I have recently been very instructed in the Catholic religion by a few 'most-Catholic' believers.
What I have learned from that is:
The Catholic Religion was made sometime after after the Bible in the First Century was confirmed in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, as written by the prophets of the Old and the apostles of the New.
The latter-day Catholic Religion began to be formed out of the oral and written traditions of men called their 'Church Fathers'. These traditions were not included by God in Scripture, because they were not written by His personally chosen prophets and apostles.
That coming out of and away from the apostles' doctrine (I John 2:19) first began when these so-called 'apostolic' leaders determined that Scripture alone (sola scriptura), was not sufficient to combat the heresy of Arian. They determined among themselves that other traditional writings were needed. Thus the door was opened to inclusion of such 'sacred' writings alongside and equal to that of Scripture.
In due time therefore these same 'leaders' and 'church fathers' began to determine that 'sola scriptura' was not sufficient for any matters of faith. And with the synod of Carthage in the late 4th Century, they officially came all the way out and separated themselves completely (Jude 1) from that faith of Jesus found only in the Scriptures written by the apostles. That is when they officially published and 'canonized' the oral and written traditions of their own fathers as sacredly from God. And the Bible itself became another 'Book' to read from. Important in some historical respects, yes, but certainly not the sole source of authority for the Newly-made and ordained by men Catholic Religion.
These Catholic 'Canons' codified from papally-approved 'synods' have become the Catholic authoritative and 'sacred' writings for their Catholic Religion, which first began as equally supplemental to that of God, and now has replaced that of God. First departing from 'sola scriptura' they have ended by embracing 'sola catholica'.
While they still invoke the name of Jesus, they are much more worshipful of their Mother of God, 'Mary'. And they only look into the Scripture of the Bible in order to rewrite it for their own canonical needs.
The Catholic Religion and 'Church Fathers' of that religion have no more to do with the apostles and inheritors of the apostles' doctrine, than the unbelieving Jews of Jesus' day had anything to do with the prophets and the Law of Moses. The Catholics still keep the Bible in their library, but their 'Fathers' Canons are their source of power and authority over their religion. Even as the unbelieving Jews of today still keep the Torah in their libraries, but their 'Fathers' Rabbinical writings are the source and power over their religion.
Even as the Jews that rejected Jesus went on to make and confirm their own Jews' Religion (Gal 1:13) out of the true religion of God by Scripture in the Old Covenant, so have the Catholics made and confirmed their own Catholics' Religion out of the true religion of God by Scripture in the New Covenant.
And this is confirmed by a couple simple questions:
1. Are Catholic Religion Canons sacred and authoritative in comparison to the Bible. (Yes)
2. Is the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, born into the world by 'Immaculate Conception' and now offering Mediation between Jesus and man, in like manner as Jesus was born into the world by virgin birth and now offers Mediation between God and Man, or between God and Mary's children of men. (Yes)
3. Are such Canon-bound and Mary-born Catholics washed in the blood of the Lamb? (No answer as of yet been given)
What I have learned from that is:
The Catholic Religion was made sometime after after the Bible in the First Century was confirmed in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, as written by the prophets of the Old and the apostles of the New.
The latter-day Catholic Religion began to be formed out of the oral and written traditions of men called their 'Church Fathers'. These traditions were not included by God in Scripture, because they were not written by His personally chosen prophets and apostles.
That coming out of and away from the apostles' doctrine (I John 2:19) first began when these so-called 'apostolic' leaders determined that Scripture alone (sola scriptura), was not sufficient to combat the heresy of Arian. They determined among themselves that other traditional writings were needed. Thus the door was opened to inclusion of such 'sacred' writings alongside and equal to that of Scripture.
In due time therefore these same 'leaders' and 'church fathers' began to determine that 'sola scriptura' was not sufficient for any matters of faith. And with the synod of Carthage in the late 4th Century, they officially came all the way out and separated themselves completely (Jude 1) from that faith of Jesus found only in the Scriptures written by the apostles. That is when they officially published and 'canonized' the oral and written traditions of their own fathers as sacredly from God. And the Bible itself became another 'Book' to read from. Important in some historical respects, yes, but certainly not the sole source of authority for the Newly-made and ordained by men Catholic Religion.
These Catholic 'Canons' codified from papally-approved 'synods' have become the Catholic authoritative and 'sacred' writings for their Catholic Religion, which first began as equally supplemental to that of God, and now has replaced that of God. First departing from 'sola scriptura' they have ended by embracing 'sola catholica'.
While they still invoke the name of Jesus, they are much more worshipful of their Mother of God, 'Mary'. And they only look into the Scripture of the Bible in order to rewrite it for their own canonical needs.
The Catholic Religion and 'Church Fathers' of that religion have no more to do with the apostles and inheritors of the apostles' doctrine, than the unbelieving Jews of Jesus' day had anything to do with the prophets and the Law of Moses. The Catholics still keep the Bible in their library, but their 'Fathers' Canons are their source of power and authority over their religion. Even as the unbelieving Jews of today still keep the Torah in their libraries, but their 'Fathers' Rabbinical writings are the source and power over their religion.
Even as the Jews that rejected Jesus went on to make and confirm their own Jews' Religion (Gal 1:13) out of the true religion of God by Scripture in the Old Covenant, so have the Catholics made and confirmed their own Catholics' Religion out of the true religion of God by Scripture in the New Covenant.
And this is confirmed by a couple simple questions:
1. Are Catholic Religion Canons sacred and authoritative in comparison to the Bible. (Yes)
2. Is the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, born into the world by 'Immaculate Conception' and now offering Mediation between Jesus and man, in like manner as Jesus was born into the world by virgin birth and now offers Mediation between God and Man, or between God and Mary's children of men. (Yes)
3. Are such Canon-bound and Mary-born Catholics washed in the blood of the Lamb? (No answer as of yet been given)
