What about Catholic mass? Is it necessary for salvation? Does giving to church save you?

 

DOES SALVATION COME THROUGH CATHOLIC MASS?

DOES GIVING MONEY TO CHURCH SAVE US?

The Catholic Blog - Helping people find answers to the most common questions about Catholicism with answers from the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Bible. (www.catholic.blog )

“Does salvation come through Catholic Mass?” - Important Passages of The Catechism of the Catholic Church to Consider:

• “the Church, a pilgrim now on earth, is necessary for salvation” (CCC 846)
• “They could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse to enter it or to remain in it” (CCC 846)
• “The liturgical celebration involves signs and symbols relating to creation (candles, water, fire), human life (washing, anointing, breaking bread), and the history of salvation (the rites of Passover)…these cosmic elements, human rituals, and gestures of remembrance of God become bearers of the saving and sanctifying action of Christ” (CCC 1189)
• “the faithful are bound to participate in the Mass” (CCC 2180)
• “the faithful are bound to participate in the Eucharist on days of obligation…those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin” (CCC 2181)
• “the Church grants us the mercy of God which prevails over all our sins and is especially at work in us in the sacrament of reconciliation” (CCC 2040)
• “The first precept ‘You shall attend Mass on Sundays and on holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor’” (CCC 2042)
• “The second precept ‘You shall confess your sins at least once per year’ ensures preparation for the Eucharist by the reception of the sacrament of reconciliation, which continues Baptism’s work of conversion and forgiveness” (CCC 2042)
• “The third precept ‘You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season.’ guarantees as a minimum the  reception of the Lord’s Body and Blood in connection with the Paschal feasts, the origin and center of the Christian liturgy.” (CCC 2042)
• “The fourth precept ‘You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church’ ensures the times of ascesis and penance which prepares us for the liturgical feasts and helps us to acquire mastery over our instincts and freedom of heart.” (CCC 2043)
• “The first precept ‘You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church’ means that the faithful are obliged to assist with the material needs of the Church, each according to his own ability.” (CCC 2043)
• Tobit 4:11 "For alms deliver from all sin, and from death, and will not suffer the soul to go into darkness."  
• Tobit 12:9 "For alms delivereth from death, and the same is that which purgeth away sins, and maketh to find mercy and life everlasting.”
• 2 Maccabees 12:43 "And making a gathering, he sent twelve thousand drachms of silver to Jerusalem for sacrifice to be offered for the sins of the dead, thinking well and religiously concerning the resurrection."

“Does salvation come through Catholic Mass?” - Important Scriptures to Consider:

• Romans 10:9–10 “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. [10] For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” (ESV)
• Ephesians 2:8–9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, [9] not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (ESV)
• Romans 10:17 "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ." (ESV)
• 1 John 1:7 “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”
• Matthew 23:4 “They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger.” (ESV)
• Luke 11:46 “And he said, “Woe to you lawyers also! For you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers” (ESV)
• Acts 15:28–29 “For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: [29] that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.” (ESV)
• 1 Timothy 4:1–4 “Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, [2] through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, [3] who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. [4] For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving” (ESV)
• Philemon 8–9 “Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, [9] yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus” (ESV)
• 2 Cor 9:5 “So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you & arrange in advance for the gift you have promised, so that it may be ready as a willing gift, not as an exaction.” (ESV)
• 2 Corinthians 9:7 “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (ESV)

“Does salvation come through Catholic Mass?” - Important Questions to Consider:

• Is there a Bible verse that you can find that says the Church is “necessary for salvation” (CCC 846)?
• Why would the Catholic Church say that “they could not be saved” who “refuse to enter … or to remain in” the Catholic Church?  Do we lose our salvation because of not being a member of the Catholic Church?
• Why would the word “obligation” be used in so many ways with parts of the Mass?
• When is our “conversion” complete according to the Bible?  At what point are we totally saved and forgiven according to Romans 10:9-10?  Why would the Catholic Church add so many more requirements to salvation?  How is that different than Acts 10:42-44?
• What are the warnings of Matthew 23:4 and Luke 11:46? Why does Paul warn Timothy about those who require “abstinence from foods” and “forbid marriage”? Do these warnings apply to the Catholic Church?
• Why does Paul describe giving as something to do as a “willing gift” and “not under compulsion” (2 Corinthians 9:5-7?  How is this different than being “obliged” (CCC 2043) and that “alms deliver from all sin” (Tobit 4:11) and that “alms delivereth from death” (Tobit 12:9)?  Does this difference concern you? Why?
• What do you think of 2 Maccabees 12:43?

