Why should we pray to Virgin Mary? The reasons are many.
Why do Catholics pray to Mother Mary? Is Rosary really powerful?
The intercession of Mother Mary is very powerful as Jesus cannot neglect His mothers commands.This can be proved by the first miracle Jesus did at the wedding at Cana. – (John 2:1-11). Mother Mary told Jesus “They have no more wine.” And what was the final result? He turned water into wine.
In “The Poem of the Man-God” by Maria Valtorta, she says that Jesus told her about this incident as “I did it for Mary”. This proves that the intercession of Mother Mary is very very strong.
Mother Mary was blessed with Holy Spirit abundantly. We can see this as we read “At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.” (Luke 1:39-41) ; just by Virgin Mary’s greeting.
Listen to the talk from Apologetics on Mary, Purgatory and The Bible
What the angels thought on this matter:-
When angel appeared before Zechariah,father of John, angel just greets him by his name ,nothing more although he was “upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly.” – (Luke 1:6)
When angel appeared before Joseph, the greeting was like this: “an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.” – (Matthew 1:20). Angel greeted him ‘son of david’, thats all.
Now let us see how did the angel greet Virgin Mary. It goes like this: “The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” (Luke 1:28). See the difference….
Also read the article Mary, The Mystical Rose
Trust Me and I will open your eyes to the Truth of your glorious future
Monday | July 22, 2013 7:09 pm
My dearly beloved daughter, I call out to all the young people in the world, of all creeds and all faiths.
I Am Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world, and I will make myself known to you, soon. Once this happens, during a supernatural event, which will be experienced all over the world at the same time, you will know the Truth.
You may not accept My Call to you now. You may not welcome Me in your day to day lives, but when you feel My Love, nothing else will matter to you again. The time for the Second Coming is close. This event, when I come to bring Peace, as I herald in the New Paradise, will overwhelm you with a joy, which you have never before experienced. I will bring you a life beyond your dreams – a life which when glimpsed will be all that you desire.
The Second Coming is not to be feared, as it will be the most powerful joyous occasion. This is My Promise. You must never worry or feel that life is over – that you will be denied the time you take for granted in the world – because life will only be beginning. This time there will be no torment, hurt, anger, hate or division. Only love will thrive and, with it, a life of splendour, where you will live in great unity, in love and peace with your loved ones.
I Am preparing the world for this great event, which has been prophesised. In order to prepare – so that in the blink of an eye, the world will change for good – you must come to Me. To be given this life in the New Paradise, where you will retain a perfect body and soul, you must ask Me to cleanse your soul. In order for Me to do this, you must ask Me to forgive you your sins. It is this simple. I know you are a sinner. You know that you are a sinner, but this must never separate you from Me.
If you are troubled or fearful, then tell Me your worries and I will soothe your pain. Trust Me and I will open your eyes to the Truth of your glorious future. When the Earth is renewed and the Second Coming is announced, I will be waiting to greet you. I will always love you, because it was for you that I gave up My Body, when I allowed them to crucify Me. If I love you so much, then nothing should stand in your way to call on Me today.
I await your call.
Your Jesus
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Mother of Salvation: The last secret of Fatima was not revealed, so terrifying was it
Monday | July 22, 2013 8:17 pm
My child, the deceit, which the world will face, will be so difficult to discern, that only those who surrender to God and place all their trust in my Son, will be able to endure the trials, which lie ahead.
I gave the world the prophecies in 1917, but the last secret of Fatima was not revealed, so terrifying was it for those within the Catholic Church.
The last secret of Fatima still remains unknown to God’s children, although part of it was revealed to you on 26 January, 2012. Very few within the Church are privy to this. Now, the next part of the final secret of Fatima must be revealed, so that I can warn humanity of the consequences of ignoring my intervention to help save souls.
The Church has been infested, from the inside, by enemies of God. They – and there are twenty of them who control from within – have created the greatest deceit. They have elected a man, not of God, while the Holy Father, accorded the Crown of Peter, has been carefully removed.
The details, which I revealed, are that there would be two men wearing the Crown of Peter in the end times. One will suffer because of lies which have been created to discredit him and which will render him a virtual prisoner. The other one elected will bring about the destruction, not only of the Catholic Church, but of all churches which honour my Father and who accept the Teachings of my Son, Jesus Christ, Saviour of the world.
