Catholic beliefs and practices

This studycompiled by – J.M.Nel 15.5.2011…

I would want to make it clear in order for you to understand that the articles are thoroughly researched. And secondly that my purpose with this study is not to bash the Catholic Church; I simply believe that there are some serious doctrinal problems with the Catholic Church that need to be addressed Biblically.…Because I strongly believe that the Bible is to be our guidefor faith and practice (as believers)and if that is the case we should be aware that whatever church denomination we belong to and here I am referring to other churches that also proclaim that their teaching and doctrine are based on the Bible alone then they should also be measured, judged and scrutinized according to the proper interpretation of the Word of God the Bible. But for now I am concerned with the Roman Catholic Church…

I strongly believe that the articles presented here accurately embody the doctrines of the Catholic Church. …You may disagree with my conclusions, but if this article motivates you to take a serious and honest hard look at The Roman Catholic Church and its doctrine then all the research and effort was worthwhile……I recognize the value of church traditions, but I refuse to accept any tradition that is not clearly supported by the Word of God.

My “conflict” with Catholicism is in regards to the proper interpretation of the Bible. …

There is also the issue that the practices of many Catholics depart from the “official traditions” of the Roman Catholic Church. For example, the Roman Catholic Church does not “officially” teach Catholics to worship Mary, but rather to honor and revere her. However, through observation, it is abundantly clear that many Catholics do in fact worship Mary.…This is clearly the result of the Roman Catholic Church not teaching and explaining its doctrines. Many Catholics are completely ignorant of what Catholic doctrines and practices truly mean and signify. Some of the Catholic-related articles in this study may be responding more to the unbiblical practices of some (or most) Catholics, and not necessarily the “official positions” of the Roman Catholic Church.……It is not my purpose to attempt to persuade you that all of the views are correct. I have presented what I believe to be the truth,andthe doctrine of the sufficiency of Scripture

What does it mean that the Bible is sufficient?

The sufficiency of Scripture is under attack today and sadly, that attack comes far too often in our own churches. Management techniques, worldly methods of drawing crowds, entertainment, extra-biblical revelations, mysticism, and psychological counseling all declare that the Bible and its precepts are not adequate for the Christian life. But Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me"(John 10:27). His voice is all we need to hear and the Scriptures are His voice, completely and utterly sufficient.

…The doctrine of the sufficiency of Scripture is a fundamental tenet of the Christian faith. To say the Scriptures are sufficient means that the Bible is all we need to equip us for a life of faith and service. It provides a clear demonstration of God's intention to restore the broken relationship between Himself and humanity through His son Jesus Christ, our Savior through the gift of faith, revealing their election and salvation as a result of His death and resurrection on the cross. Other writings are not necessary for this good news to be understood, nor are any other writings required to equip us for a life of faith.……When discussing Scripture, Christians are referring to both Old and New Testaments. The Apostle Paul declared that the Holy Scriptures (The Bible)

2 Timothy3:15-17"are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work"

If Scripture is "God-breathed," then it is not man-breathed and, although it was penned by men, those "men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:21). No man-made writing is sufficient to equip us for every good work; only the Word of God can do that. Furthermore, if the Scriptures are sufficient to thoroughly equip us, then nothing more is needed. ……Colossians 2 is a perfect example of the dangers a believers face when the sufficiency of Scripture is challenged and merged with non-biblical writings, full of ungodly theology and concepts. Paul warned the church at Colossi:

Colossians 2:8

"See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ".

Jude says it even more specifically when he writes

Jude 1:3

"although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints". Notice the phrase "once for all." This makes it clear that no other writings, no matter how godly the pastor, theologian or denominational churchmay come from, are to be seen as equal to or completing the Word of God. The Bible contains all that is necessary for the believer to understand the character of God, the nature of man, and the doctrines of sin, heaven, hell, and salvation through Jesus Christ.

Paul's words to the Galatians indicate the seriousness of delivering a message outside the Bible:

Galatians 1:8

"If we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!"……Perhaps the strongest verses on the issue of sufficiency of the Bible come from the book of Psalms.

In Psalm 19:7-14, David rejoices in God's Word, declaring it to be perfect, trustworthy, right, radiant, enlightening, sure and altogether righteous.

As such, being that the Bible is "perfect," no other writings are necessary because it is inspired by God and all we need for salvation, life in Christ, and the building of the Kingdom.The issue concerning any church and its practices should be:

"Is what they teach and proclaim Biblical?"

If a teaching is Biblical (taken in context), it should be embraced.

If it is not, it should be rejected.

And it is by way of this sufficiency of Scripture that we should measure all churches who proclaim salvation through Jesus Christ and that they base their doctrine on the Word of God alone.……

Index of the topics covered in this study

1. When is something Biblical or not Biblical?

2. Is Catholicism a false religion?

3. Are Catholics saved?

4. What does the Bible say about confession of sin to a priest?…5. What is the Catholic sacrament of Holy Eucharist?

6. What is the Catholic catechism?

7. Are the seven Catholic sacraments Biblical?

8. What does the Bible say about the virgin Mary?

9. What is the Assumption of Mary?

10. What is the Immaculate Conception?

11. Is prayer to saints / Mary Biblical?

12. Is worship of saints / Mary biblical?…13. Is the perpetual virginity of Mary biblical?…14. Is praying the rosary Scriptural?

15. What is transubstantiation?

16. What is consubstantiation?

17. Is the Catholic concept of absolution biblical?

18. Is it wrong for Catholics to refer to their priests as ‘father’?

19. Does the Bible support the Catholic practice of a marriage annulment?

20. What are extreme unction / last rites?

21. What does the Bible say about the pope / papacy?

22. Does the Bible teach the celibacy of priests?

23. Does the Bible teach mortal and venial sin?

24. What is the Hail Mary that Catholics say so often?

25. Who is the Queen of Heaven?

26. What is Ash Wednesday?

27. What is the meaning of Lent?

28. What is Shrove Tuesday?

29. What is Easter Sunday?

30. What are the origins of Easter?

31. Is the priesthood of all believers biblical?

32. Can an unmarried man be a deacon or elder?

33. The rite to Baptism for children

34. A Testimony from a former Catholic.

35. What is a novena?

36. What is Opus Dei?

…1.When is somethingBiblical or not Biblical?

God is more interested in whether a church is doing His will and obeying His Word than whether it can trace a line of succession back to Jesus' apostles. Jesus was very concerned about abandoning the Word of God to follow the traditions of men(Mark7:7).

Traditions are not inherently invalidthere are some good and valuable traditions.

Again, the issue must be whether a doctrine, practice, or tradition is Biblical. How then does the Roman Catholic Church compare with the teachings of the Word of God?…

Salvation:

The Roman Catholic Church teaches that salvation is by baptismal regeneration and is maintained through the Catholic sacraments unless a willful act of sin is committed that breaks the state of sanctifying grace.

The Bible teaches that we are saved by grace which is received through simple faith (Ephesians 2:8-9), and that good works are the result of a change of the heart wrought in salvation ( Ephesians 2:10 ; 2 Corinthians 5:17) and the fruit of that new life in Christ (John 15).……Assurance of salvation:

The Roman Catholic Church teaches that salvation cannot be guaranteed or assured.

The Bible teachesin1 John 5:13 that the letter of 1 John was written for the purpose of assuring believers of the CERTAINTY of their salvation.……Good Works:

The Roman Catholic Church states that Christians are saved by meritorious works (beginning with baptism) and that salvation is maintained by good works (receiving the sacraments, confession of sin to a priest, etc.)

The Bible states that Christians are saved by grace through faith, totally apart from works (Titus 3:5; Ephesians 2:8-9; Galatians 3:10-11; Romans 3:19-24).……

Baptism:

The Roman Catholic Church teaches baptismal regeneration of infants, a practice never found in Scripture. The only possible hint of infant baptism in the Bible that the Roman Catholic Church can point to is that the whole household of the Philippian jailer was baptized inActs 16:33.

However, the context nowhere mentions infantsActs 16:31 declares that salvation is by faith. Paul spoke to all of the household in verse 32, and the whole household believed (verse 34). This passage only supports the baptism of those who have already believed, not of infants.

The Bible states in the New Testament baptism is ALWAYS practiced AFTER saving faith in Christ. Baptism is not the means of salvation; it is faith in the Gospel that saves (1 Corinthians 1:14-18; Romans 10:13-17). ……Prayer:

The Roman Catholic Churchteaches Catholics to not only pray to God, but also to petition Mary and the saints for their prayers.

Contrary to this, in the Bible we are taught to only pray to God (Math. 6:9; Luke 18:1-7).……Priesthood:

The Roman Catholic Church teaches that there is a distinction between the clergy and the "lay people," whereas

The Bible in the New Testament teaches the priesthood of all believers

(1Peter 2:9)……Sacraments:

The Roman Catholic Church teaches that a believer is infused with grace upon reception of the sacraments. Such teaching is nowhere found in Scripture.……Confession:

The Roman Catholic Church teaches that unless a believer is hindered, the only way to receive the forgiveness of sins is by confessing them to a priest. Contrary to this, Scriptureteaches that confession of sins is to be made to God (1 John 1:9)……Mary:

The Roman Catholic Church teaches, among other things, that Mary is the Queen of Heaven, a perpetual virgin, and the co-redemptress who ascended into heaven.

In Scripture, she is portrayed as an obedient, believing servant of God, who became the mother of Jesus. None of the other attributes mentioned by the Roman Catholic Church have any basis in the Bible. The idea of Mary being the co-redemptress and another mediator between God and man is not only extra-biblical (found only outside of Scripture), but is also unbiblical (contrary to Scripture).

Acts 4:12 declares that "Jesus is the only redeemer".

1 Timothy 2:5 proclaims that "Jesus is the only mediator between God and men".……Many other examples could be given. These issues alone clearly identify the Catholic Church as being unbiblical. Every Christian denomination has traditions and practices that are not explicitly based on Scripture.

That is why Scripture must be the standard of Christian faith and practice. The Word of God is always true and reliable. The same cannot be said of church tradition.

Our guideline is to be: "What does Scripture say?"(Rom. 4:3; Gal. 4:30; Acts 17:11; )

2Tim.3:16-17declares, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

2.Is Catholicism a false religion? …The most crucial problem with the Roman Catholic Church is its belief that faith alone in Christ is not sufficient for salvation. The Bible clearly and consistently states that receiving Jesus Christ as Savior, by grace through faith, grants salvation (John 1:12; 3:16,18,36; Acts16:31 Rom.10:9-10,13; Eph.2:8-9).

The Roman Catholic Church rejects this. The official position of the Roman Catholic Church is that a person must believe in Jesus Christ AND be baptized AND receive the Eucharist along with the other sacraments AND obey the decrees of the Roman Catholic Church AND perform meritorious works AND not die with any mortal sins AND etc., etc., etc. Catholic divergence from the Bible on this most crucial of issues, salvation, means that yes, Catholicism is a false religion. If a person believes what the Catholic Church officially teaches, he/she will not be saved. Any claim that works or rituals must be added to faith in order for salvation to be achieved is a claim that Jesus' death was not sufficient to fully purchase our salvation.……While salvation by faith is the most crucial issue, in comparing Roman Catholicism with the Word of God, there are many other differences and contradictions as well.

The Roman Catholic Church teaches many doctrines that are in disagreement with what the Bible declares. These include:

Apostolic succession

Worship of saints or Mary

Prayer to saints or Mary

The pope / papacy

Infant baptism

Transubstantiation

Plenary indulgences

The sacramental system

Purgatory.

While Catholics claim Scriptural support for these concepts, none of these teachings have any solid foundation in the clear teaching of Scripture. These concepts are based on Catholic tradition, not the Word of God. In fact, they all clearly contradict Biblical principles.

…3.Are Catholics saved?

In regards to the question "Are Catholics saved?", this is a more difficult question to answer. It is impossible to give a universal statement on the salvation of all members of any denomination of Christianity. Not ALL Baptists are saved. Not ALL Presbyterians are saved. Not ALL Lutherans are saved. Salvation is determined by personal faith in Jesus alone for salvation, not by titles or denominational identification.

Despite the unbiblical beliefs and practices of the Roman Catholic Church, there are genuine believers who attend Roman Catholic churches. There are many Roman Catholics who have genuinely placed their faith in Jesus Christ alone for salvation. However, these Catholic Christians are believers despite what the Catholic Church teaches, not because of what it teaches.

To varying degrees, the Catholic Church teaches from the Bible and points people to Jesus Christ as the Savior. As a result, people are sometimes saved in Catholic churches.

The Bible has an impact whenever it is proclaimed (Isaiah 55:11).

Catholic Christians remain in the Catholic Church out of ignorance of what the Catholic Church truly stands for, out of family tradition and peer pressure, or out of a desire to reach other Catholics for Christ.…At the same time, the Catholic Church also leads many people away from a genuine faith relationship with Christ. The unbiblical beliefs and practices of the Roman Catholic Church have often given the enemies of Christ opportunity to blaspheme. The Roman Catholic Church is not the church that Jesus Christ established.

It is not a church that is based on the teachings of the Apostles (as described in the Book of Acts and the New Testament epistles).

While Jesus' words inMark 7:9 were directed towards the Pharisees, they accurately describe the Roman Catholic Church, "You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions!"

4.What does the Bible say about confession of sin to a priest?…The concept of confession of sin to a priest is nowhere taught in Scripture. First, the New Testament does not teach that there are to be priests in the New Covenant.

Instead, the New Testament teaches that all believers are priests.

1Pet. 2:5-9describes believers as a "holy priesthood" and a "royal priesthood."Rev.1:6 and 5:10both describe believers as "a kingdom and priests."

In the Old Covenant, the faithful had to approach God through the priests.

The priests were mediators between the people and God.

The priests offered sacrifices to God on behalf of the people.

That is no longer necessary. Because of Jesus' sacrifice, we can now approach God's throne with boldness (Heb. 4:16).

The temple veil tearing in two at Jesus' death was symbolic of the dividing wall between God and humanity being destroyed. We can approach God directly, ourselves, without the use of a human mediator.

Why? Because Jesus Christ is our great High Priest (Heb. 4:14-15; 10:21), and the only mediator between us and God (1 Tim. 2:5).

The New Testament teaches that there are to be elders(1 Timothy 3), deacons (1 Timothy 3), bishops(Tit. 1:6-9), and pastors(Eph. 4:11) ├ö├ç├┤ but not priests.…When it comes to confession of sin, believers are told:

1 John 1:9 to confess their sins to God. God is faithful and just to forgive our sins as we confess them to Him.

James 5:16 speaks of confessing our trespasses "to one another," but this is not the same as confessing sins to a priest as the Roman Catholic Church teaches. Priests / church leaders are nowhere mentioned in the context of James 5:16. Further, James 5:16does not link forgiveness of sinswith the confession of sins "to one another."……The Roman Catholic Church bases their practice of confession to a priest primarily on Catholic tradition.

Catholic do point to John 20:23,"If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

From this verse, Catholics claim that God gave the apostles the authority to forgive sins, and that authority was passed on to the successors of the apostles, e.g. the bishops and priests of the Roman Catholic Church. There are several problems with this interpretation.

(1) John 20:23 nowhere mentions confession of sin.

(2) John 20:23nowhere promises, or even hints, that the authority to forgive sins would be passed on to the successors of the apostles. Jesus' promise was specifically directed to the apostles.

(3) The New Testament nowhere states that the apostles would even have successors to their apostolic authority. Similarly, Catholics point to Mat.16:19 and 18:18 (binding and loosing) as evidence for the Catholic Church's authority to forgive sins. The same three above points apply equally to these Scriptures.……Again, the concept of confession of sin to a priest is nowhere taught in Scripture. We are to confess our sins to God (1John 1:9). As New Covenant believers, we do not need mediators between us and God. We can go to God directly because of Jesus' sacrifice for us.

1 Tim. 2:5, "For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus."

…5.What is the Catholic sacrament of Holy Eucharist?

