As you probably well have noticed, there have been a rash of commercials on TV, inviting lost souls to "come home" to the Catholic Church, or wandering souls to find their sense of purpose in the Church of Scientology, and now, as I have just seen, an invitation for souls who feel bad about what they've done (their words, not mine) to join the Mormom Church a.k.a The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
Many people simply write these religions off as just another branch, or sect of Christianity. After-all, the Mormon Church and the Catholic Church use key "Christian" words and phrases. You have prominent Mormon figures, namely Glenn Beck, who have a multitude of ears tuned in each day as he speaks of the need to go back to the Bible, go back to God, and that Jesus died for our sins. And undiscerning multitudes are swallowing it hook, line, and sinker.
Acts 17:11, "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." The group being spoken of are the Bereans, being preached to by the Apostle Paul. Paul is not just a "character" common to every "holy" book, nor is he a mythological creature. He was a real man. He was a Jew, "Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee." Phil 3:5. He was a persecutor of believers in Jesus Christ, holding firm to the very Jewish law he was raised in, to the utter rejection of the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. But that all changed one day in what we call the "Demascus Conversion." He was in route to persecute more Christians and was suddenly stopped by a loud voice from Heaven, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do." And the Lord sent Ananias to explain to Saul/Paul was he was to do, "But the Lord said unto him <Ananias>, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel. And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God."
Why do I mention this story from the Book of Acts? It is necessary to establish Paul, as first, a persecutor of Christians, and eventually, one who was personally spoken to by Jesus Christ, quickly repented, and was saved of His blood.
Now, if Paul was personally granted the Gospel, not through the words of any man, but by Christ Himself, then he is someone with great legitimacy, and someone whose words were to be regarded. Nevertheless, the Bereans he preached to STILL searched the Scriptures for themselves to prove that which Paul was teaching to make sure it was in alignment and not to the contrary! And did Paul become upset, were his feelings hurt because they didn't just take his word for it? On the contrary, he praised them, calling them noble, and rejoicing in the Lord for the practice of their faith!
Where are all the Bereans?
Why do people not look deeper into what they are hearing, rather than take people's word for it? If Paul could not escape the close scrutiny of Scripture, then why do we accept anything less from any other who claims they have the "truth"?
The cult of Scientology (Popular adherents include Greta Van Susteren of Fox News, Tom Cruise, and John Travolta) can quickly be disregarded on one verse alone: Jesus says of Himself, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father but by Me." Jn 14:6 Any religion that does not claim Christ should be avoided. Scientology teaches that one can attain god-hood through enlightenment…and enough money. Scientology is an expensive belief system, which is why it is largely only followed by the wealthy. They believe in extra-terrestrials and believe in a super ET that provided enlightenment for man. No- I'm not kidding.
Mormons, Catholics, and Jehovah's Witnesses require more insight as they claim a base knowledge of Scripture and contain a "Christ" figure. Jesus warns that in the last days just prior to His return there would arise many false christs that would lead the multitudes astray. One must examine the christ they claim to worship to see if his qualities match up to Scripture.
Catholics worship one of the many false christs. I realize I am stepping on toes, but Hebrews tells us, "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" and it is "a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed." 1 Peter 2:8. I do not seek to placate, but to tell Truth! Jesus says of Himself, "Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division." Lk 12:51. Galatians 4:16, "Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?"
The Catholic "christ" readily climbs into a piece of bread and glass of wine once a week, or more often if you are so inclined, for, what they call, the "bloodless sacrifice" for the remission of sins. Hebrews tells us, "…and without shedding of blood is no remission." Further, we are told, "By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." Hebrews 10:10-14. "For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God." Romans 6:10. 1 Peter 3:18, "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God…"
Hebrews 7:27, "Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself." Hebrews 9:26-28, "For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation."
Once! Are you getting the message? Christ sits at the right hand of God after having offered Himself ONCE for the remission of sins. It is blasphemy to say He regularly indwells a mere piece of bread to be worshiped, adored, and ingested. Further, the Catholic Church advocates for the worship of Biblical and non-Biblical saints alike, the Pope, and the Queen of Heaven, a.k.a Mary. Of course, this Mary they worship is not the Biblical Mary, mother of Jesus, as she was just a woman, obeying the Lord, but, rather, the Queen of Heaven mentioned in the book of Jeremiah. When one researches the characteristics of both, you will see they are eerily familiar- both claiming to have enlightened knowledge and, the current "Mary" claims to be a "co-redemptress" with Christ. Why, Christ being God, having given Himself once for all sins, would a "co-redemptress" be necessary?
The Pope is another issue. He is placed on the same level as God. He is described as the "vicar" of Christ- which either can mean "substitute for" or "anti". Scripture warns that the anti-christ will accept worship unto himself that is due only to God. Have you ever watched crowds swoon and weep when they look at the Pope, or how they faint when in his presence? Or how he holds out his hand and allows people to kiss it, as if he is Christ? In the Catholic cult, the Pope is considered infallible and the final authority on all matters, no matter that their many edicts completely contradict Scripture. In the Catholic church, "commoners" are not considered able to read and interpret Scripture for themselves, as it is best left to the priests and leaders to tell you what the Scripture says. And their Scripture is absolutely false. As in every other belief system in the world, they didn't like what God's Word had to say, so they perverted it and twisted it to accommodate what they wanted to agree with and believe. 2 Tim 4, "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." For example, they regularly pray to icons and statues, even though God's Word strictly forbids it in the 10 Commandments. So- what did they do? Got rid of that commandment, creating two new sub-commandments in its stead. Convenient. Also, they pray repetitive prayers over and over even though Christ warns against it, "But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking." Matt 6:7
Are you getting the point? There is absolutely nothing Biblical about the Catholic religion, save their eerie similarity to the Mystery Religions of the days of Nimrod- which, by the way, is exactly what they are- although baptized with "Christian-ese." Yeah- Christ-mass, Ishtar (Easter)- these are the very festivals celebrated in those days unto the false gods. The Catholics adapted them and now the world is swallowing eggnog and deceit- every April and December. Again, I say, be a Berean and check it out for yourself.
