Scripture Verses that Support Catholic Doctrine Part 2
Indulgences:
The scandal of selling indulgences is thought to be the precipitating cause of the Protestant Revolt. The Catholic Church forbade the sale of indulgences at the Council of Trent (abuses of the practice were previously condemned in Council in 1215, 1245, 1274 and 1312). But Martin Luther went beyond a critique of the abuse of indulgences, and declared the entire practice null and void and contrary to the Bible. This is not correct:
Many saints suffer more than enough to satisfy God's justice. Jesus Christ (and Mary in Catholic theology) didn't have any sin and yet suffered greatly. The Catholic Church gives credit for this suffering to persons who have repented. Thus it "indulges" these persons, not in their sin, but in taking away punishment for the sins. This act is called an indulgence. The Catholic Church will not do away with this beautiful concept and practice (rightly understood) because of the occasional criminal misuse of it in the past. The doctrine of indulgences is closely connected with the Communion of Saints. The transfer of merit through an indulgence is a profound act of "community" and a taking seriously of the communal and unified nature of the Mystical Body of Christ.
In a papal decree given in 1968 by Pope Paul VI, it was made abundantly clear that the pious disposition of the seeker of an indulgence was of paramount importance. In other words, an indulgence was not a piece of magic which existed apart from the spiritual state of its user. It is inconsistent for Protestants to find fault with the Catholic Church for mitigating the austerities of penance in granting an indulgence since their own fundamental principle is the notion of faith alone without good works (as pertaining to the nature of salvation). Thus, indulgences are merely a limited application of a concept which Protestantism raises to universality.
All the main ideas upon which an indulgence is based are found in the Bible: the Church's power to bind and loose, vicarious atonement among members of the Church, and penance. Although the doctrine has developed, like all others, it is not unbiblical in the least. In fact,
Last Judgment announced by our Lord, and reserved to him alone.
John 5:22 - "Nor does the Father judge anyone, but he has given all judgment to his Son."
Judgment, Particular Judgment.
Wisdom 3:1 - "souls of the just are in the hand of God ... no torment shall touch them."
Ecclesiastes 12:14 - "God will bring to judgment every work"
Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) 11:28 - "for by how he ends, a man is known"
Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) 16:13-22 - (Rewards received according to deeds)
2 Maccabees 12:45 - "splendid reward that awaits those who had gone to rest in godliness"
Luke 16:19-31 - (Rich man and Lazarus - judgment is final after life is lived.)
Hebrews 9:27 - (Judgment follows death.)
See also: - Ecclesiastes 8:6-8, Ecclesiastes 11:9, Hebrews 10:31
Judgment, Last Judgment described.
Matthew 24:43 - (Day of judgment will come like a thief in the night.)
Matthew 25:31-46 - (Separation of sheep and goats.)
Revelation 6:7-17 - (Day of wrath and judgment; breaking of the seals; the "just" are avenged.)
See also: - Luke 12:39, 2 Peter 2:9
The Afterlife: Heaven
The existence of Heaven
Isaiah 65:17 - "I am about to create new heavens and a new earth"
Matthew 5:18-19 - "until heaven and earth pass away ... least in the kingdom of heaven."
Luke 15:7 - (More joy in heaven over one repentant sinner than 99 righteous.)
Luke 15:10 - "rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents"
Luke 16:19-25 - (Parable of the rich young man and Lazarus.)
John 3:5 - "no one can enter the
John 3:18-21 - (Whoever believes will not be condemned.)
Hebrews 9:24 - (Christ entered heaven to appear on our behalf.)
1 Peter 1:3-4 - "new birth to a living hope ... inheritance that is imperishable"
2 Peter 3:13 - "we await new heavens and a new earth"
Revelation 21:1 - "I saw a new heaven ... the former heaven and the former earth had passed away"
See also: - Isaiah 66:22, Revelation 14:13
The Joys of Heaven
Psalms 16:11 - "abounding joy in your presence, the delights at your right hand"
Daniel 12:3 - "wise shall shine brightly ... shall be like the stars forever"
Matthew 5:12 - "your reward will be great in heaven"
Matthew 13:43 - "righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father."
John 12:26 - "where I am, there also will my servant be"
John 14:3 - (Jesus says he is going to prepare a place for us so we can be with him.)
John 17:24 - (Jesus tells his Father that he wants us to be with him and see his glory.)
1 Corinthians 13:12 - "see ... face to face ... then I shalt know fully, as I am fully known"
Revelation 7:16 - (No hunger or thirst in heaven, no sun or heat shall touch the saved.)
