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Understanding Roman Catholicism
by Rick Jones
© 1995 by Rick JonesReproduced by Permission
Contents
Preface and IntroductionWho is The Final Authority?
37 Roman Catholic Doctrines
1Salvation Through The Church2Salvation Through Good Works3The Church Forgives Sins4The One True Church5Baptism Saves6The Pope: Vicar of Christ7The Pope: Infallible8The Sacraments Save9The Sin of Presumption10Infant Baptism11Degrees of Sin12Transubstantiation13Eucharist: Preserves from Sin14Eucharist: Helps the Dead15Mary Saves16Mary: Saved from Birth17Mary: Perpetual Virgin18Mary: Source of Holiness19Mary: The Intercessor20Mary: Recipient of Prayers21Mary: Queen Over All Things22The Mass23Purgatory24Praying to Saints25Praying for the Dead26Statues27Confirmation28Confessing Sins to a Priest29Indulgences30Interpreting God' s Word31Catholic Prayer32Penance33Are Catholics Christ?34Could 850 Million Catholics be Wrong?35Reconciliation36Celibacy37Last RitesAppendix 1ConfusionAppendix 2An InvitationAppendix 3God' s PleaAppendix 4Liberty or Bondage?
Preface
As a child growing up in a Roman Catholic home, I often wonderedabout the practices of the Catholic church. One example is "eatingmeat on Fridays." During my childhood years, this was a sin thatwould send you to hell. Then one day the church declared that it wasnow okay. Questions popped into my young mind like: "Did Godchange His mind?" "If so, why?" I asked myself, "Why was it sinfulto eat meat on Fridays, but not on any other day?" I wondered, "Howdid God in heaven get word down to man that this practice no longerbothered Him?" I thought about the millions of people who had diedand gone to hell for committing this sin, and asked myself: "Now thatit's no longer a sin, will God release them from hell and bring them toheaven and apologize?"Let me ask you... do you have questions about what your churchteaches? If so, this book can help. Keep in mind, someday you will
 
stand before God, and you won't be able to say, "See my priest... hetakes care of my spiritual matters." You will give an account of yourown life.That's why this book is so important. Using plain, easy-to-understandlanguage, it will answer those nagging questions that have botheredyou for so long. With your eternal destiny at stake, nothing is morecrucial.May God richly bless you.
Introduction
In recent years, there hasbeen a merging of Roman Catholicism withtraditional Protestantism. Many on both sides now claim those in theother camp as their Christian brothers and sisters. This was unheard of several years ago, but today:
Roman Catholic clergy appear regularly on Christiantelevision, promoting unity between Catholics and Protestants.
Christian radio stations broadcast Roman Catholic programs.
Christian bookstores carry a variety of material appealing toRoman Catholics.Have the two sides, in fact, merged? Are they both now preaching thesame message? Do both hold the same cardinal doctrines?To discover the answer to these questions, I began an exhaustivestudy of the 1994
Catechism of the Catholic Church.
Using thisparticular Catechism was important for two reasons:1. This catechism is the
official 
source for all Roman Catholicdoctrine. No one can deny that it contains the actual teachings of theRoman Catholic church.2. Published in 1994, this is the first new catechism in over 400 years.Therefore you can be assured that you are reading the currentteachings of the Roman Catholic church, not what it may have taughtthree hundred years ago.In this book, we will examine 37 of the most critical Roman Catholicdoctrines, then let the facts speak for themselves.You will not find personal opinions or philosophies presented here.This is strictly a declaration of true Roman Catholic doctrine and howthose doctrines compare with the Bible. You must draw your ownconclusions and make your own decisions.Neither is this a book of judgment or condemnation. Its sole purposeis to help you better understand Catholic doctrine so you will beprepared when you stand before God for judgment, as we all must doafter death:"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, butafter this the judgment:" Hebrews 9:27My heart breaks at the thought of anyone hearing Jesus proclaim thefollowing words to them on that day:"I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." Matthew 7:23Yet the Bible reveals that the Lord will proclaim those very words tomany
religious
people. Knowing this, it is vital that you not blindlyfollow anyone. Learn these Roman Catholic doctrines for yourself soyou will be able to face God with confidence.As you read, my sincere prayer is that God will reveal His truth toyour heart and mind. God bless you.
Who is The Final Authority?
Before we begin our examination of specific Roman Catholicdoctrines, we must determine who will be the final authority.Here we encounter our first major discrepancy. The Bible maintainsthat
it
is the one and only final authority, while Catholicism teaches
 
that three final authorities exist. The 1994
Catechism of the CatholicChurch
declares:"It is clear therefore that, in the supremely wisearrangement of God, sacred Tradition, SacredScripture, and the Magisterium of the Church areso connected and associated that one of themcannot stand without the others. Working together,each in its own way, under the action of the oneHoly Spirit, they all contribute effectively to thesalvation of souls." (Pg. 29, #95)According to this passage, the Scriptures, church tradition (teachingshanded down through the ages), and the Magisterium (the task of giving an authentic interpretation of the Word of God) are all equal inimportance. (See also Pg. 25, #82.)According to Catholic doctrine, church tradition and the magisteriumare just as much the Word of God as are the written Scriptures:"Sacred Scripture is the speech of God as it is putdown in writing under the breath of the HolySpirit. And (Holy) Tradition transmits in itsentirety the Word of God which has been entrustedto the apostles by Christ the Lord and the HolySpirit. " (Pg. 26, #81)The obvious question is, what happens when these three "finalauthorities" disagree with each other? The Catechism gives thisanswer:"The task of giving an authentic interpretation of the Word of God, whether in its written form or inthe form of Tradition, has been entrusted to theliving, teaching office of the Church alone. Thismeans that the task of interpretation has beenentruste d to the bishops in communion with thesuccessor of Peter, the Bishop of Rome." (Pg. 27,#85)It is important to note that when the Catechism explains that the task of interpreting the Word of God was entrusted to the "Church," it isreferring exclusively to the Roman Catholic church. Such is the casethroughout the Catechism. "The Church" always refers to the RomanCatholic church.The Catechism repeats the same doctrine using different words:"For, of course, all that has been said about themanner of interpreting Scripture is ultimatelysubject to the judgment of the Church whichexercises the divinely conferred commission and ministry of watching over and interpreting the Wordof God." (Pg. 34, #119)Therefore, the Catechism concludes that the one final authority is notthe Bible, but the current teaching of the Catholic church, since she isthe only one qualified to provide an "authentic in-terpretation" of God's Word.
Does the Bible agree?
If the Bible, tradition and the teachings of the Catholic church are all,in fact, the Word of God, then the Bible will concur with thisteaching. Unfortunately for Catholicism, it does not . In fact, quite thecontrary is true. God declares in the Bible that His written Wordalways has been, and always will be - perfect:"Thy word is true from the beginning: and everyone of thy righteous judgments
endureth forever."
Psalm 119: 160"The words of the Lord are pure words: as silvertried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt
preserve them from this generation for ever."
Psalm 12:6-7The Bible boldly declares that
it
is the
only
final authority:"Sanctify them through thy truth:
thy word is
of 00

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