March 2025
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Christianity differs from Catholicism, as the latter is based on both faith and works, while Christianity holds to salvation through faith alone. The Roman Catholic Church, some argue, presents a gospel that blends elements of paganism with aspects of Jesus’ teachings. Key points of concern include doctrines related to the Virgin Mary, goddess worship, the Catholic Bible (Vulgate), praying the rosary, the roles of priests and popes, repentance, the Eucharist, purgatory, and indulgences. Many believe this points to what Matthew 7:15-20 warns regarding to be wary of false prophets and false teachings.
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The Catholic Church emerged in the 3rd–4th centuries, breaking away from the Apostolic Church of the first century. The earliest church began in Jerusalem, led by Apostle Peter and James, the half-brother of Jesus. The second church, composed of gentiles and the first to use the name Christians, was founded by Apostle Paul and Barnabas.
The Bible
Knowing God’s Word is the best way to spot false teachings. Those who have direct access to the Scriptures are less likely to fall for false teachers, the “wolves in sheep’s clothing” (Matthew 7:15-20). The Bible warns us that “…false Christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect” (Matthew 24:24). It is in 476AD that popes and bishops/archbishops were among the few who could read and write, gaining power, influence, and prominence over emperors until the Catholic Church became both church and state.
The Apostle John warns, “Dear friends, don’t believe every spirit. Instead, test them to see if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. You can recognize the Spirit of God by this: every spirit that admits Jesus Christ came in the flesh is from God, but any spirit that doesn’t acknowledge Jesus is not from God. That is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you’ve heard is coming and is already in the world” (1 John 4:1-3).
By the 1500s, Pope Pius IX declared that “The most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instant of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by Almighty God,” was without sin, calling her the “repairer of the lost world,” sharing in glory Jesus, and even stating that “she crushed the head of the serpent.” In 1944, Pope Pius XII introduced the feasts dedicated to the ‘Immaculate Heart.’
The Vulgate and Those That Pointed Out False Interpretations of The Virgin Mary
The Vulgate is the Catholic version of the Bible. Before its creation, biblical manuscripts were widely known in Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic. Jerome (347–420 AD) took it upon himself to translate the Scriptures from these common languages into Latin, a language no longer spoken. Despite opposition from his peers, he persisted and became associated with promoting the veneration of Mary as the “mother of God.” This sparked controversy, as some argued God could not have a mother. For instance, under orders from Pope Celestine and Pope Cyril, Archbishop Nestorius of Antioch and Constantinople (380–450 AD) was condemned and executed for rejecting such titles for Mary. She was given the title “Queen of Heaven” (Jeremiah 44:7), a name previously used for idols of goddesses worshipped by ancient peoples. Other titles included the Latin “mater Dei” and “genitrix Dei,” as well as the Greek Orthodox “theotokos,” all meaning “mother of God” or “blessed mother.” In the late Middle Ages, debates over this and other disputed teachings—like purgatory, indulgences, the mass, eucharist, idol worship, and the titles of priest, pope, and father—resurfaced, leading figures such as Desiderius Erasmus and Martin Luther in the 15th and 16th centuries to challenge them, helping to ignite the Reformation.
The Humanness of Mary
In Matthew, we get a glimpse into Jesus’ family: “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” They took offense at him, but Jesus said, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.” Because of their unbelief, he did not do many mighty works there (Matthew 13:54-58 ESV). Jesus was known to have brothers and sisters, and his brother James authored the Book of James. Mary, recognizing her need for a Savior, declared, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name” (Luke 1:46-49 ESV). As Romans 3:23 says, “For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” We also see how Jesus addressed his mother at the wedding in Cana: “Woman, why do you involve me? My hour has not yet come” (John 2:4 NIV). Another time, when told his mother and brothers were outside wanting to speak to him, he responded, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (Matthew 12:47-50 ESV).
“Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.” (Ecclesiastes 7:20)
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Jerome’s Vulgate translation from Greek to Latin in Luke 1:28 was, and still is, incorrectly interpreted by the Catholic Church. In the original Greek, when the Angel Gabriel tells Mary she will conceive a son, the phrase is rendered as “greetings favored one,” “you are highly favored,” “greetings favored woman,” or “you are truly blessed.” Jerome, translating into Latin, took the Greek word *kecharitomene*, meaning “one who has been given favor,” and rendered it as “gratia plena,” or “hail one that is full of grace.” A more accurate Latin translation would have been simply “gratia,” referring to favor or grace, rather than “full of grace,” which implies sinlessness. According to scripture, only Jesus is without sin: “…and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:7-8).
Mythical Pagan Goddess Worship
Superstitious beliefs were common in ancient times. The Israelites often turned away from their one true God, Yahweh, to follow the false gods and goddesses of the surrounding peoples. From the days of the Babylonian king Nimrod and the Tower of Babel to the Canaanites, Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans, idol worship was widespread. King Solomon, son of David, was the wisest and richest man to live. He built the First Temple at God’s instruction but eventually strayed because of his foreign wives. The prophet Jeremiah lived during a time of idol worship and sacrifices: “The children gather wood, the fathers light the fire, and the women knead the dough and make cakes to offer to the Queen of Heaven [Ishtar]. They pour out drink offerings to other gods to arouse my anger” (Jeremiah 7:18 NIV); and “But ever since we stopped burning incense to the Queen of Heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have had nothing and have been perishing by sword and famine” (Jeremiah 22:18).
The Catholic Church may not have specific types of rituals, but celebrations like parades and festivals with costumes and pageantry honoring the Lady of Fatima, Lady of Guadalupe, and Lady of Pontmain can be seen as forms of goddess worship that God rejects. Corruption from Satan comes from within, and popes and bishops are not much different from the Sadducees and Pharisees of the first century during Jesus’ time. Jesus told the religious leaders then, “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).
Although, the Catholic Church has roots in both Judaism and early Christianity, it eventually would change and make compromises. For instance, Emperor Constantine combined the Jewish resurrection celebration of Passover with a pagan festival honoring the goddess Eostre/Ostara, calling it ‘Easter’. Satan wasted no time stirring up confusion about God’s Word. The Apostles had worked to spread the Gospel and establish churches, ensuring the truth reached across the empire. Over time, false doctrines and heresies emerged, despite God’s command: “Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it or take from it” (Deuteronomy 12:32).
The Mary apparitions are often seen as an example of Satan presenting himself as an angel of light: “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it’s no surprise if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness…” (2 Corinthians 11:14-15).
Mary Apparition: Lucia, who experienced an apparition in Portugal, made requests for sick individuals. Mary responded that she would heal some but not others, and emphasized that everyone should pray the rosary to receive such blessings. She then added, “Sacrifice yourselves for sinners, and say often, especially when making a sacrifice: O Jesus, it is for love of You, for the conversion of sinners, and in reparation for the sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary” (theotokos.org.uk).
The apparition’s phrase “to obtain such graces” aligns with the idea of good works, which is central to Catholicism but not found in Scripture. Salvation comes through faith in Jesus alone; nothing we do can earn God’s grace. Then there’s the statement, “sins committed against the immaculate heart of Mary,” which doesn’t align with Scripture and seems to place Mary on the same level—or even above—God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Catholic leaders have twisted God’s Word and led many astray, which will bring judgment. With greater responsibility comes greater expectations, rewards, and punishments: “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction” (2 Peter 2:1).
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More False Teachings of the Roman Catholic Church
Rosary
The rosary has many legendary tales, leading to the creation of another idol, the rosary beads, used for praying to Mary during the Middle Ages on the battlefield. Consider the method of prayer—does it mention Jesus Christ? Even if it did, it would still be an abomination. Then there’s the issue of repetitive chants, which are viewed as unbiblical and blasphemous, such as when a priest instructs someone to repent by saying ten Hail Marys. In the 1500s, Pope Pius V called for praying the Rosary during the Battle of Lepanto, which led to the title “Our Lady of the Rosary.” Scripture warns, “use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think they shall be heard for their much speaking” (Matthew 6:7 KJV). Jesus also says, “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret…” (Matthew 6:6 ESV), not to seek out a priest or church leader to confess.