Both the Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons (Popular adherents include Glenn Beck and Mitt Romney) claim Christ was the Son of God and that he willingly died for our sins. And now I ask, when these visitors show up at your door, can you discern the deception within these two cults and turn the tables, sharing the true message of salvation? Most shrug them off and say, "Thanks but no thanks." Although Scripture exhorts us, "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine." 2 Tim 4:2 And Jude 1:3, "Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." Preach the Word. Contend. Not shut the door and throw away their papers. Or worse yet, "If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds." Many will rejoice in their shared salvation with the deceivers at their door. The second book of John exhorts us, "For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds."
Neither of the aforementioned cults claim that Christ IS God in the flesh, despite his repeated claims to the contrary. Christ refers to Himself as the I AM, a name saved only for God. Further, think about the story of Nathanael who prayed, all alone, underneath a tree. Later in the day, when he first met Christ, "Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee." How in the world could a mere man, who was not God, see Nathanael all alone under that tree when omniscience is saved only unto God?
They both also revere an extra-Biblical book written by a mere man, whom they claim to be a prophet of God. The gift of God unto man was that he closed up extra revelation after the Apostolic period to save us from false prophets. He offered us His Holy Word to consult, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." 2 Tim 3:16. Done. It contains all we need. We do not need all of these self-ordained apostles and prophets of God giving us their vain philosophies. Col 2:8, "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." And Scripture plainly says, "For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist." 2 Jn 1:7. 1 John 2:18, "Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time."
I got on the Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) website to examine their "fruits". Matthew 7:15-20, "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." I closely read their statement of faith. I noticed huge errors right away. From their website:
God sent Jesus Christ to earth to give us a way to overcome our imperfections.
Let us, again, go to the Word.
-
John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
-
John 3:17, "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved"
-
John 10:10, "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."
-
Matthew 10:34-36, "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household."
In just these few examples, I do not see Him say He sent His Son to give us a way to overcome our "imperfections." Subsequently, I abhor the ear-tickling phrase "imperfections." A lovely little way to say "sin." Imperfections are moles, birthmarks, malformed body parts, a lazy eye, a hair lip- but sin? Tis not an "imperfection", but rebellion and disobedience against our Creator. Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death." Isaiah 59:2, "But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear." Sin is serious! Those who do not repent of their sins will not inherit eternal life, but will be cast into outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
On Repentance, again from their site:
Making bad decisions causes us to feel sorrow, but Jesus Christ made a way for us to be forgiven.
Does it matter how we feel? Our society is so obsessed with ourselves and everything has to be about how we feel about it. I'm sure Christ hung, nailed to a cross, so you could feel better about yourself. His death did not pave a way for us to vindicate our guilt and to be able to look at ourselves in the mirror, but to allow us the ability to pray to God for forgiveness and to be saved. Paul says, "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief." He was aware of his great sin and of Christ's great gift, and it had nothing to do with his sorrow, but rather his thanksgiving to Christ for His great sacrifice. And, here we are back to "bad decisions." It is called SIN! You cannot truly repent if you are convinced that you are not a sinner, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." 1 John 1:18
Also from their site:
Having faith in Jesus Christ makes us want to live good lives. When we make mistakes, our faith can motivate us to do better. God understood when He created the earth that we wouldn’t be perfect, so He provided a way for us to make right the things we do wrong.
God understood when He created the earth that we wouldn't be perfect? Wrong! On the contrary, God did create man sinless and in perfect harmony with Him in the beginning- it was man who chose to disobey God (sin), thereby creating the eternal separation that could NEVER be made right by man's efforts. He graciously sent His Son to live a sinless life to die the death you deserve for your sin! It is by nothing we do- but by everything He did!
To say we have to repent for our sins may sound like a punishment, but the real punishment is the disappointment we feel when we make a mistake.
Forbid we undergo punishment for our willfull sin! This is ridiculous. Repentance is a gift! How in the world can one complain about having to repent when Jesus willingly underwent the suffering of the cross- again, I say, a death you deserved to die! "For the wages of sin is death." The real punishment? Eternal separation from God in Hell. Disappointment doesn't begin to touch the punishment of Hell.
One of the followers states on the website, "I love when the Savior taught about being true to your own self." Where? Following our "self" will lead us to Hell. Following "self" is exactly the lie Satan is trying to sell to the world, well, has successfully sold. If you search their site, you see mentioned several "verses", but look closer- none of them are from the Bible, rather from the Book of Morman. That is NOT the Bible!