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Are the Catholic Sacraments Necessary for Salvation?

 

DOES GRACE COME THROUGH THE SACRAMENTS?

DO WE RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT THROUGH SACRAMENTS?

The Catholic Blog - Helping people find answers to the most common questions about Catholicism with answers from the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Bible. (www.catholic.blog)

“Are the Catholic sacraments necessary for salvation?” - Important Passages of The Catechism of the Catholic Church to Consider:

• “The whole liturgical life of the Church revolves around the Eucharistic sacrifice and sacraments….Baptism, Confirmation or Chrismation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony” (CCC 1113)
• “Through the Church’s sacraments, Christ communicates his Holy and sanctifying Spirit to the members of his Body.” (CCC 739)
• “The communion of the sacraments…unite us to God” (CCC 951)
• “Sacraments are ‘powers that come forth’ from the Body of Christ” (CCC 1116)
• “The ordained priesthood guarantees that it really is Christ who acts in the sacraments” (CCC 1120)
• “The three sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders confer, in addition to grace, a sacramental character or ‘seal’ by which the Christian shares in Christ’s priesthood and is made a member of the Church” (CCC 1121)
• “the sacraments confers the grace they signify.  They are efficacious” (CCC 1127)
• “The Church affirms that for believers the sacraments of the New Covenant are necessary for salvation.” (CCC 1129)
• “The fruit of the sacramental life is that the Spirit of adoption makes the faithful the partakers in the divine nature by uniting them in loving union with the only Son, the Savior” (CCC 1129) [Council of Trent in 1547]
• “The New Law … uses the sacraments to communicate grace to us” (CCC 1983)

“Are the Catholic sacraments necessary for salvation?” - Important Scriptures to Consider:

• Ephesians 2:8–9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, [9] not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (ESV)
• Galatians 2:16–21 “yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. … And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. [21] I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.” (ESV)
• Galatians 3:2–3 “Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? [3] Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?” (ESV)
• Romans 5:15 “But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.” (ESV)
• Jude 4 “For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.” (ESV)
• Colossians 1:5–6 “you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, [6] which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth” (ESV)
• Titus 2:11 “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people” (ESV)
• Romans 8:15 “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’” (ESV)
• Ephesians 1:5 “In love, he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will” (ESV)
• John 1:12–13 “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, [13] who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” (ESV)
• John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (ESV)
• John 5:24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” (ESV)
• John 6:47 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.” (ESV)
• John 20:31 “but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (ESV)
• Acts 10:43 “To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” (ESV)
• Acts 13:39 “by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses” (ESV)
• Acts 16:31 “And they said, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.’” (ESV)

“Are the Catholic sacraments necessary for salvation?” - Important Questions to Consider:

• If we are saved “by grace” and “it’s not our doing” according to the Bible (Ephesians 2:8-9), then why do we need to be conferred grace by the sacraments (CCC 1127 and 1983)?
• If we are “not justified by works” (Galatians 2:16) then why are the works of the sacraments “necessary for salvation” (CCC 1129)?
• Why would the whole “life of the Church” (CCC 1113) revolve around rituals and ceremonies to receive grace?  Does the New Testament say that’s the primary task of the Church?
• If Romans 8:15 and Ephesians 1:5 explain that we have already been adopted, then why do we need sacraments to “unite us to God” (CCC 951 and 1129)?
• Is it biblical that the Holy Spirit is communicated to us through the sacraments (CCC 739)?
• Is it not true that the Bible describes all of the blessings of salvation as occurring at the point of faith? (See: John 1:12; 3:16; 5:24; 6:47; 20:31; Acts 10:43; 13:39; 16:31)

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Free Bible Reading Plan - Downloadable PDF eBook

 

How much time would you like to spend reading or listening to the Bible each day?  Whether you would like to read the Psalms & Proverbs, the New Testament, the Old Testament, or the whole Bible, there is a simple chronological plan inside to help guide & encourage you.  Be sure to check out the many helpful resources included at the end of the book and online as well! 

