“CONVICTING
THOSE WHO
CONTRADICT”
HELPING SAINTS PREPARE TO ANSWER
AND PERSUADE THOSE IN ERROR
SECTION #2
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CATHOLICISM
WHY STUDY CATHOLICISM?
• Local Application
• Typical of Religions Whose Authority Is Rooted in
Living Institution
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• Sleeping Giant
• “Catholic” – Greek, katholikos, meaning “universal”.
• Membership – 1.147 billion worldwide
• Headquarters – Vatican City, a sovereign city-state
within Rome, ruled by the Pope, the Bishop of Rome.
• Organization:
• Pope – Bishop of Rome, Father (papa) over church
• College of Cardinals – Elevated bishops
• Roman Curia – Various operational councils.
• Dioceses – Large geography ruled by a bishop.
• Parish – Local church ruled by a priest or deacon.
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WHAT IS THE CATHOLIC CHURCH?
ROOT OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH?
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• Ca. AD 112 – Ignatius argues for a single bishop over
the church and its elders – without arguing it was of
“divine institution” (New Bible Dictionary, p.158, #1)
• Bishops in large churches influenced smaller churches.
• By AD 251 – Cyprian taught bishops were the
successors to the apostles.
• By AD 451 – Bishops of Jerusalem, Rome, Antioch,
Constantinople, and Alexandria = 5 “patriarchs”
• Ca. AD 606 – Roman bishop, Boniface III, given title of
“Universal Bishop” by Byzantine Emperor Phocas.
“Besides, arguments about Scripture achieve nothing but
a stomach-ache or a headache.” (Tertullian, p.42; para. 16)
“And I shall prescribe now that what they preached (that is,
what Christ revealed to them) should be proved only
through the identical churches which the apostles
themselves established by preaching to them both viva
voce, as one says, and afterwards by letters. If this is so, it
follows that all doctrine which is in agreement with
those apostolic churches, .. is to be deemed true on the
ground that it indubitably preserves what the churches
received from the apostles, the apostles from Christ, and
Christ from God.” … next page …
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ROOT OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH?
ROOT OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
“… It follows, on the other hand, that all doctrine which
smacks of anything contrary to the truth of the
churches and apostles of Christ and God must be
condemned out of hand as originating in falsehood. … We
are in communion with the apostolic churches. That is
not true of any other doctrine. This is evidence of truth.
(Tertullian, p.44, para. 21)
Early Latin Theology, Library of Christian Classics V (1956), pp. 19-64
• Apostolic succession – The “Living Magisterium”
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http://www.tertullian.org/articles/greenslade_prae/greenslade_prae.htm
CATHOLICISM
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A FLAWED
STANDARD
THE STANDARD OF CATHOLICISM
“The Catholic hierarchy is led by the Pope and includes
cardinals, patriarchs and diocesan bishops. The Church
teaches that it is the one true Church founded by Jesus
Christ, that its bishops are the successors of Christ's
apostles and that the Pope is the sole successor to
Saint Peter who has apostolic primacy.”
• Holy Scripture
• Sacred Tradition
• Living Magisterium
Versus:
Sola Scriptura
“Bible Alone”
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Church
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Papacy
“Adoration” of Mary
Clergy vs. Laity
Celibacy of Priests
Mass
Transubstantiation
Sacraments
Purgatory
Mortal vs. Venial Sin
Auricular Confession
Penance
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Indulgences
Statues, Relics, and Images
Original Sin
Infant Baptism
Holy Orders
Political Power
Civil Superiority
Joining Church & State
Church Control of All Schools
Mental Reservation
Inquisition
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RESULTS OF THEIR STANDARD
80 Errors – Published in 1864 by Pope Pius IX, 1870 by
Cardinals.
15. (It is not true that) “Every man is free to embrace and
profess that which he, led by the light of reason, things to
be true religion.”
24. (It is not true that) “The Church does not have the power of
using force, nor does it have any temporal power, direct
or indirect.”
37. (It is not true that) “National churches can be established
which are exempt and completely separated from the
authority of the Roman Pontiff.”
42. (It is not true that) “In a conflict between the laws of both
powers, the civil law prevails.”
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SYLLABUS OF ERRORS?
SYLLABUS OF ERRORS?
80 Errors – Published in 1864 by Pope Pius IX, 1870 by
Cardinals.
