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See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity dwells in bodily form. (Colossians 2:8-9 BSB)
What is a Cult?
Before one can pass judgment on whether or not any group should be classified as a 'cult' it is important to understand exactly how the word is defined.
A cult is a group that identifies itself as belonging to a mainstream, recognized religion yet rejects or otherwise violates one or more of the central, essential teachings of that religion.
More information here - What is a Cult?
Does Catholicism Qualify?
Unfortunately the answer has to be in the affirmative because Catholicism has all the major characteristics of a cult which, as listed by the Berean Call, are
1) a false gospel of works and rituals;
2) an allegedly infallible leadership which must be obeyed;
3) the prohibition of its members to interpret the Bible for themselves;
4) the placing of its hierarchy's dogmas and traditions on a par with Scripture;
5) its claim to be the exclusive vehicle of salvation;
6) the claim that members cannot be saved apart from its sacraments;
7) the anathematizing of all who reject its dogmas and traditions, etc." [01]
See The Council of Trent's Anathemas
Why Are We So Unwilling To Call A Spade a Spade?
For reasons unknown there seems to be widespread aversion to calling Catholicism a cult. This perhaps because all too many Protestants seem to be completely oblivious as to what Catholicism actually teaches and what their many requirements for salvation are. Thus they often refer to Catholics as "evangelical", "Bible-believing", or "born-again". For example, in CRIs Fall 1992 Journal, Editor Elliot Miller stated,
"While Catholics and Protestants disagree on many important doctrinal points, they nonetheless agree on such core doctrines as the nature of God and the person and work of Christ."
This is far from the case
Much to the contrary, the several CRUCIAL differences between what the Bible teaches and what the Catholic Church teaches are irreconcilable.
I strongly suspect that our level of discernment has dropped so low that all too many evangelicals remain blind to the fact that Roman Catholicism is NOT merely another Christian denomination. Evangelicals may want to believe this but, as T.A. McMahon asks in Why it Matters, (Emphasis Added)
The heartbreak in all of this is that every evangelical who loves Catholics wants to believe that they really have "received the basic gospel." But which one? Rome's or the biblical gospel? And with which Jesus do they have a personal relationship? The One who cried out from the cross, "It is finished!" (i.e., the debt is fully paid), or the one who continues to be sacrificed around the world (more than 120 million times per year) on Catholic altars? [02]
See The Mass - An Actual Sacrifice?
And Transubstantiation
Lets begin with...
Authoritarianism
Catholicism can be classified as an an authoritarian regime insisting as it does on absolute obedience to authority (Emphasis Added)
In matters of faith and morals, affecting the building up of Christian doctrine, that is to be held as the true sense of holy Scripture which holy mother the Church has held and holds, to whom it belongs to judge the true sense and interpretation of holy Scriptures. Therefore no one is allowed to interpret the same sacred Scripture contrary to this sense or contrary to the unanimous consent of the Fathers (De Filius 2). [03]
Blind submission is required of all Catholics. (Emphasis Added)
When, in exercise of the solemn Magisterium (teaching office), the Pope speaks ex cathedra, the faithful are bound to accept the teaching with divine and catholic faith and must avoid any doctrines that are contrary to these truths. The exercise of the solemn Magisterium by the Pope occurs when he proclaims with a definitive act that a doctrine of faith or morals is infallible teaching. This infallibility derives from the authority Christ entrusted to His Church...[04]
See Apostolic Succession
This is confirmed by Catholicism's Code Of Canon Law (Emphasis Added)
Canon 212. Conscious of their own responsibility, the Christian faithful are bound to follow with Christian obedience those things which the sacred pastors, inasmuch as they represent Christ, declare as teachers of the faith or establish as rulers of the Church. [05]
Canon 333 (Sec. 3) declares, "No appeal or recourse is permitted against a sentence or decree of the Roman Pontiff. " [06]
In other words, people have to surrender their minds and blindly follow the dictates of the church which they are not even allowed to question.
