I noted a couple of days ago that the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) is attacking seven crucial doctrines found in the Bible.The Roman Catholic Church is attacking:
1. The Supremacy of God’s Words in the Bible
2. The Sufficiency of God’s Son
3. The Singularity of God’s Gospel
4. The Sovereign Grace of God
5. The Security of God’s Children
6. The Sanctity of God’s Church
7. The Severity of God’s Judgment
I want to address the first two today and hopefully, bit by bit, equip you and encourage you to reach out with love, compassion, humility and an open Bible to your Catholic friends.
First, The Roman Catholic Church is attacking the Supremacy of God’s Word as revealed in the Bible.
This matter of attacking the Word of God is no foreigner to today’s contemporary evangelicalism and all the fads and new church movements that have risen and fallen as of late. Yet, every attack on the Word of God has failed and failed miserably. Is it no wonder that the Word of God has been attacked for thousands of years and yet it still stands true. It still stands the same. It doesn’t need to adapt to culture or any other contemporary mindset? Let us recall the words of Isaiah:
Isaiah 40:8 8 The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.
So, to the matter at hand, the RCC is attacking the supremacy of God’s Word as revealed in the Bible because, fundamentally, the RCC states that the Word of God is not the sole authority as having come from God (this is excluding general revelation, that God reveals Himself in and through creation and nature, that we would adhere to). The RCC has three supreme authorities. Yes they claim the Bible is one of them. The second is that the Pope has the authority to declare "inspired words." The third infallible authority is church tradition, that is, what has been passed down through the ages. However, this is in stark contrast with what we read in God's Word, for the Word of God declares repeatedly:
2 Timothy 3:16-17 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
Matthew 4:4 4 But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.'"
1 Thessalonians 2:13 13 And for this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received from us the word of God's message, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.
Acts 17:11 11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily, to see whether these things were so.
I give all those Scriptures to show from Scripture that Scripture alone is sufficient for life and godliness (notice the deliberate exclusion of the Pope, apostolic succession, church tradition). Be aware that the RCC church denies (and “anathematizes”) anyone who denies papal authority or church tradition as inspired! We must respond to this with:
Galatians 1:8-9 8 But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed.
Second, The Roman Catholic Church is attacking the Sufficiency of God’s Son. Wow, we could spend days and weeks and months proving biblically that Jesus Christ alone (notice, again, the deliberate exclusion of Mary, the pope, tradition, priests, indulgences, confession, rosary, etc) saves a person from hell. Permit me to give a few clear Scriptures:
Acts 4:12 12 "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved."
John 14:6 6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.
Acts 16:31 31 And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household."
Romans 10:9-11 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; 10 for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed."
Purgatory at the core distorts the sufficiency of Christ because the RCC teaches that one atones for sins in purgatory before entering into heaven. If this is the case, then that demands that Christ's death on Calvary's cross was insufficient to atone for all the sins of those who believe. This is a false gospel.
Furthermore, let it be known that when the RCC says that in order to be saved you must believe in Jesus PLUS anything else, that is clear-cut heresy. The disturbing reality of the RCC church is that it is so-called “Christianity” when, in reality, when you peel back the layers of tradition, popery, Mariolatry and other “olatries” you find a slide leading millions (and billions!) of souls to hell while thinking all the time that they are genuine “Christians.” Christian, be prepared. Trust in the supremacy of God’s Word and the sufficiency of God’s Son.