There can only be one head of the Church on Earth, authorised by my Son, who must remain pope until his death. Anyone else, who claims to sit in the Seat of Peter, is an imposter. This deceit has one purpose, to turn souls over to Lucifer and there is little time for such souls, who will be none the wiser, to be saved.
Children, you must only heed one warning, now. Do not deviate from the Teachings of my Son. Question every new doctrine, which may be presented to you and which professes to come from my Son’s Church on Earth. The Truth is simple. It never changes. My Son’s Legacy is very clear. Do not allow anyone to cloud your judgement.
Soon the Fatima prophecies will make sense. All is now taking place before a disbelieving world, but sadly, very few will understand until it is too late. Pray, pray, pray my Most Holy Rosary, as often as possible, every single day, in order to dilute the effect of the evil, which surrounds you.
Your beloved Mother
Mother of Salvation
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I reveal the secrets contained within the Book of Revelation, and they will not be pleasant
Tuesday | July 23, 2013 3:30 pm
My dearly beloved daughter, the trials you will have to face are because I reveal the secrets contained within the Book of Revelation and they will not be pleasant. The Truth can be so upsetting and unsettling for many. The Truth will cause tears of dismay, tears of sadness and great distress.
Lies, on the other hand, can lull you into a sense of false security. Even when lies, presented to you, come dressed in loving language and noble gestures, don’t feel right in your heart, they can be much easier for man to accept than the Truth.
When someone is told that they have been infected with a terminal disease, they have two choices. They can accept the Truth, prepare their souls, spend time in close proximity with their families, seek My Forgiveness and then, wait for the day. When they do this, although it may be frightening, they will – because they have accepted the Truth – find true peace in their souls. These souls will have nothing to fear from Me. If, on the other hand, they reject the Truth, and believe in magic potions and false gods, which they think can be used to miraculously cure them, they will be very disappointed. These souls, blinded by so-called positive thoughts, believe that if they will themselves to be better, that all will be well. What they fail to understand is that they must call on Me, Jesus, if they wish to be healed. I will answer prayers, but only if the request is for the good of their souls. These souls, who refuse to accept the Truth of their illness and who do not turn to Me, will be lost. They will have wasted the time accorded to them on Earth, to ensure that their house is in order.
The same is true of My Word, the Truth, given to you, now. I gave the world the Truth, during My Time on Earth and I was rejected. Many did follow Me, but the Truth, given to them at that time, will now be challenged by the enemies of God and they will fall prey to deceit. They will soon reject the Truth and will not be able to accept My Warning, given to the world at this time.
I call on you now, not to reveal to you new Teachings, as this is not necessary. You were given the Truth, but now I intervene to remind you of the Truth. I also come to warn you of the evil atrocities, which will be inflicted on you because of your love for Me.
Do not turn your backs on Me, Jesus Christ, as I Am reaching out only to protect you at this time. I do not want to alienate you, but I will keep reminding you of the Truth, time and time again. When you find that your soul becomes agitated, as a result of the new rules to be presented by those who say they are of Me, then you must call on Me through this Crusade Prayer.
Dear Jesus, help me.
I am drowning in tears of sorrow.
My heart is confused.
I do not know who I can trust.
Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit, so that I can choose the correct path to Your Kingdom.
Help me, dear Jesus, to always remain true to Your Word, given to the world by Peter and to never deviate from what You taught us or deny Your death on the Cross.
Jesus, You are the Way.
Show me the Way.
Hold me and carry me on Your journey of Great Mercy.
Amen.
Your Jesus
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Virgin Mary: Just as if a miracle has taken place, the false prophet will seem to rise from the dead
Thursday | July 25, 2013 6:52 pm
My child, it is important my children do not lose courage when faced with the hurt they will have to face, as my Son’s Church will be cast into the wilderness of the desert.
I am the Woman in the Book of Revelation, clothed with the sun, who gave birth to the Child. The Child is Jesus. The Mystical Body of my Son, Jesus, is His Church on Earth. My Son’s Church is being stolen and soon His Body will no longer be present therein. This desolation will tear the hearts of those, who follow the Teachings of my Son, in two. Those, who will have nowhere to turn, will find themselves cast out of the buildings which have, up to now, housed the Holy Eucharist. But, while they will have been thrown out, with little mercy shown to them, they will be filled with the Holy Spirit. This means that they will be guided and will lead fiercely the Remnant Army, which is made up of those who are loyal to God.
