~ A Summary ~

The purpose of this information page is to educate the Body of Christ concerning the doctrines of Roman Catholicism where they are in conflict with the Holy Bible—doctrines that limit and separate a man’s personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  This page documents the primary teachings of the Roman Catholic Church as taught through their Catechism¹.  We will compare them with the doctrines of the Holy Bible.    The word “catechism” means instruction.  Its instructions draw from the Roman Catholic Bible, the mass, the sacraments, holy traditions and the teachings and lives of the saints.²    

I. Sacred Traditions versus the Holy Bible: Catholic Catechism embraces traditions and calls them equal to the Holy Bible.  This foundational error is the platform the enemy uses to bring in every other false doctrine.

“As a result the Church, to whom the transmission and interpretation of Revelation is entrusted, ‘does not derive her certainty about all revealed truths from the holy Scriptures alone.  Both Scripture and Tradition must be accepted and honored with equal sentiments of devotion and reverence.’” [82] (Sacred Traditions are considered part of the unwritten Word of God, because it’s been believed for centuries, since the time of the Apostolic Church… An example of a Sacred Tradition is the dogma of the Assumption of Mary.  A dogma is a revealed truth that’s solemnly defined by the Church—a formal doctrine that the faithful are obligated to believe.)³

“Howbeit in vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.  For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.  And He said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.  Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.”  Mark 7:7-9, 13

II. The Mass: The repeated offering of Christ’s sacrifice in the Mass opposes the truth that Christ’s one offering for sins is forever sufficient for the remission of sins (Heb. 10:12).

 “… the Church intends the Mass to be regarded as a ‘true and proper sacrifice’, and will not tolerate the idea that the sacrifice is identical with Holy Communion… ‘If anyone saith that in the Mass a true and proper sacrifice is not offered to God; or, that to be offered is nothing else but that Christ is given us to eat; let him be anathema.’”⁴

“… in the Mass, the same Christ who offered himself once in a bloody manner on the altar of the cross is contained and is offered in an unbloody manner.” [1367]

Jesus actually offers Himself through the priest, making the offering on behalf of the people to God the Father.  As victim, he’s also the one being sacrificed.⁵

“Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this He did once, when He offered up Himself.”   Hebrews 7:27

III. Salvation: The Catholic Church teaches that salvation is available through the Catholic Church, water baptism, Mary and good works.

“…'For it is through Christ's Catholic Church alone, which is the universal help toward salvation, that the fullness of the means of salvation can be obtained.’” [816]

"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Romans 10:13

“The Church does not know of any other means other than Baptism that assures entry into eternal beatitude…” [1257]

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.”  Ephesians 2:8

“Being obedient she (Mary) became the cause of salvation for herself and for the whole human race.” [494]

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”  Acts 4:12

“Even though incorporated into the Church, one who does not however persevere in charity is not saved.” [837]

“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost.”  Titus 3:5 

IV. Power of the Pope: The RC Church teaches the Pope to be infallible and vicar.  Infallibility is defined as not capable of error, never wrong; not liable to fail, go wrong or make a mistake.⁶

“The Roman Pontiff…enjoys this infallibility…as supreme pastor and teacher of all the faithful…he proclaims by a definitive act a doctrine pertaining to faith or morals.” [891]

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  Romans 3:23

“For the Roman Pontiff, by reason of his office as Vicar of Christ, and as pastor of the entire Church has full, supreme, and universal power over the whole Church, as power which he can always exercise unhindered.” [882]

The Catholic Dictionary defines “vicar” as one who serves in place of another; one who performs acts of ecclesiastical authority in the name of another; title used almost exclusively of the Bishop of Rome as successor of Peter and, therefore, the one in the Church who particularly takes the place of Christ.⁷ 

“Howbeit when He, the Spirit of Truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth…” John 16:13
 

V. Purgatory: The doctrine of purgatory indicates that the elect are still under the dominion of sin after death. This doctrine negates the power of the shed blood of Jesus Christ to save to the uttermost. 

“All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.” [1030]

“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” Romans 6:14
 

VI. Indulgences: This doctrine is steeped in a works mindset and not the grace and love of God. 

 “An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven them, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the Church, which as the minister of redemption dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfaction of Christ and the saints.  An indulgence is partial or plenary according as it removes either part or all of the temporal punishment due to sin.  Indulgences may be applied to the living or the dead.” [1471]

“Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:24
 

VII. Mary: “And Mary said, “’My soul doth magnify the Lord.  And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour’” (Luke 1:46-47).  We clearly find in the Holy Bible that Jesus Christ alone is able to fulfill the roles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactor and Mediator.

“ …That is what the dogma of the Immaculate Conception confesses, as Pope Pius IX proclaimed in 1854: ‘The Most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the Human Race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin.’” [491]

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  Romans 3:23

“…the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix.” [969]

Advocate:  a counselor; one who pleads the cause of another in a court of law; one who defends, vindicates; an upholder; a defender as an advocate of peace or of the oppressed; to plead in favor of; to defend by argument before a tribunal.

Helper: one who or that which helps; to assist; to aid; to make it easier for a person to do something; remedy; relief; succor.

Benefactress: a woman benefactor; to do well; kindness; patron; gives help.

Mediatrix: a woman mediator; one who interposes between parties at variance for the purpose of reconciling them; an intercessor.⁸

“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”  1 John 2:1

“So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”  Hebrews 13:6

“Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation.” Psalm 68:19

“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” 1 Timothy 2:5

“Mary, the all-holy ever-virgin Mother of God, is the master work of the mission of the Son and the Spirit in the fullness of time.  For the first time in the plan of salvation, and because his Spirit had prepared her, the Father found the dwelling place where his Son and his spirit could dwell among men.  In this sense the Church’s Tradition has often read the most beautiful text on wisdom in relation to Mary.  Mary is acclaimed and represented in the liturgy as the ‘Seat of Wisdom.’  In her, the ‘wonders of God’ that the spirit was to fulfill in Christ and the Church began to be manifested.” [721]

“To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever.  Amen.”  Jude 25

For further information go to www.battleaxe.org

All bracketed [  ] numbers denote references from Catechism of the Catholic Church.
1 and 2. Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Imprimi Potest, Catechism of the Catholic Church, (New York, NY: Doubleday, 1995).
3. Fr. John Trigilio and Fr. Kenneth Brighenti, Catholicism for Dummies (New York, NY: Wiley Publishing, 2003), p.55.
4. From the website www.newadvent.org.
5. Fr. John Trigilio and Fr. Kenneth Brighenti, Catholicism for Dummies (New York, NY: Wiley Publishing, 2003), pp. 134-135.
6. Simon and Schuster, Webster's 20th Century Dictionary, 2nd edition.
7. Fr. Peter M.J. Stravinskas, The Catholic Dictionary (Huntington, IN: Our Sunday Visitor, 1993), pp. 752-753.
8. Simon and Schuster.