IS THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH A CHRISTIAN CHURCH?

	At left is FIDES as portrayed over the pulpit of the Austrian Melk Monastery on the Danube, built in the early 18th century. In FIDES' left hand is the golden cup (in front of the cross), and behind her right shoulder is the pagan sunburst image.
From a photo by Artephot, Paris (Nimatallah).

Various churches claim to be Christian. Yet, in many ways these churches teach different doctrines. How is it possible that they all consider themselves Christian?

In order to determine whether the Roman Catholic Church is Christian, we must examine doctrines which are common to all Christian churches. The foremost of these doctrines is the doctrine of one God. Any church which claims to be Christian will believe in a single God. There are variations in that understanding, with differences in the doctrine of the Trinity. These are peripheral discussions and are not central to us. Since the doctrine of one God is the core doctrine to all Christianity, we will begin examining the Roman Catholic Church at that point. Official RCC documents will be used to state RCC positions whenever possible.

"I am the LORD, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, Isaiah 42:8a

6 "Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel And his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: 'I am the first and I am the last, And there is no God besides Me.
7 'And who is like Me? Let him proclaim and declare it; Yes, let him recount it to Me in order, From the time that I established the ancient nation. And let them declare to them the things that are coming And the events that are going to take place.
8 'Do not tremble and do not be afraid; Have I not long since announced it to you and declared it? And you are My witnesses. Is there any God besides Me, Or is there any other Rock? I know of none.' " Isaiah 44:6-8

11 "I, even I, am the LORD; And there is no savior besides Me. Isaiah 43:11

25 "I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins. Isaiah 43:25

21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, "Who is this man who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?" Luke 5:21

There are several points to draw from this. (I would love to carry on in Isaiah, but space does not permit. The reader should read Isaiah 40-53.)

1. There is ONLY one God. God remains unique in glory, and will not grant His glory to "another".
2. God is our redeemer, our savior, and there is ONLY one savior.
3. God is the ONLY one who forgives sins.

Notice that these claims are EXCLUSIVE. They are specific prerogatives of God alone. Anyone who makes claim to any of these prerogatives of God is claiming to be God, and is blaspheming. No one can claim these prerogatives and be Christian. Let us examine the claims of the RCC.

"Thou (the Pope) art another God on earth." 5th Lateran Council

"(T)he supreme teacher in the Church is the Roman Pontiff. Union of minds, therefore, requires, together with a perfect accord in the one faith, complete submission and obedience of will to the Church and to the Roman Pontiff, as to God Himself." --Pope Leo XIII, Encyclical Letter, "On the Chief Duties of Christians as Citizens." Jan 10, 1890

"The Pope is considered the man on earth who represents the Son of God, who "TAKES THE PLACE" of the Second Person of the omnipotent God of the Trinity." (p3)

"The Pope is not the only one who holds this title. With regard to the Church entrusted to him, each bishop is Vicarius Christi."(p13) "Crossing the Threshold of Hope", Pope John Paul II

Notice the term "Vicarius Christi". This is synonymous with "Vicarius Filii Dei" (inscribed on the Pope's miter, c.f. "Our Sunday Visitor" 11/15/1914 & 4/18/1915), or the Vicar of Christ on Earth". The term "vicar" mean "someone who substitutes for". In other words, the claim of the Pope is that he is the substitute of Christ (God). This is no more or less than claiming to be God, exactly as stated at the Fifth Lateran Council.

The RCC clarifies this issue for us in "Unam Sanctum", a bull issued by Pope Boniface VIII on November 18, 1302.

"Therefore, of the one and only Church there is one body and one head, not two heads like a monster; that is, Christ and the Vicar of Christ, Peter and the successor of Peter..."

It is impossible to miss the direct statement that Pope Boniface VIII declared that the Pope and Christ are one and the same. Let us examine what Paul said about this.

3 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,
4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. 2 Thess 2:3-4

There can be no mistaking the identity of the Papacy. It is "the man of lawlessness", "displaying himself as being God." The RCC is not content to declare only the Pope to be God. They continue with Mary.