The Doctrines
Although there are quite a few issues on which Protestantism and Catholicism differ the crux of the matter is that, for Rome, Christ's work on the cross was neither finished nor sufficient but has to be followed up by the sacraments which the Basic Catechism calls "the chief means of our salvation."
This strikes at the very heart of the Gospel affecting the eternal destiny of those who believe what Rome teaches.
The Sufficiency of Christ's Sacrifice
The word Eucharist comes from the ancient Greek word eucharistia which means thanksgiving. It is also known as Holy Communion or the Lord's Supper and is a central Christian rite that recalls the Last Supper that Jesus had with his disciples.
In Catholicism, although Baptism is the sacrament that makes a person a member of the Church, the Eucharist is called the "source and summit" of the Christian life inasmuch as our redemption is accomplished continually in every Mass. The next few quotations show how far Catholicism has moved from the truth of the Gospel. (All Emphasis Added)
In every Mass, Christ is present, both in the person of his priest and especially under the form of bread and wine. In every mass, his death becomes a present reality, offered as our sacrifice to God in an unbloody and sacramental manner. As often as the sacrifice of the cross is celebrated on an altar, the work of our redemption is carried on. [07]
The Holy Mass is one and the same Sacrifice with that of the Cross, inasmuch as Christ, who offered himself, a bleeding victim, on the Cross to his heavenly Father, continues to offer himself in an unbloody manner on the altar, through the ministry of his priests. [08]
The Second Vatican Council declared (All Emphasis Added)
- For it is the liturgy through which, especially in the divine sacrifice of the Eucharist, "the work of our redemption" is accomplished, and it is through the liturgy, especially, that the faithful are enabled to express in their lives and manifest to others the mystery of Christ and the real nature of the true Church?... [09]
(The liturgy is a formal religious ceremony that confers a specific grace on those who receive it)
Code Of Canon Law states that (All Emphasis Added)
The New Testament Disagrees
Paul quite clearly stated that Christ "died to sin once for all" and "cannot die again.
We know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin. For anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again; death no longer has dominion over Him. The death He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life He lives, He lives to God. So you too must count yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. (Romans 6:6-11 BSB)
He also resoundingly affirmed the all-sufficiency of Christ's Sacrifice saying,
I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. (Galatians 2:20 BSB)
Additionally, as he said in Colossians 1:19-22,
For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through the blood of His cross. Once you were alienated from God and were hostile in your minds, engaging in evil deeds. But now He has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy, unblemished, and blameless in His presence (Colossians 1:19-22 BSB)
The word "alienated" (perfect passive participle ) is a part of speech present in some languages (e.g. Latin) but absent in English, that is a verb describing something that happened to a noun (in this case "you" - a pronoun), in the past tense. [11].
The word "reconciled" is the aorist indicative tense [12] - "the Greek grammarian's term for a simple past tense. It simply states the fact that an action has happened.
Peter, whom Catholics consider the first pope, said exactly the same thing (See Peter and The Papacy)
He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. "By His stripes you are healed." (1 Peter 2:24 BSB)
The word "healed" is also in the aorist tense. [13]
Thus according to both Peter and Paul Christ has already reconciled to the Father people who were once alienated . They are healed. Past tense.
Besides which, a 'bloodless' sacrifice cannot atone for sins
For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement. (Leviticus 17:11 NASB)
And almost all things are cleansed with blood, according to the Law, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. (Hebrews 9:22 NASB)
No Blood, No Propitiation
Validly Ordained Priests?
And that is not all. The article goes on to say, (All Emphasis Added)
"Catholics recognize that these sacraments are administered through the Church. In fact, in the case of the latter two, a validly ordained priest is necessary for their administration, so the sacrament of ordination must also be associated with salvation. A primary role of the Catholic Church in conjunction with salvation is becoming quite clear. [14]
I'm afraid it is a very long way from becoming clear.