Celibacy
Celibacy is a tradition of the Catholic Church without direct biblical basis. The requirement for clergy to remain unmarried started in the 11th century during the reigns of Pope Benedict VIII and Pope Gregory VII. The main reason for this rule was to prevent the Church from having obligations toward the families of deceased clergy (MacArthur, 2015).
Purgatory and Indulgences
The Roman Catholic Church began teaching the idea of purgatory centuries before officially making it doctrine in the 12th century. If purgatory were real, it would mean the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, was in vain and did not truly save humanity from sin. To make matters worse, indulgences—created by the Church—gained popularity in the 11th century, when crusaders defended the Church from enemy attacks; for a price, people believed they could be cleansed of their sins. Centuries later, many were martyred for opposing the doctrines of purgatory and indulgences, including Desiderius Erasmus and the German monk Martin Luther.
Martin Luther claimed purgatory was “vainly invented.” It became increasingly clear that purgatory was a false teaching, as there is no pit stop or waiting room before judgment and entering heaven—it’s completely false. The Catholic Church created this idea that a person could somehow apply merit to loved ones to help them finish their journey to heaven. Believers can indeed pray for the salvation of others and share the Gospel—the Good News that God came to earth, lived, died, and rose from the dead so that those who believe in Him may have eternal life. This is the commission given to all who believe in Jesus, and it must be carried out while on earth.
How did the Catholic Church develop the doctrine of purgatory? Let’s start with Scripture that mentions Hades (Greek) and Sheol (Hebrew) as the “realm of the dead,” which is distinct from the final place of eternal torment called the “lake of fire” (Revelation 20, 21). In 1 Peter, we read that Jesus “went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water” (1 Peter 3:19-20). Paul writes in Ephesians, “What does ‘he ascended’ mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions?” (Ephesians 4:9). Luke 16 recounts the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, where Jesus describes Hades/Sheol as divided into two sections separated by a chasm—one called Abraham’s bosom and the other a place of torment (not the lake of fire). Many theologians interpret these depictions as describing the place Jesus went during the three days between His death on Friday and His resurrection on Sunday. During this time, Jesus did not go to hell but to Abraham’s bosom, also called “Paradise.” He told the thief on the cross, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43). As with 1 Peter, some interpret this to mean that after conquering death on the cross, Jesus appeared before fallen angels, the wicked, and unbelievers, while also freeing the Old Testament saints. The idea here is that those saved in the Old Testament had to wait until the resurrection before entering Heaven, as there was no way for them to do so beforehand.
An interesting point about Luke 14 is that the rich man asks for Lazarus to return to his family to warn them (v.27). Abraham replies, “They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.” At that time, the resurrection had not yet occurred, and the only reference was the Old Testament—the Torah, containing Moses and the Prophets. The rich man insists that if someone from the dead warned them, they would change, but Abraham responds, “If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.” This can be understood both literally and symbolically, emphasizing that once someone has died, there is no second chance. The New Testament teaches that believers go directly into the presence of Jesus after death, as in 2 Corinthians 5: “Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.” In short, pray for loved ones while they are still living on earth.
Repentance and Eucharist
God knows our hearts better than we know them ourselves. The Holy Spirit moves the believer’s soul, making it hard to escape a contrite and remorseful heart. The only priest the believer confesses to is our Lord Jesus, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, they can turn away from sin. The Vulgate, however, uses the phrase “do penance” in Matthew 4:17: “Then Jesus began to preach and say: ‘Do penance, for the kingdom of heaven has drawn near,’” though the more accurate translation is “repent, for the kingdom…” . The Pope has been called “father,” despite Jesus’ words in Matthew 23:9: “And don’t address anyone here on earth as ‘Father,’ for only God in heaven is your Father.” Jesus is our only Priest for the repentance of sins. The role of priesthood began in the Levitical system, when God instructed the Jewish High Priest to make atonement once a year for the entire nation of Israel in the Holy of Holies (Leviticus 16; Hebrews 9), this is a foreshadow of what was to come through our Messiah. It is recorded in the Gospels how we gain direct access to Jesus as our one and only Priest the moment Temple veil is torn from top to bottom.
