What The Bible Says About Roman Catholicism

ROMAN CATHOLICISM

When one reads his New Testament, he realizes that the early church was
simply organized with each congregation an independent unit with elders,
deacons, and other members. There was no clergy, no denominations, no
missionary societies, or monasteries.
No pomp, no circumstance, no ritual, just plain worship in spirit and
in truth (John 4:24) characterized New Testament Christians. Their
worship consisted of heartfelt prayers, singing without musical
instruments, and the Lord's Supper observed by every member, every
Lord's Day. Each one gave liberally of his means and the assembly was
taught the Word of God.
Soon, however, man became dissatisfied with the New Testament pattern
and digression set in. The result was the apostate Roman Catholic
Church.
Such an apostasy was a matter of New Testament prophecy (2 Thessalonians
2:7-12; Acts 20:28-31). It began within the eldership with one man being
designated as bishop over a congregation, then later over several
congregations. Finally, there came to be a bishop over the Eastern
Church and one over the Western Church with the Western Bishop gaining
the most power. This Roman Bishop claimed to be the pope or "papa" over
all Christians.
Other changes were taking place as well. The gospel preacher evolved
into a priest. The Lord's Supper became the Eucharist and mass.
Repentance became penance. By the third century, hereditary sin and
infant baptism were added. One departure led to another as man lost
respect for the New Testament pattern.

SOME CLAIMS OF CATHOLICISM:
Catholics claim that on any matter of doctrine the teaching of the
church is final. The seat of authority for the Catholic Church is the
pope.
The New Testament teaches that Christ has all authority (Matt.
28.18-20). The authority of Christ is now vested in the Scriptures, not
in any church (2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 John 9, Ephesians 3:4, Rev. 20:12).

Catholics teach that Peter was the first Pope and head of the church.
The New Testament teaches in regard to Matthew 16:18 that upon Peter's
confession, as a rock, Christ would build His Church. Jesus is always
pictured in the New Testament as the foundation of the Church (1
Corinthians 3:11), not Peter. Peter was married (Matthew 8:14). This
certainly doesn't fit with what is taught today in regard to celibacy.
Paul wrote a letter to Rome without ever hinting that Peter was there
ruling as universal pope over the church.
Catholicism teaches seven sacraments: (1) baptism, (2) confirmation, (3)
holy Eucharist, (4) penance, (5) ordination, (6) extreme unction, and
(7) marriage.

Concerning baptism, Catholics teach that it can be done by sprinkling,
pouring, or immersion and is to be administered to all, infants
included, to get rid of original, Adamic sin.
The New Testament teaches that baptism is a burial (Romans 6:3-5). No
infant is capable of meeting these New Testament conditions for
accepting Christ: (a) the ability to hear and learn (John 6.44-45), (b)
to believe (Mark 16:15-16), (c) to repent (Acts 2:38), and to confess
Him (Matthew 10:32-33). The New Testament does not teach original sin
(Ezekiel 18:19-23), but rather teaches that sin is something each
responsible person commits (1 John 3:4).

Concerning confirmation, Catholics teach that at about seven years of
age a child should be confirmed and in this act the Holy Ghost imparts
gifts of wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety,
and fear of the Lord.
There is not One instance in the New Testament of the sacrament of
confirmation being given to ANY ONE, children included. Confirmation is
a good word and used in the scriptures in the sense of brethren
encouraging other brethren (Acts 15.32).
There are four dogmas connected with the sacrament of the Holy
Eucharist: (1) The dogma of the real presence which holds that the body
and blood of Christ are actually present in the supper. (2) The question
arises as to how and when this happens and Catholics have developed the
doctrine of transubstantiation as an explanation, saying that when the
priest consecrates the emblem, the change occurs (3) Sacrifice of the
mass is the consecration of the bread and wine into the body and blood
of God, by the priest (4) In communion under one kind, they teach that
Christ is contained whole and entire in each element and that it is only
necessary to partake of the bread to partake of the whole Savior.
We simply ask, "Where does the New Testament teach any of this???" The
answer is "NOWHERE!!!" The Lord's Supper is a memorial of the suffering
and second coming of Christ (I Corinthians 11.26). The elements are the
unleavened bread and the fruit of the vine. These elements, when eaten
and drunk intelligently, bring to the Christian's mind the blessing that
comes from obedience to the Lord.
Catholics attempt to provide for the forgiveness of sins committed
after Baptism through the sacrament of penance which includes: (1)
contrition, (2) confession, (3) satisfaction, and (4) absolution.
Contrition is defined correctly to mean "godly sorrow," but confession
is to be made to a Catholic priest. Catholics teach that there is a
temporal penalty that must be paid after the sin has been forgiven by
the priest and this is the practice that gave rise to the selling of
indulgences.
The New Testament clearly shows that redemption cannot be bought with
silver or gold (I Peter 1:18). God's plan of pardon for the child of God
that sins is that he repent and pray God that the thought of his heart
may be forgiven him (Acts 8:22). In addition, he must be willing to
confess his wrong doing to God (I John 1.9) and to one another (James
5:16).
The sacrament of ordination is the sacrament by which means men become
a part of the priesthood in the Catholic Church. Many Catholics admit
that their hierarchical system is not described in the New Testament and
that it borrowed from Old Testament and pagan practices.
The New Testament teaches that each local congregation is overseen by
men called elders (I Timothy 3:1-7, Philippians 1:1). The New Testament
also teaches that every member of the church is a priest (1 Peter 2:5,9,
Revelation 1:6) who can approach God directly for himself through the
great high priest, Jesus Christ (Hebrews 3:1).
Extreme unction is a sacrament in which the sick, by the anointing with
holy oil and the prayers of the priest, are supposed to receive
spiritual succor and even corporal strength when such is conducive to
salvation. The unction is called "extreme" because it is the last of the
unction's administered by the Catholic Church.
The passage used by them in support of this is James 5:14-15. But James
says in this passage that what was done by these New Testament elders
(not priests) was to heal the sick (not the dying) during the time in
the New Testament Church when some who were miraculously endowed could
indeed bring about healings.
In order to control the marriage union, the Catholic Church has made
marriage a sacrament.
While marriage is ordained by God (Genesis 2:24), it existed long
before the church and is not a sacrament. Catholics are also in error
when they teach that there is never any reason for remarriage. Jesus
said in Matthew 19:9 that in the case of fornication that the innocent
party could remarry.

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