What Roman Catholics Believe -- Christian Theology Discussion Group

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Date Posted: 00:20:29 09/09/02 Mon
Author: Lord Grant Them Sight
Subject: What Roman Catholics Believe

What Catholics Believe

Jesus made a profound statements to ponder: "Because straight is the gate and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." (Matthew 7:14) The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 4:5 "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." "For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath wereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness." "For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God." (Romans 10:2,3)

"I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgression unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah" (Psalm 32:5)

"My sheep hear my voice and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." (John 10:27,28) "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory." (Ephesians 1:13,14) "My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand." (John 10:29)

The Catholic Church teaches:
Justification is a transformation of the soul in which original sin is removed and sanctifying grace infused [1987-1995]

The Bible teaches:
Justification is an act of God in which He declares a sinner to be righteous in His sight, having forgiven his sins and imputed to him God's own righteousness (Romans 3:21-4:8)

The Catholic Church teaches:
Initial justification is by means of baptism [1262-1274]

The Bible teaches
Justification is by faith alone (Romans 3:28)

The Catholic Church teaches:
Adults must prepare for justification through faith and good works [1247-1249].

The Bible teaches:
God justifies ungodly sinners who believe (Romans 4:5). Good works are the result of salvation, not the cause (Ephesians 2:8-10).

The Catholic Church teaches:
The justified are in themselves beautiful and holy in God's sight [1992, 1999-2000, 2024].

The Bible teaches: The justified are in Christ holy and blameless before God (Ephesians 1:1-14).

The Catholic Church teaches:
Justification is furthered by sacraments and good works [1212, 1392, 2010].

The Bible teaches: Justification is the imputation of the perfect righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). In Christ the believer has been made complete (Colossians 2:10).

The Catholic Church teaches:
Justification is lost through mortal sin [1033, 1855, 1874].

The Bible teaches: Justification cannot be lost. Those whom God justifies will be saved from the wrath of God (Romans 5:8,9).

The Catholic Church teaches:
Catholics guilty of mortal sin are justified again through the sacrament of penance [980, 1446].

The Bible teaches:
There is no second justification. Those whom God justifies He also will glorify (Romans 8:30).

The Catholic Church teaches:
Salvation from the eternal consequences of sin is a lifelong process [161-162, 1254-1255].

The Bible teaches: Salvation from the eternal consequences of sin is an instantaneous and secure act of God coinciding with justification (Romans 5:9).

The Catholic Church teaches:
Salvation is attained by cooperating with grace through faith, good works, and participation in the sacraments [183, 1129, 1815, 2002].

The Bible teaches: Salvation is attained by grace through faith apart from works (Ephesians 2:8,9). Good works are the result, not the cause, of salvation (Ephesians 2:10).

The Catholic Church teaches:
Faith is belief in God and the firm acceptance of all that the Church proposes for belief [181-182, 1814].

The Bible teaches:
Saving faith is the entrusting of oneself to Christ as Lord and Savior (Romans 10:8-17)

The Catholic Church teaches:
11. Sanctifying grace is a quality of the soul, a supernatural disposition that perfects the soul [1999-2000].

The Bible teaches:
Grace is the undeserved favor of God (Ephesians 1:7,8).

The Catholic Church teaches:
The sacraments are necessary channels for the continual infusion of grace. They bestow grace in virtue of the rite performed [1127-1129].

The Bible teaches:
The child of God is the constant object of the Father's grace (Romans 5:1,2)

The Catholic Church teaches:
Grace is merited by good works [2010,2027].

The Bible teaches:
Grace is a free gift (Romans 11:6).

The Catholic Church teaches:
Venial sins do not incur eternal punishment [1855, 1863].

The Bible teaches:
Every sin is punishable by eternal death (Romans 6:23)

The Catholic Church teaches:
Serious sins must be confessed to a priest [1456-1457].

The Bible teaches: Sin is to be confessed directly to God (Ezra 10:11).

The Catholic Church teaches:
The priest forgives sin as a judge [1442,1461].

The Bible teaches:
No one can forgive sin, but God alone (Mark 2:7).

The Catholic Church teaches:
When the guilt of sin is forgiven, temporal punishment remains [1472-1473].

The Bible teaches:
When God forgives sin, He completely forgives (Colossians 2:13; Isaiah 43:25).

The Catholic Church teaches:
Acts of penance make satisfaction for the temporal punishment of sin [1434, 1459 - 1460].

The Bible teaches:
Jesus made perfect satisfaction for all sins (1 John 2:1,2).

The Catholic Church teaches:
Indulgences dispensed by the Church for acts of piety release sinners from temporal punishment [1471-1473].

The Bible teaches: Jesus releases believers from their sins by His blood (Revelation 1:5).

The Catholic Church teaches:
Purgatory is necessary to atone for sin and cleanse the soul [1030-1031].

The Bible teaches: Purgatory does not exist. Jesus made purification for sins on the cross (Hebrews 1:3).

The Catholic Church teaches:
Poor souls suffering in purgatory can be helped by those alive on earth offering up prayers, good works, and the sacrifice of the Mass [1032, 1371, 1479].

The Bible teaches: Those who sleep in Christ need no help. To be absent from the body is to be at home with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:8).

The Catholic Church teaches:
No one can know if he will attain to eternal life [1036, 2005].

The Bible teaches:
The believer can know that he has eternal life by the Word of God. (1 John 5:13).

The Catholic Church teaches:
Eternal life is a merited reward [1821, 2010]

The Bible teaches:
Eternal life is the free gift of God (Romans 6:23).

The Catholic Church teaches:
The Roman Catholic Church is necessary for salvation [846].

The Bible teaches: There is salvation in no one but the Lord Jesus Christ, "for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

Excerpts taken from: The Gospel According to Rome, by James G. McCarthy, published by Harvest House Publishers, (1995).

I hope this states in no uncertain terms that Peter was not the ROCK Jesus was identifying in Matthew 16:18.

Note: 1 Corinthians 10:4 "And they did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual ROCK that followed them: and that Rock was Christ."
In closing: "Enter into the ROCK, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of His majesty. The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up and he shall be brought low." (Isaiah 2:10-12)

Endnote: the legend: numbers in brackets i.e. [183] indicates related information can be found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraph 183.

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Replies:

Re: What Roman Catholics Believe -- tamarisk, 08:29:33 09/09/02 Mon
- Re: What Roman Catholics Believe -- tamarisk, 12:53:57 09/09/02 Mon