Roman Catholicism

Catholicism is often used as a synonym for Christianity.

In fact, in polls where you see % of Christians in the U.S., Catholics are included in that number.

So, naturally, they should believe what we believe right? I mean, if we are both claiming the name of Christ, we should agree right?

Well, I’ll tell you, we don’t.

Now, I’m not saying if you are a Catholic, or you know a Catholic, that that person can’t be a Christian, because I think you can be. But, in my opinion, it’s outside the norm, as we’ll see here shortly.

Catholics do claim Jesus as the founder of the church.

But, they also claim that Peter was the “rock” upon which the church was built.

, “ 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

So, what does this mean?

16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Well, we see three things, Christ is making a promise. “I will build”

And we also see that Christ refers to “this rock”.

And thirdly, Peter is given the keys of the kingdom of Heaven.

All of these points are significant, because they are the groundwork for why our beliefs don’t line up with Catholicism.

So, let’s take them one at a time, starting with “this rock”

What is this rock that Christ is referring to.

Well, Catholics argue that this is Peter, and that from this point on, Peter served as the first bishop/pope of the church, and believe that from that point forward, “apostolic succession” took place.

Notice verse 19, Peter was given the keys of the kingdom of Heaven --- which Catholics take to understand that He was given total authority and infallibility

Not only that, but that each of his successors from that point on would have the same infallibility and authority

This is what is written above the throne in Rome - Tu es Petrus et super hanc petram edificabo ecclesiam mean

The rock could be faith, based upon Peter’s confession.

This rock could also be Christ himself, which we hold to as Christians.

, “the Rock was Christ.”

, “ 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”

Do you see my problem Scripturally with the claim of the Catholics?

17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Verse 18 - Through Him we have access

Verse 20 - built on the foundation of the apostles (not just Peter), with Christ being the cornerstone (which backs up our claim)

And remember, Christ said “I will build”, so where in Scripture is this fulfilled?

Well, Catholics turn to , “ 15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” 19 (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.””

15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” 19 (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”

They use it as a proof text:

Peter was responsible to feed the lambs, meaning, he alone had the authority to teach and rule over the church

But, do you guys remember how Peter denied Jesus?

How many times did he deny Him?

I think it’s a little more than ironic than that after Christ has risen, He talks to Peter here and asks him 3 times if he loves him.

What Christ is doing here isn’t conferring upon Peter this position of supreme authority. What he is doing is welcoming Peter back into the apostles fold, and encouraging him to remain faithful through what is coming.

Peter was given the keys to the kingdom of Heaven, and whatever he bound on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth, shall be loosed.

What does this mean? Why in the world would Peter hold these keys? Why does he alone have the power to bind and loosen.

Well, he alone doesn’t. In fact, all of the apostles were told the same thing in .

What Jesus was saying is, the apostles in general had a special role in the formation of the church. It was up to their witness and testimony as to whether or not people would hear and be bound to Heaven.

They didn’t have this (hold up Bible)

They didn’t have these (hold up phone)

Now, Peter was the leader of the early church, I don’t dispute that, but so were the other apostles. Every group naturally has a leader, and Peter was this for the apostles. And Paul became this for the Gentiles.

But what the Catholics say, essentially, is that the church rests upon Peter and his successors.

Which is where we get the Pope and bishops we have today, and why the Pope and bishops and priests have so much authority

Here’s my problem with this whole scenario. It’s not much different than what we talked about with J.W. and Mormons. Any time one person or succession of persons controls the rhetoric and makes the rules, it is a dangerous dangerous game. Man is sinful. This is why Christ is the head of the church, and we submit to Him and God’s Word.

That is why Pastor Dave will sometimes say from the pulpit if he ever stops preaching the Word then we should chase him out of the church. We don’t want his opinion, we want God’s.

What else do they believe?

Catholics aren’t to read their Bible without commentaries or margin notes written by an authorized priest

Control.

Martin Luther

Lived in a time period where no one even owned a Bible, Germans didn’t even have the Bible in their language. And the catholic church was abusing their power, and no one knew any better. They were preaching salvation by works.

They believe that Mary, upon being visited by the angel Gabriel, all of her original sin was removed from her, and she never sinned from that point forward.

Woah! hold up, how is this possible?

Answer, it’s not.

It is only through Christ’s sacrifice that we can be considered blameless, and even then, we still sin.

They almost proclaim Mary as deity, saying she was unable to sin, and her original sin had been removed. They also view her role in salvation way higher than it should be.

Pray to Mary.

They also believe Mary was a virgin her entire life, even though Scripture clearly mentions Jesus’ brothers and sisters.

Infant Baptism - frees them from original sin and enters them into the grace of God.

Again, Galatians tells us it is grace by faith, nothing else.

, “ 16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. “

16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

Confirmation follows Baptism, which is when they receive the Holy Spirit.

Upon being baptized and confirmed, you are then able to partake of the Lord’s Table, known in the Catholic church as Eucharist.

Eucharist - is where the bread and wine actually become the blood and body of Christ when the priest presides over it.

WHAT!

Only those who believe in the “True Presence” of Christ during communion can partake. So, unless you’ve been baptized and confirmed, you’re out.

Confession - also known as penance, is to “make satisfaction” for his sin.

Penance - a word that was mistranslated in the 1500’s. Martin Luther actually discovered that they had mistranslated it and it actually says repentance.

Thesis 1: “When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, “Repent”, He willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance. This word cannot be understood as referring to the Sacrament of Penance, that is, confession and satisfaction, as administered by the clergy.”

Bishops and priests (bishops help), since they are successors to Peter, have the ability to forgive sin in the name of Christ.

Would be forgiven upon doing penance, doing something to make up for the sin.

Give to church

Say a hail mary

Again, this is totally against God’s Word.

Unconfessed sin can rob us of eternal life.

Mass - where Eucharist happens.

Liturgical readings, eucharist

Holy Water

Sacramental act - a reminder of three things:

Repentance of sin

Protection from evil

Baptism