‘Bible alone’ is not the basis of faith
Jesus in His life never mentioned about a Bible. He never commanded us to believe in a book. We cannot see He ordered apostles to write a book. During the time of the apostles there was no Bible at all. Jesus founded, not a book as the basis of faith, but the Church as the “pillar and foundation of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15). And He promised not that book, but He Himself will be with His Church till the end of the age (Mt. 28:20) and the Holy Spirit will lead the apostles and the successors into the ‘fullness of truth’ after His ascension to heaven (Jn. 14:16-17). He even said, “If anyone refuses to listen to the Church, treat him as if you would a gentile or tax collector.”-Matthew 18:17
Tradition and the Bible
In the early centuries, before the Bible was formed Christians believed the teaching of the apostles and their disciples, as the basis of their faith, which the Church calls “Holy Tradition.” These traditions were not human customs mentioned in Mt. 15:3, 6-9, that were observed by Pharisees, but they were accepted as guided by the Holy Spirit.
In fact, the words such as ‘Bible’, ‘Purgatory’, ‘Trinity’, and ‘Assumption are all coming from these early Christian traditions! Later, when the Bible came, it defended those traditions.
2 Thess.2:15, “So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.”
1 Cor. 11:2, “Now I praise you because you remember me in everything, and hold firmly to the traditions just as I delivered them to you.”
Why the Bible was formed?
In the early centuries of the Church, there appeared more than 50 gospels, which include the 4 gospels that we see in the New Testament and other gospels such as gospel of James, gospel of Thomas, gospel of Hebrews, etc… There were 22 Books of Acts: Acts of Apostles, Acts of Paul, and Acts of Thecla, etc… There were numerous Epistles that we see in the New Testament and others such as Paul’s letter to Laodiceans, Epistle of Barnabas, etc… It created total confusion among early Christians because some of the books and letters were ‘spurious’ and others genuine. Some of them contained even superstitions and funny stories of miracles of Jesus and apostles. Many false prophets appeared with different theologies contrary to the apostolic teaching. For Arius, Jesus was not God. For Apollinarius, Jesus was not man. Macedonius preached Holy Spirit is not God. For Maricionites, all the gospels are false. All of them started to quote the scriptures available at that time.
To defend the true Chuch and its doctrines from the apostasies, the Catholic Church decided to select some books that seemed genuine and inspired; it is known as the Canon of Bible (Greek ‘Kanon’ means something serving to determine, rule). Thus, the Bible came from the Church! The Church is not coming from the Bible.
Church made the Bible
It was Melito, Bishop of Sardis (170 A.D.) who first tried to have an Old Testament Canon but many of the inspired books are not seen in his list.
The Council of Laodicea (360 A.D.), with the permission of the Pope in Rome, produced the first canon of the Bible. But it is only in the year of Pope Damasus (367 A.D.) a great effort was done to form a Bible. This Holy Pope compiled the books which he felt genuine and ordered St. Jerome to translate them into Latin, which was the official language of the Church. St. Jerome went to Jerusalem and lived 30 years in a cave to do the job. At 397 A.D., he finished his works and presented it to the Pope. This is known as ‘Latin Vulgate.’ Pope Siricius called it the ‘Bible,’ which means ‘collection of books.’
(In fact the term ‘Bible’ has a pagan origin. The Greek word ‘biblia’ is coming from the Phenition city of ‘Byblos’ that was a trading port for papyrus. For the Greeks, ‘biblos’ meant those books ‘an invocation of the goddess or muse’ (daughters of Zeus who inspired poets, speakers, and artists). Remember, critics always accuse Catholic feasts, such as Christmas for its pagan background. Even the Bible itself has a pagan background.)
Though Luke was not an apostle of Jesus, the Pope accepted his gospel because it clarified all doubts about doctrines of Mary-as it was believed in the early Church that Luke got ideas about the infancy of Jesus from Mary. Luke was also famous for his paintings of Mary and Child Jesus (One of these pictures is still kept in the Basilica of Mary Major in Rome). Matthew gives a very clear idea about the Primacy of Peter and the Church Jesus founded on him. John’s gospel was used by the early Christians to defend the real presence of Jesus, as one whole chapter of this gospel deals with that subject “my flesh is true food and my blood true drink.” Mark, being a close associate of Peter in Rome defends the selection of Peter, and his authority.