"Mary, being altogether TRANSFORMED INTO GOD by the grace and glory which transforms all the saints into Him..." "...even God Himself, is subject to the Blessed Virgin." "Heaven, earth and Hell, bend with good will or bad will, to the commandments of the humble Mary, whom He has made sovereign of Heaven and earth, general of His armies, treasurer of His treasures, dispenser of His graces, worker of His greatest marvels, restorer of the human race, Mediatrix of men, the exterminator of the enemies of God, and the faithful companion of His grandeurs and triumphs." "A second reason is that the principal mystery we celebrate and honor in this devotion is the mystery of the Incarnation , wherein we can see Jesus only in Mary, and incarnate in her bosom. Hence it is more to the purpose to speak of the slavery of Jesus in Mary, and of Jesus residing and reigning in Mary..." "Thus, so far from the divine Mary, all absorbed in God, being an obstacle to the perfect attaining union with God, there has never been up to this time, and there never will be, any creature who will aid us more efficaciously in this great work..." St. Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort (1673-1716, canonized 1947)

As we read in Isaiah, God declares that there are no other Gods beside Him. He further refuses to give His glory to another. We have now identified a third god in the RCC galaxy. God Himself has something to say about this.

1 Then God spoke all these words, saying,
2 "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
3 "You shall have no other gods before Me.
4 "You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.
5 "You shall not worship them or serve them; Ex 20:1-4

Notice verse three. Not only is the RCC dogma contrary to scripture, it violates the very first commandment! There are to be no other gods. Yet the RCC has defined two false gods in the discussion we have had so far: the Pope and Mary. Unnamed are the host of "saints" declared to be gods by the "canonization" of the RCC. At this point, we should notice verse 5. We are not to worship any false gods, such as Mary.

"The most infallible and indubitable sign by which we may distinguish a heretic, a man of bad doctrine, a reprobate, from one of the predestinate, is that the heretic and the reprobate have nothing but contempt and indifference for Our Lady, endeavoring by their words and examples to diminish the worship and love of her..." "INSTEAD OF DEVOTION TO THE HOLY VIRGIN, THEY COUNSEL HIM DEVOTION TO JESUS CHRIST." St. Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort (1673-1716, canonized 1947) (emphasis added)

"...to intensify the people's piety and enthusiasm for the homage and the veneration of the Virgin..." "Now inasmuch as WHATEVER PERTAINS TO SACRED WORSHIP is intimately connected with its object and cannot have either consistency or durability if this object is vague or uncertain, our predecessors, the Roman Pontiffs, therefore, while directing all their efforts toward an increase of the devotion to the conception, made it their aim not only to emphasize the object with utmost zeal, but also to enunciate the exact doctrine. [The Immaculate Conception of Mary]" Ineffabilis Deus, Pope Pius IX, December 8, 1854

There can be no doubt that the intent of the RCC is the worship of Mary. They have set her up as a God, and demand her worship. In fact, her worship is to be more highly regarded than that of Jesus Christ Himself! How great can idolatry get?

God's second attribute is that He (in the person of Jesus) is our Savior and Redeemer. This again is an EXCLUSIVE claim. There is only ONE Savior.

7 but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:7

Since the blood of Jesus cleanses from "all sin", there is no need for any other savior.

12 "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is NO OTHER NAME UNDER HEAVEN that has been given among men, by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12

31 "He is THE ONE whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. Acts 5:31

17 and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. 1 Cor 15:17

1 And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God.
2 For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. 1 Cor 2:1-2

Paul's entire testimony is that there is only one savior, and that is "Jesus Christ, and Him crucified." Paul regards anything else as being superfluous. But the RCC has a different idea.

