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DECLARATIONS OF THE COUNCIL
OF TRENT
FOURTH SESSION: DECREE CONCERNING THE
CANONICAL SCRIPTURES:
"If anyone does not accept as sacred and canonical the aforesaid books in
their entirety and with all their parts [the 66 books of the Bible plus 12
apocryphal books, being two of Paralipomenon, two
of Esdras, Tobias, Judith, Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus, Baruch, Sophonias,
two of Macabees], as they have been accustomed to
be read in the Catholic Church and as they are contained in the old Latin
Vulgate Edition, and knowingly and deliberately rejects the aforesaid
traditions, LET HIM BE ANATHEMA."
Scripture
says:
"All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof,
for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be
adequate, equipped for every good work" -2 Timothy 3:16-17.
"Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common
salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend
earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the
saints" -Jude 3.
"But know this first of all, that (N)no prophecy of Scripture is a
matter of one's own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act
of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God" -2 Peter 1:20-21.
"You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: THIS PEOPLE HONORS
ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.’BUT IN VAIN DO THEY
WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN'" -Matthew 15:7-9.
SIXTH SESSION, CANONS CONCERNING
JUSTIFICATION: "If anyone says that justifying faith is nothing else
than confidence in divine mercy, which remits sins for Christ's sake, or that
it is this confidence alone that justifies us, LET HIM BE ANATHEMA"
(Canons Concerning Justification, Canon 12).
Scripture
says:
"because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His
sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin. But now apart from the
Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law
and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ
for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned
and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace
through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly
as a propitiation in His blood through faith This was to demonstrate His
righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins
previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at
the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who
has faith in Jesus. Where then is boasting? It is excluded By what kind of law?
Of works? No, but by a law of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified
by faith apart from works of the Law" -Romans 3:20-29
SIXTH SESSION, CANONS CONCERNING
JUSTIFICATION: "If anyone says that the justice received is not
preserved and also not increased before God through good works, but that
those works are merely the fruits and signs of justification obtained, but
not the cause of its increase, LET HIM BE ANATHEMA" (Canons Concerning
Justification, Canon 24).
Scripture
says:
"For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about,
but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? "ABRAHAM BELIEVED
GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS." Now to the one who
works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. But to the
one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his
faith is credited as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing
on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: "BLESSED
ARE THOSE WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN, AND WHOSE SINS HAVE BEEN
COVERED. "BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE SIN THE LORD WILL NOT TAKE INTO
ACCOUNT" -Romans 4:2-8.
"He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might
become the righteousness of God in Him" -2 Corinthians 5:21
"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ" -Romans
5:1
Explanatory Note: (We are not
justified by an infused righteousness that we obtain by papal authority
having merit from The Treasury of Merit imputed to us from Mary, saints, the
Pope himself or through indulgences, so that we can freed from Purgatory
cleansing for sins that we committed. Justification is a forensic, legal
declaration; but even more importantly, it is being clothed with the perfect
of righteousness of Christ through faith. Christ on the cross was treated as
if He lived my life-my sin was imputed to Him though He is holy, sinless; so
that I could be treated as if I lived His life-His righteousness is imputed
to me though I am a sinner and by nature a child of wrath worthy only to
spend eternity in an everlasting hell (Ephesians 2:1-3). My own
righteousness, even religious good works obtained under papal decree, is
nothing but filthy rags before a holy God (Isaiah 64:6). Faith is the
instrument by which this becomes a reality--and even that faith is the gift
of God (Ephesians 2:8-9.)
SIXTH SESSION, CANONS CONCERNING
JUSTIFICATION: "If anyone says that the Catholic doctrine of
justification as set forth by the holy council in the present decree,
derogates in some respect from the glory of God or the merits of our Lord
Jesus Christ, and does not rather illustrate the truth of our faith and no
less the glory of God and of Christ Jesus, LET HIM BE ANATHEMA" (Canons
Concerning Justification, Canon 33).
