5 Reasons Why Roman Catholicism Is Not Christian
—Dr. Ian R. K. Paisley. M.P. M.E.P.
Edited by Bishop, Bruce E. Varner
(Under the acronym TIARA, Dr. Paisley offers instances of 5 Roman Catholic usurpations that demonstrate that Romanism is not Christianity.) To usurp is to unjustly and wrongfully assume a position of power or authority or to arrogate to oneself someone else’s position of power and authority “illegally or by force." (OED)
T. I. A. R. A.
Trinity—Intermediation—Authority—Remission—Assurance.
“Take thou the tiara adorned with the Triple Crown and know that thou art the Father of Princes and of Kings, and art the Governor of the world.”
- Coronation Service of the Roman Pontiff.
ROMAN CATHOLICISM USURPS THE AUTHORITY AND NAMES THAT BELONG TO GOD ALONE.
1. The “Pope” usurps the authority and name of GOD, THE FATHER. The “Pope” is called by name or referred to in word or print as The Holy Father or Holy Father. According to the Bible, this is the unique name of God, The Father.
John 17:11, “And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.”
Holy Father is the title and name reserved for God, the Father by the Lord Jesus Christ and the Scripture.
2. The “Pope” usurps the authority and name of GOD, THE SON. The “Pope” claims he is "The Head of the Church." According to the Bible, this authority and title belongs to Jesus Christ alone.
Ephesians 5:23, "For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church: and He is the savior of the body.
Colossians 1:18, "And He [Christ] is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead that in all things He might have the preeminence."
3. The “Pope” usurps the authority and name of God, the Holy Spirit. The “Pope” claims he is "The Vicar of Christ." According to the Bible, this is the office of the Holy Spirit alone.
John 14:26, "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."
The “Pope” even usurps the very name of God.
The New York Catechism calls the “Pope,” "…the arbiter of the world, the supreme judge of heaven and earth, the judge of all, being judged by no one, God himself on earth."
ROMAN CATHOLICISM USURPS THE SACRIFICE AND MINISTRY OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
The Bible states, "There is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time." (1 Timothy 2:5,6). The Lord Jesus Christ and the entire Godhead is involved in our salvation. However, Jesus Christ alone intervened and offered the atoning sacrifice for our sins. He became our only mediator. Roman Catholicism claims that their priests, as mediators, can also intervene between God and man and offer Jesus’ literal flesh and blood in sacrifice for sins. Their false claim usurps the singular mediation and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ.
1. Roman Catholicism usurps the mediation of Christ by claiming that in the mass the priest can repeat the sacrifice of the cross, change the wafer and wine into the very body and very blood of Christ, and gain absolution for sins. It claims that the mass perpetuates the sacrifice of the cross (Eucharisticum Mysterium, Intro C, 1). Again, "In the sacrifice of the Mass our Lord is immolated" [killed as a victim] (bid, C, 2).
Christ said on the cross, "It is finished" (John 19:30). This means there is nothing left to do. Jesus Christ’s Atonement for sin was completed and there is no need for another mediator.
Hebrews 9:25-26, "Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world; but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself."
Hebrews 10:12, "But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God."
2. Roman Catholicism usurps the mediation of Christ by elevating Mary to the place of a mediatrix. John Paul II states that "in Mary is effected the reconciliation of God with humanity." (On Reconciliation and Penance, St. Paul Editions, p. 139).
No Christian can accept "The cult of the Blessed Virgin" (Vatican II, Lumen Gentium, VII para. 66). It is idolatrous and an insult to our Lord Jesus Christ.
ROMAN CATHOLICISM USURPS THE AUTHORITY OF THE BIBLE THROUGH FALSE CLAIMS OF DIRECT EXTRA-BIBLICAL REVELATIONS FROM GOD (ORAL TRADITIONS OF ROMANISM) AND A DIVINELY APPOINTED ROMAN “MAGISTERIUM” (AN INFALLIBLE BODY OF TEACHERS).
Romanism has usurped the authority of the Bible by redefining “God’s Word” and claiming that extra-biblical sources are also “God’s Word.”
The Roman Catholic church claims that it is the only organization that can define what is and what is not “God’s Word.” The Church of Rome can never establish its convenient claims of being the only Divine illuminator and preserver of God's Word and the ultimate possessor and teacher of truth. But this is characteristic of Roman propaganda. Rome publishes marvelous, unsubstantiated claims, while hurling curses and charges of heresy on anyone who rejects them.
Rome’s usurpation of the Bible as “God’s Word” exclusively is evident by its many additions to it.
The command and warning of God is crystal clear that the Bible must not be added to.
Deuteronomy 4:2, "Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you."
