Did I catch your attention? Good, cause this guys article caught mine too. I actually met him at the Harvest Crusade. He was outside, protesting against Greg Laurie and the Harvest Crusade. He also claims that James Dobson, John McArthur, and Billy Graham are all false teachers, along with many other people. He's a fundamentalist of course, but listen to this article he writes about Catholicsm. I'm curious to hear your thoughts. Please, stay calm and collect. Lets not get fired up, for we shall try to understand and help the situation as best we can. This guy is reaching thousands of people.
"I. Deceiving Spirits and Doctrines of Demons
Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. (1 Timothy 4:1-3)
In this text that describes those who have departed from the faith and given heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, there are only two teachings given ("the forbidding to marry" and "to abstain from foods") by which to identify the ones to whom this text applies. The Roman Catholic Church practices both identifying marks.
A. The Forbidding To Marry
In the official Catechism of the Catholic Church (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, copyright 1994, Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA) on page 395 under #1580, speaking in the context of "priests" it states:
In the East as in the West a man who has already received the sacrament of Holy Orders can no longer marry.
It is well known that both priests and nuns are forbidden to marry. Yet, Scripture condemns such a practice in 1 Timothy 4 and identifies those who practice this as ungodly wicked people (1 Timothy 4:1-3). Despite this clear declaration of the Word of God, Catholic Answers (a Catholic apologetic ministry, P. O. Box 199000, San Diego, CA 92159; 619-387-7200; www.catholic.com has produced a tract entitled "Celibacy and the Priesthood" in which they attempt to justify the unholy ways of the Catholic Church. In this tract, they write, ". . . the Catholic Church does not forbid anyone to marry." But then, "speaking lies in hypocrisy" (1 Timothy 4:2) in the next paragraph they state,
It is true that Catholic priests in the West may not be married, but no one is obliged to become a priest.
Marriage is not forbidden to them as human beings, but as priests.
It is still forbidden! 1 Timothy 4:3 simply says, "forbidding to marry", not "forbidding to marry as human beings." Earlier (in the first paragraph of the tract) they admit (speaking in the context of the "Eastern Rites"),
Once ordained, though, an unmarried priest may not marry, and a married priest, if widowed, may not remarry.
B. To Abstain From Foods
Jovian P. Lang, OFM, in his book entitled Dictionary of the Liturgy (copyright 1989, Catholic book publishing Co. N.Y.) on page 11 writes under "Abstinence,"
Refraining from eating meat or food prepared with meat on certain days as commanded by the church, to remind us of Jesus' redeeming Death (on a Friday), to prepare for the celebration of certain feasts, to win heavenly graces, and to practice the virtue of penance (to atone for sin and for help in the firm purpose of amendment). "Days of abstinence" in the United States include Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and Fridays of Lent." On other Fridays of the year, all are exhorted to perform acts of devotion, self-denial, and charity in the spirit of piety and penance, and particularly for peace; abstinence from meat is especially recommended but under no obligation by law. Canon Law for the world prescribes abstinence on all Fridays (Canon 1251).
Mr. Lang acknowledges here that the Catholic Church does command to "abstain from foods" (1 Timothy 4:3). Catholic "Canon Law" (the official law of the Catholic Church) makes such a prohibition.
Canon 1251 - Abstinence from eating meat or another food according to the prescriptions of the conference of bishops is to be observed on Fridays throughout the year unless they are solemnities; abstinence and fast are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and on the Friday of the Passion and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ. (The Code Of Canon Law: A Text And Commentary, p. 854, copyright 1985 by the Canon Law Society of America, published by Paulist Press, Mahwah, N. J.)
Catholics are "bound" by this law of abstinence ("Canon 1252 - All persons who have completed their fourteenth year are bound by the law of abstinence;" ibid., p. 855). In other words, they are commanded to not eat meat ("or another food") on certain days. Worldwide, these days include Ash Wednesday, Fridays of Lent, Good Friday, and every other Friday of the year. For those in the United States, every Friday of the year is no longer obligatory.
The National Conference of Catholic Bishops in their pastoral statement of November 18, 1966 determined the following:
Catholics in the United States are obliged to abstain from the eating of meat on Ash Wednesday and on all Fridays during the season of Lent. They are also obliged to fast on Ash Wednesday and on Good Friday. Self-imposed observance of fasting on all weekdays of Lent is strongly recommended. Abstinence from flesh meat on all Fridays of the year is especially recommended to individuals and to the Catholic community as a whole. (ibid., p. 855)
II. A False Gospel
Besides rejecting the gospel of God (Romans 9:6-22) in regards to predestination ("God predestines no one to hell;" CCC, p. 270, #1037), the Catholic Church has created their own gospel of "sacraments." In this also they speak lies in hypocrisy (1 Timothy 4:2). They deem Muslims as having salvation (see below), but Muslims do not practice these sacraments. In the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) on page 292 under #1129 the following is written:
The Church affirms that for all believers the sacraments of the New Covenant are necessary for salvation. (italics in original)
What are these "sacraments" that are necessary for salvation?
