COMPELLING REASONS WHY OUR CATHOLIC RELATIVES AND FRIENDS MUST EXERT THE NEEDFUL EFFORT TO INVESTIGATE IF INDEED THEIR RELIGIOUS PRACTICES ARE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST WHICH IS THE POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION TO EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES (ROMANS 1:16) Let me open this article with the two following verses that we often hear but some possibly take for granted. (John 3:16) For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (Mark 8:36) For what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God (John 1:14-18). Christians consider Him their Lord and Savior. His teaching which is His gospel that came from the Father who sent Him (John 12:49-50) is recorded in the Bible. Christians are followers of Christ. As such, it is of paramount importance for them to have accurate knowledge of who the real Jesus Christ is because many false prophets preach another Jesus. Christians must have accurate knowledge of the gospel of Christ because many false prophets preach another gospel. Jesus Christ Himself and His apostles have warned; 1. (Matthew 24:4) - And Jesus answered and said to them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many will come in My name, saying, I am Christ, and will deceive many. 2. (Matthew 24:24-25) For false Christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders; so much so that, if it were possible, they would deceive even the elect. Behold, I have told you beforehand. 3. (2Corinthians 11:3-4) But I fear lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, so your thoughts should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that comes preaches another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if you receive another spirit, which you did not receive, or another gospel, which you never accepted, you might well bear with him. 4. (Galatians 1:8-9) But even if we or an angel from Heaven preach a gospel to you beside what we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we said before, and now I say again, If anyone preaches a gospel to you beside what you have received, let him be accursed. 5. (1John 4:1) Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but try the spirits to see if they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. The only logical way to test the spirits or teachings (John 6:63) to see if they are of God, is to compare them to what is written in the Bible; (Isaiah 34:16) Seek out of the book of the Lord, and read; not one of these shall fail, none shall want her mate; for My mouth has commanded, and His Spirit has gathered them. (2Timothy 3:16-17) All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfected, thoroughly furnished to every good work. (1Corinthians 4:6) And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that you might learn in us not to think above that which is written, so that no one of you may be puffed up against another. Now let us cite some common religious practices of Catholics and compare them to the teachings of Christ and the 11 apostles and St. Paul whom He commissioned; (Matthew 28:18-20) And Jesus came and spoke to them (the 11 apostles), saying, All authority is given to Me in Heaven and in earth. Therefore go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things, whatever I commanded you. And, behold, I am with you all the days until the end of the world. Amen. (Acts 26:15-18) And I (Paul) said, Who are you, lord? And He said, I am Jesus whom you persecute. But rise and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of what you saw, and in what I shall appear to you; delivering you from the people and the Gentiles, to whom I now send you in order to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the authority of Satan to God, so that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me. Here are some common Religious Practices of Catholics as Compared To What Is Written In The Bible: 1. Catholics call their priest father. As human beings, we have human father (Hebrew 12:9). But in religion we are commanded not to call any man father because we are all brethren as explained by these two verses; (Matthew 23:9) And call no one your father on the earth, for One is your Father in Heaven. (Matthew 23:8) But you must not be called Rabbi, for One is your teacher, and you are all brethren. 2. Catholics call Mary, the mother of Jesus, as mother of God. Mary cannot be the mother of God simply because God is the creator of all things including all mankind (Genesis 1:26-31). Mary is the mother of the human body of Jesus (John 1:14). God prepared that body in which the Spirit of Christ that came down from heaven dwelt while in the flesh here on earth (Hebrew10:5, John 6:38). God is a Spirit (John 4:24). Even before Mary was born, the Spirit of Christ was already in existence (1Peter 1:10-11, John 17:5, Proverbs 30:4, John 8:56-58). Mary referred to herself as servant of God as written in Luke 1:38. In that verse, handmaid refers to Mary as a woman servant and not to the angel, as some argue, because angels are called sons of God, not daughters (Job 2:1, 38:7, Rev. 1:20). 3. Catholics pray to Mary and other dead people they called Saints. Jesus Christ taught that Christians must pray to the Father (Matthew 6:6). Apostle Paul taught that Christians must pray to God (Philippians 4:6). The Apostles including Mary prayed to God (Acts 1:14). They never taught that after they died, Christians must pray to them. God forbids His people to call to the dead (Deuteronomy 18:10-11). 4. Catholics believe that the Catholic Church was founded by Jesus Christ who appointed the Apostles to continue His work after He ascended up to heaven. They believe that St. Peter was the first Bishop of Rome whom they called Pope. But in the Bible, it was St. Paul whom Jesus Christ had sent to Rome being a Gentile nation (Acts26:15-18). While in Rome, St. Paul stayed 2 years in his own rented house (Acts 28:30-31). If St. Peter was the first Pope, St. Paul should have visited him or stayed with him while in Rome. St. Peter should have welcomed St. Paul whom he loved (2Peter 3:15)? The fact is there is no record in the Bible that St. Peter had ever gone to Rome. 5. Catholics call their church The Holy Catholic Apostolic Roman Church. In the Bible the name of the church founded by Jesus Christ is Church of God. It is the only name of the Christian church that can be found in the Bible. (Acts 20:28, 2Corinthians 1:1-2, 1Corinthians 10:31-32, 11:22, 15:9, Galatians 1:13, 1Timothy 3:5, 3:15, 1Thessalonians 2:14). . 6. Part of Catholic doctrines is obedience to the Ten Commandments of God. Sad to say, the Ten Commandments Catholic authorities display in front of some of their churches written on concrete tablet is not the same as what is written in the Bible. I personally had seen one in a parish church in Adamson University in Manila. The second commandment as written in Exodus 20:4 and Deuteronomy 5:8 is this; “You shall not make unto you any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water beneath the earth.” That verse, Catholic authorities have completely removed and replaced with another. But God said in Deuteronomy 12:32; “All the things I command you, observe to do it. You shall not add to it, nor take away from it”. 7. St. Paul admonished Christians to base their conduct only on the gospel of Christ (Philippians 1:27). But many Catholic celebrations such as All Saints Day, All Souls Day, Valentine’s Day etc., cannot be found in the gospel of Christ. No record in the Bible that Christians celebrated Christmas day and Feasts of Patron Saints. No record also of baptism of babies, confirmation, limbo and purgatory, and even the recitation of rosary. You may search any Catholic digital Bible. What is recorded in Mark 7:7 is this; “However, they worship Me in vain, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. I thank the Almighty God through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, for guiding me and giving me the strength and time to write this article which is entirely based on the knowledge I have accumulated through listening to Bro. Eliseo F. Soriano, one of the hosts of The Old Path (Ang Dating Daan) TV and radio programs and the Presiding Minister of Members Church of God International; mcgi.org. TO GOD BE THE GLORY AND HONOR FOREVER AND EVER.
Posted on: Wed, 05 Nov 2014 12:27:34 +0000
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