The Catholic ChurchText: Matthew 13:54-58Introduction:

While the Catholic Church has been in existence longer than any known denomination, this fact doesnot prove identification with the first Century Church! The First Century Church was not a denomination,nor did it function like the Catholic Church does today.

In the first and second centuries, the Lords church was consistently persecuted. By the 4th century,Constantine recognized the Council of Nicea as the first official church law-making assembly. Heestablished Christianity as the national Religion of the Roman Empire and stopped all persecution againstChristians.

From that time Christianity began to change in organizational structure, in worship as well as moralstandards. By 608, Boniface proclaimed himself the universal bishop or pope, setting the precedent forall succeeding popes an office unknown before that time.

With that beginning, the centuries have continued to bring change to the Catholic church so many infact that to cover it all would take years in itself. So this evening for the sake of time and with the offer of alittle information, I can give you a start to your own study about the Catholic Church. We will look at a fewof the teachings that are better known.Read: Matthew 13:54-581. The Pope

Peters Confession & Jesus ResponseMatthew 16:17-19

Misunderstandings of This Passage:A. Peter is the rock on which Jesus built His churchJohn 1:42 And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, You are

Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas (which is translated, A Stone). The truth is Peter was just a pebble whereas what Jesus was building upon was the boulder of a

foundation! That boulder was that Jesus was the Christ, and the Savior of the world.B. Jesus gave only Peter the keys of the kingdom to have authority in the churchEphesians 2:20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus

Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone.Ephesians 3:5 (the mystery) has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles...

Note plurality of apostles: The Truth is, ALL the apostles were given the whole truth to be presentedto those who were taught.

Note: Matthew 18:18 is identical in wording, but spoken to all the disicples.Acts 2:42 they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine (not just Peters)

1st Century Organization:Titus 1:5 For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are

lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you1 Peter 5:2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers

There is no evidence in scripture of an elder or group of elders overseeing a region of elders orgroup of churches

There was always a plurality of elders in each church The apostles teachings were always the basis of their teachings

2. MaryMisunderstandings of Luke 1:26-30

A. There is no doubt that Mary is important in the story of Jesus because: She is a virginThis fulfilled the prophecies! She was highly favored The Angel said so TWICE!

B. However, the Catholic Church places Mary in a position she was never intended to be. It was at Ephesus in 431 A.D., the center of the worship of Diana, that ecclesiastics,

many of whom had but a slight training in Christianity, adopted the phrase Mother ofGod into their statement of religious faith.

Pope Pius IX on December 8, 1854 declared the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception There are teachings of her Sinlessness, Perpetual Virginity, Glorification to the position

of worhip, and her function as intercessorOur conclusion on the whole question is that the literature of Mariolatry belongs,historically, to unauthorized speculation; and, psychologically, to the natural history ofasceticism and clerical celibacy. Orr, J., M.A., D.D. The International Standard BibleEncyclopedia: 1915 edition

C. What Does The Bible Say?Matthew 4:10 Then Jesus said to him, Away with you, Satan! For it is written, You shall

worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve. Jesus accepted worship on several occasions declaring himself as One with God Nowhere in scripture is there ever any reference to Worshipping Mary, with the indirect

exception that worshipping anyone other than God is sinful.3. Original Sin

This Teaching Simply States That Adams Sin Is Passed To All Through BirthA. Problems

What about Mary the Mother of Jesus and then of course Jesus? Mary must also have been miraculously conceived therefore exempt from sin! This is also why they believe Mary was perpetually a virgin This also extends to their teaching that sex is evil and priests must be virgins.

B. What Does The Bible Teach?Ezekiel 18:20 The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor

the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be uponhimself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.

Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin,and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned

1 Corinthians 15:21-22 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of thedead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

Therefore Babies do not need to be baptized because they have not sinned Therefore He who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me John 6:45 Therefore He who believes and is baptized shall be saved! Mark 16:16

Books:Traditions of Men Versus The Word of God, Alvin JenningsCatholicism Against Itself, O.C. LambertA Change Of Habit Joanne HoweFrom Nun to Priest: A Former Nun Compares Catholic

Doctrines & Traditions with Scripture Joanne Howe, 1994