This book is the formulation of years of guiding myself and my church family through Bible reading.  It is a simple but helpful tool to help with the discipline of drawing near to God through regular Bible reading and listening.

What is Sin According to the Catholic Catechism? Do Different Sins Need Different Sacrifices?

WHAT IS SIN?

DO DIFFERENT SINS NEED DIFFERENT SACRIFICES?

The Catholic Blog - Helping people find answers to the most common questions about Catholicism with answers from the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Bible. (www.catholic.blog )

“Do different sins need different sacrifices?” - Important Passages of The Catechism of the Catholic Church to Consider:

• “The distinction between mortal and venial sin, already evident in Scripture, became part of the tradition of the Church.  It is corroborated by human experience” (CCC 1854)
• “Mortal sin destroys charity in the heart of man by a grave violation of God’s law; it turns man away from God, who is his ultimate end and his beatitude by preferring and inferior good to him” (CCC 1855)
• “Venial sin allows charity to subsist, even though it offends and wounds it” (CCC 1855)
• “Mortal sin…necessitates a new initiative of God’s mercy and a conversion of the heart which is normally accomplished within the sacrament of reconciliation” (CCC 1856)
• “Mortal sin is sin whose object is grave matter and which is also committed with full knowledge and deliberate consent” (CCC 1857)
• “Grave matter is specified by the Ten Commandments” (CCC 1858)
• “Grave sin deprives us of communion with God and therefore makes us incapable of eternal life” (CCC 1472)
• “every sin, even venial, entails an unhealthy attachment to creatures, which must be purified here on earth, or after death in a state called Purgatory” (CCC 1472)
• “this purification frees one from what is called the ‘temporal punishment’ of sin” (CCC 1472)

“Do different sins need different sacrifices?” - Important Scriptures to Consider:

• 1 John 2:16–17 “For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. [17] And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever." (ESV)
• Galatians 2:16 “yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.” (ESV)
• Romans 3:19–20 “Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. [20] For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.” (ESV)
• Matthew 5:20 "For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (ESV)
• Galatians 2:20–21 "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. [21] I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.” (ESV)
• Mark 10:26–27 “And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?” [27] Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” (ESV)
• James 2:10 “For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.” (ESV)
• James 4:17 "So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” (ESV)
• 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (ESV)
• Hebrews 7:27 “He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.” (ESV)
• Romans 8:1–2 “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. [2] For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” (ESV)

“Do different sins need different sacrifices?” - Important Questions to Consider:

• Is 1 John 2:16-17 distinguishing between different levels of sin or different ways in which we are tempted to sin?  
• Is tradition alone such a valid tool to determine whether someone goes to Heaven, Hell or Purgatory?
• Where does the Bible rank, compare, and evaluate the seriousness of sin?
• What does James 2:10 mean?  What does James 4:17 mean?
• What is the purpose of the law according to Romans 3:19–20?  Can fulfilling the law save us?
• Is it possible to fulfill the Ten Commandments?  Who is the only one who has fulfilled the law?
• How can we obtain a righteousness that “exceeds the scribes and the Pharisees”?
• In the story of the rich young man (Mark 10:17-27), how did Jesus answer his question?  Is it possible for man to save himself by fulfilling the Ten Commandments?
• Does 1 John 1:9 say anything about different kinds of sins or different ways of obtaining forgiveness?  How do we receive forgiveness? Who do we confess to according to this verse?
• Where does the Bible speak about purgatory?  If purgatory exists, why would it exist if we are already forgiven “from all unrighteousness”?
• What does Romans 8:1-2 mean?

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WHAT IS A VALID CHURCH?

IS THE CATHOLIC CHURCH THE ONLY TRUE CHURCH?