"And indeed it was wholly fitting that so wonderful a mother should ever be resplendent with the glory of most sublime holiness and so completely free from all taint of original sin that SHE WOULD TRIUMPH UTTERLY OVER THE ANCIENT SERPENT." "...HER RENOWNED VICTORY OVER THE FOUL ENEMY OF THE HUMAN RACE." "Hence, just as Christ, the Mediator between God and man, assumed human nature, blotted the handwriting of the decree that stood against us, and fastened it triumphantly to the cross, so the most holy Virgin, united with him by a most intimate and indissoluble bond, was, with him and through him, eternally at enmity with the evil serpent, and completely triumphed over him, and thus CRUSHED HIS HEAD WITH HER IMMACULATE FOOT." Ineffabilis Deus, Pope Pius IX, December 8, 1854

We could go on for pages. The dogma of the RCC is that Mary won the victory over sin, not our savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. While this may technically be stretching the point, since Ineffabilis Deus in one place says that she won the victory with Jesus, the fact remains that the RCC declares that Mary won the victory herself. This requires that she is therefore our savior. While the RCC has not been willing to be quite that blatant, the logical conclusion is inescapable. She has been defined as having all of the characteristics of the savior, and therefore IS, according to the RCC. All they have avoided so far is the word.

What must be remembered is that Mary, like every other person who has walked the face of the earth, except Jesus, was a sinner.

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23

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

Paul's statements are universal. They admit NO EXCEPTIONS. Jesus, who IS God, is the only person to escape sin, and became the only sacrifice capable of eliminating sin. This sacrifice IS the victory. Mary herself completes the testimony.

46 And Mary said: "My soul exalts the Lord,
47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. Luke 1:46-47

If Mary were sinless, she would not require a savior. Instead, Mary, recognizing her sinful state, praises God that the one who will save HER from her sins is coming. No other conclusion is possible. By exalting in the promise of a savior, Mary is celebrating her own rescue from the penalty of sin.

As we have demonstrated, there is only one savior. This attribute of God has now been assumed by the RCC for Mary, and is another example of idolatry by the RCC. Idolatry is the sin most hated by God. In Revelation, the third angel's message sums this up.

9 And another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or upon his hand,
10 he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.
11 "And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; and they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name."
12 Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. Rev 14:9-12

Here we find that the wicked who will be destroyed are idolaters ("worship the beast and his image"), and the saints are those who "keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus" (not Mary). The contrast cannot be more dramatic. As we saw earlier, the RCC position is that Jesus is secondary. Yet the testimony of scripture is that Jesus stands alone, victorious.

21 "And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for IT IS HE WHO WILL SAVE HIS PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS." Matt 1:21 (emphasis added)

It is faith in Jesus, not Mary, that saves. The RCC would like us to forget that most beautiful of texts.

16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes IN HIM should not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16 (emphasis added)

There is only one thing required of us for salvation, and that is faith in Jesus Christ. By its actions, the RCC has set itself above Christ, and displaced Jesus with Mary. The RCC would like to take us away from the true saving faith into a false hope which destroys. But the RCC is not content simply to require that everyone believe this lie.

The RCC actively attempts to separate sinners from their savior by means of the confessional. In it, the penitent confesses his sins to a priest. After assessing the gravity of the sins, the priest will then declare the penitent forgiven, and then assign a penance. Carrying out the penance creates an "indulgence" which is "a remission before God of the temporal punishment for sin the guilt of which is already forgiven." (Canon Law #992) (Anyone wishing to verify my statements in this section should read the Catholic Catechism, sections 1440-1470.) The issues in this are several.

1. Blasphemy
2. Salvation by works
3. Separation of the sinner from the Savior.

As we noted before, only God can forgive sins. Even the current Catholic Catechism (§1441) states "Only God forgives sins." Then it promptly contradicts itself. In §1448 we find this statement, "The Church, who through the bishop and his priests forgives sins..." This, kinder, gentler catechism has simply softened the words of its predecessors.

