The first in a series of installments regarding the Roman Catholic Church, and the error they teach.

First of all, Mary. The Mary of the Bible, the Mary who was the mother of Jesus, was a very special woman, blessed by God, and she occupies a unique place in history. According to the Scriptures, this is the Mary of the Bible.

The Mary of the Roman Catholic Church is a Mary of tradition, a tradition of men who served as Pope in the Roman Church. Scripture tells us to “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men..” (Colossians 2:8).

Mary is nowhere in the Bible referred to as the mother of God. In fact, God the Father has no mother, and neither does God the Son, Jesus Christ. God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit all exist from eternity. Mary was the mother of Jesus, simply the human vessel through which God became flesh. She was blessed to receive the Incarnate Lord, not to make Him.

Mary is not the most holy saint. According to the Scriptures, all those who are saved are saints. We are holy through our relationship with Jesus Christ, not because of some declaration by man.

Mary was a virgin prior to the birth of Jesus Christ. After this, she gave birth to sons and daughters. Scripture tells us very clearly that Jesus had both brothers (Matthew 13:46-48) - the Greek word is ‘adelphos’ which means ‘of the womb’, and he had sisters (Matthew 13:55). Mary is never referred to as a virgin after the birth of Christ.

Does the Roman Catholic Church worship Mary? Roman Catholics pray to Mary (the Scriptures forbid prayers to or for the dead), Roman Catholics kneel or bow to a statue of Mary (the Scriptures condemn this as idolatry). The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 971) says “The church’s devotion to the blessed virgin is intrinsic to Christian worship.”

Secondly, the Mass. Aside from the language of the mass, the celebration of the mass itself is a celebration of the Eucharist. Priests are no longer needed to offer sacrifices for sin (Hebrews 10:18). The only legitimate priesthood that remains on earth is the priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2:9). Roman Catholic priests proclaim to call Jesus down from heaven every day and to present Him on their altars as an offering for sins of the living and the dead (CCC 1371-1374). They ignore God’s Word which declares “Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.” (Hebrews 9:28). The Bible also tells us how Jesus will return (Matthew 24:27-30 and Acts 1:11). By the authority of God’s Word, and God’s Word alone, we must conclude that the Eucharist is a false Christ. Disregarding the Word of God, Roman Catholicism teaches “the sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice. The victim is one and the same. In this divine sacrifice, the same Christ who offered himself once …. is contained and offered in an unbloody manner.” (CCC 1367)

Third, salvation. The Roman Catholic Church does not, and has not, proclaimed a Gospel of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone, as the Bible teaches. This was the root cause of the Reformation, led by Martin Luther. Just a few comparisons:

• A true Christian is born again by the Word of God and the Spirit of God (1 Peter 1:23; 3:8). A Roman Catholic is born again by water (CCC 694).
• A true Christian is eternally justified once through faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 4:5; 8:30). A Roman Catholic must be justified repeatedly by works and sacraments (CCC 1035, 1446)
• A true Christian is saved by God’s unmerited grace (Ephesians 2:8-9).   A Roman Catholic is saved by meriting the graces needed for salvation (CCC 2010).
• A true Christian is saved for good works (Ephesians 2:10).  A Roman Catholic is saved by good works (CCC 1477)
• A true Christian believes that salvation is in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:7).   A Roman Catholic believes that salvation is in the Roman Catholic Church (CCC 846).
• A true Christian is purified by the blood of Jesus Christ (1 John 1:7).  A Roman Catholic is purified by the fires of purgatory (CCC 1030).

The list could go on.

A true Christian is condemned by the Roman Catholic Church. The Councils of Trent and Vatican II pronounced more than 100 anathemas (curses) on those outside the Catholic Church which are still in effect today.

But, a Roman Catholic is condemned by God’s Word - John 12:48 and Galatians 1:9.

It is clear that a Christian, who has believed God’s Word, has the assurance of eternal life. A Roman Catholic, who has rejected God’s Word in favor of the teachings of men, has only a false hope of being saved from God’s wrath.

While there may be truly born-again Christians who worship in the Roman Catholic church, by definition they are no longer Roman Catholics and will not likely remain under the Roman Catholic Church very long. Eventually, the Spirit of Truth will lead them out when they begin discerning truth from error, and worship from idolatry.

It is my prayer that all those who are not truly following Jesus Christ, including those in the Roman Catholic Church, would repent and escape the snares of Satan.

“…correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.” 2 Timothy 2:25-26