54. Kings and Princes are not only not exempt from the
jurisdiction of the Church, but are subordinate to the
Church in litigated questions of jurisdiction.
57. Philosophical principles, moral science, and civil laws
may and must be made to bend to Divine and
Ecclesiastical authority.
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55. The church ought to be in union with the State, and the
State with the Church.
“AXE LAID TO THE ROOT …”
“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and
I will spend the first four sharpening the
axe.” – Abraham Lincoln
Luke 3:9
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“If the ax is dull, And one does not sharpen
the edge, Then he must use more strength;
But wisdom brings success.”
(Ecclesiastes 10:10)
A FLAWED STANDARD
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THE POPE
IS THE POPE’S TITLE BIBLICAL?
1. Is there anything wrong with the Pope’s title of Papa, or
“Father”?
He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his
covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name. The fear of
the LORD is the beginning of wisdom … (Psalm 111:9-10 KJV)
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“But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your Teacher, the
Christ, and you are all brethren. Do not call anyone on earth
your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. And
do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ.
But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.”
(Matthew 23:8-11)
“WHAT ABOUT TIMOTHY AND PAUL?”
• I Timothy 1:2, 18 – “To Timothy, a true son in the faith
… This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, …”
• Titus 1:4 – “To Titus, a true son in our common faith …”
• Philemon 10 – “for my son Onesimus, whom I have
begotten …”
“But you know his proven character, that as a son with his
father he served with me in the gospel.” (Philippians
2:22) … Metaphor for their close relationship – not title!
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• Personal “begetting” and “raising” in the faith – not given
to complete strangers, because of their office.
2. Where are the qualifications for a pope given in
Scripture? How does this compare with other officers of
the church?
• None! Where are “cardinals”, “doctors”, “patriarchs”,
etc.?
“And He Himself gave some to be 1apostles, some
2prophets, some 3evangelists, and some 4pastors and
teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of
ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ …”
(Ephesians 4:11-12; see: Acts 20:17, 28; I Peter 5:1-5)
“A bishop then must be … Likewise deacons must be …”
(I Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:7-9)
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BIBLE QUALIFICATIONS FOR POPE?
WAS PETER THE FIRST POPE?
• Matthew 19:28 – The apostles ruled on “twelve thrones”
– not 1 and 11.
• I Peter 1:1; 5:1 - Only an “apostle” and “fellow elder”
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“The Lord made Simon alone, whom he named Peter, the
‘rock’ of his Church. He gave him the keys of his Church
and instituted him shepherd of the whole flock” (The
Catechism of the Catholic Church, 233)
3. Catholics look to Peter as their first pope. According to
the Bible, why does he not meet their qualifications of a
being a pope?
WAS PETER THE FIRST POPE?
I Peter 2:25; 5:4 – Jesus the only “Chief Shepherd”
Matthew 8:14; I Corinthians 9:5 – Married after G. C.
Acts 10:25-26 – Refused worship as “also a man”
Acts 11 – Required witnesses and “called on the carpet”
Acts 15 – Witness, not final speaker or presiding
Galatians 2:11-14 – Paul “withstood Peter to the face”
II Corinthians 11:5; 12:11 – Paul was not less than any
other apostle.
• Paul dominates over Peter in most of Acts and epistles
of NT.
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THE CHURCH BUILT ON PETER?
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4. If you were speaking to a Catholic friend, and she said,
“In Matthew 16:18, Jesus said He would build His
church upon the foundation of Peter, and He gave Peter
special powers (i.e., keys, forgiveness) indicating he
would be the first Pope.” How would you respond?
Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the
Son of the living God.” Jesus answered and said to him,
“Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood
has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in
heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on
this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades
shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of
the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth
will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on
earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then He commanded
His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus
the Christ. (Matthew 16:16-20)
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PETER, THE ROCK OF THE CHURCH?
Simon Peter (Gr., petros) answered and said, “You are the
Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered and
said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh
and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who
is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter (Gr.,
petros), and on this rock (Gr., petras) I will build My
church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and
whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and
whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no
one that He was Jesus the Christ. (Matthew 16:16-20)
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PETER, A ROCK OR A BOULDER?
PETER, A STONE – NOT FOUNDATION
• Church built on object of Peter’s confession – Jesus is the
Christ, not Peter himself.
