Know The Catholic Truth

Veneration of Saints

2012-05-18T23:33:00.000-07:00

“There is only one God, and one mediator between God and men, man Jesus Christ” (1 Tim. 2:5). Then, why do we ask saints to intercede for us? Can they hear our prayers? Are they alive there in heaven as Catholics believe or ‘sleeping’ here in the dust, as anti-Catholics teach?

We all admit the fact that Jesus is the only mediator; it doesn’t mean that we cannot or should not ask our fellow Christians to pray with us and for us! In fact, “Prayer of the righteous is very powerful” (James 5:16).

The saints and martyrs of the Catholic Church are those who lived the Bible heroically. (Not simply preachers). By declaring someone as saint, the Church proclaims publicly that they practiced virtues in their lives as taught by Jesus and all must try to imitate them.

In different Christian groups great preachers are considered as most anointed, but Catholic Church considers those who practice gospel values in their lives as most anointed! They are those who interpreted the Bible not only in words, but in their very lives! They are the heroes of the Church.

In AD 400 St. Augustine taught, worship is always given to God as it is expressed in the Greek word ‘Latria.’ But the veneration of saints is considered ‘dulia’ which is ‘honor’ that we give to saints and angels.

Bible Says Saints Are To Be Venerated

Saints are venerated as they reflect the glory of God. John 17:22 – “The glory which you have given me, I have given to them.” St. Paul says God honors those who are righteous. Romans 2:4-11 – “For he will give every man according to his works. Those patiently do good works, seek glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life… glory and honor to everyone who does good.” Romans 13:1-7 instructs to “respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.”

Saints Can Intercede For Us

The Greek word for witness is ‘martus’ as it is used in the New Testament. In the Bible, we have the evidence that those who suffered martyrdom, are helping us in our needs before God: “Therefore since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of ‘witnesses’ let us also lay aside every weight” (Heb. 12:1). We see the prayers of saints are offered to God. (Revelation 5:8) – “And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp and with golden bowls of incense which are the prayers of the saints.” Saints are aware about what is happening here on earth: Revelation 12:10-12 – Saints in heaven say, “woe to you earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great anger, he knows his time is short.” Saints see what is happening here on earth. Jesus himself said the saints and angels in heaven are watching us. “Despise not these little ones because their angels are always seeing the face of the heavenly father” (Mat. 18:10). “There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:7). It all shows the presence of saints and angels in heaven.

Veneration of Relics of Saints

Do the relics of martyrs and saints have any power from God? Why do we keep it and venerate it? Does the Bible support this Catholic practice?

Throughout the centuries it was a Christian practice to give reverence to the relics of saints. It has a strong Biblical foundation. 2 Kings 2:14 – Then he took the mantle of Elijah and struck the water, saying: “Where is the Lord, God of Elijah?” When he had struck the water, the water has parted to the one side, and to the other. And Elisha went over. - The mantle of Elijah becomes an instrument of God’s miracle. Luke 8:43-47 – A woman suffering from flow of blood for twelve years was healed when she touched the fringe of his garment. Mark 6:56 – They might touch even the fringe of his garment; and as many has touched it, all were made well. Acts 5:15-16 – They carried the sick to the streets as Peter came by so that at least his shadow might fall on some of them…and they were all healed. Acts 19:11-12 – God did extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul. Even handkerchiefs and aprons he had used were taken to the sick, and their diseases were driven away, and the evil spirits would go out of them.

Incorruptibles

Incorruptible dead body of Saint Bernadette (1879)

Incorruptible dead body of Saint Vincent de Paul (1660)

Incorruptible dead body of Saint Catherine Labouré (1876)

Incorruptible dead body of Blessed Imelda Lambertini (1333)

Incorruptible dead body of Saint John Vianney (1859)

Incorruptible dead body of Blessed Pope John XXIII (1963)

Foolishness of “Souls Sleeping” Theory!

‘The dead are sleeping until the Last Judgment Day’ is a theory made by non-Catholics to deny the intercession of saints and prayer for the dead! For them souls are not immortal. To support their claim, they quote: “But the dead knows nothing, and they have no reward” (Ecclesiastes 9:5). But the same book says (Ecc. 12:7): “Dust return to earth, and spirit return to God who gave it.” So, it is clear that souls are immortal. New Testament reveals the souls are not sleeping. Souls of martyrs are praying before God: “Holy faithful Master, how much longer will you wait before you pass sentence and take vengeance for our death on the inhabitants of the earth?” (Rev. 6:9-10). If the martyrs are sleeping, how can they pray like this before God?

(Luke 16:19-31) – In the story of Lazarus and the rich man, Jesus says, both Lazarus, the rich man and Abraham are alive. We don’t see, after death, they started to sleep. The rich man even asks God to allow him to visit his five brethren on earth who are alive. 1 Peter 3:18-19 states: “Christ… being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit, went and preached to the spirits in prison.” If the spirits in prison, who are dead and ‘know nothing,’ how can Jesus go there and preach to them? 2 Cor. 5:6-8 – “We are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord. I am willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” Absent from the body shows our death. After death, we are present before God, as Paul believes. When we die our soul is ‘not starting to sleep,’ but ‘departing’ from the body, to the Lord. When Rachel died her soul ‘departed’ (Gen. 35:18). It is made clear when Jesus promised the thief: “Today you will be with me in Paradise.”(Not after the Day of Judgment) - Luke 23:43. During the transfiguration of Jesus in Mount Tabor “Moses and Elias, were talking with him,” as seen by the apostles. Moses and Elias were dead long ago. How can they speak to Jesus if they are sleeping?(Somnambulism). So the belief, ‘souls sleep’ has no biblical foundation at all.

NEXT: CATHOLICS 'WORSHIP' IDOLS?

Stigmata

2012-04-04T20:57:00.000-07:00

In the history of the Catholic Church, there are more than 50 ecstatics, officially proclaimed as saints, who experienced a supernatural gift from God known as stigmata, miraculous sharing in the sufferings of Christ. These saints bear on their hands, feet, side or brow the marks of the passion of Christ with intense suffering. They all had the vision of suffering Jesus. From their wounds, heavenly fragrance and perfumed oil start to emerge. No medicine was able to cure those miraculous signs. No scientists can give a clear explanation! A special gift from God to His Church. There are Biblical scholars who believe St. Paul had this gift from God. He explained it as a ‘thorn in the flesh’.(2 Cor. 12:7) “I rejoice in my suffering for your sake, in my flesh. I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ.”(Col. 1:24)

St. Francis of Assisi

This saint is most famous for his visible stigmata, whose feast of stigmata is celebrated in the Church on September 17^th. This fact is attested by a number of contemporary historians. He was born in Italy, 1182.

Anne Catherine Emmerich

Anne was born on Sep. 8, 1774, at Flamsche in Germany. She received stigmata in her hands and feet, forehead, and on her chest. The rest of her life she lived by the gift of inedia, living off nothing but Holy Communion for 12 years of her life. She was canonized on Oct. 3, 2004.

Georgio Bongiavani

In June 1968, Georgio Bongiavani in South Dakota experienced stigmata on his hands and forehead and it continued for a long time.

Theresa Neumann

Theresa was born in a peasant family in the German village of Konnersreuth. On March 4, 1926, Theresa experienced the first vision where Jesus appeared in the garden of Gethsemane and gave her the gift of stigmata. All the scientists and physicians who observed and investigated the phenomena, confirmed it as supernatural. She survived just by Holy Eucharist from 1926-1963 (37 years), without any food.

St. Padre Pio

Padre Pio, one of the most famous saints of our times, was born as Francesco Forgione on May 25, 1887 in Pietrelcina, Italy. On Sep. 20, 1918, five wounds resembling the crucifixion of Jesus, appeared in his body, while he was celebrating Holy Mass. He had the vision of Jesus, and received many other gifts such as prophecy and bilocation. He was canonized by Pope John Paul II on June 16, 2002.

The Stigmata of Marianne in Australia, Feb. 25, 2001

Myrna Nazzour, Stigmatist. (Soufanieh, Damascus, Syria, April 10, 2004, the Apostolic Nuncio of Syria and other Bishops witnessed this supernatural event.)

NEXT: VENERATION OF SAINTS

“Are You Born Again?”

2012-02-27T05:39:00.001-08:00

‘Born Again’ Christians usually present themselves as a ‘nondenominational Church,’ an easy way to attract different Christian religious groups to that sect. All Christians are welcomed to their gatherings; but after some prayers and teachings, the pastor will slowly start to inject protestant doctrines into all those who are listening to him. If you are a Catholic he will open the Bible and start to criticize ‘statue making’ and ‘Mother Mary.’ This group believes and propagates ‘Bible alone theory’ of Martin Luther. It has thousands of divisions with contrary views and different names as their members follow miracle workers and preachers at their choice.

The Name Game!

The name ‘Born Again’ is coming from an unauthentic translation of the Bible: Jesus said to Nicodemus: “Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born from above, he cannot see the Kingdom of God. I am telling you the truth that no one can enter into the Kingdom of God, unless he is born of water and the Spirit.” (John 3:3-5) Here in the original Greek manuscript of this gospel, John never uses the word ‘born again’ (“palin” is again; born ‘gennethe’).

All Catholic translations are using the correct word written in Greek, ‘anothen’ which means ‘from above’ or ‘born above’ when they translates. The name ‘born again’ itself is an artificial creation of some protestant ministers which was never spoken by Jesus!

Born again people believes, when they confess “I am born again,” automatically they become born again! Just say “I accept Jesus as Lord and Savior” we become worthy to go to heaven! It is like an instant coffee, an easy way and shortcut to go to heaven.

These foolish concepts of ‘Born Again’ groups are coming from the teaching of Martin Luther who said, ‘faith alone is the way of salvation (without works), Bible alone is the basis of faith’ (not the preaching and practices of Apostles as Catholic Church considers holy traditions).

Some preachers of this religion even believe that ‘the Church alone will not save’ and ‘Baptism is not essential for salvation.’ If that is the case, why did Jesus instituted Baptism and the Church?

Just an emotional satisfaction that we get from music and loud shouting of prayers will never make us genuine Christian. The works must follow our faith as St. James teaches “faith without works is dead.” Jesus himself says to us: “Not anyone who calls me Lord, Lord, will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only those who do what my Father in heaven wants them to do” (Mat. 7:21). At the time of Judgment, Christ will come in his glory and he will separate the wicked from the righteous and everyone will be rewarded according to their works. “I was hungry; you gave me food.” “I was thirsty; you gave me drink,” that is the way Jesus uses to judge us. But Born Again trusts in the theory of Luther ‘faith alone is the basis of salvation.’ At the time of Judgment, when Born Again makes a statement: “I accepted you as my Lord and Savior,” will they be taken to heaven? Will Martin Luther come to rescue them by quoting his theory? The way of Martin Luther and the way of salvation that is written in the Bible, are entirely different!

NEXT: STIGMATA

Attacks on Catholic faith by ‘Pandoktrina’

2012-01-23T07:00:00.000-08:00

Just like hundreds of Catholics, Iglesia Ni Cristo attracted me too, with its uniformity and discipline. Their missionary zeal and hospitality shown to visitors in their churches and locals are praiseworthy! Magnificent churches, which are constructed imitating Catholic Cathedrals of medieval gothic art, also capture our immediate attention. But we were shocked when the minister began to teach us their ‘Fundamental Doctrines’ from a secret but official book called ‘Pandoktrina’. There is a ‘litany of accusations’ in that book against the Catholic faith and their ministers are compelled to teach this to all new ‘converts’ as fundamental lessons and basic teachings of INC! Filled with hatred against the Catholic Church, each and every lesson in the ‘Fundamental Doctrines’ exposes the fundamental character of that religion and the unethical hostility and poverty of spirituality of the one who created it! Even their ministers are ashamed to give its copy to others, as its arguments and criticisms against Catholics are substandard and mean which can be easily refuted and proven baseless. This book is widely used by ‘Iglesia Ni Cristo’ as a guide to attack the Catholic faith and it gives all tricks and guidelines, how to make a Catholic, an anti-Catholic! (Ref.: Pandoktrina, Serie 1976-77)

Anointed by satanic anger, Pandoktrina bursts out: ‘The Catholic Church is not the true Church.’ ‘The Catholic Church is not from Christ, not of God’ (Lecsion 5, pg 9). ‘There is no salvation in the Catholic Church.’ ‘Convert Catholic people; Turn back from Catholic Church.’ ‘The devil’s lessons are there in the Catholic Church.’ ‘Priests of the Catholic Church are compared to false prophets who wear sheep-like clothing but they are ferocious wolves.’ ‘Take away all the pictures, images, and crosses (pg. 14). Don’t attend Mass, and don’t receive communion, etc…’ The creator of this poisonous work, gives the impression that more than immorality, drugs, prostitution and sin in this world, Catholic Church is the first enemy to be attacked! See, how crookedly Satan is using people to divert the attention from priorities to create his own kingdom!

The 12 lessons of this book, against the Holy Catholic Church, are used to confuse the indoctrinee, who sits in front of the minister, attracted by advertisements of salvation in the TV shows of INC, thirsting to hear the word of God! To make him a victim of these falsehoods, the minister uses different Bible translations! There will be many ‘bibles’ in the table of a minister which are to be changed cunningly, one after another, to get favorable words and interpretations, just for defending the claims of this Pandoktrina! It creates an impression in the indoctrinee that the minister is quoting everything from the Bible! Thus ‘Pandoktrina’ becomes the master, and different bibles, its servants! To make things safe, some Catholic writer’s books will also be quoted out of context! (Those books are not given for further reading; if so, the indoctrinee will become a better Catholic!) When the minister becomes successful in injecting this ‘poison of hatred’ in the mind of the indoctrinee, he becomes worthy to be a member of INC, and taken for baptism. The minister, who is successfully confusing more number of Catholics, gets the title with recognition: ‘The Most Fruitful Minister!’ Thousands of Filipino Catholics are already trapped in this deception!

Most of their converts are nominal Catholics, the rural poor, illiterate and gullible, who does not know much about their faith to defend it. (Ref.: Quo Vadis by Ignacio B.Camello, Imprimatur: Cardinal Sin, 1987, pg. 38)

The Bible warns: “…You are mistaken, not understanding the scriptures, or the power of God.” (Mat. 22:29)

The Christological heresy

Manalo’s church denies Jesus as God, and carries an unbiblical Christology. For them, Jesus, the redeemer of the world is only a man, not God! It is by crucifying an innocent man, a creature, God showed his love to the world!

