Roman Catholicism: A Biblical Examination
The Catechism is the official source for all Roman Catholic doctrine. This examination compares Catholic teachings with Scripture to help believers understand the differences.
Who is the Final Authority?
The Bible maintains it is the one and only final authority, while Catholicism teaches that three final authorities exist: 1) Tradition 2) Scripture 3) The Magisterium. According to Catholic doctrine, church tradition and magisterium are just as much the word of God (page 26).
Scripture Says:
"The entirety of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever." - Psalm 119:160
"The words of the Lord are pure words, Like silver tried in a furnace of earth, Purified seven times." - Psalm 12:6
See also: John 17:17, Rev 22:18-19, Rom 16:17-18, Gal 1:8-9, Prov 30:5-6
31 Key Doctrinal Examinations
1. Salvation Through the Church
Catholic Teaching: "Through Christ's Catholic church alone...the fullness of the means of salvation can be obtained" (Page 215)
What God's Word Says:
- "Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." - Romans 10:13
- "He who believes in the Son has everlasting life" - John 3:36
- See also: John 5:24, John 6:47, Rom 10:9-10, Acts 10:43
- "The Holy Scriptures...are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." - 2 Timothy 3:15
2. Salvation Through Good Works
Catholic Teaching: "Even though incorporated into the Church, one who doesn't however persevere in charity is not saved." (Page 222, #837)
What God's Word Says:
"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." - Ephesians 2:8-9
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us" - Titus 3:5
See also: Rom 3:28, Gal 3:8, 26
The Pharisees and Good Works
Jesus corrected the Pharisees who believed good works earned salvation: "In vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men." - Mark 7:7
3. The Church Forgives Sins
Catholic Teaching: "The Church, who through the Bishop and his priests forgives sins in the name of Jesus Christ." (page 363-364, #1448)
What Scripture Says: "Who can forgive sins but God alone?" - Mark 2:7
See also: Eph 4:32, Heb 4:16, Ps 32:5, Ps 51:2-4, Col 3:13
4. The One True Church
Catholic Teaching: "This is the sole church of Christ" (Page 214 #811), based on Matthew 16:18 where they claim Peter is the rock.
What Scripture Says:
"For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ." - 1 Corinthians 10:4
"Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone" - Ephesians 2:20
Who is the Head of the Church? "He is the head of the body, the church" - Colossians 1:18
See also: Ps 118:22, Acts 4:10-11, 1 Pet 2:7, Deut 32:3-4
5. Baptism Saves
Catholic Teaching: "The Lord himself affirms that Baptism is necessary for Salvation" (page 320, #1257)
What the Bible Says:
"As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name" - John 1:12
"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins" - Ephesians 1:7
Paul said: "I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius" - 1 Cor 1:14
True baptism should occur AFTER salvation: Acts 16:30-31, 33; Acts 18:8
6. The Pope, Vicar of Christ
Catholic Teaching: "The Roman pontiff by reason of his office as Vicar of Christ...has full, supreme and universal power" (page 234, #882)
Who is our Real Teacher?
"The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things" - John 14:26
Jesus instructed: "Call no man your Father upon the Earth; for one is your Father, which is in Heaven" - Matt 23:9
7. The Pope, Infallible
Catholic Teaching: "The Roman pontiff enjoys infallibility...when he proclaims by a definitive act a doctrine pertaining to faith or morals" (page 233, #89)
Scripture declares: Only God is infallible. All humans are fallible and sinful.
8. The Sacraments Save
Catholic Teaching: "The sacraments of the new covenant are necessary for salvation" (page 292, #1129)
Seven sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the sick, Holy orders, Matrimony
Scripture Says: "By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight" - Romans 3:20
"All our righteousnesses are like filthy rags" - Isaiah 64:6
9. The Sin of Presumption
Catholic Teaching: Believing you are assured of heaven is "the sin of presumption" (pg. 507, #2092)
Scripture Says: "These things I have written to you who believe...that you may KNOW that you have eternal life" - 1 John 5:13
"He who believes in the Son HAS everlasting life" - John 3:36
It is not presumptuous to take God at His word. That is called faith.
10. Infant Baptism
Catholic Teaching: "Children also have need of the new birth in Baptism...The church and parents would deny a child the priceless grace" (pg. 319 #1250)
The Catechism admits: "There is explicit testimony to this practice from the second century on" (not from Scripture)
Note: This doctrine is admittedly a man-made tradition, not based on Scripture.
11. Transubstantiation
Catholic Teaching: Priests have power to turn bread and wine into the actual body and blood of Christ (Pg 347, #1276)
Context of John 6: Jesus said "I am the bread of life" (John 6:35). This is spiritual language, not literal cannibalism.
"Everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life" - John 6:40
12. Eucharist: Preserves from Sin
Catholic Teaching: "The Eucharist cannot unite us to Christ without...cleansing us from past sins and preserving us from future sins" (pg. 351 #1393)
Scripture Says: "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin" - 1 John 1:7
To avoid future sins: "Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You" - Psalm 119:11
13. Eucharist: Helps the Dead
Catholic Teaching: "The Eucharistic sacrifice is also offered for the faithful departed" (pg. 345 #1371)
Scripture: No biblical support for helping the dead through rituals.
Mary Doctrines
14. Mary Saves
Catholic Teaching: Mary "continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation" and "became the cause of salvation for herself and for the whole human race" (pg. 252 #969, pg. 125 #494)
Scripture Says:
"Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" - Acts 4:12
"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" - John 14:6
"I, even I, am the Lord, And besides Me there is no savior" - Isaiah 43:11
15. Mary: Saved from Birth
Catholic Teaching: "Mary remained free of every personal sin her whole life long" (pg. 124 #493)
Scripture Says: "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" - Romans 3:23
Mary herself said: "My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior" - Luke 1:47 (Why would she need a Savior if sinless?)
