Are Catholic Beliefs and Practices Biblical?

Starman3000m

New Member
article:
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.”

Are Catholic beliefs and practices biblical?
 

Mongo53

New Member
As usual your boy Mr. Houdmann is misrepresenting Catholic teaching. Due to my schedule this morning I can't do a line by line refutation but will later.

Strange, I can't find Mr. Houdmann's name anywhere in my bible though......
Yea, looks very out of context to me. Things only mentioned in teachings as attitudes or side benefits about the different subjects, he is portraying as the Catholic Church teaching its the Bibical Basis, which they don't.
 

Bird Dog

Bird Dog
PREMO Member
As usual your boy Mr. Houdmann is misrepresenting Catholic teaching. Due to my schedule this morning I can't do a line by line refutation but will later.

Strange, I can't find Mr. Houdmann's name anywhere in my bible though......

How many times is he going to do this to us??????? He is obsessed,but

he still is a false prophet and a squawking parrot.
 

Attachments

  • parrot-photo.jpg
    parrot-photo.jpg
    9 KB · Views: 55
Last edited:

Anabaptist

New Member
The Bible commands to repent and be baptized. The repent part is left out of infant baptism. This and several other issues is why the Roman Catholic Church fought for so long to keep the Bible out of the hands of common people. The Roman Catholic Church began with power under Constantine and continued to force it's power on the world by non-biblical, unchristian tactics such as putting people to death. Who could say this is the true church?
 

Radiant1

Soul Probe
The Bible commands to repent and be baptized. The repent part is left out of infant baptism. This and several other issues is why the Roman Catholic Church fought for so long to keep the Bible out of the hands of common people. The Roman Catholic Church began with power under Constantine and continued to force it's power on the world by non-biblical, unchristian tactics such as putting people to death. Who could say this is the true church?

I can. :howdy:

I have no desire to get back into debating yet again on this forum, so let me dispel your ignorance as simply as possible.

In Catholic thought redemption is not synonymous with salvation; hence, infant baptism.

Biblical access was never withheld from the "common" people (your term not mine). Back in the day, there was no printing press. Bibles were painstakingly copied on vellum or some other material. Bibles were chained in the churches, not to keep people from it, but to keep someone from stealing it and therefore the "common" people having no access. Fact: Sts. Cyril and Methodius actually created the Cyrillic alphabet for the Slavonic language while on their missions in order to give the Slavonic people access to the Scriptures; that's hardly an act of a church attempting to keep it out of the "common" people's hands. In addition, there are over 20,000 sects of Protestantism that have arose within the last 500 years all with various intepretations of God's Word, which has created factions and disunity amongst the Christian faithful. Perhaps the Catholic Church failed in NOT keeping the scriptures out of the hands of the "common" people.

Nature abhors a vacuum. When Roman social institutions began to fall, the Catholic Church was the only entity in place to pick up the pieces. Culture of that day is very different from culture this day, but even so we still see the Christian right attempting to foist it's views upon the "common" people via our supposedly secular gov't. Oddly, that Christian right also favors the death penalty for criminals. And, I don't really have need to mention King Henry and Queen Elizabeth's progroms against Catholics, the Loyalist Protestant English paramilitary against the Catholic Irish, or the Virginia Protestant colony usurping Maryland Catholic colonial gov't (founded on religious tolerance) outlawing the Catholic Mass, do I? Such actions incited by both the Anglican church and English gov't, are also a result of the culture of the day, and I might add far more historically recent.

All of that aside, only the Catholic and Orthodox churches have an historical lineage to Jesus and the apostles. If those aren't "true" then Jesus was wrong when He said "The gates of hell shall not prevail against it [the church]". You are saying that the Son of God is a liar. As for myself, I wouldn't be so bold.

And that's all I have to say about that. :coffee:
 

Bird Dog

Bird Dog
PREMO Member
The Bible commands to repent and be baptized. The repent part is left out of infant baptism. This and several other issues is why the Roman Catholic Church fought for so long to keep the Bible out of the hands of common people. The Roman Catholic Church began with power under Constantine and continued to force it's power on the world by non-biblical, unchristian tactics such as putting people to death. Who could say this is the true church?

I can also.:howdy:

Just what we need another Evangelical, Catholic Bashing poster.

What gutter did you crawl out of before you "found" Jesus, then started to bash Catholicism?
 

Bird Dog

Bird Dog
PREMO Member

I disagree. Trolls, just look for things and people to trash. I have been very consistent, you come up from the gutter, "find" Jesus, start trashing the Roman Catholic Church, I will call you out on it.

I have not read any posts where, members of the RCC have condemned people to hell, said they were believing in false Scripture, false Jesus's, were "non" biblical, etc., etc. etc.
 