‘Where is that in the Bible?’ Anti-Catholics always ask this to prove Catholic practices are baseless or unbiblical. In order to answer them, we should know the true story about the origin of the Bible. Hundreds of protestant pastors have already comeback to Catholic Church just because they studied not only the Bible, but also the great history of the Bible. (please watch ‘Journey Home’ in EWTN channel. Mondays 8pm, encores: Tuesdays 1am & 10 am, Wednesdays 1pm, Saturdays 11pm. This exciting call-in program examines why so many people, including fallen away Catholics and individuals from other denominations, are being drawn home to the Catholic Church.)
Jesus in His life never mentioned about a Bible. He never commanded us to believe in a book. We cannot see He ordered apostles to write a book. During the time of the apostles there was no Bible at all. Jesus founded, not a book as the basis of faith, but the Church as the “pillar and foundation of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15). And He promised not that book, but He Himself will be with His Church till the end of the age (Mt. 28:20) and the Holy Spirit will lead the apostles and the successors into the ‘fullness of truth’ after His ascension to heaven (Jn. 14:16-17). He even said, “If anyone refuses to listen to the Church, treat him as if you would a gentile or tax collector.”-Matthew 18:17
Tradition and the Bible
In the early centuries, before the Bible was formed Christians believed the teaching of the apostles and their disciples, as the basis of their faith, which the Church calls “Holy Tradition.” These traditions were not human customs mentioned in Mt. 15:3, 6-9, that were observed by Pharisees, but they were accepted as guided by the Holy Spirit.
In fact, the words such as ‘Bible’, ‘Purgatory’, ‘Trinity’, and ‘Assumption are all coming from these early Christian traditions! Later, when the Bible came, it defended those traditions.
2 Thess.2:15, “So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.”
1 Cor. 11:2, “Now I praise you because you remember me in everything, and hold firmly to the traditions just as I delivered them to you.”
Why the Bible was formed?
In the early centuries of the Church, there appeared more than 50 gospels, which include the 4 gospels that we see in the New Testament and other gospels such as gospel of James, gospel of Thomas, gospel of Hebrews, etc… There were 22 Books of Acts: Acts of Apostles, Acts of Paul, and Acts of Thecla, etc… There were numerous Epistles that we see in the New Testament and others such as Paul’s letter to Laodiceans, Epistle of Barnabas, etc… It created total confusion among early Christians because some of the books and letters were ‘spurious’ and others genuine. Some of them contained even superstitions and funny stories of miracles of Jesus and apostles. Many false prophets appeared with different theologies contrary to the apostolic teaching. For Arius, Jesus was not God. For Apollinarius, Jesus was not man. Macedonius preached Holy Spirit is not God. For Maricionites, all the gospels are false. All of them started to quote the scriptures available at that time.
To defend the true Chuch and its doctrines from the apostasies, the Catholic Church decided to select some books that seemed genuine and inspired; it is known as the Canon of Bible (Greek ‘Kanon’ means something serving to determine, rule). Thus, the Bible came from the Church! The Church is not coming from the Bible.
Church made the Bible
It was Melito, Bishop of Sardis (170 A.D.) who first tried to have an Old Testament Canon but many of the inspired books are not seen in his list.
The Council of Laodicea (360 A.D.), with the permission of the Pope in Rome, produced the first canon of the Bible. But it is only in the year of Pope Damasus (367 A.D.) a great effort was done to form a Bible. This Holy Pope compiled the books which he felt genuine and ordered St. Jerome to translate them into Latin, which was the official language of the Church. St. Jerome went to Jerusalem and lived 30 years in a cave to do the job. At 397 A.D., he finished his works and presented it to the Pope. This is known as ‘Latin Vulgate.’ Pope Siricius called it the ‘Bible,’ which means ‘collection of books.’
(In fact the term ‘Bible’ has a pagan origin. The Greek word ‘biblia’ is coming from the Phenition city of ‘Byblos’ that was a trading port for papyrus. For the Greeks, ‘biblos’ meant those books ‘an invocation of the goddess or muse’ (daughters of Zeus who inspired poets, speakers, and artists). Remember, critics always accuse Catholic feasts, such as Christmas for its pagan background. Even the Bible itself has a pagan background.)
