from a text by Claudia Guiati
This brief examination of Catholic doctrines in comparison with Christianity taught by the Word of God aims to make each of us reflect, and above all those who sincerely belong to the Catholic Church. This exposition, with all its limits of conciseness, is intended to awaken the interest in Bible knowledge in the hearts of sincere practitioners of this secular religion, so that they may know the truth and salvation that are in Jesus Christ.
Liturgical prayers
325 AD - first formulation of the Catholic Creed
4th century. AD - the sign of the cross begins
11th century. AD - the Ave Maria becomes a ritual prayer
1090 AD - Peter the Hermit introduces the use of the rosary in beads for the repetition of prayers
16th century. - the ending "Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and in the hour of our death" is added to the Hail Mary
... and the Bible?
The Bible states that God deplores prayers that do not arise spontaneously from the heart, those that are repeated or are said as part of a religious service.
"The Lord said:" Because this people approaches me with their mouths and honors me with their lips, while their heart is far from me and the fear they have of me is nothing but a commandment learned from men. "
(Isaiah 29:13)
Jesus said: "In praying, do not use too many words as the pagans do, who think they are heard by the great number of their words."
(Matthew 6: 7)
The priests
3rd sec. AD - the word "priest" is used for the first time to indicate a minister of worship
500 AD - the term "pope" is reserved for the bishop of Rome
500 AD - ecclesiastical clothes appear, remains of the ancient priestly costume of Roman paganism
1563 AD - the council of Trent condemns the Biblical doctrine, according to which all believers are priests in the new covenant
... and the Bible?
The Bible states that all true believers are priests in Christ: "To him who loves us, and delivered us from our sins with his blood, who made us a kingdom and priests of his God and Father, to him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen."
(Revelation 1: 5-6)
Furthermore, Jesus said: “But you do not let yourselves be called" Master "; because only one is your Master, and you are all brothers. Do not call anyone on earth your father, because only one is your Father, the one in heaven. Do not be called guides, because only one is your Guide, the Christ; But the greatest among you be your servant. Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. "
(Matthew 23: 8-12)
Places and objects of worship
4th century - incense begins to be used during worship, and holy water
4th century - Paulinus, bishop of Nola introduces the cult of images and statues in churches
600 AD - worship in Latin that becomes the language liturgical
600 AD - begins the "cult of places" and the pilgrimage to the tombs of the martyrs, and the
11th century "cult of relics" AD - an altar begins to be used for the celebration of the
12th century mass . AD - the rosary of Muslim or Buddhist origin is officially adopted
... and the Bible?
The Bible teaches us not to worship images and statues: “Have no other gods besides me. Do not make yourself a sculpture or an image of any of the things that are up there in heaven or down here on earth or in the waters under the earth.
(Exodus 20: 2-4)
Jesus said: “But the hour is coming, indeed it has already come, that true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for the Father seeks such worshipers. God is Spirit; and those who adore him, it is necessary that they adore him in spirit and truth ».
(John 4: 23-24)
("in spirit", meaning under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and "in truth", meaning under the guidance of God's Word, which is truth, John 17:17)
“The God who made the world and all things in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples built by human hands; and it is not served by human hands. "
(Acts 17:24)
… everything else is idolatry!
Cult of the Madonna
374 AD - Epiphanus declares Mary perpetually virgin
4th century. AD - the cult of the Virgin develops
431 AD - at the council of Ephesus, Mary is declared Mother of God. It is the Catholic adaptation of the mythological cult of the goddess Diana
500 AD - first feast in honor of Mary
1160 AD - for the first time the idea of
the immaculate conception appears 1477 AD - Sixtus IV formalizes the immaculate conception of Mary
1891 - Leo XIII institutes the virgin mediator: one can reach Christ only through his mother
1943 - Pius XII declares Mary co-redeeming with Jesus (participates in the atonement of human sins with Jesus)
1946 - "Saint Mary of Fatima" is crowned queen of the world
1968 - Paul VI reconfirms Mary's co-redemption
1986 - John Paul II consecrates the world to Mary of Fatima
... and the Bible?
No verse in the Bible states that Mary should be worshiped.
Indeed, Jesus never calls her "mother", but simply "woman": "Jesus said to her: What is it between you and me, woman?"
(John 2: 4)
"A woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to him," Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts you suckled! " But he said: "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and put it into practice!"
(Luke 11: 27-28)
Mary herself never demanded adoration, on the contrary she said: "Do whatever he tells you [Jesus] " (John 2: 5).
We cannot therefore render any form of worship to Mary, as only God is worthy of our praise and adoration:
"Then Jesus said to him: Go away, Satan, for it is written: Worship the Lord your God and to Him alone you render worship".
(Matthew 4:10)
Mary cannot be co-redeeming with Jesus because the Bible states:
" There is only one God and also one mediator between God and men, Christ Jesus the man, who gave himself as a ransom for all; this is the testimony given in due time.
(1 Timothy 2: 5-6)
Jesus said,
"I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me."
(John 14: 6)
The Bible states that one cannot be saved through Mary:
“In no otherit is salvation; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given to men, by which we must be saved. "
(Acts 4:12)
Regarding Mary's "perpetual virginity", the Bible states:
“Joseph… took his wife with him; and he had no marital relations with her until she had given birth to a son; and called his name Jesus. "
(Matthew 1: 24-25)
The Bible also denies the immaculate conception:
" All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God - but they are justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."
(Romans 3: 23-24)
Therefore, like everyone, Mary too was born in sin. In fact in Luke 1:47 she recognizes God as her personal Savior: she too needed to be saved: "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior ."
Salvation by means of works
1563 AD - the council of Trent officially states that the salvation of the soul is obtained by means of good works and not only by faith in Christ
... and the Bible?
Contrary to the widespread opinion, due to the influence of all religions, man is not saved by works. Works are neither the foundation nor a more or less essential ingredient of salvation, but are only the fruits that arise spontaneously from a soul already saved by grace and faith alone in the work of the Lord Jesus.
The Bible categorically states that salvation it is entirely by grace:
“For it is by grace that you were saved, by faith; and that doesn't come from you; it is the gift of God. It is not by virtue of works so that no one may boast. "
(Ephesians 2: 8-9)
We are made righteous before God, not by good works, but by faith in Jesus Christ:
"Justified thereforeby faith , we have peace with God through Jesus Christ, our Lord, through whom we have also had, by faith, access to this grace in which we are; and we glory in the hope of God's glory. "
(Romans 5: 1-2)
God's salvation is a free gift, and not something to be gained by merit or personal effort:
“The wages of sin is death, but God's gift is eternal life in Christ Jesus, our Lord. "
(Romans 6:23)
“If you confess Jesus as Lord with your mouth and believe with your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved; in fact with the heart one believes to obtain justice and with the mouth one makes confession to be saved. "
(Romans 10: 9-10)
Conclusion
These are only the most important doctrines of Roman Catholicism, which as we have seen are very different from the teachings the Lord has given us in his Word. It would also be interesting to talk about the "transubstantiation", the "papacy", the prohibition of reading the Bible for centuries, the celibacy of priests, the Counter-Reformation with its persecutions, and the many other non-biblical doctrines taught by Roman Catholicism.
But I believe that if you have read through this series of juxtapositions between the doctrines of Roman Catholicism and the Word of God, you have the desire for truth in your heart: the only thing to do is to read your Bible and ask sincerely to God to reflect His thought and the salvation He offers you in Christ Jesus ... and He will, because He loves you!
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