16. Mary Remained a Virgin
Catholic Teaching: "Mary remained a virgin...always a virgin" (pg. 128, #510)
Scripture Says: "Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas?" - Matthew 13:55
See also: Mark 6:3, Galatians 1:19 (James, the Lord's brother)
17. Mary: The Intercessor
Catholic Teaching: Mary is "Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix" (Pg.252, #969)
Scripture Says:
- Advocate: "We have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous" - 1 John 2:1
- Helper: "God is my helper" - Psalm 54:4
- Mediator: "There is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus" - 1 Tim 2:5
18. Mary: Recipient of Prayer
Catholic Teaching: "By asking Mary to pray for us, we acknowledge ourselves to be poor sinners" (Pg. 644, #2677)
Scripture: No biblical example of praying to Mary or any deceased person.
19. Mary Queen Over All Things
Catholic Teaching: Mary was "exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things" (Pg. 252, #966)
Scripture Warns: Jeremiah 7:18 and 44:17 condemn worship of the "queen of heaven" as pagan practice that provokes God to anger.
20. The Mass
Catholic Teaching: "Christ...is contained and is offered in an unbloody manner" in every Mass (Pg. 344, #1367)
Scripture Says: Christ's sacrifice was ONE TIME:
"He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself" - Hebrews 9:26
"We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all" - Hebrews 10:10
21. Purgatory
Catholic Teaching: After death, some undergo purification in purgatory (Pg. 268-269, #1030-1031)
Scripture: No biblical support for purgatory. "To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord" - 2 Cor 5:8
22. Praying to Saints
Catholic Teaching: "We can and should ask them to intercede for us" (Pg. 645, #2683)
Scripture: We pray directly to God through Christ. No examples of praying to deceased saints.
23. Praying for the Dead
Catholic Teaching: "Our prayer for them is capable...of helping them" (Pg. 250, #958)
Scripture: No biblical instruction to pray for the dead. Christians pray for the living.
24. Statues
Catholic Teaching: Catholics must "venerate" statues or images (Pg. 307, #1192)
Scripture Says: "You shall not make for yourself a carved image" - Exodus 20:4
"You shall not set up a sacred pillar, which the Lord your God hates" - Deuteronomy 16:22
25. Confirmation
Catholic Teaching: "Confirmation perfects Baptismal grace" and binds more perfectly to the church (Pg. 333, #1316)
Scripture Says: "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation" - 2 Cor 5:17
"If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed" - John 8:36
26. Confessing Sins to a Priest
Catholic Teaching: "One must confess to a priest all the unconfessed grave sins" (Pg. 374, #1493)
Scripture Says: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us" - 1 John 1:9
Peter told Simon: "Repent...and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven" - Acts 8:22
"Who can forgive sins but God alone?" - Mark 2:7
27. Indulgences
Catholic Teaching: "Through indulgences the faithful can obtain the remission of temporal punishment" (Pg. 374, #1498)
Scripture: Salvation and forgiveness cannot be earned or purchased.
28. Interpreting God's Word
Catholic Teaching: "The task of interpreting the word of God...has been entrusted solely to the magisterium" (Pg. 30, #100)
Scripture Says: The Bereans "searched the Scriptures daily" - Acts 17:11
"The Holy Spirit...will teach you all things" - John 14:26
29. Penance
Catholic Teaching: "The sinner must still...make amends for the sin" (Pg. 366, #1459)
Scripture Says: "Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more" - Hebrews 10:17
30. Celibacy
Catholic Teaching: Ordained ministers must remain celibate (Pg. 395, #1579)
Scripture Says: "A bishop then must be...the husband of one wife" - 1 Timothy 3:2
Warning: "In latter times some will...forbid to marry" - 1 Timothy 4:1-3
Note: Peter, the "first pope," was married (Mark 1:30)
31. Last Rites
Catholic Teaching: "The Eucharist should always be the last sacrament" (Pg. 379, #1517)
Scripture: No biblical support for last rites. Salvation is by faith, not final rituals.
Historical Timeline: When Traditions Entered the Church
| 2nd century AD | Leaders called Priests; sacrifices started |
| AD 300 | Prayer for the dead; cross established in church |
| AD 320 | Lighted candles in prayer |
| AD 350 | Christmas declared December 25th |
| AD 375 | Worshiping dead saints and figurines |
| AD 431 | Mary declared "Mother of God" (Ephesus Council) |
| AD 500 | Priests wear special robes |
| AD 526 | Last rites began |
| AD 610 | Boniface III called first "Pope" |
| AD 786 | Bowing before crosses and images approved |
| AD 1079 | Celibacy mandated for priests |
| AD 1090 | Rosary introduced |
| AD 1200 | Seven Holy Ceremonies instituted |
| AD 1215 | Confession ceremony; Transubstantiation doctrine |
| AD 1229 | Bible banned for laymen (Valencia Council) |
| AD 1414 | Wine banned for laymen |
| AD 1439 | Purgatory declared doctrine |
| AD 1545 | Apocrypha added to Bible |
| AD 1854 | Immaculate Conception of Mary |
| AD 1870 | Papal infallibility declared |
| AD 1950 | Bodily assumption of Mary |
The Choice Before You
Will you believe the Word of God or the commandments of men?
"In vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men." - Matthew 15:9
Sources: Understanding Roman Catholicism by Rick Jones | Conversations With Catholics by James G. McCarthy | Why I Am Not a Roman Catholic by C.V. Vadhana | The Catechism of the Catholic Church
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