(Ernie) “You need to see from the outside what the Catholics do that violate the word of God. I was told by Imacatholic2 that the Catholics have other sources of truth than the bible, and if that is the case, no wonder the Catholic church is deceived. Only the bible is the truth, not any other book, because only the bible is inspired by the Holy Spirit, not the Catholic doctrines.”
(Cristoiglesia) I was outside of the Church for 50 years as an evangelical Protestant (Moravian). I was an anti-Catholic just like you although better trained at two of the best Protestant seminaries. I was and am very deep in Scriptures and learned them in their original languages. I looked deeply and critically at the Church and saw that no only does the Church teach the fullness of truth but does so in perfect accordance with Scriptures.
You were told correctly that the Bible is not the only source of truth and the Bible confirms this fact. St. Paul said to hold fast to not only the written Word but also to the Sacred Traditions which are taught orally. Other than the Old Testament (Septuagint) there was no written Word for the first 400 years of the Church. All of the Word was transmitted orally. When the Protestant rebellion started the protestors rejected the fullness of God’s Word for the heresy of Sola Scriptura. This heresy is responsible of the lack of unity in the Corpus Christi with over 30,000 different sects calling themselves Christian each with some truth and teaching countless heresies.
Well Ernie, it was the Church that had the authority to decide that the Scriptures were inspired. We wrote them (NT) and canonized them. The whole New Testament is about the Catholic Church. Just as the Holy Spirit guided the Church to exercise this God given authority it guided the Church to all truth just as is recorded in Scriptures. The Holy Spirit was given to the Church which Jesus promised would endure for all times and it has testifying to Jesus’ veracity. It is the Church that has all authority for teaching and truth and not the book that we wrote and canonized. Just like the Bible which gets its authority from the Church so to do the doctrines of the Church get their authority from the same source given by Christ to the Church. So Ernie, what I have found is that biblical deception is only found outside of His Church and not within the teaching of the Church.
(Ernie) “I have proved to you with the scriptures the false doctrines the Catholics hold fast to and teach, and you refuse the truth over Catholic traditions.”
(Cristoiglesia) Ernie, now you know that this is far from the truth. You have never been able to refute any Catholic doctrine nor has anyone else. There have been those much more skilled than you and I who have also fell short of denying God’s Word contained in His Church. In fact you have been unable to identify any doctrine that is contrary to the Bible. I know how impotent you must feel which is why you puff yourself up with false pride. No one will ever be able to refute the authority of Christ’s Church as our Lord promised that it is His Church that will remain for all times as the “pillar and foundation of the truth” and not some man-made doctrine outside of this God given authority contained within the Church both written and oral.
(Ernie) “I stand on the word of God, and refuse the false teachings of the Catholic church.”
(Cristoiglesia)And yet, you cannot identify any false teaching of the Church and support it with a logical and biblical refutation. As I have said before, if you ever find any false teaching of Christ’s Church let me know as I have not been able to find one in all of my 60 years of life. Believe me I have tried as desperately as you are doing and with the same results. Do you know what the Bible says about those who refuse to listen to the Church?
Mat 18:17 (KJV)
And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
(Ernie)“You can believe what you want, just be ready to give an account to Jesus for the things you teach contrary to His word. I will give an account for what I believe and teach as well.”
(Cristoiglesia) You have emphasized by your statement the reason I left the Protestant confusion for the truth of the Catholic Church. Being called by God I did not want to teach falsely but instead the fullness of truth contained in His Church. I believe that false teachers will have a special punishment in hell for being ravenous wolves leading people from Christ’s Church. I know from Scriptures that it is impossible for His Church the Catholic Church to teach contrary to God’s Word and I have yet to find any exception in the teaching of the Church to His Word. Remember, worse than being a false teacher you are not in God’s will outside of His Church as our Lord prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane that we be one in His Church as He and the Father are one.
Don’t you think that it is time that you reject your man-made doctrines and your man-made church for the Church founded by Jesus and the disciples? Is it not time that you got a spirit of the Bereans and search the Scriptures to see if what the Church teaches is true? I did and found the fullness of truth and a unity of truth not found it those sects outside of His Church. If you really are a seeker of truth and of Jesus’ Sacred heart than you too will reject the deception of your pride and become obedient to His Church. God bless!
In Christ
Fr. Joseph
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