‘Jesus is the Lord,’ (Rom. 10:9) was an earliest confession of divinity of Jesus. For Jews, the word “Yahweh” was an unutterable name. In its place Old Testament always uses the term “Adonay” which is translated as ‘the Lord’. When the psalm says; ‘The Lord is my shepherd,’ it really meant ‘God is my shepherd.’ Bible clearly teaches: “I, the Lord, am your God” (Ex. 20:2). For Jews: the Lord was God, and God was Lord. “I am the Lord, your savior. I am the one who created you. I am the Lord the creator of all things” (Isa. 44:24). When we call ‘Jesus is the Lord,’ it really means ‘Jesus is God.’

The ‘Twinity’ of Manalo

For Manalo, Jesus is a ‘made Lord’ by God, a theory that contradicts the 1st Commandment of God himself: I am your Lord; you shall not have other gods beside me… For I the Lord, your God am a jealous God.’ Denying the HolyTrinity, one Lord; Manalo created two Lords! According to his ‘two Lord theory’; The Lord made another Lord; so there are two Lords! Lord God and Lord Christ; both of them are to be worshipped! Just to deny the Holy Trinity, he jumped into another funny and foolish theory of ‘Twinity!’ Now Jesus is the Lord; later he will surrender everything to the Father and the Lordship of Jesus will be finished! Lord God and Lord Christ are part-time workers! (To know more on this fake doctrine, please read: “Bible proclaims: Jesus is God”). The Bible says: “The time will come, when some men from your own group will tell lies to lead the believers away after them” (Acts 20:30).

‘Angel’ without Wings!

The followers of Manalo are compelled to believe, he is the angel prophesied in Apocalypses: 7:2-3. As Pandoktrina tries, the purpose of the arrival of this ‘angel without wings’ is to destroy Catholicism. Angel Gabriel came from God and promised to Mary: “His kingdom will have no end.” But Manalo came from the United States, proclaiming himself an angel; announced: “That kingdom is perished by apostasy!” In order to prove this copied theory from Mormons, their official publication, ‘Pasugo’ tries to propagate the Holy Catholic Church, as a prostitute, “unchaste woman” (Pasugo: June 2005, pg. 25) and the biblical virtue of priestly celibacy and abstinence done on Fridays out of love to Jesus crucified, are considered ‘the devil’s doctrines’ and symptoms to consider the Catholic Church an apostatized church! Now we have to know the truth.

In fact there is no prediction in the Bible that an ‘angel of hatred’ will appear in the Philippines to create a second body to Christ by destroying the first mystical body of Jesus that became a prostitute whom Jesus himself promised to protect ‘till the end of the times!’

The following prophecies in the Bible that are always used against the Catholic Church by INC, clearly points to their own founder, and proves, he himself is the false prophet and the fake angel, that the Bible is predicting! Here are the biblical evidences:

• The false prophet will deny the master, the redeemer: “False prophets have appeared in the past among the people, and in the same way false teachers will appear among you. They will bring in destructive doctrines, and will deny the master, who redeemed them, and so they will bring upon themselves sudden destruction” (2 Pet. 2:1). Who denied the divinity of our master Lord Jesus Christ?

• The false prophet will pretend as an ‘angel’: “For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, who pretend as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan pretends as an angel of light. His ministers also pretend as ministers of righteousness!” (2 Cor. 11:13-15). Who wants others to consider him an ‘angel’?

• Bible says to us not to believe this angel: Gal. 1:8 – “Even if an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one that we preached, let that one be accursed!”

• It’s not the Holy Catholic Church as INC propagates, that fulfills the great prophecy of the Bible about the ‘two teachings’ a false prophet would use; but the church of Manalo: “Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them” (1 Tim. 4:1-3). A) INC teaches its members not to marry anybody outside that group! (But girls and boys of this church usually court someone from the Catholic Church, and compel them to convert to INC, a trick widely used to increase its memberships!) B) It also prohibits eating a Filipino food ‘dinuguan’ made out of blood! (Can any of his followers eat meat at anytime in their lives, without having the stain of blood in it?)

The baptism of Manalo

INC ministers are compelled to baptize its members in the Trinitarian formula though they deny Trinity! They cannot escape the clear and explicit command of Jesus to baptize in the Single Name, that the three divine persons hold, the Trinity! But when they use that formula, it gets a funny meaning! “I baptize you in the Name of the Father (God) and the Son (a man) and the Holy Spirit (one of the seven spirits).” The founder of this baptism, Mr. Felix Manalo was very much aware about the invalidity and uselessness of this baptism, as he never found time to receive it while he was alive! He died without becoming a member of his own religion; but he and his ministers insist on everyone to receive that baptism! If not, they are threatened to go to hell, “ the lake of fire”. If that is the case, the first one who is destined to go there, is the self-proclaimed angel, Manalo himself!

“Don’t confess to a priest!”

In Pandoktrina, there is a strong command, not to confess to a priest, but to confess directly to God! (Pandoktrina, serie 1976-77, pg. 13). The creator of Pandoktrina, out of his ignorance, believes, confession as an ‘either or’ proposition! Confess to a priest or confess to God! He is really unaware that Catholic confession is “both-and.” No Catholic can make a valid confession, the sacrament of reconciliation, without directly confessing to God first. It is only after asking pardon from God, and repenting about his sins, the Catholic goes to a priest.

Why do Catholics confess to a priest?

Only God can forgive sins. Christ who came from God and who is God himself has this authority which he exercised while he was here in this world. (Mt. 9:5-8, Mk. 2: 8-11) – Apostles can forgive sins as Jesus conferred this authority to forgive sins, to his apostles. Jn. 20:22-23: “He breathed on them and said ‘Receive the Holy Spirit, if you forgive sins of any, they are forgiven, if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

The Church upon Peter has the power to forgive sins as it is given to her by its Master, Jesus. “And I say to you, you are Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”(Mt. 16:18-19). So we can ask pardon from the Church as it has the authority to forgive sins.

This authority to forgive sins, which is given to the Church, in the Confessional or in the Sacrament of Reconciliation was exercised by the apostles and was transferred to their legitimate successors through the imposition of hands. Bible clarifies it: “And all this is from God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Christ and given us the ministry of reconciliation. God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ… So we are the ambassadors for Christ, as if God is appealing through us” (2 Cor. 5:18-20).

‘Confess directly to God only,’ is an anti-Catholic teaching, just to destroy the salvific plan of Jesus and which is written nowhere in the Bible. When the prodigal son repented, he confessed to God and at the same time he confessed to his father: “Father I have sinned against heaven and against you” (Lk. 15:18). Bible questions ‘Confess directly to God theory’ in St. James Letter: “Therefore, confess your sins to one another” (James 5:16). When we commit sin, we sin against God and against society, as we are the members of same body, the Church. So it becomes the proper way to get forgiveness, to ask pardon from God and from the Church. Priest in the confessional is the representative of the Church, the body of Jesus (‘the ambassador of Christ’ 2 Cor. 5:20) who is validly ordained by the successors of the apostles, and who has the authority to forgive sins, not like the ministers of Manalo or Eli Soriano who received an invalid ordination!

Ordination and Authority

If you ask a Catholic priest who gave him authority to forgive sins, and who ordained him, he will name a bishop. When you ask that bishop how he got ordained, he can show you another bishop or an archbishop. This chain of ordinations and transfer of authority through the imposition of hands directly goes to the apostles and ultimately reaches to Jesus who ordained his apostles and gave them the authority. Jesus said: “As my Father sent me, I send you.” Only the Catholic Church has this unbroken apostolic succession! So we call our Church: The Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. But if you ask a minister of Manalo or Soriano or any other protestant ministers, what will be his answer? I have asked this to a minister who claimed himself as the ordained minister of INC. “Who ordained you?” His answer was “Ka Eraño Manalo ordained me.” “Who ordained this Ka Eraño Manalo?” The minister said: “His father Ka Felix Manalo ordained him.” “Then, who ordained Ka Felix Manalo?” “…. ….” There came no answer!

God has His way to ordain His workers, as He sent His only Son to do the job. It is He who ordained His apostles. And His apostles ordained their successors through the imposition of hands. That chain, succession and transfer of authority through ordinations, are guided by the Holy Spirit, promised by Jesus. After all, Jesus himself is still alive and serves as the head of His Church, His mystical body. Ordination can never be claimed by anyone at anytime as he likes! It has a legal and valid process instituted by Jesus and practiced by His apostles. The Bible asks: “And how could anyone spread the news without a commission to do so?” (Rom. 10:15). The fake ministers and apostles can never participate in the sanctifying work of Jesus. Without receiving, they can never give! “I know the Bible, so I am coming from God. I will interpret the Bible as I understand it. You have salvation only through me,” is their claim. Just like an American who claims: “I know the constitution of the Philippines, so I am the president of the Philippines! If you don’t obey me you will be punished!” Bible says: “Don’t let anyone deceive you by any means whatsoever. That day will not come before there arises a definite rejection of God’s law and the appearance of the lawless man. He is the product of all that leads to death” (2 Thess. 2:3).

Manalo’s ‘Church’

While accusing the Catholic Church for apostasy, ministers of Manalo come to the TV shows, just like any other products in the market, advertises INC, as ‘original, true’ not fake, just because it has a name taken from the Bible! But remember, hundreds of protestant churches already exist here with this same name: ‘Church of Christ.’

When Jesus instituted his Church he called it ‘my Church’ that will be built upon Peter, the apostle. Jesus wanted to have one church and unity under one visible head, Peter. That Church established by Jesus, never officially accepted a name ‘Church of Christ.’ Iglesia Ni Cristo got this name from a wrong translation of a protestant bible: Lamsa Translation, which translates Acts 20:28 as “take heed therefore…to feed the church of Christ which he has purchased with his blood.” The Acts was written in Greek and the original word used there is ‘tan ekklasian tou Theou’ which really means ‘Church of God’ (not ‘tan ekklasian tou Christou’: ‘Church of Christ’). Manalo accepted a wrong translation to find a wrong label to his wrong church to lead the people in a wrong way!

‘Unipersonal Corporation’ of Manalo

When Jesus instituted his Church, it was registered in the hearts of those who repent and baptize in the Holy name of Trinity. It is a spiritual Kingdom, guided and regulated, not by rules of any state, but by the Holy Spirit. It can never be called nor officially registered as a commercial corporation, with a trade mark, instituted for financial security, and one person as the owner of all financial and temporal assets! Jesus said: “You cannot serve God and mammon at a time.”

‘Iglesia Ni Cristo’of Mr. Manalo is officially registered as a Corporation on July 27, 1914. The executive minister of this corporation Mr. Eraño Manalo certifies: “That he is the executive minister of the Church of Christ, a religious corporation, sole, originally registered in the Bureau of Commerce, Division of Archives, patents, copyright and trademarks…” (Ref.: Tunay nga bang “Sugo ng Dios” si Felix Y. Manalo? By Alexander P. Ayers, BRP, pg.201) The corporation is guided, not by the Holy Spirit; but by the Department of Commerce and Industry, in Manila.

Jesus says: “You have made the house of my Father, a marketplace.”

Anti-Catholic Propagandas

As a part of accusing Catholicism, now, ‘inquisition’ is widely propagated in the TV channels of Iglesia Ni Cristo! Every minister keeps some books related to inquisition to show and explain to others, the dark ages of the Church. ‘Pasugo’ projects chopped quotations from different sources for that purpose. (‘Pasugo’ May 2005, pg.31)

(Inquisition happened in a time when the state and the Church were not separated. Church was misused by politicians for political purposes in the Spanish inquisition. But we don’t deny the evils committed by some of the members of Christianity, nor do we claim that the Church Jesus instituted to save the sinners, were filled only with holy people throughout the centuries.)

When inquisition and dark ages are used by INC as evidences to blackmail Catholicism, they must not forget that, their founder who tried hard to destroy Catholicism, proclaiming himself an angel, was widely accused of immorality and dishonesty by their own members. (All the founders of anti-Catholic sects keep this similar history. None of them led a life of outstanding holiness, but involved themselves in criticisms, protest, hatred, immorality and became notorious for their evil doings.) Those who seek the truth about angel Manalo, must go through and study the following facts that are published by different medias here in the Philippines, which can never be hidden nor be ignored by any future historians.

“In the case of Bro. Manalo, however, some may not find his life too angelic… cases of grave misconduct decided by the court of justice, may not speak well of him.” (Ref.: Quo Vadis?, Ignacio B. Camello, Imprimatur: Cardinal Sin, pg.17, 1987) “It was during the early 1920s that Felix Manalo’s moral integrity was questioned first privately and later publicly in the courts. The most celebrated of three cases of immorality brought to attention of the courts, was that of Rosita Trillanes against whom the former filed a suit for libel was acquitted in the Court of Appeals.” (Ref.: The Iglesia Ni Kristo, Fernando G. Elesterio, published by CBI, Ateneo University, Manila, pg.11)

We see in the website www.examineiglesianicristo.com, the verdict of the court, that made shocking remarks about that immorality as it is published in “Official Gazette, Volume 1 No. 7, July 1942 pages 393-395, cited by Joseph Kavanagh, Philippine studies, March 1955 (as it is shown in the same website).

This work has no intention to deal with more details of that subject as it may hurt the feelings of those who follow him, but it will be good for everyone to search and find out themselves the truths behind these allegations, before accepting someone as a saint, prophet or angel! We need not be ashamed or afraid of the truth. If certain facts are undesirable, more than misinterpreting them, let us accept them with courage, because Jesus, the truth, always reminds us: “The truth will set you free.”

Bible says: “I urge you brothers to watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles in opposition to the teaching that you learned; avoid them. For such people do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own appetites, and by fair and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the innocent.” (Romans 16:17-18)

NEXT: 'DATING DAAN' OF ELI SORIANO

WHY DO WE PRAY FOR THE DEAD?

2012-01-12T05:14:00.000-08:00

‘Don’t pray for the dead!’ is a new dogma imposed by Luther upon his followers. ‘Neither the Bible nor Christian tradition commanded it.’ All ancient churches, even those who were separated from the Catholic Church and Orthodox churches all over the world, are still praying for their dead. Can we help our departed ones by prayer? Will the prayer become useless or powerless after our death?

In order to protect his false doctrine, which was not supported by the Bible, Luther even tried to destroy biblical books that clearly taught praying for the dead. 1500 years those books were accepted without questioning it. But Luther, in order to defend his new doctrine, threw two books of Maccabees together with other seven books, from the Bible. These books were there in the Greek Septuagint of St. Jerome who formed the most ancient bible in Jerusalem. Even Jesus himself was using these Old Testament books, as they were in use among the Jews at his time. The book of Maccabees, which was written centuries before Jesus, gives clear evidence of praying for the dead.

