• Home
• Salvation
• Bible Versions
• Doctrines
• Endtime
• Other Issues
• Book Reviews

 

 

Roman Catholic Responses - Refuted

 

The following is an email to friends of a Roman Catholic doctor. Their comments on his behalf are in purple. Our responses follow:

 

* * *

 

[Names withheld],

 

1. The more he gets into it, the better it sounds scripturally to him. and They've already been through the Mary mother of God topic.

 

2. My first response to this is empathy for your difficult situation in reasoning with your RC doctor friend. But the truth is he won't find the Truth if he's really not looking for it. On that basis, if he rejects I Tim 2:5 in favour of Mary as a mediatrix, then there may be no hope for him. (Every mass is a prayer to Mary).

 

3. The doctor says Protestants are quick to say they take the Bible literally, but only when they want to.

 

4. I do not accept this labeling; it is fallacious argumentation. For me, if the Bible passage has a literal meaning, AND that meaning is reasonable in the context of the passage and the Bible as a whole, THEN I support the literal interpretation.

 

5. The verses in question are John 6:41ff, and the topic is transubstantiation (sp?). Read it literally, and RC is right. He claims this is the dividing line so to speak.

 

6. John 6:41 Jesus is the bread of life. This is a metaphor; not a literal statement - No apology.

Luke 4:4 says that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. The context of this verse,

 

Luke 4:4, clearly suggests a literal turning of stone to bread and literal eating of that bread for physical food.

 

Therefore, if your friend takes this Bread of Life passage literally, then ask him how can eat "every word of God" in a literal sense.

 

Obviously the living by "every word of God" is also allegorical - applying spiritual concepts (God's principles) to our everyday lives.

7. Consider Communion: If breaking of bread is done in remembrance of Jesus then the memorial and the body are not the same thing. Otherwise, Jesus would only have said: "I want you to eat my body."

 

8. Jesus spoke in parables to do two things simultaneously: To reveal the truth to those looking for it; and to hide the truth from those who weren't looking for it. God is not interested in a casual relationship; he wants a sincere relationship.

 

9. To Those Not Given the Truth Jesus said:

Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6:54

For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. John 6:55

He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. John 6:56

These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum. John 6:59

10. But To Those To Whom He Explained the Parable: Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said:

This is an hard saying; who can hear it? John 6:60

When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? John 6:61

What and if ye shall see the Son of man (flesh) ascend up where he was before? John 6:62

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. John 6:63

He was speaking non-literally.

11. LOOK FOR THE PRONOUNS. Some heard Jesus tell them to eat His literal flesh and drink His literal blood: And the disciples came, and said unto him:

Why speakest thou unto them in parables? Matthew 13:10

He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. Matthew 13:11

For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Matthew 13:12

Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. Matthew 13:13

And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: Matthew 13:14

For this peoples heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. Matthew 13:15

12. When people turn back to ancient rituals they are looking for 'the unknown God' and they cannot find Him.

All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: Matthew 13:34

That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world. Matthew 13:35

13. THE DISCIPLES WERE LOOKING FOR THE TRUTH, SO THEY FOUND IT. Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. Matthew 13:36

 

14. Conclusion: If you [only] hear the literal Flesh and Literal Blood message you have lost your ability to hear Christ's Spiritual message. The literal flesh and blood parable was spoken, without interpretation, to the multitude to whom He did not reveal the meaning.

 

15. How do you explain the establishment of Transubstantiation, the Immaculate Conception, infallibility of Pope, doctrine of Purgatory, etc, etc, being established hundreds of years after Jesus ascended to heaven? If these were essential and TRUE doctrines, then the Popes wouldn't have waited centuries to incorporate them into the Mass.

 

16. You and [name withheld] may not believe what I said about Rev_17,18_being_RC_church; but I think you need to look at it again. The evidence is unmistakable in my opinion. God said Rev 18:4 Come out of her my people lest you partake in her sins and receive her judgments (Mike's paraphrase).

 

17. Pope and RC church now accept 'we all worship one god' principle so heaven is open to all those are "good". [How can you ignore Acts 4:12, etc, etc.?] THE DECEPTION IS ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE.

 

Mike