ItalianScallion

Harley Rider
I have not read any posts where, members of the RCC have condemned people to hell, said they were believing in false Scripture, false Jesus's, were "non" biblical, etc., etc. etc.
Then they are sinning because:

They don't fully believe & follow God's teachings
They don't believe the truth about salvation by faith alone
They don't believe in doing what Jesus commanded them to:

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. ...” (Matthew 28)

Shall I go on? SQUAWK! :howdy:
 

Mongo53

New Member
Thus is why there was a Protestant movement and we have different interpretations of the same teachings.

The various denominations have for the most part learned to value what they have in common and NOT divide themselves over their differences.
 

ItalianScallion

Harley Rider
The various denominations have for the most part learned to value what they have in common and NOT divide themselves over their differences.
And that's a good thing as long as the differences are NOT on issues that are considered "primary" issues or "salvation" issues. Those are the ones that I speak out against on here. Paul even tells us it's ok to differ (to a small degree) on minor issues:

1 "Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. One man’s faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him." (Romans 14)

Notice that Paul says: "disputable matters"? Those are matters that do not affect ones salvation and do not change who God is. We MUST point out differences in peoples "primary" beliefs and practices when they differ from the Bible's teachings. Primary Bible issues that we can NOT differ on are:

The Triune Godhead
The Deity of Christ
The Virgin birth of Christ
The sinlessness of Christ
Christ is fully God and fully man
His atoning death
His bodily resurrection & ascension
We're saved by faith alone
The divine authority of the Bible
The certainty of Hell...
 

tiger78

New Member
And that's a good thing as long as the differences are NOT on issues that are considered "primary" issues or "salvation" issues. Those are the ones that I speak out against on here. Paul even tells us it's ok to differ (to a small degree) on minor issues:

1 "Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. One man’s faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him." (Romans 14)

Notice that Paul says: "disputable matters"? Those are matters that do not affect ones salvation and do not change who God is. We MUST point out differences in peoples "primary" beliefs and practices when they differ from the Bible's teachings. Primary Bible issues that we can NOT differ on are:

The Triune Godhead
The Deity of Christ
The Virgin birth of Christ
The sinlessness of Christ
Christ is fully God and fully man
His atoning death
His bodily resurrection & ascension
We're saved by faith alone
The divine authority of the Bible
The certainty of Hell...


All true, but I would like to comment on the saved by faith alone....A saving faith will lead you to obey, repent, be baptized. It will also lead you to do good works....faith without works is dead. I am not saying that our works save us but we have to do more that have faith, we must act on that faith.
 

libby

New Member
And that's a good thing as long as the differences are NOT on issues that are considered "primary" issues or "salvation" issues. Those are the ones that I speak out against on here. Paul even tells us it's ok to differ (to a small degree) on minor issues:

1 "Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. One man’s faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him." (Romans 14)

Notice that Paul says: "disputable matters"? Those are matters that do not affect ones salvation and do not change who God is. We MUST point out differences in peoples "primary" beliefs and practices when they differ from the Bible's teachings. Primary Bible issues that we can NOT differ on are:

The Triune Godhead
The Deity of Christ
The Virgin birth of Christ
The sinlessness of Christ
Christ is fully God and fully man
His atoning death
His bodily resurrection & ascension
We're saved by faith alone
The divine authority of the Bible
The certainty of Hell...

If these are the only issues that cannot be in dispute, then you and SM have no issues with the RCC. We recognize all of these Truths. That we hold other things to be Truth as well should make no difference to you two, and our salvation, at all.
 

Starman3000m

New Member
If these are the only issues that cannot be in dispute, then you and SM have no issues with the RCC. We recognize all of these Truths. That we hold other things to be Truth as well should make no difference to you two, and our salvation, at all.

The issue is that the RCC Catechism teaches you to believe in "another Jesus" altogether which negates and diminishes the exclusive Sovereign and Divine Authority of the New Testament Jesus.

The RCC teaches that Jesus is accompanied in Heaven by His Mother, Mary, where she assists Him in the Redemption of souls and that she reigns as "Queen of Heaven," "Advocate," "Helper," "Benefactress," "Mediatrix," "Co-Redemptrix," "Spouse of the Holy Spirit," and that parishioners can pray to Mary for help in getting a message to God. Parishioners can also call on "patron saints" for guidance. Catholics are taught to place trust and "faith" that Mary was "sinless" and has been bodily assumed up to Heaven and that she will pass along their prayers and petitions to Jesus.

BTW: If Mary is the "spouse" of the Holy Spirit, as RCC priests claim, then that would be the same as saying that Mary is God's wife!

