Brief History
The first century church was established by Christ. It remained true as a whole, but even in early times some were departing from the faith (1 Tim. 4:1-3). The form of church government was gradually changed by some men who desired preeminence in the churches. These men soon began to regard themselves as successors to the apostles. In 325 A.D., Constantine recognized the Council of Nicea as the first official church law-making assembly. He made Christianity the national religion of the Roman Empire and stopped all persecution against Christians. There were many changes in organization, worship, moral standards, name, etc., brought about by the various councils. In 608, Boniface proclaimed himself the “universal bishop” or “papa”, setting the precedent for all subsequent popes, an office unknown prior to that time. The Council of 1870 (Vatican Council) proclaimed the doctrine of papal infallibility, culminating the authority claims for the traditions of the hierarchy, termed by Jesus as “doctrines and commandments of men” (Mat. 15:7-9).
A major division occurred in 1054. The eastern divission became known as the Greek Catholic Church (“The Holy Orthodox Catholic Apostolic Eastern Church”). The official name of the western church became “The Holy Catholic Apostolic Roman Church”.
Belief System
The Catholic religion has shown its flexibility to change with the times throughout history and does not explicitly hold scripture in superiority to its man endorsed doctrines. Other major and minor denominations have adopted many of the Catholic doctrines of faith.
Catholic Belief 1 – Tradition is to be held as the highest authority in the church, even above the Bible. “Other spiritual books…are preferred” (Plain Facts For Fair Minds, Searle, p.154).
Word of God 1 – Must not add to nor take from Scriptures inspired of God (Deu. 4:2, Isa. 8:20). Traditions of men make void the word of God (Mat. 15:3, 6, 7-9).
Catholic Belief 2 – “If sacred books are permitted everywhere…in the vernacular, there will arise…more harm than good” (Council of Trent, Schroeder, 273-8).
Word of God 2 – The scriptures are alone sufficient for the man of God (2 Tim. 3:15-17; Rev. 22:18-19; 1 Cor. 4:6).
Catholic Belief 3 – The Bible is not to be read by all; the Pope forbids it; all must not read it. (Catholic Dictionary, p.82)
Word of God 3 – Scriptures are to be read and understood by everyone (Eph. 3:4; Joh. 5:39; Act. 17:11; 1 Pet. 2:2; 2 Pet. 1:20).
Catholic Belief 4 – The Roman Catholic Church is the only true apostolic church. “If it is not identical in belief, government, etc., with the primitive church, then it is not the Church of Christ.” (Catholic Facts, p.27)
Word of God 4 – No union of church and state in the Bible (Mat. 22:21; Rom. 13:1-7. Bible names for the church do not include “Roman” or “Catholic” (Rom. 16:16; 1 Cor. 1:1; Heb. 12:23; Act. 20:28). Catholic church is described as the apostate church, the Mother of Harlots (Rev. 17:1-18); (a) Rome on 7 hills (Rev. 17:9, 18), (b) Rome on many waters, etc. (Rev. 17:1, 15), (c) Has the world drunk with spiritual fornication (Rev. 17:1-2), (d) Drunk with blood of martyrs (Rev. 17:6), (e) Mysterious (Rev. 17:5), (f) Called Babylon (confusion) Rev. 17:5, (g) Mother of Harlots (originator of all churches except Christ’s).
Catholic Belief 5 – Peter is the founder and head of the Church. Peter established the church; he was the first pope and his successors were popes. (Faith of our Fathers, p.78). “The records of the second century are so scanty as to throw but little light on the subject.” (Catholic Encyclopedia XII, p.267).
Word of God 5 – Peter denied the church was built by him or on him (1 Pet. 2:4-6). Christ is the rock, “petra” (1 Cor. 10:4). He is the builder and head of the church (Mat. 16:18; Col. 1:18; Eph. 5:23). Peter was not superior to the other apostles (1 Pet. 5:1; 2 Cor. 11:5; Act. 15:13-19; Mat. 20:25-26). Only the apostles could pass spiritual gifts to others (Act. 6:1-6; Act. 8:12-18; 19:6, 7; 2 Tim. 1:6). Paul, an apostle, could pass spiritual gifts (Rom. 1:10-11). The church at Rome evidently never had an apostle visit them?! To be an apostle, one must have been a companion of Christ (Act. 1:21-22) and must have several qualifications which cannot be passed on by others. There is only one case of apostolic succession in the Bible: Act. 1:15-26, when Matthias was chosen. The only personal representative of Christ on earth is the Holy Spirit (Joh. 14:15-17, 26; 16:7, 13). Peter was a married man (Mat. 8:14; 1 Cor. 9:5). Popes are not permitted to marry. Peter would not allow men to fall down to worship him (Act. 10:25-26; 14:14-15; Mat. 4:10). Not even an angel is to be worshipped by men (Rev. 19:10; 22:8-9).