Others, blind to the Truth, will follow the false prophet into disarray. Their hearts will be deceived, and soon, when the false prophet will be seen to be at death’s door, they will sob. But then, just as if a miracle has taken place, the false prophet will seem to rise from the dead. They will say that he is blessed with great, supernatural powers from Heaven and they will fall flat on their faces before him in adoration. He will be loved and adored by those who cannot see.
Soon the antichrist will appear and his rise to fame will start in Jerusalem. Once he appears in public, everything in my Son’s Church will change, quickly. The new rules will be introduced. New relics, changes in the garments worn by priests and many new regulations will be enforced. At first, people will say that all these changes stem from a need to be humble. And, while these abominations enter the Christian churches, the persecution will begin. Dare to object to these Satanic rituals and you will be deemed a heretic – a troublemaker.
Many cardinals, bishops, priests, nuns and ordinary people will be excommunicated, if they do not follow the new rules or adore the false prophet. At this stage you must seek out refuges, which will have been created, so that you can worship my Son, Jesus Christ, in peace. Priests must continue to administer the Sacraments and provide my children with the Most Holy Eucharist.
You must never give in to the deceit, which you will be asked to take part in. Those who do will lose their souls to the evil one.
Your beloved Mother
Mother of Salvation
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Although they will cause fear, they are nothing when compared to the Great Chastisement ahead
Thursday | July 25, 2013 8:40 pm
My dearly beloved daughter, the Hand of My Father has now intervened in the world, in punishment for the sin of man. Sin has escalated in the world because man no longer differentiates between right and wrong. You cannot escape the Wrath of My Father’s Anger, when your countries applaud wicked sin, through their laws.
These punishments will be witnessed across the world, quickly. Although they will cause fear, they are nothing when compared to the Great Chastisement ahead. Man is stubborn. He refuses help when it is offered by God. Humanity has chosen to reject God and every single one of you has suffered because of the heathens amongst you.
My Call from Heaven is to save all souls in the first instance, but it is also so that I can help you to mitigate the punishments, which will befall the human race. How great is My Mercy. How great is My Patience, but those who reject My Teachings and who shut themselves off from My Father, their Creator, will soon know the consequences.
I call out to all religions and beg you to pray for clemency, whether you accept these Messages or not. The prayers are necessary to mitigate the catastrophes, which have already begun. Pray, pray, pray, for your lives and for the salvation of your souls.
Your Jesus
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Look behind the mask of humanism and you will not find signs of God
Saturday | July 27, 2013 7:22 pm
My dearly beloved daughter, it is My Desire that all My cherished followers pray hard to deflect the harm to souls, because of the growth of atheism. Atheism does not always declare itself. Very often, people who have decided, for whatever reason, to no longer believe in God, create a substitute.
Because of the makeup of man, he must seek out a cause in order to justify his existence. The curse of humanism is that it exalts man in the eyes of man. All must be done, according to the humanist, is to ensure that man’s needs come first. Many people confuse humanism with Christianity. When one proclaims the importance of worldly goods in the lives of man, at all cost, in order to avoid suffering or poverty, it is easy to assume that this is a form of love for one’s neighbour.
If you say that you want to put a stop to poverty, unemployment and other miseries, many will think you are speaking in the Name of God. Look behind the mask of humanism and you will not find signs of God, nor will you hear His Name mentioned. Those who live their lives as humanists do not love God. They only love themselves. They also believe that all that matters is the wellbeing – usually in the form of worldly things – of humanity, as a means to an end.
While it may seem charitable, to be seen to care about the needs of man, you can never substitute God, by placing the needs of man first. When you do this, you insult God. Humanism, while having all the exterior signs of love for God, is not what it seems. Behind the mask of love lurks a love of self. Man will die, his body will turn to dust, his soul will live on, yet, humanism would have you believe that man is immortal.
Be careful when you embrace humanism, because when you do, you cut yourselves off from Me.
Your Jesus
.
Aug 2, 2013 – St Michael Archangel
August 2, 2013
St. Michael’s Abbey, El Toro California, at 1:00pm
Message ended 1:11pm
St. Michael the Archangel
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Holy Mary Mother of God ??
