Radio Transcript

Denominational Doctrines (05)

The Roman Catholic Church

Our study of denominational doctrines begins with a look at the Roman Catholic Church. There are several distinctive features of the Roman Catholic Church. First, it is the oldest denomination in the world. Second, it is the largest denomination in the world. Third, it is in many ways the most powerful denomination in the world. Fourth, it is that from which all other denominations began.

Paul, Peter and other New Testament writers foretold of a time when many of God’s people would fall into apostasy. Consider Paul’s words to the elders at Ephesus, recorded in Luke in Acts 20:28-32. "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. And now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified." Also notice Paul’s words to Timothy. "Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons. Speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer" (I Timothy 4:1-5). Also consider Peter’s words, recorded in II Peter 2:1-3. "But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber."

The Catholic Church grew out of Christ’s church. It is not a part of the New Testament Christ’s church but it is instead a corruption of the church. The Catholic Church evolved into being over a number of years, but came into existence when Boniface III became the first pope in the year 606. The Catholic Church divided in the year 1054. This division, called the Iconoclastic Controversy, concerned the use of images in worship. The Eastern Church opposed the use of these images while the Western church supported the use of images. The Eastern Church eventually came to be known as the Greek Orthodox Church.

The Catholic Church does teach some truth. The Catholic Church teaches there is one God, consisting of three distinct persons in the Godhead. The Catholic Church believes in heaven, hell, the resurrection and the judgment. They oppose divorce, abortion, and euthanasia.

But the errors taught by the Catholic Church are many. Let’s consider just a few of them. First, they teach they are the one and only true apostolic church. In 1302, Pope Boniface VIII issued a statement saying that outside the Catholic Church, "there is neither salvation nor remission of sins." He went on to say, "It is altogether necessary to salvation for every human creature to be the subject of the Roman Pontiff." But for a church to be Christ’s church, it must be identical to the pattern for the church given in the New Testament. The Roman Catholic Church certainly is not identical to that pattern.

Second, the Roman Catholic Church teaches that tradition and the decrees of popes are equal in authority with the Bible. In consideration of the interpretation of scripture, the Catechism of the Roman Catholic Church includes the following, "Read the Scripture within "the living Tradition of the whole Church". According to a saying of the Fathers, Sacred Scripture is written principally in the Church's heart rather than in documents and records, for the Church carries in her Tradition the living memorial of God's Word, and it is the Holy Spirit who gives her the spiritual interpretation of the Scripture (". . . according to the spiritual meaning which the Spirit grants to the Church." But the Bible alone gives us all that we need in order to be saved. Paul wrote, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (II Timothy 3:16-17). Following the doctrines, commandments and traditions of men makes the word of God void.

Third, the Roman Catholic Church teaches that Peter was the first pope, and that the current pope is the successor of Peter. It is true that Peter was promised the "keys of the kingdom" and he used them to open the kingdom to Jews on Pentecost and on Gentiles at the house of Cornelius. This is recorded in Matthew 16:19 and in Acts, chapter ten. But Peter had no power or authority above the other apostles. Notice from Matthew 18:18, "Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

There are at least seven reasons why Peter could not have been a pope. First, he was an elder, but not the elder. In I Peter 5:1 he referred to himself as a fellow elder. Second, he was an imperfect man who sinned. Notice the following from Matthew 26:31-35. "Then Jesus said to them, All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep of the flock will be scattered. But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee. Peter answered and said to Him, Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble. Jesus said to him, Assuredly, I say to you this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." This happened just as Jesus said it would, as recorded in Matthew 26:69-75. Third, Peter did not allow others to give him homage, or worship as the pope does today. Notice how Cornelius welcomed Peter and how Peter responded. "As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet and worshipped him. But Peter lifted him up, saying, Stand up, I myself am also a man (Acts 10:25-26). Fourth, Peter was a married man. Matthew 8:14-15 makes reference to Peter’s mother in law. Fifth, Christ was the head of his church, not Peter. Christ, not the pope, is still the head of his church today. To the church at Ephesus, Paul wrote, "And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all" (Ephesians 1:22-23). Sixth, there is no historical proof that Peter was ever in Rome. It is significant that Paul, in writing to the church at Rome, never mentioned Peter in Romans the sixteenth chapter. Even if Peter was in Rome, that is certainly no proof that he was the first pope. Seventh, Christ, not Peter, is the rock upon which the church is built. Paul wrote, "For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ" (I Corinthians 3:11).