The Catholic Blog - Helping people find answers to the most common questions about Catholicism with answers from the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Bible. (www.catholic.blog )

“Is the Catholic Church the Only True Church?” - Important Passages of The Catechism of the Catholic Church to Consider:

• “The Church is the Temple of the Holy Spirit” (CCC 809)
• “This is the sole Church of Christ” (CCC 811)
• “The sole Church of Christ [is that] which our Savior, after his Resurrection, entrusted to Peter’s pastoral care, commissioning him and the other apostles to extend and rule it. … This Church, constituted and organized as a society in the present world, subsists in (subsistit in) the Catholic Church, which is governed by the successor of Peter and by the bishops in communion with him.” (CCC 816)
• “For it is through Christ’s Catholic Church alone, which is the universal hope toward salvation, that the fullness of the means of salvation can be obtained” (CCC 816)

“Is the Catholic Church the Only True Church?” - Important Scriptures to Consider:

• 1 Corinthians 6:19–20 “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, [20] for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” (ESV)
• 1 Corinthians 3:16–17 “Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? [17] If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.” (ESV)
• 2 Timothy 3:15 “the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” (ESV)
• 1 Thessalonians 5:9–10 “For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, [10] who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.” (ESV)
• Hebrews 10:24-25 “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near”
• Ephesians 1:22-23 “the church, which is his body”
• 1 Corinthians 12:20 “As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.”
• 1 Corinthians 12:27-31 “Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the higher gifts.  And I will show you a still more excellent way.”

“Is the Catholic Church the Only True Church?” - Important Questions to Consider:

• Is God’s Spirit constrained to a building or a denomination?
• What is a church?  What is the purpose of a church?
• Are all churches valid?  What constitutes a true church?
• Does salvation come through a church or through Jesus?
• How do we most accurately learn about Jesus?
• How do we ensure our faith is true?

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Who Can Teach Authoritatively? Can Only Catholic Priests, Bishops, & Popes Interpret the Bible?

 

WHO CAN TEACH AUTHORITATIVELY?

CAN ONLY CATHOLIC PRIESTS, BISHOPS, & POPES INTERPRET THE BIBLE?

“Can only Catholic Priests Interpret the Bible Authentically?” - Important Passages of The Catechism of the Catholic Church to Consider:

• “It is clear therefore that, in the supremely wise arrangement of God, sacred Tradition, Sacred Scripture, and the Magisterium of the Church are so connected and associated  that one of them cannot stand without the others.  Working together each in its own way, under the action of the one Holy Spirit, they all contribute effectively to the salvation of souls.” (CCC 95)
• “The task of giving an authentic interpretation of the Word of God, whether in its written form or the form of Tradition, has been entrusted to the living, teaching office of the Church alone” (CCC 85)
• “The task of interpreting the Word of God authentically has been entrusted solely to the Magesterium of the Church, that is, to the Pope and to the bishops in communion with him.” (CCC 100)
• “It was by the apostolic Tradition that the Church discerned which writings are to be included in the list of the sacred books.” (CCC 120)
• “Tobit, Judith…1 and 2 Maccabees…Wisdom, Sirach (Ecclesiasticus)…Baruch” (CCC 120)
• “Sacred Scripture is written principally in the Church’s heart rather than in documents and records.” (CCC 113)

“Can only Catholic Priests Interpret the Bible Authentically?” - Important Scriptures to Consider:

• 2 Timothy 3:16–17 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, [17] that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (ESV)
• 2 Timothy 3:15 “how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”
• Psalm 19:7–14 “The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; [8] the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes”
• John 10:27–30 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. [28] I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. [29] My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. [30] I and the Father are one.” (ESV)
• 1 Peter 2:5–9 “you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. [6] For it stands in Scripture: ‘Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” [7] So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” [8] and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. [9] But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." (ESV)
• 1 Timothy 2:5 “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus”
• Hebrews 10:12 "But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,”
• Hebrews 4:14–16 “Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. [15] For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. [16] Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (ESV)
• 1 Corinthians 2:11–13 “For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. [12] Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. [13] And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.” (ESV)
• John 14:26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”
• Ephesians 1:17–18 “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, [18] having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints” (ESV)
• John 16:13 “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” (ESV)
• Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it” (ESV)
• Matthew 21:42 "Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures”
• 1 Timothy 4:13 “Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.” (ESV)
• Revelation 1:3 “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.” (ESV)

“Can only Catholic Priests Interpret the Bible Authentically?” - Important Questions to Consider:

