(an excerpt from source: inc.kabayankokapatidko.org/why-we-left-the-catholic-church/) Most Catholics became one not by affiliation through faith, but by birth. But do they have the chance to wean themselves from this church? What is God’s commandment to them? (please read all po...) Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, ‘Come out of her, my people, so that you do not take part in her sins, and so that you do not share in her plagues’ (Rev 18:4, ibid.). ---end of excerpt--- Why is this so? --- please read full article shared below: ---start of excerpt--- Most of us, members of the Church Of Christ, were former Catholics. Our minds were even closed to other faiths because we thought that Catholicism is the true religion. We did not miss the Sunday Mass, for we believed that our worship was accepted by God. We used to believe that to be a Catholic is to be a Christian. But what prompted us to leave the Catholic Church despite the many years we spent in it as faithful and devoted members is the truth written in the Bible: In vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts as doctrines (Matt 15:9 NRSV). We did not want our worship of God to be in vain or useless. This prompted us to listen to and study God’s teachings written in the Holy Bible and compare them with Catholic doctrines. For instance, we believed then, as many Catholics still do, that our worship of God, especially those that lead to self-imposed piety and severe treatment of the body, is pleasing and acceptable to Him. There are even devout Catholics who would do severe acts of penance such as self-flagellation as an act of worship. But what the Bible says is this: All these regulations refer to things that perish with use; they are simply human commands and teachings. These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-imposed piety, humility, and severe treatment of the body, but they are of no value in checking self-indulgence (Col 2:22-23, ibid.). Any form of worship rendered according to doctrines and precepts of men, is of no value to God. Among the teachings of the Catholic Church that is not anchored on God’s teachings is image-worship. As Catholics then, we did not believe that we were worshiping the cross or any image even if we knelt before it. But in truth, as revealed by a Catholic cardinal, the Catholic Church sanctions the worship of images: It is in this sense, I take it, that scholastic writers have spoken of the same worship being paid to images of Christ as to Christ our Lord himself; for the act which is called the worship of an image is really the worship of Christ Himself, through and in the presence of the image and by occasion of it (The Faith of Our Fathers, pp. 164-165). It may not be known to most of its members, but the Catholic Church, as its leaders themselves admit, sanctions the worship of images. This is a direct violation of God’s teachings. God strictly prohibits the use of any kind of image as an object of worship for it is tantamount to having other gods before Him: And God spoke all these words, saying: I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me (Exod 20:1-5). Image-worship in the Catholic Church is an affront to God. This reason is sufficient for every Catholic to leave, as we did, the Catholic Church. On observing the Mass Attending Mass on Sundays and feast days is an obligation of Catholics. Members are enjoined to follow this commandment. But before we discuss whether this commandment of the Catholic Church conforms with God’s teaching or not, let us first find out—what is Mass? This oblation of the New Law is commonly called Mass . . . The sacrifice of the Mass is the consecration of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ, and the oblation of this body and blood to God, by the ministry of the Priest for a perpetual memorial of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross (The Faith of Our Fathers, p. 254). Mass is the oblation or offering of the body and blood of Christ by the priest. This is done daily and by the hour as it is celebrated by Catholics in all parts of the world, except on Holy Friday. But, is the sacrifice of the Mass scriptural? Apostle Paul answers: Unlike the other high priests, he has no need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for those of the people; this he did once for all when he offered himself (Heb 7:27 NRSV). Christ did not have to offer Himself daily because He did it once, and once is enough. The doctrine of offering the Lord Jesus Christ more than once goes against biblical teaching. In light of these truths, it may be painful to admit, but our eyes are open to the fact that the worship taught and observed by the Catholic Church is not in accordance with God’s teachings and, therefore, is not acceptable to Him. ‘Come out of her’ Most Catholics became one not by affiliation through faith, but by birth. But do they have the chance to wean themselves from this church? What is God’s commandment to them? Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, ‘Come out of her, my people, so that you do not take part in her sins, and so that you do not share in her plagues’ (Rev 18:4, ibid.). The first step that a Catholic must do, as we have done, is to come out of the Roman Catholic Church. That is God’s commandment. But it is not enough to leave the Catholic Church. What else is to be done? What then is the next step? Christ our Lord says: I am the door; anyone who comes into the fold through me will be safe . . . (John 10:9 REB). All are commanded by Christ to enter the fold through Him. The “fold” or “flock” referred to is the Church Of Christ (Acts 20:28 Lamsa). Catholics, nay all those outside the Church Of Christ, are commanded by Christ to enter or join His Church through Him. Why through Christ? Because He is the door of the sheepfold (John 10:7 REB). Christ Himself assures salvation for those who will obey His command. This is the chance the Lord is giving us. Let us take this chance, before it is too late. --end of excerpt--- Please heed Gods instructions, you are most welcome po to visit the nearest Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church of Christ) locale congregation...our Ministers and Church workers will be glad to assist you.
Posted on: Tue, 18 Mar 2014 07:20:06 +0000
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