For Catholics, the Holy Eucharist / Catholic Mass is considered the most important and highest form of prayer. In fact, attending Mass is an obligation, under penalty of mortal sin, each Sunday and on certain other Holy Days of Obligation. The Mass is divided into two sections, the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The Liturgy of the Word consists of two readings (one from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament), the Responsorial Psalm, the Gospel reading, the homily (or sermon), and general intercessions (also called petitions).…The center of the Mass is its second part, the Liturgy of the Holy Eucharist. During this time, Catholics share in the body and blood of Jesus in the form of the bread and wine passed out to the congregation.

According to the Bible, this is done in remembrance of Christ(1 Cor.11:23-25, cf. Luk. 22:18-20and Mat. 26:26-28). However, according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1366, “The Eucharist is thus a sacrifice because it re-presents (makes present) the sacrifice of the cross, because it is its memorial and because it applies its fruit.”

The Catechism continues in paragraph 1367:……The sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Holy Eucharist are one single sacrifice:

“The victim is one and the same: the same now offers through the ministry of priests, who then offered himself on the cross; only the manner of offering is different.”

And since 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. . . this sacrifice is truly propitiatory.”……In the book of Malachi, the prophet predicts elimination of the old sacrificial system and the institution of a new sacrifice:

Malachi 1:10-11

“I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand. For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts”.

This means that God will one day be glorified among the Gentiles, who will make pure offerings to Him in all places. The Catholics see this as the Eucharist. However, the apostle Paul seems to have a different slant on it:

Rom.12:1

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship”.

The Eucharist can only be offered in select places: Churches consecrated and blessed according to Catholic Canon Law. The idea of offering our bodies as living sacrifices fits better with the language of the prediction, which says that the sacrifices will be offered “in every place.”……The Roman Catholic Church believes that the bread and wine of the Holy Eucharist become the actual body and blood of Jesus.

They attempt to support their system of thought with passages such as

John 6:32-58 Mat.26:26 Luk.22:17-23; and 1Cor.11:24-25.

In 1551 A.D., the Counsel of Trent officially stated:

“By the consecration of the bread and wine there takes place a change of the whole substance of the bread into the substance of the body of Christ our Lord and of the whole substance of the wine into the substance of his blood. This change the holy Catholic Church has fittingly and properly called transubstantiation” (Session XIII, chapter IV; cf. canon II).

By sharing in the Eucharistic meal, the Church teaches that Catholics are fulfilling John 6:53

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.”……What does that really mean? Jesus goes on to say that

John 6:63-64

“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is of no avail. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life”.

So, if “the flesh is of no avail,” why would we have to eat Jesus’ flesh in order to have eternal life? It does not make sense, until Jesus tells us that the words He speaks are “spirit.” Jesus is saying that this is not a literal teaching, but a spiritual one. The language ties in perfectly with the aforementioned statement of the apostle Paul:

Rom.12:1

“present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship”……In Jewish thought, bread was equated with the Torah, and “eating of it” was reading and understanding the covenant of God (cf. Deut. 8:3).

For example, the apocryphal book of Sirach states ‘He who eats of me will hunger still, he who drinks of me will thirst for more; he who obeys me will not be put to shame, he who serves me will never fail.’

All this is true of the book of Most High’s covenant, the law which Moses commanded us as an inheritance for the community of Jacob” (Sirach 24:20-22). Quoting from Sirach here is not endorsing it as Scripture; it only serves to illustrate how the Jewish people thought of Mosaic Law.

It is important to understand the equating of bread with the Torah to appreciate Jesus’ real point.……In John 6, Jesus is actually telling the crowd that He is superior to the Torah

(cf. John 6:49-51), and the entire Mosaic system of Law. In the passage from Sirach, it states that those who eat of the Law will “hunger still” and “thirst for more,” the language of which is mirrored by Jesus when He says

John 6:35

“He who comes to Me will never be hungry, he who believes in Me will never be thirsty”

Jesus is not commanding people to literally eat His flesh and drink His blood, He is telling them the core of all Christian doctrine: belief in Jesus Himself

John 6:29“The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent,”, emphasis added). Therefore, the Catholic interpretation of John 6 is unbiblical.……Secondly, there is a very clear analogy in John 6 to the days of Moses and the eating of manna. In the days of Moses, manna was God's provision for food for the Israelites as they wandered in the wilderness. In John 6, however, Jesus claimed to be the true manna, the bread of heaven. With this statement Jesus claimed to be God's full provision for salvation.

Manna was God's provision of deliverance from starvation.

Jesus is God's provision of deliverance from damnation.

Just as the manna had to be consumed to preserve the lives of the Israelites, so Jesus has to be consumed (fully received by faith) for salvation to be received.……It is very clear that Jesus referred to Himself as the Bread of Life and encouraged his followers to eat of His flesh in John 6. But we do not need to conclude that Jesus was teaching what the Catholics have referred to as transubstantiation.

The Lord's Supper / Christian communion / Holy Eucharist had not been instituted yet. Jesus did not institute the Holy Eucharist / Mass / Lord’s Supper until John chapter 13.

Therefore, to read the Lord's Supper into John 6 is unwarranted. As suggested above, it is best to understand this passage in light of coming to Jesus, in faith, for salvation. When we receive Him as Savior, placing our full trust in Him, we are "consuming His flesh" and "drinking His blood." His body was broken (at His death) and His blood was shed to provide for our salvation.

1 Cor.11:26, "For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes."…Whether the Catholic definition of Holy Eucharist is a “re-sacrifice” of Christ, or a “re-offering” of Christ’s sacrifice – both concepts are unbiblical. Christ does not need to be re-sacrificed. Christ’s sacrifice does not need to be re-offered.

Heb. 7:27

Unlike the other high priests, He (Jesus) does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins ONCE for all when He offered Himself.”

Similarly, 1 Pet.3:18

For Christ died for sins ONCE for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God…”

1John 2:2Christ’s once for all death on the cross was sufficient to atone for all of our sins. Therefore, Christ’s sacrifice does not need to be re-offered. Instead we read inJohn 1:12; 3:16

Christ’s sacrifice is to be received by faith. Eating Christ’s flesh and drinking His blood are symbols of fully receiving His sacrifice on our behalf, by grace through faith.

6. What is the Catholic catechism?…A catechism is best defined as a summary of instructions through a series of questions and answers, prepared in book form, containing instruction on the religious doctrine of a Christian church. It wasn't until the 16th century, since the time of the early church fathers, that the word "catechism" was applied to these religious handbooks. The intent of these instructions is that they be used in a class environment or other means of formal instruction. The catechism of the Westminster Confession, every part of which is scripturally proven, is one such set of instructions. ……However, the catechism of the Catholic Church is not written in a question and answer format. Instead, it is a summary of the official teachings of Catholic beliefs including creeds, sacraments, commandments, and prayers divided into four parts: ……├ö├ç├│ Profession of Faith (the Apostles Creed) …├ö├ç├│ Celebration of the Christian Mystery (the Sacred Liturgy, especially the sacraments)…├ö├ç├│ Life in Christ (including The Ten Commandments in Roman Catholic theology)…├ö├ç├│ Christian Prayer (including The Lord’s Prayer) ……Also, the Catholic catechism is replete with footnotes referencing not only the Scriptures, but also the Church fathers, their ecumenical councils, and other authoritative statements, especially those delivered by the Popes. And therein lies the greatest difference between Catholicism and Protestantism. Whereas the Protestant churches cite the Bible as their sole source ofauthorityfor church doctrine, the Roman Catholic Church equates Catholic traditions with the Bible as authority for their beliefs and teachings.(see 'doctrine of the sufficiency of Scripture'page 1 above) The Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 82, reads:…". . . the Church, to whom the transmission and interpretation of Revelation is entrusted, does not derive her certainty about all revealed truths from the Holy Scriptures alone. Both Scripture and Tradition must be accepted and honored with equal sentiments of devotion and reverence."……As such, the Catholic Church relies on the authority of church tradition for their source of doctrines and teachings which are not found anywhere in the Bible. These doctrines include such controversial issues as:…├ö├ç├│ the mass …├ö├ç├│ penance …├ö├ç├│ veneration of Mary …├ö├ç├│ purgatory …├ö├ç├│ indulgences …├ö├ç├│ the priesthood …├ö├ç├│ the confessional …├ö├ç├│ the rosary …├ö├ç├│ venial and mortal sins ……Protestants assert that the Bible alone is intended by God to be the sole source of doctrinal truth (2 Tim.3:16; Rev.22:19-19).

But Roman Catholics have said: "Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture make up a single sacred deposit of the Word of God . . ." (Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 97).……The Catholic's reasoning is as follows:……├ö├ç├│ "The apostles left bishops as their successors. They gave them 'their own position of teaching authority.'" (Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 77). …├ö├ç├│ "This living transmission, accomplished through the Holy Spirit, is called tradition . . ." (Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 78). …├ö├ç├│ "Both Scripture and Tradition must be accepted and honored with equal sentiments of devotion and reverence." (Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 82). ……A classic example of this kind of thinking lies with the number of doctrines concerning Mary, the mother of Jesus. Throughout the centuries, since the close of the apostolic era (70-100 AD), Catholics have "revealed" new doctrines concerning Mary nowhere found in the Holy Scriptures, including:……├ö├ç├│ Mary is called the Mother of God – 431 A.D.…├ö├ç├│ Prayers offered to Mary – 600 A.D.…├ö├ç├│ Immaculate Conception, i.e., her sinlessness – 1854 A.D.…├ö├ç├│ Assumption of Mary – 1950 A.D.…├ö├ç├│ Mary proclaimed the Mother of the Church – 1965 A.D.……Another example is the doctrine of purgatory:…"All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation, but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven." (Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1030). Nowhere is this doctrine or teaching found in the Bible.……Additionally, though the Catholic Pope is revered as the head of the church on earth by nearly 60 million Roman Catholics, the Bible teaches us that

Mat.28:18; Col.1:81

"Jesus Christ has all authority in heaven and on earth; He is the exclusive Head of the church"……From the above teaching, we can only conclude that Catholic catechism is not biblical and, in fact, contradicts the Scriptures in many aspects. Once the teachings of man are elevated to the same level as the Word of God, error naturally follows. No man, whether priest or pope, is divine.

1 Cor.2:12-13; 2Pet.1:21

Only the Holy Scriptures, from the mouth of the Holy Spirit, are divinely inspired

No manmade teaching, including the Catholic catechism, is on the same level with the Bible.…

7. Are the seven Catholic sacraments Biblical?

difference between ordinances and sacraments?”

Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and a few of the Protestant denominations use the term “sacrament” to refer to “a sign/rite which results in God’s grace being conveyed to the individual.”

Typically, there are seven sacraments in these denominations. They are baptism, confirmation, holy communion, confession, marriage, holy orders, and the anointing of the sick.

According to the Catholic Church: "There are seven sacraments. They were instituted by Christ and given to the Church to administer.

They are necessary for salvation.

The sacraments are the vehicles of grace which they convey."

The Bible, in contrast, tells us that grace is not given through outward symbols and no ritual is "necessary for salvation." Grace is free.

Tit. 3:4-7But-"When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life." …Protestants and Evangelicals see ordinances as symbolic reenactments of the gospel message that Christ lived, died, was raised from the dead, ascended to heaven, and will someday return. Rather than requirements for salvation, ordinances are visual aids to help us better understand and appreciate what Jesus Christ accomplished for us in His redemptive work.

Ordinances are determined by three factors: they were :…instituted by Christ, …taught by the apostles…practiced by the early church.… Since baptism and communion are the only rites which qualify under these three factors, there can be only two ordinances, neither of which are requirements for salvation. ……Ordinances are generally understood to be those things Jesus told us to observe with other Christians. Regarding baptism,…Mat. 28:18-20 says, “Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.'"…As for communion, also called the Lord's Supper,…Luke 22:19says,"And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, 'This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.'" Most churches observe these two practices, but may not necessarily refer to them as ordinances.

Sacraments(taken from the Catholic Encyclopedia)are outward signs of inward grace, instituted by Christ for our sanctification".

The Roman Catholic Church teaches that while God gives grace to man without outward symbols (sacraments), He has also chosen to give grace to man through visible symbols. Because God has done this, man is foolish to not make use of this God-provided means of gaining sanctification.

In order to qualify as a sacrament, the Roman Catholic Church states that it must meet the following three criteria:

a) the external, that is a sensibly perceptibly sign of sanctifying grace,

b) the conferringof sanctifying grace,

c) the institutionby God or, more accurately, by the God-Man Jesus Christ. Thus, sacraments are not merely a symbol, but are believed to actually confersanctifying grace upon the recipient. The Roman Catholic Church believes that all of their seven sacraments were instituted by Christ Himself. There are seven Roman Catholic Sacraments, and they are as follows:…1.Baptism, which the Roman Catholic Church teaches removes original sin while infusing it with sanctifying grace.…2.Penance, in which one confesses his/her sins to a priest.…3.The Eucharist, considered the reception and consumption of the actual body and blood of Christ.…4.Confirmation, a formal acceptance into the church along with special anointing of the Holy Spirit.…5.Anointing of the sick, performed by a priest using oil, anoints the sick personÔö¼Ôöñs forehead and hands with oil; associated not only with bodily healing but with forgiveness of sins. When performed on a dying person it is called Extreme Unction (last rights, final anointing).…6.Holy Orders, the process by which men are ordained to clergy.…7.Matrimony, which provides special grace to a couple.……Following are verses commonly cited to support the Roman Catholic belief concerning the sacraments:

2 Tim.1:6

"Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.” .

John 3:5

“Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”

Tit.3:5

“not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,”

Eph. 5:26

“that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,”

John 20:23

“If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."”

James 5:15

“And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.”

Acts 8:17

“Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.”

John 6:54-55

“Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed.”……In view of the above Scriptures, it might seem by looking at those verses by themselves that indeed they do convey some benefit (such as eternal life, the forgiveness of sins, the presence of the Holy Spirit, or His power or spiritual gift of service, etc.).

However, when taken in the context of Scripture as a whole, there is no foundation for the belief that God ever intended these passages to be taken as support for rituals as a means of conveying grace. In other words the whole idea of “sacraments” that convey saving grace upon people is unbiblical.……There are two of the main sacraments that specifically are said by the Roman Catholic Church to be necessary for one to partake of in order to gain eternal life: baptism and communion. Because of the Roman Catholic Church belief that baptism is required for salvation, they maintain that it is important to baptize infants. But nowhere in Scripture can you find even a single example or command to do so. Some Roman Catholics useActs 16:33 as a possible example because it states that the Philippian jailor “and his family” were baptized. But taking this verse in context, we note two things:……(1) When the jailor asked Paul what he must do to be saved, Paul did NOT say, “believe on Jesus and be baptized and take communion.” Rather Paul said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household” (v. 31). Thus, we see that it is faith that is the ingredient necessary for salvation. It was understood that one who believed would be baptized, but baptism was not necessary for salvation. If it had, Paul would have given it more weight in his missionary journeys (1 Cor.1:14-18).……(2) We see that the “family” could not have included infants or toddlers as it states in verse 34, that the jailor had “believed in God with all his household.” Infants and toddlers cannot exercise faith in God in such a fashion.……Again and again throughout Scripture, faith, not faith PLUS baptism, is seen as the means through which one receives salvation (John 1:12 3:14-16Eph. 2:8-9Rom.3:19-26410:9-13 etc.).……Turning to communion, the Roman Catholic Church makes it clear that they takeJohn 6:54 literally when Jesus says, “unless you eat of the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.” The problem is that their belief that Jesus is speaking literally here is not in keeping with the context of the passage in which Jesus repeatedly states the importance of faith in Him and His coming atoning death for their sins (see John 6:29,35,40,47 and how they are in keeping with the whole message of the Gospel of John as stated in

John 20:31.……When one examines the remaining sacraments in context, one finds that the belief that they convey “sanctifying grace”is not in keeping with the context of the rest of the Bible. Yes, all Christians should be baptized, but baptism does not infuse us with grace.Yes, all Christians should partake of the Lord's Supper, but doing so does not confer sanctifying grace. Yes, we should confess our sins, not to a priest, but rather to God (1 John 1:9). Having a formal trainingprogram and formal acceptance into the church is a good thing to do, but it does not convey saving grace. Being approved as a church leader is an honorable thing, but it does not result in grace. Marriage is a wonderful and blessed event in the life of a couple, but it is not the means of how God graces us. Prayingfor and with a person who is dying, and being in their presence is a godly thing to do ├ö├ç├┤ but it does not add grace to your account.……All the grace we will ever need is received the moment a person trusts Jesus, by faith, as Savior (Eph. 2:8-9). The saving grace that is granted at the moment of genuine faith is the only saving grace God's Word calls on us to receive. This grace is received by faith, not by observing rituals.