Scripture
says:
"I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the
grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only
there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of
Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a
gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we
have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel
contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed! -Galatians 1:6-9
"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of
heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.
"Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in
Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many
miracles?' "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART
FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS' -Matthew
7:21-24
"For all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our
righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf,
and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away" -Isaiah 64:6
"for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and
glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh, although I myself
might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put
confidence in the flesh, I far more: circumcised the eighth day, of the
nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the
Law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the
righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless. But whatever things were
gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More
than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of
knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all
things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be
found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but
that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God
on the basis of faith" -Philippians
3:3-9
SEVENTH SESSION, CANONS ON BAPTISM:
"If anyone says that in the Roman Church, which is the mother and
mistress of all churches, there is not the true doctrine concerning the
sacrament of baptism, LET HIM BE ANATHEMA" (Canons on Baptism, Canon 3).
Scripture
says:
"and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without
hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ;
having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with
Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. When
you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision
of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all
our transgressions" -Colossians
2:11-13
SEVENTH SESSION, CANONS ON BAPTISM:
"If anyone says that baptism is optional, that is, not necessary for
salvation, LET HIM BE ANATHEMA" (Canons on Baptism, Canon 5).
Scripture
says:
"who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the
days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is,
eight persons, were brought safely through the water. Corresponding to that,
baptism now saves you--) not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an
appeal to God for a good conscience--through the resurrection of Jesus
Christ, who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after
angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him" -1 Peter 3:20-22
Explanatory Note: (The fluid has
no saving power nor does the act of being baptized. Salvation is by grace
through faith in Christ alone; it is not of works lest any man should boast.
If baptism was necessary for salvation and a sacramental means of grace as
Trent claims, why does the Apostle John say that the Lord baptized no one (cf, John 4:1-2)? And the same was said of Paul in 1
Corinthians 1:14-16. Furthermore Paul lucidly says, "Christ did not
send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so
that the cross of Christ would not be made void." If baptism is
part of the gospel by Rome's canon, why does the Apostle Paul definitely
claim the exact opposite under divine inspiration? Listen, no ordinance or sacrament of any church, Pope or
council can add one thing to the once for all sacrifice and bodily
resurrection of Jesus Christ the Righteous for our salvation.)
SEVENTH SESSION, CANONS ON BAPTISM:
"If anyone says that children, because they have not the act of
believing, are not after having received baptism to be numbered among the
faithful, and that for this reason are to be re-baptized when they have reached the years of discretion; or
that it is better that the baptism of such be omitted than that, while not
believing by their own act, they should be baptized in the faith of the
Church alone, LET HIM BE ANATHEMA" (Canons on Baptism, Canon 13).
Scripture
says:
"Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has
made Him both Lord and Christ--this Jesus whom you crucified." Now when
they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the
rest of the apostles, "Brethren, what shall we do?" Peter said to
them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ
for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy
Spirit" -Acts 2:36-38
"Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so
that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so
we too might walk in newness of life" -Romans 6:4
SEVENTH SESSION, CANONS ON
CONFIRMATON:
"If anyone says that the confirmation of those baptized is an empty
ceremony and not a true and proper sacrament; or that of old it was nothing
more than a sort of instruction, whereby those approaching adolescence gave
an account of their faith to the Church, LET HIM BE ANATHEMA" (Canons on
Confirmation, Canon 1).
Scripture
says:
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed
us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He
chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and
blameless before Him In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through
Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the
praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the
Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our
trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. In
all wisdom and insight" -Ephesians
1:3-8
THIRTEENTH SESSION, CANONS ON THE MOST
HOLY SACRAMENT OF THE EUCHARIST:
"If anyone denies that in the sacrament of the most Holy Eucharist are contained
truly, really and substantially the body and blood together with the soul and
divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ, and consequently the whole Christ, but
says that He is in it only as in a sign, or figure or force, LET HIM BE
ANATHEMA" (Canons on the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist, Canon 1).
