ADDENDUM

This Article is part of a multi-part Study Series called Salvation By Grace Through Faith...Not Of Works.

Denominational Deviation from “the faith” as based on the literal interpretation of Bible:

(See the authors study series “How to Approach the Bible”)

Quite surprisingly to most, contrary to their adherent’s belief, many, if not most denominations do not hold the Bible as the only supreme basis for establishing the truths of “the faith” in the Christian church, which is “body of Christ.”

Below are Examples of Denominational Deviation from Reliance upon the Clear Truth as presented in The Bible. Each provides justification for deviating from the Bible’s truth, while using other authorities and books to guide them, which are of human in origin. Unlike the Bible itself, their writers were not inspired or guided by the Holy Spirit. Generally, they do not even claim such. Nevertheless, denominations recognize these writings as authority - rule or law - which the group uses in determining what it should or should not teach, practice, and adhere to.

Methodist Discipline, page V:

Originally the Methodist Church was fundamentalist. The United Methodists have not only been happy to be guided by the “Methodist Discipline” as a book of church law, but they have also usually regarded it with a certain degree of reverence... -- 1973 edition

Nazarene Manual, page. 27:

...we, the ministers and lay members of the Church of the Nazarene ... do hereby ordain, adopt, and set forth as the fundamental law or constitution of the Church of the Nazarene the Articles of Faith, the General Rules, and the Articles of Organization and Government here following... - 1972 Edition. Page 44 then tells how this “Constitution may be repealed or amended by 2/3 vote.” GOD’S TRUTH CAN NEVER BE REPEALED.

The Presbyterian Church in the USA Today: (This is a vivid example of compromise of the gospel) The Presbyterian church in the United States has split and parts have reunited several times. Currently the largest group is the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), which has its national offices in Louisville, Ky. It was formed in 1983 as a result of reunion between the Presbyterian Church in the U.S. (PCUS), the so-called “southern branch,” and the United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. (UPCUSA), the so-called “northern branch.” Other Presbyterian churches in the United States include: the Presbyterian Church in America, the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church.

The Presbyterian Church originally was rather fundamentalist

      Presbyterian Book Of Confessions, Section 9.04:... is guided by the Nicene and Apostles’ Creeds from the time of the early church; the Scots Confession, the Heidelberg Catechism, and the Second Helvetic Confession from the era of the Reformation; the Westminster Confession and Shorter Catechism from the seventeenth century; and the Theological Declaration of Barmen from the twentieth century” - 1967 edition 

            1) The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) is a theologically orthodox evangelical Protestant Christian denomination, the second largest Presbyterian church body in the United States after the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (PC-USA, see below). The PCA professes a strong commitment to evangelism, missionary work, and Christian education. The church declares its goal to be “faithful to the Scriptures, true to the Reformed faith, and obedient to the Great Commission.” Yet, The PCA is generally less conservative than the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC) and more conservative than the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, though the differences can vary from presbytery to presbytery and even congregation to congregation.

            2) The Presbyterian Church USA, (PC-USA): The early part of the twentieth century saw continued growth in both major sections of the church. It also saw the growth of Fundamentalist Christianity (a movement of those who believed in the literal interpretation of the Bible as the fundamental source of the religion) as distinguished from Modernist Christianity (a movement holding the belief that Christianity needed to be re-interpreted in light of modern scientific theories such as evolution or the rise of degraded social conditions brought on by industrialization and urbanization). Disputes erupted again beginning in the mid-1960s, over the extent of involvement in the Civil Rights Movement and the issue of ordination of women, and, especially since the 1990s, over the issue of ordination of gays and lesbians.

(COMPROMISE) A merger essentially consolidated those moderate-to-liberal American Presbyterians into one body. For the most part, PC(USA) Presbyterians, not unlike similar mainline traditions such as the Episcopal Church and the United Church of Christ, are fairly (in some instances, strongly) progressive on matters such as doctrine, environmental issues, sexual morality, and economic issues. A recent phenomenon is that of conservative-minded groups in the PC(USA) (such as the Confessing church movement) remaining in the main body, rather than leaving to form new, break-away groups, as those most theologically conservative usually did (e.g., the Presbyterian Church in America, the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, the Bible Presbyterian Church, and the Reformed Presbyterian Church, Evangelical Synod). As of 2009, tension between a perceived liberal-to-leftist national headquarters and a large number of more conservative churches and members continues; a few conservative churches and members have left the denomination

