Table of Truth I ““ The Roman Catholic Church Versus The Bible

EkKBeftXIpl bwoxjtHz • February 5, 2009

What the Catholic Church says: What the Bible says:

Calvary	Calvary
Jesus is offered again and again as a sacrifice at every mass.	There was only one sacrifice, at Calvary, and that was sufficient for all time. “˜”¦we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.’ “˜”¦one sacrifice for sins forever”¦’ “˜For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.’ “˜”¦there is no more offering for sin.’ All these scriptures are from Hebrews Chapter 10 “˜”¦who needeth not daily to offer up sacrifice”¦for this He did once”¦’ Heb 7:27
Salvation (being saved from hell)	Salvation (being saved from hell)
You might get to heaven if you are a good Catholic.	You will definitely get to heaven if you trust in the Lord Jesus. “˜Verily, verily, I say unto you: he that believeth on me hath (already has) everlasting life.’ (This means you just have to believe; your salvation does not depend on any denomination). John 6:47 “˜He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life”¦’ John 3:36 “˜(Peter speaking) And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ Acts 2:21
Faith	Faith
The Council of Trent excommunicates and condemns to hell anyone who says that we are made right (justified) with God by faith, trusting in Christ’s sacrifice at Calvary. “˜Let him be anathema (condemned).’ This “˜infallible’ Roman Catholic statement from the 16th century still stands and can never be revoked. The purpose of the Council of Trent was to condemn Protestant teaching of scripture.	“˜For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.’ Ephesians 2: 8 If you believe this scripture, the Roman Catholic Church would condemn you to hell for eternity.
Who can condemn you to hell?	Who can condemn you to hell?
The Pope thinks he can condemn you for many reasons, but he is just a mere man. No man has the power to send anyone to hell. The Catholic church claims for itself the power that belongs to Christ alone.	“˜I”¦have the keys of hell and of death.’ Rev 1:18. See also Rev 19:11 and 20:11-15. Only the Lord Jesus Christ can condemn someone to hell. Only He has the keys of hell and of death. He is the righteous judge, not any man, not any religious institution.
Who gets to heaven?	Who gets to heaven?
In the Catholic schools I attended we were always led to believe that the Catholic Church was the one true church and only Catholics would get to heaven. Pope Benedict XVI issued a document in 2007 stating that Christ “˜established here on earth only one Church “¦this Church, constituted and organised in this world as a society, subsists in the Catholic Church”¦’	“˜He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life.’ John 6:47 “˜For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ John 3:16 “˜Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.’ (Paul speaking to the prison keeper) Acts 16:31 “˜For you are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.’ Galatians 3:26 Whoever has saving faith in Christ will be with Him in heaven, regardless of denominational membership.
How do you become a Christian?	How do you become a Christian?
By being baptized (usually as a baby). Then you have to keep doing what the Roman Catholic Church tells you ““ going to mass, receiving the “˜sacraments’, etc. If you don’t keep doing all this, you lose your salvation.	The Lord Jesus tells us in the gospel of John Chap 3 verse 3 that we have to be “˜born again’ ““ born spiritually. Our spirit inside us has to be born, like our physical body was born. This happens when we place our faith in Jesus Christ, trusting in His blood sacrifice to atone (pay the penalty) for all our sins. Until this spiritual rebirth happens, the Bible tells us we are “˜dead in trespasses and sins.’ (Ephesians 2:1, Colossians 2:13). Once this spiritual birth takes place, we are “˜sealed’ with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13 and 4:30).The Holy Spirit takes up residence in our spirit and will never leave us. His presence in us is a guarantee of our full salvation. You can go to church every day of your life and still not be born again.
Communion	Communion
Jesus is “mystically” present in the wafer and the wine. When the priest says the words, the bread and wine change into the actual body and blood of Jesus Christ, while keeping the appearance of bread and wine.	The communion service is symbolic, and the purpose is to help us remember Jesus’ great sacrifice for us. “˜And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.’ Luke 22:19 “˜”¦Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.’ 1 Corinthians 11:24 “˜”¦as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.’ 1 Corinthians 11:25 The Lord’s Supper (the bread and wine) is simply to help us remember that He shed His blood for us and died for our sins. There is no magic change in the bread or the wine. The bread is still bread and the wine is still wine. No special person called a “˜priest’ is needed to say anything over the bread and wine.
Priests	Priests
Catholic priests are special people who stand between God and ordinary believers. Only a Catholic priest can say the special formula which changes the bread and wine into the body and blood of the Lord Jesus.	All believers are members of “˜a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people “¦which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God”¦’ 1 Peter 2:9,10. The Lord Jesus is our high priest who has gone before us into the heavenlies. When believers are together they can at any time break bread and share wine together in remembrance of our Lord’s great sacrifice for us.
Prayer:	Prayer:
It is good to pray the rosary (53 Hail Marys and six Our Fathers).	“˜But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do, for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.’ Matthew 6:7
Our Mediator (the one who goes between us and God):	Our Mediator (the one who goes between us and God):
Mary is co-mediator between us and God.	“˜For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus”¦’ 1 Timothy 2:5
Mary:	Mary:
Mary was conceived without sin.	“˜All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23 “˜(Mary speaking) And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.’ Luke 1:47 Mary too needed a Savior. She too needed forgiveness for sin.
Mary is the “˜Queen of Heaven’.	The “˜Queen of Heaven’ is a pagan goddess. God was ashamed of the Israelites for worshipping this demonic being. See Jeremiah 7:18-20
Mary will intercede for you.	For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus”¦1 Timothy 2:5
“˜Blessed is the womb that bore You (Jesus).’	“˜On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.’ Luke 11:28 the Lord Jesus replying to a woman in the crowd.
Mary is the mother of God.	“˜My mother and My brethren are these who hear the word of God and do it.’ Luke 8:21
Scripture (the Bible):	Scripture (the Bible):
The canons and decrees of the Roman church are more important than the scriptures in the Bible.	The Bible, the Word of God, is absolutely foremost. “˜All scripture is given by inspiration of God”¦’ 2 Timothy 3:16 “˜Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.’ Matthew 24:35 and Mark 13:31 and Luke 21:33. “˜Forever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.’ Psalm 119:89 “˜”¦if any man shall add unto these things (scripture), God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book”¦’ Revelation 22:18 The Catholic Church has added many things.
“Father”	“Father”
The Pope is the “˜Holy Father’ and every priest must be called “˜Father’.	“˜Call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.’ Matthew 23:9

Written by Pat Franklin, a “˜cradle Catholic’ educated at Roman Catholic schools in America. I read the New Testament for myself (a Catholic version of the Bible) in England in 1981 and saw that Roman Catholicism was not right, but that salvation was by faith in Christ alone. I knelt down in my bedroom and confessed my sins to the Lord Jesus and asked Him to let me be one of His people. From that day I have belonged to Him.

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