There are seven sacraments in the Church: Baptism, Confirmation or Chrismation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony. (CCC, p. 289, #1113; see also p. 311, #1210)
This is the tradition of men (Matthew 15: 8-9; Colossians 2:8-10), not the doctrine of Christ (2 John 9). Scripture nowhere teaches any such sacraments necessary for salvation. What is necessary for salvation is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (the Word, John 1:1; Revelation 19:13). As John 3:36 says,
He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. (John 3:36)
"I. Deceiving Spirits and Doctrines of Demons
Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. (1 Timothy 4:1-3)
In this text that describes those who have departed from the faith and given heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, there are only two teachings given ("the forbidding to marry" and "to abstain from foods") by which to identify the ones to whom this text applies. The Roman Catholic Church practices both identifying marks.
A. The Forbidding To Marry
In the official Catechism of the Catholic Church (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, copyright 1994, Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA) on page 395 under #1580, speaking in the context of "priests" it states:
In the East as in the West a man who has already received the sacrament of Holy Orders can no longer marry.
It is well known that both priests and nuns are forbidden to marry. Yet, Scripture condemns such a practice in 1 Timothy 4 and identifies those who practice this as ungodly wicked people (1 Timothy 4:1-3). Despite this clear declaration of the Word of God, Catholic Answers (a Catholic apologetic ministry, P. O. Box 199000, San Diego, CA 92159; 619-387-7200; www.catholic.com has produced a tract entitled "Celibacy and the Priesthood" in which they attempt to justify the unholy ways of the Catholic Church. In this tract, they write, ". . . the Catholic Church does not forbid anyone to marry." But then, "speaking lies in hypocrisy" (1 Timothy 4:2) in the next paragraph they state,
It is true that Catholic priests in the West may not be married, but no one is obliged to become a priest.
Marriage is not forbidden to them as human beings, but as priests.
It is still forbidden! 1 Timothy 4:3 simply says, "forbidding to marry", not "forbidding to marry as human beings." Earlier (in the first paragraph of the tract) they admit (speaking in the context of the "Eastern Rites"),
Once ordained, though, an unmarried priest may not marry, and a married priest, if widowed, may not remarry.
B. To Abstain From Foods
Jovian P. Lang, OFM, in his book entitled Dictionary of the Liturgy (copyright 1989, Catholic book publishing Co. N.Y.) on page 11 writes under "Abstinence,"
Refraining from eating meat or food prepared with meat on certain days as commanded by the church, to remind us of Jesus' redeeming Death (on a Friday), to prepare for the celebration of certain feasts, to win heavenly graces, and to practice the virtue of penance (to atone for sin and for help in the firm purpose of amendment). "Days of abstinence" in the United States include Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and Fridays of Lent." On other Fridays of the year, all are exhorted to perform acts of devotion, self-denial, and charity in the spirit of piety and penance, and particularly for peace; abstinence from meat is especially recommended but under no obligation by law. Canon Law for the world prescribes abstinence on all Fridays (Canon 1251).
Mr. Lang acknowledges here that the Catholic Church does command to "abstain from foods" (1 Timothy 4:3). Catholic "Canon Law" (the official law of the Catholic Church) makes such a prohibition.
Canon 1251 - Abstinence from eating meat or another food according to the prescriptions of the conference of bishops is to be observed on Fridays throughout the year unless they are solemnities; abstinence and fast are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and on the Friday of the Passion and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ. (The Code Of Canon Law: A Text And Commentary, p. 854, copyright 1985 by the Canon Law Society of America, published by Paulist Press, Mahwah, N. J.)
Catholics are "bound" by this law of abstinence ("Canon 1252 - All persons who have completed their fourteenth year are bound by the law of abstinence;" ibid., p. 855). In other words, they are commanded to not eat meat ("or another food") on certain days. Worldwide, these days include Ash Wednesday, Fridays of Lent, Good Friday, and every other Friday of the year. For those in the United States, every Friday of the year is no longer obligatory.
The National Conference of Catholic Bishops in their pastoral statement of November 18, 1966 determined the following:
Catholics in the United States are obliged to abstain from the eating of meat on Ash Wednesday and on all Fridays during the season of Lent. They are also obliged to fast on Ash Wednesday and on Good Friday. Self-imposed observance of fasting on all weekdays of Lent is strongly recommended. Abstinence from flesh meat on all Fridays of the year is especially recommended to individuals and to the Catholic community as a whole. (ibid., p. 855)
II. A False Gospel
Besides rejecting the gospel of God (Romans 9:6-22) in regards to predestination ("God predestines no one to hell;" CCC, p. 270, #1037), the Catholic Church has created their own gospel of "sacraments." In this also they speak lies in hypocrisy (1 Timothy 4:2). They deem Muslims as having salvation (see below), but Muslims do not practice these sacraments. In the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) on page 292 under #1129 the following is written:
The Church affirms that for all believers the sacraments of the New Covenant are necessary for salvation. (italics in original)
What are these "sacraments" that are necessary for salvation?
There are seven sacraments in the Church: Baptism, Confirmation or Chrismation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony. (CCC, p. 289, #1113; see also p. 311, #1210)
This is the tradition of men (Matthew 15: 8-9; Colossians 2:8-10), not the doctrine of Christ (2 John 9). Scripture nowhere teaches any such sacraments necessary for salvation. What is necessary for salvation is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (the Word, John 1:1; Revelation 19:13). As John 3:36 says,
He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. (John 3:36)