Posts Tagged ‘Roman Catholic Church’
The Development of Papal Power
By Andy Sochor Unmasking Sophistry, October-December, 2023, Vol. 3, No. 4 The pope is arguably the most influential religious figure in the world today. Yet there was a time when the one who occupied this office was even more powerful than the current pope. He would not only be the highest-ranking member of the Roman…
Read MoreOn This Rock (Matthew 16:18)
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/On-This-Rock.mp3 by Joe Greer Lessons to Build Your Faith
Read MoreSaints
by Webb Harris, Jr. Guardian of Truth XXXII: 13, pp. 402-403, July 7, 1988 The Problem of Avoided Terms It is fundamental to a proper understanding of divine revelation that we appreciate that the “popular” definitions of many words common to the Scriptures differ from the intended ideas of the inspired writers. The term “saint”…
Read MoreDid you see that Pope Francis told Catholics not to convert nonbelievers?
Question: Did you see that Pope Francis told Catholics not to convert nonbelievers? Answer: I’m not a fan of Roman Catholic beliefs, but I also believe that people’s positions should be accurately presented. The claim that appeared in numerous places, such as the World Net Daily, said, “Pope warns followers of Jesus not to convert…
Read MoreMy wife refuses to be intimate with me
Question: I have been married for almost 15 years. I love her to the end of the world. She is going through menopause and it’s been two years since entering her. We have had years of good sex that didn’t involve intercourse but all of a sudden she said it’s a sin and I am frustrated.…
Read MoreWhat Is “A Different Gospel?”
by Jefferson David Tant In the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Galatian churches, in the beginning, he deals with a serious problem in the churches concerning which he has knowledge, and that is “a different gospel.” “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for…
Read MoreThe Bible Is Understandable
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/The-Bible-Is-Understandable.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Psalm 119:97-112 I. When it comes to religion, people seem to prefer having a mystery A. Those in leadership of many denominations prefer it because people depend on them for answers. B. Those in the ranks of denominations are satisfied having others tell them what they need to know. C. The problem…
Read MorePraying for the Dead
by Wayne Jackson via The Christian Courier Whenever someone we love dies — in old age or tragically before their prime — our hearts cannot but anguish with those who are suffering soul-tearing losses. Some children have lost one or both parents. Husbands and wives have been robbed of loving mates. Others will never see…
Read MoreYou need to really study the Catholic Church before making incorrect statements on your website
Question: I converted from the church of Christ over 40 years ago and have been a member of the Catholic Church since then. Your online article is totally incorrect in almost all areas. Examples are you say we worship statues and idols. Totally incorrect! They are only there for reminders of Christ’s sacrifice and his…
Read MoreInnocent Statues or Idolatry?
by Mike Thomas Consider the following quote by Bob Stanley, written in response to the claim that Catholics practice idolatry when honoring statues and images in religion: “That is what some say that Catholics do. Why do they say that? What is their reference? Where is their documented proof? Show me the genuine Catholic documents…
Read MoreHow is the church of Christ’s view of baptism different from the denominations?
Question: Hello, I recently came across a YouTube comment about baptism that puzzled me a bit: “It’s also important to know the church of Christ view of baptismal salvation is different from every other view; that of the Lutherans, Anglicans, Catholics or Orthodox.” Is this a correct assessment? If so, how is the church of…
Read MoreThe Rise of Catholicism
by Julius C. Nwankwo Unmasking Sophistry, vol. 1, no. 2, July-September 2021 The history of God’s people in the Old Testament is a history of faithfulness, apostasy, and restoration. This is also true of the church. Next to a study of the Bible, church history is the most valuable study for a Christian. In this…
Read MoreWhat are the books opened in Revelation 20:12?
Question: Good day. I have an argument with a Catholic defender on social media about Sola Scriptura. I used Revelation 20:12 that the written word will judge us in the last days. But he said that the books opened are not the Bible but the record of men’s deeds. What are the books opened in…
Read MoreIs stigmata real or a hoax?
