(All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.)
With all the recent focus on the Vatican after the death of Pope John Paul II, calls for reform have been labeled as calls for liberalization by conservative Catholics. II Timothy 2:15 says: "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." If we study the Bible as commanded here, and "Search the scriptures," as Jesus commanded in John 5:39, and as they did in Berea (Acts 17:11), we find that alot of what the Catholic church teaches is at variance with what the Bible teaches.
One of these reforms regards celibacy. The Apostle Paul in I Timothy 3:1-5 says: ". . . If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) In other words, a man has to have the personal experience of running a household before he can run the house of God (italics mine). Peter, the acclaimed "first Pope," and apparently the first and only Jewish Pope, was married. Matthew 8:14 references Peter's mother-in-law, a relationship he couldn't have unless he were married: "And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever."
Paul then goes on to warn Christians about those who teach otherwise in the very next chapter. In I Timothy 4:1-5, he says: "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. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer (italics added for emphasis).
The priesthood itself (a Jewish institution passed down from Aaron to his sons in the tribe of Levi) was abolished after the crucifixion. Upon Christ's death, ". . . behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake and the rocks rent." There was now no need for a priest to act as a mediator between man and God; "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (I Timothy 2:5). "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 14:6. All believers now comprise "a chosen generation, a royal priesthood," (I Peter 2:9). Christ is our high priest (Hebrews 4:14-15), so we all individually may "come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:16). And, since He is the "Shepherd and Bishop of your souls" I Peter2:25, why does the Catholic church have offices that outrank Christ, ie., Archbishops, Cardinals, and Popes?
The Catholic church claims to be founded on Peter based on the exchange between Peter and Christ in Matthew 16:13-19, particularly verse 18: "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Catholic theologians claim that Peter is the rock Christ refers to, but the rest of scripture clearly says otherwise. John 1:42: "And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, (or Peter) which is by interpretation, A stone" (parenthesis mine). I Corinthians 10:4 states: "And did all drink the samespiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ " (emphasis added). Furthermore, in I Corinthians 3:11 it is clearly stated: "For other foundation can no man lay that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." Peter is a rock or stone you could pick up and throw at someone, whereas Christ is a boulder by comparison or rock face upon which you could build something. The Old Testament is replete with references to God as a rock, and since Jesus Christ is God (John 1:1), these references obviously apply here as well. I Samuel 2:2 says: "There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God." II Samuel 22:23 says: "For who is God, save the LORD? and who is a rock, save our God?" Who indeed; this would certainly seem to rule out Peter.
The Pope also claims titles for himself that rightfully belong to God alone. All Catholic priests are called "Father," despite Christ's explicit command not to in Matthew 23:9, "And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven." Christ Himself only called God the Father "Holy Father" in John 17:11, therefore no man, or Pope, deserves such reverence.
Christ is called "the Word" in John 1:1. This means that anyone else claiming to speak "ex cathedra" with "infallibility" is claiming the title of God the Son as well; speaking words on a par with scripture. (Pope Pius IX was the Pope to get the declaration of Papal Infallibility at Vatican I, prompting Lord Acton's famous quote, "Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.")
The Pope also claims to be the Vicar of Christ, or Christ's representative on earth, when Christ said plainly that the Holy Spirit was. "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." (John 14:26).
Next to the Pope, only Lucifer has been so brazen: "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High." (Isaiah 14:12-14); "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works." II Corinthians 11:14.
This is scripture; I didn't write it--God did. Any arguments should be taken up with Him; and this is by no means all. Christ condemned repetitious prayers in Matthew 6:7, "But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking." They "think" they shall be heard, but nobody's listening. Christ went on to give an outline of a prayer, that alot of people have turned into another "vain repetition" despite what He had just said about that not 2 verses prior! Where does this leave all the "Our Father's" and the "Hail Mary's"?
Another problem in the Catholic Church is all the statues, or in biblical parlance, graven images or idols. Exodus 20 gives the 10 Commandments. Number 1, given in verse 3, is "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." The very next commandment expands this further: "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments." Exodus 20:4-6. Did you get that? We're not to make an image of anything that looks like any creature, anywhere for the purpose of worship (bowing down before them and serving them), no matter the excuse (ie. an "aid to worship," etc.). God hates idolatry more than He hates any other sin.
Why then would anyone make an idol out of something God said was cursed and adorn their churches with it? God said that anything that hangs on a tree is accursed of God (Deuteronomy 21:23). That is what happened to Christ on the cross. "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." (Galatians 3:13). Why then hang a crucifix in a church? You're hanging an accursed object in your church! Christ isn't on the cross anymore; it's empty, for He is risen!
God goes into the stupidity of idols and idolatry in Psalm 115:4-8: "Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them." Pretty clear and quite thorough I'd say.
Inordinate veneration of Mary (Mariolatry) is a related issue. Remember the first commandment? And the second? (No statues of Mary!) Remember the earlier point about there being only one mediator between God and men? The only time recorded in scripture that Mary interceded for anyone with Christ, He asked her, "Woman, what have I to do with thee?" John 2:4. The only thing Mary could do was to tell anyone interested, "Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it." John 2:5. There you have it from Mary herself! So, after all is said and done, read His word, pray to Him directly, and whatsoever He says unto you (in his Word), DO IT!
Then there's the pantheon of saints that seems to have replaced the old Roman pagan pantheon. Instead of a god or goddess for everything under the sun to pray to, Rome now has a pantheon of patron saints for everything imaginable! To borrow a phrase from Rush Limbaugh, who frequently chastises liberal ideas for being nothing more than symbolism over substance, the Catholic church is nothing but Christian symbolism over Pagan substance. Who gave them the authority to posthumously proclaim anyone a saint, esp. when ALL born again believers (Christ said, "Ye must be born again" in John 3:7) are saints, children of God, etc. Was Paul referring to dead people when he wrote to the "saints" at Corinth (II Corinthians 1:1), Ephesus (Ephesians 1:1), Philippi (Philippians 1:1), and Colosse (Colossians 1:2)? And, did you know that all people are not children of God, only those born again into His family? How did you come to be a part of your earthly family? You were born into it. So must you be born into God's family; "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:26. Just as God has His children, the Devil has his and Christ even addressed them such in John 8:44, "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do." Whose child are you?
Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Making the word of God of none effect . . . . Mark 7:7, 13.
(Updated Feb. 9, 2009)