So, while the seven sacraments are "good things to do" when they are understood in a Biblical context ├ö├ç├┤ the concept of the seven sacraments as "conferring sanctifying grace" is completely unbiblical.…

8. What does the Bible say about the virgin Mary?…Mary the mother of Jesus was described by God as "highly favored"(Luke 1:28). The phrase "highly favored" comes from a single Greek word, which essentially means "much grace." Mary received God's grace.……Grace is "unmerited favor," meaning something we receive despite the fact that we do not deserve it. Mary needed grace from God just as the rest of us do. Mary herself understood this fact, as she declared in Luke 1:47, ". . . and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. . ." ……Mary recognized that she needed the Savior. The Bible never says that Mary was anyone but an ordinary human whom God chose to use in an extraordinary way. Yes, Mary was a righteous woman and favored (graced) by God (Luke 1:27-28). At the same time, Mary was a sinful human being who needed Jesus Christ as her Savior, just like everyone else (Eccl.7:20Rom 3:236:231 John 1:8).……Mary did not have an "immaculate conception." The Bible doesn't suggest Mary's birth was anything but a normal human birth. Mary was a virgin when she gave birth to Jesus (Luke 1:34-38), but the idea of the perpetual virginity of Mary is unbiblical. Mat. 1:25, speaking of Joseph, declares, "But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave Him the name Jesus."……The word "until" clearly indicates that Joseph and Mary did have sexual union after Jesus was born. Joseph and Mary had several children together after Jesus was born. Jesus had four half-brothers: James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas

(Mat. 13:55). Jesus also had half-sisters, although they are not named or numbered (Mat. 13:55-56). God blessed and graced Mary by giving her several children, which in that culture was the clearest indication of God's blessing on a woman.……One time when Jesus was speaking, a woman in the crowd proclaimed,

Luke 11:27

"Blessed is the womb that bore You and the breasts at which You nursed"

There was never a better opportunity for Jesus to declare that Mary was indeed worthy of praise and adoration.

What was Jesus' response?

Luke 11:28

"On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it" To Jesus, obedience to God's Word was more important than being the woman who gave birth to the Savior. ……Nowhere in Scripture does Jesus, or anyone else, direct any praise, glory, or adoration towards Mary. Elizabeth, Mary's relative, praised Mary in Luke 1:42-44, but her praise is based on the blessing of giving birth to the Messiah. It was not based on any inherent glory in Mary.……Mary was present at the cross when Jesus died (John 19:25). Mary was also with the apostles on the day of Pentecost (Acts 1:14). However, Mary is never mentioned again after Acts chapter 1. The apostles did not give Mary a prominent role. Mary's death is not recorded in the Bible. Nothing is said about Mary ascending to heaven or having an exalted role there.

As the earthly mother of Jesus, Mary should be respected, but she is not worthy of our worship or adoration. ……The Bible nowhere indicates that Mary can hear our prayers or that she can mediate for us with God. Jesus is our only advocate and mediator in heaven(1Tim.2:25). If offered worship, adoration, or prayers, Mary would say the same as the angels: "Worship God!" (see Rev. 19:1022:9.) Mary herself sets the example for us, directing her worship, adoration, and praise to God alone:

Luke 1:46-49

"My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me – holy is His name"

9. What is the Assumption of Mary?

The Assumption of Mary (or the Assumption of the Virgin) is a doctrine which teaches that after the mother of Jesus died, she was resurrected, glorified, and taken bodily to heaven. The word assumption is taken from a Latin word meaning "to take up." The Assumption of Mary is taught by the Roman Catholic Church and, to a lesser degree, the Eastern Orthodox Church.……The doctrine of the Assumption of Mary had its beginnings in the Byzantine Empire around the 6th Century. An annual feast honoring Mary gradually grew into a commemoration of Mary's death called the Feast of Dormition ("falling asleep"). As the practice spread to the West, an emphasis was placed on Mary's resurrection, and the glorification of Mary's body as well as her soul, and the name of the feast was thereby changed to the Assumption. It is still observed on August 15, as it was in the Middle Ages. The Assumption of Mary was made an official dogma of the Roman Catholic Church in 1950 by Pope Pius XII.……The Bible does record God "assuming" both Enoch and Elijah into Heaven

(Gen. 5:24; 2Kings 2:11). Therefore, it is not impossible that God would have done the same with Mary. It is not wrong to believe that God "assumed" Mary into heaven. The problem is that there is no biblical basis for the Assumption of Mary. The Bible does not record Mary’s death or again mention Mary after Acts chapter 1. Rather, the doctrine of the Assumption is the result of lifting Mary to a position comparable to that of her Son. Some Roman Catholics go so far as to teach that Mary was resurrected on the third day, just like Jesus, and that Mary ascended into Heaven, just like Jesus. The New Testament teaches :

Luke 24:7

Jesus was resurrected on the third day and that

Acts 1:9…He ascended bodily into heaven

To assume the same thing concerning Mary is to ascribe to her some of the attributes of Christ. While the idea of the Assumption of Mary is not heretical in and of itself; in the Roman Catholic Church, the Assumption of Mary is an important step towards why Mary is venerated, worshipped, adored, and prayed to.

To teach the Assumption of Mary is a step toward making her equal to Christ, essentially proclaiming Mary's deity.

10. What is the immaculate conception…Many people mistakenly believe that the immaculate conception refers to the conception of Jesus Christ. Jesus' conception was most assuredly immaculate├ö├ç┬¬but this concept does not refer to Jesus at all. The immaculate conception is a doctrine of the Romans Catholic Church in regards to Mary, Jesus' mother.

An official statement of the doctrine reads, "the blessed Virgin Mary to have been, from the first instant of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of Almighty God, in view of the merits of Christ Jesus the Savior of Mankind, preserved free from all stain of original sin."

Essentially the immaculate conception is the belief that Mary was protected from original sin, that Mary did not have a sin nature, and was, in fact, sinless.……The problem with the doctrine of the immaculate conception is that it is not taught in the Bible.

The Bible nowhere describes Mary as anything but an ordinary human female whom God chose to be the mother of the Lord Jesus Christ. Mary was undoubtedly a godly woman (Luke 1:28). Mary was surely a wonderful wife and mother. Jesus definitely loved and cherished His mother (John 19:27). The Bible gives us no reason to believe that Mary was sinless. In fact, the Bible gives us every reason to believe that Jesus Christ is the only Person who was not "infected" by sin and never committed a sin (Eccl. 1:20Rom.3:232 Cor.5:211 Pet. 2:221 John 3:5).……The doctrine of the immaculate conception originated out of confusion over how Jesus Christ could be born sinless if He was conceived inside of a sinful human female. The thought was that Jesus would have inherited a sinful nature from Mary had she been a sinner. In contrast to the immaculate conception, the Biblical solution to this problem is understanding that Jesus Himself was miraculously protected from being polluted by sin while He was inside Mary’s womb.If God was capable of protecting Mary from sin, would He not be able to protect Jesus from sin? Therefore, Mary being sinless is neither necessary or Biblical.……The Roman Catholic Church argues that the immaculate conception is necessary because without it, Jesus would have been the object of His own grace. The thought goes like this ├ö├ç├┤ for Jesus to have been miraculously preserved from sin, which itself would be an act of grace, that would mean God essentially "graced Himself." The word grace means "unmerited favor." Grace is giving someone something he or she does not deserve. God performing a miracle in preserving Jesus from sin is not "grace." In no sense could Jesus possibly be infected with sin. He was perfect and sinless humanity joined with sinless divinity. God cannot be infected or affected by sin, as He is perfectly holy. This same truth applies to Jesus. It did not take "grace" to protect Jesus from sin. Being God incarnate, Jesus was in His essence "immune" from sin.……So, the doctrine of the immaculate conception is neither Biblical or necessary. Jesus was miraculously conceived inside Mary, who was a virgin at the time. That is the Biblical concept of the virgin birth. The Bible does not even hint that there was anything significant about Mary's conception. If we examine this concept logically, Mary's mother would have to be immaculately conceived as well. How could Mary be conceived without sin if her mother was sinful? The same would have to be said of Mary's grandmother, great-grandmother, and so on. So, in conclusion, the immaculate conception is not a Biblical teaching.

The Bible teaches the miraculous virgin conception of Jesus Christ, not the immaculate conception of Mary.

11. Is prayer to saints / Mary Biblical?…The issue of Catholics praying to saints is one that is full of confusion. It is the official position of the Roman Catholic Church that Catholics do notpray to saints or Mary, but rather that Catholics can ask saints or Mary topray forthem. The official position of the Roman Catholic Church is that asking saints for their prayers is no different than asking someone here on earth to pray for you. However, the practice of many Catholics diverges from official Roman Catholic teaching. Many Catholics do in fact pray directly to saints and/or Mary, asking them for help ├ö├ç├┤ instead of asking the saints and/or Mary to intercede with God for help. Whatever the case, whether a saint or Mary is being prayed to, or asked to pray, neither practice has any Biblical basis.……The Bible nowhere instructs believers in Christ to pray to anyone other than God. The Bible nowhere encourages, or even mentions, believers asking individuals in Heaven for their prayers.

Why, then, do many Catholic pray to Mary and/or the saints, or request their prayers? Catholics view Mary and saints as “intercessors” before God. They believe that a saint, who is glorified in Heaven, has more “direct access” to God than we do. Therefore, if a saint delivers a prayer to God, it is more effective than us praying to God directly.

This concept is blatantly unbiblical.

Heb. 4:16

we, believers here on earth, can “…approach the throne of grace with confidence…”…1 Tim.2:5 declares, “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”

There is no one else that can mediate with God for us. If Jesus is the ONLY mediator, that indicates Mary and saints cannot be mediators. They cannot mediate our prayer requests to God. Further, the Bible tells us that Jesus Christ Himself is interceding for us before the Father

Heb.7:25

“Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them”

With Jesus Himself interceding for us, why would we need Mary or the saints to intercede for us?

Who would God listen to more closely than His Son?

Rom.8:26-27 describes the Holy Spirit interceding for us.

With the 2nd and 3rd members of the Trinity already interceding for us before the Father in Heaven, what possible need could there be to have Mary or the saints interceding for us?……Catholics argue that praying to Mary and the saints is no different than asking someone here on earth to pray for you. Let us examine that claim. …1.The Apostle Paul asks other Christians to pray for him in Eph. 6:19. Many Scriptures describe believers praying for one another (2 Cor.1:11Eph. 1:16Phil.1:19 2 Tim.1:3). The Bible nowhere mentions anyone asking for someone in Heaven to pray for them. The Bible nowhere describes anyone in Heaven praying for anyone on earth.

2. The Bible gives absolutely no indication that Mary or the saints can hear our prayers. Mary and the saints are not omniscient. Even glorified in Heaven, they are still finite beings with limitations. How could they possibly hear the prayers of millions of people? Whenever the Bible mentions praying to or speaking with the dead, it is in the context of sorcery, witchcraft, necromancy, and divination – activities the Bible strongly condemns (Lev. 20:27Deut. 18:10-13). The one instance when a “saint” is spoken to, Samuel in 1 Sam. 28:7-19, Samuel was not exactly happy to be disturbed. It is plainly clear that praying to Mary or the saints is completely different from asking someone here on earth to pray for you. One has a strong Biblical basis, the other has no Biblical basis whatsoever.……God does not answer prayers based on who is praying. God answers prayers based on whether they are asked according to His will ( 1 John 5:14-15). There is absolutely no basis or need to pray to anyone other than God alone. There is no basis for asking those who are in Heaven to pray for us. Only God can hear our prayers. Only God can answer our prayers. No one in Heaven has any greater access to God’s throne that we do through prayer (Heb. 4:16).

12. Is worship of saints / Mary biblical?…The Bible is absolutely clear that we are to worship God alone. The only instances of anyone other than God receiving worship in the Bible are false gods, which are Satan and his demons. All followers of the Lord God refuse worship. Peter and the apostles refused to be worshipped (Acts 10:25-2614:13-14). The holy angels refuse to be worshipped ( Rev. 19:10 22:9). The response is always the same, “Worship God!”……Roman Catholics attempt to “bypass” these clear Scriptural principles by claiming they do not "worship" Mary or saints, but rather that they only “venerate” Mary and the saints. Using a different word does not change the essence of what is being done. A definition of “venerate” is “to regard with respect or reverence.”(eerbiedig of vereer) .Nowhere in the Bible are we told to revere anyone but God alone. There is nothing wrong with respecting those faithful Christians who have gone before us (see Hebrews chapter 11). There is nothing wrong with honoring Mary as the earthly mother of Jesus. The Bible describes Mary as “highly favored” by God (Luke 1:28). At the same time, there is no instruction in the Bible to revere those whom have gone to Heaven. We are to follow their example, yes, but worship, revere, or venerate, no!……When forced to admit that they do, in fact, worship Mary, Catholics will claim that they worship God through her, by praising the wonderful creation that God has made. Mary, in their minds, is the most beautiful and wonderful creation of God, and by praising her, they are praising her Creator. For Catholics, this is analogous to directing praise to an artist by praising his sculpture or painting. The problem with this is that God explicitly commands against worshipping Him through created things. We are not to bow down and worship anything in the form of heaven above or earth below,scripturecould not be more clear,

Ex. 20:4-5 Rom. 1:25

“They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator – who is forever praised. Amen.”

Yes, God has created wonderful and amazing things. Yes, Mary was a godly woman who is worthy of our respect. No, we absolutely are not to worship God “vicariously” by praising things (or people) He has created. Doing so is blatant idolatry.……The major way Catholics “venerate” Mary and the saints is by praying to them. As the previous article demonstrates, prayer to anyone other than God alone is anti-Biblical, neither practice is Biblical. Prayer is an act of worship. When we pray to God, we are admitting that we need His help. Directing our prayers to anyone other than God is robbing God of the glory that is His alone.……Another way Catholics “venerate” Mary and the saints is by creating statues and images of them. Many Catholics use images of Mary and/or the saints as “good luck charms.” Any cursory reading of the Bible will reveal this practice as blatant idolatry (Ex. 20:4-61 Cor.12:121John 5:21).

Rubbing rosary beads is idolatry. Lighting candles before a statue or portrayal of a saint is idolatry. Burying a Joseph statue in hopes of selling your home (and countless other Catholic practices) is idolatry.……The terminology is not the issue. Whether the practice is described as “worship” or “veneration,” or any other term, the problem is the same. Any time we ascribe something that belongs to God, to someone else, it is idolatry.

The Bible nowhere instructs us to revere, pray to, rely on, or “idolize” anyone other than God. We are to worship God alone. Glory, praise, and honor belong to God alone. Only God is worthy to “…receive glory and honor and power…”(Rev.4:11).