• If the Roman Catholic Church is has the exclusive claim to “authentic interpretation”, does that mean Orthodox and Protestant Churches are invalid?
• What does it mean to say that the Bible cannot stand without the Roman Catholic Tradition and Magisterium?  Is that a biblical claim?
• Who saves us?  Jesus alone? A Church or Denomination?
• Who are Christians called to follow?
• Are the biblical claims to authority based on faithfulness to God or the chronological/familial lineage?  What happened in the Bible if a King/Judge/Prophet was unfaithful to God’s truth?
• Has the Catholic Church been faithful to God’s truth and love over the past two millennia?
• Does the Holy Spirit indwell Churches or people?  What is the task of the Holy Spirit?  Who has the Holy Spirit?
• Why do some of the more controversial Catholic teachings (indulgences, purgatory, penance, transubstantiation, baptismal regeneration, veneration of and prayer to Mary and the saints, etc.) come primarily from the Deuterocanon/Apocrypha (i.e. books not usually found in Protestant Bibles) and Tradition?
• What does it mean to say that “Sacred Scripture is written principally in the Church’s heart rather than in documents and records.”? Are our hearts trustworthy?
• Why does Jesus and the New Testament give so much attention to reading the Bible?

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"Does Church Tradition Change? Does God's Revelation Change?" - Important Passages of The Catechism of the Catholic Church and Bible to Consider

“Does God’s Revelation Continue through Church Tradition?” - Important Passages of The Catechism of the Catholic Church to Consider:

• “In light of Tradition, these traditions can be retained, modified or even abandoned under the guidance of the Church’s magisterium” (CCC 83)
• “We believe all ‘that which is contained in the word of God, written or handed down, and which the Church proposes for belief as divinely revealed” (CCC 182)

“Does God’s Revelation Continue through Church Tradition?”  - Important Scriptures to Consider:

• Malachi 3:6 “For I the Lord do not change”
• James 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”
• Numbers 23:19 “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?”
• Revelation 22:18-20 "warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life”
• Proverbs 30:5-6 “Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.”
• Deuteronomy 4:1–2 “And now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the rules that I am teaching you, and do them, that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you. [2] You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God that I command you.” (ESV)
• 2 John 9–10 “Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. [10] If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting” (ESV)
• Jude 3–4 “I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. [4] For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God”
• Galatians 1:6–9 "I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—[7] not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. [8] But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. [9] As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.” (ESV)
• 2 Peter 1:21 “For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” (ESV)

“Does God’s Revelation Continue through Church Tradition?”  - Important Questions to Consider:

• Does God change with time?  How does God reveal Himself to us specifically?
• Since the Bible is complete and purposed to describe God to us, why does it need to be added to by Tradition if God does not change?
• If Tradition is divinely inspired, why does it change with time and church leadership when the Bible does not?  Why have parts been edited out and added in?
• Why would it be so serious and dangerous to add words, verses, or passages to the Bible?
• In what scenarios would it be necessary for the Catholic Church to add new revelation of Tradition?
• How do we discern if a prophet or teacher is true or false? How do we recognize a “different gospel”?
• Why does God give us so many warnings about false teachers?
• Is the Bible sufficient for our studies of truth?
• Where are the Bible and The Catechism of the Catholic Church similar?  Different? 

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Free Downloadable Handouts for Catholics - Answers to the 30 Most Frequently Asked Questions in Catholicism

Click the links below, or go to www.catholic.blog, to download answers to the most common Catholic questions!

Free Downloadable Handouts for Catholics - Answers to the 30 Most Frequently Asked Questions in Catholicism

