12 Catholic Questions for Protestants

1 Where is Sola Scriptura in the Bible?
The scriptures were written by people who were very close to the spiritual events they were describing.  By what rationale can we supersede the words of the authors of the NT?

2 Where are your bishops and deacons that were in the original church?

Don't understand this question.  Churches have pastors, elders and deacons.
For that matter, where are popes in the New Testament?

3 If Christ commands to eat his flesh and blood, how do you do this without transubstantiation?

Just as manna gave the Israelites life, so Jesus gives us life spiritually and physically.
This is the underlying reality, which Communion conveys symbolically.

4 How can you claim to have true faith when "faith without works is dead"?

Obviously your beliefs result in actions, which show what you really believe more than what you say you believe.

5 Why do you not call Mary blessed as Luke 1:48 say you must?

Actually, none of the translations I see express this as something compulsory.
Watch this: in a few questions he is going to ask about women preachers.

6 Do you confess your sins to another? (James 5:16)

7 Where in scripture are women allowed to teach or preach?

8 (a question about unleavened bread and grape juice)

9 (no question 9)

10 and 11 (a question about the deuterocannonical books)

Basically these books were regarded only as a historical supplement and were canonized because they give justification to doctrines such as purgatory.  Protestants stopped including them because they had insufficient interest in studying them compared to the extra cost an bulk of the Bible they preferred.  The same principle as just buying a NT.

12 If Jesus' flesh is only shared with us symbolically then the sacrifice is symbolic and there is no real salvation (only a symbolic one).

Jesus  gives us life, just as food gives us life.

The Cost of being a Disciple of Jesus

Jesus warns of the cost of being his disciple

25 Now great crowds were traveling with Him. So He turned and said to them: 
26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, and even his own life—he cannot be My disciple. 
27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.
--Luke 14:25-27

31 “Or what king, going to war against another king, will not first sit down and decide if he is able with 10,000 to oppose the one who comes against him with 20,000? 
32 If not, while the other is still far off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 
33 In the same way, therefore, every one of you who does not say good-bye to all his possessions cannot be My disciple.
--Luke 14:31-33

You can have peace with God, but the conditions are complete surrender.  You can settle "out of court".

13 Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go through it. 
14 How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it.
--Matthew 7:13-14

3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?
--Hebrews 2:3

How To Know If You Are Saved

Here are the Bible verses from "Is It Real?" by John MacArthur

Have You Enjoyed Fellowship with Christ and the Father?

9 God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

--1 Cor 1:9

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God; and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him.

--1 John 5:1

20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

--Gal 1:20

10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

--John 10:10

Light and darkness do not coexist.

If we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

--1 John 1:7

My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
--1 John 2:1-2

Do we Obey God?

3 By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.
--1 John 2:3

20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
--Matt 28:28

Do You Reject This Evil World?

15 Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
--1 John 2:15

4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
--2 Cor 4:4

Do You See a Decreasing Pattern of Sin in Your Life?

Repent and Be Baptized!

4 John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
--Mark 1:4
This show baptism is associated with repentance.

37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”

38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
--Acts 2:36-38
Baptism with true repentance is associated with receiving the holy spirit.


9 It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 
10 And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove. 
11 Then a voice came from heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
--Mark 1:9-11
This verse shows that baptism is by immersion.

15 Then He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. 
16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
--Mark 16:15-16
Baptism is part of the great commission.

Acts 9:18
Paul was baptized

30 ...“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”
...Right away he and all his family were baptized.
--Acts 16:30-31
Baptism is the first act after believing.

26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 
27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
--Gal 3:26-28

3 ...do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?
--Romans 6:3
We are baptized into Jesus and his death.




ToDo:
Repent verses:
2 Pet 3:9
Acts 17:30-31
Acts 2:38
Matt 3:2
Matt 4:17

Belief, Repentance, Baptism & New Life

Matt 7:13-14

Matt 22:14

Matt 11:29

Luke 11:46

Hebrews 11:1

Romans 10:17

Acts 2:22-24 and 30-32

John 4:19-24

John 9:39-41

John 17:3

Hebrews 11:6

Acts 8:12

Romans 10:14

(also 1 Cor 15:1-2)

Romans 4:13-14, 20-25 (quoting Gen 15:6)

Galatians 3:7-11

All things are possible to him who believeth
--Mark 9:23-24

Protestant Grievances with the Roman Catholic Church

Relic Worship.
Calling the Pope "Holy Father", same title as God in John 17

In Matthew, Jesus says to not call anyone on earth "Father".

 5 ...They make their phylacteries broad, enlarge the fringes of their garments, 
6 and love the place of honor at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, 
7 the salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi, Rabbi’ by men. 
8 But don’t you be called ‘Rabbi,’ for one is your teacher, the Christ, and all of you are brothers. 
9 Call no man on the earth your father, for one is your Father, he who is in heaven.
10 Neither be called masters, for one is your master, the Christ. 
11 But he who is greatest among you will be your servant. 
12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
--Matt 23:5-12

6...you have revoked God’s word because of your tradition.
--Matt 15:6

By calling himself "Holy Father", the Pope steals glory from God.

Jesus clearly teaches against taking on exalted titles:

17 ..."Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" 
18 Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except one—God.
--Mark 10:17

Col 1:18 says Christ gets first place in everything.

(this material snarfed from "Are Catholics Saved? - John MacArthur")

5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
--1 Tim 2:5
(Not Mary)

3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
--2 Cor 11:3

14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
--2 Cor 11:14-15

 10 There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, 
11 or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead.
--Deut 18:11

1 Dear friends, although I was eager to write you about the salvation we share, I found it necessary to write and exhort you to contend for the faith that was delivered to the saints once for all.
--Jude 1:3
(nothing further needed)

7 “Why does He speak like this? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?
--Mark 2:7


21 Jesus told her, “... an hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.
--John 4:21

23 But an hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. Yes, the Father wants such people to worship Him. 
24 God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
--John 4:23

It is not about a place, but about you.

