As for me, I just can't accept this. I cannot believe any institution that produced believers like Augustine, Origen, Luther, and Tertullian could be wholly rotten. My Bible teaches that any person who accepts the historic Jesus Christ as Savior is saved, regardless as to where they attend Church after that salvation experience (John 3.16). And though I believe many Catholics are deceived by various false doctrines¹, so are many Protestant believers deceived (many of whom are involved in the Toronto Blessing - Latter Rain movements and the Masonic Lodges). I also believe that God judges each believer based on what they know. I have met many Catholics who, after accepting Jesus Christ as Savior, later left the Roman Institution and became Protestants themselves. With God all things are possible, and the Cross can bridge the gap of error to bring any to a right relationship with God.

Having said all this I now have to say that I believe the main error of the Catholic Church has always been their erroneous doctrine of the Papacy. This doctrine teaches that the Head of the Church, the Pope, is infallible in wisdom and knowledge. Such a view fuels many of the false doctrines evident in the Church of Rome today. All humans outside of Jesus Christ are only human, subject to failure, bad judgment, rash decisions. When you make the human leaders of the Church to be infallible then no matter what their doctrinal position, however bizarre, you must (as the follower) accept the doctrine as Biblical. The bulk of the doctrine of the Papacy is soundly refuted by Scripture, as you are about to see.
 
 

1Worship and Prayer to Mary, Purgatory, Prayers for the Dead, Rosary and Penance, Transmutation of the Lord's Table, and many other tenants in the Catholic system are totally contrary to what this ministry accepts as Biblical. These are equally false doctrines along with the Doctrine of the Papacy. The point of this study is that the Doctrine of the Papacy has contributed to these errors. Other studies of interest on Catholicism can be found onMother Teresa and Understanding Roman Catholicism. These studies are on other servers, so you will have to use your [BACK] button to return to this Bible Study site.

Call no man father

Matthew 23:9 "And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven."

Jesus very specifically ordered His disciples to refuse to call any man father. His reasoning was clear: we have only one Father, our Heavenly Father. Our Father must share this title with no fallible human. Yet the Catholic Papacy demands that their local and regional priests be addressed by the title of "Father", with the Pope earning the right to be called "Holy Father". This is clearly in contradiction to Jesus' command and the Christian way of life.

Luke 13:31-32 "The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee. And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected."

Jesus never catered to the whims of the political leaders of His day. He realized that His Kingdom was spiritual, not dependent upon the good will of the politician. Contrary the the methods Jesus used, Rome has a entire political staff that interacts with other national bodies on a daily basis. The Papacy is even represented at the United Nations, and has ambassadors stationed in every politically powerful nation in the world.

Galatians 3:13 "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:"

Luke 18:32-33 "For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again."

Jesus and the Apostles considered the Cross a curse, not a blessing. Neither Jesus nor His Apostles ever used the sign of the Cross, nor encouraged others to use it as a type of blessing.

Mark 3:31-35 "There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him. And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee. And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren?  And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother."

John 2:3-4 "And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come."

John 19:26 "When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!"

The Papacy has long taught that Mary, the earthly mother of Jesus, has special privileges in Heaven. This is the reason that they encourage prayer to Mary, believing that she, in turn, will convince her Son to bestow special blessing on the one prayed for. I find it odd that Jesus never addressed Mary as "mother" throughout His entire earthly ministry. He called her "woman", and even made the shocking statement that His real mother and brothers were those who do the will of God. This hardly sounds like a doting son who would, without reservation, do whatever His mother told Him in Heaven. In fact, none of the Lord's disciples ever prayed to Mary while she was on earth, though she was a member of their local Church (Acts 1:14).

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."

Unlike the Papacy, Jesus reserved the title "Holy Father" for God the Father only. To give a man a title belonging only to the Godhead is, in itself, blasphemy.

1 Peter 2:24-25 "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls."

If Jesus is the Bishop of our souls, how can the Papacy make mortal men "Archbishops"? This title would make the mere mortals who walk this poor earth higher in rank than the Lord of All, Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 1:1 "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,"

1 Peter 5:13 "The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son. "

Peter ministered to the Jews and Gentiles of the dispersion in Babylon and Asia Minor. He never went to Rome, never sat that Papal Throne. In fact, there is absolutely no Biblical nor historic evidence that Peter was ever regarded as a Pope by the early Church.

Acts 10:25-26 "And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man."

Though the Papacy teach that Peter was the first Pope, neither Peter nor any of the Apostles ever allowed any man to kneel in worship to them. The above text is clear, in fact, that Peter literally took him up, that is, lifted Cornelius to his feet. This is a far cry from how the Roman leadership expects the lay person to behave on meeting the Pope today.

Luke 1:47-49 "And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name."

The Papacy, via the doctrine of Praying to Mary, has implied that she was sinless in herself. However, neither Mary nor any of the followers of Jesus claimed sinlessness. In fact, in her "magnificat", Mary recognizes her sinful state when she recognizes the need for a Savior (God my Savior). Furthermore she recognizes her low estate, realizing that it is only by God's grace that she is to soon bear the Savior of the world.

Matthew 20:25-28 "But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many."

1 Peter 5:2-4 "Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away."

Luke 16:15 "And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God."

Matthew 23:2-8 "Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,  And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren."

Jesus lived the life that He demanded all of His ministers to live, a life of service. He never dressed in the finest robes, never was pampered and catered to, and though Lord of All, He always served those who followed Him. If you take the above text literally (and I do), you will see it greatly differs from what the Roman leadership exhibits. I cannot imagine the Pope (who prefers his ring for others to kiss) or the other Roman leaders washing the feet of the common man, yet Jesus did. I cannot imagine the Papacy giving up all but his last suit of clothes to give to the poor and needy. Those who have followed the Catholic Church's Pope know whereof I speak.