The Salvation Army - DOCTRINE & BELIEFS (See point 9, which opposes Paul’s teaching)
1. We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New testaments were given by inspiration of God, and that they only constitute the Divine rule of Christian faith and practice.
2. We believe that there is only on God, who is infinitely perfect, the Creator, Preserver, and Governor of all things, and who is the only proper object of religious worship.
3. We believe that there are three persons in the Godhead - the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, undivided in essence and co-equal in power and glory.
4. We believe that in the person of Jesus Christ the Divine and human natures are united, so that he is truly and properly God and truly and properly man.
5. We believe that our first parents were created in a state of innocence, but by their disobedience they lost their purity and happiness, and that in consequence of their fall all men have become sinners, totally depraved, and as such are justly exposed to the wrath of God.
6. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has by His suffering and death made atonement for the whole world so that whosoever will may be saved.
7. We believe that repentance towards God, faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and regeneration by the Holy Spirit, are necessary to salvation.
8. We believe that we are justified by grace through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and that he that believeth hath the witness in himself.
9. We believe that continuance in a “state of salvation” depends upon continued obedient faith in Christ. (The term “state of salvation” sounds eerily like the RCC “state of Grace” requirement. THIS CONTINUED OBEDIENT FAITH REQUIREMENT IS A MEASURE OF “WORKS,” WHICH NEGATES THE GRACE OF SALVATION (Rom 11:6). Thus, the Salvation Army says one must “merit” salvation and continued meritorious obedience in order to be kept saved, that is that Salvation Army says salvation by grace through faith apart from works, is not a Gift of God)

Quakerism –  George Fox, the founder of Quakerism, is quoted as asking in the church at Ulverston in 1652: “You will say Christ saith this, and the apostles say this, but what canst thou say? Art thou a child of Light and hast thou walked in the Light, and what thou speakest is it inwardly from God?”

Hence the “Friends” (Quaker adherents) refused to make the Bible the final test of right conduct and true doctrine. They believe Divine revelation was not confined to the past. They believe the same Holy Spirit which had inspired the scriptures in the past could inspire living believers centuries later. Indeed, for the right understanding of the past, the present insight from the same Spirit was essential. By the “Inner Light,” God had provided everyone with access to spiritual truth for today.

 

The Roman Catholic Church

 

The Catholic Church proudly proclaims it is not relying on “Sola Scriptura” – the Bible only. They take 1) some of the Bible, plus, 2) Church Tradition and 3) the authority of the Holy See (Pope) and the Magisterium.

The phrase sola scriptura is from the Latin: sola having the idea of “alone,” “ground,” “base,” and the word scriptura meaning “writings”— referring to the Scriptures. Sola scriptura” means that Scripture alone is authoritative for the faith and practice of the Christian.

Sola scriptura was the rallying cry of the Protestant Reformation. For centuries the Roman Catholic Church had made its traditions superior in authority to the Bible. This resulted in many practices that were in fact contradictory to the Bible. Some examples are; prayer to saints and/or Mary, the immaculate conception, transubstantiation, infant baptism, indulgences, and papal authority. Martin Luther, the founder of the Lutheran Church and father of the Protestant Reformation, was publicly rebuking the Catholic Church for its unbiblical teachings. The Catholic Church threatened Martin Luther with excommunication (and death) if he did not recant. Martin Luther’s reply was,

“Unless therefore I am convinced by the testimony of Scripture, or by the clearest reasoning, unless I am persuaded by means of the passages I have quoted, and unless they thus render my conscience bound by the Word of God, I cannot and will not retract, for it is unsafe for a Christian to speak against his conscience. Here I stand, I can do no other; may God help me! Amen!”

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Is the Roman Catholic Religion Genuine Christianity?

To some, the title that I’ve used here above may sound startling. This title only sounds like a startling statement if you’ve never read or studied the Bible outside the context of the religious organization and have been programmed since your youth in the Catholic denomination. Being raised as a Catholic myself, in the 1950’s, I never saw a Bible, having only a Catholic Missal, a small book with prayers and portions of Scripture.

Let me begin by saying I personally know and believe there are many genuinely born-again believing Christians who are members within the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) denomination. I personally have learned much from the writings of several of the Catholic mystics of the 15-1600’s who obviously had an intimate relationship with their Savior. Many of these of course were jailed and worse for their being at variance from the RCC doctrines as they grew in their knowledge of the Bible’s truths.

I must be true to the Scripture and present these main points of conflict the Scripture has with the Roman Catholic denomination’s teaching and practices that clearly are non-Scriptural. These teachings and laws of the church may actually serve to alienate people from the Lord. I personally know Catholics who sincerely desire relationship with the Lord but they are bound to false Catholic teachings that do not permit the adherent to come to a clear, sure, and secure saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and thus they are prevented from a saving faith in Him alone – which is the only faith that saves.