The Afterlife: Hell
The existence of Hell
Isaiah 33:11, 14 - "Who ... can live with the consuming fire? ... the everlasting flames?"
Matthew 25:41 - "Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil"
Matthew 25:46 - these will go off to eternal punishment
Luke 3:16-17 - the chaff he will burn in unquenchable fire
Romans 2:8-9 - "wrath and fury to those who selfishly disobey"
2 Thessalonians 1:6-9 - these will pay the penalty of eternal ruin
Revelation 14:11 - "fire that torments them will rise forever ... there will be no relief"
See also: - Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) 21:9-10, Matthew 3:12, Matthew 8:12, Matthew 10:28, Mark 9:43-48, 2 Peter 2:4, Revelation 20:10, 15
The Pains of Hell
Psalms 21:10 - "LORD's anger will consume them ... devour them with fire."
Jeremiah 9:15 - "I will send the sword to pursue them until I have completely destroyed them."
Matthew 8:12 - "outer darkness, where there will be wailing and grinding or teeth"
2 Thessalonians 1:9 - "pay the penalty of eternal ruin, separated from the presence of the Lord"
Revelation 14:10 - "will be tormented in burning sulphur"
See also: - Deuteronomy 32:22, Job 24:19, Psalms 112:10, Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) 21:10, Isaiah 33:14, Isaiah 34:9, Luke 13:28, Revelation 21:8
The Endlessness of Hell
Isaiah 66:24 - "who rebelled against me; Their worm shall not die, nor their fire be extinguished"
Matthew 25:41 - "eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels"
Matthew 25:46 - "these [unrighteous] will go off to eternal punishment"
2 Thessalonians 1:9 - "pay the penalty of eternal ruin, separated from the presence of the Lord"
See also: - Daniel 12:2, Matthew 5:27-30, Luke 3:17, Luke 16:19-31, 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10
Catholic beliefs and practices: The Second Coming of Jesus
Catholic Note:
A common misconception about the end times is the "secret Rapture" theory, popularized by the 1909 Schofield Study Bible and the more recent Left Behind books. According to this theory, Jesus will return secretly and invisibly to snatch away ("rapture") all true Christians from the earth into heaven. This will allow them to escape a vicious 7-year persecution, known as the Tribulation, when the Devil will take control of the world through his human puppet, the Antichrist. After the Tribulation, Jesus will visibly return again to destroy Satan's kingdom and reign on earth for 1000 years (the Millennium). The Church has rejected this notion of a literal 1000-year earthly reign of Christ (See CCC 676). The 1000-year reign mentioned in Revelation 20:1-10 is usually interpreted as referring to the long period between Christ's first and second comings, when Jesus reigns imperfectly through his kingdom on earth, the Church. The Catholic and scriptural view is quite different from the "secret rapture": there will be a Tribulation and the rise of the Antichrist. However, true Christians will not escape this persecution. Jesus will return once and visibly, gloriously triumphing over evil and bringing an end to history. At Christ's Second Coming, living Christians will be raptured(caught up to join in Christ's triumphant procession, the dead will be resurrected, and all shall be judged at the final judgment.
Some verses used to support the secret Rapture.
Matthew 24:40 - "Two men will be out in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left."
1 Corinthians 15:51-52 - "we will all be changed, in an instant, in the blink of an eye, at the last trumpet"
1 Thessalonians 4:17 - "Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Thus we shall always be with the Lord."
Unknown time of The Second Coming
Matthew 24:36 - But as for that day and hour, nobody knows it, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, no one but the Father alone.
Matthew 24:42-44 - "So stay awake, because you do not know the day when your master is coming. You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what time of the night the burglar would come, he would have stayed awake and would not have allowed anyone to break through the wall of his house. Therefore, you too must stand ready because the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect."
