What is Wrong with the Roman Catholic Church?

Ten Grave Errors of Roman Catholicism

What is wrong with the largest ‘Christian’ denomination, the Roman Catholic Church (RCC)? Why should true Christians be more wary of it and run away from it? It is primarily because their teaching is opposed to God and the gospel of His Son. It is because its teaching holds no hope of salvation for sinners. It is because it’s teaching is heretical, erroneous to the mind. It is poisonous to the soul and can eternally condemn to hell. RCC does not claim to teach salvation from sin. It does not give any assurance of salvation to her follows. The head of the RCC, the Pope exalts himself against Christ, claiming to be the vicar of God.

1.     Justification by faith, baptism and works:

The Vatican Catechism claims that for God to justify us, which means ‘to cleanse us from our sins and to communicate to us the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ and through baptism’. This is a serious problem because if followed many would not be saved at all. This is because their way of salvation is not the one that God has revealed in His word, that is, salvation is by God’s free grace through faith alone in Christ alone. The reality is that once you add to the grace of God, then it is a claim to earn salvation by one’s own merit. This is very wrong because it is not the teaching of the Bible since it adds that we are justified not just through faith in Jesus Christ, but also through baptism! The Bible unequivocally states that, “For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law “(Rom 3:28). Will any sinner be saved from his sins? Then he must believe in Jesus Christ and he will be saved (Acts 16:31).

2.     Papal infallibility

This infringes on the absolute attribute of God - placing a man at par with God, whose Word only cannot be broken (John 10:35). Popes are men and no man is infallible nor righteous – no, not one (Rom. 3:11) – God alone is righteous, just and the justifier (Rom. 3:26) and it is only the word given by God that is inspired because it is breathed out by Him (2Timothy 3:16). Popes do not and cannot speak from God as they are carried along by the Holy Spirit. They err and have erred; they sinned and have sinned and fallen into wickedness and perdition over and over again. Only the Bible, is the Word of God and is the only rule for faith and for life. Scriptures alone!

3.    Devotion to Mary

This teaching is blasphemous because she is referred to as the mother of God. RCC follows even make prayers through her and, even more, outrageously to her! Mary is made a mediator between God and men yet we know that the Mediator is One – the Man Christ Jesus (1Tim. 2:5). This is elevating a sinful person into God. Mary, just as any other woman, while was highly favoured by God to bear the Messiah, is in absolute need of salvation from her sins just like anyone else. The doctrine of immaculate conception which is the conception of Mary, free from original sin. RCC unashamedly teaches that God acted upon Mary in the first moment of her conception keeping her "immaculate".

4.     The Mass

The Mass or Eucharistic Celebration is the central liturgical ritual in the RCC, where the Eucharist (Communion) is consecrated by the priest. RCC describes the Mass as "the source and summit of the Christian life" and teaches that through consecration by a priest the sacrificial bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ[1].  It is blasphemous and foolish to suppose that the elements of the communion are transformed miraculously to become the substance of the body and blood, soul and divinity Christ, as to be worshipped or venerated. This tenet lacks common sense and being deficient of Biblical truth is absurd.

We learn from the Scriptures “… that the Lord Jesus on the night when He was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying. ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as drink it, in remembrance of me.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.” (1 Cor. 11:24-26). Therefore, the Holy Communion or the Lord’s Supper is a commemoration of Christ, and the proclamation of His death until He comes. It is not a sacrifice of Christ by the RCC priest as is the mass. People are made to think that the grace of God flows to men through sacraments yet we know that salvation is by faith in Christ alone (Eph. 2:8).

5.     Devotion to their priesthood

It is serious for mortal sinful men to replace themselves with Christ by purporting to offer sacrifices. It is wrong because Christ is the last and the great high priesthood, who has offered Himself as the final sacrifice once and for all. The Bible clearly teaches that we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the holy places in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man.

Read on from Hebrews 8:4-7, 13

Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, "See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain." But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second… In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

At best the RCC priest serve in the old covenant which has now been made obsolete – it is null and void because we have a better covenant, the New Covenant in the blood of Christ. Devotion to the earthly priests shows a religion that is deficient of the power to pardon sin, and to convey divine salvation.

