ADDING OR SUBTRACTING TO THE BIBLE
RCC adds tradition to its doctrine and justification by human authority under the title of papal infallibility.
As one example of tampering with the Word of God, the RCC eliminates the second commandment and adds to the tenth commandment.
*Mt 15:6 states: “So fo the sake of your tradition you have set aside the Word of God and made it null and void.”
Dt 4:2 “Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you.”
GOSPEL OF WORKS
There are 1,752 laws in the Cod of Canon laws that all Catholics must observe fully in order to get to Heaven according to the RCC. You, as a Catholic, cannot arbitrarily disagree with any of the Pontifical College’s decrees because then you are not considered to be a Catholic in good standing by the RCC.
*Eph 2:8-9(Amp) “For it is by free grace (God’s unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment) through your faith. And this (Salvation) is not of yourselves [of your own doing], but it is the gift of God.
ETERNAL LIFE
New York Cardinal O’ Connor said in The New York Times February 1, 1980, B4: “(Catholic) Church teaching is taht I don’t know, at any given moment, what my eternal future will be. I can hope, pray, do my very best- but I still don’t know.
Pope John Paul II doesn’t know absolutely that he will go to Heaven, nor does Mother Teresa of Calcutta.”
In 1992, Cardinal Ratzinger, formerly Pope Benedict XVI, headed the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith which is the watchdog of Catholic orthodoxy, otherwise known the Holy Office of the Inquisition. In that position he headed the commission that wrote the official Catechism of the Catholic Church. This Catechism was approved by Pope John Paul II. In that Catechism taht same uncertainty of Salvation and eternal life is stated. (Death of a Pope: Dave Hunt in The Berean Call.)
*1 John 5:11-13 “And this is that testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who possesses the Son has that life: he who does not possess the Son of God does not have that life.
I write this to you who believe in the Name of the Son of God, so that you know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that you [already] have life, yes, eternal life.“
THE GREAT CONFRONTATION
The longer I hold this topic before the Lord the more I find myself dwelling on the great confrontation between Elijah and the prophets of Baal* in 1Kings 18. There they were: one who spoke for God and those who spoke for a pagan idol. A confrontation was proposed. Each was put side by side, conforming to the same rules – who would pass the test and prove which was the true God? Elijah’s challenge to them in v.18 was “ How long will you limp between two opinions? If God is God follow Him, if Baal is God, follow him.” As simple as that. The time for blindness, Elijah was saying, had come to an end. The people had followed a false god for too long. The false prophets needed to be silenced and their false doctrines and lack of power and truth needed to be brought out in the open.
Ephesians 5:11-13 New King James Version (NKJV)
11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.
The idol prophets tried mightily with all their pagan rituals to produce fire to light the altar. Nothing happened. Elijah, on the other hand, followed the explicit words of Lev 4:1-21 as he consecrated the altar to a holy God. He said a short, simple prayer. It was all that was necessary – he was walking in full obedience to the One True God. Instantly, the fire fell. The people knew the facts on both sides now – it was time to make a decision as to which side they would choose.
The same principle of separating oneself from darkness and idolatry is addressed elsewhere in the Bible though it is in the New Testament.
2 Corinthians 6:15-18 New King James Version (NKJV)
15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
“I will dwell in them
And walk among them.
I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.”
17 Therefore
“Come out from among them
And be separate, says the Lord.
Do not touch what is unclean,
And I will receive you.”
18 “I will be a Father to you,
And you shall be My sons and daughters,
Says the Lord Almighty.”
In Elijah’s case this obedience of separation from the unclean thing allowed God to then send the blessing of rain. In our case the separation of the holy from the profane will allow God to bless us with eternal life with His Son, Jesus. As with the people of Israel, the choice is ours.
Now you know the difference between Catholicism and Christianity just as I discovered over 40 years ago. If you read the first installment of the blog on this topic, you learned that I was formerly a very devout Catholic. I loved the Lord with all my heart. But I didn’t know Him. I just thought I did. I wanted to, but I just didn’t know Him. No one had ever really told me about Him. The very first time I heard the gospel message – interestingly given by a Messianic Jew – I knew that this was what I had been looking for all my life. Here was the love, the fullness, the “filler” of the enormous hole deep inside me, this was my peace…finally.
PERSONAL STORY
My husband on March 18 had his aorta grafted because of an aneurysm that had grown dangerously large; had his aortic valve replaced and had a bypass done. And then two weeks ago as we were walking the dogs so he could get his exercise I watched my 6’4” husband all of a sudden have his legs give out completely under him and fall down and fracture his hip. The dogs stayed with him to comfort him as I went to get my daughter and son-in-law. He spent two weeks in the hospital and re-hab. Tomorrow he comes home. I asked him at the beginning – before the heart surgery – how are we going to handle this. He said (exact words): “matter of fact.” We looked at each other and nodded and both of us understood. No panic, no fear, no worry…just “matter of fact.” One foot after the other, leaving it all up to the Lord, knowing He would give the strength and the peace. Knowing He would do the thing He does best “though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we would fear no evil for You are with us.” He is faithful. This is the Lord and God and Father I’ve known for the last forty years. How I wish I had known Him so many, many years years before. But no one told me. Perhaps they never knew the truth either about Catholicism or Christianity. Hopefully, now you do. Will you tell someone so that they can know His personal love and forgiveness too? Think of the joy that someone and you and God will have – joy unspeakable. Love unspeakable.
Holding His Word Higher 