From their site: "Many of the things that weigh us down are not the result of sin. Death or illness of loved ones, stress at work or the difficulty of raising a family can sometimes overwhelm us. Jesus Christ said, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). As soon as we are willing to turn to Him, we will feel His love." Everything that happens is the result of sin! And Christ's words remind us that, through His death on the cross, we can repent and he will give our souls eternal rest. This has nothing to do with your happiness. Again- get over yourself! Christ was not spit on, mocked, and crucified that you may be happy. No- he died that you may have life!
Also from their site: "God is our Heavenly Father, and like any parent He wants His children to be happy. In the scriptures, He says “my work and my glory [is] to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39). Eternal life means to live in heaven, in His presence, with our families, forever. More than anything else, God wants us to make the decisions that will allow us to return to live with Him after this life." Where at in Scripture can we find that God wants us to be happy. It's not that I think God is opposed to our happiness, but he certainly does not bite His nails figuring out how to make that happen for us. He graciously provided us with a means for salvation. Not so that we are happy little helium balloons. Second of all, their verse reference is not in the Bible. Third of all, He wants us to be in Heaven with our families forever? Jesus says Himself, "But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." Our "families" are those fellow brethren saved in Christ- not necessarily our earthly families.
What you will never find in bold letters about the Mormon Church is that they profess that Jesus and Lucifer are half-brothers, born of the same spirit. They will not tell you that they believe Heaven is a planet given to each, individual male follower, populated by many women with whom they can eternally procreate with. Men rule a planet, and women give birth- for.all.eternity. They also teach that one can attain god-hood.
These cults are all the same. A belief that man can attain enlightenment beyond ourselves. Not surprising. It's the same lie Satan sold to Eve, "For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil." Gen 3:5. And man continually takes the fruit.
The very sad truth is that there are so many ecumenical accords being signed today, blurring the lines of religion, creating the perfect environment for the rise and deception of that man of perdition- the anti-christ. Scripture says, "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them." True Christians know better. And they do not take people's word for it. Those who have their names written in the Book of Life will rejoice over this article and those who are perishing will gnash their teeth. I am not offended. My hope and salvation are secure.
Lk 18:8, "I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?"
August 26th, 2010 at 12:47 am
The WT Society is a human originating, men-run, high controlling religious cult-like institution, rather than what they tell people they are (God's appointed Channel/Organization/People etc etc).
The facts prove without a doubt that God was never behind any of this:
http://home.tiscali.nl/t661020/wtcitaten/part2.htm
ALL FROM THEIR OWN LITERATURE WITH DATES AND PAGES TO SEE FOR YOURSELVES!
We got false predictions all over the place, medical disasterous policies – FORCED on JW's.
We got flip flops, blinking lights, wacky science, historical failures, arrogance, judging and loads of WT Society embarrassments and humiliations throughout their entire 100+ year history!
God had nothing to do with all that nonsense that was called, "Food from God" by all JW's.
It was WRONG when it first came off the presses!
So why are some today opposed to Jehovah's Witness and their policies?
Dead People is why.
Ruined lives is why.
False prophecies is why.
A controlling Religious Institution is why.
They are WRONG ON BLOOD TODAY (for 68 years now).
They are WRONG ON SHUNNING those that simply walk away from the JW religion today.
They are WRONG 607 BCE and 1914.
They were WRONG ABOUT FORBIDDING Vaccinations, Organ Transplants, Alternative Service and more.
They were wrong on ALL OF THEIR End of World Predictions in writing. Wrong on marital infidelity rules, rape rules, beards, 1935, Beth Sarim and too many things to bother listing here.
Did ((( GOD ))) make all of these terrible decisions to force on all the JW's as "food at the proper time, and then change his mind later on?
Or did a few OLD MEN, that make up the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses (sitting up in some Brooklyn office somewhere) MAKE these poor decisions, FORCE them on all JW's and then afterwards conveniently change their mind?
Does God serve Bad Food like this?
Perhaps He is not a very good cook?
Shunning people for disagreements is NOT scriptural!
Shunning people for walking away from the JW faith is NOT scriptural!
This is a CONTROL mechanism. And it often works. It is a gross misapplication of scripture to keep the average JW towing the line.
THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN UNITY AND FORCED UNIFORMITY.
Jw's are not allowed to even THINK differently.
I WAS a JW, and an elder as well, until recently in 2006 when I walked away. I am very familiar with how they are actually WORSE than most other faiths today. I am shunned for walking away. People today and for the last 80 years have died, without reason, due to the WT medical policies forced on all JW's.
Each week is filled with a list of JW obligations that basically OWN YOU. You are told what you can read, what movies are acceptable, what association is acceptable, what facial hair is okay. What you can celebrate and cannot. What words you are allowed to use.
What is allowed in your own bedroom with your wife. And too many other things to list here again. Before knowing all the facts and believing they were God's True Channel, one can go a very long way to justify all of these things. Take away that one true faith belief and so falls the rest.
I have been there and done all that.
JW's are told they cannot take blood transfusions in situations where they might need one (such as through accidents or complications with surgery, pregnancy or child birth).
So, naturally, more JW's will die.
Just like this mother died unnecessarily!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/shropshire/7078455.stm
And now her husband has no wife and her two new twins have no mother.
And all for what?
This is very simple. JW's NEEDLESSLY die for this sorry blood policy today.
From the same organization that has an entire 100 + year history of similar bad policies.