Here is Biblical Truth: The New Testament Jesus does not employ the assistance of any other in the Salvation process and He alone is the One who must be called upon for receiving the Promise of Eternal Life in Heaven. Jesus does not require "membership" to any organized religion in order to grant the Free Gift of Salvation to a repentant individual who genuinely seeks to make Him The Lord and Saviour of their life. Your salvation cannot be earned but it must be asked for and accepted in faith that while we were yet sinners, Christ died to pay the penalty of our sins.

Of all the religions that preach about a "Jesus" - There Is Only One Faith, One Truth and One True Jesus (John 14:6)

The RCC is preaching "salvation" via another gospel, another Jesus and another Mary and not the True Biblical teaching of Salvation from the New Testament Accounts.


For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. (2 Corinthians 11:4)

But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:8-9)
 

onel0126

Bead mumbler
The issue is that the RCC Catechism teaches you to believe in "another Jesus" altogether which negates and diminishes the exclusive Sovereign and Divine Authority of the New Testament Jesus.

The RCC teaches that Jesus is accompanied in Heaven by His Mother, Mary, where she assists Him in the Redemption of souls and that she reigns as "Queen of Heaven," "Advocate," "Helper," "Benefactress," "Mediatrix," "Co-Redemptrix," "Spouse of the Holy Spirit," and that parishioners can pray to Mary for help in getting a message to God. Parishioners can also call on "patron saints" for guidance. Catholics are taught to place trust and "faith" that Mary was "sinless" and has been bodily assumed up to Heaven and that she will pass along their prayers and petitions to Jesus.

BTW: If Mary is the "spouse" of the Holy Spirit, as RCC priests claim, then that would be the same as saying that Mary is God's wife!

Here is Biblical Truth: The New Testament Jesus does not employ the assistance of any other in the Salvation process and He alone is the One who must be called upon for receiving the Promise of Eternal Life in Heaven. Jesus does not require "membership" to any organized religion in order to grant the Free Gift of Salvation to a repentant individual who genuinely seeks to make Him The Lord and Saviour of their life. Your salvation cannot be earned but it must be asked for and accepted in faith that while we were yet sinners, Christ died to pay the penalty of our sins.

Of all the religions that preach about a "Jesus" - There Is Only One Faith, One Truth and One True Jesus (John 14:6)

The RCC is preaching "salvation" via another gospel, another Jesus and another Mary and not the True Biblical teaching of Salvation from the New Testament Accounts.

B-R-O-K-E-N-R-E-C-O-R-D. The good thing about this forum is that when you go away for a week or two you truly haven't missed anything :buddies:
 

TSS

New Member
I am new to this forum and have been reading these anti-Catholic post and I am wondering why we are always being asked why we believe in what we believe or told outright we are going to hell for our beliefs or belittled and bashed. I have been wondering why we are the ones always defending our faith. Why don’t Protestants have to defend their faith?
First our Church, how can any other church claim to be the church Jesus found or the true Church? Jesus tells his followers, who make us the Church on earth, that they are "the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house" (Matt. 5:14-15). This means his Church is a visible organization, so not a so called “invisible church”. So also how can some people say we do not need a church or his church disappeared for 1300-2000 years? Many places in the Gospel Jesus talks about his Church and how his Apostles should set it up. Later in the New Testament it shows how the Apostles start setting the Church up. Jesus also said, "I will build my Church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it" (Matt. 16:18). This means that his Church cannot be destroyed and would never stop existing. So only two churches (Catholic and Orthodox) have existed since the days of Jesus and could be his church, and there are only two churches that have existed during that whole time that have not been destroyed. There are only two Churches that bears the four marks of his Church; One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic. And there is only one church that still retains the direct successor to Peter and this is the Church Jesus Christ founded and that Church is The Catholic Church.
I know the main reason for the bias is the Church Magisterium and Papal authority and infallibility. Jesus himself tells St. Peter what he binds on earth will be bound in Heaven; he does not say it has to be in the Bible. Why do you believe the Church had Divine inspiration in some matters but not others? You believe in the Holy Trinity (not found in the Bible), you believe that Jesus was both God and man and the Holy Spirit is truly God, all affirmed by Church Councils. You also believe the Bishops of the Council of Carthage were inspired by the Holy Spirit to canonize the New Testament, but the same council was wrong about the Old Testament. Why?
We as Catholics believe the Holy Spirit still to this day inspires the Pope and the Bishops of our church, for over 2000 years he has kept us the Light. Why would the Holy Spirit leave the Church, he cannot for Jesus said he would be with us always. We are taught the Church is the foundation and pillar of the truth and that is why we believe the Church is infallible. But Protestants say no one is infallible, but their teachings are, why? Please tell me which one of the thousands of protestant denominations is infallible, or which individual, pastor or minister is? Just tell me how you know the perfect interpretation of the Bible but the Church Jesus Christ and his Apostles built does not?
 