2 Mac. 12:42-45 – “The noble Judas warned the soldiers to keep themselves free from sin, for they had seen with their own eyes what had happened because of the sin of those who had fallen. He then took up a collection from all his soldiers, amounting two thousand silver drachmas, which he sent to Jerusalem to provide for an expiatory sacrifice. In doing this he acted in a very excellent and noble way, as he had the resurrection of the dead in view; for if he were not expecting the fallen to rise again, it would have been useless and foolish to pray for them in death. But if he did this with a view to the splendid reward that awaits those who had gone to rest in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Thus he made atonement for the dead that they might be freed from this sin.

Jesus himself prayed for the dead and showed the world; prayer can work even after death. If praying for the dead is useless, why Jesus himself prayed for the dead Lazarus, four days after his death? Jn. 11:41 – Prayer is powerful than death itself, so Lazarus was resurrected. When our relatives die, it is our duty to pray for them. We shared their goodness in this life; just like that we shared their sins also. The society with whom the dead lived, are also responsible and accountable for their sins. We also must ask God for their sins. St. Paul prayed for Onesiphorus who is already dead, that he might find mercy from God in that Day of Judgment (2 Tim. 1:16-18).

NEXT: Attacks on Catholic faith by ‘Pandoktrina’

CAN WE CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS?

2011-12-30T05:46:00.000-08:00


The Church Of Nativity

The Star of Bethlehem. Here, the Word became flesh. The exact place of Jesus’ birth.

"Don’t celebrate Christmas. It has a pagan background!" Iglesia Ni Cristo, Dating Daan, Jehova’s Witnesses and Seventh Day Adventists are not ready to celebrate Christmas with the whole world as they believe the birthday of Jesus is not written in the Bible and some practices related to this celebration, has its pagan background! In order to realize the foolishness of their stand we have to analyze some facts (historical and biblical, common sense and reason) related to the celebration of Christmas on 25th December.

As we all know, the birth of Jesus is written in the Bible; not its day and date. We celebrate Christmas on 25th of December not because that particular ‘date’ is important, but the event that we remember on that date, which divided the history into two, is very essential for our salvation. The Bible doesn’t say the exact date of Christ’s birth as December 25, and even the calendar that we use today was not in existence at that time! Just like any other feasts in the Catholic Church, (Good Friday, Easter Sunday, etc…) we commemorate biblical events in different days of the liturgical calendar, not because that ‘dates and days’ have something to do with our salvation, but those events that we commemorate, are essential mysteries for our salvation.

The Biblical Basis Of Christmas Celebrations

At the time of Jesus, birthday celebrations were very common as it was a practice among the Jews. The birthday of Pharaoh (Gen. 40:20-22), birthday of Herod (Mk. 6:21-28), birthday of Job (Job 1:4, 18-19) are narrated in the Bible. There is no evidence in the Bible that Jesus prohibited birthday celebrations as anti-Catholics insist now!

The birth of Jesus was celebrated by shepherds and angels, in heaven and on earth, the Bible describes. We have to know from our common sense that, just because the date is not seen in the Bible, we can’t celebrate the anniversary of Christ’s birth! Even Protestants, who are addicted to ‘Bible Alone Theory’ of Luther, are also celebrating Christmas!

Jesus celebrated annual holy days and feasts that are not commended in the Old Testament but observed as a simple custom of that time. (Passover, Pentecost, etc… were commended. But the celebrations narrated in Judges 11:39-40, Esther 9:19&22 and the Feast of Dedication that Jesus himself observes in John 10:22-23 are not commended by the Scripture. (It was instituted by Judas Maccabeus and celebrated by the Jews, only as a custom!)

Christmas And Pagan Traditions

Anti-Catholics make a big issue about some Christmas practices that has similarity with pagan customs (Christmas trees, candles, December 25, exchanging of gifts, etc…)

But all Christian practices that are written in the Bible, also have the same problem! They already existed in the pagan world, in different forms and styles! For example, baptism by immersion in water, for the forgiveness of sins, has existed as an old custom of ancient Hindu religion. They believed, immersion in the river Ganges, purifies them from all sins! Does that mean, baptism is pagan?

The pagans bowed their knees and prayed to their gods; so the Christian should not bow and pray? Even the word ‘Bible’ was widely used in the pagan world, as ‘the books’ that are written about Greek gods; then we should not use the word ‘Bible’? The church construction of Iglesia Ni Cristo is a blind imitation of Catholic cathedrals of Gothic art in Europe; does that mean, INC church is a Catholic Church? Those elements which have similarities of pagan culture, that crept in to Christmas celebrations, will never make Christmas, a pagan celebration. (The real word meaning of ‘Christmas’ is Christ and Holy Mass; without that Christmas becomes meaningless.)

The Date ‘December 25’

The early Christians selected December 25th as the proper date of Christmas, maybe because, according to some Bible scholars, there were biblical evidences to conclude, December 25th was the exact date of our Lord’s birth.

St. Luke who wrote the Gospel in ‘orderly sequence’ (Lk. 1:1-4) most probably got the date of the Lord’s birth from Mother Mary. Scripture says Zechariah received the message from an angel while he was incensing; which shows the Feast of the Dedication of the Temple on September 18-24, according to the Roman calendar. After six months Mary received annunciation from the angel (Lk. 1:26-38), that is the month of March. (Traditionally, the Church celebrates it on March 25th). We have to add just 9 months from this date to know the date of Christ’s birth, which justifies the centuries old custom of Christmas on December 25.

The second reason, why early Christians celebrated Christmas on 25th of December was, to attract pagans to Christianity. For pagans December 25th was the birthday of sun god. Christians proudly proclaimed to them that the real sun, is Jesus, the ‘sun of righteousness’ (Mal.4:2) and slowly replaced the pagan feast into a meaningful celebration, and attracted pagans to the true faith, in obedience to the Bible: “Overcome evil by good” (Rom. 12:21). Thus Christmas became a celebration of the victory of Jesus over pagan gods! (Ref.: Dictionary of Roman Religion, Oxford University press, New York, 1996)

Now, all over the world, nations and religions, Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, remember the great birth of Jesus in that day. (Only Iglesia Ni Cristo, Ang Dating Daan and other fake churches, try their best to remind others those ‘forgotten gods of history’; sun god, Mitra and other devils, on this Holy Day for their vested interests, just hoping to get some followers!)

NEXT: WHY DO WE PRAY FOR THE DEAD?

Purgatory In The Bible

2011-12-29T05:41:00.000-08:00

Christians believed in purgatory before they believed in the Bible. As we don’t see the word ‘Bible’ in an authentic Bible translation, we don’t see the word ‘purgatory’ in the Bible. But the Bible supports its existence.

Purgatory is not a place, but a state of being that we started in baptism and perfected after our death. It is our full transformation in Christ (Rom. 13:14) and perfection in our holiness (1 Pet. 1:16).

As we all know, we are not holy enough to be with God. Unholy things will never enter into heaven, as it is a place of Holy of Holies. But God demands this holiness from us to be with him: “Be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy” (Lev. 19:2). But we are not totally sinners to go directly to hell – the eternal punishment. Even so-called sinners may have done many good things in their lives, which are to be rewarded. Jesus said, “If you give a cup of water in my name you will be rewarded.” Our good deeds will not be punished in hell and our evil doings will never enter into heaven. So God’s justice and his mercy demand a state of purification that we become worthy to be with our heavenly father.

Biblical Evidences Of Purgatory

The Old Testament:

Isa. 6:5-7 – Then Isaiah said, “ Woe to me, I am doomed! For I am a man of unclean lips, living among a people of unclean lips, yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts!” Then one of the seraphim flew to me, holding an amber which he had taken with tongs, from the altar. He touched my mouth with it. “See” he said, “Now this has touched your lips, your wickedness is removed, your sin is purged.” This purging process of human soul is called ‘purgatory’.

When the Lord of Hosts appear in the Day of Judgment, the Bible says, he will open a fountain to purify from sin and uncleanness (Zec. 13:1). The nature of that fountain is explained as: In all the land, says the Lord, two third of them shall be cut off and perish, and one third shall be left. I will bring the one third through fire, and I will refine them as silver is refined, and I will test them as gold is tested. They shall call upon my name and I will hear them” (Zec. 13:8-9).

Purgatory in the New Testament:

Mat. 5:26 – Jesus says, “Amen I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.” Here, Jesus himself shows to us, after death there is a releasing as we pay the last penny.

St. Paul makes a clear statement about purgatory when he calls it ‘the test of fire.’ We are saved ‘as if through fire’ 1 Cor. 3:11-15. “For no one can lay foundation other than the one that is there namely Jesus Christ. If any one builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, the work of each will come to light, for the Day of the Lord will disclose it. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each one’s work. If the work stands that someone built upon the foundation, that person will receive the wage. But if someone’s work is burned up, that one will suffer the loss; but he will be saved, but only as through fire.”

Jesus taught that our sins could be forgiven in the next world: (Mt. 12:32) “And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.” Council of Trent (1545-1563) explained this as “from this sentence we understand that certain offenses can be forgiven in this age, but certain others in the age to come.”

All ancient writers who have seen and heard what the apostles preached believed in Purgatory. From their writings we have the clear evidence of this early Christian faith. Those who defended this doctrine were Tertullian (160 AD), Origen (185 AD), Cyprian (200 AD), Ambrose (340 AD), and many others.

NEXT: CAN WE CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS?

Protestants Repent!

2011-12-21T09:15:00.000-08:00

Cover page of Time Magazine Proclaims: “Hail Mary.” Catholics have long revered her, but now Protestants are finding their own excuses to celebrate the ‘Mother of Jesus.’ The writer, David Van Biema, in his long article says, “she was there at the cross. Let Protestants seldom talk about Jesus’ mother… but they are starting to know.” 500 years, ‘Bible alone’ Christians attacked Mother Mary! Catholics were accused of “Too much love for Mary.” She was considered an obstacle to pray directly to God. But now, with evidence, Van Biema exposes a huge number of protestant pastors, Presbyterians, evangelical and liberal Protestants, who keep deep personal devotion to Mary. Now, icons of Mary are placed on the walls of Protestant divinity schools!

Virgin Mary statue crying blood of tears in Sacramento, California is getting worldwide attention.

March 20, 2003, Reuters reported this news. This statue of the Virgin Mary weeping tears of blood as a peaceful message against a looming U.S. led war with Iraq, in Caracas, Venezuela.

Garabandal is a small place in Northwest Spain. On June 18, 1961, Mother Mary appeared to four girls, Mari Loli Mazon (12), Jacinta Gonzalez (12), Mari Cruz Gonzalez (11), and Conchita Gonzalez (12). Conchita asked Mother Mary to show a sign to make others believe in the apparition and the message. As thousands of pilgrims were witnessing, a Sacred Host descend from heaven on the tongue of Conchita, on July 18, 1962. A photographed miracle!

Lourdes

Mother Mary appeared to Bernadette in a grotto of Lourdes in 1956 and revealed to her she is “Immaculate Conception.” Now, this place is one of the most famous pilgrim centers in the world. This rare photo is taken at the time of apparition of Holy Mary, Mother of God.

Weeping Medjugorje Statue In Italy Is Deemed 'Inexplicable' By Church Experts

Report: Document concludes there's no human explanation for Italy's weeping Madonna. ROME (AP) - A review of the probe into a statue of the Madonna said to have shed tears of blood a decade ago concluded that the phenomenon has no human explanation, a newspaper reported Sunday. The Civitavecchia diocese ordered theologians, historians and doctors to review the case and compile their conclusions in a document, according to Corriere della Sera, which published what it said was a summary of the findings.

Corriere, Italy's leading newspaper, said the document presented a critical analysis of all the testimonies given at the time, as well as all possible explanations for the phenomenon. "Everything -- they (the experts) say unanimously -- indicates that in that corner of the Earth, at the gates of Rome, an event took place that has no human explanation and points at the mystery of the supernatural," Corriere wrote. Vittorio Messori, a leading Catholic author who helped Pope John Paul II write the 1994 best-selling book "Crossing the Threshold of Hope," wrote the Corriere article.

On Thursday, November 11, 1999 in Via delle Benedettine a new great Eucharistic miracle happened. A host, that had been previously put by Our Lady on the chalice of the white statue of the Mother of the Eucharist, bled; it was the 9th time that the Eucharist bled in the thaumaturgical place.

Real photo of the apparition of Mother Mary on April 2, 1968. The Blessed Virgin appeared in different forms over the domes of the Coptic Orthodox Church named after her in Zeitoun, Cairo, Egypt.

NEXT: Purgatory In The Bible

“Behold Your Mother” (Jn. 19:27)

2011-12-05T07:04:00.000-08:00

“Catholics worship Mary” is a lie always used by anti-Catholics against the Church. This false accusation was propagated for centuries to deny the role of Mary in the history of salvation. “Mary is human! Why do you pray to her when we can pray directly to God?”, that is what they ask.

This image of Mary, the Mother of Jesus Christ, was painted by St. Luke. It was carried by St. Thomas the apostle to India about one thousand, nine hundred and fifty years ago. Today, Mary continues to be venerated through this painting. It is kept at the main altar in the Church of Mount St. Thomas in Madras, India, the place where St. Thomas was martyred for the Catholic Faith. We see that devotion to Mary goes back to the time of the apostles, who were personally devoted to the Mother of God. The apostles, wherever they went, encouraged all the disciples to honor Mary as their Mother because Jesus gave Her to be the Mother of us all.

International pilgrim Virgin Statue of Mother Mary of Fatima wept in 1946 in the Cova on a pilgrimage to Lisbon.

This miracle happened in Naju, Korea on April 2, 1991. The statue of our Lady was found weeping tears of blood. In the history of Catholic Church, hundreds of Mother Mary statues are reported weeping tears! She appears from heaven to guide and teach the children whom Jesus entrusted to Her in Calvary.

Basis of Marian Devotion

Popes or any official teaching of the Church, never said to worship Mary. Catholics keep great devotion to Mary because of her unique role in the redemptive work with her son. She is not an ordinary mother. In the birth of a human child, both father and mother cooperate with God to give the child a human flesh. In the case of Jesus, he received body and blood only from his mother. When Eve was taken from Adam, he called her “bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh” (Gen. 2:23). Here, Mary can call Jesus more rightly “flesh of my flesh, bone of my bone.” Flesh of Jesus is the material flesh of Mary, and blood of Jesus is the material blood of Mary. When she said “Fiat,” this young girl of Judea was surrendering herself to God’s plan. Abraham became the Father of Nations because of his great faith and total surrender. Here because of her total surrender and extraordinary faith, Mary became the Mother of new kingdom that was established by Jesus. After all, she is the most precious gift we receive from the deathbed of Jesus. From the cross when Jesus uttered, “Behold your mother” (Jn. 19:27). She became not only the mother of John, but of all whom he redeemed through that crucifixion. She is the mother of the Church – the mystical body of Jesus.

