: The Catholic Church believes and teaches that through
their Magisterium, bishops, and the church itself, that direct
revelation has and continues to occur. Hence, the Bible was and is
not a completed work . . . it is a work in progress. "It teaches
only what has been handed on to it."3
This revelation is done through what is called
"Tradition".
In this
religion’s Catechism of the Catholic Church, it is very bold
in its claim of being ...
the
Church [i.e. the Roman Catholic 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."4
"The
task of giving an authentic interpretation of the Word of God,
whether in its written form or in the form of Tradition, has
been entrusted to the living, teaching office of the [Roman
Catholic] Church alone . . . . " (emphasis added). This
means that the task of interpretation has been entrusted to the
bishops in communion with the successor of Peter, the Bishop of
Rome.5[see also in this
issue of
"What Mean These Stones?":"Petra, Is the
Church of Today, Christ’s Church?"Here we will briefly
discuss Peter as the ‘Rock’ of the Christian church.]
"It is
clear therefore [What is the evidence that gives this clarity?
. . . it is their own created evidences that justify their
doctrine] 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."
6
The
task of interpreting the Word of God authentically has been
entrusted solely to the Magisterium of the Church, that is, to
the Pope and to the bishops in communion with him.7
Read
the Scripture within
"the living Tradition of the whole
Church." According to a saying of the Fathers, Sacred
Scripture is written principally in the Church’s heart rather
than in documents and records, for the Church carries in her
Tradition the living memorial of God’s Word, and it is the Holy
Spirit who gives her the spiritual interpretation of the
Scripture.8(emphasis
theirs)
For, of
course, all that has been said about the manner of interpreting
Scripture is ultimately subject to the judgment of the
[Catholic] Church which exercises the divinely conferred
commission and ministry of watching over and interpreting the
Word of God.
9
But I
would not believe in the Gospel, had not the authority of the
Catholic Church already moved me.
10
". . .
Judge with
Righteous Judgment"
(John 7:24)
How
should we react to doctrine such as what this Roman church teaches
as truth? Should we even respond in regards to a doctrine that many
claiming to be Christian hold to and practice? If we are of God,
then are not you and I to investigate (Deut. 13:14; Ezra 10:16),
discern (1 Kings 3:9; Hebrews 5:14), or judge (1 Cor. 5:12; 1 Cor.
10:15), whether these things are true (Acts 17:11)? Yet, many
oxymoronically condemn with ferocious tenacity those that judge and
rebuke (2 Timothy 4:2) the sin of so-called brethren (1 Corinthians
5:11) and those that have wandered from the truths of God’s Word.
Hundreds
of times God admonishes us to "beware that [our] hearts
are not deceived" (Deut. 11:16). Through scriptural wisdom and
understanding, we are to "beware of the dogs, beware of the evil
workers, beware of the false circumcision" (Philippians 3:2).
In
looking at the various texts quoted from the Catechism of the
Catholic Church, is there doctrine we are to ‘beware of’ . . .
doctrine that raises a red flag of warning.
In
examining the Word of God, we find that "all Scripture is
inspired by God" (2 Timothy 3:16); it is God-breathed.
Tradition, as ‘defined’ and applied by the Roman Catholic Church, is
in equality with Scripture, but it is man-breathed. The
tradition Paul admonishes us to hold to (2 Thessalonians 2:15; 3:6)
are the inspired teachings he and other disciples have been given.
Reading anything else into these and similar verses is speculative
and presumptuous at best.
Luke
instructs us in Acts 17:11 that the Bereans were more noble because
they received what was taught and examined these teachings to see "whether
these things were so." There are three points of significance we
must not pass over in this verse. 1) The Bereans were not just noble
or good for examining what was taught, they were more noble.
2) These teachings that they were more noble for examining were
those of the apostle Paul. Even Paul’s teachings were to be held
under the scrutiny of Scripture . . . if Paul’s, then should not
mine, or yours, or that of any religion also be examined? Are we to
hold Roman Catholic teachings in a higher regard than those of Paul;
in essence, reaching an equality with those of God Himself? 3)
Paul’s teachings were examined by the light of Scripture . . .
not by any form of man created tradition.
Traditions counter to the teachings of God we are warned to stay
away from. Christ warned against the leaven of the Scribes, the
Pharisees, the religious leaders of the day.
If we
were to examine Scripture via the standards (i.e. biases) of the
religious leaders whom Christ condemned, would we find defenses of
their positions in Scripture? Wouldn’t their defenses seem tenable
to them and their followers . . . despite the strong rebuke and
condemnation directed towards them from Christ? This form of defense
can only take place through the deluding influences and deceptions
of darkness, for they do not seek after God with genuineness of
heart.
"Then
the Lord said, ‘Because this people draw near with their
words and honor Me with their lip service, but they remove
their hearts far from Me, and
their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote
. . . .’" (Isaiah 29:13; emphasis added. Matthew and Mark, in their
Gospel writings, quote this verse).
