The false doctrines of the Catholic Church
Introduction
The most crucial problem with the Roman Catholic Church is the belief that faith in Jesus Christ alone is not enough for salvation. The Bible is clearly and consistently stating that receiving Jesus Christ as Savior, by grace through faith, guarantees salvation (John 1:12; 3:16, 18, 36; Acts 16:31; Romans 10:13 ; Ephesians 2:8-9). The Roman Catholic Church rejects this. The official position of the Roman Catholic Church is that a person must believe in Jesus Christ and be baptized and receive the Eucharist along with the other sacraments, and obey the decrees of the Roman Catholic Church and perform meritorious works and not die with some mortal sin.
The Catholic divergence from the Bible on the most crucial of points, salvation, means that yes, Catholicism is a false religion. If the person believes what the Catholic Church officially teaches, he or she will not be saved. Any demand for works or rituals that must be added to the faith to obtain salvation is to affirm that the death of Jesus was not valuable enough to purchase our salvation.
While salvation by faith is the most crucial point, when comparing Roman Catholicism with the Word of God, there are also many other differences and contradictions. The Roman Catholic Church teaches many doctrines that are at odds with what the Bible states. This includes apostolic succession, worship of saints or Mary, prayer to saints or Mary, the Pope/papacy, infant baptism, transubstantiation, plenary indulgences, the sacramental system, and purgatory. Despite Catholics affirming the biblical basis for these concepts, none of these teachings have any solid basis in the clear teaching of Scripture. These concepts are based on Catholic tradition, not on the Word of God. In fact, they clearly contradict biblical principles.
Additionally, many people are distancing themselves from real faith and relationships with Christ because of Catholic beliefs, doctrines and practices. The Roman Catholic Church's unbiblical beliefs and practices have given blaspheming opportunities to Christ's enemies. Jesus Christ did not establish the Roman Catholic Church. According to the Book of Acts and the epistles of the New Testament, it is not the church founded on the teachings of the apostles. Although Jesus' words in Mark 7:9 were addressed to the Pharisees, they describe the Roman Catholic Church perfectly: "It does you no good to keep your traditions against God's will."
Jesus said: ”the truth shall set you free”
In God’s truth, nothing changes, nothing can be taken away, and nothing can be added to it. If we take something out, it is because something was left over and, as such, it isn't 'entirely' true. If we add something to it, it is because something was missing, thus it was a 'half' truth.
According to Jude's letter, we should "contend for the faith that has been once and for all handed down to the saints.
The Roman Catholic Church of our time is not, as it so repeatedly states, the same one that Christ instituted and does not have the same doctrines and teachings that the apostles preached, it is generally assumed that everything the Roman Catholic Church teaches must be the same from the beginning without any change in its entire history. However, a conscientious study of historic data, archeological findings and interpretation of documents of antiquity one can learn that most of Roman Catholic Church teachings and doctrines are in complete disagreement with the Scriptures, history and archeological discoveries.
That is precisely what we also point out as a problem of modern sects such as the Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses whose teachings have been, and are in constant mutation. However, when we look at the teachings and doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church it can be concluded that it does not have the whole truth because it has not remained in the same doctrine from the beginning.
It is well known that the Roman Catholic Church is aware of these extra-biblical changes and that is why it has declared that the truth is not found only in the Bible but that there is another truth apart from the Holy Scriptures which has been called “The Tradition.” or “the magisterium” (the teachings) of the church as well as the infallible pronouncements of the Pope in Rome.
This was something that Martin Luther himself rejected from the church when he once said when he was called to recant his beliefs:
“Because your Most Sacred Majesty and your Lordships demand a simple answer from me, I will answer you, without goring's
or bites, like this: until you convince me with biblical testimonies and obvious reasons – because I do not believe in the Pope or in the Councils, which agree to the results, several times they have been wrong and contradict each other - convinced as I am of the Scriptures that I profess, and my conscience being a prisoner of the Word of God, I cannot and should not retract anything, since it is neither prudent nor It is within my power to act against my conscience. God help me. Amen. "Here I am and I can't take it back."
It is true that in the Roman Catholic Church there are correct teachings and that, thank God, they are solidly supported by the Bible; But there are also many new teachings and doctrines invented over the years and introduced into the Catholic Church as if they came from God himself but which are nothing else, but inventions of men.
