"For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." -Romans 10:3,4
Photo
to Right: Luis, 10, prays in idolatry before a statue of Mary in Santa Rosa
church in Peru.
What a prisonhouse of religion! I was watching the Catholic EWTN (Eternal Word Television Network) today and wanted to throw a brick through the TV set. I'd never heard so many lies in my life. Today's program was titled, The Grace of a Happy Death. The show featured Fr. Andrew Apostoli, CFR, author of the book, Treasure of Fatima. Fatima is a big hoax of the Vatican, not prophesied of in the Scriptures.
Surely God would have foretold us of such a great event IF IT WERE TRUE. The entire alleged message of Fatima is blasphemy, totally unscriptural. Mr. Apostoli teaches that devotion to Christ also requires devotion to Mary, which requires devotion to Joseph. Tragically, over a billion people believe this kind of garbage. The Word of God never leads us to recognize Mary or Joseph in any capacity. To do so is sin according to Isaiah 42:8, "I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images."
Also featured was Susan Tassone, author of the book, "Prayers For Eternal Life." Concerning Ms. Tassone's disturbing book, we read ...
"Prayers for Eternal Life, by Susan Tassone, another hugely helpful guide to the afterlife by the most popular current writer on purgatory, giving specific prayers, practices, and devotions to aid in achieving the most pleasant, happy death. We can die in happiness. But it takes preparation. Find hope and comfort in prayers to Jesus, with the Blessed Mother, St. Joseph, and others!" -SOURCE
Photo to Right: This poor child is being taught idolatry.
Where in the Word of God are we directed to pray "specific prayers, practices, and devotions to aid in achieving the most pleasant, happy death"?
What a big ugly lie!!! To the contrary, the Bible declares, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us..."
No amount of prayers, practices, or devotions can help us obtain eternal life. The Catholic Church is of the Devil. God doesn't require any works from us to be saved (Romans 4:3-5).
Oh how foolish are the people who allow themselves to remain victims of Catholicism. I plead with you to forsake the false religion of Catholicism (Roman or Orthodox), and come to Christ alone.
On the EWTN show today, they were talking about litany prayers (i.e., a prayer consisting of a series of invocations by the priest with responses from the congregation), Purgatory, keeping of the Sacraments, praying for the dead, living in a state of grace, devotion to the Rosary, etc ... never a mention of placing faith in Christ alone for salvation.
All I ever hear Catholics talking about is religion, and more religion; BUT, they never talk about being born again by FAITH ALONE in Jesus Christ. The reason is because Catholics have PERVERTED the simple Gospel of Christ by adding all sorts of prays, practices, and devotions to it.
If you add anything to faith alone in Christ, you have perverted the Gospel, "...but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ" -Galatians 1:7. Ephesians 2:8,9 states, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."
The Bible couldn't be more clear; YET, Catholics continue going about to establish their own righteousness (Romans 10:3,4). Salvation is by faith alone in Jesus Christ, without works! The "works" which the Apostle James spoke of, refer to us being justified in man's eyes, not Gods. James clearly says in James 2:18, "Shew ME, and ... shew THEE." 1st Samuel 16:7 teaches that only God can see our heart; BUT, man cannot.
Hence, we are justified by works with man, who cannot see
our heart; BUT, we are justified by faith with God, who can see out
heart. Romans 4:5 clearly supports this doctrine, "But to him that
worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is
counted for righteousness." We mustn't add, diminish, or corrupt the
Scriptures from what they plainly teach.
Purgatory is a Lie!
There is not one mention in the Word of
God about a place called Purgatory! One of the demonic practices of
Catholicism is that of praying for the dead. The very title of Susan
Tassone's book, Prayers For Eternal Life, is heresy. She has also
authored a book titled, Rosary for the Holy Souls of Purgatory.
Tassone is a false prophet who teaches damnable heresies.
According to Catholic.com...
"Some Fundamentalists also charge, as though it actually proved something, "The word purgatory is nowhere found in Scripture." This is true, and yet it does not disprove the existence of purgatory or the fact that belief in it has always been part of Church teaching. The words Trinity and Incarnation aren’t in Scripture either, yet those doctrines are clearly taught in it. Likewise, Scripture teaches that purgatory exists, even if it doesn’t use that word and even if 1 Peter 3:19 refers to a place other than purgatory." -SOURCE
True, the word "Trinity" is not in the Bible; but, the word "Godhead" certainly is (Romans 1:20; Colossians 2:9). True, the word "incarnation" is not in the Bible; but, the deity of Christ is clearly taught (1st Timothy 3:16 ... "God was manifest in the flesh"). However, it is false that Purgatory is taught in the Bible. There is NOTHING in the Bible which teaches Purgatory. The above argument from Catholic.com concerning purgatory is lame.
Purgatory was first introduced in 593 A.D. 1st Peter 3:19 has nothing to do with Purgatory. Most theologians agree that 1st Peter 3:19,20 refers to the Spirit of Christ which preached through Noah to the unsaved people of Noah's time. Those lost souls were imprisoned to sin and unbelief, just as most people are today (Galatians 5:1; 2nd Peter 2:20; 1st John 5:19).