onel0126

Bead mumbler
I am new to this forum and have been reading these anti-Catholic post and I am wondering why we are always being asked why we believe in what we believe or told outright we are going to hell for our beliefs or belittled and bashed. I have been wondering why we are the ones always defending our faith. Why don’t Protestants have to defend their faith?
First our Church, how can any other church claim to be the church Jesus found or the true Church? Jesus tells his followers, who make us the Church on earth, that they are "the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house" (Matt. 5:14-15). This means his Church is a visible organization, so not a so called “invisible church”. So also how can some people say we do not need a church or his church disappeared for 1300-2000 years? Many places in the Gospel Jesus talks about his Church and how his Apostles should set it up. Later in the New Testament it shows how the Apostles start setting the Church up. Jesus also said, "I will build my Church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it" (Matt. 16:18). This means that his Church cannot be destroyed and would never stop existing. So only two churches (Catholic and Orthodox) have existed since the days of Jesus and could be his church, and there are only two churches that have existed during that whole time that have not been destroyed. There are only two Churches that bears the four marks of his Church; One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic. And there is only one church that still retains the direct successor to Peter and this is the Church Jesus Christ founded and that Church is The Catholic Church.
I know the main reason for the bias is the Church Magisterium and Papal authority and infallibility. Jesus himself tells St. Peter what he binds on earth will be bound in Heaven; he does not say it has to be in the Bible. Why do you believe the Church had Divine inspiration in some matters but not others? You believe in the Holy Trinity (not found in the Bible), you believe that Jesus was both God and man and the Holy Spirit is truly God, all affirmed by Church Councils. You also believe the Bishops of the Council of Carthage were inspired by the Holy Spirit to canonize the New Testament, but the same council was wrong about the Old Testament. Why?
We as Catholics believe the Holy Spirit still to this day inspires the Pope and the Bishops of our church, for over 2000 years he has kept us the Light. Why would the Holy Spirit leave the Church, he cannot for Jesus said he would be with us always. We are taught the Church is the foundation and pillar of the truth and that is why we believe the Church is infallible. But Protestants say no one is infallible, but their teachings are, why? Please tell me which one of the thousands of protestant denominations is infallible, or which individual, pastor or minister is? Just tell me how you know the perfect interpretation of the Bible but the Church Jesus Christ and his Apostles built does not?

First welcome TSS. We'll all have to defend out faith in the end :whistle:....Don't let the "bashing" get to you!
 

onel0126

Bead mumbler
The issue is that the RCC Catechism teaches you to believe in "another Jesus" altogether which negates and diminishes the exclusive Sovereign and Divine Authority of the New Testament Jesus.

The RCC teaches that Jesus is accompanied in Heaven by His Mother, Mary, where she assists Him in the Redemption of souls and that she reigns as "Queen of Heaven," "Advocate," "Helper," "Benefactress," "Mediatrix," "Co-Redemptrix," "Spouse of the Holy Spirit," and that parishioners can pray to Mary for help in getting a message to God. Parishioners can also call on "patron saints" for guidance. Catholics are taught to place trust and "faith" that Mary was "sinless" and has been bodily assumed up to Heaven and that she will pass along their prayers and petitions to Jesus.

BTW: If Mary is the "spouse" of the Holy Spirit, as RCC priests claim, then that would be the same as saying that Mary is God's wife!

Here is Biblical Truth: The New Testament Jesus does not employ the assistance of any other in the Salvation process and He alone is the One who must be called upon for receiving the Promise of Eternal Life in Heaven. Jesus does not require "membership" to any organized religion in order to grant the Free Gift of Salvation to a repentant individual who genuinely seeks to make Him The Lord and Saviour of their life. Your salvation cannot be earned but it must be asked for and accepted in faith that while we were yet sinners, Christ died to pay the penalty of our sins.

Of all the religions that preach about a "Jesus" - There Is Only One Faith, One Truth and One True Jesus (John 14:6)

The RCC is preaching "salvation" via another gospel, another Jesus and another Mary and not the True Biblical teaching of Salvation from the New Testament Accounts.

Starman--I'm tossing you a bone here:

FAQ #1 - Where is that in Scripture?

Brought to you from the folks trying to have this declared infalliable.
 
R

retiredweaxman

Guest
Interesting post ONE. I look forward to SM's or IS's response, however I fear it might be more of the same.

*parrot*
 
Top