Many Christians of the past had nothing to do with or knew of such 'truths' or new revelations or inventions that distort or contradict the clear teachings of the Bible. Below we present some of those inventions that over the years the church of Rome has introduced to its faithful as if they were truths from God. Things that the first Christians never knew but would have strongly condemned.
We conclude that the Roman Catholic Church does not have the whole truth because it has not remained in the same doctrine from the beginning.
CHURCH TRADITIONS
Traditions are not bad in of themselves, however, when they go against the Bible as is the case with the Roman Church, then they should be rejected without fear. Jesus Christ condemned the leaders of the people of Israel who, following traditions, violated what was written.
Jesus strongly admonished the Jewish religious leaders of his time, saying:”Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:
“‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules. You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” (Mark 7:6-8)
HERESIES
What is a heresy? The dictionary defines it as follows: "belief or opinion contrary to orthodox religious doctrine (especially Christian).
Heresies have been a major source of division and conflict within Christianity throughout its history.
As early as the First Century the belief of Docetism emerged, this heresy held that Jesus Christ did not have a real physical body, but only an apparent or illusory one. Over the centuries numerous heresies have emerged; these heresies have been dealt through theological debates, written documents or confessions, the Roman Catholic Church in particular, has dealt with what it considered heresies, with persecutions, excommunications and even death by fire.
Here is a list of heresies the Roman Catholic Church has invented and taught over centuries:
Note: Many of these heresies had been present in the Church years before, but only when they were officially adopted by a Church council and proclaimed by the Pope as a dogma of faith did they become binding on Catholics.
And to be true, doctrine must conform to the Word of God. “Consult God’s instruction and the testimony of warning. If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.“ (Isaiah 8:20 NIV)
In the Reformation of the 16th century, these heresies were rejected as having no part in the Religion of Jesus as taught in the New Testament.
Martin Luther, professor of moral theology at the University of Wittenberg and town preacher, wrote the Ninety-five Theses against the contemporary practice of the church with respect to indulgences. In the Roman Catholic Church, which was practically the only Christian church in Western Europe at the time, indulgences were part of the economy of salvation. In this system, when Christians sin and confess, they are forgiven and no longer stand to receive eternal punishment in hell, but may still be liable to temporary punishment. This punishment could be satisfied by the penitent's performing works of mercy. If the temporal punishment is not satisfied during life, it needs to be satisfied in Purgatory, a place believed by Catholics to exist between Heaven and Hell. This is one long standing invention and heresy that permeated every aspect of religious life in medieval times, which triggered Luther’s disputation thus writing and posting his 95 Theses to the doors of a church in Wittenberg, Germany.
Heresies and their dates
310- Of all the heresies taught and practiced by the Roman Catholic Church, which are contrary to the Bible, the oldest are prayers for the dead and the sign of the Cross performed over the chest and head of a person. Both began 300 years after Christ.
320 d.C. - Wax candles brought into the church. This practice is not mentioned nor ordained in Scripture.
375 d.C. - Veneration of angels and dead saints. The Roman Catholic Church affirms that worship and veneration are not the same act, therefore, its practice is not against Scripture.It is not mentioned in Scripture.
394- The mass, as a daily ritual celebration, is adopted and adjusted according to the times of the year.
431 - The worship of Mary, the mother of Jesus, and the use of the term "Mother of God" as applied to her, originated at the Council of Ephesus.
500 -Priests began to dress differently from lay people.
526 - Extreme unction
593 -The doctrine of purgatory was first established by Gregory the Great.
600 -The Latin language, as the language of prayer and worship in churches, was also imposed by Pope Gregory I, 600 years after Christ
600 - The Word of God clearly prohibits praying and teaching in an unknown language. (1 Corinthians 14:9).
600 - The Bible teaches that we only pray to God. In the early church there were never prayers directed to Mary, nor to dead saints. This practice began in the Roman church.
(Matthew 11:28; Acts 10:25-26; 14:14-18)
610 -The papacy is of pagan origin. The title of pope or universal bishop was first granted to the bishop of Rome by the evil emperor Phocas. This he did despite Bishop Cyriacus of Constantinople, who had excommunicated him precisely for having caused the murder of his predecessor, the Emperor Maurice. Gregory 1, then bishop of Rome, rejected the title, but his successor, Boniface III, assumed the title "pope" for the first time. Jesus did not appoint Peter to the leadership of the apostles and forbid such a notion. (Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:18; 1 Corinthians 3:11).
