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Brother Phillip: Hello, I’m Brother Phillip Velasquez and thank you for joining us again on another episode of That’s in the Bible, where your questions are answered straight from the Bible. Today we have a number of questions asked by Geoffrey Laganga from good ol’ London and this is what he asks…
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Question: What makes the Church Of Christ different from the Catholic Church?
Geoffrey
London, England
What makes the Church Of Christ different from the Catholic Church?
Brother Phillip: What makes the Church Of Christ different from the Catholic Church? Well, there are many differences. The most obvious, though, is the name: “Church of Christ” and the “Roman Catholic Church.”
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Church Of Christ, Iglesia Ni Cristo, Kirche Christi, whatever language
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That’s in the Bible
Brother Phillip: The Church Of Christ, or Iglesia Ni Cristo, Kirche Christi, whatever language you say it in is the Church that is in the Bible. While the name “Roman Catholic Church,” isn’t. We can read here “the Church Of Christ” here in Acts 20 and 28:
Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, to feed the church of Christ which he has purchased with his blood.
[Acts 20:28 Lamsa Translation]
Brother Phillip: We can also read it here in Ephesians 4 and 12. This is what Apostle Paul teaches:
The common object of their labor was to bring the Christians maturity, to prepare them for Christian service, and the building up of the Church of Christ.
[Ephesians 4:12 Norlie’s Translation]
Is there a difference in doctrine between the Church Of Christ and Catholic Church?
Brother Phillip: But Geoffrey, the differences extend beyond the name, differences can be found in the doctrines taught and upheld. Why?
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The basis of doctrines are different
Brother Phillip: Because the basis of doctrines are different for the two religions. According to a Catholic writer recognized by the Vatican, what is the basis of the Catholic Church in regard to the doctrines and teachings they uphold? Let’s read a book entitled [The] Spirit of Catholicism and this is written by Karl Adam:
“Without Scripture,” says Mohler, “the true form of the sayings of Jesus would have been withheld from us. Yet the Catholic does not derive his faith in Jesus from the Scriptures.”
[The Spirit of Catholicism by Karl Adam, pg.50]
Brother Phillip: Dear friends, the Catholic Church, by their own admission, did not get their faith from our Lord Jesus Christ and from His gospel. Hence, we shouldn’t be surprised to find out that many of the Catholic teachings or practices are not based on Scripture or on the Bible. So what do they base their doctrine on, then?
Let’s read what John Walsh, another Catholic writer recognized by the Vatican says in his book entitled, This is Catholicism. Here [on] page 181, 182, to 183. This is what it says:
Does the Catholic Church derive all her doctrines solely from the Bible? No. While most of the Church’s teachings are contained in the Bible, some others are not…From what source does the Church obtain these other teachings? They are derived from the past pronouncements of the Church herself…This includes not only the works of the Fathers and Doctors of the Church, the letters and decisions of her popes, the minutes of her councils, the treatises of her principal theologians, and biblical commentators, of her saints and mystics, but also the writings of hundreds of obscure bishops and forgotten priests.
[This is Catholicism by John Walsh, pg.181,182,183]
Brother Phillip: And we can read here in the footnote:
These evidences of the Church’s past teaching are collectively termed tradition.
[This is Catholicism by John Walsh, pg.181,182,183]
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What does the Catholic Church base many of her doctrines upon? Tradition. Minutes of Councils. Doctors of the Church. Hundreds of obscure bishops. Forgotten priests.
Brother Phillip: On what does the Catholic Church base many of her doctrines upon? Tradition, according to what we just read. Teachings derived from minutes of councils, doctors of the church and even, according to their own admission, writings, and hundreds of obscure bishops, and forgotten priests. What else does the Catholic Church base their doctrines and teachings on? Here in The Spirit of Catholicism by Karl Adam, here [on] page 166, is what we can read:
She does not hesitate even to take over pagan ritual and pagan symbols, whenever such things can be Christianized and reformed.
[The Spirit of Catholicism by Karl Adam, pg.166]
Brother Phillip: Throughout history, the Catholic Church’s doctrines have evolved or changed, as they incorporate tradition in their teachings and even rituals taken from pagan religions in their efforts to convert these people into Catholicism. What’s an example of a popular Catholic teaching or practice that’s based on tradition? Let’s read an official Catholic book, The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 13, here in pages 184 to 185:
In the Western Church, ‘The Rosary,’ says the Roman Breviary, ‘is a certain form of prayer wherein we say fifteen decades or tens of Hail Mary, with an Our Father between each ten…when the Albigensian heresy was devastating the country of Toulouse, St. Dominic earnestly besought the help of Our Lady and was instructed by her, ‘so tradition asserts,’ to preach the Rosary among the people as an antidote to heresy and sin.