Though Luke was not an apostle of Jesus, the Pope accepted his gospel because it clarified all doubts about doctrines of Mary-as it was believed in the early Church that Luke got ideas about the infancy of Jesus from Mary. Luke was also famous for his paintings of Mary and Child Jesus (One of these pictures is still kept in the Basilica of Mary Major in Rome). Matthew gives a very clear idea about the Primacy of Peter and the Church Jesus founded on him. John’s gospel was used by the early Christians to defend the real presence of Jesus, as one whole chapter of this gospel deals with that subject “my flesh is true food and my blood true drink.” Mark, being a close associate of Peter in Rome defends the selection of Peter, and his authority.
‘Where is that in the Bible?’ Anti-Catholics always ask this to prove Catholic practices are baseless or unbiblical. In order to answer them, we should know the true story about the origin of the Bible. Hundreds of protestant pastors have already comeback to Catholic Church just because they studied not only the Bible, but also the great history of the Bible. (please watch ‘Journey Home’ in EWTN channel. Mondays 8pm, encores: Tuesdays 1am & 10 am, Wednesdays 1pm, Saturdays 11pm. This exciting call-in program examines why so many people, including fallen away Catholics and individuals from other denominations, are being drawn home to the Catholic Church.)
No Bible without the Church
Those who deny tradition, Primacy of Pope and believe in the new dogmas of “total apostasy” are really questioning the validity of the Bible. When we say gospel written by Luke, Mark or Matthew, it doesn’t mean we have any evidence that it is written by them. These beliefs are based only on tradition. All scholars in ‘textual criticism of the Bible’ say many of the gospel parts are later additions of the disciples of evangelists. Mark and Luke were not even apostles of Jesus; they wrote what they heard from Peter and Paul. The Bible has no errors just because the Catholic Church, guided by the Holy Spirit, didn’t include erroneous books in the Bible. The Church even accepted some disputed books in the Bible such as Epistles of Jude, James, Peter and John. The Book of Revelation was considered unacceptable in many early Christians. They were not considered genuine in some churches. But it was the infallible decision of the Pope that made these books acceptable to all. They believed the Bible is trustworthy because the Holy Spirit is guiding the Church; the Pope is infallible. (Mt. 28:20)-“Teaching them to observe what I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always until the end of the age.”
All what the apostles preached and the early Christians practiced are not found in the Bible. The Bible itself admits that (Jn. 21:25), “There are in fact, many other things also which Jesus did, which, if ever they were written in full detail, I suppose the world itself could not contain the scrolls written.” Those who accept the Bible as the only basis of faith will never reach the fullness of truth that Jesus revealed later through His Church. (Jn. 16:12-13)-“I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when He comes, the Spirit of Truth, He will guide you to the fullness of truth.”
Prophecies and warnings in the Bible
The prophets who claimed the death of the original Church Jesus instituted, created churches just against the teachings of the Bible and contrary to the practice of early Christians. Joseph Smith claimed he is the last prophet! Felix Manalo claimed as the last messenger, an angel. Millions are spent already in the T.V. shows to announce the emergence of this modern ‘savior.’ “We will be saved only through their doctrines!” “A new angel Gabriel with a new annunciation!” “His church will last ‘till the end of the world while the Church founded by Jesus failed to exist!” Are they more powerful than Jesus Himself? For Manalo, he’s an angel, while Jesus is only a man. They all prophesied their times as the ‘Last Days’ about which Jesus said, “Neither the angles in heaven nor the Son knows.” But this new angels and prophets are very sure that their time is the Last. They may have more wisdom than Jesus. (After their surety of Last Days, even centuries passed without any happenings. But their T.V. shows continue to keep its believers in a hope by showing Tsunami, Katrina, Rita and War in Iraq as symptoms of Last Days). But Jesus warned us not to believe any ‘christs’ who come in His name (‘Christ’ means Savior).
In the Last Days, Jesus didn’t promise he will send an angel or prophet as His Last Messenger. The Bible says the message that we received from Jesus is the Last: “In times past God spoke in partial and various ways through the prophets; in these Last Days, He spoke to us through the Son…through whom He created the universe” (Heb. 1:1-2). These people who put themselves in the place of Jesus is really fulfilling the prophecies of the Bible which warned the coming of the Anti-Christ. “Whoever denies the Father and the Son will be the Anti-Christ. No one who denies the Son has the Father, but whoever confesses the Son has the Father” (1 Jn. 2:22-23).