“Catholics love Mary too much” is an objection against Marian devotion. We can never love Mary more than Jesus loved her. Almighty God was so obedient to her for thirty years. She shred his suffering in Calvary and prayed together with the apostles for the Holy Spirit. Still, now, it is she who comes from heaven to guide her children from time to time. The first miracle of Jesus happened just because of her intercession, though it was not ‘the time’ of Jesus for that. The only homily she ever said as it is written in the Bible is “Do what he tells you to do” (Jn. 2:5).

Mary Had Other Children?

The Catholic belief in the perpetual virginity of Mary was questioned by fundamentalists showing the Biblical passage (Mt. 12:46) which refer ‘Mother and brothers’ of Jesus, and (Mk. 6:3) which says Jesus as brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon. It also speaks of ‘sisters’ of Jesus. The fact is, in Greek, the word brothers (adelphoi) and sisters (adelpha) were commonly used to denote cousin or kinsman. Aramaic and semitic languages never distinguish between a blood brother, sister or a cousin. ‘Adelphos’ is a plural word that was in use at the time of Jesus for a community based on ‘identity of origin.’ (Ref: Vines Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words) In the Council of Constantinople II (553-554), we see two references about Mary as ‘Ever Virgin.’ Before the Bible was formed, all early Christians accepted this truth. St. Jerome (formator of Vulgate) 345, Augustine 354, Athanasius of Alexandria 293, are some of them. Even the protestant reformer Martin Luther admits it: “It is an article of faith that Mary is the Mother of the Lord and still a virgin… Christ came forth from a womb left perfectly intact.” (The works of Luther by Weimer, Pg. 510) (All the ancient Orthodox Eastern Churches which are expelled from Catholic Church, also believe this)

Immaculate Conception of Mary is Biblically Supported

By Immaculate Conception, we believed God preserved Mary, from her birth, as “sinless.” “All men have sinned and lost the grace of God” (Rom. 3:23). “Through Adam all men became sinful” (Rom. 5:12). Christian belief holds we are freed from this bondage of sin through baptism and faith. But without receiving the baptism, Mary had the fullness of God’s grace as Angel Gabriel revealed “Hail Mary, full of grace” (Lk. 1:28). The Greek word ‘Charitoo’ which means ‘fullness of grace’ or ‘highly favored with grace,’ is used only two times in the Bible. 1. Before Christ’s redemption, in the salutation of Gabriel 2. After Christ’s redemption (Eph. 1:6) ‘as Christ's grace given to us.’ It shows that the fruits of redemption were given to Mary in advance; she became “highly favored with grace.” The words of the angel ‘full of grace’ itself shows she is sinless.

Gen. 3:15 – “I will put enmity between you and the woman, between your offspring and hers; she will strike at your head.” From early centuries of Christianity, this was considered as a prophecy about Mary and her son Jesus (Iraneus of Lyons 140 A.D.). This enmity is nothing but mutual hatred between Mary and sin, between Christ and sin. It can never be true if Mary also is stained by sin. As she was the woman foretold in Genesis, Jesus from the cross mentioned Mary as “Woman.”

In the Old Testament, there are many evidences that God prepared the mothers for the purity of their child who are the ‘selected one’ of God. God asked the mother of Samson to be pure (Jud. 13:3-4). Manoah was asked to keep the wife pure (Jud. 13:13-14). How much more God is interested to keep the state of His own Mother’s womb?

The early Fathers of the Church, whom we have to trust to know the genuine nature of the Bible and those who formed the Canons of the Bible, all defended this early Christian faith. Iraneus of Lyons AD 140 is the one who wrote the term ‘Immaculate’ and ‘most pure’ for Mary. St. Augustine of Hippo (AD395) wrote: “Mary; free from original sin.”

It was Pope Pius IX who proclaimed this early belief of Christians as official (Ex Cathedra) in AD 1854. In 1858, Blessed Virgin Mary herself appeared to a young girl Bernadette in Lourdes and revealed: “I am the Immaculate Conception.”

The Biblical Basis of the Assumption of Mary

The assumption of Mary is based on the faith in her Immaculate Conception. As she was sinless – ‘full of grace’ at the end of her earthly life – she was received body and soul into heavenly glory. The Bible says “death is the wages of sin” (Rom 6:23). “Sin came to this world through one person….thus death came to all” (Rom 5:12). As Mary was sinless, she need not accept the wages of sin. She destroyed sin as she is the ‘woman’ who struck at the head of Satan” (Gen 3:15). Freedom of Mary from the original sin frees her from its consequences also. It is to fulfill the prophecies about her in Gen 3:15. In the early Christian centuries, this was accepted as a revealed truth. Even some apocryphal books narrate “The body of the Mother of God should never lie in sepulcher.”

Mary: The Mother of God?

“God has a mother? Is she older than God himself?” Sometimes we hear this accusation of Catholic opponents from their TV channels. When we call her “The Mother of God,” it means Mary is the mother of Jesus who is the incarnation of God. A mother who is created by her son. The masterpiece of God’s creation. A creature with ‘the fullness of grace.’ The more we praise Mary, the more we praise God. An attack to Mary is an attack to God. When we insult the masterpiece of an artist, we are attacking the artist himself. When we criticize the music, we indirectly criticize the musician. In fact, even the protestant reformers Luther and Calvin considered Mary as the “Divine Mother of God.'

NEXT: Protestants Repent!

Let The Miracles Speak The Truth!

2011-12-01T08:20:00.000-08:00

“He who saw it has borne witness, his testimony is true, and he knows that he tells the truth, in order that you may believe.” (Jn. 19:35)

Naju, Korea – This Eucharistic miracle, which challenged all scientific explanations, happened in Naju, Korea, between May 1988 and October 1996. When Julia Kim a devote woman received the Holy Eucharist, immediately it changed into visible flesh and blood in the form of a heart. Thousands witnessed this miracle as it repeated many times in her life. Pope John Paul II witnessed this great miracle during a mass in his private chapel on October 31, 1995, in Vatican.

Blood from the Holy Host! – This Eucharistic miracle happened in Rome during the mass celebrated by Bishop Claudio Gatti on 11th of June 2000, feast of Pentecost. He says: “While I was celebrating the mass, as soon as I finished saying the wording of the consecration of the bread, blood began to come out from my host. Time stopped for me. I was bending over the host that I was holding tightly in my hands and I was gazing at the divine blood that was spreading on a great part of its surface…I passed between the pews of the church so that the people present could see them closely. When I did the ‘fraction of bread’ the blood kept on dropping before the eyes of the present people…”

Bleeding Host! – This miracle happened in 1247 when a woman of Santarem after receiving Holy Host, took it home for black magic. She placed the Host in her handkerchief. The Host started to bleed profusely. Rays of bright light came from the trunk. Many people witnessed it. They called the parish priest and the Host was taken back to the church.

Kerala, India - This miracle that is videographed and witnessed by thousands, happened in Kerala, a state of India, in 1999. When Rani Kanjikode, a devotee of Blessed Mother, received Holy Communion in her parish church, it was changed into real flesh and blood. Three times this miracle happened in different occasions. All of them were witnessed by priests, doctors, and even unbelievers. This photo was taken when the miracle occurred in a huge Catholic convention. Archbishop of Trichur, Kerala, Dr. Jacob Thoonkuzy D.D., was the main celebrant. While 500,000 people were witnessing, the Host started to bleed. She was asked to come to the stage and it was shown to all those who were there.

Miracle of Lanciano – This great and most famous miracle of the Catholic Church happened in Lanciano, Italy 700 A.D. A priest, who disbelieved in the real presence of Jesus in Eucharist, was offering mass in St. Legontian Church. At the time of consecration, when he pronounced ‘this is my body…this is my blood,’ the host and wine visibly turned into flesh and blood. The priest and those who were attending the mass, started to cry for mercy. The church authorities and the Vatican ordered scientific studies about it in 1574, 1637, 1770, and in 1886. In 1970-71, rigoruous scientific analysis conducted by a team of world famous pathologists and doctors headed by Dr. Odorardo Linoli, proved it as (1) The blood is real blood and the flesh is real flesh of human species; (2) The flesh consists of muscular tissue of myocardium (heart tissue); (3) The blood type is identical in the blood and in the flesh, type AB; (4) No materials or agents used for preservation of it, which are left in their original state for 12 centuries. Still it remains an unexplainable phenomenon for scientists.

NEXT: Behold Your Mother

IS THIS GOD?

2011-11-29T04:16:00.000-08:00

From the time of the apostles to 1500 years, throughout the centuries, Christians believed in the real presence of Jesus in consecrated Bread and Wine, without questioning. The Bible, Tradition, and Early Christian writers of the church, all supported this undeniable reality. Even the orthodox churches that have broken away from the Catholic faith, because of political reasons, believed in this truth. But when Martin Luther started to challenge the authority of Rome, in 1517 AD, his followers began to deny the greatness of this sacrament (In fact, Luther believed in it as ‘Consubstantiation’).

The Bible repeatedly teaches the reality of God’s real presence in the Eucharist. Just because of the greatness of this mystery, the whole 6th chapter of St. John is dedicated to explain it. The first book that was ever written in the New Testament, was of St. Paul’s Letter to the Corinthians (56 AD). St. Mark’s Gospel was formed little later (64 AD). The first historical evidence of the Lord’s Supper is in 1 Cor. 11:23-29, “For I received from the Lord what I have also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread and after giving thanks, broke it and said: “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also the cup, after supper saying, “this cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until He comes. Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord. A person should examine himself to eat the bread and drink the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself.”

If it has only a symbolic value, why did Paul give so much seriousness to it? Historically, Mark’s gospel comes next (64 AD). It was written in Rome as he was helping Peter in Rome.

Mk. 14:22-24 – “He said to them, ‘This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many.’”

Matthew, the tax collector and an eye witness to the ‘Last Supper,’ wrote in 70 A.D., “Jesus took bread, said, ‘Take and eat. This is my body.’ Then He took the cup…saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you this is my blood of the covenant.’ ”

Luke, the gentile convert writes in 70 A.D.: “Then he took the bread…saying, ‘This is my body which will be given for you…This cup is the new covenant in my blood which will be shed for you.’ ”

John, his beloved disciple, clarifies all doubts about the real presence when he wrote in 90 A.D.: - “Jesus said: ‘Amen, Amen I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you do not have life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life; I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food and my blood, true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.’ ”

By repetition, Jesus was insisting on this truth! Even those who heard it understood it as ‘Cannibalism’ – eating the meat of man. Drinking of blood was against Mosaic Law. So, even his disciples left him. Jn. 6:66: - “They said, ‘This saying is hard; who can accept it…’as a result of this many disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him.” This will never happen if Jesus was speaking those words in a symbolic meaning. He literally meant, what he said.

A faith, before the Bible!

Real presence of Jesus was accepted by all those who formed the Bible itself. The old Christian writers defended it. Iraneus (Asia Minor, 140-202), Tertullian (Rome, 160-220), Cyprian (Carthage, 200-258), Athanasius (293-373), Cyril of Alexandria (376-444), and Cyril of Jerusalem (315-387) all wrote about this great mystery.

Ignatius of Antioch, close friend and disciple of Peter and John, wrote against the Gnostics in 110 A.D.: “They even abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer because they don’t admit that the Eucharist is the self same body of our Savior Jesus Christ, which flesh suffered for our sins and which the Father raised up again.” (Epistle to the Smyrneans, 7, 8).

Justin the Martyr, the close associate of apostles, wrote in 155 A.D.: “And this food is called among us Eucharist, of which no one is allowed to partake but he who believes that the things that we teach are true, and who are washed in the bath of forgiveness of sins and regeneration. We should not receive it as common drink and common food; but in like manner as Jesus Christ our Savior.”

Now, most of the non-Catholic groups are considering sermons as the climax of Sunday observation. The hope of their salvation is in the skill of oratory and homiletics of a minister or a pastor. They spent the whole time to convince the followers about their fake doctrines, hunting for biblical words to get them supported. Acts of the Apostles stated clearly that Christians came together everyday for ‘breaking of bread’ with one mind and heart. This apostolic practice is totally ignored by them now.

Daily Masses: Is That Needed?

In every Catholic Church, the holy mass is celebrated everyday. The word ‘mass’ is coming from the Latin word ‘missa,’ which means ‘sent.’ ‘Ite missa est’ (‘Go, the communion is sent’) is referring to an ancient tradition of sending consecrated bread and wine from the holy mass to the sick.

When Heb. 10:12 say, “But Jesus offered one sacrifice for sins,” then why do we repeat it? We repeat it because Jesus commanded us to “do this in memory of me” (Lk. 22:19), and St. Paul says to us to do it “as often as possible.” “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until He comes” (1 Cor. 11:24-26).

NEXT: Let the miracles speak the truth!

Pope's Infallibility Is Not Impeccability

2011-11-25T06:50:00.000-08:00

The infallibility of the Pope is more controversial and most criticized just because anti-Catholics create an artificial confusion by mixing infallibility of the office of Peter, his legitimate successors, and their personal human defects. Infallibility does not mean the Pope will not make personal mistakes, but infallibility is the trust of the church in the promise of Jesus in the matters of teaching faith and morals.

Mt. 28:20 - “Teaching them (all nations), to observe what I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”

The Holy Spirit , in matters of divine revelation, guides the Church. That is why the Bible itself is formed and kept out of errors. Jn. 14:16-17 - “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of Truth….it remains with you, and will be in you.”

The official teaching of the Pope, together with other bishops in the universal church, is infallible as it is the guidance of the Holy Spirit to the “fullness of truth”. Jn. 16:12-13 supports this fact: “I have much to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when He comes, the Spirit of truth, He will guide you to the fullness of truth.”

Words like ‘Bible,’ ‘Purgatory,’ ‘Immaculate Conception,’ and ‘Trinity’ are used to explain the development of revelation. It does not mean they are newly created by the Catholic Church. In Genesis, Adam named all the things that are created by God. It does not mean that Adam created all those things, but he just named it.

Even historians call some of the Popes as great. Leo the Great, Gregory the Great….Following the example of Peter, hundreds of them sacrificed their lives for Jesus. Rulers like Napoleon humiliated them. Most of the popes are famous for their extraordinary holiness of life. Some historians accused 6 Popes out of 265 as ‘bad popes.’ Even one among the 12 apostles whom Jesus Himself selected became a traitor.

Those who accused papacy exaggerate human errors of those 6 bad popes to question infallibility. As a clear evidence that Jesus protects His church, no one can show any heresy officially taught by these six popes.