Matthew 25:13 - stay awake, you know neither the day nor hour
Mark 13:35-37 - So stay awake, because you do not know when the master of the house is coming
Luke 12:46 - master will come at an unexpected day and hour
Acts 1:7 - "it is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established"
1 Thessalonians 5:2-3 - the Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night
2 Peter 3:9-10 - the Day of the Lord will come like a thief
Revelation 3:3 - Remember how you first heard the message. Hold on to that. Repent! If you do not wake up, I shall come to you like a thief, and you will have no idea at what hour I shall come upon you
See also: - Matthew 26:64, Mark 14:62, Luke 17:22-35
Description of The Second Coming
Daniel 7:9, 13 - "wheels of burning fire ... coming on the clouds of heaven"
Malachi 3:23 - "the day of the LORD comes, the great and terrible day"
John 5:28-29 - "an hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and will come out"
1 Corinthians 15:52 - "in the blink of an eye, at the last trumpet ... the dead will be raised"
1 Thessalonians 4:14-17 - "caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air"
2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 - "He comes [ on that day ] to be glorified among his holy ones"
See also: - 1 Corinthians 5:5, 1 Corinthians 15:20-24, Philippians 1:6, 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4, 8; Titus 2:13, James 5:8, 1 Peter 1:7, 1 Peter 4:7, 2 Peter 3:10, 1 John 2:28
The Church will be severely persecuted before the Second Coming
Matthew 24:9 - "they will hand you over to persecution" Whole passage: (Matthew 24:9-28)
Matthew 24:21 - "at that time there will be great tribulation"
John 16:33 - "in the world you have tribulation"
Revelation 2:10 - "the devil will throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested"
See also: - Mark 13:14-23, Luke 21:20-24
Christians will not escape this persecution (Tribulation)
John 17:15 - "I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one"
Matthew 10:38 - "whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy"
Matthew 13:21 - (Some believe for a while, but fall away in time of persecution)
Acts 14:22 - "it is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom"
Romans 8:17 - "heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified"
Romans 8:35-38 - (No distress or persecution can separate us from the love of Christ)
Romans 12:12 - "endure in affliction, persevere in prayer"
Philippians 3:10 - (We will share in Christ's sufferings by being conformed to his death.)
2 Timothy 1:11-12 - (I we persevere and die with Christ, we shall reign with him.)
1 Peter 1:6 - "for a little while you may have to suffer through various trails"
1 Peter 4:12-13 - "rejoice to the extent that you share in the sufferings of Christ"
Revelation 2:10 - "you will face an ordeal ... Remain faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life"
Revelation 6:9-11 - (Souls of the martyrs told to be patient until the number of fellow martyrs was complete.)
Revelation 7:13-14 - "these wearing white robes ... have survived the time of great distress"
See also: - 2 Thessalonians 1:5, Hebrews 12:1-11, Revelation 1:9
Antichrist will come to attack the Church
Matthew 24:15-26 - (During the tribulation, false prophets will work signs and deceive many.)
2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 - (Before Christ returns, there will be apostasy and the rise of the "lawless one".)
1 John 2:18-22 - (At the last hour, many Antichrist will appear.)
1 John 4:3 - "spirit of the antichrist ... is to come"
Revelation 13 - (The Beast persecutes the holy ones.)
Revelation 17:7-14 - (Jesus will conquer the Beast and his followers.)
See also: - Mark 13:14-23, 2 John 7
After this final tribulation, Jesus will return
Matthew 24:29-30 - "Immediately after the tribulation of those days ... they will see the Son of Man coming upon the clouds of heaven with power"
See also: - Mark 13:24-27, Luke 21:25-28
Christ's return will be visible
Daniel 7:13 - "I saw One like a son of man coming, on the clouds of heaven"
Matthew 24:27 - "as lightening ... is seen as far as the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be."
Matthew 24:30 - "all the tribes of the earth ... will see the Son of Man coming upon the clouds of heaven"
Acts 1:11 - "Jesus ... will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven"
Revelation 1:7 - "Behold, he is coming amid the clouds, and every eye will see him"
Rapture occurs at the Second Coming, not before it
Matthew 24:29-31 - "Immediately after the tribulation ... they will see the Son of Man coming upon the clouds ... he will send out his angels with a trumpet blast, and they will gather his elect"
1 Corinthians 15:51-52 - "we shall not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed ... at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised incorruptible"
1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 - "coming of the Lord ... with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God ... Then we who are alive ... will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air"
2 Thessalonians 2:1, 3, 8 - "with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our assembling with him ... Let no one deceive you in any way. For unless the apostasy comes first and the lawless one is revealed ... whom the Lord [Jesus] will kill with the breath of his mouth and render powerless by the manifestation of his coming"
Resurrection of the Dead will also occur at the Second Coming
1 Corinthians 15:51-53 - "we shall not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed ... at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised incorruptible"
1 Thessalonians 4:16 - "the Lord ... will come down from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first"
Resurrection followed by the Last Judgment
Matthew 25:31-32 - "when the Son of Man comes in his glory ... he will sit upon his glorious throne, and ... he will separate them one from another."
John 5:27-29 - (At Christ's call, the dead will rise again to life or condemnation.)
