The real difference between Roman Catholics and "Christians."

[oscarf1762]

The real difference between Roman Catholics and "Christians."

This article is not mine but I am reproducing it to enlighten the people of my nation.

"The Roman Catholic Bible Has The Answer."

By Oswald J. Smith, Litt. D.

Let us read now from the title page: "The New Testament of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Translated from the Latin Vulgate. A Revision of the Challoner-Rheims Version, Edited by Catholic Scholars." Hence it is unquestionably authoritative. It is a beautiful, accurate translation and is true to the original. It is the accepted Bible of the Roman Church.

On page 4 we read these words, uttered by Pope Benedict XV: "The responsibility of our Apostolic office impels us to . . . promote the study of Holy Scripture in accordance with the teaching of our predecessors, Leo XIII and Pius X . . . We shall . . . never desist from urging the faithful to read daily the Gospels, the Acts and the Epistles, so as to gather thence food for their souls . . . Ignorance of the Bible means ignorance of Christ."

At the top of page 5 in the Preface, we read these encouraging words: "In her belief in the divine authority and the perfect truth of the Bible, as being the inspired Word of God, the Catholic church has never hesitated. Neither has she overlooked the fact that this message must lie sealed and silent to many of her children unless given them in their own language."

On page 763 appears this statement by Pope Pius X: "The more we read the Gospel the stronger our faith becomes." So Roman Catholics are urged to study the Word of God.

Let us now ask ten questions of paramount importance to both Catholics and Protestants, and turn to this Roman Catholic Bible for the answers. It is the authoritative Word of God. In other words, it is infallible, for it is God's Book. These are the questions:

1. Did Jesus say He would build His church on Peter?

Jesus did say, and I quote from this Roman Catholic Bible, "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church" (Matt. 16:18). He did not say He would build His church on Peter. The keys and the power to bind that He gave Peter in Matt. 16:19 represent the authority He gave all believers in Matt. 18:18-19.

The Greek word for Peter is petros, meaning "a little stone." The word for rock is petra. What Jesus said was, "I will build my church on the Rock." He Himself was the Rock. He never said He would build His church on Peter, "a little stone." That would be too faulty a foundation.

In I Peter 2:5-8, Peter himself speaks of believers as stones and of Jesus as a rock. So in Ephesians 2:19-21, Jesus is the corner stone, the foundation. The church, therefore, is built, not on Peter or his successors, but on Jesus Christ Himself - the Rock.

For my supreme authority I quote the great Apostle Paul. In I Cor. 3:11, in this wonderful Roman Catholic Bible, he says this: "For other foundation no one can lay, but that which has been laid, which is Christ Jesus." Paul says Jesus Christ is the foundation, the Rock. It is on that Rock the church is built.

2. Should we worship images of the saints and our Lord, and kneel before them in prayer?

The Catholic Bible has a very definite answer. It is found in Exodus 20:4-5, and in Deuteronomy 4:15-23. "Thou shalt not make to thyself a graven thing, nor the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, nor of those things that are in the waters under the earth. Thou shalt not adore them, nor serve them." Read also Isaiah 44:15-19.

Images of any kind are absolutely forbidden and worship of them condemned, while relics are not even venerated. St. Peter, whom Catholics call the first Pope, makes it plain in Acts 10:25-26 that no man (priest or pope), let alone images, is to be worshipped. Let me read it from this inspired Catholic Bible: "And as Peter entered, Cornelius met him and falling at his feet, made obeisance to him. But Peter raised him up, saying, Get up, I myself also am a man."

So I say to thee that "Son of God" who is called 'Jesus Christ' was also a man. In fact, he was a bastard.

3. Which is authoritative, the tradition of men, or the Word of God?

When Jesus was upon earth, according to the Roman Catholic Bible, "the Pharisees and Scribes asked him, Why do not thy disciples walk according to the tradition of the ancients?" (Mark 7:5).