Old testimonies about the Primacy of Peter

Early Christian writers who lived just near the time of the apostles, never considered a ‘Bible’ as their basis of faith. The Bible came only during the 4th Century. Before the Bible, there was a church which was united under the Primacy of Peter. Those who formed the Bible, including Jerome, the formator of the first Latin translation of the Bible ‘Vulgate’ in Jerusalem, defended this truth.

Clement of Alexandria

“The blessed Peter, the chosen, the preeminent, the first among the disciples, for whom alone with himself the Savior paid the tribute (Mat. 17:27), quickly grasped and understood their meaning. And what does he say? ‘Behold, we have left all and have followed you’ (Mat. 19:27; Mark 10:28)” (Who Is The Rich Man That Is Saved? 21:3-5 [A.D. 200]).

Tertullian

“For though you think that heaven is still shut up, remember that the Lord left the keys of it to Peter here, and through him to the Church, which keys everyone will carry with him if he has been questioned and made a confession [of faith]” (Antidote Against the Scorpion 10 [A.D. 211]).

“The Lord said to Peter, ‘On this rock I will build my Church, I have given you the keys of the kingdom of heaven [and] whatever you shall have bound or loosed on earth will be bound or loosed in heaven’ [Mat. 16:18-19]…. Upon you, he says, I will build my Church; and I will give to you the keys, not to the Church” (Modesty 21:9-10 [A.D. 220]).

The Letter of Clement to James

“Be it known to you, my lord, that Simon [Peter], who, for the sake of the true faith, and the most sure foundation of his doctrine, was set apart to be the foundation of the Church, and for this end was by Jesus himself, with his truthful mouth, named Peter, the first fruits of our Lord, the first of the apostles; to whom first the Father revealed the Son; whom the Christ, with good reason, blessed; the called, and elect” (Letter of Clement to James 2 [A.D. 221]).

Origen

“If we were to attend carefully to the Gospels, we should also find, in relation to those things which seem to be common to Peter…a great difference and a preeminence in the things [Jesus] said to Peter, compared with the second class [of apostles]. For it is no small difference that Peter received the keys not of one heaven but of more, and in order that whatsoever things he binds on earth may be bound not in one heaven but in them all, as compared with the many who bind on earth and loose on earth, so that these things are bound and loosed not in [all] the heavens, as in the case of Peter, but in one only; for they do not reach so high a stage with power as Peter to bind and loose in all the heavens” (Commentary on Matthew 13:31 [A.D. 248]).

Cyprian of Carthage

“The Lord says to Peter: ‘I say to you,’ he says, ‘that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church.’ On him [Peter] he builds the Church, and to him he gives the command to feed the sheep [John 21:17], and although he assigns a like power to all the apostles, yet he founded a single chair [cathedra], and he established by his own authority a source and an intrinsic reason for that unity. Indeed, the others were that also which Peter was [i.e., apostles], but a primacy is given to Peter, whereby it is made clear that there is but one Church and one chair. So too, all [the apostles] are shepherds, and the shepherds, and the flock is shown to be one, fed by all the apostles in single-minded accord. If someone does not hold fast to this unity of Peter, can he imagine that he still holds the faith? If he [should] desert the chair of Peter upon whom the Church was built, can he still be confident that he is in the Church?” (The Unity of the Catholic Church 4; 1st edition [A.D. 251]).

Cyril of Jerusalem

“The Lord is loving toward men, swift to pardon but slow to punish. Let no man despair of his own salvation. Peter, the first and foremost of the apostles, denied the Lord three times before a little servant girl, but he repented and wept bitterly” (Catechetical Lectures 2:19 [A.D. 350]).

“[Simon Magus] so deceived the city of Rome that Claudius erected a statue of him…. While the error was extending itself, Peter and Paul arrived, a noble pair and the rulers of the Church, and they set the error aright….They launched the weapon of their like-mindedness in prayer against the Magus, and struck him down to earth. It was marvelous enough, and yet no marvel at all, for Peter was there – he that carries about the keys of heaven [Mat. 16:19]” (ibid., 6:14). “In the power of the same Holy Spirit, Peter, both the chief of the apostles and the keeper of the keys of the kingdom of heaven, in the name of Christ healed Aeneas the paralytic at Lydda, which is now called Diospolis [Acts 9:32-34]” (ibid., 17:27).

Ephraim the Syrian

“[Jesus said:] Simon, my follower, I have made you the foundation of the Holy Church. I betimes called you Peter, because you will support all its buildings. You are the inspector of those who will build on earth a Church for me. If they should wish to build what is false, you, the foundation, will condemn them. You are the head of the fountain from which my teaching flows; you are the chief of my disciples. Through you I will give drink to all peoples. Yours is that life-giving sweetness which I dispense. I have chosen you to be, as it were, the firstborn in my institution so that, as the heir, you may be executor of my treasures. I have given you the keys of my kingdom. Behold, I have given you authority over all my treasures” (Homilies 4:1 [A.D. 351]).

Ambrose of Milan

“[Christ] made answer: ‘You are Peter, and upon this rock will I build my Church….’ Could he not, then, strengthen the faith of the man to whom, acting on his own authority, he gave the kingdom, whom he called the rock, thereby declaring him to be the foundation of the Church [Mat. 16:18]?” (The Faith 4:5 [A.D. 379]).

Jerome

“But, you [Jovinian] will say, ‘it was on Peter that the Church was founded’ [Mat. 16:18]. Well…one among the twelve is chosen to be their head in order to remove any occasion for division” (Against Jovinian 1:26 [A.D. 393]).

“Simon Peter, the son of John, from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, brother of Andrew the apostle, and himself chief of the apostles, after having been bishop of the church of Antioch and having preached to the Dispersion…pushed on to Rome in the second year of Claudius to overthrow Simon Magus, and held the sacerdotal chair there for twenty-five years until the last, that is the fourteenth year of Nero. At his hands he received the crown of martyrdom being nailed to the cross with his head towards the ground and his feet raised on high, asserting that he was unworthy to be crucified in the same manner as his Lord” (Lives of Illustrious Men 1 [A.D. 396]).

Augustine

“Among these [apostles] Peter alone almost everywhere deserved to represent the whole Church. Because of that representation of the Church, which only he bore, he deserved to hear ‘I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven’ ” (Sermons 295:2 [A.D. 411]).

“Some things are said which seem to relate especially to the apostle Peter, and yet are not clear in their meaning unless referred to the Church, which he is acknowledged to have represented in a figure on account of the primacy which he bore among the disciples. Such is ‘I will give unto you the keys of the kingdom of heaven,’ and other similar passages. In the same way, Judas represents those Jews who were Christ’s enemies” (Commentary of Psalm 108:1 [A.D. 415]).

“Who is ignorant that the first of the apostles is the most blessed Peter?” (Commentary on John 56:1 [A.D. 416]).

NEXT: IS THIS GOD?

PRIMACY OF PETER & PAPACY

2011-11-21T07:07:00.000-08:00

Primacy of Peter is an important teaching of the Bible. Non-Catholics have to disobey the Pope’s authority just to create their illegal, fake churches and to defend their false dogmas. It is so interesting to know how they misinterpret those Biblical parts to escape from the obedience to Pope.

Peter is ‘the Rock’

Jesus was able to see the anarchy and divisions that Satan can create in the only one church He instituted. It was the great desire of Jesus that His followers must be united together. (Jn. 17:11) “Holy Father, watch over them…that they may be one just as we are.” He decided to make Peter the leader, so that all be united under Him.

Mt. 16:18-19 – “And I tell you, you are Peter and upon this rock, I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

Jesus spoke in Aramaic and nicknames Simon “Kepha” (Cephas) which means ‘the Rock.’ Anti-Catholics try in vain to misinterpret it as the ‘Rock’ here is Jesus, not Peter. Jesus was not speaking to himself but to Simon, ‘you are Peter’ (the Rock) and upon you ‘this rock’ I will build my church. Here, ‘this rock’ is Peter not Jesus. The next sentence clarifies it. I will give ‘you’ the keys and what ‘you bind’ on earth will be bound. This word of the Lord supports beyond doubt that Peter is ‘the rock’ upon which Jesus built His church. To confuse people and to escape from the authority of Peter, anti-Catholic ministers will start to quote all the Bible passages where the word ‘rock’ comes. Usually, they use 1 Cor. 10:3-4 where comes a word “they drank of that Spiritual Rock…and that Rock was Christ.” This sentence has nothing to do with the institution of the church. They simply misuse this out of context just to support their lie.

More than that, if we accept their claim, it never contradicts the position of Peter. Catholics always believed Jesus is the invisible head or the spiritual rock of the church because the church is His body. But we consider the Pope as its visible head. When God the Father made a covenant with Abraham, He made Abraham the Father of Generations. But it didn’t take away the Fatherhood of God (Isa. 51:2). He remained the Spiritual Father forever.

Anti-Catholics may play another funny verbal gymnastic. When Jesus said ‘Rock,’ he used the Aramaic word “Kepha” which means only ‘rock.’ But when it is translated into Greek, it may get a gender change ‘pebble’ or ‘chip of rock.’ They may try on this word to show Peter is only a pebble. But the next sentence will correct them: “I will give you (not me) the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever ‘you’ (not ‘me’ Jesus, but Peter) bind on earth will be bound in heaven.

Peter is the Shepherd

In St. John 21:15-19, we find clear scriptural evidence that Peter was commissioned by Jesus to care for His flock. “Simon, son of John….shepherd my sheep! Simon, son of John….sheep.” We know Jesus is the good shepherd (Jn. 10:11) but here, he gives authority of the shepherd to Peter. So we call Peter and his successors, the Pope – Supreme Universal Church.

“Pope” means father. It is an affectionate title that the apostles used to express their responsibility to the faithful. St. Paul calls himself as ‘father’ (1 Cor.

4:14-16) “You are my beloved children….For I became your father in Christ.” (For details see the next article ‘priest as fathers’)

Did Peter Have A Successor?

As the Bible says, Peter and the apostles appointed their successors through imposition of hands. 2 Tim. 1:6 - “For this reason, I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands.” Apostle Paul himself was ordained by imposition of hands in the church of Antioch (Acts 13:2-3). When Judas betrayed Jesus and committed suicide, apostles elected Matthias: “For it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘May his house become empty; may no one live in it.’ It is also written, ‘May someone else take his place of service.’ “- (Acts 1:20) The apostolic succession was by election and imposition of hands.

We have the clear historic evidence that the office of Peter was at Rome, where he became a martyr in 64 AD. His office in Rome was succeeded by Linus the 2nd Pope (67-76 AD) according to historians. In 96 AD Pope Clement sent a strong letter to the church at Corinth resolving a dispute there. The bishop of Rome interferes in the problem of another church, showing his authority to do so.

On his way to martyrdom in Rome in 110 AD, Ignatius of Antioch praised the Church of Rome “stamped with the Father’s name.”

The historian Eusebius, who lived in Caesarea in 265-340 AD, in his ‘church history’ writes: “After the martyrdom of Paul and of Peter, Linus was the first to obtain the episcopate of the church at Rome. Paul mentions him, when writing to Timothy from Rome, in the salutation at the end of the epistle…In the second year of his reign, Linus, who had been bishop of the church of Rome for twelve years, delivered his office to Anencletus…In the twelfth year of the same reign, Clement succeeded Anencletus after the latter had been bishop of the Church of Rome for twelve years.”

This unbroken chain of successors continues and reaches to Pope Benedict XVI the 265th successor of Peter. The historical evidence of this succession is more reliable than 2000 years history of any other country or kingdom in the world today. Obedience to Pope is obedience to Jesus, as the Holy Scripture supports it.

NEXT: Pope's Infallibility Is Not Impeccability

The Name ‘Catholic’

2011-11-16T05:13:00.000-08:00

The early church, as they accepted the primacy of Peter, they accepted the importance of the church in Rome. St. Paul wrote in Rom. 1:8, “First of all, I give thanks to my God to Jesus Christ for all of you because your faith is heralded throughout the whole world.” The original Greek word used here for ‘Proclaimed throughout’ is ‘Kata;’ with the adjective ‘Holos’ which means ‘whole.’ Thus, the word ‘Catholic’ comes from this original Greek text of the Bible which means the Universal Church.

The word ‘Catholic’ is more ancient than the word ‘Bible.’ In order to explain the nature, mission and vision of the church, in 110 AD, an early bishop of the church, Ignatius of Antioch used this word ‘Katholicos’ (Greek word means “universal”), “where the bishop is present, where the congregation gathers, Christ is there.”

NEXT: PRIMACY OF PETER & PAPACY

Why Priests Don't Marry

2011-11-10T05:41:00.000-08:00

Clerical celibacy of a Catholic priest is considered by Iglesia Ni Cristo, “Rules of Satan.” As sexual issues are getting more media attraction, even a simple human failure, is much exaggerated and propagated by anti-church elements to prove it as ‘impractical.’ Admitting the fact that this lifestyle may seem to be impractical in a sexually liberated modern world, the church never made an amendment in it, as it is a biblical way of following Jesus. Priests are called to follow not only what Jesus said, but how he lived. Jesus himself was celibate. He even asked his disciples to accept it for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.

Mt. 19:12 – “…some are incapable of marriage because they were born so…some because they have renounced marriage for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Whoever can accept this ought to accept it.”

Jesus calls this heroic virtue as "from God"(Mt. 19:11-12).

Mt. 10:37 – “Whoever loves his father, mother…son or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me.”

This is explained by St. Paul as “An unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord, but a married man is anxious about the things of this world, how to please his wife and he is divided” (1 Cor. 7:32-34).

So, Paul led a life of celibacy and advised: “I say this by way of concession not as a command. Indeed I wish everyone to be as I am, but each has a particular gift from God, one of one kind and one of another” (1 Cor. 7:6-7). If celibacy is the ‘rule of Satan’ why Jesus, Mary, and the apostles followed it? Are they advising us to follow Satan?

In the Catholic Church law of celibacy is a disciplinary law, not an infallible dogma. So some pastors who are converted from Episcopalian Churches and some protestant groups are allowed to lead a marital life in America. Greek Byzantine Church, Syro-Malankara Church in India, which are all under the Catholic Church, have married priests.

NEXT: The Name ‘Catholic’

Can We Call A Priest ‘Father’

2011-11-03T07:09:00.000-07:00

Mt. 23:8-10 – “As for you do not be called ‘teacher.’ You have, but one teacher, and you all are brothers. Call no one on earth your ‘father;’ you have but one Father in heaven. Do not be called ‘Master,’ you have but one master, the Messiah.”

Taking these words in literal sense, the ‘sects’ always accuse the old Catholic tradition of calling their priests ‘father.’ As the way they interpret this gospel part, the pupil can never call their instructor in the school ‘teacher,’ and a child can never call its birth father ‘Dad’ or ‘Tatay.’ It also prohibits universities from issuing a degree ‘Master of Arts’ or ‘Master’ of any degree. Surely, Jesus did not intent this funny meaning, when he said it. He was instructing his disciples nobody should be considered in this earth greater than God.

