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BASIC CHRISTIAN APOLOGETICS: DEFENDING THE CHRISTIAN FAITH
Part IV: Answering Roman Catholics Effectively On Our Faith
(1 and 2 Peter; Acts 15:1-11 et al.)
  1. Introduction
    1. Many of us have found ourselves defending our faith before associates hailing from the Catholic Church.
    2. To be persuasive in such times, we cite the respected words of the alleged first "pope," Peter, as follows:
  2. Answering Roman Catholics Effectively On Our Faith, 1 and 2 Peter, Acts 15:1-11 et al.
    1. The Catholic Church teaches that Matthew 16:13-19 presents Jesus conferring on Peter, the alleged first pope, the keys of Christ's Kingdom, cf. Cardinal Gibbons, Faith of our Fathers, p. 95. As such, every pope since him is "the universal ruler of truth . . . the supreme judge of heaven and earth . . . God himself on earth." (New York Catechism, cited by Boettner, Roman Catholicism, p. 127).
    2. Hence, we check the words of the first alleged pope, Peter as they apply to the Catholic Church's beliefs:
      1. The Apostle Peter's words on Roman Catholic Church Tradition and Scripture
        1. Catholicism holds the basis of authority is Scripture plus traditions, the Apocrypha, extra-canonical New Testament writings, papal decrees, church councils, etc., Boettner, Ibid., p. 75-76.
        2. Yet, Peter said in 1 Peter 1:18 man's tradition was vain while holding only the Bible as the source of God's truth to be believed to be "born again" and also to grow in 1 Peter 1:23 and 2:2.
      2. The Apostle Peter's words on the Roman Catholic Church's Papacy
        1. Catholicism teaches Jesus conferred on Peter the alleged first pope such authority that "the pope has supreme and full power . . . over each and every pastor and his flock . . . " (New York Catechism)
        2. However, Peter condemned church leaders lording over God's flock in 1 Peter 5:1-3 and accepted Paul's public rebuke against himself in Galatians 2:11-14 according to 2 Peter 3:15-16. As for Matthew 16:13-19, God used Peter to open the doors for Jews in Acts 2 and for Gentiles in Acts 10!
      3. The Apostle Peter's words on the Roman Catholic Church's dogma on Mary
        1. Catholicism exalts Mary, teaching: "Mary is called . . . the gate of heaven because no one can enter that blessed kingdom without p assing through HER," The Glories of Mary, Redemptorist Fathers (1933) as authored by "Saint" Alphonse de Liguori, p. 160.
        2. Yet, Peter claims in 2 Peter 1:1-11 that everything we need for life and godliness is given us in Christ (v. 2-3), and that in Him we have "a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (v. 3-11). Mary is not needed for one to enter heaven according to Peter!
      4. The Apostle Peter's words on the Sacraments and Salvation in the Roman Catholic Church
        1. Catholicism teaches that baptism, confirmation, the mass, penance and extreme unction in Catholicism with faith in Christ are necessary for salvation, Ibid., Boettner, p. 189.
        2. However, Peter claimed at the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:1-2, 6-11) that believers are saved by faith through grace in the context of opposing any additional work like circumcision!
      5. The Apostle Peter's words on the Roman Catholic Church's beliefs on Purgatory and Limbo
        1. Catholicism teaches all unbaptized adults or imperfect believers at death go to purgatory for penal and purifying suffering before entering heaven, Boettner, Ibid., p. 218. All infants not baptized who die go to "limbo" to be excluded from heaven but suffer no punishment, Ibid., p. 190.
        2. However, Peter in 1 Peter 1:3-5 taught his readers were assured of heaven as being kept by God's power through faith, not by sustaining good works! As for "limbo", Peter exalted the Old Testament Scriptures in 2 Peter 1:20-21, and 2 Samuel 12:23 of that Old Testament reveals infants who die go to the place of blessing with saved adults (David would join his deceased infant son at death)!
      6. The Apostle Peter's words on the Roman Catholic Church's Confessional and Priesthood
        1. Catholicism teaches that every Roman Catholic must go to that Church's confessional at least once a year to confess his sins to a Roman Catholic priest, Ibid., Boettner, p. 196-198.
        2. However, Peter in 1 Peter 2:1-2 with 2:5 teaches that even every new believer is himself a priest, and in 2 Peter 3:15-16 confirms Paul's words of 1 Timothy 2:5 that there is but one Mediator between God and any man, Christ! The Roman Catholic hierarchical priesthood and confessional are errant!
Lesson: From PETER'S words that Catholics AND Protestants would treat as being authoritative, each key Roman Catholic belief is in error where our views on these issues are Biblically CORRECT!