But in June 2013, a storm flood swept the Shrine at Lourdes … But no miracle by the counterfeit mother of Jesus :(
Image: http://i.i.cbsi.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim/2012/10/20/Lourdes_grotto_AP533959905909_620x350.jpg
The old saying “God works in mysterious ways” was powerfully confirmed for many pilgrims who were forced out of Lourdes by a huge flood.. This proves God is Sovereign and in control of his creation. He does not share his glory with “mortal created beings”.
To the other innocents, who blindly follow the beast and the false prophet, they will be locked into a savage bond
Sunday | July 28, 2013 9:40 pm
My dearly beloved daughter, you must never doubt My Word. You must, if you truly trust Me, do what it is I desire of you, so that I can enlighten the world, at this time, and prepare them for the New Beginning.
Much of what is happening to My Church has been foretold, but you must accept that My Father allows these abominations for a reason. This is the final end of the reign of Satan. He has raised up a beast, in his name, and this antichrist is the spirit of Satan himself. He and his followers have been given very little time in the great battle for souls.
Satan’s revenge is to steal as many souls as he is capable of, before he is chained and thrown into the abyss. Those of his cohorts, who idolize the serpent, only follow his instructions because of the power he tells them will be theirs, if they help him complete his diabolical plan. How these poor souls will suffer for eternity and how they will scream for My Mercy when the awful realisation of their fate becomes clear.
To the other innocents, who blindly follow the beast and the false prophet, they will be locked into a savage bond, from which they will be powerless to escape. They are in desperate need of your help. You must pray hard for their souls to be released back to Me. To the outside world, they won’t see much to alarm them, at first. The wars in the Middle East and the subsequent peace will be greeted with applause.
The man of peace will receive many awards in acknowledgement of his humanitarian works. The false prophet will be seen to be uniting the churches of the world and displaying, at every opportunity, all those attributes, which you associate with a saint.
All will be well, until these two turn and with a vengeance strike down all those who oppose their plan to control the world. They will weave My Church on Earth into the nest of the beast, until darkness covers the Earth.
All will feel a disquiet. All of you will feel the evil, as Satan, through the antichrist, controls all. But then, just as things will seem hopeless, I will descend, through My Great Mercy, to envelop all, to prove to the world the Truth.
So great is My Mercy, that I will enlighten the darkest of souls and they will come to Me with relief in their hearts. At that stage, all their doubts will be driven out of their souls, by the Power of the Holy Spirit. Soon afterwards, as God’s children know the Truth, the Final Trumpet will peal out and the Earth will be renewed. All evil will disappear. The sun will fill all of you with a Great Light and the New Paradise will be handed, with great love, as the greatest Gift you could ever imagine, to each and every one of you.
All you need to do is trust in the Truth I reveal, so that you can avoid the traps which are to be laid down to steal your souls. Those of you who can see, who trust Me, who call on Me, will help Me save the souls of those who can see, but who refuse to see the Truth.
Your Jesus
.
The mark of the beast will bring with it death – death of the soul and death by a terrible disease
Monday | July 29, 2013 11:23 am
My dearly beloved daughter, My Name is rarely mentioned in the same breath, as those who claim to represent Me and shout blasphemies against God. My death on the Cross will not only be dismissed and not spoken about, but the images of demons will be used as a substitute for My Corpus on the Cross. If it is not Me they killed on the Cross, then who is it? Who are they, who proclaim My Word to the world, but who utter profanities, which spill from their mouths?
Beware of the miracles the men in white robes will claim to perform, as if they are made of My Flesh and blessed with My Spirit. When you see wondrous and seemingly miraculous events take place, know that they are nothing of the sort.
You will be told that miracles have been created by the hand of the false prophet. You will then be expected to show great respect and you will be told, at first, that he is a living saint. He will be worshipped, loved and admired and all will say that he is favoured by God. They will believe, in time, that these miracles are taking place to herald My Second Coming.
And then, the beast will appear. And he will honour the first one. And the world will be caught up in terrible confusion. They will be trapped. On the one hand, the false prophet will control all religions in the world and prey on the love of those who know the Truth. Those who do know the Truth, will not reject me, for theirs is the Kingdom of God. The antichrist will show great honour towards the false prophet. But, because his role will be a political one, their allegiance will unite many people who will applaud this alliance.