If that was observed literally among the disciples, why did Paul call himself ‘father’?

1 Cor. 4:14-15 – “I am writing this not to shame you, but to instruct you as my beloved children. Even if you have countless guides to Christ, you do not have many fathers, for I became your father in Christ Jesus through the Gospel.”

It is in the same meaning Catholics call their priests ‘father,’ and the successor of Peter, ‘Pope’ (pope means ‘father’) to express their respect and obedience. St. Paul makes it very clear in 1 Thess. 2:11-12 – “As you know, we treated each one of you as a father treats his children, exhorting and encouraging you and insisting that you conduct yourselves as worthy of God who calls you into his kingdom and glory.”

St. Paul calls Timothy as ‘my son (1 Tim. 1:2).’ Was he violating a command from Jesus by considering himself as the father of Timothy? He calls Titus ‘a genuine child.’ Paul addressed himself “father of Onesimus” (Philemon 1:10). They were not the children of Paul. But he became their spiritual father in Christ.

But nobody can prove from any source that early Christians called apostles ‘Brother Paul’ or ‘Minister Peter’ or ‘Pastor John’ as anti-Catholics always do.

NEXT: Why Priests Don’t Marry

TOTAL APOSTASY? TOTAL LIE!

2011-10-27T04:29:00.000-07:00

The Original Church of Jesus has disappeared?

Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormon Church made a surprise finding in 1830. ‘The Church Jesus founded in Jerusalem is dead or totally disappeared in the 1st century itself! It is apostatized!’ So, he formed a new church in America and called it “Church of Jesus Christ” or “Mormon Church,” and claimed that, in the last days the original church will re-emerge through him. Those who want to be saved must become a member of the re-emerged church and believe in two Holy Books: The Bible and Book Of Mormons! (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 1966)

Felix Y. Manalo copied this mental gimmick of Joseph Smith; when he proclaimed the original Church of Jesus Christ in Jerusalem was disappeared in the 1st century because of apostasy and persecution. But it is re-emerged through him in the Philippines on July 27, 1914. That is the true church! Those who want to be saved must believe in the Bible and the Fundamental Teachings of ‘Iglesia Ni Cristo’ or ‘Church of Christ.’ (‘Pandoktrina’ Serie 1976-77) What is the truth? Who says the lie? Let us analyze their claims in the light of the Holy Bible.

Promise of Jesus Contradicts Total Apostasy:

As history proves, from the beginning until now, many false prophets have appeared with contrary views to divide the only one Church Jesus established forever. But the Church was always victorious over them, as it was Jesus who is guiding His Church through the Holy Spirit. Many denied what Jesus taught! Some preached Jesus is only a man. For others, he is only God. Some disbelieved the Holy Spirit, while others questioned the validity of sacraments. Foreseeing this danger, Jesus even warned His apostles about the work of Satan against the Church He founded: “Many will come in my name to lead you astray” (Mat. 24:5). But Jesus always assured the apostles His eternal presence with the Church. “When two or three are gathered in my name I will be in your midst,” was His word. He is not one who knows to establish His Church, but does not know how to safeguard it. The Church, he purchased by His blood, was not just for a few days, but for eternity!

Iglesia Ni Cristo tries to make the people believe in a false doctrine of apostasy by quoting the above passage from the Bible, which really meant against them; by Jesus; “For many will come in My name, saying ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray” (Mat. 24:5). This may be tactfully interpreted as ‘all’ to prove the Church, Jesus himself instituted, failed to survive in history. “Many” will fall away never meant all will fall away. ‘Many Filipinos are working in Japan,’ does not mean all Filipinos are working in Japan. The word ‘many’ never defend their claim of total apostasy.

Nobody can deny the biblical fact that Jesus instituted His Church upon the apostles in 33 A.D. Jesus didn’t create thousands of churches as we see now, but only one Church, which He called ‘My Church’ upon Simon whom He renamed “Peter, the Rock.” Mat. 16:18-19 says, “You are Peter and on this rock, I will build my Church. The gates of hell will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of heaven….”

When Jesus instituted the Church, he also assured its protection. “The gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Those who carry total apostasy theory for their very survival, and to justify their illegal fake churches, are making Jesus a liar who made a promise and failed to keep it. More than that, Jesus gave His assurance to the apostles; He will be with His Church “even until the end of the world” (Mat. 28:20) not for a few days.

Total Apostasy teaches Satan is more powerful than Jesus!

According to them, when the Christians were persecuted in Rome, Jerusalem and all over the world, the Church ceased to exist; Jesus abandoned His Church. So, the enemies of the Church became victorious. Can a Christian believe in this foolishness? Can Jesus, the good shepherd, abandon His Church when its members were sacrificing their lives for Him? Jesus said: “I am the good shepherd. The hired man who is not a shepherd and to whom the sheep does not belong as his own beholds the wolf coming and abandons the sheep and flees – and the wolf snatches them and scatters them, because he is a hired man and does not care for the sheep!” (Jn. 10:11-13). Jesus is the good shepherd, not hired one. This total apostasy in the 1st century is a myth and a lie. If anyone accepts this lie, he proclaims Satan is more powerful than Jesus himself – ‘false prophets’ are stronger than “Christ.”

Church as Body of Jesus can never be totally apostatized:

Jesus considered the Church as His own body. When Saul persecuted His Church, Jesus asked him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” (Acts 9:4-5).

Those who are compelled to carry the doctrine of total apostasy have to believe Saul was able to persecute and even kill Jesus, His body, the Church!

The Old Testament Prophecies against Total Apostasy:

Isaiah 9:5-6 says, “For us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David, and over his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.” See? He will uphold His kingdom ‘forevermore,’ ‘without end.’

In the Book of Daniel, we read a very clear statement against total apostasy. Daniel 7:14 says, “His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom shall not be destroyed.” Once more, Daniel 2:44 speak about this unrealistic myth of total apostasy.

Daniel 2:44 says, “And in the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up kingdom which shall never be destroyed, nor shall its sovereignty be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring to an end, and it shall stand forever.”

The Fiction of Total Apostasy questions the Validity of the Bible:

In the Gospel, we never see Jesus commanding us to believe in a ‘Bible.’ There was no Bible at the time of the apostles. The Bible emerged in the 4th century only! Those who use the Bible to support their doctrine of apostasy contradict themselves when history proves the Bible itself is coming from a Church that they call “apostatized in the 1st century.” The Bible was completed and formulated in 397 A.D. by the Council of Catholic Church (For more details, please read “Who Made The Bible?”).

Poor Knowledge of History:

Complete apostasy theory is supported by poor knowledge of its proponents in Church history. In the 1st century itself, the Church started to flourish in different parts of the world. The apostles travelled to different countries. The History of the Church in Rome and Jerusalem are blood stained. In fact, strong witness of martys strengthened the Church more and more. ‘Blood of the martyrs became the seed of Christianity.’ But there were other churches, which grew without fierce persecution. Take the case of the Church in India. In A.D. 52, St. Thomas the apostle came to Kerala, S. India and the Church he established there was protected and supported by the kings and rulers. Until now, that Church, known as St. Thomas Christians, keeps pure Catholic doctrines. There was neither apostasy nor total persecution in the history of that Church. Remember, history of churches is not exclusive to the Church in Rome and Jerusalem.

Conclusion:

Jesus is not a dead God. He lives and rules through his body – the only church he instituted here on earth. It is the Holy Spirit that guides the Church as promised by our Lord. Evil can never overtake her. The powers of hell, ‘wolves with sheep’s clothing’ (Mat. 7:15) tried the best to kill her always in different forms –political or religious. Caesar and Nero in Rome, Napoleon in France, Henry VII in England, Carl Marx and Lenin in Russia, Martin Luther in Germany, Mao in China… the list of persecutors goes on. The political powers perished. The anti-Catholic churches were broken into pieces. They all kept but one dream: “destroy Catholicism.” But still now, she continues as victorious as ever. The greatest moral power in the world. When the Pope speaks, all nations listen whether they belong to Muslims, Hindus, Protestants, Communists or Secularists. “The gates of hell will not prevail against it” (Mat. 16:18).

But the apostles of apostasy will appear always. They all will carry the Bible. Years before, Satan tempted Jesus quoting the scripture passages three times (Lk. 4). Now he uses the same trick to destroy the mystical body of Jesus! “Quote the Bible, destroy Catholic faith” is the new policy! So Jesus warned His apostles “Beware that no one leads you astray…many will fall away…” (Mt. 24:4-10)

Jesus has only one bride! His Church! “Christ loved the Church and handed himself over for her” (Eph. 5:25). Now new preachers are creating new churches, new wives for Jesus! They can never be the bride of Christ. Christ will never divorce his wife for whom, he died, with whom, he lives! He is, he was, and he will be, faithful to his church, his bride!

NEXT: Can We Call A Priest ‘Father’?

Why Do Catholics Baptize Infants

2011-10-18T21:54:00.000-07:00

“Don’t baptize children” is also a new dogma that the world heard from anti-Catholics, 1500 years after the beginning of Christianity, which was not demanded by Jesus nor practiced by his apostles in the early Church. Baptism is an external sign of an internal grace that we receive by the acceptance of Jesus as the Lord and Savior. The Bible says, it was given to children, adults and old ones alike by the apostles. The children were never denied baptism. No early documents of Christianity, supports that.

Acts 2:38-39 Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is made to you and to your children and to all those far off, whomever the Lord our God will call.”

At the time of Jesus, circumcision was the way to be consecrated to God. Apostles replaced baptism for circumcision. Circumcision was administered to children eight days after birth.

Col. 2:11-12 – “In Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not administered by hand, by stripping off the carnal body, with the circumcision of Christ. You were buried with Him in baptism.”

In the New Testament, baptism was administered to the whole family including children and adults. Baptism was never denied to children: Paul baptized the household of Stephanas (1 Cor. 1:16). “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you and your household will be saved (Acts 16:31). “Crispus, the synagogue official,came to believe in the Lord, along with his entire household.” (Acts 18:8) Here the Greek usage of “whole household” was a normal usage at that time which included children and adults in a house.

Jesus commanded baptism as a necessity for everyone to enter into the kingdom of God. (Jn. 3:5) Jesus answered Nicodemus, “Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.” Jesus didn’t say “except children,” but he said ‘no one can enter.’ Children should not be banned from entering into the kingdom of God as Jesus wished.

Mk. 10:14 – “Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belong to such as these.” Denying baptism to children is just preventing them from entering His kingdom. So, it becomes the duty and responsibility of parents to give the child the most urgent thing that they have to give – ‘Grace of God!’

“How can the children make an act of faith before receiving baptism?” In order to answer this doubt, we should know that ‘faith’ is God’s gift, not something that we get when we study some doctrines. Here, the Catholic Church follows the example of Jesus, who forgave sins because of the faith of others: Mk. 2:2-5- “after they had broken through, they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Child, your sins are forgiven.” Jesus healed the paralyzed servant because of the faith of a Centurion. Mt. 8:10-13 – “Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith.”…And Jesus said to the Centurion, “You may go; as you have believed, let it be done for you.” At that very hour his servant was healed.

Baptism: Immersion or Pouring?

The use of ‘water’ is an external sign of an internal grace of God. At the time of Jesus, ritual washings were practiced. The priest washed his hands to show purity. Pilate washed his hands to show his innocence. When Jesus accepted this sign, he didn’t intend for baptism ‘a bath in water.’ It is because of that misunderstanding, some sects prepare artificial swimming pools inside their worship centers. They accuse Catholic baptism is invalid as it is not done by immersion. Jesus and his disciples did not use such pools, for baptism. Wherever they got some water, baptism was administered. Acts 8:36-38 “As they travelled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look there is water. What is to prevent me from being baptized?” Here, ‘some water’ doesn’t mean a ‘river’ or ‘pool.’ On the day of Pentecost 3000 men were baptized there itself. We don’t read the apostles leading them to a river or to a sea to get those all immersed. Sprinkling of water may be used to baptize them. (Those 3000 never included women and children who were more than that!)

In the Church, immersion, pouring, and even sprinkling were used in the centuries that we consider, using of water, as an external sign, is the important thing. The Didache, which was considered as ‘inspired’ by some of the old Christian Churches (Syria, 70-110 AD) says: “Regarding baptism, baptize thus….. baptize ‘in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,’ in the running water. But if you have no running water, baptize in any other, and if you cannot, in cold water, then warm. But if the one is lacking, pour the other three times on the head ‘in the name of the Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit.’ ” (The Didache, Ch. 7)

NEXT: TOTAL APOSTASY? TOTAL LIE!

Who Made The Bible

2011-10-15T18:16:00.000-07:00

‘Bible alone’ is not the basis of faith

Jesus in His life never mentioned about a Bible. He never commanded us to believe in a book. We cannot see He ordered apostles to write a book. During the time of the apostles there was no Bible at all. Jesus founded, not a book as the basis of faith, but the Church as the “pillar and foundation of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15). And He promised not that book, but He Himself will be with His Church till the end of the age (Mt. 28:20) and the Holy Spirit will lead the apostles and the successors into the ‘fullness of truth’ after His ascension to heaven (Jn. 14:16-17). He even said, “If anyone refuses to listen to the Church, treat him as if you would a gentile or tax collector.”-Matthew 18:17

Tradition and the Bible

In the early centuries, before the Bible was formed Christians believed the teaching of the apostles and their disciples, as the basis of their faith, which the Church calls “Holy Tradition.” These traditions were not human customs mentioned in Mt. 15:3, 6-9, that were observed by Pharisees, but they were accepted as guided by the Holy Spirit.

In fact, the words such as ‘Bible’, ‘Purgatory’, ‘Trinity’, and ‘Assumption are all coming from these early Christian traditions! Later, when the Bible came, it defended those traditions.

2 Thess.2:15, “So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.”

1 Cor. 11:2, “Now I praise you because you remember me in everything, and hold firmly to the traditions just as I delivered them to you.”

Why the Bible was formed?

In the early centuries of the Church, there appeared more than 50 gospels, which include the 4 gospels that we see in the New Testament and other gospels such as gospel of James, gospel of Thomas, gospel of Hebrews, etc… There were 22 Books of Acts: Acts of Apostles, Acts of Paul, and Acts of Thecla, etc… There were numerous Epistles that we see in the New Testament and others such as Paul’s letter to Laodiceans, Epistle of Barnabas, etc… It created total confusion among early Christians because some of the books and letters were ‘spurious’ and others genuine. Some of them contained even superstitions and funny stories of miracles of Jesus and apostles. Many false prophets appeared with different theologies contrary to the apostolic teaching. For Arius, Jesus was not God. For Apollinarius, Jesus was not man. Macedonius preached Holy Spirit is not God. For Maricionites, all the gospels are false. All of them started to quote the scriptures available at that time.

