ROMAN CATHOLICISM IN LIGHT OF THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS

XXIV. Biblical Christianity’s Consistency Versus Catholicism’s Semper Idem Claim

(Hebrews 13:7-17)

I. Introduction

A. A number of our Church members have come from Roman Catholic backgrounds, and they often seek support in Biblical truths that counter the strong, errant indoctrination they faced in their past.

B. The epistle to the Hebrews was written to counter the errant traditionalism of first century Judaism that was similar in theological thrust to much of Catholicism, so we study Hebrews for edification in this matter.

C. The author of Hebrews in Hebrews 13:7-17 wrote of the consistency of Biblical Christianity, what contrasts sharply with Catholicism’s claim of “Semper Idem.” We view the passage for our insight and application:

II. Biblical Christianity’s Consistency Versus Catholicism’s Semper Idem Claim, Hebrews 13:7-17.

A. The Roman Catholic Church “boasts that she never changes or teaches new doctrines! Semper idem – ‘Always the same’ – is her motto!” (Loraine Boettner, Roman Catholicism, 1978, p. 10)

B. In reality, for the first three centuries of the Christian faith, the Church held to the true beliefs and Biblical practices of Scripture. However, “early in the fourth century the emperor Constantine . . . made Christianity the official religion. The result was that thousands of people who still were pagans pressed into the church in order to gain the special advantages and favors that went with such membership. They came in in far greater numbers than could be instructed or assimilated . . . (and they) began to introduce their heathen beliefs and practices . . . The church in Rome, and in general the churches throughout the empire, ceased to be the apostolic Christian church . . .” (Ibid., p. 11)

C. Hebrews 13:7-17 reveals the Biblical consistency of the apostolic church that contrasts greatly with the Roman Catholic Church and exposes the error of its claim that it is “Semper idem” (as follows):

1. Hebrews 13:7 called believing Hebrew Christians to remember their leaders who spoke God’s Word to them, that they were to follow the faith of such leaders, recalling their godly examples. However, the Apostle Peter whom the Roman Catholic Church holds was the first pope (Ibid., p. 104-105) in Acts 15:8-11 taught that salvation was by faith, not by works, where the Roman Catholic Church today asserts that salvation is by faith plus the works of the sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church (Ibid., p. 260-261).

2. Hebrews 13:8 claims that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today and forever, and 1 Timothy 2:5 claims that He is the sole Mediator between God and men. However, the Roman Catholic Church promotes the writing of its saint Alphonse de Liguori who, in his work, The Glories of Mary, p. 82-83 claimed of Mary, “‘And she is truly a mediatress of peace between sinners and God. Sinners receive pardon by . . . Mary alone’” (Ibid., p. 138). Catholicism has reduced Jesus’ initial role as Sole Mediator!

3. Hebrews 13:9 directed believers not to be influenced by strange doctrines of foods, what 1 Timothy 4:1-5 also warned, but the Roman Catholic Church teaches fasting during Lent (Ibid., p. 275-276).

4. Hebrews 13:10-14 called early Hebrew believers willingly to suffer outside the camp of Judaism as true believers in Christ, but the Roman Catholic Church teaches that it is the only true church (Ibid., p. 21) even though it holds to justification by faith plus works as did errant Judaism of the first century.

5. Hebrews 13:15-16 calls on believers to offer up the spiritual sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving to God and to do good in giving materially to meet the needs of others as sacrifices that please God. However, the Catholic Church teaches its devout followers to give latria worship to God, dulia worship or veneration to the saints of the Catholic Church and hyperdulia worship to Mary, the mother of Jesus. This teaching promotes the sin of idolatry, for only God is to be worshiped according to Jesus in Matthew 4:8-10.

6. Hebrews 13:17 calls Hebrew believers to obey their overseers who must give an account to God for their oversight. However, in the Roman Catholic Church, “‘faith is based on the authority of a man, the Pope, and the traditions of men, namely the opinions of former theologians such as the Fathers of the Church’” and not God (Ibid., p. 68, citing Lucien Vinet, a former Canadian priest, I Was a Priest, p. 126).

Lesson: Where Biblical Christianity of the apostolic church was based solely on the authority of Scripture, and Biblical Christianity thus does not change (cf. Jude 3), the Catholic Church’s claim to be “Always the same,” Semper Idem, is false, for that Church has incorporated much error in its beliefs and practices over the centuries.

Application: (1) May we not accept the Catholic Church’s claim to be always the same, but to be a compromised church. (2) May we hold to the unchanging Biblical Christian faith that was once-for-all delivered to the saints.