[The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 13, pgs.184-185]
Brother Phillip: As we’ve read, the practice of praying the rosary in the Catholic Church is based only on tradition, and is written nowhere in the Bible. What’s another example of a Catholic teaching or practice that was taken from other pagan religions and adopted as her own? The use of candles in praying for the deceased. From where did it originate? Let’s read the same book [The] Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 3, this time, [on] page 246. This is what we’re told:
…we need not shrink from admitting that candles like incense and lustral water, were commonly employed in pagan worship and in the rites paid to the dead but the Church from a very early period took them into her service, just as she adopted many other things indifferent in themselves, which seemed proper to enhance the splendor of religious ceremonial.
[The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 3, pg.246]
Brother Phillip: So we can see dear friends, even the teaching of using candles to pray for the deceased originated from pagan worship, which the Catholic Church incorporated into her own services. There are many other instances where Catholic doctrine is based upon ancient pagan practices.
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How about the Church Of Christ?
Brother Phillip: How about the Church Of Christ? What is its basis for its doctrines upheld? Well, it’s just this: the Bible.
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The Bible. The sole basis of faith of the Church Of Christ.
The Holy Scripture is the sole basis of the faith of the Church Of Christ. “Why,” you ask? Let’s read here in Deuteronomy 12:32. This is God’s strict instruction, 12:32:
Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.
[Deuteronomy 12:32 New King James Version]
Brother Phillip: So, it’s God’s strict instruction that we must not alter or modify by adding to or subtracting from any of His commandments for any reason. What’s the characteristic of God’s Word written in the Holy Scriptures, that is why it should be the sole basis of our faith? We can read here in John 17:17:
Sanctify them by Your truth Your word is truth.
[John 17:17 New King James Version]
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Our teachings based solely upon the words of God written in the Bible which is truth.
Brother Phillip: Our teachings are based solely upon the words of God written in the Bible, which is, which is Truth. And we do our best to share this truth with others, because our Lord Jesus Christ instructed this. And that’s written in Mark 16:15 and 16. Here are the specific commands of our Lord Jesus Christ:
And he said to them, “Go throughout the whole world and preach the gospel to the whole human race. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned
[Mark 16:15-16 Today’s English Version]
Brother Phillip: As a matter of fact, the Church of Christ goes to great lengths to share this knowledge of truth to our fellow men.
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Ministers sent to preach the truth
Brother Phillip: Ministers are sent throughout the world preaching these truths. We’re very active in works of propagation.
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Iglesia Ni Cristo Evangelical Missions
Brother Phillip: We set up Iglesia Ni Cristo Evangelical Missions in every corner of the globe, where thousands are invited to hear the truth.
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Chapels throughout the world
Brother Phillip: Our chapels throughout the world are open for anyone seeking the truth.
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incmedia.org
Where truth meets you
Brother Phillip: Even the show you’re watching right now, along with other programs on this website—which are also broadcast on TV stations in a growing number of countries—all of this is for the noble intention in spreading the true knowledge of God for man’s salvation. This is a massive undertaking, no doubt. And you can imagine the massive resources used for this holy work.
Although the members do give voluntary contributions in the worship services,
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The giving of offerings in the Church Of Christ has Biblical basis
Brother Phillip: . . . the giving of offerings that we observe in the Church of Christ has a Biblical basis, as written in 2 Corinthians 9:7:
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II Corinthians 9:7
New International Version
Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Brother Phillip: …and they are being used for holy endeavors, such as to help in the propagation, or spreading the true teachings of God, and for the administering of our services to Him. And this is what we can read in the Bible, in 2 Corinthians 9:12 to 13:
For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confessions to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men,
[2 Corinthians 9:12-13 New King James Version]
Brother Phillip: We do hope, Geoffrey, that your questions were answered today. That all came from the Holy Scriptures, the Bible. Well, that’s all we have time for for this episode. We thank you for joining us. We’ll be back soon. But in the meantime, why not share this episode with someone you know.
We also encourage you to email us with your questions. Remember one of the instructions of our Lord Jesus Christ, written in Matthew 7:7:
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be open to you
[Matthew 7:7 New International Version]
Now that’s in the Bible. Thanks for watching. I’m Brother Phillip Velasquez and we’ll see you next time.