This is why I suggest to anybody thinking of becoming a JW … to READ READ AND READ UP ON THIS RELIGION FIRST!
The proof will clearly stand out that the JW faith is not what they try to tell people they are!
The facts are irrefutable.
Vinny
August 26th, 2010 at 11:09 am
Dear Mom4Truth,
Thank you for taking the time to stand up for what you believe to be the truth. It is my duty, however, as a practicing Catholic, faithful to Christ and the teachings of His one, true Church, to correct the errors you have made in your discussion about crucial elements of our Catholic faith.
First, the Eucharist. You wrote at length about the sacrifice “once for all.” I believe that it is necessary to clear up a fundamental misunderstanding about what indeed is the Sacrifice of the Mass. As Catholics, we believe the Mass to be a relative sacrifice, relative to the sacrifice on the Cross—not independent of it. In the Mass, the bloody sacrifice on the Cross is re-presented. There is no new crucifying or slaying of Christ each celebration of the Mass; rather, the fruits of Christ’s death are applied individually to everyone who receives Christ in the Holy Eucharist. Hebrews does teach us that Christ’s one sacrifice on the Cross objectively merited redemption. In the re-presenting of this sacrifice during the Mass, this same sacrifice is now offered sacramentally in a subjective manner to all individuals present and receiving the Holy Eucharist. The act of redemption involving Christ’s death is indeed finished, but Christ in the Mass forever offers His work on the Cross for the forgiveness of our sins to the Heavenly Father. The Sacrifice of the Mass is the Sacrifice on the Cross, presented in a different manner. The Mass does not take anything away from the Cross, but instead, emphasizes it, and allows us—His Church—to join ourselves in a sacramental way to His offering. (We must also never forget Christ’s command to “do this in remembrance of me” in the Last Supper discourse. As Catholics, it is our privilege to obey Christ’s command to continue the celebration of the Eucharist, instituted by Christ Himself the night before He died. See 1 Cor 10:16, 1 Cor 11:24.)
Secondly, you mentioned that “the Catholic Church advocates for the worship of Biblical and non-Biblical saints alike.” This is completely incorrect. We do not worship the saints—or even Mary, the Blessed Mother of God. In fact, Catholics condemn the worshipping of saints. We believe that worship is due to God alone. We do, however, honor the saints (our brothers and sisters in faith, alive in Heaven), asking them to pray for us as we strive to imitate their lives of holiness. The saints are like little mirrors of Christ, so it only makes sense to look to them as examples of how we can imitate our Lord as they have (See 1 Cor 11:1, Phil 3:17, 1 Thess 1:6-7).
And, let me reiterate, that we do not worship Mary. We do however honor her, as she is the Mother of God (Luke 1:35). She is not just any woman who obeyed the Lord; I obey the Lord (and strive to do so more often), but I did not bear the God-made-Man in my womb. Mary’s participation in God’s divine plan was a crucial element in His saving mission…God asked Mary’s consent to bring Christ into the world. Humans can cooperate with God. This is what Mary did; she cooperated with God for the salvation of the world. Furthermore, there is more than enough biblical support for the Queenship of Mary. In Revelation 12:1-2, we read of a Woman in Heaven clothed with the sun, the moon under her feet, wearing a crown of 12 stars. When we read Scripture in its fullness (Old Testament included), we see that this Queen Mother depicted in Revelation images the queen mother figures of the Old Testament, particularly in the Davidic Kingdom (See 1 Kings, Bathsheba). Without recognizing these Davidic undertones, it is difficult to see the magnificent connection to Mary’s Queenship in Revelation 12.
On to the pope…Catholics absolutely do not hold the pope on the same level as God. The word “vicar,” as you brought up in your discussion, simply refers to one who vicariously stands in for another person. A vicar is someone to whom a particular job is delegated, and in Scripture, we see that Peter was delegated rock (Matt 16:18), steward (Isaiah 22—Matt 16), and shepherd (John 21:17). We then read in Acts that Christ intended that there be apostolic succession in His Church (Acts 1:20)…and thus we view our popes today as “Vicars of Christ,” guided by the Holy Spirit, whom Christ promised to the Church (John 14, Acts 1). To clarify another of your points, the pope is not considered the infallible, final authority “on all matters.” He does not have the final say on what breakfast cereal that the faithful eat each morning, but rather only on matters of faith and morals. The second Vatican Council of the Church stated this point clearly: infallibility is a charism the pope "enjoys in virtue of his office, when, as the supreme shepherd and teacher of all the faithful, who confirms his brethren in their faith (Luke 22:32), he proclaims by a definitive act some doctrine of faith or morals. Therefore his definitions, of themselves, and not from the consent of the Church, are justly held irreformable, for they are pronounced with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, an assistance promised to him in blessed Peter." The doctrine of infallibility was implicitly found in the early Church and can even be seen in Scripture (Luke 22:32). Furthermore, the pope’s “edicts” cannot contradict Scripture, as the Catholic Church compiled Scripture and holds it to be divinely inspired in its entirety.
I must disagree even further with your statement that “In the Catholic church, ‘commoners’ are not considered able to read and interpret Scripture for themselves, as it is best left to the priests and leaders to tell you what the Scripture says.” I would hardly consider myself unable to read Scripture for myself, and in regards to interpretation, I do read Scripture in light of the teaching authority of the Church, since that authority was bestowed on the Church by Christ Himself, making the Church “the pillar and foundation of truth” (1 Tim 3:15). I praise God that I do not have to flounder on my own to interpret Scripture, as that can be a dangerous endeavor. Perhaps this explains why the faithful are so divided among denominations, despite the fact that Christ prayed for His Church to be one, just as He and the Father are one (John 17:21).
