The teachings of the Catholic Church clearly came from man, depending on their poperies. They do not come from the Bible, and the sorry result is confused and chaotic. This syndrome is expected when teachings do not reflect the God of the Bible. His Law is perfect, whole, complete, sound. Man therefore only has to peg his steps on His words. Otherwise, we can only see chaos as expressed in the thoughts of our esteemed friend –
Pope Francis (I do not know if your side of Religion even believes in the Pope or for that matter THE VATICAN) has had to make dramatic and drastic changes in the 'ways of the Lord' that one realizes how imperfect "man" is and how ignorant we are in matters of interpretation.
I, for one, have had to tailor my own beliefs to be able to survive the thousand questions that I have been asking myself over so many years.
This is the part of the question of the friend that caught my deepest attention.
To begin with, I am a person who was raised to believe in almost everything my beloved mother would tell me. From childhood to adulthood, I believed that my mother was the trustworthiest person I knew. She introduced her God to me telling me to fear Him by being a respectful child to everyone older than I was. I have learned to trust her belief in God because in countless occasions I had seen her praying with tears while she presumed that nobody was watching her. Most of all, I have learned also from her that when I pray I must do it in secret, giving me a sense that the God she prays to is a spirit, all powerful, and befitting all reverence.
MATTHEW 6:6
But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
This verse and my experiences seeing my mother pray in tears as secretly as possible convinced me beyond doubt that my mother believed in God. The same thing happened to Timothy, a respected minister of Christ in the first century church.
II TIMOTHY 1:5
When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.
With age enough to understand, I remember asking my mother the name of the church she attended. She answered with certainty and firmness, "the Church of God, the only church written in the Bible!” She got her Bible and showed me the verse in Acts 20:28.
THE ACTS 20:28
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
After reading the verse she volunteered the rationale proving that "Church of God," is the name of the true church in the Bible. She used Daniel 9:19 in explaining that everything that is of God must be called in His name.
DANIEL 9:19
O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.
ISAIAH 43:
7 Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.
I was astonished every time my mother showed me the verses of the Bible especially in those years that I have learned how to read.
In my young mind, I had so many questions about the God of my mother, but every time I asked her, she was always prompt and ready to answer. There were times also when she forgot the exact verse, but consulted a church worker to show me the verse. And really there are such verses expressing the thoughts she had!
The principles of faith I have learned from my mother since childhood are up to now deeply embedded in my heart and memory. I say deeply because when I started reading the Bible with full curiosity at age 17, I have verified that all of those I have learned from my mother since childhood are undeniably biblical and irrefutable.
TITUS 2:7-8
7 In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine showing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,
8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.
This virtue I have acquired from the biblical knowledge of my mother is at present a "trust" among the Members of the Church of God International. From the early 1930's up to now, members of the Church of God are witnesses to the fact that the teachings in the Church of God are irrefutable! [Note: By teachings, we are affiliates of the true church; we did not start a new group].
Belief and teachings in the true church must not be or cannot be tailored to fit or at least appease the doubt popping from an inquisitive mind. Whatever is true, there is no contradiction in it.
PROVERBS 8:8-9
8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.
9 They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.
Contradictions are found only if a supposed truth is mixed with human perceptions and lies! Thus, the Bible says -
JEREMIAH 26:2
Thus saith the LORD; Stand in the court of the LORD's house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the LORD's house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word: meaning nothing must be deducted and added.
PROVERBS 30:5-6
5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
The teachings of the true church were ordained to be taught without change until the consummation of this age. In contrast, the teachings of the Catholic Church or the Vatican for centuries have not only been drastically unsound but off base - simply because they are an amalgam of man’s notions and lies. And if there were reforms, they had been slow in coming. This has been so as leader changed for leader.
MATTHEW 28:19-20
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
The true teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ or "true Christianity,” must not be changed by anybody.
GALATIANS 1:8
But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
Therefore, the discipline is to learn nothing beyond what is written!
I CORINTHIANS 4:6 (RSV)
I have applied all this to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brethren, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another.
With this verse we may examine the topsy-turvy teachings of the Catholic Church, but with caution: we must learn from what was written, no more, no less!
QUESTION: Is the Pope speaking "ex-cathedra" truly infallible?
More than 260 popes spoke about limbo. If these popes were infallible, how come they were wrong and Pope Benedict XVI is right? If the one who declared that limbo does not exist is right, then the inevitable conclusion is, one (1) is right and the 260 were wrong!
One proof that there is no limbo is:
MATTHEW 19:14
But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
This statement of the Savior may qualify also those that are childlike in thinking and behavior - those who are mentally and physically incapacitated persons.
MATTHEW 18:3
And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Mongoloids or people with Down syndrome are not condemned to go to hell and deprived of entry into heaven by the most compassionate God of the Bible as he declares that He made them too.
EXODUS 4:11
And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?
Restricting little children from going to heaven like the 260 popes of the Catholic Church is being anti-Christ!
Opposing this cruel doctrine, Pope Benedict has in effect declared that all those popes before him are wrong! Not infallible!
There are other teachings that must be considered by the investigative mind of a believer.
For example, is the use of rosary biblical? Is there purgatory? Will the novena being done by Catholic faithfuls help in the salvation of souls? Is the "mass" biblical? Is it true that the "host" made from literal flour turns into the real body and blood of the Lord Jesus upon the pronouncement of a priest before the altar? Is it true that the "sign of the cross" is the most potent weapon against satan? Is it true that Mary is forever a virgin? Did she really ascend to heaven "body and soul" and was crowned as the "Queen of heaven?"
And many, many more doctrines and dogmas of the Catholic Church that are not Bible-based.
I guess these are some of the questions that for so many years have accumulated unanswered in the mind of our friend, the subject of this blog. And that is why he said "I, for one, have had to tailor my own beliefs to be able to survive the thousand questions that I have been asking myself over so many years."
I am thankful to God that the belief passed on to me by my mother is biblical and not the kind of belief that I have to tailor by myself to believe!
I am ready to discuss in the next issues of this blog, the doctrines aforementioned.
I'll be waiting for my readers' response. May God bless you.
Sincerely yours,
Brother Eli