These events will begin to make sense soon. Those who try to take you away with them into a false faith, not of God, will be very convincing. They will never reveal their true intent, until they believe they are winning this battle. But then, they will destroy many, who refuse to accept the mark of the beast. They will say that this will be a sign of true world peace, love and unity, but hidden within its vile core will be the letters 666, the sign of the beast.
Just as holy medals offer protection from Heaven with Power from God, the mark of the beast will bring with it death – death of the soul and death by a terrible disease. Those who refuse it will have to hide and prepare. I know this is frightening, but it is true. I will intervene with the help of your prayers to put an end to the persecution.
You, my beloved followers, who know the Truth, are being prepared to help those who will struggle with this knowledge. By the time this happens, My Remnant Army, will be a force to be reckoned with. Their strength will lie in their ability to save those who will suffer by this diabolical act of revenge on God’s children.
Your Jesus
.
Sword bearer #2119,
In the same manner the first and the second temple ended into destruction, right? Truly, “God works in a mysterious waysâ€, He allowed it to happen…though He had made a promise (hear the prayer) to Solomon; “I grant your prayer and the entreaty you have made before me. I consecrate this house (temple) you have built: I place my name there forever; my eyes and my heart shall be always there.†(1Kings9:3)
Will the fault finder contend with the Almighty? Let him who reproves God answer it.†(Job 40:2); be careful how you handle your sword…maybe you are not aware you might be carrying a double edge sword that may cut your mindless ideas on both ways.
Ave Maria!
Some more images of the counterfeit Mary – a pagan goddess – the devils incarnate – venerated by foolish ignorant people.
Our Lady of Czestochowa†and her black child. She has two cuts in her face.
http://ivarfjeld.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/pbozia.jpg
The Polish version, and the Haitian lookalike. One is a copy. The other the original. The two cuts in their faces, exposes the truth.
http://ivarfjeld.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/dantor.jpg
The Black Madonna of Haiti is Erzulie Dantor, a lady of African origin. She was a witch.
http://ivarfjeld.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/viewimage_story_element.jpg
The former Pope praying to the lady of Fatima – a muslim lady.
http://ivarfjeld.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/portland-press-herald_30504281.jpg
All world relgions have a mother/child combination which shows a stark coincidence:
http://ivarfjeld.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/anon_dantor.jpg
http://ivarfjeld.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/pagan.jpg
http://ivarfjeld.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/erzuliedantor.jpg
http://ivarfjeld.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/guingampmadonna.jpg
http://ivarfjeld.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/st-gervazy.jpg
http://ivarfjeld.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/notre-dame-de-la-bonne-mort.jpg
enjoy the deception … :)
Why I Left The Catholic Church
Introduction:
In this lesson I want to state some of the reasons I left the Catholic Church. I do not wish to state any of the personal experiences I had as result of leaving. I will mention, though, that I came from a large, devout Catholic family of twelve children. I attended Trinity High School in Louisville, Kentucky. At the time of my intense Scriptural study, I had two brothers who were enrolled in Catholic seminaries studying to be priests. I also want to state I did not leave the Catholic Church because of some evil that I had done or that was done to me. I left the Catholic Church because I came to believe that it was contrary to the Bible. This I will endeavor to show in this study.
The First Reason I Left Is Because The Catholics Do Not Have The Right Attitude Toward The Truth.
To illustrate what I mean by this, I will explain the difference in the two sides. Those with the right attitude toward the truth are always willing to test what they teach with others. They invite those of opposite views to work together for truth and unity. They appreciate when those who differ with them point out where they think they are wrong. They have everything thoroughly tested, studying arguments both for and against, looking at both sides of the question.
Those with the wrong attitude toward the truth are not willing to test what they teach in fair and open discussion, privately or publicly. They do not invite others to point out where they think they are wrong, and do not appreciate when others try to do so. They won’t allow their members to hear both sides of an issue, and especially they don’t want them to examine opposing arguments.
Hopefully, one can now understand what I mean when I said the Catholics do not have the right attitude toward the truth. Catholics are not allowed, and especially are not encouraged to hear both sides regarding truth and error. They are not to read books which differ from their doctrine. Thus, they are encouraged by the clergy to be closed minded to anything which differs from Catholicism. We ask, “Why don’t Catholic officials encourage their members to examine opposing Scriptural teaching?” False teachers have learned that when truth and error are examined side by side, some begin to see the truth. False teachers are afraid of being exposed and of losing their members.