6.     Penance and auricular confessions

This is a terrible teaching which is out rightly deceptive, lacking any warrant from the Holy writ, the Word of God. RCC classifies sins into mortal and venial sins, something that the Bible doesn’t do but says that the wages of sins (all) is death. It is wrong because the mediatorial role of Christ is taken by a man, the priest who hears, receives confession of sins and conveys forgiveness! Anyone who goes to the priest to confess his sins, wastes his precious time and energy. "Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?" (Luk 5:21) The response to Jesus of these two questions is important on this matter, “But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" (Luk 5:24) Catholics would be better instructed to go to Christ, who invites, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Mat 11:28)

7.     Indulgencies

RCC encourages their people to give offerings, that is money, to the church for the sake of the dead relatives so that their sins may be pardoned and that they may be transferred from purgatory to heaven. This is ridiculously wrong because they provide another way in which sinners can be saved. Salvation is only through Jesus Christ, for He is the only way, the only truth and the only life – No one can get to the Father except through Him (John 14:6).

8.     Purgatory

This is middle-ground of eternal destiny as one awaits judgment! It is wrong because it provides for a place which the Bible does not talk about – a person dies once then after that is judgement (Heb. 9:7). This is a human invention and cannot be found anywhere in the Bible. Anyone who dies outside of Christ, will eternally live away from Christ and will be subjected to the fires of hell forever, where the worm does not die and the fire is unquenched.

9.     Tradition as an addition source of truth

This is the basic problem of the Catholicism and it is a serious one, since for them the Bible is neither sufficient nor final. It is wrong to add or to subtract from the Bible because when all has been said and done – it is only the Bible that is able to make people wise for salvation (2Tim. 3:15), not the traditions of Roman Catholic or of pope. The warnings from the Word of God need to be sufficient reason for them to stop any aspects of adding or subtracting to it.

You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God that I command you. (Deu 4:2)

"Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it or take from it. (Deu 12:32)

Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar. (Pro 30:6)

I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. (Rev 22:18-19)

10.Inquisition

Those who dissented from the Roman Catholic teachings were subjected to the cruellest trials that lead to tortures and ultimately death at stake. This lead to truth being suppressed, and resulted in a thousand years of the church being in darkness and shows how serious it was. This has now been renamed to colloquium (conversation) and it shows that Catholicism has not changed much. It is wrong to force rational people into adapting into a theological system that is not even biblical. Christianity is a religion of love, even for one’s enemies and we are told to pursue peace with all men (Heb 12:14). Never should a Christian use violence – it is for God to avenge. God does this in the modern society through the state, which His agent, for good to those who do good. The state is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath (Rom. 13:4,5)

---

[1] Wikipedia

Prophecy and Tongues Today: Genuine or False?

It is the historic position of the evangelical Christians that tongues and prophecy had a very specific role to play in the early days of the Christian Church. Not only were they clearly sign gifts that were given to validate the message of the Apostles, but, in the case of tongues, they served as a warning to the unbelieving Jews that the destruction of the nation of Israel was imminent. In Isaiah 28:11-12 we read:

“For with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people, to whom He said, ‘This is the rest with which you may cause the weary to rest,’ and, ‘This is the refreshing’; Yet they would not hear.”

The above words were spoken by the prophet to the people of Judah as a declaration that they were about to be judged by God for their rebellion by an Assyrian invasion. The presence of “unknown tongues” was also mentioned by Moses in his prophecy of the ultimate destruction of national Israel found in Deuteronomy 28:49:

“The LORD will bring a nation against you from afar, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flies, a nation whose language you will not understand.”

The entire New Testament deals with the scene just prior to the destruction of Jerusalem and the termination of the Jewish economy in A.D. 70. God began His warnings to the rebellious nation of Israel through John the Baptist, who was sent to declare that the Kingdom of God was at hand. Following the death of John, Jesus picked up this same theme and began to warn Jerusalem of impending destruction should the people not repent of their rebellion. Of course, the Jewish leaders sealed the nation’s doom when they rejected and crucified their Messiah. It was not until Israel had thus transgressed against her God that the gift of tongues was introduced among the Apostles and their associates on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2); they were then used to call them to repentance. In this sense, they were, as Paul wrote, “for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers” (I Corinthians 14:22a); they served as an indictment against Israel and a public declaration that her “house [was] left... desolate” (Matthew 23:38), and that the Kingdom of Heaven was about to be taken from the Jews and given to another people — the Gentiles (Matthew 8:10-12, 21:33-45).

