Catholicism and the Bible Part 1
History
The Roman Catholic Church traces its history back to the beginning of Christianity in the apostolic period. However, until the Great Schism of 1054 (between western Catholicism and eastern Orthodoxy), there was no definite distinction between various Christian churches. Thus, all main branches of Christianity seek to trace their roots back to the apostolic period.
The Roman Catholic Church as it is structured today developed over the years. The Bishop of Rome became increasingly more powerful, eventually rising to supremacy as the Pope around the time of Gregory the Great (A. D. 590-604).
The Great Schism of 1054 effectively separated western and eastern Christendom, allowing Western Europe to be dominated by Roman Catholicism
The Protestant Reformation created another split in the church in the sixteenth century. The counter-reformation, with the Council of Trent (A. D. 1545-1563), dogmatized many teachings that have separated Catholics and Protestants ever since.
The most recent council, Vatican II (1962-1965), sought to accommodate Catholic practice to the modern world to allow for greater dialogue with other “Christian” traditions. It changed the Mass from Latin to the language of the people and encouraged the laity to read the Bible in their own language. While affirming that the Catholic Church is still the only true church, it Vatican II also stated that other churches contain elements of truth, and opened up the possibility that salvation could be found outside the Church.
Hierarchy
Pope: The pope is Christ’s visible head of the church on earth. He is the Bishop of Rome and is the authority for the church on all matters and faith and practice. He is infallible in regard to faith and doctrine and is to be obeyed fully.
Cardinals: Appointed by the pope and are used to counsel him
Archbishops: Oversee a large area of churches
Bishops: Oversee smaller area of churches
Priests: Oversee individual churches
Laymen: Everyone else in church
There are about 1 billion Catholics in the world, and around 72 million in the U.S.
Basic Beliefs: Scripture
The Roman Catholic Church believes in the inspiration of the Bible, but includes in the Old Testament the apocryphal books of Tobit, Judith, Wisdom of Solomon, Ecclesiasticus, Baruch, I and II Maccabees, Additions to Esther (joined to Esther) and the Prayer of Azariah, the Song of the Three Young Men, Susanna, and Bel and the Dragon are added to Daniel. Those these were included in the Latin Vulgate (and in the KJV) they were not officially considered part of the canon until the Council of Trent.
The RC Church also holds to Church Tradition as equally binding and authoritative for Christian belief and practice.
Technically, only the RC Church is able to fully and finally interpret Scripture, though since Vatican II individual Catholics have had more encouragement to study Scripture for themselves
Biblical Teaching: Scriptures
The Apostles continually looked to the Scriptures as authoritative for life and practice (e.g. 2 Tim 3:16; 2 Pet 1:3, 19-21). The Bereans were considered more noble because they did not merely accept the teaching of the apostles but also evaluated it in light of the Scripture (Acts 17:11).
The Apocryphal books were not viewed as Scripture by the Jews and were never quoted by Jesus and the Apostles, though every book in the OT (except Esther) was quoted in the NT.
If the tradition of the Church contradicts the teaching of Scripture, then tradition must be incorrect because Scripture is superior.
Catholicism: Sacraments
There are 7 Sacraments in the Catholic Church
- 1 – Baptism cleanses from original sin, removes other sin and its punishment, provides spiritual rebirth or regeneration, begins the process of justification, and is necessary for salvation.
- 2 – Confirmation bestows the Holy Spirit on the Catholic, leading to an increasing of sanctifying grace and the gifts of the Holy Spirit as well as other spiritual power and a sealing to the Catholic Church.
- 3 – Penance removes the penalty of sins committed after baptism and confirmation. Thus, mortal (deadly) sins are remitted and the justification lost by such sins is restored as a continuing process.
- 4 – Holy Eucharist is where Christ is resacrificed and the benefits of Calvary are continually applied anew to the believer.
- 5 – Marriage is where grace is given to remain in the bonds of matrimony in dictates with the requirements of the Catholic Church.
- 6 – Anointing the sick (formerly extreme unction) bestows grace on those who are sick, old, or near death and helps in forgiveness of sins and sometimes the physical healing of the body.
- 7 – Holy orders confers special grace and spiritual power upon bishops, priests, and deacons for leadership in the Church as representatives of Christ for all eternity.
These Sacraments cause grace to come to those who partake, and are necessary for salvation. However, Holy Orders and Marriage are not necessary for everyone.
Biblical Teaching: Sacraments
Five of the Sacraments are never mentioned in Scripture (at least not as Sacraments)
The two that are, Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, are commanded to be followed but nowhere are they shown to be necessary for salvation (e.g., the thief on the cross).
Baptism is a public testimony of salvation, not a means to salvation. It pictures the believer’s death with Christ and resurrection to new life (Rom. 6:4).
The Lord’s Supper is shown as a symbol of Christ’s death, and the notion that the bread and wine mysteriously become the body and blood of Christ has no Scriptural evidence. It is to be done in remembrance of Christ’s death (I Cor. 11:20-29).
Catholicism: Salvation
The RC Church opposes the doctrine of justification by faith alone. The Catholic Encyclopedia describes the doctrine as having “reference to the personal appropriation of the Christian salvation, and aims to give all glory to Christ, by declaring that the sinner is justified before God (i.e. is acquitted of guilt, and declared righteous) solely on the ground of the all-sufficient merits of Christ as apprehended by a living faith, in opposition to the theory — then prevalent, and substantially sanctioned by the Council of Trent — which makes faith and good works co-ordinate sources of justification, laying the chief stress upon works. Protestantism does not depreciate good works; but it denies their value as sources or conditions of justification, and insists on them as the necessary fruits of faith, and evidence of justification”
Baptism is when a person is regenerated and is cleansed from original and previous sin.
After baptism, mortal sin can cause a person to lose his/her salvation. It can be regained through penance.
A person can never know for certain that they are saved, because there is always a possibility to fall away.
Modern RC thought maintains that those who have never heard of Christ may be saved as long as they live a good life and believe in the God they know.
Biblical Teaching: Salvation
Scripture repeatedly emphasizes that faith alone is necessary for salvation
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Eph 2:8-10)
“For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. 4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” (Tit 3:3-7)
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” (Ro 3:23-26)
“For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.’ 4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5 And to the one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: 7 ‘Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; 8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.’” (Ro 4:2-8).
Justification is not an infusion of righteousness but an imputation, where Christ’s righteousness is placed on our account
“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Co 5:21).
Those who are saved are assured of eternal life
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Rom 8:1).
“but you do not believe because you are not part of my flock. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” (Jn 10:26-29).
Catholicism: Atonement
Death of Christ created merit that is dispensed to sinners by the Church through the sacraments.
Christ’s death removed original sin and made it possible for people to earn their salvation.
Biblical Teaching: Atonement
Christ’s death paid the punishment for all our sin
“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures (1 Cor 15:3)
“And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. 15And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying,16‘This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,’ 17then he adds, ‘I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.’ 18Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin” (Hebrews 10:10-18)