The Next Reason I Left Is Because The Bible Only Is The All Sufficient Guide To Salvation, But The Catholic Church Teaches That It Is Not.
The Catholic Catechism For Adults on page 52 says, “Can you learn to save your soul just by reading the Bible? No, because certain things in the Bible can be misunderstood, and because the Bible does not have everything God taught.” Notice that the first part of their answer to “Can you learn to save your soul just by reading the Bible?” is, “No…” However, their own translations of the Bible teaches the opposite. All Scriptural quotations that I will be giving are from Catholic translations. 2 Tim. 3:15-17 says, “And because from thy infancy thou hast known the holy scriptures, which can instruct thee to salvation, by faith which is Christ Jesus. All scripture, inspired of God, is profitable to teach, to reprove, to correct, to instruct in justice, that the man of God may be perfect, furnished to every good work.” Thus, the apostle Paul by the inspiration of God, says to Timothy “thou hast known the holy scriptures, which can instruct thee to salvation” and make you “perfect, furnished to every good work.”
Rom. 1:16 says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel. For it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth, to the Jew first, and to the Greek. James 1:21 says, “…With meekness receive the ingrafted word, which is able to save you souls.” Consequently, the word contained in the Bible is able to save our souls.
The next part of the answer in the Catechism to the question, “Can you learn to save your soul just by the Bible?” is, “No, because certain things in the Bible can be misunderstood…” They are implying that the Bible cannot be understood. John A. O’Brien, the Catholic author of the book, “The Faith of Millions,” is much more expressive when he says on page 152, “The Bible is not a clear and intelligible guide to all…” The book, “The Faith of Millions” was given to me before my conversion by my older brother Norman who was at the time a student at St. Meinrad Seminary, St. Meinrad, Indiana.
The apostle Paul said we can understand what he wrote. “If yet, you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me towards you: how that, according to revelation, the mystery has been made known to me, as I have written above in few words; as you reading, may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ.” (Eph. 3:2-4). Paul said the mystery had been made know to him by the revelation of God. He then showed that he was writing it e.g., “as I have written above in few words” (in the chapters prior to this) and “as you reading, may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ.” In other words, when we read what he wrote, we can understand what he understood. Paul also said , “For we write nothing to you that you do not read and understand” (2 Cor. 1:13) and “Therefore do not become foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Eph. 5:17). Thus, the inspired writers taught that we most certainly can understand the Scriptures.
The last part of the answer given in the Catechism to the question, “Can you learn to save your soul just by reading the Bible?” was “No…because the Bible does not have everything God taught.” The Faith of Millions, on pages 153-154 says, “The Bible does not contain all the teaching of the Christian religion, nor does it formulate all the duties of its members.” The Scriptures contain everything that is necessary to equip the man of God for every good work (2 Tim. 3:16-17). There is not a solitary good work that the Christian can do which is not provided in the Scriptures. The Scriptural proof they give for the Bible not containing everything God taught, is John 20:30. It says, “Many other signs also did Jesus in the sight of his disciples, which are not written in this book.” (See Catechism For Adults, p. 10).
In John 20:30, John simply said that Jesus did many other signs (miracles) which he did record. Notice, though, what John says in the next verse, “…But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.” Thus, the apostle clearly shows that he wrote sufficient things to produce the faith which brings life in the name of Jesus. Life in the name of Jesus refers to eternal life and it is obtained by belief in the things written by the inspired writers.
We freely admit that the Scriptures do not contain everything Jesus did. John said, “There are, however, many other things that Jesus did; but if every one of these would be written, not even the world itself, I think, could hold the books that would have to be written.” (John 21:25). Although we do not have everything Jesus did, we do have every necessary thing. We have enough to give us life in His name.
Catholic officials follow up their claim (that we cannot understand the Bible) by stating that one can get the true meaning only from the Catholic Church. The Catechism For Adults on page 10 says, “How can you get the true meaning of the Bible? You can get it only from God’s official interpreter, the Catholic Church.” The Catholics have no passages which mention an official interpreter and, thus, they try to support their claim through human logic and reasoning. Anytime men do such, it amounts to nothing more than human philosophy rather than Scriptural proof. The Bible says, “Let God be true, but every man a liar…” (Rom. 3:4). It also warns, “See to it that no one deceives you by philosophy and vain deceit, according to human traditions, according to the elements of the world and not according to Christ.” (Col. 2:8).