Drinking (Wine)
Drunkenness angers God
Isaiah 5:11 - "Woe to those who demand strong drink"
Isaiah 5:22 - "Woe to the champion at drinking wine"
Isaiah 28:1 - "Woe to ... the drunkard"
Joel 1:5 - "Wake up, you drunkards, and weep; wail all you drinkers of wine"
1 Corinthians 6:10 - (Drunkards shall not inherit the kingdom of God.)
See also: - Daniel 5:2f
Drunkenness causes problems
Proverbs 20:1 - wine is a mocker, unwise to be led astray by it
Proverbs 23:31-32 - "wine ... goes down smoothly; but in the end it bites like a serpent"
Isaiah 5:11 - woe to those who rise early and run after strong drink
Isaiah 5:22 - woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine
Galatians 5:21 - (Those engaging in drinking bouts will not inherit the kingdom.)
Ephesians 5:18 - do not get drunk with wine, that is debauchery
See also: - Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) 31:29ff, Hosea 7:5, Luke 21:34, Romans 13:13
Moderate drinking allowed
Genesis 27:25 - (Jacob serves wine to his father.)
Deuteronomy 14:23-26 - spend money on sheep, wine and strong drink
Ecclesiastes 9:7 - drink your wine with a merry heart, God approves
Isaiah 25:6 - God will provide feast of rich foods and choice wines
John 2:2-10 - (Miracle at Cana; Jesus turns water into good wine.)
Luke 7:33-34 - Son of Man eats and drinks
1 Timothy 5:23 - "have a little wine for the sake of your stomach"
See also: - Judges 9:13
Christian Conscience
Forming a good conscience
Psalms 119:105 - (God's word gives light to our conscience.)
Isaiah 5:20 - "woe to those who call evil good, and good evil"
John 8:32 - (Freedom of conscience is freedom for, not from, the truth.)
Romans 1:32 - (A good conscience approves the good and rejects the evil.)
Romans 2:14-16 - (Conscience is God's law written in our hearts)
Making good moral choices
Tobit 4:15 - "Do to no one what you yourself dislike"
Matthew 7:12 - "Do to others whatever you would have them do to you"
John 13:34 - "love one another even as I have loved you"
Romans 3:8 - (Good intentions do not justify evil means.)
Romans 14:21 - "it is good not to ... do anything that causes your brother to stumble"
See also: - Luke 6:31, Hebrews 13:16
Genesis 2:16-17 - the day you shall eat of that tree, you shall die
Genesis 3:11-19 - God's punishment for eating of the tree
Romans 5:12-19 - many become sinners through one man's sin
1 Corinthians 15:21-23 - by a man came death; in Adam all die
Ephesians 2:1-3 - we all once lived in the passions of our flesh
A distinction is made between two types of sin: deadly (mortal) and non-deadly (venial) sin.
1 John 5:16-17 - Distinction made between deadly sins and one that are not deadly.
Catholic Note:
Some non-Catholic Christians believe that Baptism is necessary and sets us free from sin. Many others think it is merely a symbol of one's desire to follow Christ, having no real effect upon the soul. The Catholic Church teaches that Baptism is both necessary for salvation and regenerative, causing us to be reborn as children of God. Through Baptism we receive the life-giving, sanctifying grace of the Holy Spirit. This grace wipes away Original Sin that stains each soul because of the fallen nature we inherited from Adam and Eve. The Church prescribes Baptism by water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as the normative gateway to God and his family, the Church. While most Protestants agree the Baptism is a good idea, many do not believe it is really necessary; and many think is un biblical to baptized babies. The Church has baptized infants from the earliest times and continues to do so today. The Church also teaches that catechesis must follow Baptism to properly assist the baptized on his Christian journey. Some fundamentalists believe that the only acceptable Baptism is by immersion. Both immersion and sprinkling are acceptable forms of Baptism in the Catholic Church. To learn more about the Church's teaching on Baptism, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church CCC 1213-1284. "The Church is the extension of Christ's incarnation, and that extension takes place through the sacraments" (Scott Hahn , Swear to God, Page 22)
Commanded by Christ and taught by the Apostles.
Matthew 28:19 - "Go therefore ... baptizing them in the name of the Father ..."
Mark 16:16 - "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved"
John 3:5 - (No one enters heaven without baptism of water and spirit)
Acts 2:38 - "Peter [said] ... repeat and be baptized"
Acts 2:41 - (Those accepting St. Peter's message are baptized; 3000 members are added.)
Acts 8:12 - (Once they believed Philip's teaching, men and women were baptized.)
Acts 8:38 - (Philip baptized the Ethiopian eunuch)
Acts 10:48 - "he [Peter] ordered them to be baptized"
See also: - Mark 10:38, John 3:22, Acts 9:18, Acts 16:15, Romans 6:3, 1 Corinthians 12:13, 27; Galatians 3:27
Replaces the need for circumcision.