Being a
follower of man will leave your relationship with Christ null, it
will be void. God desires all of you, or He will have no part of
you!
I
hate, I reject your festivals, nor do I delight in your solemn
assemblies. Even though you offer up to Me burnt offerings and
your grain offerings, I will not accept them; And I will not
even look at the peace offerings of your fatlings. Take away
from Me the noise of your songs; I will not even listen to the
sound of your harps. But let justice roll down like waters and
righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
(Amos 5:21-24)
As the
Lord God warns Israel in Amos chapter five, so Christ does likewise
in Matthew 7:21-23. All of our religiosity, no matter the
convictions of our intent, God rejects outright if it is not as He
has established in His written Word. How many of us truthfully and
with great earnestness examine the religion we place before God?
Does His Word give you the assurance that it is a practice He will
receive? Many in our churches come to worship God, "BUT
IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP
[Christ],
TEACHING AS DOCTRINE THE
PRECEPTS OF MEN" (Matthew 15:9).
Christ
condemned the religious leaders of His day in Matthew chapter
fifteen; calling them hypocrites for transgressing the commandment
of God. By their transgression, what are they invalidating? . . .
they are invalidating the Word of God; not tradition, not the
religious leaders or magistrate, but the Word of God.
If Christ
warns against such traditions, such precepts of man (teaching as if
their precepts were biblical doctrine), how then are we to know what
is truth and that which is not? We must use discretion, discernment
and yes, judgment, to protect the body of Christ from the disease of
apostasy. Just as Paul admonished the church in Colosse of a
heretical attack, so are we warned to "see to it that no one
takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception,
according to the tradition of men" (Colossians 2:8; emphasis
added).
Created
Hierarchy
We find
in the quoted text of the Roman Catholic’s catechism that "sacred
Tradition, Sacred Scripture, and the Magisterium of the Church are
so connected and associated that one of them cannot stand without
the others."11
With equality to Scripture assigned to itself through its
invented sacerdotal hierarchy (see image # 3), we find that it has
by and large replaced or taken on the responsibilities of the Holy
Spirit.
Image # 3
The New Saint Joseph Baltimore Catechism, (New York; Catholic
Book Publishing Company,1969), p. 71
In the
man created hierarchy within the church, Christ as the mediator
between man and God, and the Holy Spirit as Counselor and Teacher,
have largely been replaced by an SCL (Sacerdotal-Clergy-Laity)
structure. Found in the majority of churches called Christian, this
SCL structure is an organization that is foreign to the New
Testament.
"Read
the Scripture within ‘the living Tradition of the whole Church’"12
(emphasis theirs) its followers are taught. It is insufficient in
the dispensations of this religion today to be as a Berean. Those of
this Roman church are to practice and believe that "the task of
interpreting the Word of God authentically has been entrusted solely
to the Magisterium of the Church, that is, to the Pope and to the
bishops in communion with him."13
Without
realizing their conflict within the closely related referenced text,
we find that the Roman church clearly states Scripture, Tradition,
and the Magisterium, as discussed earlier, "are so connected and
associated that one of them cannot stand without the others."14
Interestingly though, Scripture is never mentioned as a proof text
for validating their Tradition or Magisterium . . . only the other
way around. Tradition and the Magisterium validate Scripture . . .
meaning man validates God’s Word, but God’s Word does not validate
their Tradition or Magisterium.
Oxymoronically, for the body of Christ to ‘be as a Berean’, the only
recourse is to examine the Scriptures through the interpretation of
the Magisterium, the Roman Catholic Church instructs its followers.
"The task of giving an authentic interpretation of the Word of God,
whether in its written form or in the form of Tradition, has been
entrusted to the living, teaching office of the Church alone."
15
If you
are a member of this church, are you to interpret Scripture? You
cannot, for this "task of interpretation has been entrusted to the
bishops in communion with the successor of Peter, the Bishop of
Rome."16 These bishops are the
Magisterium.
To be as
a Berean would then necessitate the inquirer to get the ‘true’
interpretation from the magistrate of this religion. This method of
interpretation is what is called ‘circular reasoning.’ The truths of
Scripture are interpreted through tradition and the Magisterium. How
are you to know what the Magisterium teaches is truth? . . . examine
the Scripture they instruct their followers. How are you to know if
you have the correct understanding of Scripture? . . . ask the
Magisterium they mandate. We find in their doctrine that there is no
truth to base ones faith or practice, outside that which the
Magisterium teaches.
As
mentioned, this sacerdotal structure has neutered the Holy Spirit in
its heretical teachings and self-proclaimed authority. The Holy
Spirit’s work and relationship with not only man, but also with God,
is worn as ‘royal vestments’ on the Roman priests. He is an
adornment for eye service only, as they portray themselves as
another Christ. (See image #2)