The Eucharist ceremony, known as the Mass, involves the belief in Transubstantiation. Unlike some Christian traditions that view it as a symbolic commemoration of the Last Supper, Catholics believe it is a true sacrifice, with the wine becoming the blood of Christ and the bread becoming His flesh. This is seen not as a repeated sacrifice, but as a participation in the one sacrifice of Jesus. Catechism #1367 explains that in the Mass, the same Christ who offered Himself once on the cross is present and offered in an unbloody manner. Catechism #1370 states that both the faithful on earth and the saints in heaven join in this offering, in communion with the Blessed Virgin Mary. Catechism #1368 adds that the Church, as the Body of Christ, participates fully in His offering and intercession with the Father. Transubstantiation is understood as entering into the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus.
Catholicism has drifted from its Jewish and early Christian roots, yet the true Word of God endures. The Bible, known as the “Canon” from the Greek word for “rule,” serves as the standard of faith. It is made up of consistent, divinely inspired writings by about 40 authors from three different continents. The process of canonization involved questions like: Was it written by a prophet? Were the author’s miracles authenticating his message? Does it tell the truth about God without contradictions? Does it have the power to transform lives? Was it accepted as God’s Word by its original audience (McGrath, 2012)? The Word of God remains as relevant today as it was over 2,000 years ago, with the Old Testament established centuries earlier. Jesus often quoted the Septuagint, the Greek translation of Hebrew Scripture, in His teachings and debates with the Pharisees. The New Testament writings were created, shared, and accepted long before the Vulgate, with church councils like Nicaea and Constantinople reaffirming the 26 books included. These texts were always intended for people in a language they understood, which is why Jerome’s Latin translation faced criticism. In Matthew 23, Jesus warns religious leaders against arrogance and self-glorification: “Call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ” (Matt. 23:9-10 ESV). In Titus 1:6, the Greek word “presbyter” means elder or minister, but titles like bishop, pope, and priest eventually became part of the Roman Catholic Church.
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“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23 ESV)
Jesus gave the Great Commission to the 12 Apostles, saying, “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, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20 NIV). After Jesus ascended to heaven, the church began, along with Satan’s attempts to imitate God and disrupt His plan. The Apostle Paul often confronted false teachings that slipped into the early church: Corinth faced immorality, Colossae had mystics, Ephesus dealt with false teachers, Thessalonica had end-times fanatics, and Philippi had complainers (Muehlhoff, T., & Lewis, T. V., 2010). The Bible remains invaluable, as knowing His Word protects us from being deceived by false doctrines.
References:
CNS photo/Paul Haring. 2018. Retrieved from https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2018/03/03/pope-francis-establishes-universal-feast-day-blessed-virgin-mary-mother-church
MacArthur, J. (2015). Exposing the Idolatry of Mary Worship parts 1-4. YouTube. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/RbDn_KU7BqU
McGrath, A. (2012). Historical Theology: An Introduction to the History of Christian Thought.2nd edition. Retrieved from http://www.modernreformation.org/default.php?page=articledisplay&var2=750
Muehlhoff, T., & Lewis, T. V. (2010). Authentic communication: Christian speech engaging culture. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press. Retrieved by: http://gcumedia.com/digital-resources/intervarsity-press/2010/authentic-communication_christian-speech-engaging-culture_ebook_1e.php
Theotokos Catholic Book. Words spoken by Mary at Fatima. Retrieved from http://www.theotokos.org.uk/pages/approved/words/wordfati.ht
FAITH in JESUS CHRIST ALONE - Jesus Forum 
I suppose I should start with the idea that Mary was a popular name at the time. If you do a web search for “how many marys in the bible”, the NT alone indicates six. Wikipedia has a disambiguation page for “Saint Mary”, actually. There’s a fair bit of confusion between the Mary who was close to Jesus and others, for example a fallen woman of the same name. If we are going to bash the Catholic church, I would suggest that they were probably the most influential in trying to debase the Mary who was close to Jesus. There was a gospel of Mary that was removed from the official canon for similar reasons. There seems to have been some jealousy/rivalry between this Mary and Peter (founder of Catholicism). Either Mary-the-mother was only around for a few events in the NT or nobody felt the need to write about her presence. The other Mary was much more influential but this scared the Catholic leaders and they minimized her, all the while creating this virgin-Mary concept almost in the same way that a magician flourishes a wand for the sake of misdirection.