To defend the true Chuch and its doctrines from the apostasies, the Catholic Church decided to select some books that seemed genuine and inspired; it is known as the Canon of Bible (Greek ‘Kanon’ means something serving to determine, rule). Thus, the Bible came from the Church! The Church is not coming from the Bible.

Church made the Bible

It was Melito, Bishop of Sardis (170 A.D.) who first tried to have an Old Testament Canon but many of the inspired books are not seen in his list.

The Council of Laodicea (360 A.D.), with the permission of the Pope in Rome, produced the first canon of the Bible. But it is only in the year of Pope Damasus (367 A.D.) a great effort was done to form a Bible. This Holy Pope compiled the books which he felt genuine and ordered St. Jerome to translate them into Latin, which was the official language of the Church. St. Jerome went to Jerusalem and lived 30 years in a cave to do the job. At 397 A.D., he finished his works and presented it to the Pope. This is known as ‘Latin Vulgate.’ Pope Siricius called it the ‘Bible,’ which means ‘collection of books.’

(In fact the term ‘Bible’ has a pagan origin. The Greek word ‘biblia’ is coming from the Phenition city of ‘Byblos’ that was a trading port for papyrus. For the Greeks, ‘biblos’ meant those books ‘an invocation of the goddess or muse’ (daughters of Zeus who inspired poets, speakers, and artists). Remember, critics always accuse Catholic feasts, such as Christmas for its pagan background. Even the Bible itself has a pagan background.)

Though Luke was not an apostle of Jesus, the Pope accepted his gospel because it clarified all doubts about doctrines of Mary-as it was believed in the early Church that Luke got ideas about the infancy of Jesus from Mary. Luke was also famous for his paintings of Mary and Child Jesus (One of these pictures is still kept in the Basilica of Mary Major in Rome). Matthew gives a very clear idea about the Primacy of Peter and the Church Jesus founded on him. John’s gospel was used by the early Christians to defend the real presence of Jesus, as one whole chapter of this gospel deals with that subject “my flesh is true food and my blood true drink.” Mark, being a close associate of Peter in Rome defends the selection of Peter, and his authority.

‘Where is that in the Bible?’ Anti-Catholics always ask this to prove Catholic practices are baseless or unbiblical. In order to answer them, we should know the true story about the origin of the Bible. Hundreds of protestant pastors have already comeback to Catholic Church just because they studied not only the Bible, but also the great history of the Bible. (please watch ‘Journey Home’ in EWTN channel. Mondays 8pm, encores: Tuesdays 1am & 10 am, Wednesdays 1pm, Saturdays 11pm. This exciting call-in program examines why so many people, including fallen away Catholics and individuals from other denominations, are being drawn home to the Catholic Church.)

No Bible without the Church

Those who deny tradition, Primacy of Pope and believe in the new dogmas of “total apostasy” are really questioning the validity of the Bible. When we say gospel written by Luke, Mark or Matthew, it doesn’t mean we have any evidence that it is written by them. These beliefs are based only on tradition. All scholars in ‘textual criticism of the Bible’ say many of the gospel parts are later additions of the disciples of evangelists. Mark and Luke were not even apostles of Jesus; they wrote what they heard from Peter and Paul. The Bible has no errors just because the Catholic Church, guided by the Holy Spirit, didn’t include erroneous books in the Bible. The Church even accepted some disputed books in the Bible such as Epistles of Jude, James, Peter and John. The Book of Revelation was considered unacceptable in many early Christians. They were not considered genuine in some churches. But it was the infallible decision of the Pope that made these books acceptable to all. They believed the Bible is trustworthy because the Holy Spirit is guiding the Church; the Pope is infallible. (Mt. 28:20)-“Teaching them to observe what I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always until the end of the age.”

All what the apostles preached and the early Christians practiced are not found in the Bible. The Bible itself admits that (Jn. 21:25), “There are in fact, many other things also which Jesus did, which, if ever they were written in full detail, I suppose the world itself could not contain the scrolls written.” Those who accept the Bible as the only basis of faith will never reach the fullness of truth that Jesus revealed later through His Church. (Jn. 16:12-13)-“I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when He comes, the Spirit of Truth, He will guide you to the fullness of truth.”

Prophecies and warnings in the Bible

The prophets who claimed the death of the original Church Jesus instituted, created churches just against the teachings of the Bible and contrary to the practice of early Christians. Joseph Smith claimed he is the last prophet! Felix Manalo claimed as the last messenger, an angel. Millions are spent already in the T.V. shows to announce the emergence of this modern ‘savior.’ “We will be saved only through their doctrines!” “A new angel Gabriel with a new annunciation!” “His church will last ‘till the end of the world while the Church founded by Jesus failed to exist!” Are they more powerful than Jesus Himself? For Manalo, he’s an angel, while Jesus is only a man. They all prophesied their times as the ‘Last Days’ about which Jesus said, “Neither the angles in heaven nor the Son knows.” But this new angels and prophets are very sure that their time is the Last. They may have more wisdom than Jesus. (After their surety of Last Days, even centuries passed without any happenings. But their T.V. shows continue to keep its believers in a hope by showing Tsunami, Katrina, Rita and War in Iraq as symptoms of Last Days). But Jesus warned us not to believe any ‘christs’ who come in His name (‘Christ’ means Savior).

In the Last Days, Jesus didn’t promise he will send an angel or prophet as His Last Messenger. The Bible says the message that we received from Jesus is the Last: “In times past God spoke in partial and various ways through the prophets; in these Last Days, He spoke to us through the Son…through whom He created the universe” (Heb. 1:1-2). These people who put themselves in the place of Jesus is really fulfilling the prophecies of the Bible which warned the coming of the Anti-Christ. “Whoever denies the Father and the Son will be the Anti-Christ. No one who denies the Son has the Father, but whoever confesses the Son has the Father” (1 Jn. 2:22-23).

“For many will come in my name, saying “I am the Christ,” and they will lead many astray” (Mt. 24:4-5). The Bible warns about fake angels who may appear to destroy the only one Church Jesus founded in this world. The Bible makes this prophecy: “for such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, who pretend as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan pretends as an angel of light. His ministers also pretend as ministers of righteousness!” (2 Cor. 11:13-15)

Gal. 1:8 – “Even if an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one that we preached, let that one be accursed!”

We should not forget the warning of St. Peter – the first Pope: “False prophets appeared in the past among the people, and in the same way false teachers will appear among you. They will bring in destructive, untrue doctrines, and will deny the Master who redeemed them, and so they will bring upon themselves sudden destruction.” (2 Pet. 2:1)

The Sad Story of the Bible!

Until 1400 AD, Catholic monks preserved the original purity of the Bible and made copies by hand. Everyday in the Holy Masses, the congregation attended both ‘Breaking of the Word’ and ‘Breaking of the Bread.’ The Bible was not available to common people as there was no printing at that time as it is today.

In 1453 AD, printing was invented. Copies of the Bible made available. In 1517 AD, Martin Luther attacked the Church, but first he vandalized the Bible itself. Just to defend his dogmas, he threw out 7 Old Testament books from the original early canons of the Bible (Wisdom, Sirach, Judith, Baruch, Tobit, 1st Maccabees and 2nd Maccabees). He planned to destroy even the New Testament book ‘Letter of James’ which spoke against his doctrine ‘sola fide’ (man is saved not by work but faith alone). But James 2:26 says: “Faith without works is dead.” When opposition mounted, he was satisfied, accusing this Epistle as ‘Epistle of the straw.’ So now, the Bible that is used by Protestants are partial, incomplete, and unauthentic.

His followers started to fight each other on interpreting the Bible by creating contrary theologies and new dogmas. Thousands of churches were formed. All believed the Bible alone is the basis of faith; a dogma never taught by Jesus, never written in the Bible, nor supported by the Bible. Each church started to change interpretations and even words in the Bible according to their desire. It created more than 200,000 churches with contrary views, all based in the Bible. All claim the guidance of the same Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit can never do this dirty confusion and total anarchy as it is the Spirit of Truth. There are more than 700 churches here in the Philippines with ‘Bible alone theory.’ Thus, history proved, beyond any doubt, the ‘Bible alone’ theory is not from God. In fact, the Bible became an instrument in the hands of Satan to create chaos and anarchy in Christendom when it is taken out from its real basis – the Church founded by Jesus upon Peter. So Jesus warned, (Jn. 15:6) “Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither.”

History proved beyond doubt that two teachings of Luther were wrong. ‘Sola Scriptura’ (Bible alone is the basis of faith) and ‘Sola Fide’ (Faith alone is the basis of salvation).

If you have a Bible, you can create your own church, with your own interpretations! You can cheat many poor people by proclaiming yourself as an angel or prophet! But can you give them salvation? The church you create will never be the Church of Christ. Religion making business is a money-making business now!

NEXT: Why Do Catholics Baptize Infants

The Sign of the Cross

2011-10-12T21:37:00.000-07:00

The great tradition of Catholics, to be proud of the ‘Sign of the Cross’ was mocked and teased today by some anti-Catholic medias because of their ignorance about the biblical and historical basis of this spiritual tradition. We sign ‘the cross’ on our forehead; decorate our Churches with cross and administer sacraments with the same sign.

The Biblical basis: When we make the sign of the cross, we proclaim the message of salvation purchased by Jesus through the cross. The Bible clearly states: “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God.” (1 Cor. 1:18)

The Bible teaches us to be proud of it as the message of the cross is the power of God; “But God forbid that I should boast except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me and I to the world. (Gal. 6:14)

Cross symbolizes our day to day sufferings without which there is no crown for Christians. When Peter tried to keep Jesus away from the Cross, he called Peter “Satan.” So it is clear, Satan is afraid and keeping himself away from the Cross as it is through the Cross, Jesus destroyed the devil’s kingdom and saved mankind from the slavery of sin and death.

Early Christians, even before the Bible was formed, kept this spiritual practice in common to keep Satan away and to save themselves from the powers of evil.

Cyril of Jerusalem wrote in A.D. 386: “Let us therefore not be ashamed of the cross of Christ; but though another hide it, do thou openly seal it upon thy forehead , that the devils may beheld the royal sign and flee trembling far away. Make then this sign at eating and drinking, at sitting, at lying down, at rising up, at speaking, at walking: in a word, at every act.”

Ephrem of Syria testifies in A.D. 373: “Make all your actions with the sign of the life-giving Cross. Do not go out from “the doors of your house till you have signed yourself with the cross. Do not neglect that sign whether in eating and drinking or going to sleep, or in the home or going on a journey. There is no habit to be compared with it. Let it be a protecting wall around all your conduct, and teach it to your children that they may earnestly learn the custom.”

Thousands of saints used this sign to be victorious over satanic attacks as it is through this sign Jesus made possible the forgiveness of our sins. In the Christian world, Sign of the Cross was widely used very effectively in exorcism throughout the centuries. Christians must use this sign proudly as it trembles Satan and the Bible proves it.

Jesus says to us: “Take your cross and follow me.” Centuries old spiritual experiences of holy people show Satan is afraid of the Sign of the Cross and he hates it. Iglesia Ni Cristo, Dating Daan and some other sects also hate the Sign of the Cross! (‘Remove all crosses’ is one of the commands of ‘Pandoktrina’ the official teaching of INC, page 14.)

NEXT: WHO MADE THE BIBLE

God, the Holy Spirit

2011-10-01T01:44:00.000-07:00

The Bible clarifies the divine nature of the Holy Spirit. The eternal existence of Holy Spirit with God is stated in: Gen. 1:1-2, “In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless wasteland, and darkness covered the abyss, while the Mighty power of the Spirit of God was moving over the waters” (the original word used in the Bible here for the Spirit of God is ‘ruah’ which always comes in the scripture to denote Holy Spirit. Ref: Jerome Biblical Commentary, PG. 11). It shows that before the creation of heaven, the Holy Spirit was existing. Eternal existence of Holy Spirit shows he is God. Only God exists eternally.

Holy Spirit is not an angel or one of the seven spirits as Iglesia Ni Cristo tries to interpret. If the Holy Spirit is one among other spirits, it will never be called ‘The Spirit.’ The Bible never mentions such seven ‘holy spirits.’ The ‘Holy Spirit’ is God as the word ‘Holy’ is only attributed to God at the time of Jesus and in the Old Testament: “God is Holy, He is the Holy One.” (Is. 43:3); “I, the Lord your God, am Holy.” (Lv. 19:12); God is called ‘holy’ by angels in heaven (Is. 6:3). If Holy Spirit is not God, he will never be called ‘Holy’ in heaven. More than that, He is referred as singular ‘The Holy Spirit,’ as a person, not as plural ‘seven spirits.’

Jesus reveals the divinity of the Holy Spirit

Mat. 12:32-Jesus said: “Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.” Sin against the Holy Spirit is so serious as it is a blasphemy. For the Jews, blasphemy is a sin that is done against God. If Holy Spirit is not God, Jesus would not make such a statement.

Holy Spirit is explicitly called God in the Bible as a Divine Person in union with the Father and the Son. 2 Cor. 3:17-18: “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father in union with Jesus. John 15:26-“But when the Comforter comes, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceeds from the Father, he shall testify me.” The Bible uses the Greek word ‘pneuma’ (pnyoo’-mah’) for the Holy Spirit, which means ‘breath’ or ‘life giving spirit.’ When God created man He ‘breathed’ on Adam and gave him life. Jesus breathed on apostles and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (Jn. 20:22). Holy Spirit is the Breath of the Father and the Son, who is proceeding from both of them.

St. Paul strongly defends the divine nature of the Holy Spirit and unity of three Divine Persons in Galatians 4:6-“And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son unto your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.”

St. Paul teaches the equality of the Spirit of God with the Spirit of Christ when he writes: Romans 8:9-“But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit. If so be that, the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man has not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” Here Paul equates the Spirit of God with the Spirit of Christ.

Our body is God’s temple and God’s temple is the same as the temple of the Holy Spirit. This strong argument to support the Divine nature of the Holy Spirit is seen in: 1 Cor. 3:16-“Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?” This temple of God is identified as Temple of the Holy Spirit. 1 Cor. 6:19-“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?” 2 Cor. 6:16-“For we are the temple of the living God!”

God is actually living in the person of Holy Spirit, a deep mystery of God that we know almost nothing here in this world. Eph. 2:22-“And in Him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit.”

Peter calls the Holy Spirit, God: Acts 5:3-4 -“Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money… What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God.”