Catholic Belief 6 – The priest is ‘another Christ’, the means of access between the sinner and God…”who holds the place of God.” (True Spouse of Christ, St. Ligouri, p.93). “More certainty of doing the will of God by obedience to superiors than by obedience to Jesus Christ.” (Ibid., p.92-93)
Word of God 6 – The only mediator between God and man is Christ (1 Tim. 2:5). Christ has the only unchangeable high priesthood (Heb. 7:11, 12, 22-24).
Catholic Belief 7 – Concerning Morals – “The temporal sword is in the hand of Peter…spiritual and temporal…are in the power of the church…temporal authority is to be subjected to the spiritual (Bull Unam Sanctum, Nov. 18, 1302). “The power of capital punishment is acknowledged for a perfect society…now the Catholic church is a perfect society (Tablet, Nov. 5, 1938). “Holy” Wars are justified by the Church, called a “pious work”, such as Crusades, “Full remission of sins” are granted to soldiers (Disciplinary Decrees of the General Councils, Schroeder, 295).
Word of God 7 – “Thou shalt not kill” (Exo. 20:13). Murders are forbidden (Rom. 1:29). Resistance and retaliation is forbidden (Rom. 12:19-21; Mat. 5:38-45). Love enemies and pray for them.
Catholic Belief 8 – Adultery – Monks and nuns live in the same monestary since the fourth century (Disciplinary Decrees of the General Councils, p.154-155). Permanent concubinage is not immoral (Catholic Encyclopedia, IV, p.207). “Priest can forgive and absolve “an accomplice (partner in guilt) who is in danger of death” (New Code of Cannon Law, p.208). Priests do not break the vow of chastity by adultery (Explanation of Catholic Morals, p.149). “All celibates are not chaste…one who takes the vow of celibacy does not break it by sinning against the sixth commandment; he is true to it till he weds”.
Word of God 8 – “Thou shalt not commit adultery” (Exo. 20:14). Principles of God are ageless. Lustful gaze as well as the overt act are sinful (Mat. 5:27-32; Gal. 5:19-21).
Catholic Belief 9 – Stealing – “Out of extreme necessity, when a person takes only what is necessary…”. “Secret compensation…when debtor cannot recover his property by any other means” (Manual of Christian Doctrine, p.157, 297).
Word of God 9 – The “eye for an eye” doctrine was cancelled by Jesus as a ministration of death (2 Cor. 3:7-9; Mat. 5:38-39).
Catholic Belief 10 – Lying – Doctrine of “mental reservation” permits Catholics to lie if by so doing they can further their religion (Manual of Christian Doctrine, p.444). “A Catholic who on being asked denies that he is one, does not necessarily deny the faith. Such answer might be a fitting reply to an impertinent question” (Manual of Moral Theology I, p.171-172). “Do not live by fixed principles; live by opportunity and circumstances” (Handbook Oracle, Tarazona, Spain). “Relics are fakes: “Many of the more ancient relics duly exhibited for verneration…are either certainly spurious or open to grave suspicion” (Catholic Encyclopedia XII, p.737). Saint Christopher recently declared never to have existed!
Word of God 10 – “Thou shalt not bear false witness” (Exo. 20). “Lie not one to another” (Col. 3:9). Double-minded man not dependable in all his ways (Jam. 1:8). Whoever denies Christ, him will Christ deny (Mat. 10:33). “Speaking the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15). Some will turn from the truth (2 Tim. 4:4). Some receive not love for truth (2 Thes. 2:10). “Through hypocrisy that speak lies, branded in their conscience as with a hot iron” (1 Tim. 4:2).
Catholic Belief 11 – Baptism – Affusion or sprinkling is sufficient for Baptism as well as immersion (Catholic Dictionary, Addis and Arnold, p.60; Question Box, p.366).
Word of God 11 – Baptism, from baptizo, means to dip, plunge, or immerse only. Baptism is a burial (Rom. 6:4; Col. 2:12). It is a birth of water (Joh. 3:5).
Catholic Belief 12 – An infant should receive baptism. “Baptism, nowadays, is given almost exclusively to children” (Our Priesthood, Bruneau, p.154).
Word of God 12 – Believers who have repented of their sins and confessed the faith in Christ are Biblically qualified to be baptized (Rom. 10:10; Act. 2:38; Mar. 16:15-16).