"The priest holds the place of the Saviour Himself, when, by saying, 'Ego te absolvo' [I thee absolve], he absolves from sin... To pardon a single sin requires all the omnipotence of God... But what only God can do by His omnipotence, the priest can also do by saying 'Ego te absolvo a peccatis tuis.'... But our wonder should be far greater when we find that in obedience to the words of His priests - HOC EST CORPUS MEUM [This is my body] - God Himself descends on the altar, that He comes wherever they call Him, and as often as they call Him, and places Himself in their hands, even though they should be His enemies. And after having come, He remains, entirely at their disposal; ..." Alphonsus de Liguori, "Dignity and Duties of the Priest", 1927 (bearing the Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur of the Catholic Church)

Is it any wonder that Pope Innocent III has written, "Indeed, it is not too much to say that in view of the sublimity of their offices the priests are so many gods...", or that Bernadine of Sienna wrote, "The power of the priest is the power of the divine person; for the transubstantiation of the bread requires as much power as the creation of the world." both quoted in Alphonsus de Liguori, "Dignity and Duties of the Priest", 1927 (bearing the Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur of the Catholic Church)

9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

25 "I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins. Isaiah 43:25

12 "For I will be merciful to their iniquities, And I will remember their sins no more." Heb 8:12

38 "Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you,
39 and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses. Acts 13:38-39

When a sinner confesses his sins to God, and earnestly repents, God forgets the sins. They no longer exist, and the penalty is GONE.

13 And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,
14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us and which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Col 2:13-14

There is no such thing as a temporal punishment for forgiven sins. The "certificate of debt" is "canceled". This does not mean that there are no consequences. But, just as the addict gets AIDS from sharing dirty needles, these consequences do not disappear because the sin is forgiven. No "indulgence" can have any effect on them either.

7 but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from ALL sin. 1 John 1:7

The forgiveness granted by Jesus is COMPLETE. If we follow the RCC approach, we will be working our way to heaven by working off "temporal punishments". Isaiah and Paul remind us that this is not possible.

6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. Isaiah 64:6 KJV

16 nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified. Gal 2:16

We have to remember that it is faith in Jesus that saves.

Finally, we must remember that the confessional separates the sinner from his Savior. The penitent never approaches God during the confessional. He depends on a man to forgive his sin. This is a fraudulent substitute for the real thing. We have strict instruction on what to do.

14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:14-16 KJV

1 My little children, I am writing these things to you that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;
2 and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world. 1 John 2:1-2

The high priest was the intercessor for the children of Israel with God. On the day of atonement, he went into the presence of God (in the Most Holy Place, over the mercy seat: "the throne of grace") as their representative. In the same way, Jesus is our high priest, interceding with the Father, for our sake. We are to "come boldly" to Him. And, just as there was only one high priest, there is only one heavenly high priest and intercessor.

5 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 1 Timothy 2:5

25 Hence, also, He is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7:25

Just as God is the ONLY God, Jesus is the ONLY mediator (intercessor). The priest is a false mediator, designed to draw men to the Church of Rome, while using the name of God blasphemously. Mary is used as another diversion from the pure truth of the absolute sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice to cover ALL our sins and wipe away all penalties.

7 Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Psalm 51:7

Since God is our creator, He has the right to impose laws on us. Those laws are not subject to change by men.

"It pleased the church of God, that the religious celebration of the Sabbath day should be transferred to 'the Lord's day' (Sunday); ..." Catechism of the Council of Trent

"The conference of bishops can abolish certain holy days of obligation or transfer them to Sunday with prior approval of the Apostolic See." Canon Law §1246, quoted in the Catechism of the Catholic Church §2177 regarding "Lord's day" observance.

It should be noted that this claim of the RCC conforms exactly to what is known to have happened historically. The shift from Sabbath to Sunday observance took place gradually over the period 135-325 AD, and was enforced by the council of Nicaea in 325.

The RCC has declared that the Pope, Mary, and priests are gods. It declares that they are able to save, forgive sin, and change God's laws.

33 The Jews answered Him, "For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God." John 10:33

3 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,
4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. 2 Thess 2:3-4

28 Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
29 How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?
30 For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay." And again, "The Lord will judge His people."
31 It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Hebrews 10:28-31

It would seem that there is no need to examine a second doctrine. The Roman Catholic Church, in a variety of ways, places itself above God. This is blasphemy. No Christian church would consider such doctrinal positions. The Roman Catholic Church is NOT a Christian church.