• Even if Aramaic, specifically translated as “stone” (John 1:42)
• Matthew 18:18 – Other apostles could also bind & loose
• I Peter 2:8 – Peter said Jesus was the foundation (Gr., petra)
• Acts 2, 10 – Offered gospel first to Jews and Gentiles
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4. If you were speaking to a Catholic friend, and she said, “In
Matthew 16:18, Jesus said He would build His church upon
the foundation of Peter, and He gave Peter special powers
(i.e., keys, forgiveness) indicating he would be the first Pope.”
How would you respond?
OTHER CATHOLIC PROOF TEXTS
• Jesus said to Simon Peter, … “Feed My lambs.” (John
21:15-17; see also, Acts 20:17, 28; I Peter 5:1-4)
• “… at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on
some of them” (Acts 5:15; see also, Acts 19:11)
• “Now the names of the twelve apostles are these:
first, Simon, who is called Peter …” (Matthew 10:2)
• Circular Reasoning: “Catholics take this to mean …”,
“The Catholic Church says …”
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• Cannot appeal to an authority, when the very challenge
is its authority! (John 5:31).
STUDYING WITH A CATHOLIC
1. Do not immediately attack various doctrines peculiar to
the Catholic church.
2. Instead, seek to establish a common, accepted
standard of authority.
3. Ask, “Do you believe the Bible?” … If, “yes” ….
4. Let them read passages on the sufficiency of Scriptures.
6. Until this is common belief … apples and oranges.
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5. Acceptance of additional revelation contradicts their
belief in the Bible. No room for “Living Magisterium”.
ESTABLISHED STANDARD
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THE
SUFFICIENCY
OF SCRIPTURE
CHANGE IN DOCTRINE?
“I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him
who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different
gospel, which is not another; but there are some who
trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But
even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other
gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him
be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again,
if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what
you have received, let him be accursed.” (Galatians 1:6-9)
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5. Explain at least one passage that teaches latter
revelations could not contradict established revelation?
CONTRAST: VATICAN II
Ecumenical Council: 2,540 Catholic leaders; 1962-1965
• Language of the Mass: Latin → Common Language
• Fasting before Communion: Midnight → 3 hours prior
• Meat on Fridays: Now allowed in United States only
• Required Sunday Mass: Satur. substitute (mortal sin)
• Penance: Individual → “General Absolution”
• Ecumenicalism: Still “One true church”, but …
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• Priests’ Celibacy: Overlooked for converted priests
• Vigilinus (538-555) :
• Would not condemn heretics.
• Refused to attend the 5th Ecumenical Council of Constantinople.
• Council proceeded and threatened excommunication.
• Submitted to the council and confessed being tool of Satan.
• Honorius (625-638):
• Taught Monothelite heresy, denied by 6th Ecumenical Council.
• Branded as heretic and excommunicated by same council.
• On validity of civil marriages:
• Valid – Hadrain II (867-872)
• Invalid – Pius VII (1800-1823)
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CHANGE: PAPAL INFALLIBILITY?
CHANGE: PAPAL INFALLIBILITY?
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• Orthodoxy of Joan of Arc:
• Condemned to burning as witch – Eugene IV (1431-1447)
• Declared to be a saint – Benedict XV (1919)
• On the Jesuit Order:
• Suppressed – Clement XIV (July 21, 1773)
• Restoration – Pius VII (August 7, 1814)
• On Galileo and Earth Orbiting the Sun:
• Denounced as “utterly contrary to the Holy Scriptures”
• Tortured and imprisoned in dungeons of the Inquisition.
• … Popes Paul V (1605-1621) and Urban VIII (1623-1644)
CONTINUING REVELATION?
6. Explain at least one passage that teaches revelation
would not be continually given throughout the ages?
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Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning
our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you
exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which
was once for all delivered to the saints. (Jude 1:3)
CONTRAST: EVOLUTION OF POPE
• Tertullian (3rd) – “It is a happy fact that Peter is on the
same level with Paul.”
• Origen (3rd) – “For a rock is every disciple of Christ …”
• Cyprian (246-258) – “None of us has ever dared to
proclaim himself bishop of bishops, forcing with
tyrannical terror the obedience of his colleagues.”
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• Leo I (440-461) – Emperor Valentinian III issue edict
declaring Roman See as supreme court of appeal for all
bishops.
CONTRAST: EVOLUTION OF POPE
In response to John, bishop of Constantinople, in AD 588
assuming title of “Pope”, Gregory I, bishop of Rome, wrote:
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“… none of us has permitted this title to be given him; none
has assumed this bold title, lest by assuming a special
episcopate, we should seem to refuse it to all the brethren.