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Hello, and thank you for taking the time to write. My post is about Virgin Mary, not Mary Magdalene. As for MM, I am aware of her gospel, and the various Marys in scripture…difficult to know which one was her. Having said that, I think MM was likely sister of Martha and Lazarus, not the one caught in adultery. Anyway, that does not matter as much, since my blog is about VM. As for MM, I have read her gospel (found in Dead Sea Scrolls), it’s awesome. Anyway…my focus was on the Catholic church and their worship of VM. Also, I disagree with you about Peter, he was not the founder of Catholicism, the Roman Catholic Church took, the verse about Peter the Rock and ran with that. Having said that, Ignatius (33AD-108AD) was of the Antioch church school of thought of whom uses the term ‘catholic’ for the first time. By the time the church is growing and becoming more of what it is today, Peter is long dead…he never embraced the Catholic church, he wasn’t alive. Thanks
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Ignatius was the second Bishop of Antioch, Syria. He was a disciple of the Apostle John and was consecrated Bishop around 69 AD by the Apostle Peter. So, he was pretty much alive during the apostles’ time.
Here are excerpts from his writings:
“…They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer, because they do not admit that the Eucharist is the flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ, the flesh which suffered for our sins and which the Father, in His graciousness, raised from the dead.” – Letter to the Smyrnaeans
“…obey the bishop and the presbytery with an undivided mind, breaking one and the same bread, which is the medicine of immortality, and the antidote to prevent us from dying, but [which causes] that we should live for ever in Jesus Christ” – Ignatius to the Ephesians 20:2
One thing that is obvious is that he believes in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist., and that the Eucharist is the ‘medicine of immortality’. What other church believes this other than the Catholic Church? That means the Catholic Church is the same church as the apostles’.
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Hello Noel, thank you. Yes Ignatius used the term ‘catholic’ in the first century; however Catholics are NOT Christians – it is NOT all the same. Roman Catholic church has a completely different doctrine – pray to saints, purgatory, virgin Mary worship and more…this is not the same doctrine that Christians follow. God bless
Hello Noel,
Been awhile, I couldn’t figure out how to add comment on the comments…I hope you read this.
You mentioned the bread and wine- the Eucharist – being the same for Catholicism and other churches (religions). That is not true.
Catholicism believes in ‘substantiation’ versus ‘remembrance of the last supper’ Jesus said “do this in remembrance of me”. I speak about substantiation in my original post.
God bless
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Noel,
Look up ‘substantiation’ I think it’s in my post. Catholics actually crucify Jesus every time they have communion (Eucharist) that is DIFFERENT than what Jesus said “do this in remembrance of me”. You see Catholicism actually views the bread as Jesus’ body and the wine as His blood.
Anyway- doctrines of Catholicism is NOT the same as Christianity. Doctrines and what we worship matters.
Sorry for this late response
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My point is that the VM is a bit player who was there at His birth and His death and really nothing of note in between. MM was influential and quite possibly second-in-command, much to the chagrin of at least Peter from the twelve. Part of the reason why Catholicism might be critically reviewed would be the misogyny; to them, the only “good” woman is a virgin and this is the message that is directed to their adherents.