The doctrine of the “infallible interpreter” implies that God did not make Himself clear. It implies that God gave us a revelation that still needs revealing. Did God fail in His attempt to give man a revelation? Do the Catholic officials want us to believe they can express God’s will more clearly than God Himself? We believe that God made the mind of man and is fully capable of addressing man in words which man can understand.
The Third Reason I Left Is Because Christ Did Not Make His Church Infallible As The Catholic Church Teaches.
The Catholic writers try to teach that the church could never go into error and is preserved from error. The Catechism For Adults on page 56 says, “Why can’t the Catholic Church ever teach error? Because Jesus promised to be always with His Church to protect it from error.” The book, “My Catholic Faith” which is based heavily on materials from the Baltimore Catechism, was given to me by my father not long after I was converted. I think his intentions were that somehow it would cause me to return to the Catholic Church. It says on page 144, “Jesus Christ promised to preserve the Church from error.” On page 145, it says, “Jesus Christ commanded all men to listen to and obey the Church, under pain of damnation. If His Church can teach error then He is responsible for the error, by commanding all to obey.” On page 54 the Catechism For Adults says, “Does everyone have to obey the Catholic Church? Yes, because she alone has the authority of Jesus to rule and to teach.” It is easy to see that Catholics have the authority in the wrong place. The authority is not in the body, but in the Head (Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 1:18). The ruling is not in the kingdom, but in the King (Heb. 7:1-2; Rev. 1:5-6). The authority is in not in the church, but in Christ (Matt. 28:18; 1 Pet. 3:22). The church is not the Savior, but simply the body of the saved (Acts 2:47; Eph. 5:22-24).
There are many passages in the New Testament which reveal that the church would not be preserved from error. Acts 20:17, 28-30; 2 Pet. 2:1-3; 1 Tim. 4:1-3; 2 Tim. 4:3-4; 2 Thess. 2:3-11. We see from these passages that there was to come a great falling away from the truth. In Acts chapter twenty we learn that perverse things would come from the bishops of the church. Peter said (2 Pet. 2) that false teachers would arise among you (working from within) and there would be many who would follow them. Paul tell us (2 Thess. 2) that the apostasy was already underway, “for the mystery of iniquity is already at work…” (Verse 7). It started in Paul’s day and was to continue until the second coming of Christ. He added, “…Whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of his mouth and will destroy with the brightness of his coming.” (Verse 8).
We cannot harmonize that which the inspired apostles said (there shall arise false teachers among you) with that which the Catholic writers say (shall be preserved from error). Furthermore, we call your attention to the fact that the characteristics of the departing group are identical with those of the Catholic Church. Everyone knows that the Catholic Church has forbidden its people to eat meat on Friday and at the present it forbids some from marriage. Also, the only way for the wicked one to last from Paul’s day to the second coming of Christ is to have a continual succession. It could not be some wicked person of the past because he will not be here for the Lord to slay when He comes. Furthermore, it could not be ones in the future because their iniquity would not have started in Paul’s day. It must, therefore, be a continual succession from the beginning until now. The Catholic Church is the only group which perfectly fits the apostles’ description of the great apostasy.
The seven short epistles to seven churches of Asia in the book of Revelation reveal the relationship the church sustains to Christ (See Rev. chapters 2 and 3; see especially 2:1-5, 12-14, 18-20; 3:1-3, 14-15). Those verses plainly reveal that when a church continues in Christ’s word, it keeps its identity as His church, but when it fails to abide in His word, it is not longer regarded as His church. Also, they reveal that Christ did not establish His church as one that could never fall into error, because some of those churches went into error. Someone might say that the passages in Revelation referred to the various parishes or congregations rather than the whole church. It is true that the verses were speaking of local churches; nevertheless, the same principle that applied to them relates to the whole church. The Lord does not have a rule for one congregation which is not equally applicable to all. If one church is rejected for embracing error, all others who likewise embrace error are rejected. The early churches had to earnestly contend for the faith, and to continually be on guard against error arising from within. The doctrine of an “infallible church” causes the Catholic Church to fail in this. The Catholic Church is a church which neither recognizes nor corrects its errors.
A Fourth Reason I Left Was Because Christ Did Not Make Peter A Pope.