Nehemiah 9:6 ;Rev 15:4

God alone is worthy to receive our worship, adoration, and praise.……13. Is the perpetual virginity of Mary biblical?…It is the official position of the Roman Catholic Church that Jesus’ mother Mary remained a virgin for her entire life. Is this concept biblical? Before we get into looking at specific Scriptures, it is important to understand why the Roman Catholic Church believes in the perpetual virginity of Mary. The Roman Catholic Church views Mary as “the Mother of God” and “Queen of Heaven.”Catholics believe Mary to have an exalted place in Heaven, with the closest access to Jesus and God the Father. Such a concept is nowhere taught in Scripture. Further, even if Mary did occupy such an exalted position, her having sexual intercourse would not have prevented her from gaining such a position. Sex in marriage is not sinful. Mary would have in no way defiled herself by having sexual relations with Joseph her husband. The entire concept of the perpetual virginity of Mary is based on an unbiblical teaching, Mary as Queen of Heaven, and on an unbiblical understanding of sex.……So, what does the Bible say about the perpetual virginity of Mary? Using the New American Bible, which is a Catholic translation of the Bible, we can see that the perpetual virginity of Mary is not taught in the Bible.

Mat. 1:25 NAB tells us, “He had no relations with her until she bore a son, and he named him Jesus.”

He, Joseph, did not have sexual relations with her, Mary, UNTIL after she bore a son, Jesus.” The meaning of this Scripture is abundantly clear. Joseph and Mary did not have sexual relations until after Jesus was born.

Math. 13:55-56 NAB declares,

“Is He not the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother named Mary and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? Are not His sisters all with us?”

Catholics claim, correctly, that the Greek terms from “brothers” and “sisters” in these verses could also refer to male and female relatives, not necessarily literal brothers and sisters. However, the intended meaning is clear, they thought Jesus to be Joseph’s son, the son of Mary, and the brother of James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas, and the brother of the unnamed and unnumbered sisters. Father, mother, brother, sister. It is straining the meaning of the text to interpret brothers and sisters as “cousins” or “relatives” with the mentioning of Jesus’ mother and father.…Mat. 12:46 NAB tells us,

“While He was still speaking to the crowds, His mother and His brothers appeared outside, wishing to speak with Him.”

See also

Mark 3:31-34Luk. 8:19-21 John 2:12; and Acts 1:14. All mention Jesus’ mother with His brothers. If they were His cousins, or the sons of Joseph from a previous marriage, why were they mentioned with Mary so often? The perpetual virginity of Mary cannot be drawn from Scripture. It must be forced on Scripture, in contradiction to what the Scriptures clearly state.…

14. “Is praying the rosary Scriptural?”……While much of what the prayer of the rosary contains is scriptural, the whole second half of the "Hail Mary" and portions of the "Hail, Holy Queen" are blatantly unbiblical. While the first part of the Hail Mary is almost a direct quotation from Luke 1:28, there is no scriptural basis for

(1) praying to Mary now,

(2) addressing her as "holy" Mary, or …(3) calling her "our life" and "our hope." …Is it right to call Mary "holy," by which the Catholic Church means that Mary never sinned nor had any taint of original sin?

The believers in the Bible were called "saints," which can be interpreted as "set-apart ones" or "holy ones," but the understanding of Scripture is that the righteousness that believers in Christ have is an imparted righteousness from Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21)and that while in this life, they are not yet sanctified from sin in practice (1 John 1:9-2:1).

Jesus is called our Savior repeatedly in Scripture because He saved us from our sin. In Luke 1:47, Mary calls God her "Savior." Savior from what? A sinless person does not need a Savior. Sinners need a Savior. Mary acknowledged that God was her Savior. Therefore, Mary was acknowledging that she was a sinner.……Jesus said that He came to save us from our sins (Matthew 1:21).

The Roman Catholic Church claims that Mary was saved from sin differently from everyone else–that she was saved from sin through the immaculate conception (her being conceived free of sin). But is this teaching scriptural? The Roman Catholic Church openly admits that this teaching is not found in Scripture. When a young man addressed Jesus as "good Master" (Matthew 19:16-17),

Jesus asks why he calls Him "good" since there is none good but one, God. Jesus was not denying His own deity, He was trying to make the young man aware that he was using the term too loosely without thinking about what he was saying. But Jesus' point is still valid or He would not have said it–there is none good but God. This excludes all but God, including Mary! This ties in with Romans 3:10-23; Romans 5:12 and countless other passages that stress the fact that in God's eyes no one measures up. Never is Mary ever excluded from such all-encompassing statements! ……What of the question of praying to Mary or to anyone else besides God? We are never told in the Bible whether anyone else in heaven can even hear us. We do know that God alone is all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-present. Even the angels, with whatever great abilities they may have, seem to have their limitations and can't always make it to help us as they might like

(Daniel 10:10-14).

When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He gave them what is commonly called the "Our Father." He teaches us to address our prayer to God. Whenever prayer is addressed to anyone, it is done to God! Never can you find a single example of someone praying to any "saint" or angel or anyone else (besides prayers to false gods). Further, any time that any pious person prostrates himself (in a religious setting) to honor someone else besides God (chiefly to the apostles or angels), he is told to get up, to stop it (Acts 10:25-26; Acts 14:13-16; Matthew 4:10; Revelation19:10; Revelation 22:8-9).

The Roman Catholic Church states that it worships God alone but that it "venerates" Mary and the saints. What is the difference? A person praying the rosary spends more time calling out to Mary than to God!

For every one praise of God in the rosary, there are 10 praises of Mary!…The Bible states that Jesus is our Redeemer (Galatians 3:13; 4:4-5; Titus 2:14; 1 Peter 1:18-19; Revelation 5:9).

The "Hail, Holy Queen" calls Mary our "most gracious advocate," but the Bible calls Jesus our Advocate to the Father (1 John 2:1)and our one Mediator

(1 Timothy 2:5).

The only time in Scripture that the title "Queen of Heaven" is found it is in a negative way (Jeremiah 7:17-19; 44:16-27).

The whole of Scripture teaches us to pray to God alone. Never once can you find an example or admonition to pray to anyone else! The only basis for the idea of getting to God through Mary is the biblical story of Mary coming to Jesus to ask for his help at a wedding feast (John 2).

But in light of all of the other verses, including Jesus' own instruction on how we are to pray, is it taking this passage in context to use it to teach that we ought to continue to go through Mary to get to God?……Likewise, is it appropriate to call Mary our "life" and "hope"? Again, these are terms that are used of God alone in Scripture, particularly God the Son, Jesus Christ (John 1:1-14; Colossians 3:4; 1 Timothy 1:1Ephesians 2:12; Titus 2:13). Thus, the practice of saying the rosary goes contrary to Scripture in a number of ways. Only God can hear our prayers. Only God can answer our prayers. The Bible nowhere instructs Christians to pray through intermediaries, or to petition saints or Mary (in Heaven) for their prayers.

15. What is transubstantiation ?

Transubstantiation is a doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church. The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines this doctrine in section 1376:…“The Council of Trent summarizes the Catholic faith by declaring:

‘Because Christ our Redeemer said that it was truly his body that he was offering under the species of bread, it has always been the conviction of the Church of God, and this holy Council now declares again, that by the consecration of the bread and wine there takes place a change of the whole substance of the bread into the substance of the body of Christ our Lord and of the whole substance of the wine into the substance of his blood. This change the holy Catholic Church has fittingly and properly called transubstantiation.“…In other words, the Roman Catholic Church teaches that once an ordained priest blesses the breadof the Lord’s Supper, it is transformedinto the actual flesh of Christ(though it retains the appearance, odor,and taste of bread); and when he blessesthe wine, it is transformed into the actualblood of Christ (though it retains the appearance, odor, and taste of wine).

Is such a concept Biblical? There are some Scriptures that if interpreted strictly literally would lead to the "real presence" of Christ in the bread and wine. Examples are John 6:32-58Mat. 26:26Luke 22:17-23; and 1 Cor. 11:24-25. The passage pointed to most frequently is John 6:32-58 and especially verses 53-57, "Jesus said to them, 'I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life ├ö├ç┬¬ For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him ├ö├ç┬¬ so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.'"……Roman Catholics interpret this passage literally, and apply its message to the Lord's Supper, which they title the "Eucharist" or "Mass." Those who reject the idea of transubstantiation interpret Jesus' words in John 6:53-57 figuratively or symbolically. How can we know which interpretation is correct?

Thankfully, Jesus made it exceedingly obvious what He meant. …John 6:63…"The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life." …Jesus specifically stated that His words are "spirit." Jesus was using physical concepts, eating and drinking, to teach spiritual truth. Just as consuming physical food and drink sustains our physical bodies, so are our spiritual lives saved and built up by spiritually receiving Him, by grace through faith. Eating Jesus' flesh and drinking His blood are symbols of fully and completely receiving Him in our lives.…The Scriptures declare that the Lord’s Supper is a memorialto the body and blood of Christ (Luke 22:19 1Cor, 11:24-25),not the actual consumption of His physical body and blood.When Jesus was speaking in John chapter 6, Jesus had not yet had the Last Supper with His disciples, in which He instituted the Lord's Supper. To read the Lord's Supper/Christian Communion back into John chapter 6 is unwarranted (See the Lord's Supper below).

The most serious reason transubstantiation should be rejected is because it is viewed by the Roman Catholic Church as a “re-sacrifice“ of Jesus Christ for our sins, or as a "re-offering / re-presentation" of His sacrifice. …This is directly in contradiction to what Scripture says, that Jesus died “once for all“ and does not need to be sacrificed again …Heb. 10:101 Pet, 3:18). Heb. 7:27…“Unlike the other high priests, He (Jesus) does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins ONCE for all when He offered Himself.”

“What is the importance of the Lord’s supper / Christian Communion?”…A study of the Lord's Supper is a soul-stirring experience because of the depth of meaning it contains. It was during the age-old celebration of the Passover on the eve of His death that Jesus instituted a significant new fellowship meal that we observe to this day. It is an integral part of Christian worship. It causes us to remember our Lord's death and resurrection and to look for His glorious return in the future.……The Passover was the most sacred feast of the Jewish religious year. It commemorated the final plague on Egypt when the firstborn of the Egyptians died and the Israelites were spared because of the blood of a lamb that was sprinkled on their doorposts. The lamb was then roasted and eaten with unleavened bread. God's command was that throughout the generations to come the feast would be celebrated. The story is recorded in Exodus 12.……During the Last Supper-a Passover celebration-Jesus took a loaf of bread and gave thanks to God. As He broke it and gave it to His disciples, He said,

Luke 22:19-21

"'This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.' In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you'"

He concluded the feast by singing a hymn …Mat. 26:30…and they went out into the night to the Mount of Olives. It was there that Jesus was betrayed, as predicted, by Judas. The following day He was crucified.……The accounts of the Lord's Supper are found in the Gospels (Mat. 26:26-29Mark 14:17-25Luke 22:7-22; and John 13:21-30).

The apostle Paul wrote concerning the Lord's Supper in1 Cor. 11:23-29.

Paul includes a statement not found in the Gospels:

1 Cor. 11:27-29…"Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself"

We may ask what it means to partake of the bread and the cup "in an unworthy manner." It may mean to disregard the true meaning of the bread and cup and to forget the tremendous price our Savior paid for our salvation. Or it may mean to allow the ceremony to become a dead and formal ritual or to come to the Lord's Supper with unconfessed sin. In keeping with Paul's instruction, we should examine ourselves before eating the bread and drinking the cup.…Another statement Paul made that is not included in the gospel accounts is…1 Cor. 11:26…"For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes"

This places a time limit on the ceremony-until our Lord's return. From these brief accounts we learn how Jesus used two of the frailest of elements as symbols of His body and blood and initiated them to be a monument to His death. It was not a monument of carved marble or molded brass, but of bread and wine.……He declared that the bread spoke of His body which would be broken. There was not a broken bone, but His body was so badly tortured that it was hardly recognizable (Ps. 22:12-17Isaiah 53:4-7).

The wine spoke of His blood, indicating the terrible death He would soon experience. He, the perfect Son of God, became the fulfillment of the countless Old Testament prophecies concerning a Redeemer (Gen.3:15;Psalm 22;Isaiah 53).

When He said, "Do this in remembrance of me," He indicated this was a ceremony that must be continued in the future. It indicated also that the Passover, which required the death of a lamb and looked forward to the coming of the Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world, was fulfilled in the Lord's Supper. The New Covenant replaced the Old Covenant when Christ, the Passover Lamb (1 Cor. 5:7),

was sacrificed (Heb. 8:8-13).

The sacrificial system was no longer needed (Heb. 9:25-28).

The Lord's Supper/Christian Communion is a remembrance of what Christ did for us and a celebration of what we receive as a result of His sacrifice.

16. What is consubstantiation?

Consubstantiation is the view that the bread and wine of Communion / the Lord’s Supper are spiritually the flesh and blood of Jesus, but yet the bread and wine are still actually only bread and wine. In this way, it is different from transubstantiation where the bread and the wine are believed to actually become the body and blood of Jesus. Transubstantiation is a Roman Catholic dogma that stretches back to the earliest years of the Church, while consubstantiation is relatively new, arising out of the Protestant Reformation. Consubstantiation essentially teaches that Jesus is “with, in, and under” the bread and wine, but is not literally the bread and wine.……Martin Luther, the founder of the Protestant Reformation, was a Roman Catholic priest who was fed up with the abuses of the Roman Catholic Church and wanted to reform the Church so it could once again return to its original roots. As such, he learned all about the doctrine of transubstantiation in his theological training, and it made up part of his belief system because, as a priest, he celebrated the Mass many times and the dogma of transubstantiation is central to the Roman Catholic mass.……Thus when the Reformation started as a backlash to the Roman Catholic abuses (such as the sale of indulgences), and the reform movement was summarily denounced by the Church, the leaders of the Reformation were largely Roman Catholic believers who were now without a church since they had been excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church. Thus was born the climate in which the elements of the mass, the bread and the wine, could be examined in a scriptural light. So instead of transubstantiation, a doctrine that must be taken on faith alone since no apparent change is present in the bread and wine, the doctrine of consubstantiation was formulated to explain what happened to the bread and wine and why there was no real physical change to these basic elements.……The change from Trans- to Con- is the key to seeing the bread and wine as the body and blood of Jesus. The prefix Trans- says that a change took place, the bread actually became the body of Jesus and the wine actually became the blood of Jesus. The prefix Con- says that the bread does not become the body of Jesus but co-exists with the physical bread so that the bread is both a bread and the body of Jesus. The same thing is true of the wine. It does not become the blood of Jesus, but co-exists with the wine so that the wine is both wine and the blood of Jesus.……In this way, the make-up of the host central to the worship service approaches reality since the physical property of the bread and wine do not change, the bread tastes like unleavened bread, not flesh and the wine tastes like wine, not blood. However, these two essential elements, the flesh and the blood, remain as co-existing elements with the bread and wine so that the teaching of Jesus, in Mat. 26:26-28 andMark 14:22-24, can be properly observed.

Consubstantiation is held by some Eastern Orthodox churches, and some other liturgical Christian denominations (Episcopal and Lutheran as examples). Even among these groups, consubstantiation is not universally accepted.

17. Is the Catholic concept of absolution biblical?…One common definition of absolution is "the formal remission of sin imparted by a priest, as in the sacrament of penance."

The Roman Catholic Church centers its teaching on the need for absolution, and the priest's role in obtaining that forgiveness, on a single passage in the Gospel of John.…John 20:23…"If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; If you retain the sins of any, they are retained"

But does this passage teach the necessity of the Catholic practice of absolution? Does the Bible speak of or condone the practice of absolution? ……Regarding the forgiveness of sins, the Bible is very clear that God alone can forgive sins (Mark 2:7Luke 5:21), and Christ, being God, has the power to do so, but He never communicated any such power to His apostles, nor did they ever assume any such power to themselves, or pretend to exercise it. In fact, it is the mark of antichrist to attempt anything of the kind because, in doing so, he usurps the divine prerogative and places himself in God's seat. Rather, this passage is to be understood only in a doctrinal, or ministerial way, by preaching the full and free remission of sins through the blood of Christ, according to the riches of God’s grace. To as many as repent of their sins and believe in Christ, all disciples of Christ can confidently declare that all their sins are forgiven for Christ’s sake and to His glory.……In John 20:23, Jesus is speaking directly to His disciples. It is important to note here that He is not just talking to the 11 Apostles but also to other followers of Jesus called disciples(see Luke 24), as well as to all who would ever follow Him.This is important because the Catholic Church holds that only their priests (through a "passing of the absolution torch" called apostolic succession) have the authority to grant absolution.……If absolution from sin is the meaning of Jesus' words in John 20:23, then we must ponder exactly what His intention was when He gave His followers authority to forgive sin (or not). Did He make them judges and invest in them power to pass judiciary sentence, granting or withholding divine pardon, as the Catholic Church teaches? Or did Jesus make them His ambassadors to proclaim forgiveness through faith in His name, as Christians believe? In other words, can a sinner receive forgiveness directly from God through faith, or must he avail himself of the Catholic priest's mediation? The Bible is very clear: no priest is needed to mediate between God and man,…1 Tim. 2:5…"For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. The Catholic teaching of absolution is not scriptural.