The fourth error of the Roman Catholic Church is their practice of "Mariolatry, the worship of Mary. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that Mary is the "mother of God," although the Bible never refers to her by such a name. The Roman Catholic Church teaches Mary was a "perpetual virgin." Again referring to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, we notice the following, "The deepening of faith in the virginal motherhood led the Church to confess Mary's real and perpetual virginity even in the act of giving birth to the Son of God made man.¹⁵⁴ In fact, Christ's birth "did not diminish his mother's virginal integrity but sanctified it."¹⁵⁵ And so the liturgy of the Church celebrates Mary as Aeiparthenos, the "Ever-virgin". But the Bible teaches that Mary had other children (Matthew 13:55-56). The Roman Catholic Church teaches the doctrine of the "immaculate conception." This doctrine states that Mary was born without original sin. In truth, the Bible does not teach the doctrines of original sin or the doctrine of the "immaculate conception." The Roman Catholic Church prays to Mary, believing she is a mediator between man and God. But the Bible teaches there is only one mediator between God and man. That mediator is Jesus Christ (I Timothy 2:15). The Roman Catholic Church teaches that Mary ascended bodily into heaven without dying. This is the false doctrine of the bodily assumption. Notice again from the internet web site of the Vatican. "Finally the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is a singular participation in her Son's Resurrection and an anticipation of the resurrection of other Christians:" But Hebrews 9:27 teaches it is appointed unto man once to die and after this the judgment.

The fifth error of the Roman Catholic Church is their practice of hagiolatry, the worship of departed saints. Catholics believe that saints have left "extra merit" in heaven whereby others may profit. Notice again from the Catechism of the Catholic Church. "In the communion of saints, "a perennial link of charity exists between the faithful who have already reached their heavenly home, those who are expiating their sins in purgatory and those who are still pilgrims on earth. between them there is, too, an abundant exchange of all good things. In this wonderful exchange, the holiness of one profits others, well beyond the harm that the sin of one could cause others. Thus recourse to the communion of saints lets the contrite sinner be more promptly and efficaciously purified of the punishments for sin." Catholics believe these saints can hear their prayers and aid them. This doctrine is totally foreign to anything we read in the Bible. The Bible teaches that it is Christ who is our High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-16); our Advocate (I John 2:1-2); and our Mediator (I Timothy 2:5).

The sixth error of the Roman Catholic Church is that they divide their members into clergy and laymen. But the Bible makes no such distinction. In fact, the Bible teaches that all Christians are priests. Notice from I Peter 2:5-9. "You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." Now notice from verse nine, "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light."

The seventh error of the Roman Catholic Church is their teaching concerning purgatory. They believe Catholics who are not yet purified of their sins can go to a temporary place to be purged of their sins. Catholics believe indulgences can be bought in order to allow early release of a person who is in purgatory. The Bible teaches no such thing. The Bible teaches a person’s fate is sealed at death. The Bible teaches there is no second chance (Luke 16:19-31).

The eighth error of the Roman Catholic Church is their belief that the bread and fruit of the vine become the actual body and blood of Jesus in the Mass. This is known as the doctrine of transubstantiation. But when Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper and said, "This is my body," and "This is my blood," he was using a figure of speech, a metaphor. The Lord’s Supper is a not a sacrifice, but a memorial of Christ’s sacrifice.