Catholicism is very Biblically Based!

1. I have a friend who tells me the Catholic Church
isn’t Biblically based because they make up rituals
and beliefs as time goes on. How do I answer
them?
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2. • The first I would ask them
if their church hasn’t
changed over time.
• If they are honest with
you they will admit it has.
• The changes may be
found in hymns that have
been modernized,
developments in certain
ministries, vestments or
the decisions not to use
them at all.
• Let’s look at a couple of
verifiable historical facts.
• The Catholic Church
began in the upper room at
• The word “Catholic” was
first used to describe the
Christian Church,
believers in Jesus Christ,
in 106 AD by St. Ignatius
of Antioch.
• The Protestant Churches
didn’t come on the
Christian scene until
sixteenth century when
followers of the Catholic
Monk, Martin Luther,
established the evangelical
churches of Germany and
Scandinavia.

3. • Problems arise in all
churches and need a
method of problem
resolution.
• Since Catholicism is
Biblically based let’s open
our Bibles to the Acts of
the Apostles now
commonly known as Acts,
Chapter 15.
• We discover this first
Church Council took place
in Jerusalem.
• The reason for the council
was that many Gentiles
wanted to join the church.
• Legalistic Jews, Mosaic Law
followers, converted to Catholicism
and were called Judaizers.
• This group demanded that all
converts follow the works of the
Mosaic law one of which was to
become circumcised.
• When a problem arises in a church,
the military, politics, your office or
shop who ever is in charge of those
places must resolve the problem by
making a decision.
• The decision by the people in
charge becomes the new standard
or procedure.

4. • The authority for the early church
was given to St. Peter by Jesus in
both John 21 and if you understand
the original language Aramaic
idiom Matthew 16.
• Where then had Paul gone for an
answers to questions, Jerusalem
and the elders (Acts 9)?
• Who then was the authority for the
church in charged of making
decisions, St. Peter and the
apostles, now called Pope and
Bishops (Acts 15)?
• Who was it who had already
verified Paul’s teaching as correct,
St. Peter and the elders (Acts 9) ?

5. • How did the council work?
• Act 15:6 The apostles and
the elders were gathered
together to consider this
matter.
• 7 And after there had been
much debate, Peter rose and
said . . .
• Notice the Apostles, now
known as bishops, the elders
now known as priest,
together with Peter the
leader, the pope, made the
decision that circumcision
was not necessary to
become a Christian.
• Further, once Peter,
speaking about faith and
morals had finished, all
accepted his decision as
the authoritative and final
the resolution to the
problem.

6. • As you can see a decision
was made to change from
an old practice to a new
practice?
• It is also worth pointing
out to your friend that
only Bible, the Catholic
Christian Bible, existed
uncontested for 1500
years and contained 73
books.
• The only changes that
were made to Catholic
Bible were by the
Protestant reformer Martin
Luther.
• When he began
Protestantism he only
accepted 39 of the Old
Testament books.
• Seven books had been
removed by Jewish
Pharisees at their council
of Jamnia in 90 AD.
• They were removed by the
Pharisees because they
were upset with the new
Christians were using their
translation of the Hebrew
Old Testament to
substantiate Christian
beliefs.

7. • Going back to the original
statement, “the Catholic
Church isn’t Biblically
based,” is inaccurate.
• In reality, the Catholic
Church is more Biblically
based than other forms of
Christianity because the
canon, list of accepted
Biblical books, precedes all
other Christian Bibles.
• The second part of your
friends statement, “they
make up rituals and beliefs
as time goes on,” is also
inaccurate.

8. • To say just because a
ritual isn’t specifically
outlined in the passages of
the Bible over looks the
teachings of St. Paul.
• “15 So then, brethren,
stand firm and hold to the
traditions which you were
taught by us, either by
word of mouth or by letter
(2 Thessalonians 2:15).
• Christianity didn’t start
with a “Standard
Operating Procedure
Manual,” not every thing
was committed to writing.
• St. Paul goes on to say, “I
commend you because
you remember me in
everything and maintain
the traditions even as I
have delivered them to
you.” (1 Corinthians 11:2–
3)
• Again 2 Thessalonians 3:6
“Now we command you,
brethren, in the name of
our Lord Jesus Christ, that
you keep away from any
brother who is living in
idleness and not in accord
with the tradition that you
received from us.

9. • As you can see not all
traditions, rituals, or even
the Christian Bible existed
when St. Paul wrote these
words.
• Our traditions and rituals
existed since the earliest
of times and some were
even adopted by the newer
Christian or Protestant
religions.

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