[BIBLE QUESTION] I’m 20 years old and a practicing Catholic. I read some of the things on your website and I felt inclined to contact you. First, I would like to commend your great effort in the search for Truth. Many people today do not want to hear the Truth as many people have forgotten God, believing themselves to be self-sufficient, too sinful to receive God’s mercy, etc. What struck me, however, as I read some of your articles, is that you used to be Catholic, but have now decided to leave the Church. I believe I read some references to you bowing to icons, praying to saints, Mary, etc. My question to you would be, what led you to believe that the Bible was the only source of God’s Word? While it is wonderful that you follow such a strict observance of God’s word as revealed in Sacred Scripture, I cannot find any reference within Scripture itself that claims that it is the only source of the Revelation of the Word of God. This is what I’d like to discuss, as it seems that you are an observer of Sola Scriptura….Peace of Christ be with you,
[BIBLE ANSWER] As you probably know, the Roman Catholic church goes by two sources of authority: (1) The Bible and (2) what they call Sacred Tradition. The most serious problem in believing in both is the serious contradictions. For example, the Bible condemns the Rosary and its repetitious prayers in Mt. 6:6-8. That is how pagans pray and Jesus’ followers are commanded to NOT pray that way! (It is a sin to pray the Rosary.) Hence, both can’t be right! Either Mt. 6:6-8 is wrong (which is impossible since it is Jesus’ teaching) or the Rosary is wrong, which began around 1090! To compound the problem for Catholics, the Rosary actually declares Mary as “our life, sweetness and hope,” which also severely contradicts the Bible! (Jesus is our life, sweetness and hope.) Shockingly, the Roman Catholic church also says the Rosary is the epitome of the whole gospel (Catechism of the Catholic Church)! That is EXTREME error, which is sending people to hell. So with that alone, both the Bible and Catholic Tradition can’t be accurate. Moreover, the Bible teaches it alone is FINAL AUTHORITY:
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Tim 3:16,17)
If one isn’t throughly equipped for every good work, then he isn’t a man of God! We are also told not to go beyond what is written (referring to the Scriptures) in 1 Cor. 4:6.
Finally, the Catholic church errs when it cites 2 Thess. 3:6 for Scriptural support of their many traditions, since they can NOT prove their traditions is what that Scripture is referring to when he used the word tradition. Also, what Paul referred to was consistent with his written teachings, which refutes Catholic traditions.
So it was the Biblical message itself and simple logic which helped me to know only the Bible is final authority. **MOST IMPORTANTLY, by going to the Bible alone, I was able to find eternal life and deliverance from my sin addictions, which you can too! Jesus is the one we are to trust and obey for salvation, which leaves NO ROOM for Mary, being a Catholic or the sacraments. Do you know about our important book for Catholics, “Is This The Mary Of The Bible?” (BTW, when I left Roman Catholicism I was only leaving a false religious system, not God. I found eternal life.)
