A BIBLICAL EXAMINATION
OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH'S
DOCTRINE OF SALVATION
A PREFACE TO THIS STUDY
God says in Acts 17:10-12 the "Bereans" were NOBLE in His sight, because "They Received the Word with All Readiness of Mind, and Searched the Scriptures Daily, whether these things were so."
The Truest Nobility is Demonstrated in the Willingness of a Person to Receive the Message someone brings with an Open Mind - but then to Measure that Message by the "Ruler" of the Scriptures (the Word of God) to See if the Message is Consistent with the Bible or Not.
Some People are Closed Minded, so they are Not Open to Anything they Haven't Heard Before. Some People are So Gullible that they will Swallow Anything New that Sounds Reasonable. Both of these Mindsets are Dangerous. We Must be Open Enough to Listen, but We Must Have an Objective Standard by which we can Measure a Message to Determine whether or Not it is Truth !
At it's Most Basic Level the Issue I want to Convey in this Booklet is this : The Catholic Church's Basis for Authority is their Bible and their Church Traditions , while the Bible Claims that IT STANDS ALONE as being Profitable for Instruction in Righteousness in the Eyes of God & that Often the Religious Traditions of Men are Contrary to God's Word.
What You, the Reader Must Do is Decide for Yourself IF : 1.) the Traditions of the Catholic Church Do In Fact Contradict the Teachings of the Bible & 2.) If they Do Contradict the Bible , then, WHO are You Going to Obey - God or Man ??? !!! Of-Course, on the Other Hand IF the Traditions of the Catholic Church are Perfectly Consistent with the Holy Bible, then to Obey the Catholic Church is to Obey God.
With these things Established we will Look at Some of the Things that the Catholic Church itself Teaches in regard to the Subject of Salvation. I say Some of those Things because my Desire is to Only Write a Brief Booklet rather than a Full Fledged Manuscript on the Subject. We will Also Examine What the Bible Says on the Subject and Explain Our Conclusion as to Whether or Not their Teachings are Consistent with the Word of God & Why. Because of the Sheer Volume of Specific Teachings that we Find Both in the Bible & in the Catholic Church, we will of Necessity Only be Able to Scratch the Surface of things here, but I Invite the Readers to Ask Me Any Questions they may Have or Even to Challenge My Findings by Contacting Me at the Number Listed in this Booklet for Further Discussion or Information.
OUR SOURCE REGARDING CATHOLIC TEACHINGS
The Source that we will Quote from Regarding the Official Teachings of the Catholic Church will be the " Catechism of the Catholic Church " which came Directly from the Vatican Itself in 1994 and is Recognized as the Authoritative Doctrinal Position Officially Sanctioned by Pope John Paul II Himself.
SALVATION THROUGH THE SACRAMENTS
Ultimately the Question of Salvation is a Question of the Forgiveness of Sins & What God Says is the Basis For that Forgiveness. According to the Catholic Church Catechism on Page 254 (# 976) the Manual States: "The Catechism will Deal Explicitly with the Forgiveness of Sins Through Baptism, the Sacrament of Penance, and the Other Sacraments, especially the Eucharist." *** In Other Words : Forgiveness is Provided for Men THROUGH the Seven Sacraments. *** This is a Very Important Distinction. The Manual Also States on Page 204 (#774) : " The Seven Sacraments are the Signs and Instruments BY WHICH the Holy Spirit Spreads the Grace of Christ the Head Throughout the Church which is His Body." *** In Other Words : It is THROUGH a Person's Participation in the Seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church that the Grace of Jesus Christ is Applied to his or her Life by the Holy Spirit. *** Thus, Forgiveness of Sins ( Salvation ) is Offered in the Catholic Church to those who Believe in the Grace of God THROUGH their Participation in the Catholic Sacramental System.