Note: There is also no mention in Scripture, nor in history, that Peter was ever in Rome, much less that he was Pope there for 25 years; Clement, third bishop of Rome, comments that "there is no real evidence from the 1st century that Peter was in Rome."
709- The kiss of the pope's hand, ring or feet. It had been a pagan custom to kiss the feet of emperors. The Word of God prohibits such practices. (Read Acts 10:25-26; Revelation 19:10; 22:9).
750 - The temporal power of the popes. When Pepin, the usurper of the throne of France, descended on Italy, called by Pope Stephen II, to war against the Italian Lombards, he defeated them and handed over the city of Rome and the surrounding territory to the Pope, known as the Papal States. Jesus expressly forbade such a thing, and he himself rejected worldly kingship. (Matthew 4:8-9; 20:25-26)
788 -The worship of the cross, images and relics was authorized.
This was on the orders of Constantine's widow, Empress Irene of Constantinople, who first had the eyes of her own son, Constantine VI, gouged out, and then called a church council at the request of Hadrian I, Pope of Rome at the time. Such a practice is simply called idolatry in the Bible, and is severely condemned. (Exodus 20:4; 3:17; Deuteronomy 27:15; Psalm 115).
850 -Holy water was authorized, mixed with a pinch of salt and blessed by the priest.
890 - The veneration of Saint Joseph began.
965 -The baptism of infants was instituted by Pope John XIV.
995 -Canonization of dead saints, first by Pope John XV
Every believer and follower of Christ is called a saint in the Bible. (Romans 1:7; 1 Colossians 1:2)
998 AD - Fasting was imposed on Fridays and during Lent. Taxes by the popes said to be interested in the fish trade. (Bull, or permission to eat meat), some authorities say, began in the year 700. This goes against the simple teaching of the Bible. (Matthew 15:10; 1 Corinthians 10:25; 1 Timothy 4:1-3).
1000 - The mass gradually developed as a sacrifice; Compulsory attendance in the 11th century. The Bible teaches that Christ's sacrifice was offered once for all, and is not to be repeated, but is only commemorated in the Lord's Supper. (Hebrews 7:27; 9:26-28; 10:10-14).
1079 -The celibacy of the priesthood was decreed by Pope Hildebrand, ratified by Boniface VII. Jesus did not impose such a rule, nor did any of the apostles. By contrast, the apostle Peter was a married man, and Paul wrote that bishops should have wives and children. (1 Timothy 3: 2,5 and 12; Matthew 8: 14-15).
1090 AD - The rosary, or prayer beads, was introduced by Peter the hermit, in the year 1090. Copied from Hindus and Mohammedans. The counting of prayers is a pagan practice and is expressly condemned by Christ. (Matthew 6:5-13).
1184 - The Inquisition of heretics was instituted by the Council of Verona in the year 1184. Jesus never taught the use of force to spread his religion.
1190 – The sale of indulgences, commonly regarded as a purchase of forgiveness and permission to indulge in sin. Christianity, as taught in the Bible, condemns such trafficking and it was the protest against this trafficking that sparked the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century.
1215 - The dogma of Transubstantiation was decreed by Pope Innocent III, in that year.
Through this doctrine, the priest intends to perform a daily miracle by changing a host into the body of Christ, and then intends to eat him alive in the presence of his people during mass. The Bible condemns such absurdities; for the Lord's Supper is simply a memorial of the sacrifice of Christ. The spiritual presence of Christ is implicit in the Lord's Supper. (Luke 22:19-20; John 6:35; 1 Corinthians 11:26).
1215 - Confession of sin to the priest at least once a year was instituted by Pope Innocent III, at the Lateran Council. The Bible commands us to confess our sins directly to God. (Psalm 51:1-10; Luke 7:48; 15:21; 1 John 1:8-9).
1220 - The adoration of the host (Hostia) was decreed by Pope Honorius.
Thus the Roman church worships a god made by human hands. This is simple idolatry and absolutely contrary to the spirit of the Gospel. (Read John 4:24).
1229 - The Bible prohibited to lay people and placed in the Index of prohibited books by the Council of Valencia.
Jesus commanded that the Scriptures be read by all. (John 5:39; 1 Timothy 3:15-17).
1287 - The scapular was invented by Simon Stock and an English monk. It is a piece of brown cloth, with the image of the Virgin and is supposed to contain a supernatural virtue to protect those who wear it on bare skin from all dangers. This is fetishism.