Deuteronomy 12:32, "What thing so ever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it."
Proverbs 30:6, "Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar."
Jeremiah 23:28, "He that hath my word let him speak my word faithfully."
Revelation 22:18, "If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book."
1. Rome adds to God's Word by adding more books to the Canonical Scriptures, known as apocryphal books (or writings). These books were never received by the Jewish Church (Romans 3:2); they were never quoted by Christ; they were rejected by the Christian Fathers; and they are not written in the Hebrew language. They are no part of Jewish Hebrew Scripture; yet, they were added to the Canon of Rome’s Bible.
2. Rome also adds alleged apostolic and ecclesiastical traditions (oral stories and oral teachings) to the Bible. Rome’s oral tradition is alleged to have evolved into written tradition, but this is more folklore and fable. Rome's stories of extra-biblical revelations or extra-biblical oral traditions are like those of the Mormons and Joseph Smith; myth, legend, and fable.
New Testament truths were committed to writing and preserved for the generations to come by the Holy Spirit. We believe this as Christians and claim to have these writings preserved for us in the New Testament. Nothing can be added to these Scriptures. I Think the Holy Spirit of God would know that a written instrument would better preserve the truth than “oral tradition.” The unreliability of oral tradition is exposed in John 21:22,23 and several other places in the New Testament. For example, in Matthew 15:3, 6, 9, Christ warned against tradition and stated, "Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? Thus, have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."
3. Rome also adds dogmatic interpretations to the Bible. Allegedly, only Romanism has the correct interpretation. Rome’s adherents must only read and understand the Scriptures as interpreted by Romanist teachers. They allege that all interpretations must be in harmony with the unanimous consent of the “church fathers.”
4. Rome also adds the pronouncements of church councils, credal statements, holydays, rituals, offices, titles, terms, and a myriad of Canon Laws to the Bible.
5. Rome stands out as a self-incriminated liar (see Proverbs 30:6, above) and as a target of the judgments of Almighty God by her deliberate adding to the Holy Scriptures of Truth.
ROMAN CATHOLICISM USURPS THE BLESSINGS OF DIVINE ETERNAL FORGIVENESS BY CLAIMING THIS POWER FOR ITSELF AND ITS PRIESTS.
John Paul II states, "It would be foolish and presumptuous ... to claim to receive forgiveness while doing without the sacrament" of penance (On Reconciliation and Penance p.15).
He further insists that the individual confession to a priest to receive absolution from him "constitutes the only ordinary way in which the faithful who are conscious of serious sin are reconciled to God." (Ibid, p. 32).
The Bible shows us that the way to true and permanent remission of sins is clearly contrary to that of the way of Popes, earthly priests, absolutions, and penances:
Psalm 32:5, I acknowledged my sin unto thee and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
Matthew 11:28, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
1 John 1:9, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
The Lord Jesus never put any earthly priest between Himself and the sinner.
ROME USURPS THE CERTAINTY OF SALVATION BASED UPON THE FINISHED WORK OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND MAKES SALVATION DEPENDENT ON SACRAMENTS, THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, AND GOOD WORKS.
Rome has put its curse on the Bible way of salvation. "If any man says that it is by the righteousness of Christ itself that men are formally justified - let him be accursed" (Council of Trent, Session 6, Canon 10).
"Sins must be expiated. This must be done in this earth through the sorrows, miseries, and trials of this life and above all through death. Otherwise, the expiation must be made in the next life through fire and torments of purifying punishments" (Indulgentiarum Doctrinal, 1 para. 2).
Rome removes all assurance and certainty that a sinner can have eternal life and know it by implying that faith in Christ Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection for salvation is insufficient by itself.
The Bible paints for us a very different picture in the simplest and most sublime of verses,
John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Romans 3:22, Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
Colossians 1:14, In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
Romans 5:9, "Being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him."
Purgatory is not found in the Bible. There is no future wrath for justified sinners.
You can be saved right now and have full assurance of faith that you have eternal life. You require no priest but Christ alone (Hebrews 4:15). You require no sacrifice but Christ alone (John 1:29). You require no mediator but Christ alone (1 Timothy 2:5).
Rome’s "good news" (gospel) points you to Purgatory–a fictitious gospel and a fictitious place where human suffering atones for sin. Whereas the Lord Jesus Christ's good news (gospel) points you to Heaven and Eternity based on simple faith in Himself and His completed Atonement for all sin, sins, and sinners.
Remember what Peter said in Acts 4:17:
"Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."
Be warned! Rome's Catholicism is not Christian. Repent and believe the gospel. Here’s how.
This message was adapted from the tract of Ian Paisley's entitled, 5 Reasons Why Roman Catholicism Is Not Christian.