18.Is it wrong for Catholics to refer to their priests as father’?…It would be confusing for God to give the fifth commandment in …Ex. 20:12…“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you" and then later in the Bible to restrict us from calling our earthly father "father." Matth. 23:9 states, "And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and He is in heaven"(Matth. 23:9). The context ofMatth. 23:9tells us that referring to your biological father as "father" is not what Jesus is speaking about.…InMatth. 23:1-12, Jesus is denouncing the Jewish scribes and Pharisees for rejecting Him as their Messiah, in particular for their hypocrisy in elevating themselves above others with titles such as "teacher" and "master." The Jewish teachers affected that title because they supposed that a teacher formed the man, or gave him real life, and they sought, therefore, to be called "father," as if they were the source of truth rather than God. Christ taught them that the source of all life and truth was God, and they ought not to seek or receive a title which properly belongs to Him.……This denunciation is equally relevant for today. In no way should any person look up to, follow, or elevate a human leader in any religious or church organization above Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Head of the Church, His body, and our one and only Master and Teacher. He alone is the author of our salvation, source of comfort in difficulties and strength to live the Christian life, and the only One to whom our prayers should be directed. ……Roman Catholics call their priests "father" and the pope is called "the holy father." This is clearly unbiblical. The priest as "father" is problematic. Catholic priests are doing precisely what Matth 23:9 condemns by allowing the term "father" in a spiritual sense be applied to them. In no sense is a priest or pastor a "spiritual father" to a Christian. Only God can cause a person to receive "spiritual birth," therefore, only God is worthy of the title of "Father" in a spiritual sense.……In the case of the "holy father," there is no doubt this is decidedly unbiblical. No man can take on the title of "holy" anything, because only God is holy. This title gives the pope a status that is never intended for any man on earth. Even the Apostle Paul referred to himself as the chief of sinners(1 Tim. 1:15) and cried out "Who will deliver me from this body of death?"(Rom. 7:14). Clearly, Paul made no claim to holiness. Although as Christians we have exchanged our sin for the righteousness of Christ (2 Cor. 5:21), holiness will not be attained until we are in heaven and have left the last vestiges of our sin natures behind. Until then, the pope has no more holiness than the average Christian and is not entitled to be called "holy father."……But there is no reason not to call our earthly parents "father" and "mother" because in doing so we are not giving them an elevated title or position that belongs to God. Our earthly parents are worthy of honor, not just on one special day of the year (Father's Day, Mother's Day), but we are to honor our parents daily in the spirit of Ex. 20:12, Matth. 15:4, and Eph. 6:1-3.……19.Does the Bible support the Catholic practice of a marriage annulment?

Within the Catholic Church, the seven sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation, Anointing of the Sick, Reconciliation (Penance), Matrimony, and Holy Orders are considered the outward showing of inner grace, instituted by Christ. They are the very components of salvation as the Roman Catholic Church teaches it. The Catholic Church teaches that the sacraments themselves-in their view the foundation of salvation-cannot be tossed aside easily. Only if the sacrament was not lawful from the moment it was conferred can it be renounced. In recognition of the fact that that may happen from time to time, the Catholic Church has created the annulment process, which will declare a sacrament invalid from the very beginning.……An annulment is properly referred to as a Declaration of Nullity. Though it can be applied to any of the seven sacraments, it is most often sought for Matrimony. Since the Catholic Church holds that a married couple cannot divorce for any reason whatsoever, a divorce is not recognized by the Catholic Church as a valid end to a marriage. It then follows that a Catholic priest will not marry those individuals who were divorced, even if the divorce occurred prior to accepting Christ or joining the Catholic Church, even if the divorce occurred before the divorcee truly understood the spiritual and temporal consequences.……When issued, an annulment does not end the effects conferred by the sacrament. The annulment declares that the sacrament in question was not valid from the start, and the recipient is treated as though he or she never actually received the sacrament. That does not mean that children from the marriage are now considered born out of wedlock or that the ex-spouses committed any sort of fornication. It means that the receipt of the sacrament was somehow flawed.……Annulments are granted for a variety of reasons by the Catholic Church. The most common reasons presented to tribunals are a lack of due discretion, defective consent, and psychological incapacity. Some annulments are for minor technicalities and rarely involve more than filling out the correct forms; for example, if one of the parties had a prior bond (was married in the Catholic sense of the word) at the time of the wedding. There is also defect of form, which includes marriages performed by a non-Catholic minister or weddings held outside of a Catholic Church. More than half of all the annulments granted are for defect of form.……But is the Catholic concept of annulment a biblical concept? In regards to marriage being a sacrament, please read the article on the seven Catholic sacraments. The Roman Catholic concept of marriage as a sacrament is itself unbiblical. This puts the concept of an annulment on shaky ground to begin with. Catholic doctrine is based upon both Scripture and Church tradition.…Based upon Jesus’ words, “What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate” (Mat.19:6, Mark 10:9) and upon the Church tradition that receiving a sacrament creates an undeletable mark upon the soul of the recipient, the Church teaches that a marriage CANNOT end.

The Church does not ignore Mat. 5:32 and 19:9 that allow divorce only in the case of the adultery of the other party. No, the way this is handled is much more disturbing. According to the New American Bible (NAB), a Catholic Bible translation, Mat. 5:32 and 19:9 read thus: “whoever divorces his wife (UNLESS THE MARRIAGE IS UNLAWFUL) causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”

The concept of an “unlawful marriage” in the NAB is translated as either “(marital) unfaithfulness,” “adultery,” or “fornication” in the every other major Bible translation. There does not seem to be any textual basis for the NAB’s choice of words, except to support the Catholic Church’s own doctrine.……Although Jesus taught that divorce was only written into the Law because of human stubbornness (Mat. 19:8)

that the original intent of God was for the spouses to never separate (Gen. 2:24)

He makes the exception in cases of sexual immorality/marital unfaithfulness. The Catholic Church’s teaching of marriage does not ignore this fact; rather, it mistranslates Scripture to support its own unbiblical teaching of marriage as unending, and then creates the annulment process to allow a Catholic-sanctioned way to end said marriage by declaring it invalid. The annulment process is unbiblical in the sense that Jesus only allowed for sexual immorality/marital unfaithfulness as the basis for ending a marriage, and the annulment process allows for many, many reasons, but not for the one reason Jesus mentioned. The Catholic Church does not accept the only biblical reason for divorce as valid and, in fact, creates a new list of unbiblical reasons for a marriage to end.……The Roman Catholic Church's practice of annulment is not biblical. It is founded on an unbiblical concept, that of the sacraments conferring grace. It is essentially an "escape" from what the Bible defines as a marriage. It ignores what the Bible does say about marriage, divorce, and marital unfaithfulness. Essentially, the Catholic practice of marriage annulment is an unbiblical way to escape from a doctrine that is itself unbiblical.

20. What is extreme unction / last rites?

The Roman Catholic sacrament of anointing of the sick or Extreme Unction is performed on a seriously ill person for spiritual and physical strength, or when a person close to death as preparation for heaven. The priest anoints the sick person with oil and prays over them. When combined with confession and the Eucharist, it is called "Last Rites." At one time it was reserved for those extremely ill and thought close to death. The Roman Catholic Church has been seeking to make it clear that it is not just for those near death. The Roman Catholic Church states that this sacrament can be repeatedly used during the long course of an ongoing illness and that it should be used before serious surgery when a dangerous illness is the reason for the surgery. It can also be requested for those who are unconscious or who have lost the use of reason if they would have asked for it were they in control of their faculties.……The Roman Catholic Church states that the biblical basis for the sacrament is the following passage: “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:13-16) The Roman Catholic Church also cites…Mark 6:13(“And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them”) as the first allusion to the sacrament of the anointing of the sick. And while the Roman Catholic Church sees it as the responsibility of every Christian to care for the sick, it states that Christ charged …cf. James 5:14…"His priests to anoint the sick while praying over them in a sacramental gesture that would be more properly a deed of His own personal care" ……The Roman Catholic Church teaches that…"Sacraments are outward signs of inward grace, instituted by Christ for our sanctification" (taken from the Catholic Encyclopedia).

The Roman Catholic Church teaches that while God gives grace to man without outward symbols (sacraments), He has also chosen to give grace to man through visible symbols, and that because He has, man is foolish to not make use of this God-provided means of gaining sanctification. In order to qualify as a sacrament, the Roman Catholic Church states that it must meet the following three criteria: a) the external, that is a sensibly perceptibly sign of sanctifying grace:

b) the conferring of sanctifying grace:

c) the institution by God or, more accurately, by the God-Man Jesus Christ.” Thus, sacraments are not merely a symbol, but are believed to actually confer sanctifying grace upon the recipient.……But when one examines the biblical passages that the Roman Catholic Church uses to validate their sacraments, one finds that the belief that they convey “sanctifying grace” is not in keeping with the context of the rest of the Bible. Underlying the whole foundation of its sacraments, the Roman Catholic Church teaches that it’s priesthood is capable of exercising the sacraments in order to dispense the sanctifying grace, and yet the only priesthood mentioned for New Testament times is the priesthood of all believers (1 Pet. 2:9).

So even this core doctrine (of the Roman Catholic Church priesthood) necessary for their sacramental system is unfounded in Scripture.……Most evangelical churches would see the "anointing with oil" as the "rubbing in" or application of olive oil, used at that time as a healing salve. Thus, this passage would encourage the combining of prayer with the current medical treatment appropriate to the illness. Typically evangelical churches will have their elders (who represent the congregation) come and pray with the ill person while that ill person also seeks the use of modern medicine. And at times, in answer to prayer, God is gracious and grants a healing. Also, James 5:16 would seem to imply that the illness may sometimes be the result of a chastening sent by God because of sin. As that sin is confessed and forsaken, the need for His chastening is removed and healing is granted. 1 Cor. 11:30 is often cited as an example illness being used as a chastening of God for sin in the life of a Christian.……Salvation is not determined by confessing all sins the moment before death. Salvation is not determined by "extreme unction," being anointed and prayed over by a priest. Salvation is determined by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (John 3:16).

Thankfully, God allows for the decision of faith to be made up to the point of death. However, this must be a personal and genuine receiving of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone (Eph.2:8-9).

Observance of a ritual before death is meaningless in determining salvation and eternal destiny.

21. What does the Bible say about the pope / papacy?…The Roman Catholic Church's teaching about the Pope ("pope" means "father") is built upon and involves the following Roman Catholic teachings:……1. Christ made Peter the leader of the apostles and of the church Mat.16:18-19 In giving Peter the "keys of the kingdom," Christ not only made him leader, but also made him infallible when he acted or spoke as Christ's representative on earth (speaking from the seat of authority, or "ex cathedra").

This ability to act on behalf of the church in an infallible way when speaking "ex cathedra" was passed on to Peter's successors, thus giving the Church an infallible guide on earth. The purpose of the papacy is to lead the Church unerringly.……2. Peter later became the first Bishop of Rome. As Bishop of Rome, he exercised authority over all other bishops and church leaders. The teaching that the Bishop of Rome is above all other bishops in authority is referred to as the "primacy" of the Roman Bishop.……3. Peter passed on his apostolic authority to the next Bishop of Rome, along with the other apostles who passed on their apostolic authority to the bishops that they ordained. These new bishops, in turn, passed on that apostolic authority to those bishops that they later ordained, and so on. This "passing on of apostolic authority" is referred to as "apostolic succession."……4. Based upon the Roman Catholic claim of an unbroken chain of Roman bishops, they teach that the Roman Catholic Church is the true church, and that all churches that do not accept the primacy of the Pope have broken away from them, the original and one true church.……Having briefly reviewed some of the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church concerning the papacy, the question is whether those teachings are in agreement with Scripture. The Roman Catholic Church sees the Papacy and the infallible teaching authority of "mother Church" as being necessary to guide the Church, and use that as logical reasoning for God's provision of it. But in examining Scripture, you find the following:……1. While Peter was central in the early spread of the gospel (part of the meaning behind Mat.16:18-19

the teaching of Scripture, taken in context, nowhere declares that he was in authority over the other apostles or over the Church

(see Acts 15:1-23Gal. 2:1-141 Pet. 5:1-5).

Nor is it ever taught that the Bishop of Rome was to have primacy over the Church. Rather, there is only one reference in Scripture of Peter writing from "Babylon," a name sometimes applied to Rome, found in 1 Pet.5:13.

Primarily upon this, and the historical rise of the influence of the Bishop of Rome (due to the support of Constantine and the Roman emperors who followed him), comes the Roman Catholic Church teaching of the primacy of the Bishop of Rome. However, Scripture shows that Peter's authority was shared by the other apostles (Eph. 2:19-20),

and that the "loosing and binding" authority attributed to him was likewise shared by the local churches, not just their church leaders

(seeMat.18:15-191 Cor. 5:1-132 Cor.13:10Tit. 2:15& 3:10-11).……2. Nowhere does Scripture state that in order to keep the church from error, the authority of the apostles was passed on to those they ordained (apostolic succession). Apostolic succession is "read into" those verses that the Roman Catholic Church uses to support this doctrine

(2 Tim. 2:24:2-5Tit. 1:52:12:151 Tim. 5:19-22).

What Scripture DOES teach is that false teachings would arise even from among church leaders and that Christians were to compare the teachings of these later church leaders with Scripture, which alone is cited in the Bible as infallible. The Bible does not teach that the apostles were infallible, apart from what was written by them and incorporated into Scripture. Paul, in talking to the church leaders in the large city of Ephesus, makes note of coming false teachers, and to fight against such error does NOT commend them to "the apostles and those who would carry on their authority," but rather he commends them to "God and to the word of His grace…" (Acts 20:28-32).……Again, the Bible teaches that it is Scripture that is to be used as measuring stick to determine truth from error. In Gal. 1:8-9, Paul states that it is not WHO teaches but WHAT is being taught that is to be used to determine truth from error. While the Roman Catholic Church continues to pronounce a curse to hell "anathema" upon those who would reject the authority of the Pope, Scripture reserves that curse for those who would teach a different gospel (Gal. 1:8-9).……3. While the Roman Catholic Church sees apostolic succession as logically necessary in order for God to unerringly guide the Church, Scripture states that God has provided for His church through:……(a) Infallible Scripture, (Acts20:322 Tim. 3:15-17Mat.5:18John 10:35

Acts 17:10-12;Isaiah 8:2040:8 etc.)

Note: Peter speaks of Paul's writings in the same category as other Scripture

(2 Pet. 3:16),……(b) Christ's unending high-priesthood in heaven (Heb. 7:22-28),……(c) The provision of the Holy Spirit who guided the apostles into truth after Christ's death (John 16:12-14), who gifts believers for the work of the ministry, including teaching (Rom. 12:3-8 Eph. 4:11-16), and who uses the written word as His chief tool (Heb. 4:12Eph. 6:17).……While there have been good (humanly speaking) and moral men who have served as Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, including Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI, the Roman Catholic Church teaching about the office of the Pope should be rejected because it is not "in continuity" with the teachings of the original church, that related to us in the New Testament. This comparison of any church's teaching is essential, lest we miss the New Testament's teaching concerning the gospel, and not only miss eternal life in heaven ourselves, but unwittingly lead others down the wrong path (Gal. 1:8-9).