1414 - The Roman Church prohibited the use of the cup by laymen, by instituting communion of one type at the Council of Constance. The Bible commands us to celebrate the Lord's Supper with unleavened bread and the fruit of the vine. (Matthew 26:27; 1 Corinthians 11:26-29).
1439 - The doctrine of purgatory was proclaimed as a dogma of faith by the Council of Florence. There is not a single word in the Bible that teaches purgatory for priests. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sins. (1 John 1:7-9; 2:1-2; John 5:24; Romans 8:1).
1439 - The doctrine of the 7 sacraments affirmed. The Bible says that Christ instituted only two ordinances, baptism and the Lord's Supper. (Matthew 28: 19-20; 26: 26-28).
1508 The Hail Mary instituted as part of the doctrine of purgatory. It was completed 50 years later and was finally approved by Pope Sixtus V, at the end of the 16th century.
1545 - The Council of Trent, held in 1545, declared that Tradition has the same authority as the Bible. Tradition means human teachings. The Pharisees believed the same way, and Jesus bitterly condemned them, because by teaching human tradition, they nullified the commandments of God. (Mark 7:7-13; Colossians 2:8; Revelation 22:18).
1546 - The apocryphal books were also added to the Bible by the Council of Trent.
These books were not recognized as canonical by the Jewish Church. (See Revelation 22:8-9).
1560 - The Creed of Pope Pius IV was imposed as the official creed 1560 years after Christ and the apostles. True Christians preserve the Holy Scriptures as their creed. Therefore, their creed is 1500 years older than that of the Roman Catholics. (Galatians 1:8).
1834 - The Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary was proclaimed by Pope Pius IX.
The Bible declares that all men, with the sole exception of Christ, are sinners. Mary herself needed a Savior. (Romans 3:23; 5:12; Psalm 51:5; Luke 1:30,46,47).
1870 - In the year 1870 after Christ, Pope Pius IX proclaimed the dogma of papal infallibility. This is blasphemy and the sign of the apostasy and antichrist predicted by the apostle Paul. (2 Thessalonians 2: 2-12; Revelation 17: 1-9; 13: 5-8,18). Many Bible students see the number of the beast (Rev. 13:18), 666, in the Roman letters of the Pope's title: "VICARIVS FILII DEI." - V-5, I-1; C-100, I-1; VS, I-1; L-50, I-1; I-1; D-500, Il - Total, 666.
1907 - Pope Pius
1930 -Pius XI condemned Public Schools.
1931 - Pius XI reaffirmed the doctrine that Mary is "the Mother of God."
This doctrine was first invented by the Council of Ephesus in the year 431. This is a heresy contrary to Mary's own words. (Luke 1: 46-49; John 2: l-5).
1950 - The last dogma was proclaimed by Pope Pius XII, the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.
2024 - Pope Francis declares that all human beings are fundamentally good (Romans 3:23); He also affirmed and authorized Catholic priests to bless people united in same-gender marriages. (Romans 3:9-18)
CONCLUSION
What will be the next invention? The Roman Church says it never changes; However, he has done nothing more than invent new doctrines that are contrary to the Bible, and has practiced rites and ceremonies borrowed from paganism. Some scholars have found that 75% of the rites and ceremonies of the Roman Church are of pagan origin.
Note: Cardinal Newman, in his book, "The Development of the Christian Religion," admits that... "Temples, incense, oil lamps, votive offerings, holy water, holy days and devotional season, processions, blessing of fields, priestly vestments, the tonsure (of priests and monks and nuns), the images... are all of pagan origin..." (page 359).
Heresies are those doctrines and practices that are contrary to the Bible. They are also called "human traditions" or "doctrines of men." Both Peter and Paul predicted and warned that in the end times "false teachers" would arise within the Church and bring "damned heresies" and "doctrines of demons." (2 Peter 2:1-3 and 1 Timothy 3:2-5). Jesus rebuked the Pharisees because they transgressed God's commandments by keeping their traditions. "In vain," he said, "they worship me, keeping the doctrines of the commandments of men" (Matthew 15:3,9).
The true heretics, therefore, are the Roman Catholics and the true orthodox are the Christians who adhere to the Scriptures.
The Word of God commands to leave Babylon, saying: "Come out of her, my people, so that you do not share in her sins and that you do not receive her plagues." (Revelation 18:4). All true Christians will remain faithful to the religion of Christ as taught in the Bible, and will heed the warnings of the apostle Paul writing: (Galatians 1:8).
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!
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