… But far from Christians be this blasphemous name
by which all honor is taken from all other priests, while it is
foolishly arrogated by one.” (The Bible vs. Romanism,
Trice, p.67 via Litmer, p. 54)
CONTRAST: EVOLUTION OF POPE
To Emperor Mauritius, Gregory I, bishop of Rome, wrote:
“I am bold to say, that whosoever adopts or affects the
title of universal bishop has the pride and the character
of anti-Christ, and is in some manner his forerunner in this
haughty quality of elevating himself above the rest of his
order.” (The Bible vs. Romanism, Trice, p.68 via Litmer, p.
54)
• Gregory rejected the title in AD 604 from Emperor Phocas.
• St. Gregory I (the Great) is supposedly the 64th Pope from
Peter according to Catholics!
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• Boniface III accepted the title in AD 607 from Phocas.
7. Explain at least one passage that teaches we have all
that we need in Scripture.
Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of
God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has
given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness,
through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory
and virtue, (II Peter 1:2-3)
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 complete,
thoroughly equipped for every good work. (II Timothy
3:16-17)
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WHAT’S MISSING?
Doctrines peculiar to Catholic church of recent origin:
• 1950 – Bodily Assumption of Mary into heaven
• 1870 – Papal Infallibility
• 1740-1758 – Formalization of Saint Canonization
• 1096-1476 – Indulgences
• 2nd-1439 – Purgatory
• 1215 – Transubstantiation & Auricular Confession
• 305-1123 – Celibacy of priests
• 553 – Mary, “Perpetual Virgin”
• 431 – Mary, “Mother of God”
• 390 – Mary, virgin even in birth
“Perpetual belief of the church”???
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CONTRAST: DOCTRINAL ADDITIONS
CAN WE NOT UNDERSTAND?
8. Explain at least one passage that teaches we can
understand Scripture.
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… how that by revelation He made known to me the
mystery (as I have briefly written already, by which,
when you read, you may understand my knowledge in
the mystery of Christ), which in other ages was not made
known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by
the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets (Ephesians
3:3-5)
CONTRAST WITH CATHOLIC CHURCH
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“No one shall dare to rely on his own judgment in matters
of faith and morals … it is her office to judge about the
true sense of and interpretation of Sacred Scripture.”
(Council of Trent, ca. AD 1563)
IN DEBT TO THE CATHOLIC CHURCH?
http://www.bible.ca/cath-bible-origin.htm
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9. How would you answer? “The Catholic Church gave you the
Bible. You would have no Bible without the Catholic Church!”
• Then why is Catholicism contrary to the Bible?
• The Catholic church only formally recognized what was
already generally accepted (Council of Hippo, AD 390).
• God inspired and approved the books miraculously (Heb.
2:1-4; Mark 16:15-20; II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:19-21).
• Early church was responsible for circulating the epistles
(Colossians 4:16; I Thessalonians 5:27).
• Codex Sinaiticus, Codex Alexandrianus – AD 350.
• Operates upon a flawed standard:
• The Living Magisterium
• Unimportance of Scripture
• Numerous Errors from Flawed Standard. …
• Add many things to Scripture, ignoring its “silence”.
• “Lay axe to the root …” – Confront the Flawed standard.
• Papacy is most visible and powerful office in Catholicism …
• … also the most contrary to Scripture!
• Do you believe the Bible?
• It claims to be all sufficient? Do you believe it? If so …
• Then why permit an additional, contradictory standard?
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CONCLUSION: ON CATHOLICISM
REFERENCES
• Gibson, John. Denominational and Cult Error. Pepper
Road Church of Christ. Unpublished. 2012.
• Harkrider, Robert. Basic Bible Doctrine. Book 4, Lesson 6.
Impressive Image Production. Russellville, Alabama. 1987.
• Litmer, Greg. Catholicism Under the Microscope. Guardian
of Truth Foundation, Bowling Green, KY. 2009.
• Wallace, Foy E., Jr. Bulwarks of the Faith, vol. 1. Foy E.
Wallace Jr., Publications. Oklahoma City. 1951.
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• Lambert., O. C., Catholicism Against Itself. Star Bible
Publications, Inc. Ft. Worth, Texas. 1963, 2001.