I will briefly touch on your last two points as well. First, Catholics do not engage in idol worship, as God condemns the worship of these objects (Lev 19:4). God does not, however, condemn statues or images in themselves when they are used as a means to bring honor to God (Ex 25:18-22, temple adornments in 1 Kings 6 and 7, Elijah’s mantle in 2 Kings 2, etc.). Secondly, Christ was not condemning repetitive prayer in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt 6:7-8), but rather the endless recitation of formulations that the Gentiles used as a means to force the “gods” to answer their petitions. Indeed, the Father knows what we need before we ask Him (Matt 6:7-8), so we must not be like the pagans in our prayer, but instead come to Him with a sincere heart. In other words, we must not think that the repetition of words itself (divorced from the honest interior disposition of our hearts) will ensure that God hears and answers our prayer. That sort of repetition is vain. But that is not the repetition that we find in prayers like the Rosary, where devout, sincere Catholics with open hearts reflect on the mysteries of Christ and contemplate His immense love for us in coming into our world and redeeming us.
I must agree with you wholeheartedly in your last comment in regards to the Church, namely, to “check it out for yourself.” The Catholic Church is steeped in biblical truth, which I hope I have been able to clearly show in the above dialogue. I thank you for your passion for truth-seeking. In a world often plagued by indifference, it is important that honest people are seeking the true faith handed down to us by Jesus Christ (which I am confident can be found, in its entirety, in the Catholic Church). May God bless you. I will keep you in my prayers.
August 26th, 2010 at 1:57 pm
Hi, Vinny. Welcome to the blog. Thank you for your testimony and I am so happy to hear you left the JW cult. So many are deceived by the impressive words and fair speeches of these leaders, and so Biblically illiterate that they do not know the wolves disguised as sheep. We are navigating dark waters as we wait for the soon arrival of Jesus Christ and so few have found the light.
Maranatha!
January 12th, 2011 at 9:18 pm
My Irish Catholic heritage afforded me the opportunity of attending Mass, Holy Days and Catechism. I graduated from Bishop Blanchet High School in Seattle. My faith was in the Catholic church and the "saints," but not in the redemption of Christ. I believed that I was saved because I was Catholic. I prayed to the "saints" but never to Jesus or the Father. I am grateful for my Catholic education. The nuns had a positive influence on my life and career. However, Religion class was a turning point in my life. Msgr. Doogan taught this class and it was mandatory. He was stern, unloving, and matter of fact in his teaching method. I was shocked when he stated that "you did not have to believe the Bible with regard to the narratives about Adam and Eve or Noah's ark as being factual." I thought the Bible was God's Word. Msgr. Doogan was instrumental with this "Catholic Leaving Home."
Several years later as a young Mom I knew that I had the responsibility to raise my children in the church. We were living in Michigan at the time. I went back to the Catholic church so that my daughter could make her first communion and I was also looking for something that was missing in my spiritual life, a relationship with God. We started her communion classes but moved before she finished. In the interim, in my quest for a relationship with God, I asked a nun if I could read the King James Bible and she said yes much to my surprise. After our move we began attending a small country church. The priest was drunk during Mass and I decided that was not the right church for me. I thought about finding a different Catholic church because that was my faith. I would never have considered attending a Protestant church. I began reading more of the Bible and read for several hours every day since I was not working at the time. My eyes were opened to Biblical truths that I had never heard before. 1 Timothy 2:5 "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus." This and many other Scriptures made me realize that the Catholic church was not teaching me truth but their own man made doctrines and traditions. I delved into the Bible with voracity. I was hungry for the truth but didn't know where to turn next.
The Eucharistic sacrifice began in 604 AD after the time of Pope Gregory the Great. Prior to that the practice was one of the breaking of bread mentioned in the Bible where Jesus said to do this in remembrance of me. The Bible does not mention transubstantiation. That is a Catholic man made doctrine of pagan origin. Nor does it say that only a Catholic priest can turn the bread into the body and blood of Christ. God does not contradict Himself. In the Law he forbid the eating of fat and drinking blood. Lev. 3:17 "eat neither fat nor blood." This is a perpetual covenant, meaning forever.
The doctrine of Purgatory was taught by Greek philosophers and is nowhere to be found in the Old or New Testament. Christ died once for all. If I have to pay the penalty for my sins, then Christ died in vain. As a Catholic I always wore my medal of Mary and a scapular believing that I would bypass Purgatory when I died. Here is a quote from a Catholic website and it concurs with what I was taught as a Catholic. Holy Sacrifice of the Mass/ "There are more souls released from purgatory during the Consecration of the Mass than any time. Christmas is the day of the year when most souls are delivered; then feast days of Our Lord, Our Lady and great saints. Souls receive much grace from prayers offered for them on their birthdays, day of baptism, anniversary of death. The more we work for Poor Souls on earth the more others will pray for us, the more merciful will Christ be with us when we are in purgatory."