Now let us turn to this same Roman Catholic Bible for Jesus' answer. Here are His words, "In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrine the precepts of men. For, letting go the commandment of God, you hold fast the tradition of men . . . Well do you nullify the commandment of God, that you may keep your own tradition! . . . You make void the commandment of God by your tradition" (Mark 7:7-9, 13).

So He condemns tradition and exalts the Word. This Roman Catholic Bible insists that only the commandments of God as found in His Word are authoritative.

In II Thess. 2:15, in this Roman Catholic Bible, there is no reference to tradition at all. It translates the word, "teachings." Paul was referring here to the gospel he had preached and written down in his letters, as he was also in II Thess. 3:6 and II Tim. 2.2. When Paul wrote this, there was no church tradition in existence, so he could not have referred to Roman Catholic tradition or the tradition of the Church Fathers. It came later. Once Paul's teachings were written down, all else was ruled out and a curse pronounced upon anyone who added to the written Word (Apocalypse 22:18). Nothing that the Church Fathers wrote was inspired. What Paul said and wrote was in very truth God's Word.

4. Is the sacrifice of the Mass still necessary?

Let us turn for the answer to this Roman Catholic Bible, the infallible, authoritative Word of God. Hebrews 10:11-12, 14, 18 says, "And every priest indeed stands daily ministering, and often offering the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins." So then, according to this Roman Catholic Bible, it is vain and useless to offer a daily Mass, since God says it "can never take away sins."

"But Jesus, having offered one sacrifice for sins, has taken his seat forever at the right hand of God . . . For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are sanctified . . . Now where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer offering for sin."

Isn't it wonderful! JESUS! What did He do? He offered but "one sacrifice." What was that "one sacrifice for sins?" It was Himself. Yes, Jesus offered Himself on Calvary's cross as a sacrifice for your sins and mine, and that sacrifice will never have to be offered again. God says it is "forever." That "one offering," He says, is sufficient for the "remission of sin." Then He adds this, "There is no longer offering for sin."

Thank God, no more sacrifices are necessary. "It is finished," He cried, as He hung on the cross for your redemption and mine. The work is done, atonement made, the debt paid. Yes, He paid it all. Not another Mass is necessary according to this Roman Catholic Bible. He offered the only sacrifice that need be offered. Why add to the finished work? God says there can be "no longer offering for sin."

In the bread and the wine we remember His one supreme offering for us; we do not offer Him again.

Now I ask, Why all thee faithfuls of all the religions have to gift or sacrifice either in cash or kind???

5. Can Mary, the priest, or the saints be our mediators?

Turning to the Roman Catholic Bible, we read these significant words: "For there is one God, and ONE Mediator between God and man, himself man, Christ Jesus" (I Tim. 2:5). Then, if there is only one, and God says there is, there cannot be two. The Roman Catholic Bible says there is only one, and that one is Jesus Christ.

In any case, how can sinners mediate for sinners? If mediation of the sinless Christ is not sufficient, how can sinful men and women help? Mary herself spoke of God as "my Saviour" (Luke 1:47).

If she had not been a sinner she would not have needed a Saviour.

The rich man in Luke 16 prayed to Abraham, one of the greatest of the Saints, but even Abraham could not help him. Why, then, go to a lesser saint? Why go to Mary or any of the saints if we can go to Christ? In Luke 11:27-28, Jesus put the Word of God before His mother and rebuked the one who praised her. In Matt. 12:46-50, He completely ignored His mother's request.

In Acts 1:14, Mary is mentioned for the last time. Why didn't Paul tell his converts that she would intercede for them? Why did he fail to mention her in any of his epistles?

Why should the letters of the New Testament ignore her? Is it conceivable that they would have if she could really influence her resurrected and glorified Son? There is not a verse in Scripture that teaches that those who leave this world can pray for us. It is in this life only that we can intercede for each other.

In I John 2:1-2, we read, "But if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the just; and he is the propitiation for our sins." Who is our advocate? Mary? No! Jesus Christ. Who is our propitiation? Mary? No! Jesus Christ. Why no mention of Mary if she can intercede? That, my friends, should settle it.

PART 2  tomorrow!