Quick Reference Guide: Catholicism vs. The Bible

A point - by - point comparison — Excerpted from The Gospel According to Rome by James McCarthy

The Catholic Church Teaches:

1. Justification is a transformation of the soul in which original sin is removed and sanctifying grace infused [1987-1995].

2. Initial justification is by means of baptism [1262-1274].

3. Adults must prepare for justification through faith and good works [1247-1249].

4. The justified are in themselves beautiful and holy in God’s sight [1992, 1999-2000, 2024].

5. Justification is furthered by sacraments and good works [1212, 1392, 2010].

6. Justification is lost through mortal sin [1033, 1855, 1874].

7. Catholics guilty of mortal sin are justified again through the sacrament of penance [980, 1446].

8. Salvation from the eternal consequences of sin is a lifelong process [161-162, 1254-1255].

9. Salvation is attained by cooperating with grace through faith, good works, and participation in the sacraments [183, 1129, 1815, 2002].

10. Faith is belief in God and the firm acceptance of all that the Church proposes for belief [181-182, 1814].

11. Sanctifying grace is a quality of the soul, a supernatural disposition that perfects the soul [1999-2000].

12. The sacraments are necessary channels for the continual infusion of grace. They bestow grace in virtue of the rite performed [1127-1129].

13. Grace is merited by good works [2010, 2027].

14. Venial sins do not incur eternal punishment [1855, 1863].

15. Serious sins must be confessed to a priest [1456-1457].

16. The priest forgives sin as a judge [1442, 1461].

17. When the guilt of sin is forgiven, temporal punishment remains [1472-1473].

18. Acts of penance make satisfaction for the temporal punishment of sin [1434, 1459-1460].

19. Indulgences dispensed by the Church for acts of piety release sinners from temporal punishment [1471-1473].

20. Purgatory is necessary to atone for sin and cleanse the soul [1030-1031].

21. Poor souls suffering in purgatory can be helped by those alive on earth offering up prayers, good works, and the sacrifice of the Mass [1032, 1371, 1479].

22. No one can know if he will attain to eternal life [1036, 2005].

23. Eternal life is a merited reward [1821, 2010].

24. The Roman Catholic Church is necessary for salvation [846].

NOTE: Numbered paragraphs refer to the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

The Bible Teaches:

1. Justification is an act of God in which He declares a sinner to be righteous in His sight, having forgiven his sins and imputed to him God’s own righteousness (Rom:3:21-4
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2. Justification is by faith alone (Rom:3:28Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
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3. God justifies ungodly sinners who believe (Rom:4:5But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
See All...). Good works are the result of salvation, not the cause (Eph:2:8-10 [8] For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: [9] Not of works, lest any man should boast. [10] For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
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4. The justified are in Christ holy and blameless before God (Eph:1:1-14 [1] Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: [2] Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. [3] Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: [4] According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: [5] Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, [6] To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. [7] In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; [8] Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; [9] Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: [10] That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: [11] In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: [12] That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. [13] In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, [14] Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
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5. Justification is the imputation of the perfect righteousness of God (2 Cor:5:21For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
See All...). In Christ the believer has been made complete (Col:2:10And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
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6. Justification cannot be lost. Those whom God justifies will be saved from the wrath of God (Rom:5:8But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
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7. There is no second justification. Those whom God justifies He also will glorify (Rom:8:30Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
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8. Salvation from the eternal consequences of sin is an instantaneous and secure act of God coinciding with justification (Romans:5:9Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
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9. Salvation is attained by grace through faith apart from works (Eph:2:8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
See All..., 9). Good works are the result, not the cause, of salvation (Eph:2:10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
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10. Saving faith is the entrusting of oneself to Christ as Lord and Savior (Rom:10:8-17 [8] But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; [9] That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. [10] For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. [11] For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. [12] For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. [13] For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. [14] How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? [15] And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! [16] But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? [17] So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
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11. Grace is the undeserved favor of God (Eph:1:7In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
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12. The child of God is the constant object of the Father’s grace (Rom:5:1Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
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13. Grace is a free gift (Rom:11:6And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
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14. Every sin is punishable by eternal death (Rom:6:23For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
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15. Sin is to be confessed directly to God (Ezra:10:11Now therefore make confession unto the LORD God of your fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives.
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16. No one can forgive sin but God alone (Mark:2:7Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?
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17. When God forgives sin, He completely forgives (Col:2:13And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
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18. Jesus made perfect satisfaction for all sins (1 John:2:1My 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:
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19. Jesus releases believers from their sins by His blood (Rev:1:5And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
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20. Purgatory does not exist. Jesus made purification for sins on the cross (Heb:1:3Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
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21. Those who sleep in Christ need no help. To be absent from the body is to be at home with the Lord (2 Cor:5:8We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
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22. The believer can know that he has eternal life by the Word of God (1 John:5:13These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
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23. Eternal life is the free gift of God (Rom:6:23For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
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24. There is salvation in no one but the Lord Jesus Christ, “for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts:4:12Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
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