1. What is the Catechism of the Catholic Church? 
2. How Do We Know God?
3. How Do We Know Truth?
4. Does Church Tradition Change?  Does God's Revelation Continue in Catholicism?
5. Who Can Teach Authoritatively? Can Only Catholic Priests, Bishops, & Popes Interpret the Bible?
6. What is a Valid Church? Is the Catholic Church the Only True Church?
7. What is Sin According to the Catholic Catechism? Do Different Sins Need Different Sacrifices?
8. How can we be saved according to the Catholic Catechism?  Is salvation alone thru Catholicism?
9. Do We Receive Grace and the Holy Spirit through the Catholic Sacraments?
10. Does Salvation Come through Catholic Mass? Does Giving Money to Church Save Us?
11. Is Catholic Baptism Necessary for Salvation?
12. Is Catholic Confirmation Necessary for Salvation & the Holy Spirit?
13. Is Catholic Eucharist Necessary for Salvation?
14. Does Our Eucharist Help the Dead? Help Us Connect to the Dead?
15. Is Catholic Penance Necessary for Salvation and Forgiveness?
16. Is Peter the First Pope?
17. Did Peter have Authority Over All the Apostles?
18. Does Peter Call Himself a Pope or Bishop?
19. Was Peter Married? Is Priestly Celibacy Biblical?
20. What Is Veneration? Is Mary Our Mother? Should Mary Be Venerated?
21. Was Mary Always Saved?  Did Mary Never Sin?
22. Is Mary the Cause of Salvation?
23. Was Mary a Virgin Her Entire Life? Did Jesus Have Any Brothers?
24. Is It True that Mary Never Died? Did Mary Ascend to Heaven? 
25. Are Images of Jesus, Mary, Saints, or Angels Helpful or Harmful? Do Relics &Rosaries have Power? 
26. Should We Pray to Mary and Saints? Is it ok to Pray to Angels?
27. Will I Go to Purgatory? Do Indulgences Help Us? 
28. Can Marriages Be Annulled? What about Catholic Divorce and Remarriage?
29. Internal Inconsistencies within the Catholic Catechism
30. Why is the Catholic Bible Different? Is the Deuterocanon / Apocrypha Trustworthy?

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"How Do We Know Truth?" - Important Passages of The Catechism of the Catholic Church and Bible to Consider

 

“How Do We Know Truth?” - Important Passages of The Catechism of the Catholic Church to Consider:

• “'Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture, then, are bound closely together and communicate one with the other. For both of them, flowing out front he same divine well-spring, come together in some fashion to form one thing and move towards the same goal.’  Each of them makes present and fruitful in the Church the mystery of Christ, who promised to remain with his own ‘always, to the close of the age’” (CCC 80)
• “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” (CCC 82)
• “to the Church belongs the right always and everywhere to announce moral principles, including those pertaining to the social order, and to make judgments on any human affairs” (CCC 2032)
• “The Roman Pontiff and the bishops are ‘authentic teachers, that is, teachers endowed with the authority of Christ, who preach the faith to be believed and put into practice” (CCC 2034)

“How Do We Know Truth?” - Important Scriptures to Consider:

• 1 Timothy 6:3–5 “If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, [4] he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, [5] and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.” (ESV)
• 2 Timothy 3:16–17 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, [17] that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." (ESV)
• Acts 17:11 “Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.”
• 1 Corinthians 4:6 "I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another.”
• 2 Timothy 4:2 “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.” 
• 2 Corinthians 13:5 “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!" (ESV)
• Galatians 5:19–24 “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, [20] idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, [21] envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. [22] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. [24] And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” (ESV)
• 1 John 2:3–6 “And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. [4] Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, [5] but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: [6] whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” (ESV)
• Matthew 13:18–23 “Hear then the parable of the sower: [19] When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. [20] As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, [21] yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. [22] As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. [23] As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.” (ESV)
• Ephesians 3:16–17 "that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, [17] so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love” (ESV)
• Colossians 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” (ESV)
• John 14:16–17 “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, [17] even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” (ESV)

“How Do We Know Truth?” - Important Questions to Consider:

• Why does the Catechism claim a necessity for Scripture to be supported by Tradition?
• How do we know whose claims to authority are correct?  How do we know if the claims of the Orthodox churches are superior to the Roman Catholic claims?  What about Protestant traditions?
• Why is Tradition to be “accepted and honored with equal sentiments of devotion and reverence”?
• How does 2 Timothy 3:16-17 describe the Bible?
• Why is it so serious and dangerous to go beyond the teachings of God in the Bible?
• Why is there so much arrogance when talking through these differences?
• What does 2 Corinthians 13:5 say about salvation?  How do we test ourselves according to Scripture?
• Would Galatians 5:19-24 be a good test, why?
• How would the book of 1 John help to test the genuineness of our faith?
• How does the parable of the sower help us to understand what salvation looks like? (Matthew 13:18–23)
• Why are conversations about our differences so important?
• How do we get prepared to explain our faith to others?
• Who is our ultimate Helper in understanding truth according to John 14:16-17?
• What other Bible passages would you add to this list? Why?

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