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the two are clearly different. Roman Catholicism is clearly works i.e. penance, praying the rosary, Hail Marys etc… Christianity is faith based. Faith in Christ alone. There is nothing in and of ourselves that would cause to even seek God in our immoral state. It is the work of the Holy Spirit of God that draws us to Christ.
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Yes, Catholicism believes in works, faith, sacraments and fasting- that is tradition and faith. Protestants believe in justification through faith alone.
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I love the way the catholic church is dismissed.Your arrogance is breathtaking.When you get to heaven you will see Mary’s prominence and humility to God.And learn the truth of the apostles. Can you please show me in the bible where the Eucharist is symbolic
Roll on heaven and humble yourself in the greatest church on earth.
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Calvin called them “silly traditions”
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That is being kind too. I am sorry, and not sorry…we are called to call out false doctrine, lovingly; nevertheless, call a spade a spade. Having said that, no matter how delicate we put it, Catholics will be offended, and I am sorry about that. Praying to saints (people) is blasphemy along with other forms of worship Catholicism has become. The Canon is the truth, and the Vulgate is false doctrine.
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All religion is a waste of time. Everyone points the finger at each other and says the other is not true. Just live your lives and stop trying to justify why you’re better than everyone else.
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I’m pointing out truths; however, your response is typical, assuming I think I’m better. No, the Gospel is better Nancy, religions such as the Catholic Church has twisted and changed it. This basically says Jesus and the Word- Bible- (you know Catholics have their own Bible – it’s well know they have twisted the Gospel) is not sufficient. Catholic Church is all about man’s tradition. Having said all that, only God knows one heart. I am bashing Catholic Church – that institution deserves it- NOT individuals. Sorry you feel that I think I think I’m better, I’m the biggest sinner I know.
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catholicism put the bible together.Where did it get its shape and form so you are already taking something from the church.
Jesus hates bigots and hypocrites
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The Bible was already written centuries before Jerome translated it into Latin (dead language), that would be 300AD. The Bible was in scrolls – silly. As you know the word ‘Catholic’ means ‘general’- the first group of believers were in Antioch, Syria (first group of Gentiles- believers to call themselves Christians. Apostle Paul and Barnabas started that church in Antioch.
Rome hikacked Christianity and added to it- traditions, rituals, etc. if you read my post- you would understand. Read some of my other posts.
The church is not in Rome- the CHURCH is followers of Christ of whom spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Read ‘Acts’ and learn something about how the ‘church’ began.
I already put this in the post but…Pope biblical? Nope; purgatory biblical? Nope; go to priest for repentance biblical? Nope; call priest Father biblical? Nope; added titles, bishops, cardinals biblical? Nope; indulgences biblical? Nope; call priests Father biblical? Nope; priests not marry biblical? Nope. Priests shouldn’t exist anyway- Jesus is our only Priest.
Also- hint- look up the council of Trent.
Also, the Pope was the world power for 1000 years- until Napoleon took him down.
This is just some stuff off the top of my head.
When Jesus comes back, He is not going to Rome, He is going to Mt of Olives (Rapture comes first- but you probably don’t believe that either).
And you speak about hypocrisy? The papacy is the biggest idolatrous and hypocrisy there is.
I’ve said enough- do homework
READ the BIBLE 🙏🏽
Another tidbit- the Catholic crucifix has Jesus on it VS. the Christian crucifix that does not have Jesus, WHY because Jesus is on the throne. I’ll let you ponder that.
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Some people just don’t like truth Natalie. There is nothing wrong with pointing out false doctrine and bad theology, in fact we are encouraged to do so. Keep up the good work Nat, and don’t be discouraged by those who have never studied the scriptures.
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Thank you, God bless.