THE CATHOLIC SALVATION FORMULA
FAITH IN :
The Work of Jesus Christ on the Cross + Personal Participation in the Seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church = Salvation
*** ( AT LEAST HOPEFULLY ) ***
I Say " at least Hopefully " because the Catholic Doctrine of Salvation Reads like a Lawyer's Contract wherein God has Left Himself So Many Loop-holes by which He can Still Deny Heaven to a Man Even After he's Obeyed the Sacraments that the Catholic Can Never be Sure he's Saved.
THE BIBLE BASIS OF SALVATION
The Importance of this Issue Can NOT be Over-emphasized. It Really Doesn't Matter What Any Man, Church, or Denomination Teaches !!! It Only Matters What the Word of God Says.
Jesus said : " He that Rejecteth Me, and Receiveth Not My Words, Hath One that Judgeth Him : the Word that I Have Spoken, the Same Shall Judge Him in the Last Day. For I Have Not Spoken of Myself ; but the Father which Sent Me, HE GAVE ME A COMMANDMENT, WHAT I SHOULD SAY, AND WHAT I SHOULD SPEAK ." John 12:48-49
Jesus said : " Not Every One that Saith Unto Me, Lord, Lord, Shall Enter Into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he that Doeth the Will of My Father which is In Heaven." Matthew 7:21
Jesus said : " But the Hour Cometh, and Now Is, when True Worshippers Shall Worship the Father In Spirit and In Truth: for the Father Seeketh Such to Worship Him. God is a Spirit: and They that Worship Him MUST Worship Him In Spirit and In Truth." John 4:23-24
Jesus said : " Sanctify them Through Thy Truth : Thy WORD IS TRUTH." John 17:17
Jesus said : " Ye Hypocrites, Well Did Esaias Prophecy of You, Saying, This People Draweth Nigh Unto Me with their Mouth, and Honoureth Me with their Lips; but their Heart is Far From Me. But IN VAIN THEY DO WORSHIP ME, Teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of Men." Matthew 15:7-9
Jesus said : " ... Full Well YE REJECT THE COMMANDMENT OF GOD, THAT YE MAY KEEP YOUR OWN TRADITION ." Mark 7:9
THE SIMPLE TRUTH
The Simple Truth Is that Not Every Person who Professes to be a Christian and Not Every Denomination and Church which Professes to be Christian is WORSHIPPING GOD IN SPIRIT & TRUTH , because Many Have Embraced the Commandments & Traditions of Men ABOVE THE DOCTRINES OF THE WORD OF GOD .
SO WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ?
"For by Grace are ye Saved through Faith; and that Not of Yourselves: it is the Gift of God: Not of Works, lest any man should Boast." Ephesians 2:8-9
" Not By Works of Righteousness which We Have DONE, but According to His MERCY He Saved Us, By the Washing of Regeneration, and Renewing of the Holy Ghost :
Which He Shed on Us Abundantly Through Jesus Christ Our Saviour ;
That Being Justified By His Grace, we Should be Made Heirs According to the Hope of Eternal Life." Titus 3:5-7
" For the Wages of Sin is Death; but the Gift of God is Eternal Life THROUGH Jesus Christ Our Lord." Romans 6:23
IN OTHER WORDS :
The Salvation of Our Souls is Not a Wage We Earn By Doing Works of Righteousness ; It is a Gift ( Something We Don't Earn or Work for ) that God Gives Us By Grace ( Undeserved Blessing, Unmerited Favor ). The Wage We HAVE EARNED is DEATH ( Separation from the Presence of God Forever in the Lake of Fire ). Instead of the Wage we Have Earned, God Wants to Give Us His Mercy ( Withholding Punishment from those that Deserve it ) and Also His Grace ( Undeserved Blessing ) which is Eternal Life ( to be Forever WITH God & Enjoy His Fellowship ) THROUGH Jesus Christ BY FAITH .
NOT THROUGH THE SEVEN SACRAMENTS !!!
WHAT ABOUT THE CATHOLIC SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM ?