Scripture
says:
"While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He
broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is My
body."
And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying,
"Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which
is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins -Matthew 26:26-28
Explanatory Note: (This was only a
symbol--not our Lord's literal body.)
THIRTEENTH SESSION, CANONS ON THE MOST
HOLY SACRAMENT OF THE EUCHARIST:
"If anyone says that Christ received in the Eucharist is received
spiritually only and not also sacramentally and
really, LET HIM BE ANATHEMA" (Canons on the Most Holy Sacrament of the
Eucharist, Canon 8).
Scripture
says:
"In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, "This
cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in
remembrance of Me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink the
cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes. Therefore whoever eats the
bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of
the body and the blood of the Lord. But a man must examine himself, and in so
doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and
drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body
rightly. For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number
sleep. -1 Corinthians 11:25-30
Explanatory Note: (It is received
as an outward symbol only of the finished work of Christ on the cross. The
bread and wine have no inherent power in themselves and do not become the
literal body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. This would suggest that the
Lord's sacrifice on the cross was not sufficient and that a continual
"bloody" sacrifice through the mass is necessary for salvation;
making communion a work.)
FOURTEENTH SESSION, CANONS CONCERNING
THE MOST HOLY SACRAMENT OF PENANCE: "If anyone says that in the
Catholic Church penance is not truly and properly a sacrament instituted by
Christ the Lord for reconciling the faithful of God as often as they fall
into sin after baptism, LET HIM BE ANATHEMA" (Canons Concerning the Most
Holy Sacrament of Penance, Canon 1).
Scripture
says:
"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,
instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly,
righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and
the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus" -Titus 3:11-13
"I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made
sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according
to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us.
For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance
without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces
death" -2 Corinthians 7:9-10
"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His
blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we
were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much
more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only
this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we
have now received (I)the reconciliation" -Romans 5:8-11
Explanatory Note: (It is the grace
of our Lord Jesus Christ, God's gift of repentance, and His daily sanctifying
grace in our lives that conforms us to Christ likeness. There is no other
sacrifice or penance needed for our sins--it was all accomplished in Christ
alone. All of our sins, their guilt and penalty, and the wrath of God which
burns against us and our sin was completely satisfied in the once for all
sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross and secured by His bodily resurrection
from the dead. There is no other penance needed or required by God. To
suggest otherwise is to say that Christ's sacrificial work is not enough,
"it is finished" as our Lord cried from Calvary is a lie, it turns the grace of God
into lasciviousness and perverts the gospel of grace of our Lord. That is
nothing less than a hellish, satanic deception.)
FOURTEENTH SESSION, CANONS CONCERNING
THE MOST HOLY SACRAMENT OF PENANCE:
"If anyone denies that sacramental confession was instituted by divine
law or is necessary to salvation; or says that the manner of confessing
secretly to a priest alone, which the Catholic Church has always observed
from the beginning and still observes, is at variance with the institution
and command of Christ and is a human contrivance, LET HIM BE ANATHEMA"
(Canons Concerning the Most Holy Sacrament of Penance, Canon 7).
Scripture
says:
"Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that
He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to
God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people" -Hebrews 2:17
"For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our
weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without
sin" -Hebrews 4:15
"By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body
of Jesus Christ once for all. Every priest stands daily ministering and
offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins;
but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE
RIGHT HAND OF GOD, waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A
FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET. For by one offering He has perfected for all time
those who are sanctified" -Hebrews
10:10-14
Explanatory Note: (We have been
thoroughly and completely sanctified, made holy and set apart from this world
unto eternal life by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. He alone is our only
priest, our High Priest, not like the unholy, fallible, sinful priests of
earth. We are complete in Christ alone.)