So the Sacrifice of the Mass actually releases souls from Purgatory according to the Vatican. The Vatican also states that the Bible does not mention Purgatory. So, my turning to faith in Christ saved me, not paying for my own sins in Purgatory. That is not even logical. After believing in the Lord Jesus Christ and repenting of your sins, the apostle Paul states in 2 Cor 5:8 "to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord." Paul said that he was the chief among sinners in 1 Tim 1:15. If Paul believed in Purgatory he would have talked about it. That is a huge problem. Paul would have told us what to do to bypass Purgatory. But instead Paul told us in Romans 3:24 "being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." David said in Psalms 32:1-2 "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; Blessed is the man to who the Lord shall not impute sin." That says I'm freely justified through faith in Christ alone and not in the works of the flesh.
God calls us to be separate from the world in many passages. The Catholic church incorporates so much paganism that it's difficult to tell the difference between Catholics and Hindus. God tells us in Leviticus not to create images and bow down to them. That is exactly what I did as a Catholic. We genuflected to the monstrance with the Eucharist. We bowed and knelt when the priest walked it down the aisle. We lit candles to the saints and asked for their intercession. I was never taught to pray directly to Jesus or the Father.
When reading the book of John chapter 16, verse 13 it said "the Spirit of truth will guide you to all truth." I put down my Bible and asked the Spirit to guide me to the truth. Within weeks I met a woman who asked if I had found a church and she invited to her home for lunch. She gave me a gospel tract with the plan of salvation and asked me if I believed what it said. I told her that as a Catholic I had learned everything stated in the booklet, that I was a sinner and that Christ had died for my sins. She asked if I had given my life to Christ and asked Him to be Lord of my life and if I had repented of my sins. I said no. Once I turned over my life to Christ my life changed. I put off the old sinful ways and walked in newness of life. I'm a sinner saved by grace. I'm covered in the righteousness of Christ, not by anything that I've done but by His sacrifice on the cross for my sins. I felt like the Catholic church had brought me to the cross and then left me standing there. There was no plan of salvation given, it was all church doctrine and man made traditions. There was no hope for eternity. I didn't know for certain that I was going to heaven. I knew I was likely going to Purgatory. What kind of hope is that? My hope now is in the promises of His Word – Titus 3:7 "That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life."
I hope that Catholics do not Come Home to that church but find hope and salvation in Christ alone and His atoning sacrifice.
Blessings,
Barbara
January 12th, 2011 at 9:19 pm
I forgot to address the pope issue with regard to Peter
being the rock that Christ was building the church upon.
1 Cor 10:4 says that Christ is the Rock. The Lord would
not build his church upon a mere mortal. The church was
built upon Christ who is the foundation. You may want to
add that to my letter.
First Vatican Council in 1870 began with the proclamation
of the dogma of papal infallibility for rare occasions
when the pope speaks ex cathedra (literally "from the
chair (of St. Peter)") to issue a formal definition of
faith or morals.[5] The first (after the proclamation) and
so far the last such occasion was in 1950, with the
definition of the dogma of the Assumption of Mary.
A dogma is something you must believe or you
are excommunicated from the Catholic Church.
Excommunicated means you cannot receive any of their so
called sacraments like the eucharist and without it you
are on your way to hell.
Barbara
January 13th, 2011 at 9:16 am
CCH Commun Manager-
I received your original comment back in August. I set it aside, temporarily, until I could sit down and give it the dedicated response it deserves. I apologize profusely for just now picking it back up. This comment was buried under 300 other comments and it was unintentionally set on the back-burner. Again, I apologize.
You started out with a bang. Thanking me for my dedication to standing up for what I believe is truth. John 17:17 (KJV ONLY!) says God's Word is Truth. Sola Scriptura! That will be my standard, not the vain philosophies or traditions or opinions of man that put my Savior on a cross. The Bible is the sole standard plus nothing!!! This must be stated up front. 1 Corinthians 4:6 tells us “not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against another.”
Acts 17:11 “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”
1 John 4:1 “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”
2 Timothy 3:15-17 “And that from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” All we need is Scripture and not the bishop of Rome.
You said, "The teachings of his One, true church." His ONE TRUE CHURCH follows the same teachings! The Word of God! The very fact that the Catholic Church has its own teachings that they consider equal and, in most cases, superior to the Truth as explained in His Word tells me everything I need to know. Galatians 1:8 "But though we, or an angel from Heaven, preach any other gosepl unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed."
The Eucharist: also known as the Real Presence. I realize the average-Joe does not understand the fundamental belief of Transubstantiation within Catholicism. Most probably assume that it is simply following the Lord's ordinance to "Do this in remembrance of me"- The Lord's Supper. Catholics teach and believe that the "sacraments", known to Christ and His disciples as bread and wine, actually become Christ's body and blood. Despite no Biblical evidence to warrant such a grotesque and perverse twist of Christ's command, the church strictly and unabashedly adheres to this teaching, balking in the face of Deuteronomy 12:23 "Only be sure that thou eat not the blood: for the blood is the life; and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh."
Mark 7:13 “Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.” The tradition of the mass, is exactly that, a tradition, delivered by mere men, unyielding to the simplicity that is in Christ. Why replicate the sacrifice of the cross, when no where in Scripture is it commanded, encouraged, or exemplified? Why add to the Word of God when Proverbs 30:5-6 says, “Every word of God is pure: He is a shield unto them that put their trust in Him. Add thou not unto His words, lest He reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.”