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And you as well. Fight the good fight, finish the course and keep the faith…🙂
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I preached Jesus crucified and not religion. Christianity is not a religion, and the church is the people not a building. I don’t peach my opinion, I preach the Word of God, of whom has granted me justification through Christ. You can have this too. Notice out of the two of us, you are labeling me, so you see me labeling you? I will label and call out false religions because I am backed up by the Gospel. And by the way, Satan is behind the false religions, as well as corrupt human sinful natures. People that do not take the time to understand are playing right into Satan’s hands. I’ll pray for you, was thinking you were Nancy, hum… maybe you are Scott, or Rob, or Rich. I find it interesting that you think I think I’m better. I am not better, then again the Gospel no matter how delicately presented offends. This is because we are made in image of God and your souls is convicting you and your only way of justifying yourself is tell yourself how I am this or that. If you know me, why don’t you call me, instead of being a coward.
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I certainly agree that the devil can appear as an angel of light and at certain times has appeared as Mary to fool Catholics. However, Catholics don’t worship Mary. The Jews bowed to the Ark of the Covenant and David leaped before it in a way that his wife considered insane. If Catholics worship Mary, the Jews worship the Ark. Concerning prayer to the saints, James writes: “The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects.” (James 5:16) Why can’t we ask those in heaven, who stand before the throne of God, to pray for us? If you examine the words of the Hail Mary, that’s exactly what Catholics are doing. Also, concerning Luke 1:28, the most exact translation would be “One who has been rendered acceptable” or “one who has been filled with grace”—the Greek being kecharitomene. In common language, the angel might have said: “Hello there, one-who-has-been-rendered-acceptable”.
Catholicism isn’t works-based. All our merit is a gift from God because our good works themselves can only be done on account of God’s grace. Basically, it means that if a person allows grace to work in his life and uses that grace to perform good works, God, in His mercy, will reward him with more grace because He has freely chosen to associate us with His work. The term “merit” was first used, I think, by Justin Martyr in the second century. His words were: “We have learned from the prophets, and we hold it to be true, that punishments, and chastisements, and good rewards, are rendered according to the merit of each man’s actions. Since if it be not so, but all things happen by fate, neither is anything at all in our own power.” (First Apology 43) It is a misnomer, I suppose, but as Paul put it: “Remind them of this, and charge them before the Lord to avoid disputing about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers.” (2 Timothy 2:14) Pelagianism is a heresy.
I agree that the selling of indulgences is wrong, but that was an ecclesiastical abuse banned five hundred years ago. Purgatory and the value of meritorious work to help souls out of it was testified by St. Augustine centuries before the Crusades and that whole abuse: “The time which interposes between the death of a man and the final resurrection holds souls in hidden retreats, accordingly as each is deserving of rest or of hardship, in view of what it merited when it was living in the flesh. Nor can it be denied that the souls of the dead find relief through the piety of their friends and relatives who are still alive, when the Sacrifice of the Mediator is offered for them, or when alms are given in the Church.” (Handbook on Faith, Hope, and Charity 110) With respect, do you know of any Church Fathers who taught Sola Fide?
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Really? Then you know not what you worship. The papacy is just like the Pharisees in Jesus’ day.
https://olivetreeviews.org/pope-francis-goes-full-communist/?fbclid=IwAR3L7dHTs8s1GzOqtCkQIdglb5sJ_0_pL5Wg4SF7tZH5jMLJsuBXCwVPEC8
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Ms. Hardt:
There’s no Catholic doctrine saying that the pope cannot be corrupt, but our Lord commanded: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; so practice and observe whatever they tell you, but not what they do; for they preach, but do not practice.” (Matthew 23:2-3) Also, contrary to popular belief, Catholics are not required to believe whatever the pope says. I’m well aware that popes have made various doctrinal mistakes in history. Papal Infallibility is very rarely used dogmatically and it only works under very specific circumstances. Catholics accept Collyridianism as heretical.
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no sola fide is not taught in the bible.
Please Natalie can you please answer the question
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Ephesians 2
“8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.“
There’s Romans, Galatians, and more.
Oh and in the Old Testament, Abraham was considered righteous because of FAITH in GOD alone.
Philippians
“And be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—“
Again- do your own homework
Any works we do is because of faith not saved by our works.
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Hello,
We cannot compare Mary to the Ark because the Ark and the Temple are prophetic in the OT (in many ways) and give a picture of coming Christ and fulfillment in the NT. Mary has no connection to the temple or ark of the covenant and making that connection proves how highly you lift Mary.