The largest segment of the professing RCC offers her devotees neither peace for the present, nor assurance of salvation for the future. She does not tell them that believers in Christ are given a position in heaven at God’s right hand (Eph. 2:4-7). The RCC even brings Christ down from His exalted position at the right hand of the Father in heaven and offers Him to the world on a crucifix, requiring men to eat His flesh and drink His blood to be saved. And this in contrast to what Paul writes, by the Spirit: “...yea, THOUGH WE HAVE KNOWN CHRIST AFTER THE (HUMAN) FLESH, YET NOW, HENCEFORTH, KNOW WE HIM NO MORE” (2Cor. 5:16).

Man’s religion, especially in the RCC, is built upon an appeal to the senses. Her devotees are occupied with beads and bells, statues and crucifixes, candlesticks and sacred objects, relics of human remains of the “saints,” robes, and incense; she has departed from the teachings of Paul and from his declaration that “we walk by faith, not by sight” (2Cor. 5:7). The pure grace gospel concerns the inward and innermost man (Col 1:27b), not the externals for tradition, works, or and objects.

The RCC mingles types and shadows of primitive ages with meaningless pagan rituals. She keeps millions from trusting and rejoicing in an already accomplished redemption that is found only in Christ and provided by Christ alone, to all believers who trust in His finished work at the cross, regardless of their affiliation.

Consider these verses and look in faith to the risen, exalted Christ and to trust in His finished work:

“Who... when He (Jesus) had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Heb. 1:3). “This Man (Jesus), after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God” (Heb. 10:12).

Our Lord came to earth to accomplish our redemption and, having accomplished it, He returned to heaven and sat down with His Father. The work was finished. And now He invites us to rest in His finished work.

“There remaineth therefore A REST TO THE PEOPLE OF GOD. FOR HE THAT HATH ENTERED INTO HIS REST, HE ALSO HATH CEASED FROM HIS OWN WORKS, AS GOD DID FROM HIS” (Heb. 4:9, 10).

The Catholic Church, often called “the Church,” (Actually, it never was and is not the Christian Church, which is the body of Christ.) got her start around the year 325 during the reign of Constantine, Emperor of the Roman Empire. He declared all people under his authority to be “Christian.” Prior to this Rome was a pantheistic state with many God’s. My wife and I have visited the Pantheon temple in Rome, built for the worship of these many God’s. Constantine himself did not really convert to Christianity; he only sought to have a single religion under which he could unite all his failing empire. With this, the Roman church was formed with the full force and might of the Roman Empire’s political and military might. The Roman Empire ultimately fell in 450AD but the Roman Church continued in many forms. The Roman Empire at times was dual East based in Turkey and West in Rome. Likewise the church had and east and west base. To this day there is the eastern orthodox which was a wing of the Roman church. Thus, the Catholic Church was and continues to be a Religious/Political organization, based in the “Vatican State” within Rome, Italy. The “church” picked up many pagan things when Constantine embraced many pagan rites and observances in order to help the pagans better accept the new Christian things. He made these pagan items symbolic of Christian truth. E.g. “Christmas” occurs on a date that coincides with the Pagan winter solstice observance; “Easter” is thus named for Istar, Nimrod’s goddess of fertility, also called “Queen of heaven.” Rome and the pagan world were replete with statues of “mother and child” hundreds of years before Mary gave birth to Jesus of Nazareth. These were attempts to adapt pagan festivals to Christianity and many still stand to this day in the Catholic Church. After my conversion in 1968 I came across a scholarly book titled “Two Babylons,” by Alexander Hislop, which thoroughly covers the pagan sources of the worship and practices we see in the RCC and much of Protestantism today.

Most people who read the Bible in any depth, particularly the New Testament, have come to realize that becoming a Christian actually happens in the moment in time when you personally, for yourself, realize and believe that Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross of Calvary for your sins, as your qualified substitute. Yes, you’re a sinner like everyone on the planet. This is where the Catholic sect goes most critically and seriously wrong, being contrary to the revelation of the Bible is in the teaching that you can pay for your sins - you can do things to atone for your own sins, yet you continue to live in fear from week to week, as you pay for your sins on what we might call the “installment plan.”

The Roman Catholic Church negates the core Christian truth of “justification by faith alone,” implying that we must do something to be justified; yet, if it is not by faith alone, then it must be by faith plus something from us. Actually, good works are to be the fruit of the Christian who is rooted in salvation by grace through faith alone. All trees grow from the ground up.

Pure Christian theology, as a whole, appeals to the Bible alone for the basis of spiritual truth. We let Scripture interpret Scripture in its context. We rely upon no man or organization’s interpretation. We as believers depend upon the Bible to be revealed to us by the light of the indwelling Holy Spirit. We must come to see for ourselves, inwardly, by Christ’s indwelling Spirit of Truth. We today live in the dispensational time of the pure grace of God. In the light of seeing the Bible dispensationally we see that the Bible maintains that justification and salvation of men is not by self-works in any way; it is received only by grace, through faith in Christ and His sacrifice, alone

The Bible says “But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace” (Rom. 11:6). 