“For many will come in my name, saying “I am the Christ,” and they will lead many astray” (Mt. 24:4-5). The Bible warns about fake angels who may appear to destroy the only one Church Jesus founded in this world. The Bible makes this prophecy: “for such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, who pretend as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan pretends as an angel of light. His ministers also pretend as ministers of righteousness!” (2 Cor. 11:13-15)
Gal. 1:8 – “Even if an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one that we preached, let that one be accursed!”
We should not forget the warning of St. Peter – the first Pope: “False prophets appeared in the past among the people, and in the same way false teachers will appear among you. They will bring in destructive, untrue doctrines, and will deny the Master who redeemed them, and so they will bring upon themselves sudden destruction.” (2 Pet. 2:1)
The Sad Story of the Bible!
Until 1400 AD, Catholic monks preserved the original purity of the Bible and made copies by hand. Everyday in the Holy Masses, the congregation attended both ‘Breaking of the Word’ and ‘Breaking of the Bread.’ The Bible was not available to common people as there was no printing at that time as it is today.
In 1453 AD, printing was invented. Copies of the Bible made available. In 1517 AD, Martin Luther attacked the Church, but first he vandalized the Bible itself. Just to defend his dogmas, he threw out 7 Old Testament books from the original early canons of the Bible (Wisdom, Sirach, Judith, Baruch, Tobit, 1st Maccabees and 2nd Maccabees). He planned to destroy even the New Testament book ‘Letter of James’ which spoke against his doctrine ‘sola fide’ (man is saved not by work but faith alone). But James 2:26 says: “Faith without works is dead.” When opposition mounted, he was satisfied, accusing this Epistle as ‘Epistle of the straw.’ So now, the Bible that is used by Protestants are partial, incomplete, and unauthentic.
His followers started to fight each other on interpreting the Bible by creating contrary theologies and new dogmas. Thousands of churches were formed. All believed the Bible alone is the basis of faith; a dogma never taught by Jesus, never written in the Bible, nor supported by the Bible. Each church started to change interpretations and even words in the Bible according to their desire. It created more than 200,000 churches with contrary views, all based in the Bible. All claim the guidance of the same Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit can never do this dirty confusion and total anarchy as it is the Spirit of Truth. There are more than 700 churches here in the Philippines with ‘Bible alone theory.’ Thus, history proved, beyond any doubt, the ‘Bible alone’ theory is not from God. In fact, the Bible became an instrument in the hands of Satan to create chaos and anarchy in Christendom when it is taken out from its real basis – the Church founded by Jesus upon Peter. So Jesus warned, (Jn. 15:6) “Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither.”
History proved beyond doubt that two teachings of Luther were wrong. ‘Sola Scriptura’ (Bible alone is the basis of faith) and ‘Sola Fide’ (Faith alone is the basis of salvation).
If you have a Bible, you can create your own church, with your own interpretations! You can cheat many poor people by proclaiming yourself as an angel or prophet! But can you give them salvation? The church you create will never be the Church of Christ. Religion making business is a money-making business now!
NEXT: Why Do Catholics Baptize Infants
And also some would also claim that they are the son of God in the Last Days and being the way the truth and the light and accusing St. Jerome of being a Catholic...
ReplyDeleteThis man you're referring to Bro. Keb is a fool. A lot of people already know that he's a fake. His members just can't accept the truth. He's been lying since the beginning.
ReplyDeleteIt's sad how many people fall for the protestant lie. It's simple, study history and you will learn the truth. That's how I became a Catholic.
ReplyDeleteMartin luther removed the apocrypha not because of his own personal teachings, but because they were written in greek, not hebrew. all the books are in the old testament, but are not in the jewish torah. i think it was thomas aquanis also wanted to remove these books. but the problem is they consist of the first 600 years before christ, and this is why protestant bibles are actually missing this era.
ReplyDeleteThe Old Testament is written in Hebrew
DeleteThe New Testament is written in Greek
But would Luther have abandoned them if he lived into the 20th Century? When the Dead Sea Scrolls were found they contained some of those Books written in Hebrew.
ReplyDeleteThe protestants abused the Bible and claiming it as enough means for our salvation. They are actually an enemy of truth pretending to be a pro.
ReplyDelete