Nowhere, but no where in the Scriptures does if say or even hint that a "validly ordained priest is necessary". Jesus simply told the disciples to "do this in remembrance of Me.
It is we who have turned a simply instruction and a simple meal into an extravagant ceremony overseen by an ordained priest. Actually the entire New Testament says nary a word about priests - much less ordained ones.
Without question in the New Testament there were men appointed to look after the spiritual welfare of the various churches. However, we need to remember that only the original Hebrew and Greek Bible was infallible. Therefore, in order to accurately determine what role these men played in the local churches, we have to pay attention to the Greek words used by by the inspired authors of the New Testament and what they meant.
And if we look these words up we will find that although some of the designations find their roots in the New Testament how these titles are used today are a million miles away from what was originally intended.
Somewhere along the line
1) a bunch of local extended families became a huge universal organization with layer upon layer of rank each subordinate to the one above.
2) A spirit led church changed into a vast organization with dozens of rules and regulations.
3) The God given freedom to contribute to the church meetings morphed into to a formal liturgical service set in stone by the church hierarchy. See The Church - Then and Now. Chapter V - Church Leaders - Then and Now
However, Catholic theology goes even further afield. Apparently even the ongoing sacrifice of the Mass is insufficient. Catholics must suffer for their sins here or in ...
Purgatory
The Catholic Catechism states that although believers "are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven" (Emphasis Added)
See Does Purgatory Exist?
The Apostolic Constitution on Indulgences says (Emphasis Added)
It is a divinely revealed truth that sins bring punishments inflicted by God's sanctity and justice. These must be expiated either on this earth through the sorrows, miseries and calamities of this life and above all through death, or else in the life beyond through fire and torments or "purifying" punishments. [15]
Once again - Christ's sacrifice was apparently insufficient for our redemption. Perhaps the author of Hebrews 9:27 was simply confused when he said
"... But now He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself. Just as man is appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment (Hebrews 9:26 - 27 )
The Sacraments of Baptism, Confession, And The Eucharist
In an article entitled What "No Salvation Outside the Church" Means, Catholic Answers writes (All Emphasis Added)
"When speaking of salvation, Jesus offered more details than just his words quoted above ("I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me". John 14:6). For example, consider these three verses:
He who believes and is baptized will be saved. (Mk 16:16)
[U]nless you repent you will all likewise perish. (Lk 13:3)
[H]e who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. (Jn 6:54)
Notice that in these three verses Jesus associated salvation with baptism, confession, and the Eucharist, respectively." [16]
Taking these points one at a time.
1.) Baptism:
The last few verses in Mark have long been the subject of much controversy with many scholars strongly convinced they are a later addition to the Bible. As said by Bruce Metzger - professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, Greek scholar, and Bible editor who served on the board of the American Bible Society. (There are several consistent opinions on the page)
"Today we know that the last twelve verses of the Gospel according to Mark (xvi. 9-20) are absent from the oldest Greek, Latin, Syriac, Coptic, and Armenian manuscripts, and that in other manuscripts asterisks or obeli mark the verses as doubtful or spurious." [17]
Note: obelus (plural of obeli) was used in ancient manuscripts to indicate a doubtful or spurious passage.
It is therefore best not to base key doctrine on anything from Mark 16:9-20 unless it is supported by other Scriptures.
Additionally, in answer to the question "What is Baptism?" and whether actual sins are "ever remitted by Baptism" the Baltimore Catechism says (All Emphasis Added)
"Baptism is a Sacrament which cleanses us from original sin, makes us Christians, children of God, and heirs of heaven... Actual sins and all the punishment due to them are remitted by Baptism, if the person baptized be guilty of any" [18]
See Original Sin.. Fact Or Fable?
We are expected to believe that God would orchestrate the greatest miscarriage of justice that this world has ever seen - that He is less fair than any honest judge in the judicial system - that His moral sense is inferior to ours.
