CATHOLIC DOCTRINE CONTRADICTS THE BIBLE

AND IS CONDEMNED IN THE BIBLE

By David J. Riggs

Psalms 119:104 says, "Through Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way." 1 John 4:1 says, "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world." Acts 17:11 says, "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." 2 Thess. 2:10-12 says, "...They did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness."

Christians are exhorted to "contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints." (Jude 3). They are to "fight the good fight of faith" (1 Tim. 6:12) and to "wage the good warfare" (1 Tim. 1:18). They are to "reprove, rebuke, and exhort with all longsuffering and teaching." (2 Tim. 4:2). All true Bible students and defenders of the faith know that the Bible plainly and forcefully condemns many of the Catholic doctrines. For example, to cite only a few:

1. It condemns clerical dress. Matt. 23:4-5 says, "For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments."

2. It teaches against the adoration of Mary. Luke 11:27-28 says, "And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, 'Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!' But He said, 'More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!'"

3. It shows that all Christians are priests. 1 Pet. 2:5,9 says, "...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...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..."

4. It condemns the observance of special days. Gal. 4:9-11 says, "But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? You observe days and months and seasons and years. I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain."

5. It teaches that all Christians are saints. 1 Cor. 1:2 says, "To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours..."

6. It teaches that baptism is immersion instead of pouring. Rom. 6:4 says; "Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." Col. 2:12 says, "Buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead."

7. It forbids us to address religious leaders as "father." Matt. 23:9 says, "Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven."

8. It opposes unmarried bishops. 1 Tim. 3:2-5 says, "A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?)..."

9. It addresses only God Himself as the "Holy Father." John 17:11 says, "Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are."

10. It shows that the great apostasy would forbid marriage. 1 Tim. 4:1-3 says, "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."

11. It reveals that the great apostasy would have one who claimed to take the place of God. 2 Thess. 3:3-4 says, "Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God."

After reading the above passages, it is abundantly clear that Catholic doctrine contradicts the teaching of the holy Scriptures. The Catholic Church is not the one church revealed in the Bible, but is the great apostasy predicted in it. Not only are many of its doctrines not revealed in the Bible, but as shown by the above passages, many of its doctrines are clearly and forcefully condemned by its teachings. May the Lord help us to turn from all the false teachings of Catholicism and become simple New Testament Christians, lovers of truth, followers of Christ, and members of His one true church.