Question: Is stigmata real or a hoax? Answer: Stigmata is the appearance of marks, wounds, or pains located on the body where the wounds of Christ during the crucifixion would have appeared. These were first reported during the middle ages and those who report having them are most often Roman Catholics. Interestingly, the vast majority…
Read MoreThe Bible in English
by Jefferson David Tant One of the great blessings we have is that we have the Bible, God’s Word, in the language of the common people — English. And we are thankful for those who provided this for us at a high cost. The story behind the translation is an interesting story. The very first…
Read MoreDo I need to confess some sins to a Roman Catholic priest to be forgiven?
Question: Hello Jeffrey! I’ve been studying Christianity once again and found out that there are two kinds of sins at the Roman Catholic Church — ‘venial’ and ‘mortal’. I found out that if one commits a mortal sin then it must be confessed in front of a priest in order to be completely forgiven. That…
Read MoreCommenting on the Catholic Church
by Zeke Flores I recently read a shared post on Facebook written by a Catholic priest who is angered by “a sea of stupid articles, idiotic commentary and boneheaded op-eds about the Catholic Church, by people who have no clue what they’re talking about.” He goes on to rant about “the number of misinformed articles…
Read MorePope Tells Christians Not to Evangelize
Source: Thomas D. Williams, PH.D., “Pope Francis Tells Christians Not to Try to Convert Nonbelievers,” Breitbart, 22 December 2019. Source: “Visit to the ‘Pilo Albertelli’ Classic High School in Rome: Dialogue of the Holy Father Francis with the Students”, Vatican Publishing House, 20 December 2019. “Pope Francis told Christian high school students this weekend they…
Read MoreConfidence in the Canon
by Allen Dvorak “The Lost Books of the Bible! Are you missing books from your Bible?” It is not uncommon to see such advertisements in the supermarket rags or at bookstores. Sometimes they hint at the idea that there has been some deliberate and/or covert effort to exclude certain books from the New Testament. Americans…
Read MoreWas Mary the mother of God?
Question: I do not recite Hail Mary nor do I agree with it. But I talked to a person and we came to the topic of Hail Mary. I pointed out that “Mother of God” is never seen in the Bible and expressed an inappropriate meaning. He stated that Elizabeth called Mary “mother of my…
Read MoreHow do I convince a Roman Catholic that infant baptism is wrong?
Question: A Catholic and I debated the topic of infant baptism. He used the argument of “household” referring to babies as well. When I told him that households could mean teens or servants he said that he would rather follow the practice of infant baptism followed by earlier Christians 2000 years ago. He then argued…
Read MoreIf Christ Built Only One, Where Did They All Come From?
by Jefferson David Tant At the beginning of the gospel age, there was but one church, and now, 2000 years later, according to some reports, there are over 1,200. How did this happen? People wonder where they all came from. Is this division and confusion what Christ intended? Let’s examine this situation to see just…
Read MoreWhy Baptize Infants?
by Whit Sasser “Baptizing” infants is practiced in the Roman Catholic church and some of the Protestant denominations as well. But why would one need to subject a baby to such? They are not sinners. Sin cannot be inherited (Ezekiel 18:20). Sin is not passively received but a violation of God’s will (I John 3:4).…
Read MoreDo you know of sources regarding “demon possession” in the Middle Ages?
Question: I have just read your web site and found it to be both informative and thought-provoking. Currently, I am doing a report for my psychology class on the middle ages and the churches and how they treated those that were afflicted with mental illness. I have taken the position that the Roman Catholic Church…
Read MoreGluttony
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/Gluttony.mp3 by Jeffrey Hamilton Text: Numbers 11:4-34 I. Someone, reading an article on the Roman Catholic teachings of the seven deadly sins, was surprised to find that gluttony included “eating too soon, eating with condiments, eating too expensively, and eating with pleasing the palate in mind.” A. He wrote to ask, if such were true in…
Read MoreWhat is the reasoning behind infant baptism?