Having established the purpose of biblical tongues, let us now determine the purpose of prophecy in the early Christian Church. According to Paul, “[P]rophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe” (I Corinthians 14:22b). Since the New Testament canon was still in the process of being written, via the letters of Paul, Peter, and the other Apostles, prophecy served the purpose of edifying and strengthening the infant Church to endure the persecution that God’s enemies were bringing against her, and to offer hope that God’s enemies were soon to be destroyed (Revelation 2:8-11). However, with the close of the canon, this purpose was fulfilled, and prophecy ceased. In Jude 3, we read:

“Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.”

This verse is very important in dealing with the finality of revelation and prophecy, for in it Jude clearly anticipated the closing of the New Testament canon of Scripture. The phrase “once for all” is noteworthy. Actually, only one Greek word (“hapax”) is used here, which indicates “what is of perpetual validity, not requiring repetition.” Hence, the Scriptures themselves preclude any further revelation beyond the apostolic age.

Another verse that may be cited in this regard is Ephesians 2:20:

“... [The Church has] been built on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone.”

These words of Paul tell us that the Apostles are part of the foundation of the Church. A building can have no more than one foundation, and the Body of Christ is certainly no exception. John 14:26 tells us that Jesus had spoken to His apostles while He was still with them, but the Spirit, the Helper was to teach the Apostles “all things.” And bring them to the remembrance of all the things that the Lord Jesus had taught them.

In addition, Paul commanded Timothy to “keep” the “good thing which was committed” in II Timothy 1:14. Clearly, this “good thing” was identifiable or else Paul’s exhortation would have been in vain. Since the Apostles were taught all things, there would be no need for further revelation. Indeed, what can be added to all things? Furthermore, the Apostles’ doctrine became part of the New Testament canon, and because this revelation was complete, there can be no further “scripture” (either verbal or written) added unless proof is given that the apostolic era has not ended. However, as noted above, the apostolic era served as the transition period between the old economy of Judaism and the “new heaven and new earth” (Revelation 21:1) of the New Covenant; once the transition had been made, the apostolic era with its various apostolic sign gifts ceased.

The New Testament, of course, is not the only place from which this conclusion may be drawn. The Old Testament prophets themselves looked forward to a time when revelation would cease to be given by God through His prophets. For instance, in Daniel’s prophecy of the “Seventy Weeks” we read:

“Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy.” (Daniel 9:24)

Verses 25-27 make it clear that when the “Seventy Week” period (490 years) began, it would continue uninterrupted until it was completed. Since the prophetic “clock” began to tick “from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem,” which was given by King Cyrus (Ezra 1) exactly 483 years prior to the baptism of Jesus by John in the Jordan River, we can only look for the terminus of this period in the first century. As prophesied, Christ’s death and resurrection made an end of the sins of His people (the elect), and therefore He accomplished the reconciliation promised by God through Daniel (Romans 5:10; Colossians 1:21). Christ’s people have consequently experienced “everlasting righteousness” because of the fact that we are clothed in His righteousness, which itself is everlasting (II Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 6:14; Philippians 3:9; Revelation 19:8). The destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 is clearly linked to the “Seventy Week” time frame. This is proven by verse 26:

“And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, and till the end of the war desolations are determined.”

Finally, we come to the phrase, “to seal up vision and prophecy,” which is included within the “Seventy Week” time frame. According to E.J. Young:

“Vision was a technical name for revelation given to the OT prophets (cf. Isaiah 1:1, Amos 1:1, etc.). The prophet was the one through whom this vision was revealed to the people. The two words, vision and prophecy, therefore, served to designate the prophetic revelation of the OT period.... When Christ came there was no further need of prophetic revelation in the OT sense” (Commentary on Daniel, Banner of Truth Trust, 1988, p. 200).

Since there is no fundamental difference between Old and New Testament revelation, and the source of inspiration was the same God, there is no reason to doubt that all giving of new revelation ceased in the first century.

Another passage that closely ties in with Daniel 9:24 is Revelation 22:18-19. Though in the New Testament, it is cited here because it describes in great detail the events which Daniel merely mentioned in passing, particularly the judgment and subsequent “divorce” of national Israel as God’s peculiar people. In this passage we read:

“For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”

It is acknowledged that the primary focus of this warning was to prevent additions to John’s revelation in particular, but it also bears indirect significance to the entire biblical canon in general. Despite erroneous attempts to place the writing of Revelation sometime around A.D. 96, there is strong internal evidence that it was actually written prior to Jerusalem’s destruction in A.D. 70 (i.e. the Temple is said to still be standing in chapter 11). Furthermore, Revelation 1:3, 22:6, and 22:12 demand a short period of time before the complete fulfillment of the entire prophecy of this book. Consequently, Revelation falls within the “Seventy Weeks” of Daniel 9, and since it is thus the last inspired book written, the prohibition of 22:18-19 applies to the entire canon of Scripture.

