What is the Difference? Roman Catholicism

ROMAN CATHOLICISM

The Roman Catholic Church has different beliefs than Biblical Christians in regard to authority (Rome’s claim to be the only “true church”, with the exclusive right and ability to interpret the Word of God for believers) and salvation (how a person finds justification from his sins).

A careful reading of the Dei Verbum shows that the Roman Catholic Church believes that the apostles passed on their authority to succeeding bishops in the churches of the first century and the centuries that followed. As the years passed, the Church added certain teachings based on what is called Sacred Tradition.

The Roman Catholic claim is that Scripture and Sacred Tradition are equal sources of spiritual authority.

The Dei Verbum confirms that “all that has been said about the manner of interpreting Scripture is ultimately subject to the judgment of the Church which exercises the divinely conferred commission and ministry of watching over and interpreting the Word of God.”

Bishops became the most important officials in the Church and by the late second century were considered the supposed successors to the apostles, complete with their powers, authority and wisdom.

Catholics believe that the Christian must rely on “faith” plus “good works” and God’s grace mediated through the Seven Sacraments:
1. Baptism
2. Confirmation
3. The Holy Eucharist (also called Holy Communion)
4. Penance (confession or reconciliation)
A Roman Catholic is forgiven by God-through the ministry of a priest-for the sins he commits after baptism.
5. Anointing of the Sick (formerly called Extreme Unction
6. Holy Orders
The sacrament through which Catholic ministers are ordained at three levels: bishop, presbyters (priests) and deacons.
7. Matrimony
The sacrament in which Christ joins a Christian man and woman in a grace-giving, lifelong union. Divorce and remarriage cut the Catholic off from Eucharistic communion but not from the Church.


Roman Catholics believe that when the priest consecrates the bread and wine during the Mass, these elements are transformed into the actual body and blood of Christ.

Penance (confession) involves “acts” or “penances” which the Roman Catholics must do to be forgiven for his or her sins. There are “mortal sins” (grave offenses) and “venial sins” (easily forgiven). If a mortal sin is not confessed and forgiven, “it causes exclusion from Christ’s kingdom and the eternal death of hell”.

When confession is made to the priest, the Catholic believer’s sins are absolved, but absolution does not remedy all the disorders sin has caused. To recover full spiritual health, the sinner must do something more to make amends or make satisfaction for his sins.

Faith in Christ is the beginning of salvation and lays the foundation for justification. Then they must build on that with good works, because “man has to merit God’s grace of justification and eternal salvation”. “As they do good works, righteousness is infused into them, sin is eradicated and the soul merits heaven.”

Even when Catholic believers do all the works required of them throughout their lives, to the best of their ability, they still are not assured of immediate entrance into heaven and into the presence of Christ at death. They still have to face punishment for sins in purgatory, a special place of cleansing where payment for sins is completed and believers are made fit for heaven. Purgatory is a paradox-a state of joy and yet of suffering. As the soul submits to the burning, purifying love of God, it sheds itself of immature self-love, and the “real self then emerges, perfected, totally absorbed in God.”

Catholics believe that those in purgatory cannot help themselves, but Catholics left back on Earth can enable them to obtain heaven more quickly by praying for them, offering Mass for them and doing forms of good works, which includes gaining indulgences.

Scripture calls the virgin Mary highly favored and blessed among women, but to Roman Catholics Mary is much more.