Question: There is a Catholic whom I talk to and he told me that the reason for baptizing infants is for the opportunity for them to put on the body of Christ if they were to pass away before reaching the age of accountability. They also say that Paul went into the households and baptized…
Read MoreRituals Don’t Cancel Sin
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/RitualsDontCancelSin.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Isaiah 58:1-14 I. Men get into their minds that they need to make God listen to them A. Like a child holding his breath, they believe that if they suffer, then God will listen B. There were false religions based on self-inflicted pain to gain their god’s attention – I Kings…
Read MoreMonk at the Monastery
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/MonkAtTheMonastery.mp3 by Alan Feaster
Read MoreI know fornication is wrong, but I don’t want to see my boyfriend in hell
Question: Hello, I have a question that has really been weighing on my conscience and my heart. This may be very long and I apologize, but here it goes. I have been dating my boyfriend for four years now. We are both currently in college. We most definitely have the intention of getting married. Unfortunately,…
Read MoreWhat is the penance for adultery?
Question: Hello, I would like to know what is the penance for adultery. If forgiveness is possible, does the “forgive and you shall be forgiven” apply? Answer: The idea that there are acts of penance done for sins is not taught in the Bible. It is merely a Roman Catholic tradition. See: Do we have to…
Read MoreThe Split of the Catholic Churches
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/SplitOfTheCatholicChurches.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Matthew 23:1-12 I. Very shortly after the first century, one elder in the church became the chief elder and took on the title of bishop to distinguish himself from the other elders. A. Even though elder and bishop refers to the same duty – Titus 1:5,7 B. By the third century, we…
Read MoreThe Apostles’ Creed
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/ApostlesCreed.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: John 17:11-23 I. Every once in a while someone will ask what is our statement of faith. A. Back when we were home schooling, we were wanting to get involved with a local group, but they wanted us to sign a statement of faith B. Another name for a statement of…
Read MoreCorruption in Church Organization
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/0020/01/CorruptionInChurchOrganization.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Acts 20:17-35 I. Equality of members (first century) A. The early church was marked by the equality of its members – Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:11 B. As Jesus prayed, the desire was for all Christians to be one – John 17:20-21 C. There were different duties, but the people were seen as…
Read MoreI want to jump and lavish in God’s glory
Question: I’m a Roman Catholic and I finally fully accepted Jesus into my life after 15 years of me just saying I believe in him and still turning my back and obeying the world. I am continuously growing and deepening my relationship with him. I go to a Christian school and my best friend is…
Read MoreWhy can’t I marry my Catholic boyfriend?
Question: God bless you, Well, I have an issue in my life. My parents and I were introduced to Christianity a few years ago. My dad already had a background in it since his childhood, so he connected and loved it right away. My mom and I didn’t feel it right away. It was a…
Read MoreShould I give up my phone for Lent?
Question: Hi, I’m Catholic, and we have a thing called Lent, which is the forty days before Easter, where we give something up. I’m wondering if I should give up my phone because it’s the reason I look at porn and that. But I was thinking that I should give something else up, then give…
Read MoreInfant Baptism
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/InfantBaptism.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Romans 7:7-25 I. Historians will admit that infant baptism did not appear in the church until the second or third century A. Roman Catholics 1. “There is no express mention of the baptism of infants in the New Testament” [Question Box, page 23]. 2. “It is difficult to give strict proof from the…
Read MoreShould I wait until after I get married to be baptized?
Question: Hi, I am in the process of getting baptized and being confirmed as a Catholic. At the same time, I am engaged and my fiance and I live together. We will be getting married next year. Should I wait to be baptized after we are married? Answer: To be clear upfront, I’m not a…
Read MoreIs the Bible for or against the use of holy water or salt?
Question: Hi, Holy water and salt have become a common religious tool, believed to be very powerful and frequently used in my country. Is the Bible for or against this practice? Answer: “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not…
Read MoreWill God forgive me for worshiping idols to please my mother?
Question: I am 21 years old. My mum is a Buddhist, which forces me to worship Buddhist idols. But I am a Catholic and she opposes me and scolds me. She even denies Jesus publicly. I am not yet baptized because of her. What should I do? Will God forgive me because of my worship…
Read More