22. Does the Bible teach the celibacy of priests?

This is an interesting question to answer, as the Bible does not even teach that there are to be "priests" in the New Covenant established by Christ. Please read the articles on the "priesthood of believers" and "confession of sins to a priest" for more information. The Bible addresses the celibacy of church leaders, but not priests.…In regards to celibacy of church leaders, in 1 Corinthians chapter 7, the Apostle Paul teaches

1 Cor. 7:32-34…"An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs – how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world – how he can please his wife- and his interests are divided"

In some instances, celibacy has a positive impact on ministry. If a church leader is free from spousal and familial responsibilities, he can better focus on ministering to others. Jesus mentions some becoming "eunuchs" for the kingdom of God (Mat. 19:12).

Celibacy is definitely allowed for church leaders, and to a certain degree, it is encouraged. However, Scripture nowhere requires celibacy for those serving in positions of church leadership.……In1Tim. 3:1-13 and Tit. 1:6-9, the Apostle Paul seems to assume that elders, bishops, overseers, and deacons will be married. Notice the phrases: "the husband of one wife" (1 Tim. 3:2, 12Tit. 1:6),

"he must manage his own family well" (1 Tim. 3:4,12),

"his children obey him with proper respect" (1 Tim. 3:4 Tit. 1:6).

On a related issue, please read the article on whether these Scripture mean that a church leader must be married and have children. While these Scriptures are not a requirement for church leaders to be married, they most definitely present an allowance for church leaders to be married. It is therefore anti-biblical for any church to require celibacy of its leaders.……Why, then, does the Roman Catholic Church (and a few other Christian denominations) require celibacy of its church leaders / priests? The celibacy of priests has an interesting history. The first official church statements requiring celibacy appeared at the councils of Elvira (A.D. 306) and Carthage (A.D. 390), although clerical celibacy, to a lesser degree, definitely predated these councils. Ultimately, though, celibacy became the official requirement of the Roman Catholic Church due to the practice of nepotism. Church leaders were giving their children positions in the church, despite a lack of any qualifications or training. Further, church leaders were giving church property to their descendants. As a result, the Roman Catholic Church mandated celibacy in order to keep its priests from having familial attachments which made nepotism attractive.……Again, the Bible encourages, but does not demand celibacy. In fact, Paul recognizes that most church leader will be married. The Roman Catholic requirement of celibacy is a sad example of the Church taking something that the Bible encourages, and transforming it into a requirement, in order to protect its own interests. Sadder, still, is the damage that has been done as a result of the Roman Catholic Church's anti-biblical requirement. Men whom God has not gifted or called to be celibate (1 Cor. 7:7), are being required to be celibate, and the result is tremendous failures in the areas of adultery, fornication, and the sexual abuse of children.

23. Does the Bible teach mortal and venial sin ?…The Roman Catholic Church divides sin into two categories, mortal sin and venial sin. The issue of sin as the Bible teaches it is one of the most fundamental aspects of understanding life with God and what it means to know Him. As we walk through this life, we must know how to respond biblically to our own sin and the manifestations of humankind's sinfulness that we encounter moment by moment, day by day. The consequences of not having a biblical understanding of sin and, thus, not responding to sin accordingly, are devastating beyond words. An incorrect understanding of sin can result in an eternity separated from God in hell. But praise to the glorious name of our God and Savior Christ Jesus! In His Holy Word, God has shown plainly what sin is, how it affects us personally, and what the proper response to it is. Thus, as we try to understand the concepts of mortal and venial sin, let us look for final answers in God's all-sufficient Word.……In order to know if the Bible teaches the concepts of mortal and venial sin, some basic descriptions will be helpful. The concepts of mortal and venial sin are essentially Roman Catholic. Evangelical Christians and Protestants may or may not be familiar with these terms. Working definitions of mortal and venial sins could be these: Mortal Sin is "sin causing spiritual death," and Venial Sin is "sin that can be forgiven." Venial sin is invariably used in contrast with mortal sin. Mortal sins are those sins that exclude people from the kingdom; venial sins are those sins that do not exclude people from it. Venial sin differs from mortal sin in the punishment it entails. Venial sin merits temporal punishment expiated by confession or by the fires of purgatory, while mortal sin merits eternal death.……In the Catechism of the Catholic Church is found this description of mortal sin: "For a sin to be mortal, three conditions must together be met: 'Mortal sin is sin whose object is grave matter and which is also committed with full knowledge and deliberate consent.'" According to the Catechism, "Grave matter is specified by the Ten Commandments." The Catechism further states that mortal sin "results in the loss of charity and the privation of sanctifying grace, that is, of the state of grace. If it is not redeemed by repentance and God's forgiveness, it causes exclusion from Christ's kingdom and the eternal death of hell."……Regarding venial sin, the Catechism states the following: "One commits venial sin when, in a less serious matter, he does not observe the standard prescribed by the moral law, or when he disobeys the moral law in a grave matter, but without full knowledge or without complete consent. Venial sin weakens charity; it manifests a disordered affection for created goods; it impedes the soul's progress in the exercise of virtues and practice of moral good; it merits temporal punishment. Deliberate and unrepented venial sin disposes us little by little to commit mortal sin. However venial sin does not set us in direct opposition to the will and friendship of God; it does not break the covenant with God. With God's grace it is humanly reparable. 'Venial sin does not deprive the sinner of sanctifying grace, friendship with God, charity, and consequently eternal happiness.'"……In summary, mortal sin is an intentional violation of the Ten Commandments (in thought, word or deed), committed in full knowledge of the gravity of the matter, and it results in the loss of salvation. Salvation may be regained through repentance and God's forgiveness. Venial sin may be a violation of the Ten Commandments or a sin of a lesser nature, but it is committed unintentionally and/or without full consent. Although damaging to one's relationship with God, venial sin does not result in loss of eternal life.……Biblically, the concepts of mortal and venial sin present several problems: first of all, these concepts present an unbiblical picture of how God views sin. The Bible states that God will be just and fair in His punishment of sin and that on the day of judgment some sin will merit greater punishment than others (Mat. 11:22, 24Luke 10:12, 14).

But the fact is that all sin will be punished by God. The Bible teaches that all of us sin (Rom. 3:23)

and that the just compensation for sin is eternal death (Rom. 6:23)

Over and against the concepts of mortal and venial sin, the Bible does not state that some sins are worthy of eternal death whereas others are not. All sins are mortal sins in that even one sin makes the offender worthy of eternal separation from God.……The Apostle James articulates this fact in his letter …James 2:10…"For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all."

Notice his use of the word "stumbles." It means to make a mistake or fall into error. James is painting a picture of a person who is trying to do the right thing and yet, perhaps unintentionally, commits a sin. What is the consequence? God, through His servant James, states when a person commits even unintentional sin, he is guilty of breaking the entire law. A good illustration of this fact is to picture a large window and understand that window to be God's law. It doesn't matter if a person throws a very small pebble through the window or several large boulders. The result is the same–the window is broken. In the same way, it doesn't matter if a person commits one small sin or several huge ones. The result is the same–the person is guilty of breaking God's law. And the Lord declares that He will not leave the guilty unpunished (Nahum 1:3).……Second, these concepts present an unbiblical picture of God's payment for sin. In both cases of mortal and venial sin, forgiveness of the given transgression is dependent upon the offender making restitution of some type. In Roman Catholicism, this restitution may take the form of going to confession, praying a certain prayer, receiving the Eucharist, or another ritual of some type. The basic thought is that in order for Christ's forgiveness to be applied to the offender, the offender must perform some work, and then the forgiveness is granted. The payment and forgiveness of the transgression is dependent upon the offender's actions.……Is this what the Bible teaches regarding the payment for sin? The Bible clearly teaches that the payment for sin is not found in or based upon the actions of the sinner. Consider words of 1 Pet.3:18, "For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit." Take note of the wording, "Christ also died for sins once for all." This passage teaches that for the person who is believing in Jesus Christ, all of his or her sins have been taken care of on the cross. Christ died for all of them. This includes the sins the believer committed before salvation and the ones he has committed and will commit after salvation.……Col. 2:13 and 14 confirms this fact: "When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He [God] made you alive together with Him [Christ], having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross."

God has "forgiven us all our transgressions." Not just the sins of the past, but all of them. They have been nailed to the cross and taken out of the way. When Jesus, on the cross, stated, "It is finished" (John 19:30),

He was stating that He had fulfilled all that was necessary to grant forgiveness and eternal life to those who would believe in Him. This is why Jesus says in John 3:18 that "he who believes in Him [Jesus] is not judged." Paul states this fact in Rom. 8:1: "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Why are believers not judged? Why is there no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus? It is because the death of Christ satisfied God's righteous wrath again sin (1 John 4), and now those who trust in Christ will not bear the penalty of that sin.……Whereas the concepts of mortal and venial sin place responsibility to gain God's forgiveness for a given transgression in the hands of the offender, the Bible teaches that all sins of the believer are forgiven at the cross of Christ. The Bible does teach by word (Gal. 6:7 and 8) and example (2 Samuel 11-20) that when a Christian gets involved in sin, he or she may reap temporal, physical, emotional, mental and/or spiritual consequences. But the believer never has to reacquire God's forgiveness due to personal sin because God's Word declares that God's wrath toward the believer's sin was satisfied completely at the cross.……Third, these concepts present an unbiblical picture of God's dealings with His children. Clearly, according to Roman Catholicism, one of the consequences of committing a mortal sin is that it removes eternal life from the offender. Also, according to this concept, God will grant again eternal life through repentance and good works.……Does the Bible teach that a person who is truly saved by God through Christ can lose his salvation and regain it? It clearly does not teach this. Once a person has placed his faith in Christ for forgiveness of sins and eternal life, the Bible teaches that that person is eternally secure–he cannot be lost.

Consider the words of Jesus in John 10:27-28…"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand." Consider also the words of Paul in

Rom. 8:38-39: "For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."……Reflecting back upon the fact of the total satisfaction of God's wrath toward our sin in the death of Christ, our sins cannot separate us from God's love. In love, God chooses to take Christ's death as payment for believers' sins and doesn't hold them against the believer. Thus, when the believer commits sin, the forgiveness of God in Christ is already present, and, although the believer may experience self-inflicted consequences of sin, God's love and forgiveness are never in jeopardy. In Rom. 7:14-25, Paul clearly states that the believer will struggle with sin throughout his earthly existence, but that Christ will save us from this body of death. And "therefore there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 8:1). Whereas the concept of mortal sin teaches that a person can lose his salvation through personal sin, the Bible teaches that God's love and favor will never be removed from His children.……God's grace not only redeems the believer from every lawless deed, but it also guides the believer into holy living and makes the believer zealous for good deeds. This doesn't mean that the believer never sins, but that his passion will be to honor God because of God's grace working in the believer's life. Forgiveness and holiness are two sides of the same coin of God's grace–they go together. Although a believer may stumble and fall into sin at times–maybe even in a big way–the general path and direction of his life will be one of holiness and passion for God and His glory. If one follows the concepts of mortal and venial sin, he or she may be deceived into viewing sin with a flippant attitude, thinking that he or she can sin at will and simply seek God's forgiveness at a point of personal desire. The Bible instructs us that the true believer will never view sin flippantly and will strive, in the strength of God's grace, to live a holy life.……Based on the above biblical truth, the concepts of mortal and venial sin are not biblical and should be rejected. In Christ's death, burial and resurrection, the problem of our sin is completely taken care of, and we need look no further than that amazing demonstration of God's love for us. Our forgiveness and right standing with God is not dependent upon us, our failings, or our faithfulness. The true believer is to fix his eyes on Jesus and live in light of all that He accomplished on our behalf. God's love and grace are truly amazing! May we live in light of the life we have in Christ! Through the power of the Holy Spirit, may we be victorious over all sin, whether "mortal," "venial," intentional, or unintentional.

24. What is the Hail Mary that Catholics say so often?

The "Hail Mary," Ave Maria in Latin, is a Roman Catholic prayer to the Virgin Mary that consists of salutations and a plea for her intercession. The text of the Hail Mary prayer incorporates two Bible passages: "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee” (Luke 1:28) and "Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb” (Luke 1:42).

The firstpassage is the angel Gabriel's greeting to Mary when he came to inform her that she had been chosen to bear the Messiah.

The second is her cousin Elizabeth's greeting to Mary when Mary came to visit her cousin, who was also pregnant at the time with John the Baptist.

The thirdpart of the Hail Mary prayer is not from the Bible and is, in fact, in direct contradiction to Scriptural truth: "Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners,now and at the hour of our death. Amen."……This last part of the Hail Mary prayer has three unbiblical parts to it.

Firstly, Mary is not and never was "holy." Mary was a human being who was born, as all humans are, with a sin nature and who recognized that she needed a Savior. In fact, the very passage used in the Hail Mary, known as Mary's Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55), contains the declaration "my spirit rejoices in God my Savior," a clear indication that she understood her need for a Savior from sin. The Bible never says that Mary was anyone but an ordinary human whom God chose to use in an extraordinary way. Yes, Mary was a righteous woman and favored (graced) by God (Luke 1:27-28). At the same time, Mary was a sinful human being who needed Jesus Christ as her Savior, just like everyone else (Eccl. 7:20Rom. 3:236:231 John 1:8).……Secondly.This part of the Hail Mary is addressing Mary as the "Mother of God." Mary was the human mother of the human Jesus Christ, who was indeed God incarnate. But she was not the mother of God, neither is she the "queen of heaven," another title given to her by the Catholic Church which has no basis in Scripture (See “Who is the Queen of Heaven?”below). God doesn't have a mother, nor does He have a queen. He is an eternal, infinite Being, uncreated and unborn, self-sufficient and self-sustaining.……ThirdlyThe Hail Mary is the plea for her to "pray for us sinners." Here we see the unbiblical practice of praying to Mary to intercede with God for us. We as Christians do not need an intercessor with God. Christ is the only intercessor we need. Through Jesus and Him alone, do we have direct access to the Father. Christ alone mediates and intercedes between God and man. "For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus"

(1 Tim. 2:5). Prayer to anyone other than God alone is anti-biblical. Praying to Mary or petitioning her to pray for us is against the Scriptures. Prayer is an act of worship. When we pray to God, we are admitting that we need His help. Directing our prayers to anyone other than God is robbing God of the glory that is His alone, something God hates and will not tolerate (Isaiah 42:8).……While Mary was certainly a godly young woman greatly blessed in that she was chosen to bear the Savior of the world, she was not in any way divine, nor was she sinless, nor is she to be worshipped, revered, venerated, or prayed to.

25. Who is the Queen of Heaven?…The idea that Mary, the mother of Jesus, is the queen of heaven stems from proclamations by priests and popes of the Roman Catholic Church.

But has no scriptural basis whatsoever.

The phrase 'the queen of heaven' appears in the Bible twice, both times in the book of Jeremiah. The first incident is in connection with the things the Israelites were doing that provoked the Lord to anger. Entire families were involved in idolatry. The children gathered wood and the men used it to build altars to worship false gods. The women were engaged in kneading dough and baking cakes of bread for the "Queen of Heaven" (Jer. 7:18). This title referred to Ishtar, an Assyrian and Babylonian goddess also called Ashtoreth and Astarte by various other groups. She was thought to be the wife of the false god Baal, also known as Molech. The motivation of women to worship Ashtoreth stemmed from her reputation as a fertility goddess, and as the bearing of children was greatly desired among women of that era, worship of this "queen of heaven" was rampant among pagan civilizations and, sadly, it became popular among the Israelites as well. ……The second reference to the queen of heavenis found in Jer. 44:17-25, where Jeremiah is giving the people the word of the Lord which God has spoken to him. He reminds the people that their disobedience and idolatry has caused the Lord to be very angry with them and punish them with calamity. Jeremiah warns them that greater punishments await them if they do not repent. They reply that they have no intentions of giving up their worship of idols, promising to continue pouring out drink offerings to the queen of heaven, Ashtoreh, and even going so far as to credit her with the peace and prosperity they once enjoyed because of God's grace and mercy. ……It is unclear where the idea originated,that Ashtoreth was a "consort" of Jehovah, but it's easy to see how the blending of paganism that exalts a goddess with the worship of the true King of heaven, Jehovah, can lead to the combining of God and Ashtoreth. And since Ashtoreth worship involved sexuality, (fertility, procreation, temple prostitution) the resulting relationship, to the depraved mind, would naturally be one of a sexual nature. Clearly the idea of the "queen of heaven" as the consort or paramour of the King of heaven is idolatrous and unbiblical.……There is no queen of heaven. There has never been a queen of heaven. There is most certainly a King of Heaven, the Lord of hosts, Jehovah. He alone rules in heaven. He does not share His rule or His throne or His authority with anyone.