Finally, we come to Zechariah 13:3-5, which, in many ways, is similar to Revelation 22:18-19:

“It shall come to pass that if anyone still prophesies, then his father and mother who begot him will say to him, ‘You shall not live, because you have spoken lies in the Name of the LORD.’ And his father and mother who begot him shall thrust him through when he prophesies. “And it shall be in that day that every prophet will be ashamed of his wisdom when he prophesies; they will not wear a robe of course hair to deceive. But he will say, ‘I am no prophet, I am a farmer; for a man taught me to keep cattle from my youth.’

The context of this passage of Zechariah places “that day” in the first century (see 12:10, 13:1, and 13:7). There is no denying then that continuing prophecy or revelation subsequent to the closing of the canon is viewed by God as worthy of the most severe punishment, and even of death. Why? Because it is false prophecy in view of the fact that God no longer speaks with men in a revelatory fashion, whether it be via the vehicle of unknown tongues, prophetic utterances, or the writing of additional “scripture.” Indeed, to insist otherwise, is in effect, to say that God’s revelation of Himself in His Son, Jesus Christ is insufficient. The Scripture says otherwise:

“God, who at various times and in different ways spoke in times past to the fathers by the Prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds” (Hebrews 1:1-2).

In closing, it is very significant to note that, aside from various cult groups over the ages (i.e. Montanism, Mormonism, etc.), tongues and prophecy were not recognized by anyone in the history of the orthodox Christian Church as continuing. It was not until the early part of last century that they “made a comeback” in mainstream Christendom with the Pentecostal Movement and gained popularity in the 1960s with the Charismatic Movement. It is also significant that the vast majority of those who claim to possess these gifts today are grossly ignorant of the most basic doctrines of Scripture and are, in many cases, proponents of outright heresy which denies Christ (i.e. adherents to the Faith Movement, the Manifest Sons of God, etc.)

As a whole, modern Charismatics are guilty of willfully rejecting the Word of God in favor of “ear-tickling” false prophets. People who purport to prophesy yet have very little regard for the Word of God are deceivers. Why do they pick a verse here and a verse there if they are committed to the whole Bible? Why do they not an exposition of the whole bible, book-by-book, chapter-by-chapter, verse by verse (Isa. 28:10)? This way they are able to preach the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27)? But without this exposition, then it becomes obvious that they are withdrawing from God’s people that which is profitable to them – this is the way Apostle Paul looked at this (Acts 20:27). In this passage, the Apostle shows Himself as an example, because he says that while he stayed with these Christians at Ephesus, he lived with a clear conscience before them – he did not covet anyone’s silver or gold or apparel, but worked with his own hands to minister to his own needs and those of others (Acts 20:33-34).

Is this what we find with these preachers who claim big titles for themselves? No! They milk their hearer to the last drop! They demand one thing after the other, trading it for miracles of one sort or another. Lastly, most of these people advertise themselves more than they advertise the gospel and the Lord Jesus Christ. Look at their posters – they have their own pictures – their names are in bold, large fonts- screaming their names and parading the previous miracle episodes!

Is it in not incredible to think that men who purport to share glory with God will be God’s designated prophet? Are you aware that Dr. Owuor claims to have the Shekinah glory of God descend upon him? I recently saw it on one of his videos on the billboard at the Haile Selassie – Uhuru Highway Junction! I would like you to tell me if such claims are founded on any truth? God has said, “I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, now my praise to carved idols.” (Isa.42:8, see also Isa. 48:11)

Does it not seem strange, in light of how God dealt with the Jews for this very same sin in A.D. 70, that He would choose to “pour out His Spirit” upon such rebellious people today via tongues and prophecy, while failing to give such “blessings” to those in the evangelical Christianity who have remained true to His Word and faithful to His covenant? Food for thought, indeed.

Find out the history of these preachers – they have a past scandal of one sort or another. Watch out for those with big titles because the Lord told us to be aware of the leaven of the Pharisees – they parade themselves in a manner to draw attention to themselves!

(Some part of this article is adopted from, Greg Loren Durand)