In the books of men, the following titles are commonly used with reference to a man: “Pope,” “Holy Father,” “Vicar of Christ,” “Sovereign Pontiff.” All of these are titles that rightly belong only to the Lord Jesus Christ and to God the Father. There is not a single instance in the Scriptures where any of the above titles are applied to a man. The term, “Holy Father” is used only once in the entire Bible, and it is used by Jesus in addressing God the Father. (John 17:11). Among the above titles is the bold assertion that the Pope is the “Vicar of Christ.” A “vicar” is “One serving as a substitute or agent; one authorized to perform the functions of another in higher office.” (Webster). When one searches the Bible from cover to cover, he finds only one passage which gives an indication of a vicar of Christ or God. It is 2 Thess. 2:3-4 and is worded as follows: “Let no one deceive you in any way, for the day of the Lord will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and is exalted above all that is called God, or that is worshiped, so that he sits in the temple of God and gives himself out as if he were God.”
Some religionists today advocate that man is saved by faith only. However, there is only one passage in the entire Bible that has the words “faith” and “only” together and it says, “not by faith only” (James 2:24). The Catholics today speak of the Pope as vicar, taking the place of God (Christ Himself is God, Matt. 1:23; John 1:1), yet there is only one passage in the entire Bible which speaks of a man doing such and it calls him “the man of sin.”
James Cardinal Gibbons, a Catholic Archbishop said, “Jesus our Lord, founded but one Church, which He was pleased to build on Peter. Therefore, any church that does not recognize Peter as its foundation stone is not the Church of Christ, and therefore cannot stand, for it is not the work of God.” (The Faith of Our Fathers, p. 82). The apostle Paul said, “For other foundation no one can lay, but that which has been laid, which is Christ Jesus” (1 Cor. 3:11). There is no other foundation but Christ! Therefore, any church which does not recognize Christ alone as the foundation stone cannot be the church of Christ.
Catholic writers often speak of “the primacy of Peter” and “the primacy of the Pope.” However, Col. 1:18, speaking of Christ, says, “And he is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; that in all things he may hold the primacy…” Thus, with reference to the authority in the church, the Lord Jesus Christ holds the primacy in all things. This leaves nothing for the Pope!
Catholics claim that the Pope is the visible head of the church. The Catholic book Answer Wisely, by Martin J. Scott says on p. 49, “The pope, therefore, as vicar of Christ, is the visible head of Christ’s kingdom on earth, the Church, of which Christ Himself is the invisible head.” The book Father Smith Instructs Jackson, by John F. Noll and Lester J. Fallon, on page 42 says, “According to the will of Christ, all its members profess the same faith, have the same worship and Sacraments, and are united under the one and same visible head, the Pope.” Catholic officials always use the word “visible” no doubt thinking that it removes the thought of the Pope standing in opposition to the headship of Christ, and removes the apparent problem of having a church with two heads. Nonetheless, the Scriptures nowhere teach the idea of a visible and invisible head. Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” (Matt. 28:18; Emp. mine D.R.). Luke 17:20-21 says, “And on being asked by the Pharisees, ‘When is the kingdom of God coming?’ he answered and said to them, The kingdom of God comes unawares. Neither will they say, ‘Behold, here it is,’ or ‘Behold, there it is.’ For behold the kingdom of God is within you.” The kingdom of God is a spiritual kingdom and therefore needs only a spiritual head or king.
Eph. 5:23-25 shows that Christ is the only head of the church. “Let wives be subject to their husbands as to the Lord; because a husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is head of the Church, being himself savior of the body. But just as the Church is subject to Christ, so also let the wives be to their husbands in all things.” Consequently, the wife is subject to her husband as the church is to Christ. Just as the wife is subject to only one head–her husband, the church is subject to only one head–Christ. Just as the husband does not send a substitute to rule over his wife, Christ does not authorize a substitute to rule over His bride, the church.
Catholics often use the expression, “One fold and one shepherd” to sustain the doctrine of the papacy. (See Catechism For Adults, p. 59). They teach that the “one shepherd” is the Pope and the “one fold” represents the Catholic Church. Hear what Jesus said about it: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep…I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, even as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for my sheep. And other sheep I have that are not of this fold. Them also I must bring and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold and one shepherd.” (John 10:11, 14-16). Jesus is that one good shepherd. If one can understand that one and one equals two, he can understand this. If one is subject to Christ as