All followers of the Lord God refuse worship. Peter and the apostles refused to be worshipped (Acts 10:25-2613:13-14). The holy angels refuse to be worshipped (Rev. 19:1022:9). The response is always the same, “Worship God!” To offer worship, reverence, or veneration to anyone but God is nothing short of idolatry. Mary's own words in her "Magnificat" [As mentioned above](Luke 1:46-55) reveal that she never thought of herself as 'immaculate' and deserving of veneration, but was instead relying on the grace of God for salvation: "and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior." Only sinners need a savior and Mary recognized that need in herself. ……Furthermore, Jesus Himself issued a mild rebuke to a woman who cried out to Him,

Luke 11:27…“Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you” replying to her, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

By doing so, He curtailed any tendency to elevate Mary as an object of worship. He could certainly have said, "Yes, blessed be the Queen of Heaven!" But He did not. He was affirming the same truth that the Bible affirms-there is no queen of heaven, and the only biblical references to the "queen of heaven" refer to the goddess of an idolatrous, false religion.

26. What is Ash Wednesday?

Ash Wednesday is the day Lent begins(see article below). The official name of Ash Wednesday is "Day of Ashes." The reason the day became known as Ash Wednesday is that it is forty-six days before Easter Sunday(See article below), so it will always fall on a Wednesday. The Bible does not mention Ash Wednesday, or Lent either, for that matter.…The period of Lent is intended to be a time where sinful activities and habits are forsaken. Ash Wednesday is the commencement of this period of repentance. The Bible contains numerous accounts of people using dust and ashes as symbols of repentance and/or mourning (Gen. 18:172 Sam. 13:19Esther 4:1Job 2:8Daniel 9:3 Mat. 11:21). …The tradition is that the symbol of the cross is made in ashes on a person's forehead as a symbol of that person's identification with Jesus Christ. A similar concept is mentioned in Rev. 7:3 9:414:1 and 22:4.……Should a Christian observe Ash Wednesday? Ash Wednesday, along with Lent, is observed by most Catholics, most orthodox denominations, and a few Protestant denominations. Since the Bible nowhere commands or condemns such a practice, Christians are at liberty to prayerfully decide whether to observe Ash Wednesday or not. If a Christian decides to observe Ash Wednesday and/or Lent, the important thing is to have a biblical perspective. It is a good thing to repent of sinful activities, but this is something Christians should do every day, not just during Lent. It is a good thing to clearly identify yourself as a Christian, but again this is an ongoing identification. It is unbiblical to believe that God will automatically bless in response to the observance of a ritual. God is interested in our hearts, not in us observing rituals.……Ash Wednesday Calendar:…2011 = March 9…2012 = February 22…2013 = February 13…2014 = March 5…2015 = February 18

27. What is the meaning of Lent?…Lent is a period of fasting and repentance traditionally observed by Catholics and some Protestant denominations in preparation for Easter. The length of the Lenten fast was established in the 4th century as 40 days. During this time, participants eat sparingly or simply give up a particular food or habit. Ash Wednesday began as a way for Catholics to remind themselves to repent of their sins in a manner similar to how people in the Old Testament repented in sackcloth, ashes, and fasting (Esther 4:1-3Jer. 6:26Daniel 9:3Mat. 11:21).…However, over the centuries it has developed a much more “sacramental” value. Many Catholics understand giving something up for Lent as a way to gain blessing from God. The Bible does not teach that such acts have any merit with God in terms of salvation (Isaiah 64:6). In fact, the New Testament teaches us that our acts of fasting and repentance should be done in a manner that does not attract attention to ourselves:…Mat. 6:16-18…"When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you"…Fasting is a good thing when it is done with a biblical perspective. It is good and pleasing to God when we give up sinful habits and practices. There is absolutely nothing wrong with setting aside a time when we focus on Jesus’ death and resurrection. However, these practices are things we should be doing every day of the year, not just for 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter. If a Christian wishes to observe Lent, we are free to do so. The key is to focus the time on repenting from our sins and consecrating ourselves to God, not on trying to earn God’s favor or increase His love for us.

28. What is Shrove Tuesday?…Although far less widely known than Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras, the Tuesday immediately before Ash Wednesday is also known as Shrove Tuesday. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, which is sometimes referred to as “Shrovetide” in England. Observance of Shrove Tuesday can be traced back to at least 1000 A.D. and was originally observed as a day of confession and penitence in preparation for Ash Wednesday and Lent. Today, Shrove Tuesday is primarily observed among Catholics, Episcopalians, Lutherans, and Methodists,……In the past few centuries, though, Shrove Tuesday has turned into more of a day of feasting in preparation for the fasting that is to occur during Lent. The feasting aspect of Shrove Tuesday originated due to the need to get rid of the foods/ingredients that are restricted during the Lenten fasting, such as sugar, leavened flour, eggs, etc. The need to use up these ingredients has resulted in Shrove Tuesday also becoming known as Pancake Tuesday, or more simply, Pancake Day.……What does the Bible say about Shrove Tuesday? Should Christians observe Shrove Tuesday? Considering the Bible does not even mention Ash Wednesday or the 40 days of Lent, Shrove Tuesday is not a biblical observance either. There is certainly nothing wrong with Christians eating pancakes on Shrove Tuesday, or any other Tuesday for that matter. Should a Christian feel led of the Lord to observe Lent in some fashion, there would be nothing wrong with observing a feast the day before the 40 days of Lent. What must be understood, however, is that Shrove Tuesday, Ash Wednesday, Lent, etc., are not observances God requires of Christians. Observance of these days is entirely a matter of personal conviction.……Shrove Tuesday Calendar:…2011 = March 8…2012 = February 21…2013 = February 12…2014 = March 4…2015 = February 17

29.What is Easter Sunday?…There is a lot of confusion regarding what Easter Sunday is all about. For some, Easter Sunday is about the Easter Bunny, colorfully decorated Easter eggs, and Easter egg hunts. Most people understand that Easter Sunday has something to do with the resurrection of Jesus, but are confused as to how the resurrection is related to the Easter eggs and the Easter bunny.……Biblically speaking, there is absolutely no connection between the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the common modern traditions related to Easter Sunday. As a background, please read the article on the origins of Easter. Essentially, what occurred is that in order to make Christianity more attractive to non-Christians, the ancient Roman Catholic Church mixed the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection with celebrations that involved spring fertility rituals. These spring fertility rituals are the source of the egg and bunny traditions.……The Bible makes it clear that Jesus was resurrected on the first day of the week, Sunday (Mat. 28:1Mark 16:2,9Luke 24:1John 29:1,19). Jesus’ resurrection is most worthy of being celebrated (see 1 Corinthians 15). While it is appropriate for Jesus’ resurrection to be celebrated on a Sunday, the day on which Jesus’ resurrection is celebrated should not be referred to as Easter. Easter has nothing to do with Jesus’ resurrection on a Sunday.……As a result, many Christians feel strongly that the day on which we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection should not be referred to as “Easter Sunday.” Rather, something like “Resurrection Sunday” would be far more appropriate and biblical. For the Christian, it is unthinkable that we would allow the silliness of Easter eggs and the Easter bunny to be the focus of the day instead of Jesus’ resurrection.……By all means, celebrate Christ’s resurrection on Easter Sunday. Christ’s resurrection is something that should be celebrated every day, not just once a year. At the same time, if we choose to celebrate Easter Sunday, we should not allow the fun and games to distract our attention from what the day should truly be all about-the fact that Jesus was resurrected from the dead, and that His resurrection demonstrates that we can indeed be promised an eternal home in Heaven by receiving Jesus as our Savior.……Easter Sunday Calendar:…2011 = April 24…2012 = April 8…2013 = March 31…2014 = April 20…2015 = April 5

30. What are the origins of Easter?…The origins of Easter are rooted in European traditions. The name Easter comes from a pagan figure called Eastre (or Eostre) who was celebrated as the goddess of spring by the Saxons of Northern Europe. A festival called Eastre was held during the spring equinox by these people to honor her. The goddess Eastre's earthly symbol was the rabbit, which was also known as a symbol of fertility. Originally, there were some very pagan (and sometimes utterly evil) practices that went along with the celebration. Today, Easter is almost a completely commercialized holiday, with all the focus on Easter eggs and the Easter bunny being remnants of the goddess worship.……In the Christian faith, Easter has come to mean the celebration of the resurrection of Christ three days after His crucifixion. It is the oldest Christian holiday and the most important day of the church year because of the significance of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the events upon which Christianity is based. Easter Sunday is preceded by the season of Lent, a 40-day period of fasting and repentance culminating in Holy Week and followed by a 50-day Easter season that stretches from Easter to Pentecost.……Because of the commercialization and pagan origins of Easter, many churches prefer to refer to it as "Resurrection Sunday." The rationale is the more we focus on Christ and the less we focus on the pagan holiday, the better. As previously mentioned, the resurrection of Christ is the central theme of Christianity. Paul says that without this, our faith is futile (1 Cor.15:17). What more wonderful reason could we have to celebrate! What is important is the true reason behind our celebration, which is that Christ was resurrected from the dead, making it possible for us to have eternal life (Rom.6:4)!……Should we celebrate Easter or allow our children to go on Easter eggs hunts? This is a question both parents and church leaders struggle with. There is nothing essentially evil about painting and hiding eggs and having children search for them. What is important is our focus. If our focus is on Christ and not the eggs, our children will understand that the eggs are just a game. Children can participate in an Easter egg hunt as long as the true meaning of the day is explained and emphasized, but ultimately this must be left up to the discretion of parents.

31. Is the priesthood of all believers biblical?…There is one main passage that deals with the priesthood of all believers. It is as follows:

1 Peter 2:5-9

“You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ ├ö├ç┬¬ But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light”……Old Testament priests were chosen by God, not self-appointed; and they were chosen for a purpose: to serve God with their lives by offering up sacrifices. The priesthood served as a picture or “type” of the coming ministry of Jesus Christ–a picture that was then no longer needed once His sacrifice on the cross was completed. When the thick temple veil that covered the doorway to the Holy of Holies was torn in two by God at the time of Christ’s death (Mat.27:51), God was indicating that the Old Testament priesthood was no longer necessary. Now people could come directly to God through the great High Priest, Jesus Christ (Heb.4:14-16). There are now no earthly mediators between God and man as existed in the Old Testament priesthood (1 Tim. 2:5).……Christ our High Priest has made one sacrifice for sin for all time (Heb. 10:12), and there is no more sacrifice for sin that can be made (Heb, 10:26).

But as priests once offered other kinds of sacrifices in the temple, so it is clear from1 Pet 2:5-9 that God has chosen Christians “to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” 1 Pet 2:5-9 speaks of two aspects of the priesthood of the believer.

The first is that believers are privileged.

To be chosen by God to be a priest was a privilege.

All believers have been chosen by God: a “chosen generation…His own special people” (verse 9).

In the Old Testament tabernacle and temple, there were places where only the priests could go. Into the Holy of Holies, behind a thick veil, only the High Priest could go, and that only once a year on the Day of Atonement when he made a sin offering on behalf of all of the people. But as mentioned above, because of Jesus’ death upon the cross of Calvary, all believers now have direct access to the throne of God through Jesus Christ our great High Priest (Heb. 4:14-16). What a privilege to be able to access the very throne of God directly, not through any earthly priest.

When Christ returns and the New Jerusalem comes to earth (Revelation 21), believers will see God face-to-face and will serve Him there (Rev. 22:3-4) Again, what a privilege especially for us who were once “not a people” … “without hope” … destined for destruction because of our sin.……The second aspect of the believer’s priesthood is that we are chosen for a purpose: to offer up spiritual sacrifices (see Heb. 13:15-16 for example),

and to proclaim the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.

Thus, by both life (1 Pet. 2:5Tit. 2:11-14Eph. 2:10) and by word

(1 Pet.2:93:15), our purpose is to serve God. As the believer’s body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor.6:19-20), so God has called us to serve Him from our hearts by first of all offering our lives as living sacrifices (Rom. 12:1-2).

One day we will be serving God in eternity (Rev. 22:3-4), but not in any temple, for “the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple” (Rev. 21:22).

As the Old Testament priesthood was to be free of defilement, as symbolized by being ceremonially clean, so has Christ made us holy positionally before the Father. He calls on us to live holy lives that we might also be a “holy priesthood”

(1 Pet. 2:5).……In summary, believers are called “kings and priests” and a “royal priesthood” as a reflection of their privileged status as heirs to the kingdom of the Almighty God and of the Lamb. Because of this privileged closeness with God, no other earthly mediator is necessary.

Second, believers are called priests because salvation is not merely "fire insurance," escape from hell. Rather, believers are called by God to serve Him by offering up spiritual sacrifices, i.e., being a people zealous for good works. As priests of the living God, we are all to give praise to the One who has given us the great gift of His Son’s sacrifice on our behalf, and in response, to share this wonderful grace with others.

32. Can an unmarried man be a deacon or elder?…The passages referring to the qualifications for an elder or deacon in the church are 1 Tim. 3:12"A bishop (elder) then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach"

"Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well"; and Tit.1:6-7 ". . . appoint elders in every city as I commanded you-if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination…"

These three passages have been interpreted by some to indicate an elder or deacon must be a married man.……The issue is not the elder's or deacon's marital status, but his moral and sexual purity. This qualification heads the lists, because it is in this area that leaders are most prone to fail. Some take the qualification for deacons "a deacon must be the husband of but one wife├ö├ç┬¬" in 1 Tim. 3:12 as meaning that for a man to be a deacon, he must be married. That is not the meaning of "husband of one wife." In the Greek, the phrase "husband of one wife" literally reads "one-woman man." For a man to be considered for a position of church leadership, and he is married, he must be committed to his wife. This qualification is speaking of fidelity in marriage and sexual purity. It is not a requirement of marriage. If it were, a man would have to be married and also have children, because the second half of 1 Tim. 3:12 states, "├ö├ç┬¬and must manage his children and his household well."

We should understand this qualification as: If a man is married, he must be faithful to his wife. If a man has children, he must manage them well.……Some think this requirement excludes single men from church leadership.

But if that were Paul's intent, he would have disqualified himself (1 Cor. 7:8). A "one-woman man" is one totally devoted to his wife, maintaining singular devotion, affection and sexual purity in both thought and deed.

To violate this is to forfeit blamelessness and no longer be "above reproach" (Tit 1:6-77). Being single is praised by the Apostle Paul as enabling more faithful service to the Lord (1 Cor. 7:32-35). Why would Paul restrict men from church leadership positions when he believes "├ö├ç┬¬an unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs – how he can please the Lord" (1 Cor. 7:32)?

In the first nine verses of this chapter, Paul establishes that both marriage and singleness are good and right before the Lord. An elder or deacon may be either married or single, as long as he meets the qualifications of godliness outlined in 1 Timothy and Titus.

33.Catholic Baptism

The following insert was copied, word for word from the hand out given to everyone attending a baptism ceremony in the Catholic Church.

The words or statements that are highlightedin green,Imarked as not being biblical or an incorrect interpretation or understanding of the Baptism .

If a teaching is Biblical (taken in context), it should be embraced. If it is not, it should be rejected.