FOURTEENTH SESSION, CANONS CONCERNING
THE MOST HOLY SACRAMENT OF PENANCE:
"If anyone says that the confession of all sins as it is observed in the
Church is impossible and is a human tradition to be abolished by pious
people; or that each and all of the faithful of Christ or either sex are not
bound thereto once a year in accordance with the constitution of the great
Lateran Council, and that for this reason the faithful of Christ are to be
persuaded not to confess during Lent, LET HIM BE ANATHEMA" (Canons
Concerning the Most Holy Sacrament of Penance, Canon 8).
Scripture
says:
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our
sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" -1 John 1:9
"How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has
trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of
the covenant by which He [Jesus Christ the Lord] was sanctified, and has
insulted the Spirit of grace?" -Hebrews
10:29
Explanatory Note: (Confess means
"to agree with." When we confess our sins to the Lord, we are
agreeing with Him that what we have done is sin, sin against Him, and He
cleanses us from all unrighteousness. No Pope, Cardinal, Bishop, or Parish
Priest can forgive sin, issue absolution, or cleanse our sinful unclean
heart.)
FOURTEENTH SESSION, CANONS CONCERNING
THE MOST HOLY SACRAMENT OF PENANCE:
"If anyone says that God always pardons the whole penalty together with
the guilt and that the satisfaction of penitents is nothing else than the
faith by which they perceive that Christ has satisfied for them, LET HIM BE
ANATHEMA" (Canons Concerning the Most Holy Sacrament of Penance, Canon
8).
Scripture
says:
"Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and
death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned--for
until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no
law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who
had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him
who was to come. But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by
the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God
and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.
The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the
one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation,
but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting
in justification. For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned
through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of
the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.
So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men,
even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life
to all men" -Romans 5:12-18
TWENTY-SECOND SESSION, CANONS ON THE
SACRIFICE OF THE MASS:
"If anyone says that in the mass a true and real sacrifice is not
offered to God; or that to be offered is nothing else than that Christ is
given to us to eat, LET HIM BE ANATHEMA" (Canons on the Sacrifice of the
Mass, Canon 1).
Scripture
says:
"For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life
that He lives, He lives to God" -Romans
6:10
"who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up
sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people,
because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself" -Hebrews 7:27
"and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own
blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal
redemption" -Hebrews 9:12
"By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body
of Jesus Christ once for all" -Hebrews
10:10
"For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so
that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but
made alive in the spirit" -1
Peter 3:18
TWENTY-SECOND SESSION, CANONS ON THE
SACRIFICE OF THE MASS:
"If anyone says that the sacrifice of the mass is one only of praise and
thanksgiving; or that it is a mere commemoration of the sacrifice consummated
on the cross but not a propitiatory one; or that it profits him only who
receives, and ought not to be offered for the living and the dead, for sins,
punishments, satisfactions, and other necessities, LET HIM BE ANATHEMA"
(Canons on the Sacrifice of the Mass, Canon 3).
Scripture
says:
"whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through
faith This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance
of God He passed over the sins previously committed" -Romans 3:25
"Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that
He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to
God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people" -Hebrews 2:17
"and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only,
but also for those of the whole world" -1 John 2:2
"In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent
His Son to be the propitiation for our sins" -1 John 4:10
TWENTY-SECOND SESSION, CANONS ON THE
SACRIFICE OF THE MASS:
"If anyone says that it is a deception to celebrate masses in honor of
the saints and in order to obtain their intercession with God, as the Church
intends, LET HIM BE ANATHEMA" (Canons on the Sacrifice of the Mass,
Canon 5).
Scripture
says:
"and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is,
because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God" -Romans 8:27
"Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God
through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them" -Hebrews 7:25
Explanatory Note: (Only One
intercedes for us: Jesus Christ the Righteous. It is not Mary, the Saints,
the Pope, or the Church. Why? It takes a perfect High Priest in heaven to
intercede for us. Christ alone is worthy makes that intercession for He alone
is sitted at the right hand of the throne of
God--the place of rule and authority.)