According to the Catholic Church, Baptism is Absolutely Necessary if an Individual has any Hopes of Going to Heaven When he Dies. On Page 255 (#977) the Catechism Says : " Our Lord Tied Forgiveness of Sins to Faith and Baptism: ' Go into all the World and Preach the Gospel to the Whole Creation. He who Believes and is Baptized will be Saved.' Baptism is the First and Chief Sacrament of Forgiveness of Sins because it Unites Us with Christ, who Died for Our Sins and Rose for Our Justification, so that ' we too might walk in newness of Life.' "
SCRIPTURES OUT OF CONTEXT CAUSE ERROR
Any time a Person, a Church, or a Denomination takes a Verse of Scripture Out of it's Context the Result can be Disastrous. So Many Examples Could be Sighted here. For instance : a Portion of Psalm 14:1 says: " The Fool hath said in his Heart, there is No God." If I were to Pull Out of that Portion of Verse 1 the Part that Says: " There is No God," I could Use the Bible to Prove that there IS NO GOD. Now, that is Clearly Ridiculous, but that is Exactly what has been Done by Quoting from Mark 16:15-16 and Stopping in the Middle of Verse 16. The Scripture in Verse 16 says:" He that Believeth & is Baptized Shall be Saved; but HE THAT BELIEVETH NOT SHALL BE DAMNED." The Damnation of a Soul is Based on an Individual's Unbelief -- Not on whether or Not he has been Baptized. God Did Not say that he that Believeth & is Not Baptized Shall be Damned. Every Believer is Commanded to Be Baptized, but Not as a Condition of Salvation. It might Appear from the Verse they Quoted that Faith & Baptism are Both Necessary for Salvation, IF that was the Only Verse in the Bible that Spoke on the Subject. However, Let's Look at Some Verses that Make it Absolutely Clear that Baptism is NOT NECESSARY FOR SALVATION !!!
" For I am Not Ashamed of the GOSPEL OF CHRIST : for IT IS THE POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION TO EVERYONE THAT BELIEVETH; to the Jew First, and also to the Greek." Romans 1:16
" I Thank God that I BAPTIZED NONE OF YOU, but Crispus & Gaius; Lest any should Say that I Baptized in Mine Own Name. And I Baptized also the Household of Stephanas: besides, I Know Not whether I Baptized any Other. FOR CHRIST SENT ME NOT TO BAPTIZE, BUT TO PREACH THE GOSPEL: not with Wisdom of Words, lest the Cross of Christ should be Made of None Effect." I Corinthians 1:14-17
SUMMARIZED
Baptism Doesn't Save. It is the Gospel which has the Power to Save the One who Believes. Baptism is Not Part of the Gospel !!! This can Also be Seen by Looking at I Corinthians 15:1-4 which teaches that the Gospel is the Good News of the Death of Jesus Christ for Our Sins, His Burial, & His Resurrection from the Grave on the Third Day in Accordance with the Scriptures. Baptism is Not a Part of the Gospel, but it is a Beautiful Picture of it : when the Believer goes Down into the Water & is In the Water Like Jesus was Buried in the Tomb and Comes Out of the Water Like Jesus Came Out of the Grave. ( Just Don't Let the Preacher try to Hold you Under for Three Days & Three Nights.) OK, it was a Joke. I Just Didn't Want to Let You Get Bored with All this Theology.
THE CATHOLIC SACRAMENT OF THE EUCHARIST
The Sacrament of the Eucharist is the Most Significant One in terms of Being Necessary for the Forgiveness of Sins ( Salvation ) for the Practicing Catholic. On Page 344 (# 1367) says: " The Sacrifice of Christ and the Sacrifice of the Eucharist are One Single Sacrifice: ' The Victim is One and the Same: the Same Now Offers Through the Ministry of the Priests, who then Offered Himself on the Cross; Only the Manner of the Offering is Different.' ' In this Divine Sacrifice which is Celebrated in the Mass, the Same Christ who Offered Himself Once in a Bloody Manner on the Altar of the Cross IS CONTAINED AND IS OFFERED IN AN UNBLOODY MANNER."