Matthew 15: 9 “But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”
You said, “We do not worship the saints- or even Mary, the Blessed Mother of God.” Do you hear yourself? You say you don't worship her, but you go on to refer to her as the Blessed Mother of God, in all-caps, and as if I wouldn't know who Mary was. Does she demand that title? As I understand it, she does. The Queen of Heaven has sold the same lie as she did in the days of Jeremiah, the prophet. And her lies are being swallowed up. You go on to explain that you pray to the saints as mirrors of Christ, and how we should live. There, it happens again, adding to the Word of God. The verses you gave as examples do say we should view the Scriptural group/person/persons as an ensample (example), yes, but conspicuously absent, “And pray to them.”
Hebrews 7:25 “Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”
1 John 2:1 “And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”
This clearly teaches we are to come to God through Him, that is, Christ, who lives to make intercession on our behalf. Why pray to other, supposed, inhabitants of Heaven? Where do you derive that from Scripture? And what authority do they have?
Also, those deemed “saints” by the Catholic Church have been anything but. These “saints” you pray to are not redeemed saints of Christ, rather they sit as fallen spirits where there is weeping an gnashing of teeth. Salvation does not come from or through the Catholic Church, rather despite it, and those who have died in its grasp, have been met with torment in eternity. If this is not the case, then why did people like “Mother” Theresa wail about the darkness in her soul and how she was so unsure of her salvation? Scripture teaches that we can be assured of our salvation the moment we accept Christ's atoning sacrifice on the cross. We are not required to work for our salvation, Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works lest any man should boast.” At the point of salvation, our good works are made manifest as evidence of our salvation.
You referred to Mary as the Mother of God and gave Luke 1:35 as a reference. Luke 1:35 “And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee: therefore that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” The Son of God, yes. The Mother of God, no.
John 8:58 “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.”
John 1:1-14 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not made anything that was made…And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.”
Revelation 22:13 “I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.”
Isaiah 43:10 “Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.”
She did give birth to the Savior, but was not the Mother of God. He has always been. The deceptive spirit that is the Queen of Heaven would like for all to think it was she who has always been, and that, within her, lies all of the fullness.
Colossians 1:19 “For it pleased [the Father] that in Him should all fullness dwell;”
You went on to say that God “asked Mary's consent to bring Christ into the world.” Where. Do. You. Get. That? On the contrary, in the Gospels, the angel approached Mary and told her what was happening, already telling her that she would give birth to a son, and call him JESUS. No permission slip required. God, as always, has the final say. She didn't even opine, simply saying, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.” Remember? Thy will be done!
You said “there is more than enough Biblical support for the Queenship of Mary.” You give an example of Revelation 12. I agree, I am all for looking at the whole of Scripture, and when you do so, you clearly see that the only thing that woman and Mary have in common is that they give birth to a man-child. When was Mary given wings, and when did Mary flee to the wilderness for over 1,000 years? When was she persecuted by Satan, the dragon?
Revelation 11:15-17 “And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”
So, is Mary to come back in the flesh and this will happen? Or do you believe it already happened? Either way, it doesn't add up. This “woman” is clearly Israel with the 12 stars being the 12 tribes of Israel. The man-child was Christ, considering He came from them, and to them. Also, this verse implies that the remnant was from her seed. They are not.
Genesis 22:18 “And in thy <Abraham> seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because thou hast obeyed my voice.” It is Israel.
And, you are right there are “Queenship” roles that this Mary you speak of fulfills perfectly.
Jeremiah 7:18 “The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger.”
Queen of Heaven is precisely the title bestowed upon this Mary you speak of by the Catholic Church, the name she gave herself in many of her great apparitions around the globe. It is a false spirit!
2 Corinthians 11:14 “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.”
She speaks of redemption coming though her, she says she is a mediator for “Christians”! Wrong!
1 Timothy 2:5 “For there is one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.” This worship and veneration of Mary is pagan goddess worship.
What about the lie that she remained a virgin? Scripture says Jesus had brothers and sisters!
Matthew 1:25 Joseph “knew her not until she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name Jesus.” If she did not have other children, why does it say “first-born”? And “knew” is the Biblical term for sexual relations.
On the Pope. The concept of a “vicar” is, essentially, a place-holder. It is someone acting on behalf of, or a representative of. Peter was not delegated 'rock'. The Greek word for 'Peter' is 'petros' which means little rock. The Greek word for 'rock' is 'petra' meaning BIG rock. Christ is the Big Rock. Christ asked Peter who he said He was. Peter says He is the Son of the Living God. Christ goes on to congratulate him on because it was God who revealed that to him. It was upon that faith that Christ would build His church.
1 Corinthians 3:11 “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” Christ is the only foundation for the church.
Ephesians 5:23 “For the husband is head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and He is savior of the body.” It says Christ is the head of the church, not the bishop of Rome.
1 Corinthians 10:4 “And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.” The Rock was Christ!
Nor did Peter ever say or imply in his epistles that he is the supreme bishop of the church. In fact, Peter refers to Christ as the chief cornerstone. 1 Peter 2:4-6 “To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore, it is contained in the Scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief cornerstone, elect, and precious: and he that believeth on Him shall not be confounded.”
Matthew 21:42 “Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the Scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?”
Also, Peter could not have been the first pope as he was married. Mark 1:30 “But Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell them of her.”