Catholic Belief 13 – He should be christened with the name of a “saint” and should have a “godfather and godmother”.
Word of God 13 – All true Christians are called saints (1 Cor. 1:2). Christening and godparents are not in the Bible.
Catholic Belief 14 – Original sin is inherited from Adam and is forgiven when an infant is baptized.
Word of God 14 – Original sin is not taught in the Bible. No act or deed or guilt for such can be transmitted from one person to another (Eze. 18:20; 2 Sam. 12:23; Mat. 18:10; 19:14; Psa. 127:3-5). Children are innocent until they themselves sin by their own lust (Jam. 1:13-15). The child does not bear the guilt of parents or anyone else, though he may suffer the consequences of others’ sin.
Catholic Belief 15 – Confirmation – In Confirmation, the Holy Spirit is received by the hands of the bishop when the child reaches the age of accountability (about 12) (Catholic Dictionary, Addis and Arnold, p.208).
Word of God 15 – A “Confirmation” ceremony is not taught anywhere in scripture. The Holy Spirit is given when a believer is baptized (immersed ) (Act. 2:38; 5:32). Only Christ prayed for the Holy Spirit to be sent (Joh. 14:15-17).
Catholic Belief 16 – Holy Eucharist – “Transubstantiation” is the change from bread and wine to the actual body and blood of Christ, performed at the consecration of the mass (adopted at the Lateran Council in 1215 A.D.).
Word of God 16 – Christ was materially present when He gave the bread and fruit of the vine to the disciples and said “This is my body” and “This is my blood”. It was apparently a figure of speech or metaphor, the same as when He spoke of himself as a “door” and as a “vine” (Joh. 10:7;15).
Catholic Belief 17 – “Communion under one kind” allows “clergy” to receive the wine, and “laity” supposedly receive both body and blood in the one element, the bread.
Word of God 17 – Both the bread and the fruit of the vine are to be given to all Christians (Mat. 26:27; Mar. 14:23; 1 Cor. 11:28). There is no clergy-laity distinction among Christians in the Bible.
Catholic Belief 18 – Extreme Unction – Health and strength to the soul and body at the point of death.
Word of God 18 – Must not go beyond what is written (1 Cor. 4:6). No such practice in the Bible.
Catholic Belief 19 – Holy Orders are said to be one of the seven sacraments by which the bishops, priests and officers of the church are ordained to office. Peculiar attire (habits) distinguish each order.
Word of God 19 – Sacraments not in the Bible. Divisions, “Orders of Catholicism, are condemned (1 Cor. 1:10). Special clothing and distinquishing attire condemned (Mat. 7:15, 20).
Catholic Belief 20 – A “Sacrament” whereby grace is imparted”. Marriage is void unless performed by a priest. All non-Catholics living in ‘concubinage’ instead of Christian matrimony (Question Box, p.349-350) (Leo XIII, Life of Leo XIII, p. 332). There is no cause for which the marriage bond may be broken.
Word of God 20 – Grace is given freely to all men (Rom. 3:24). Where was the priest at the wedding Jesus attended? (Joh. 2:1-11). Marriage is not a “church ordinance” nor a “sacrament” according to scripture. Jesus allowed adultery as the sole cause for divorce (putting away) (Mat. 5:32; 19:9)
Catholic Belief 21 – Celibacy – “The law of celibacy in the clergy is not a divine institution but is a rule of the Church which developed gradually, and was finally made part of the legal code for the greater part of the world” (Externals of the Catholic Church, Sullivan, p.6).
Word of God 21 – See Heb. 13:4. Bishops must be married (Tit. 1:5-6; 1 Tim. 3:2). Forbidding to marry is a doctrine of devils (1 Tim. 4:1-3).
Catholic Belief 22 – Doctrine of Mary (Glories of Mary); Mary shunned the sight of men (p.627, 641-642). She alone can obtain pardon (p.51, 71, 83). One cannot be saved without praying to Mary (p.189, 254-255). Perpetual virgin; not defiled by man (p.331). Not subject to Christ (p.200). Mother of God (p.202, 211). “Assumption of Mary”, doctrine defined in 1950. “Immaculate Conception of Mary”, doctrine originated in England; she was born without the stain of original sin (Life of Blessed Virgin, De Gentilucci, 104-105).
Word of God 22 – (Heb. 13:4; 1 Cor. 7:1-5). Only one mediator, Jesus (1 Tim. 2:5). All in the name of Christ (Col. 3:17). Joseph ‘knew’ her after Jesus’ birth. Christ Lord of All (Act. 10:36; Mat. 28:18-20). As far as the “mother of God”, read Gen. 1:1.