When it comes to any and all matters pertaining to the faith we need to remember that the Bible and only the Bible is the sole arbitrator of both our beliefs and practice. Regardless of who they may be someone else's thoughts or beliefs is their opinion, not infallible doctrine.
There are a few passages of Scripture that seem to link baptism and salvation however, we need to remember that from cover to cover the Bible is is an integrated whole and does not contradict nor reverse itself. However, because it would be impossible for it to cram all it's teachings on a particular subject into one verse or paragraph, all passages that speak of or have any bearing on the subject in question have to be taken into consideration.
In other words, sound doctrine cannot and must not be based on stand alone verses but on the overall teaching of Scripture. In any case, none of the commonly cited 'proof' texts categorically show that baptism is a necessary prerequisite to salvation. See Is Baptism a Prerequisite Requirement For Salvation?
2.) Repentance
There is no question that genuine and heartfelt repentance is a prerequisite for salvation. An article on this site is entitled
Repentance ...The Missing Message
What you believe about Biblical repentance is quite literally a matter of life or death. Do not be fooled by the watered down Gospel message of just "believe and be saved" heard in so many churches today. Over and over the Scriptures record God as warning that He will only have mercy on those whose repentance is real but will destroy those who do not repent and turn from their sin.
Scripture presents Repentance and Faith not as the same thing but literally as two sides of the same coin.
Quite simply, without true repentance your 'faith' is neither genuine nor sufficient for salvation
However, taking this several steps further Catholicism confession is believed to be one of the seven sacraments of the Church. Officially called the Sacrament of Penance or Reconciliation, it is the practice of Catholics confessing their sins to a priest and receiving God's forgiveness and absolution through him. The primary verse used to support this doctrine is John 20:23
If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.
Due to their belief in apostolic succession the Roman Catholic Church interprets John 20:23 to mean to mean that believers confess their sins to an ordained priest who has the authority to forgive their sins. Assuming true contrition the priest then gives the penitent a specific task or set of prayers which they must complete in order to to receive absolution - the formal remission of sin.
With one problem. There is absolutely no basis for the belief in 'Apostolic Succession' nor for Peter's primacy.
See Apostolic Succession
And Catholic Confession
3.) The Eucharist
This is the third verse that Catholicism claims that Jesus associated with Salvation ehrn He said "Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:54, BSB)
See 11 Primary Reasons Why Transubstantiation Is Unbiblical
No Salvation Apart From Catholicism
Instead of simply pointing out how God offers salvation from Christ, through the Church, the Church has warned that there is no salvation apart from Christ, outside his Church.
Since Jesus established the Catholic Church as necessary for salvation, those who knowingly and willingly reject him or his Church cannot be saved. We see this in Jesus' teaching: "He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters" (Mt 12:30). [19]
It is easy and quick, but tremendously misleading, when someone wrenches a verse out of its context and uses it to 'prove' what they have already decided to believe. ONLY a close examination of the context can possibly leads to an accurate understanding of the verse in question.
See Context Is CRUCIAL
The Context
On one occasion Jesus drove out a demon from a man who was mute whereupon the man amazed the crowd by speaking. However, as they could not dispute that a miracle had taken place, some of the crowd attributed this miracle to Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons ie. Jesus used Satan's power. (Luke 11:14-15)
Jesus replied that by pointing out what should have been obvious - if a kingdom or a house is divided against itself, it will fall. Thus, if Satan were divided against himself, his kingdom would not stand (11:17-18).
The point was that Satan is no fool - he would not work against himself
Jesus then went on to tell them that the initial phase of the kingdom in the form of its King had come upon them.
But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. (Luke 11:20 BSB)
The term, "finger of God" from the book of Exodus must have been very familiar to the Jews because the term was used when Pharaoh's magicians understood that Moses was demonstrating a power greater than their own - the power of God.
This is the finger of God, the magicians said to Pharaoh. But Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, just as the LORD had said. (Exodus 8:19 BSB)
Jesus then further underscored His victory over Satan with the parable of disarming the strong man (11:21-22).