Peter was not given the authority to forgive sins, only the authority to preach the gospel. Mark 2:7 “Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God only?” This flies in the face of the practice of Confessional booths and the supposed ability of priests to offer forgiveness if the right formula or equation was spoken, and the right amount of penance was paid to the piper.
The Catholic Church, as well as non-church members alike, refer to the Pope as the Holy Father. There is only one spiritual father, and that is God alone.
Matthew 23:9 “And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in Heaven.”
Isaiah 42:8 “I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.”
The doctrine of infallibility cannot be found in the Holy Scriptures, and certainly not in the verse you provided.
Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
Ecclesiastes 7:20 “For there is not a just man upon the earth; that doeth good and sinneth not.”
Your last statement is scary. The pope's edicts cannot contradict Scripture because the Catholic Church compiled it and hols it to be divinely inspired. A pagan group of people come together, create a theology based off of Babylonian mystery religions, write a “Bible” to fit said theology and decide that it is divinely inspired and is the end all and be all? No accountability?
Revelation 22:18-19 “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”
The Codex Vaticanus is riddled with omission, insertions, and amendments. According to John W. Burgeon, it “leaves out words or whole clauses no less than 1,491 times.” Further Burgeon says, “In the Gospels it leaves out 749 entire sentences and 452 clauses, plus 237 other words, all of which are found in hundreds of other Greek manuscripts. He goes on to explain, “Codex Vaticanus identifies itself as a product of gnostic corruption in John 1:18, where “the only begotten Son” is changed to “the only begotten God,” this perpetuating the ancient Adrian heresy that dissociates the Son of God Jesus Christ from God Himself by claiming that the Word was not the same as the Son. John's Gospel identifies the Son directly with the Word (John 1:1, 18), but by changing 'Son' to 'God' in verse 18, this direct association is broken.” He ends with, “Codex Vaticanus contains the false Roman Catholic apocryphal books such as Judith, Tobias, and Baruch, while it omits the pastoral epistles (1 Timothy through Titus), the Book of Revelation, and it cuts off the book of Hebrews at Hebrews 9:14 (a very convenient stopping point for the Catholic Church, since God forbids their priesthood in Hebrews 10 and exposes the mass as totally useless as well!)”
Your next paragraph addressed the fact that one's own reading of Scripture is discouraged in the Catholic Church. Even as you said, you don't trust your ability to do so, without the Church's interpretation to guide you, as it could be a “dangerous” endeavor. What Biblical example do you have for this? Contrary to your point, the believers in Acts 17:11 took Paul's teachings and compared them to Scripture to assure that what he was saying was truth, and for this, they were commended! They didn't need Paul's help in interpreting the Scriptures!
You next address the worship of images. This is common and known fact that the Catholic Church flagrantly worships images and idols. The Pope bows down to statues of Mary, members worship the eucharist, and have statues and candles in their homes.
The Bible forbids even making graven images! Exodus 20:4-5
The Israelites made a Golden Calf to worship while they waited for Moses to come down off the mountain. They believed they were doing it for God! Aaron's sons burned strange fire unto God in His temple, and they were killed immediately. Nowhere does Scripture give a green light to create and worship images and statues, even if they say it is for God. Also, how is worshiping a statue of Mary a sacrifice to God? Nothing is to be worshiped except God, and we are not to create anything in any imagination of His likeness.
The Second Commandment forbids this, yet the Catholic Church took out the second commandment and split the 9th and 10th into two separate ones.
You spoke of endless repetitions as a way to “force” the gods to give the person what they want. Is that not precisely what the rosary is? A prayer and petition for Mary to protect you? Is this not precisely that same abominable lie given to every lost soul that crosses the thresh-hold of a confessional booth, looking for an absolution that a man cannot give. “10 Hail Mary's and you're good.”
How about the rule that priests cannot marry (or eat meat on Good Friday)?
1 Timothy 4:1 “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron: Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.”
This exact verse is why the Catholic Church is plagued with the perverse sex-scandals.
There are so many un-Biblical fallacies in the Church of Rome. One must spend time reading the KJV Word of God, the only safe English translated Bible, to begin to see the deceptions. Scripture is clear that we are in the last times. The Savior is coming back soon. For some He is coming as a relief, for others He is coming as a judge. Today is the day that God is offering you true salvation. Not salvation through a church, not salvation through your good works, not salvation through your penance, but free salvation, as a gift. You can have the peace that surpasses understanding, knowing that, for those who are in Christ Jesus, you are not doomed to purgatory.
Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.”
I have appreciated the opportunity to share the true Gospel with you. My prayer is that you will see and hear and taste God's glorious goodness, repent of your Catholic snare, and accept only the yoke of Christ, which is light and easy to bear.
To Christ, In Christ, and For Christ, I Labor,
Mom4Truth
January 13th, 2011 at 8:23 pm
[...] http://www.mom4truth.com/welcome-home/ [...]
January 14th, 2011 at 5:07 pm
Very well stated Mom4Truth!
Do not be surprised if you get another scathing letter of bared teeth hatred!
These people refuse to hear the truth. Because they have rewritten it to suit their own doctrine and dogma. It is "another" Jesus!!
Just one point about Maryolatry, read Luke 1:46,47; Mary saw her need of a Savior, "The Mother Of God" would not need a Savior!
So much fodder here for discussion.
But, we pray that maybe one, just one, will be snatched from the fire. How glorious that would be.