TWENTY-THIRD SESSION, CANONS ON THE
SACRAMENT OF ORDER:
"If anyone says that there is not in the New Testament a visible and
external priesthood, or that there is no power of consecrating and offering
the true body and blood of the Lord and of forgiving and retaining sins, but
only the office and bare ministry of preaching the Gospel; or that those who
do not preach are not priests at all, LET HIM BE ANATHEMA" (Canons on
the Sacrifice of the Mass, Canon 1).
Scripture
says:
"Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and
witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is
to be revealed, shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not
under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for
sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to
your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. And when the Chief
Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory" -! Peter 5:1-4
TWENTY-THIRD SESSION, CANONS ON THE
SACRAMENT OF ORDER:
"If anyone says that the bishops who are chosen by the authority of the
Roman pontiff are not true and legitimate bishops, but merely human
deception, LET HIM BE ANATHEMA" (Canons on the Sacrifice of the Mass,
Canon 8).
Scripture
says:
"It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of
overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do. These men must also first be
tested -1 Timothy
3:1, 10a
"You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses,
entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also" -2 Timothy
2:1-2
"I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who
is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom:
preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke,
exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they
will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they
will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires,
and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.
But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an
evangelist, fulfill your ministry" -2
Timothy
4:1-5
TWENTY-FIFTH SESSION, DECREE ON
PURGATORY:
"Since the Catholic Church, instructed by the Holy Ghost, has, following
the sacred writings and the ancient tradition of the Fathers, taught in
sacred councils and very recently in this ecumenical council that there is a
purgatory, and that the souls there detained are aided by the suffrages of
the faithful and chiefly by the acceptable sacrifice of the altar, the holy
council commands the bishops that they strive diligently to the end that the
sound doctrine of purgatory, transmitted by the Fathers and sacred councils,
be believed and maintained by the faithful of Christ, and be everywhere
taught and preached."
Scripture
says:
"it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment"
-Hebrews 9:27
TWENTY-FIFTH SESSION, ON THE
INVOCATION, VENERATION, AND RELICS OF SAINTS, AND ON SACRED IMAGES:
"The holy council commands all bishops and others who hold the office of
teaching and have charge of the cura animarum, that in accordance with the usage of the
Catholic and Apostolic Church, received from the primitive times of the
Christian religion, and with the unanimous teaching of the holy Fathers and
the decrees of sacred councils, they above all instruct the faithful
diligently in matters relating to intercession and invocation of the saints,
the veneration of relics, and the legitimate use of images, teaching them
that the saints who reign together with Christ offer up their prayers to God
for men, that it is good and beneficial suppliantly to invoke them and to
have recourse to their prayers, assistance and support in order to obtain
favors from God through His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who alone is our
redeemer and savior; and that they think impiously who deny that the saints
who enjoy eternal happiness in heaven are to be invoked, or who assert that
they do not pray for men, or that our invocation of them to pray for each of
us individually is idolatry, or that it is opposed to the word of God and
inconsistent with the honor of the one mediator of God and men, Jesus Christ,
or that it is foolish to pray vocally or mentally to those who reign in
heaven."
Scripture
says:
"who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather
who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for
us" -Romans 8:34
"For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the
man Christ Jesus" -1 Timothy
2:5
(Highlights
of Trent compiled by David W. Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service,
P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061 - Scripture applications compiled by
Steve Camp; additional notes by Steve Camp)
We Need to Test All Things
I don’t
care the popularity of the Christian leaders and how many credentials they
have, how great they are but we need to test all of them in the light of the
only truth the Bible.
“Test all things;
hold fast what is good.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21)
Apostle Paul is telling that we ought to test all
things; all means everybody, all preachers, evangelists and pastors. Be like
the Bereans.
Ac 17:11 These were more noble than those in
Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and
searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
Do not believe
whatever that comes from the pulpit, radio or TV because of their popularity
or they seem to be sincere or they quote scripture. Remember even Satan
quoted scripture out of context to Jesus. A person can look nice but
sincerely wrong.
Pr 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the
ways of death.
Part
3 Coming.
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