(See article at the beginning of this study regarding "Biblical")

The rite to Baptism for children(for use of the Laity*) (Laypeople)

Reception of the child

The people may sing a psalm or hymn while the celebrating priest goes to the entrance of the Church or to that part of the church where the parents and god parents are waiting with the child .

The celebrant greets all present . Then he questions the parents What name do you give your child.?

Parents answer: (name of child) 

Celebrant: What do you ask of God's Church for (name of child).?

Parents answer: Baptism

Celebrant addresses the parents in these or similar words:

You have asked to have your child baptized. In doing so you are accepting the responsibility of training him(her) in the practice of the faith. It will be your duty to bring him (her) up to keep God's commandments as Christ taught us, by loving God and our neighbour. Do you clearly understand what you are undertaking ?

Parents answer: We do

The celebrant turns to the godparents with the question: Are you ready to help the parents of this child in their duty as Christian parents ?

Godparents answers : We are

Celebrant: (Name of child),the Christian community welcomes you with great joy. In it's name I claim you for Christ our Saviour by the sign of his cross. I now trace the cross on your forehead , and invite your parents (and godparents) to do the same.

He signs the child on the forehead in silence. Then he invites the parents (and the godparents) to do the same.

Celebration of God's word

All remain seated during the reading of one or even two gospel passages.. After the reading the celebrant gives a short homily (lecture or sermon)

Intercessions (The bidding* prayers) (request)

Celebrant: My dear brothers and sisters, let us ask our Lord Jesus Christ to look lovingly on this child who is to be baptized, on his (or her) parents and godparents, and on all the baptized.

Reader: By the mystery of your death and resurrection, bathe this child in light, give him(her) the new life of baptism and welcome him(her) into your holy Church. Lord, hear us.

All answers: Lord, graciously hear us

Reader: Through baptism and confirmation, make him (her) your faithful follower and a witness to your Gospel. Lord, hear us.

All answers: Lord, graciously hear us

Reader: Lead him (her) by a holy life to the joys of God's kingdom.Lord, hear us.

All answers: Lord, graciously hear us

Reader: Make the lives of his (her) parents and godparents examples of faith to inspire this child. Lord, hear us.

All answers: Lord, graciously hear us

Reader: Keep his (her) family always in your love. Lord, hear us.

All answers: Lord, graciously hear us

Reader: Renew the grace of our baptism in each one of us. Lord, hear us.

All answers: Lord, graciously hear us

The celebrant invites all present to invoke the saints.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us

Saint John the Baptist, pray for us.

Saint Joseph, pray for us.

Saint Peter and Saint Paul, pray for us.

The names of other saints may be added.The litany*(a long and repetitious list)

concludes:All holy men and woman, pray for us

Prayer of exorcism and anointing before baptism

After the invocation the celebrant says: Almighty and ever-living God,/ yousent youronly Son into the world/ to cast out the power of Satan, spirit of evil,/ to rescue man from the kingdom of darkness,/ and bring him into the splendor of your kingdom of light./We pray for this child:/set him (her) free from original sin,/ Make him (her) a temple of your Glory ,/ and send yourHoly Spirit to dwell with him (her)./ (We ask this) through Christ our Lord.

All say: Amen

The celebrant continues: We anoint you with the oil of salvation/ in the name of Christ our Savior ;/ may he strengthen you / with hispower,/ who lives and reigns for ever and ever.

All say: Amen

He then anoints the child on the breast with the oil of catechumens*.

(catechumen religiouspupil, somebody who receives instruction in preparation for Christian baptism or confirmation)

Celebration of the Sacrament

All proceed to the Baptistery. A hymn or Psalm may be sung,

Celebrant: My dear brothers and sisters, we now ask God to give this child new life in abundance through water and the Holy Spirit.

Blessing and invocation of God over Baptism Water

(Other forms of blessings may be used)

Celebrant: Praise to you, almighty God and Father, for you have created water to cleanse and to give life.

All say: Blessed be God.

Celebrant: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, the Father's only Son for youoffered yourselfon the cross, that in the blood and water flowing from yourside , and through your death and resurrection, the Church might be born

All say: Blessed be God

Celebrant: Praise to you,God the Holy Spirit, for you anointed Christ at his baptism in the waters of Jordan, so that we might all be baptized into you

All say: Blessed be God

Celebrant: Come to us Lord, Father of all, and make holy this water which you have created, so that all who are baptized in it may be washed clean of sin and be born again to live as your children .

All say: Hear us Lord.

Celebrant: Make this water holy. Lord, so that all who are baptized into Christ's death and resurrection by this water may become more perfectly like your Son

All say: Hear us Lord.

The celebrant touches the water with his right hand and continues:

Lord make holy this water which you have created, so that all those whom you have chosen may be born again by the power of the Holy Spirit, and may take their place among your holy people.

All say: Hear us Lord.

If the baptismal water has already been blessed, the celebrant omits the invocation Come to us, Lord and those which follow it, and says:

You have called your child (name of child) , to this cleansing water that he (she) may share in the faith of your Church and have eternal life. By the mystery of this consecrated water lead him(her) to a new and spiritual birth .(we ask this) through Christ our Lord.

All say: Amen

Renunciation of Sin and Profession of Faith

Celebrant: Dear parents and godparents: You have come here to present this child for baptism.

By water and the Holy Spirit he (she) is to receive the gift of new life from God, who is love.

On your part, you must make it your constant care to bring him (her) up in the practiceof the faith. See that the divine life which God gives him (her) is kept safe from the poison of sin, to grow always stronger in his (her) heart .

If your faith makes you ready to accept this responsibility, renew now the vows of your own baptism. Reject sin; profess your faith in Christ Jesus . This is the faith of the Church . This is the faith in which this child is about to be baptized.

The celebrant questions the parents and godparents:

Celebrant: Do you reject satan ?

Parents and godparents reply : I do

Celebrant: And all his works ?

Parents and godparents reply : I do

Celebrant: And all his empty promises ?

Parents and godparents reply : I do

Next the celebrant asks for the threefold profession of faith from the parents and godparents.

Celebrant: Do you believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.? ?

Parents and godparents reply : I do

Celebrant: Do you believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was born of the Virgin Mary, was crucified, died, and was buried, rose from the dead, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father ?

Parents and godparents reply : I do

Celebrant: Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, thecommunion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting ?

Parents and godparents reply : I do

Celebrant: This is our faith. This is the faith of the Church. We are proud to profess it in Christ Jesus our Lord.

All say : Amen

Baptism

The celebrant invites the family to the font and questions the parents and the godparents:

Celebrant: Is it your will that (Name of child)..should be baptized in the faith of the Church,which we have all professed with you ?

Parents and godparents reply : It is.

He baptizes the child , saying. (Name of child)..I baptize you

In the name of the Father, (he immerses the child or pours water upon it.)

And of the Son, (he immerses the child or pours water upon it a second time)

And of the Holy Spirit (he immerses the child or pours water upon it a third time)

Anointing with Chrism

Then the celebrant says:

God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has freed you from sin, given you a new birth by water and the Holy Spirit,and welcomed you intohis holy people. He now anoints you with the chrism of salvation.AsChrist was anointed Priest, Profit and King, so may you live always as a member of his body, Sharing everlasting life.

All say : Amen.

Then the celebrant anoints the child on the crown of the head with the sacred chrism, in silence

Clothing with the white garment

Celebrant: (Name of child), you have become a new creation, and have clothed yourself in Christ. See in this white garment the outward sign of your Christian dignity . With your family and friends to help you by word and example, bring that dignity unstained into the everlasting life of heaven.

All say : Amen.The white garment is put on the child

The lighted candle

The celebrant takes the Easter candle and says: Receive the light of Christ,

Someone from the family (such as the father or godfather) lights the child's candle from the Easter candle. The celebrant then says :

Parents and godparents, this light is entrusted to you to be kept burning brightly. This child of yours has been enlightened by Christ. He (she) is to walk always as a child of the light. May he (she) keep the flame of faith alive in his (her) heart . When the Lord comes, may he (she) go out to meet him with all the saints in the heavenly kingdom.

[The Ephphetha (Prayer over Ears and Mouth) may now follow. The celebrant touches the ears and mouth of the child with his thumb, saying:

The Lord Jesus made the deaf hear and the dumb speak, May he soon touch your ears to receive hisword, and your mouth to proclaim his faith, to the praise and glory of God the father.

All say : Amen.

Conclusion of the rite

Next there is a procession to the altar, unless the baptism was performed in the sanctuary . The lighted candle is carried for the child.

The following or an appropriate hymn may be sung.

You have put on Christ, in him you have been baptized. Alleluia, allelulia.

The Lord's Prayer

The celebrant stands in front of the altar and addresses the parents, godparents and the whole assembly in these or similar words:

Dearly beloved,this child has been reborn in baptism. He (she) is now called the child of God, for so indeed he (she) is. In confirmation he (she) will receive the fullness of God's Spirit. In holy communion he (she) will share the banquet of Christ's sacrifice, calling God his (her) Father in the midst of the Church.In the name of this child, in the Spirit of our common sonship, let us pray together in the words our Lord has given us :

All present join the celebrant in singing or saying:

Our Father,/who art in heaven,/hallowed be thy name./ Thy kingdom come./ Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven./ Give us this day our daily bread./And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us,/And lead us not into temptation,/but deliver us from evil.

The blessing

The celebrant first blesses the mother, who holds the child in her arms, then the father, and lastly the entire assembly:

Celebrant: God the Father, through his Son, the Virgin Mary's child, has brought joy to all Christian mothers, as they see the hope of eternal life shine on their children. May he bless the mother of this child, she now thanks God for the gift of her child. May she be one with him(her) in thanking himfor ever in heaven, in Christ Jesus our Lord

All say : Amen

Celebrant: God is the giver of all life, human and divine, May he bless the father of this child. He and his wife will be the first teachers of their child in the ways of faith. May they be also the best of teachers, bearing witness to the faith by what they say and do, in Christ Jesus our Lord

All say : Amen

Celebrant: By God's gift, through water and the Holy Spirit, we are reborn to everlasting life.In hisgoodness, may he continue to pour out his blessings upon these sons and daughters of his . May he make them always, wherever they may be, faithful members of his holy people. May he send his peace on all who are gathered here , in Christ Jesus our Lord

All say : Amen

Celebrant: May almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, bless you.

All say : Amen

34. A testimony from a former Catholic:…I was born and raised Catholic. In my early twenties I fell-away and was driven to the occult. I was “born-again” about 10 years ago (age 25), but accepted the claims of the Catholic church, made a general confession, and returned. For the better part of the past 10 years, and escalating with each passing year, I had questioned my Catholic faith while reading scripture. A few years ago I finally decided I couldn’t in good conscience remain Catholic. Last year I found a good, biblical church, but still kept feeling drawn back to my Catholic faith. I think perhaps I was in denial, or I wasn’t solid enough in my biblical knowledge (I’ve no doubt that is true!), or maybe a combination of both. After several episodes of falling back into my Catholic mindset, and after much dialogue with Catholic apologist, I developed a clearer picture of what the bible teaches, and realized that I couldn’t go back again (to the Catholic church). Anyway, I thought I would try to confirm some of my conclusions about what the bible teaches vs. Catholicism (specifically, the belief in sacraments conferring grace, and the Catholic claims of church authority [tradition] vs. biblical authority). …Somewhat of an abstract thinker, I wasn’t exactly sure of what it was that was wrong with the Catholic system of sacraments, but I felt it had something to do with substitution. I felt very bound, as a Catholic, to the church. My faith and trust lied primarily in the church and its sacraments than it did in Christ. I knew that I had more of a relationship with the church than I did with Christ; feeling constantly that my attention was being diverted away from Christ and to something else (devotionals (special prayers…), sacramentalism (rosaries, relics, holy water…), seeking intercession of saints (in heaven), baptism and Eucharist as means of salvation… I couldn’t fully lay it out in my mind or thoughts, exactly what it was that was wrong, and couldn’t sufficiently verbalize it either.……I found someone who after many years of research explained it in detail what the Catholic faith represents and gave an honest representation of the Catholic faith, with a sensitive approach in attempting to reveal the truth, as God has revealed, in His Word. (and this, coming from a pretty knowledgeable, former, VERY devout Catholic). I see many misrepresentations of Catholicism among non-Catholics. I found, clearly and simply put, the inconsistencies of Catholic doctrine when compared with the Scriptures. This was such a blessing for me, as I was previously unable to verbalize the things I had conceived of in my own studies. I thank him and I hope that I can bless others with this new insight, and pray that it will firmly ground me in my faith in God and His Word. Thank you Jesus for opening my eyes.

35. What is a novena?

The word novena derived from the Latin word for "nine." A novena is a series of prayers prayed over a nine-day or nine-hour period. The prayers are repeated to obtain special graces or as a sign of devotion to God. Usually a novena involves making a specific request or expressing a specific intent. Prayers may come from the rosary(a series of Roman Catholic prayers, usually made up of five or 15 decades of Hail Mary's, each decade beginning with an Our Father and ending with a Gloria) or from prayer books, or they may be written by the petitioner(requester). Usually the same prayer is prayed every day for nine days, or the same series of prayers is prayed. A nine-day novena has prayers made at the same time each day; a nine-hour novena has a prayer at the same time each hour. Novenas are primarily practiced by Catholics, although some members of the Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran churches also say novenas.……There are, in general, four categories of novenas.

Mourning novenas are said following the death of a loved one; a special novemdialesis said following the death of a pope.

Preparation novenas are said before a major religious holiday, such as Easter or Christmas.

Prayer novenas are said to obtain special graces, and may consist of prayers from prayer books, recitation of the rosary, or other small prayers through the day. …Indulgence novenas are prayed to alleviate the temporal punishment for one's sins, including the sins of those in purgatory. Novenas are often prayed to specific saints and may be public or private; public ones require special mass attendance or the daily lighting of a candle. The supposed efficacy (usefulness) of a novena depends on the piety (godlyness) and devotion of the individual performing it. Most Catholics resent the superstitious supposition that a novena is a sort of spiritual chain letter, the idea that saying a novena for a given amount of time virtually guarantees that one's request will be granted.……The novena is perhaps loosely derived from Scripture. It is thought that the time between the ascension of the Lord Jesus and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost was nine days. Acts 1:14 says that the disciples spent that time continuing "They all met together and were constantly united in prayer". However, the ancient Romans also observed a nine-day period of prayer following the death of a loved one, or to avert some evil predicted by a clairvoyant.

Ultimately, the novena is based more on tradition than on Scripture, which contains a prohibition against "vain repetition" in prayer …Matthew 6:7-8…7 "When you pray, don't babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again.8 Don't be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!… The concept behind novenas is not explicitly unbiblical, but the prayer content in the vast majority of novenas is unbiblical. It is true that we are exhorted to pray continually ……Luke 18:1-8…One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.2 "There was a judge in a certain city," he said, "who neither feared God nor cared about people.3 A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, 'Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.'4 The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, 'I don't fear God or care about people,5 but this woman is driving me crazy. I'm going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!'"6 Then the Lord said, "Learn a lesson from this unjust judge.7 Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don't you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?8 I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man[a] returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?"

1 Thessalonians 5:17 Never stop praying.…However, we need to be sure that our prayers are thoughtful, God-centered and God-honoring

36. What is Opus Dei?”……Opus Dei is "a personal Prelature of the Catholic Church that helps ordinary lay people seek holiness in and through their everyday activities, especially through work."

Prelacy – the office or position of a prelatein the Christian church

Prelate a high-ranking member of the Christian clergy, such as an abbot, bishop, or cardinal

Opus Dei was founded in 1926 by Fr. JosemarÔö£┬ía EscrivÔö£├¡ (canonized as St. JosemarÔö£┬ía EscrivÔö£├¡ October, 2002).……The Prelature of Opus Dei emphasizes that it is not a "secret society."

The organization stresses holiness in everyday activities.

For the most part they [Opus Dei members] do their job and live their family and social lives like everyone else, doing exactly what they would do if they were not in Opus Dei.