as to give His only begotten Son: that whosoever believeth in Him may not perish, but may have life everlasting" (John 3:16, RC Bible).
Century after century she has added more and more unscriptural idolatry to her system. It was at least 300 years after Christ before the sign of the cross was begun. Seven centuries later it was decided to make holy water! The sacrifice of the mass was begun only a little over 700 years ago. Purgatory was not discovered until a few years before America was discovered! And more than a hundred years later it was decided to hold tradition (the word of men) equal to the Word of God!
Friend, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved" (RC Bible). "Come out from among them and be ye separate" (RC Bible). God gives promise of assurance of salvation here and now, forgiveness of sins directly from His Throne. Beware that your faith be not put in some church or some priest, for "there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Neither is there salvation in any other but Jesus Christ (Yahshua haMashiach)" (Acts 4:12, RC Bible).
Notes
*Apocalypse is the Roman Catholic designation of the Book of Revelation
Reprinted and adapted from a tract published by:
HERALD PRESS, Scottdale, PA, USA
First created on 28 July 1999
Last updated on 28 July 1999
Copyright © 1987-2008
New Covenant Ministries
All Rights Reserved