After Jesus ascends, and the curtain rips in the Temple from top to bottom, that signifies we go to Him only, there is no need for the priesthood any longer. The Pope is considered the head of the Catholic Church, Jesus is the head of the church. The Pope invented himself, exactly something Satan would do. I just do not understand, knowing this, why anyone would belong to this religion. Anyway, So the Catholic Church has the priesthood and to make matters worse, the celibacy clause that has also led to pedophilia. The real reason for celibacy is so the church wouldn’t be responsible for taking care of families when a priest dies- really it’s about money. As for purgatory, what Rome is saying is that what Jesus did on the cross was not good enough. Again, Satan’s plan. Church followers of Rome Catholic Church don’t look to their Pope and leaders? If the lives of sanctification are not visible (fruits of the spirit) to the congregation, than that is a red flag something is wrong. I know what is wrong, the doctrine is wrong and reflected as such.
Many churches ignore the Book of Galatians that clearly addresses a false teachers/doctrine. The term ‘Christians’ (church in Antioch) in Paul’s day has been high jacked; Ignatius of Antioch used the term ‘catholic’ to mean general (unified) in 1st century and has also been high jacked. These are tactics of the enemy to sow confusion and false doctrine. Jerome in the 3-4 century translated the Bible into a language that was almost obsolete (Latin). There was no need for a translation in a language that only Bishops knew. Jerome wrote the Vulgate 300 yrs after the NT had been circulating and was established. Augustine of Hippo knew it was wrong. Erasmus and later Luther would find what the Catholic Church was teaching what was NOT consistent with sound doctrine- again the NT had been written by the 1 century – in separate books. Doctrine was already being twisted (heretics and Jerome). One such is Luke about Mary being full of grace being interpreted incorrectly. Doctrine is everything because it is truth. The Bible was established, there need not be a Catholic Bible, nor a Mormon Bible.
Church leaders that teach false doctrine lead the flock astray- and that is what I see. I have experienced this in my life. I grew up catholic and Mary was always lifted higher than Jesus. Many Catholics turn to Protestantism because of the works based doctrine. That is false doctrine.
I do understand that I am not God, and only He knows the heart and mind of an individual. It appears there are Catholics that just don’t know what they are following.
I can go on in how the Mass is wrongly followed as well, but won’t.
Galatians 1:6-9
“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!“
thank you and God bless
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Marian apparitions have been authenticated throughout the history of mankind. This is not for anyone who knows and believes in Jesus Christ to even question with all the infinite information over the past years, decades, centuries and millenia. She is truly the Mother of God and Jesus and fully ordained by God Himself to communicate directly with anyone including you if you’re willing to listen to Her. I invite you to learn and pray the Rosary. Learn the Memorare. Recite it many times. Ask Her into your heart. She has done far more for the kingdom of God than all of us who have lived on this earth since the beginning of time. Amen 🙏
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God does NOT have a mother. Jesus while in human form was born of a woman, yes beautiful Virgin Mary. Notice how Jesus calls her ‘woman’ in the Bible, ever wonder that?!
And the apparitions are wrong- the words that spirit says are NOT biblical…which is a warning sign.
I pray, you see the truth
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why are you worshipping the Bible as the only source of truth … doesn’t Revelation mean anything?
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Also, many believe that the Anti-Christ (especially per Revelation, is the Papacy…maybe not Frances per say).
Ah…I think I understand your reference to Revelation. You think the ‘woman’ is Mary. The Catholic Church believes that, it is NOT. The woman is Israel. You need to to read the entire Bible, not bits and pieces like the Papacy does. Scripture interprets Scripture.
I hope you read the entire article I wrote to see other ways Rome is idolatrous.
I also want to make clear, i do believe those that are Catholic will be saved because they have faith in Jesus Christ alone for their salvation alone, they just can’t leave the Catholic Church for whatever reason.
Finally, read Galatians…I believe Rome avoids that Book.
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