Catholicism is a false religion.Catholicism is a corruption of the Lord’s
church. It is a manifestation of that great departure from the faith of which
Paul warned about in both 2
Thessalonians 2 and 1 Timothy 4.As such, the one who claims to be the head of
this false religion, the pope, is nothing more than a false teacher doing the
work of satan to deceive millions around the world.
The Roman Catholic system, with its
autocratic papal dynasty, did not suddenly appear in a given year of history.
Rather, it was a result of a gradual apostasy from the original Faith. Paul
declared: “The Spirit speaks expressly, that in later times some shall fall
away from the faith ...” (1 Tim. 4:1).
He details some of the traits of this movement, e.g., forbidding to marry,
commanding to abstain from meats, etc. (1-4). The many corruptions of the divine teachings –
changes in the plan of redemption (e.g., sprinkling, infant baptism, etc.),
alteration of worship (e.g., the mass, the veneration of Mary, etc.) – were
progressively implemented. Catholicism evolved as a defection from the original
faith.
The pope is called “Holy Father” by
millions around the world, yet there is nothing holy about him or the position.The pope deserves no such reverence.
Christians must never feel pressured into honoring any human being in the way
we honor God. There is only one Holy Father (Ephesians 4:6), and no man should expect to be called by that name
in a religious context (Matthew 23:9).
He feigns religiousness and
righteousness, but his true character reveals that he is diabolic. His activity
actually is “according to the working of Satan” (2 Thes. 2:9).The beginnings
of the papacy were sown in the apostle’s time. Idolatry had invaded the church
(1 Cor. 10:14), even in the worship
of angels (Col. 2:18). Handling the
word of God deceitfully (2 Cor. 4:2)
had begun; strife and division were affecting the church (1 Cor. 3:3). Gospel truth was sacrificed for the sake of money (1 Tim. 6:5; Tit. 1:11) – compare the
practice of “simony” in Catholicism, i.e., the purchase of church offices.
Distinctions were made regarding meats (1
Cor. 8:8), and human traditions were creeping into the church (Col. 2:23). Certain men were beginning
to exert superiority and to flex their “religious muscles” (3 John 9, 10).
When Christ established His church in
the first century (A.D. 30; Acts 2),
“He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some
pastors [i.e., bishops or elders] and teachers” (Ephesians 4:11). Jesus never elevated one bishop over others, but
rather established an equable office for service. Sadly, man deviated from the
original biblical pattern in search of power, honor, and praise. The first
indication of this deviation was the distinction among the terms “bishops,”
“elders,” and “pastors”--titles which
the New Testament writers used interchangeably (Acts 20:17,28; Titus 1:5,7; 1 Peter 5:1-4). The title “Bishop” was
given more significance and applied to only one man who was given sole
authority over a local congregation, unlike bishops during apostolic times (Acts 14:23; 15:4; 20:17; Titus 1:5; James
5:14). Soon, the “Bishop” ruled over not only one congregation, but over a
“diocese,” several congregations in a city or an entire district. Out of these attitudes and actions, the papacy
finally was born.
Catholicism claims many things for
itself:
1. The Catholic Church holds
"herself to be mother of all the children separated from her (all
denominations-and churches of Christ also).
2. All Christendom is subject to the
Pope of Rome.
3. Anyone baptized by a group outside
the Church, even though they reject her, automatically become a Catholic.
4. Protestant groups will be tolerated
until they are brought under the umbrella of Catholicism.
5. The Bible only is not enough; the
"Living Church" (Pope and hierarchy) must rule on the same level of
authority as the scriptures.
The list could go on and on.What Catholicism shows is the arrogance of
the papacy which has existed since its origin.Consider the following:
* “The
pope doeth whatsoever he listeth [wills], even things unlawful, and is more
than God”. That is the very essence of lawlessness.The papacy opposes God. Surely anyone who
claims to be “more than God” cannot be described otherwise than as an enemy of
the Almighty.
* The pope claims that whereas Christ is
the head of the church in heaven, the papacy is the head of the church on
earth. Yet Jesus affirmed that he possessed “all authority ... in heaven and on
earth” (Matt. 28:18).Jesus does not share “headship” with the
pope.
* The papacy usurps the place of God by:
·Making
claims that belong only to deity – “Our Lord God the pope; another God upon the
earth, king of kings, and lord of lords” (Newton, p. 456).
·Accepting
adoration not proper for a man. Men bow before the papal dignitary, kiss his
feet, ring, etc. Contrast the disposition of Peter when Cornelius bowed before
him (Acts 10:25, 26).
·Presuming
to act for God in matters pertaining exclusively to deity, e.g., offering
forgiveness of sins. For example, in Catholic doctrine, Absolution is a
“judicial act whereby a priest remits the sins of a penitent who has
contrition, has made confession and promises satisfaction” (Attwater, p. 3).Contrast that with Peter’s instructions to
Simon in Acts 8.Simon, after he had been baptized, sinned by
assuming money could purchase him powers that God had bestowed upon those of
His choosing.Peter rebukes him and
states, “Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if
perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.”
Much more could be said but suffice it
to say the papacy means nothing in the realm of the New Testament church.Unfortunately, he is just a man that decided
to play God and delivers millions of souls to Satan on a yearly basis.There is no biblical basis on which to defend
the papacy. To accept Catholicism is to accept a religion built upon a man-made
foundation, which is unstable and one day will collapse. To accept a foundation
other than Christ, is to usurp His God-given role as the Head of the church
which He bought with His own blood (Acts
20:28). Paul wrote, “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which
is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1
Corinthians 3:11).
The only legitimate response to
Catholicism is a return to the New Testament, and to the first-century New
Testament church which predated both Catholicism and Protestant denominationalism.
Let us obey the same gospel, become members of the same church, without any
denominational or sectarian affiliation, proclaim the same plan of salvation,
and become precisely what they were-without addition, subtraction, or
modification-just Christians, members of the body of Christ, nothing more,
nothing less.