There is a common belief among Christians scholars, such as Oliver B. Greene and Jack T. Chick, that an Old Testament place existed called "Paradise." Some respectable scholars, such as Dr. John R. Rice deny this claim. I personally believe there was an Old Testament Paradise, which was part of Hades. Hades (Hell) was composed of two compartments as we read in Luke 16:26 (Torment and Paradise). You can learn much more about Hell here. We should respect the opinions of all these great men, as this is not a fundamental doctrine of the faith.
However, NOT one of the men I just mentioned ever taught that Paradise was "Purgatory" (i.e., a temporary condition of torment or suffering). Paradise was simply a place for Old Testament saints to go until Jesus completed His work of atonement. It is clear from 2nd Corinthians 12:4 that Paradise is now in Heaven. My point is that whether or not there was a place called "Paradise" in the Old Testament, it is not anything like the damnable teachings of the Catholic religion concerning Purgatory.
Here is solid proof from Catholic.com, that Catholics believe in works salvation...
"It is entirely correct to say that Christ accomplished all of our salvation for us on the cross. But that does not settle the question of how this redemption is applied to us. Scripture reveals that it is applied to us over the course of time through, among other things, the process of sanctification through which the Christian is made holy. Sanctification involves suffering (Rom. 5:3–5), and purgatory is the final stage of sanctification that some of us need to undergo before we enter heaven. Purgatory is the final phase of Christ’s applying to us the purifying redemption that he accomplished for us by his death on the cross." -SOURCE
What a lie! Purgatory is a place where Roman Catholics think those who have died in a state of grace undergo limited torment to expiate their sins. Clearly, this is works salvation, where the individual is required to pay for their own sins by being tormented.
Purgatory and Occult Satanism
Photo to Right: A statue of Saint Anthony, which is sinfully worshipped by many Catholics.
According to Spiritdaily.com...
"The Amazing Secrets of the Souls in Purgatory, by Sister Emmanuel, a nun from Medjugorje, interviews Maria Simma, an alleged mystic who has the charism of being able to see and talk to the souls in Purgatory. Answers questions like: Who decides if a soul goes to Purgatory? How do we get a soul released from Purgatory? How can we avoid Purgatory? What are the sins that most lead to purgatory? and much more!" -SOURCE
Mystic? You mean psychic! Look up the definitions for "psychic" and "mystic" and they're basically the same. The Word of God condemns consulting with familiar spirits (Leviticus 19:31). Also, talking to dead souls is called "necromancy," and is condemned in the Bible (Deuteronomy 18:11). "Sister Emmanuel" consulted with demonic sources to write her book on Purgatory. A "familiar sprit" is any spirit other than the Holy Spirit. Why would you even interview someone with a familiar spirit Ms. Emmanuel? Your own Catholic Catechism condemns such practices ...
"The Catechism of the Catholic Church is also powerfully clear on the topic:
"All forms of divination are to be rejected: recourse to Satan or demons, conjuring up the dead or other practices falsely supposed to ’unveil’ the future. Consulting horoscopes, astrology, palm reading, interpretation of omens and lots, the phenomenon of clairvoyance, and recourse to mediums all conceal a desire for power over time, history, and, in the last analysis, other human beings, as well as a wish to conciliate hidden powers. They contradict the honor, respect, and loving fear that we owe to God alone.
"All practices of magic or sorcery, by which one attempts to tame occult powers, so as to place them at one’s service and have a supernatural power over others—even if this were for the sake of restoring their health—are gravely contrary to the virtue of religion. These practices are even more to be condemned when accompanied by the intention of harming someone, or when they have recourse to the intervention of demons. Wearing charms is also reprehensible. Spiritism often implies divination or magical practices; the Church for her part warns the faithful against it" (CCC 2116–2117)." -SOURCE
Hypocritically, the Catholic religion is one of the world's biggest seller of CHARMS! Their own Catechism condemns "wearing charms." Carefully notice what the Catholic Catechism states above ... "All forms of divination are to be rejected: recourse to Satan or demons, conjuring up the dead..." Well isn't that interesting! Sister Emmanuel claims to be "...able to see and talk to the souls in Purgatory." Clearly, this is necromancy.
Photo to right: People in Medjugorje praying to the Queen of Heaven.
Also, the Catholic practice of praying to statues and images of dead saints is necromancy. Some Catholics are uncomfortable with their phraseology, and so insist that they pray "with" the saints, not "to" them. However, if one is communicating, or attempting to seek out or pursue the dead in any way, they are by very definition, practicing Necromancy. This is the pagan religious practice which is customary in nearly all pagan religions.
Jesus Christ is the ONE MEDIATOR between God and men (1st Timothy 2:5), and He doesn't need or want any help from dead saints. To teach otherwise is to distort the plain teaching of the Scriptures. Not even one mention is made in the Word of God about praying to, or for, the dead. ALL prayers are to be directed to God alone.
Jesus taught us to pray, "Our Father which art in Heaven..."--NOT "our mother," not "our brother," not "our sister"; but God alone. Those who die without Christ are doomed forever the moment they leave this world. Praying for the dead is useless and unscriptural. Jesus clearly said, "Ye must be born again" (John 3:3).