Furthermore, the Bible offers us these words concerning our justification and salvation.

  • “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin,” (Rom. 3:20).
  • “Being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus,” (Rom. 3:24).
  • “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law,” (Rom. 3:28).
  • “For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness,” (Rom. 4:3).
  • “But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness,” (Rom. 4:5).
  • “For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith,” (Rom. 4:13).
  • “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” (Rom. 5:1).
  • “Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath (judgment) of God through Him,” (Rom. 5:9).
  • “That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved,” (Rom. 10:9).

So that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith,” (Gal. 3:14). A Catechism for Adults, 1975 edition: (bold, underline, etc. for emphasis)

Page 9 …DO WE GET FROM THE BIBLE ALONE ALL OUR KNOWLEDGE AND CERTAINTY ABOUT WHAT GOD HAS TOLD US? NO, THERE IS ALSO SACRED TRADITION ... What is tradition? The Word of God handed on to us by the Apostles in their preaching and by their successors in the Church to the present day...

Page 51: …Did God intend that the Bible alone should be the guide to salvation? NO, because certain things in the Bible can be misunderstood, and because the bible does not have everything God taught.

Page 56 - …DOES JESUS REQUIRE US TO FOLLOW THE POPE IN MATTERS OF RELIGION? YES, because obedience and loyalty to the Pope are among the chief requirements of Our Lord’s plan for unity in His church. - A Catechism for Adults

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“The Catechism of the Roman Catholic Church regarding “Indulgences, Penance and Purification from Sins.” (http://www.vatican.va/archive/catechism/p2s2c2a4.htm#X)

Indulgences are mechanisms in the Roman Catholic Church by which the adherent can apparently have their sins forgiven. All of these imply that faith Christ’s sacrifice on the cross is insufficient by itself.

X. INDULGENCES

1471 The doctrine and practice of indulgences in the Church are closely linked to the effects of the sacrament of Penance. What is an indulgence?

AN INDULGENCE IS A REMISSION (REMOVAL) BEFORE GOD OF THE TEMPORAL PUNISHMENT DUE TO SINS whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions THROUGH THE ACTION OF THE CHURCH which, AS THE MINISTER OF REDEMPTION, dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the saints.”81 “An indulgence is partial or plenary according as it removes either part or all of the temporal punishment due to sin.”82 The FAITHFUL CAN GAIN INDULGENCES FOR THEMSELVES OR APPLY THEM TO THE DEAD.

 

The Punishments of Sin

1472 To understand this doctrine and practice of the Church, it is necessary to understand that sin has a double consequence. Grave sin deprives us of communion with God and therefore makes us incapable of eternal life, the privation of which is called the “eternal punishment” of sin. On the other hand every sin, even venial, entails an unhealthy attachment to creatures, which must be purified either here on earth, or after death in the state called Purgatory. This purification frees one from what is called the “temporal punishment” of sin. These two punishments must not be conceived of as a kind of vengeance inflicted by God from without, but as following from the very nature of sin. A conversion which proceeds from a fervent charity can attain the complete purification of the sinner in such a way that no punishment would remain.83

1473 CHRISTIAN MUST STRIVE to accept this temporal punishment of sin as a grace. HE SHOULD STRIVE by works of mercy and charity, as well as BY PRAYER AND THE VARIOUS PRACTICES OF PENANCE, to put off completely the “old man” and to put on the “new man.”84

In the Communion of Saints

1474 The Christian who seeks to purify himself of his sin and to become holy with the help of God’s grace is not alone. “The life of each of God’s children is joined in Christ and through Christ in a wonderful way to the life of all the other Christian brethren in the supernatural unity of the Mystical Body of Christ, as in a single mystical person.”85

1475 In the communion of saints, “a perennial link of charity exists between the faithful who have already reached their heavenly home, those who are EXPIATING THEIR SINS IN PURGATORY and those who are still pilgrims on earth. Between them there is, too, an abundant exchange of all good things.”86 In this wonderful exchange, the holiness of one profits others, well beyond the harm that the sin of one could cause others. Thus recourse to the communion of saints lets the contrite sinner be more promptly and efficaciously purified of the punishments for sin.

Obtaining Indulgence From God Through The Church

1478 An indulgence is obtained through the Church who, by virtue of the power of binding and loosing granted her by Christ Jesus, intervenes in favor of individual Christians and opens for them the treasury of the merits of Christ and the saints to obtain from the Father of mercies the remission of the temporal punishments due for their sins. Thus the Church does not want simply to come to the aid of these Christians, but also to spur them to works of devotion, penance, and charity.89

1479 Since the faithful departed (the dead) now being purified are also members of the same communion of saints, one way we can help them is to obtain indulgences for them, so that the temporal punishments due for their sins may be remitted.