In the letter to the Hebrews 3:7-9, we read “The Holy Spirit says: ‘Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert, where your fathers tested and tried me and for forty years saw what I did.’” ‘Fathers tested and tried me’ here, me is Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit the fathers tested and tried is Lord God himself according to Exodus 17:7-“And He called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the Lord saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?” So, it is clear that the Holy Spirit whom the fathers tested and tried is the Lord God.

Paul clarifies the Hypostatic union of the Holy Spirit with God: 1 Cor. 2:10-11-“But God has revealed it to us by His Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.” See? The Spirit of God comes from within the Father, who knows even the inner thoughts of God; He is Almighty.

All these biblical passages lead us to the essential conclusion of early Christian faith. There is only one God in three equal, co-eternal and co-substantial persons-Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. We call that mystery: “TRINITY.” It is beyond our understanding, just like all other divine truths such as: virgin birth of Jesus, redemption through his death, presence of evil in this world, nature of heaven and earth… But we believe in all these mysteries because we trust the words of Jesus who is “The Truth.”

Next: Sign of the Cross

‘TRINITY’ IN THE BIBLE

2011-09-20T23:00:00.000-07:00

The Holy Trinity

Those who deny the Divinity of Jesus are compelled to deny the Divine nature of the Holy Spirit. For them, “The Trinity of God” is beyond human understanding. So they deny it. They just forget the fact that God, who created man, can never be a slave of human intelligence. The Holy Spirit is considered only as an angel or one of the seven spirits. They, try to confuse “Trinity” as “Tri-theism” (Three-gods) and criticize Catholics as ‘Trinitarians.’ Did God reveal Himself as ‘Trinity’ in the Bible? Why do we believe in this Great Mystery?

The term ‘Trinity’

As we all know, Divine Revelation is explained through the centuries by some theological terms. Although they are insufficient to explain the truth revealed in depth. We can never find the word ‘Bible’ in an authentic translation of the Bible. The word ‘Bible’ itself is a term that appeared in history in the 4th century. But we believe in it. Similarly, we don’t see the word ‘Trinity’ in the Bible. But to explain the Divine Mystery revealed to us about God the Father, the Son and The Holy Spirit, we use the term ‘Trinity.’

The word ‘Trinity’ is first used by St. Theophilus of Antioch in his book ‘Epistle to Antolycus’ in A.D. 180 (Greek: Triados). Remember, at that time there was no ‘Bible’ in the Church. In fact the term ‘Trinity’ is more ancient than the word ‘Bible’ itself. Before the formation of the Bible, those who worked behind the creation of a canonical book ‘Bible’ believed and accepted ‘The Trinity’ as God’s revealed truth handed over to them from the apostles. After some years, Tertullian (A.D. 160-250) used a Latin term for Trinity (Trinitas) in his work “Modesty.’ He wrote: “Trinity of the one Divinity; Father, Son and Holy Spirit” (chapter 22).

ETERNAL EXISTENCE OF HOLY TRINITY

Plurality of God in The Old Testament

In the Old Testament, God reveals Himself not as a single person, but ‘persons.’ In Hebrew, the word for God is not ‘El,’ singular noun, but plural ‘Elohim,’ which can never be translated as a single person ‘god’ as we usually do. Elohim is a plural noun with a singular form. It has a plural morphological form in Hebrew (Ref: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia). This plural word ‘Elohim’ occurs 2700 times in the Bible. Hebrews called God “Elohim,” which really meant ‘Divine Persons’ (Ref: Jerusalem Bible Footnote). There are evidences to prove this plural personality of God, in the Bible:

Genesis 1:26-Then God said: “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air…” Here, the ‘likeness of God’ is plural as He creates ‘Man’ as ‘male and female.’ Therefore, Adam and Eve shared one flesh, just as Father and Son shares one substance. Adam and Eve were one spirit, just like Father and Son shares one Spirit (Malachi 2:15). Thus, the whole creation becomes the ‘image’ reflection, or mirroring of the manifold life of Divine nature of Trinity.

Genesis 3:22-Then the Lord God said, “Behold the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil….”

Genesis 11:7-God said, “Come, let Us go down and confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech…”

Isaiah 6:8-“I heard the voice of the Lord, ‘Whom shall I send? Who will go for Us?’” But only Jesus can call God the Father in singular form. So, he did it while he was dying on the cross. “El, El, lema sabachtani.”-Matthew 27:46

Anti-Trinitarians always quote Deu.6:4 to deny this mystery, which says: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is One Lord.” In fact, the biblical word here used for ‘One’ is “echad” which is a corporate oneness. Not a numeric count.

The Bible says to us that there are three that bear witness in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost (1Jn.5:7). The Bible reveals “God has a Son” Prov.30:4; “Who knows the name of God and the name of His Son!” The Bible also says the Holy Spirit exists with God; “Now the Lord has sent me and His Spirit.”

God is defined as Love in the Bible. If God is a single individual, this definition becomes invalid as He could never give and experience love. C.S. Lewis, the famous thinker says: “If God was a single person, then, before the world was made, he was not love.”

HOLY TRINITY IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father in union with Jesus. John 15:26-“But when the Comforter comes, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceeds from the Father, he shall testify me.” The Bible uses the Greek word ‘pneuma’ (pnyoo’-mah’) for Holy Spirit, which means ‘breath’ or ‘life-giving spirit.’ When God created man, He ‘breathed’ on Adam and gave him life. Jesus breathed on apostles and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (Jn.20:22). The Holy Spirit is the Breath of the Father and the Son, who is proceeding from both of them.

Jesus himself reveals the unity and equality of three persons of Trinity when he commanded: Matthew 28:19, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Here, the ‘name’ singular is used for the plurality of “Father, Son and the Holy Spirit” (not the plural ‘names’). This singular ‘name’ implies the fundamental unity of Three Divine Persons. Those who deny the divine nature of Jesus and the Holy Spirit are baptizing their members “In the name of the Father,the God, Son the man, Holy Spirit an angel.” Through baptism, God, who is the Trinity, chooses us. 1 Pet. 1:2, “…who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ.”

St. Paul explains this mystery more clearer when he says: “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit, there are different kinds of service, but the same Lord, there are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men” (1 Cor. 12:4-6). The creative work of Heavenly Father, the redemptive work of the Son and sanctifying work of the Spirit are same work of the Almighty.

There is only one God; the Creator! He has only one son; Jesus Christ! He founded only one Church; upon Peter! Only the Catholic Church has divine origin!

Next: God, the Holy Spirit

Jesus is Worshipped as God

2011-09-12T20:09:00.000-07:00

God commanded his people not to worship any other gods than him. Worship belongs only to God.

“For thou shall worship no other God: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God (Exodus 34:14). “Thou shall worship the Lord thy God, and him only shall thou serve.” (Mat.4:10)

But the Bible gives enormous evidences that worship was given to Jesus, as he is God.

“Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, ‘you are the Son of God.’ ” (Mat.14:33)

“And when they came into the house, they saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him.” (Mat.2:11)

We see Jesus receiving worship in:

Matthew 28:9 - And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage.

Mark 5:6 - Catching sight of Jesus from a distance, he ran up and prostrated himself before him.

Luke 24:52 - They did him homage and then returned to Jerusalem with great joy.

Revelation 15:3-4 - And they sang the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb: “Great and wonderful are your works, Lord God almighty. Just and true are your ways, O king of the nations. Who will not fear you, Lord, or glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All the nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.”

Hebrews 1:6 - And again, when he leads the first-born into the world, he says: “Let all the angels of God worship him.”

John 9:35-38 - When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, he found him and said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered and said, “Who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” Jesus said to him, “You have seen him and the one speaking with you is he.” He said, “I do believe, Lord,” and he worshiped him.

Matthew 2:10-11 - They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Matthew 9:18 - While he was saying these things to them, an official came forward, knelt down before him, and said, “My daughter has just died. But come, lay your hand on her, and she will live.”

Matthew 15:25 - But the woman came and did him homage, saying, “Lord, help me.”

The Bible gives all evidences to prove the Divine and Human natures of Jesus Christ. He is not merely a man who was favored by God, nor a prophet or messenger sent to establish a religion on earth. But he is the living God, “the Only Son,” who ‘existed before’ the creation of this world; who ‘received flesh’ in time, came down to save us, and who will come to judge the universe. He is God. The false propaganda, that he is only a man, as Jews, pagans and non-Christians always believed, is making the Holy Bible a great fraud and Jesus a big liar.

Next: 'Trinity' in the bible

Apostles proclaimed “Jesus is God”

2011-09-07T06:32:00.000-07:00

Paul wrote: Jesus is God


St. Peter the Apostle (The first Pope)

Col. 1:16-17, “For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold.”

Romans 9:5, “Christ came,who is over all, the eternally blessed God, Amen.”

John says: Jesus is God

John 1:3, “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.”

1 Jn. 5:20, “And we are in the one who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.”

Thomas proclaims: Jesus is God

John 20:27-28, “Then he said to Thomas, ‘Reach hither your finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither your hand, and thrust into my side; and be not faithless, but believing.’ And Thomas answered and said unto him, ‘My Lord and my God.’” Jesus accepted that declaration as coming from true faith, when he said, “You believed.”(John 20:29)

Jude believed: Jesus is God

Jude 25, “To the only wise God our Savior, (Savior in Bible means Christ) be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.”

Peter teaches: Jesus is God

“Symeon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have received a faith of equal value of ours through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ…” 2 Peter 1:1

Epistle to the Hebrews

The Epistle to the Hebrews states the equality of Jesus with God, the Heavenly Father.

Hebrews 1:1-3, “In the past God spoke to our ancestors many times and in many ways through the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us through his Son. He is the one through whom God created the universe, the one whom God has chosen to possess all things at the end. He reflects the brightness of God’s glory and is the exact likeness of God’s own being, sustaining the universe with his powerful word. After achieving forgiveness for the sins of all human beings, he sat down in heaven at the right side of God, the Supreme Power.”

Bible proves beyond doubt: Jesus is God

1 Timothy 3:16-“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”

1 Timothy 1:16-17-“For this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all long suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.”

Titus 2:13-“Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.”

Titus 1:3-“But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Savior.”

Titus 2:10-“…showing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.”

Philippians 2:5-8-“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it is not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of man: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death on the cross.”

It answers the ignorance of Iglesia Ni Cristo (Iglesia Ni Cristo [Church of Christ]: a religious sect founded in the Philippines that propagates the doctrine that Jesus is not God) that denies the Divinity of Jesus because “Jesus has flesh and

bones.” God has no flesh and bones, as He is Spirit. Jesus was in the form of God the Spirit, but took the form of man. So Jesus said, “I have come down from heaven” (Jn.6:37-40). Now, he is in the form of God again, and with God. He said, “When two or three gather in my name I will be in your midst” (Matthew 18:20). When we pray, Jesus is present today in our midst, not materially, but spiritually. He is Spirit.

Next: Jesus is worshipped as God

Jesus is God

2011-09-03T07:11:00.000-07:00

THE BIBLE PROCLAIMS:

JESUS IS GOD

Jews crucified him for blasphemy. ‘Being a man you make yourself God’ (Jn.10:33) was his crime. But the Church he established boldly proclaimed he is the Living God. Thousands of them became martyrs just for that cause. Roman Caesars and Neros worked hard to kill his Church, but Rome became its capital. Now new ‘churches’ have re-emerged here with old dreams. Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) spends millions in T.V. shows to propagate ‘Jesus is not God. He is only a man. The Church he established is dead. The Catholic Church is an apostasied Church.’ They try their best to prove it from the Bible! All tricks are used to confuse Catholics. Hundreds of them are already trapped in their propaganda. Many are wounded and pained because of harsh criticisms against the Catholic faith. What is the truth? What does the Bible really say about Jesus?

In John 8:40 (“Now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God”) is the Bible passage that is used by non-Catholic brothers to throw Jesus out of his divine nature. But in the same paragraph, there is a clear statement of Jesus about his divine and human natures. We can never deny the human nature of Jesus, but he is not ‘only man’. The Bible reveals him as ‘Man of God’. 30 times the Bible describes Jesus as ‘The Son of Man,’ but 30 times also it says Jesus is ‘The Son of God.’ He is the ‘Word that became Flesh.’ St. John starts his gospel with that solemn proclamation.

John 1:1-3 states: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. He made all things; and without Him was not any thing made that was made….and the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.” Old Testament prophets foretold this mystery of the incarnation.

The Old Testament prophesied Jesus is God!

Matthew 1:23 states: “Behold a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which means, God with us.” The scripture makes it clear that God has a Son when it asks in Prov. 30:4 (‘Who knows the name of God and the name of His Son!’)

Isaiah 9:6 clarifies the divine nature of that Son in his great prophecy about the birth of Jesus (“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder: his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.”).

Jesus claimed he is God

Those who deny the divine nature of Jesus always try to propagate that Jesus never taught he is God. That argument is unbiblical as there are clear evidences in the Bible that Jesus Himself claimed his divinity.

In Exodus 3:14-17, God reveals His name to Moses as “I AM who am.” God even commanded Moses to say to the Israelites “I AM sent me to you… This is my name forever. This is my title forever.” In the New Testament Jesus is using the title of God for himself.

John 8:57-59 states: “Then the Jews said to him, ‘you are not yet fifty-years-old, and have you seen Abraham?’ Jesus said to them: ‘Most assuredly I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.’ Then they took up stones to throw at him.” He even insisted to the Jews to believe that he is “I AM.” In Jn.8:24, Jesus says to the Jews: “If you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins.”

The Jews tried to stone him because he claimed his eternal existence, which is blasphemy. Only God exists eternally. In another occasion, Jesus instructed His apostles to believe that he is I AM (Jn.13:19): “You may believe that I AM.”

John 5:17-26 states: ”Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God is his father, making himself equal with God.” But Jesus strongly defended his divine nature saying he is the master of life, which only God can claim, “For as the father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom he will.” Jesus answered Philip: “I have been with you for a long time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” (Jn.14:9)

John 10:28-39, Jesus solemnly proclaimed before the Jews: “My father and I are one.” Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him, saying: “For a good work we stone you not; but for blasphemy, because that thou, being a man, make thyself God!” Jesus answered them; “If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though you believe not me, believe the works: that you may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him. Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hands.”

When Satan tempted Jesus, he said to Satan: “You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.” (Mat.4:7)

The Old Testament revealed God as First and the Last. “Thus says the LORD the King Of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the First and I am the Last; and beside me there is no God.” (Isaiah 44:6) But the New Testament says that God, who is ‘The First and The Last,’ is Jesus; “And he (Jesus) said unto me, it is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him who is thirsty the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcomes shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.” (Rev. 21:6-7)

Next: Apostles proclaimed Jesus is God