When a strong man, fully armed, guards his house, his possessions are secure. But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted, and then he divides up his plunder. (Luke 11:21-22 BSB)
His message was that He was stronger than Satan attacking and overpowering him, divesting him of his armor, then dividing up his spoils. His victory over the strong man was complete. (Also See Colossians 2:14-15).
We now come to the verse in question which is a continuation of the preceding verses.
He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters. (Luke 11:23 BSB)
As said by David Guzik in his commentary on Luke
There are only two sides to the spiritual battle which is raging. If Satan is the strong man, and Jesus is stronger than Satan is, there are two strong forces at work, trying to win our allegiance. We will embrace one or the other, intentionally or unintentionally
There is no such thing as neutral ground - We are either on Jesus side or on Satan's side. Jesus makes it plain: Either you follow Him, or you are against Him and in Satan's camp. Those are the only options.
In perfect keeping with the context Jesus goes on to illustrate what happens to the man who tries to be, or thinks he is neutral. He is delivered from a demon, but because He is not filled by the Savior, the demon returns with seven other spirits.
When an unclean spirit comes out of a man, it passes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, 'I will return to the house I left. On its return, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and dwell there. And the final plight of that man is worse than the first. (Luke 11:24-26 BSB)
The words "He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters" have absolutely NOTHING to do with the Catholic church.
End Notes
[01] https://tinyurl.com/ywk6ddef
[02] T.A. McMahon. Why It Matters - Part II. http://www.reachingcatholics.org/matters2.html
[03] Jimmy Akin. The Limits of Scripture Interpretation.
https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/the-limits-of-scripture-interpretation
[04] Leon J. Suprenant Jr. and Philip C.L. Gray. When Do We Have to Obey the Pope?
https://stpaulcenter.com/posts/when-do-we-have-to-obey-the-pope
[05] https://www.vatican.va/archive/cod-iuris-canonici/eng/documents/cic_lib2-cann208-329_en.html TITLE_III.
[06] Code Of Canon Law.
https://www.vatican.va/archive/cod-iuris-canonici/eng/documents/cic_lib2-cann330-367_en.html#Art._1.
[07] Eucharist: Sacrifice and Sacrament. Catechism of the Catholic Church 1322-1419.
https://stphilip.org/sacraments/eucharist/
[08] Holy Eucharist (and The Mass). https://www.catholictreasury.info/penny-catechism/catechism-23
[09] Sacrosanctum Concilium, article 47).
https://www.vatican.va/jubilee_2000/magazine/documents/ju_mag_01051997_p-38_en.html
[10] Code Of Canon Law. Book IV. Function Of The Church.
https://www.vatican.va/archive/cod-iuris-canonici/eng/documents/cic_lib4-cann879-958_en.html
[11] https://www.yourdictionary.com/perfect-passive-participle
[12] https://biblehub.com/interlinear/colossians/1-22.htm
[13] https://biblehub.com/interlinear/1_peter/2-24.htm
[14] Jim Blackburn. What "No Salvation Outside the Church" Means.
https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/what-no-salvation-outside-the-church-means
[15] Apostolic Constitution on Indulgences. Pope Paul VI - 1967. https://www.papalencyclicals.net/paul06/p6indulg.htm
[16] Jim Blackburn. What "No Salvation Outside the Church" Means.
https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/what-no-salvation-outside-the-church-means
[17] Bruce Metzger, The Canon of the New Testament: its Origin, Development, and Significance (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1987), pp. 269-270. https://www.bible-researcher.com/endmark.html
[18] William C. Michael. Classic Liberal Arts Academy.
https://classicalliberalarts.com/blog/baltimore-catechism-ii-lesson-24-on-baptism/
[19] Jim Blackburn. Catholic Answers. What "No Salvation Outside the Church" Means.
https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/what-no-salvation-outside-the-church-means
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