HOWEVER, THE BIBLE SAYS :
" And Every Priest Standeth Daily Ministering and Offering Oftentimes the Same Sacrifices, Which Can Never Take Away Sins : But This Man, After He Had Offered ONE SACRIFICE FOR SINS FOR EVER, Sat Down of the Right Hand of God ; From Henceforth Expecting till His Enemies be Made His Footstool. FOR BY ONE OFFERING HE HATH PERFECTED FOR EVER THEM THAT ARE SANCTIFIED." Hebrews 10:11-14 -- And Also:
" By the Which Will WE ARE SANCTIFIED THROUGH THE OFFERING OF THE BODY OF JESUS CHRIST ONCE FOR ALL ." !!!! Hebrews 10:10
***** See Also Hebrews Chapters 9 & 10 in their Entirety . ****
Jesus said : " ... IT IS FINISHED : and He Bowed His Head, and He Gave Up the Ghost." John 19:30
IF JESUS SAID IT IS FINISHED
If Jesus Said : " It is Finished " , then Why Does the Catholic Church Maintain that She is Continuing that " One Single Sacrifice " Contrary to the Word of God which so Decisively Proclaims that the Biblical Sacrifice was "Once For All" and "One Sacrifice for Sins For Ever" ??? That is a Question You Must Answer, for the Gospel of the Catholic Church is Not the Power of God Unto Salvation; IT IS ANOTHER GOSPEL ENTIRELY than the One which the Bible Speaks of. And Paul said : " But though We, or an Angel from Heaven, Preach Any Other Gospel Unto You than that which we Have Preached Unto You, Let Him be Accursed." Galatians 1:8 The Curse of God Rests on this Other Gospel.
THE DOCTRINE OF SALVATION
Is it Possible to be 100% SURE that we'll Go to Heaven when we Die ?
John the Apostle wrote in I John 5:11-13 : " And This is the Record, that God hath Given to Us Eternal Life, and This Life is IN His Son. He that Hath the Son Hath Life ; and he that Hath Not the Son of God Hath Not Life. These Things Have I Written Unto You that Believe On the Name of the Son of God THAT YE MAY KNOW THAT YE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE , and that Ye May Believe On the Name of the Son of God. "
FOUR THINGS WE MUST KNOW IN ORDER TO BE SAVED:
1. God Declares that All are Sinners Going Astray.
Romans 3:10 & 23 c/f Isaiah 53:6
2. There is a Penalty for Sin which is Death ( Physical & Spiritual ) .
*** Ultimately it is Separation from God.
Romans 6:23 ; Revelation 20:14-15 ; Isaiah 59:1-2
3. Jesus Christ Died to Pay the Penalty for Our Sins as a Sacrifice for Us.
Romans 6:23; Romans 5:8; I Peter 3:18; I Peter 2:24-25; Hebrews 10:10-14
4. Man Must Repent of his Rebellion Toward God & His Ways, & he Must Receive Jesus Christ as his Savior (as his Only Hope of Heaven) by Faith in the Gospel Message.
Mark 1:15 ; I Peter 2:24-25 ; I Corinthians 15:1-4 ; Romans 6:23 ; John 1:11-12 ;
John 14:6 ; Acts 4:12 ; Acts 20:21 ; Acts 26:20 ; John 10:27-30 ; Romans 10:9-13
GIVE YOUR HEART TO JESUS, & COME FOLLOW HIM WITH US !!!
NEW LIFE BAPTIST CHURCH
2676 N. FM 2980
YORKTOWN, TEXAS 78164
Dr. Gary D. Hall - Pastor / Phone : (361) 564-3845
SCHEDULE OF SERVICES
Sunday Morning Worship -- 10:30AM
Sunday Evening -- 7:00PM
Wednesday Evening -- 7:00PM
TEACHING THE BIBLE IN SIMPLE TERMS SO ALL CAN UNDERSTAND
AND ENJOY THE BLESSINGS OF KNOWING GOD