12 but he, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
--Hebrews 10:12
Christ is not re-sacrificed over and over again.

30..."It is finished!"
--John 19:30

26 You both see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in almost all of Asia, this man Paul has persuaded and misled a considerable number of people by saying that gods made by hand are not gods! 
27 So not only do we run a risk that our business may be discredited, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be despised and her magnificence come to the verge of ruin — the very one all of Asia and the world adore.”
--Acts 19:26-27

Statues of saints are a continuation of this pagan practice.
The old pantheon of gods became the pantheon of saints.

2 I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
-- 1 Cor 2:2

Paul's gospel was essentially about Jesus.

Bible Verses Catholics use to Justify the Special Authority of Peter

First of all, I should note that the Roman Catholic Church does not need any Bible verses for any doctrines.  She can declare them as valid doctrines by virtue of tradition.  Meanwhile:


18 I also tell you that you are Peter,[a] and on this rock[b] I will build my assembly, and the gates of Hades[c] will not prevail against it. 
19 I will give to you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven; and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven.”
--Matthew 16:18-19

Notice the two footnotes:

[a]Matthew 16:18 Peter’s name, Petros in Greek, is the word for a specific rock or stone.
[b]Matthew 16:18 Greek, petra, a rock mass or bedrock.

31 The Lord said, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan asked to have you, that he might sift you as wheat, 32 but I prayed for you, that your faith wouldn’t fail. You, when once you have turned again, establish your brothers.”
--Luke 22:31-32

In John 15:21 Jesus tells Peter to feed my sheep and lambs.

Was Peter The First Pope?

From the Bible we really do not have good evidence that Peter was ever in Rome:

In Romans 16, from the year 56 A.D, Paul greets a list of people, but Peter was not one of them.

These four letters were written while Paul was in Rome under house arrest (Acts 27:1-28:31):

Ephesians 3:1; 4:1; 6:18-20;
Philippians 1:12, 13; 4:22;
Colossians 4:2-4;
Philemon 1, 10, 22, 23

In none of these letters, do we see Peter mentioned.

2 Tim 4:6 starts a list of people who were with Paul at the end; Peter was not one of them.

Peter was not called to minister among the gentiles:

for he who appointed Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision appointed me also to the Gentiles
--Gal 2:8

This verse shows that Peter had not laid a foundation in Rome in Paul's time.

20 yes, making it my aim to preach the Good News, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build on another’s foundation.
--Romans 15:20

Gal 2:7-8 Peter stood condemned

From the Bible we do not see that Peter is in a special position of authority:

Peter last appears in scripture in Acts 15, where we see James as the head of the Jerusalem Church.

1 Peter 1:1 Peter calls himself an apostle.

The following verse gives us the universal priesthood of believers:

5 You also, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
--1 Peter 2:5

1 Peter 5:1 Peter is an Elder:

1 I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder,
--1 Peter 5:1

Paul condemns in the church at Corinth "these slogans you have, like 'I am for Paul,' 'I am for Apollos,' 'I am for Cephas' (1 Cor 1:12).
In the end, he does not in any way give Peter a special status.

In Acts 1, at the end of the chapter, it was the other disciples who chose who would replace Judas.

Bible Verses for Grace, Not Works

All these verses contradict the Roman Catholic doctrine of salvation by works of merit:

repent ye, and believe the gospel.
--Mark 1:15

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;
--Romans 1:16


For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.
--Romans 3:20

For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.
--Romans 3:28

 3 what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” 
4 Now to him who works, the reward is not counted as grace, but as something owed. 
5 But to him who doesn’t work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.  
--Romans 4:3-6

 “For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.”
--Romans 5:17

30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, who didn’t follow after righteousness, attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith; 
31 but Israel, following after a law of righteousness, didn’t arrive at the law of righteousness. 
32 Why? Because they didn’t seek it by faith, but as it were by works of the law.
--Romans 9:30

4 For Christ is the fulfillment of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. 
5 For Moses writes about the righteousness of the law, “The one who does them will live by them.” 
6 But the righteousness which is of faith says this, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’(that is, to bring Christ down); 
7 or, ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.)” 
8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth, and in your heart”; that is, the word of faith, which we preach: 
9 that if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 
10 For with the heart, one believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 
11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed.”
--Romans 10:4

16 yet knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law, because no flesh will be justified by the works of the law. 
--Gal 2:16

10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse. For it is written, “Cursed is everyone who doesn’t continue in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them.” 
11 Now that no man is justified by the law before God is evident, for, “The righteous will live by faith.”
--Gal 3:10

8 for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 
9 not of works, that no one would boast. 
--Eph 2:8-9

21 He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
--2 Cor 5:21

2 Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision. 
3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh;
--Phil 3

4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love toward mankind appeared, 
5 not by works of righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy, he saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 
6 whom he poured out on us richly, through Jesus Christ our Savior; 
7 that, being justified by his grace, we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
--Titus 3:4-7


all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; 
--Isaiah 64:6

 30 Then he escorted them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”
--Acts 16:30-31

29 Jesus replied, “This is the work of God—that you believe in the One He has sent.”
--John 6:29

If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: 
5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; 
6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
--Phil 3:4-6

7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 
8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ
--Phil 3:7-9

Jesus Of Testimony

This is a really good video:
The Jesus of Testimony
http://youtu.be/mpwQFYnhqEs