Colossians 2:11-12 - (Baptism is described as the "circumcision of Christ")
See also: - Genesis 17:12-14
Jesus sets the example for us.
Matthew 3:16 - "After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water"
Mark 1:9 - "Jesus came ... and was baptized in the
Luke 3:21 - "and Jesus also had been baptized"
Is regenerative.
John 3:5, 22 - born of water and the spirit; Apostles begin baptizing
Romans 6:3-4 - So by our baptism into his death we were buried with him, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the Father’s glorious power, we too should begin living a new life
Acts 2:37-38 - repent, be baptized, receive the Holy Spirit
Acts 22:16 - And now why delay? Hurry and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name
1 Corinthians 6:11 - "now you have had yourselves washed, you were sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and through the Spirit of our God"
Ephesians 5:26 - "cleansing her by the bath of water with the word"
Colossians 2:12 - "burned with him in baptism .. raised with him [in] faith"
Hebrews 10:22 - So as we go in, let us be sincere in heart and filled with faith, our hearts sprinkled and free from any trace of bad conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
Titus 3:5 - saved us through bath of rebirth and renewal of the Holy Spirit
1 Peter 3:21 - "It is the baptism corresponding to this water which saves you now - not the washing off of physical dirt but the pledge of a good conscience given to God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ"
See also: - Romans 4:23-25, Galatians 3:27, 1 Peter 1:23
Takes away all sin.
Mark 1:4 - (John the Baptist preaches a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.)
Mark 16:16 - "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved"
Luke 3:3 - (John the Baptist still preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins)
John 1:33 - (John testifies that Jesus is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit)
John 3:5 - (No one enters heaven without baptism of water and spirit)
Acts 2:38 - "be baptized ... for the forgiveness of your sins"
Acts 22:16 - "have yourself baptized and your sins washed away"
Colossians 2:13 - "you were dead [in] transgressions ... he brought you to life"
Not to be repeated.
Ephesians 4:5 - "one Lord, one faith, one baptism"
Hebrews 6:4-6 - (After the "enlightened" [baptized] fall away, they cannot be enlightened again.)
Hebrews 10:26 - (No sacrifice for sins after deliberate sin after knowing the truth)
Faith of others is efficacious.
Matthew 8:5-13 - (Jesus heals a servant because of the Centurion's faith)
Matthew 15:21-28 - (Daughter healed because of the Canaanite woman's faith)
Luke 5:20 - "when he saw their faith, he said ... 'your sins are forgiven'"
Luke 7:7 - "say the word and my servant will be healed"
To be administered to children "Infant Baptism"
Joshua 24:15 - "As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD"
Matthew 8:5ff - servant healed because of centurion's faith
Matthew 15:21ff - daughter healed because of the Canaanite woman's faith
Matthew 18:14 - (It is not the will of God that children be damned.)
Matthew 19:14 - "Let the children come to me"
Mark 10:14 - let the children come, for such is the kingdom of Heaven
Luke 7:1ff - just say the word, and let my servant be healed
Luke 18:15-17 - people were bringing even infants to him ... whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it."
John 3:5; Mark 16:16 - (No one enters heaven without baptism of water and spirit)
Acts 16:15 - (Paul and Silas baptize Lydia and her whole household)
Acts 16:30-33 - (Paul and Silas baptize a prison guard and his whole family)
Acts 18:8 - (Crispus, his family, and other Corinthians are baptized)
Romans 5:18-19 - all are born with Adam's sin and need baptism
1 Corinthians 1:16 - "I baptized the household of Stephanas"
Colossians 2:11-12 - baptism has replaced circumcision
See also: - Mark 10:13-16, Luke 18:15, Acts 2:39, 1 Corinthians 15:22
St. Hippolytus of Rome (c. 215AD) - "Baptize first the children; and if they can speak for themselves, let them do so. Otherwise, let their parents or other relatives speak for them." (The Apostolic Tradition 21)
Origen (post 244AD) - "the Church received from the Apostles the tradition of giving baptism also to infants."(Commentary on Romans 5, 9)
St. Cyprian of
Is necessary for salvation.
John 3:5 - "No one can enter the
Mark 16:16 - "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved"
Acts 16:30, 33 - "what must I do to be saved? ... he and all his family were baptized"
1 Peter 3:21 - "baptism which saves you now."
See also: - Matthew 28:19, Acts 2:38, Acts 16:15
Sacrament of Eucharist
Catholic Note:
While most Protestants believe the Last Supper was significant and often agree that communion is important, they don't believe that Jesus literally meant He wanted us to eat His flesh and drink His blood. The argue that Jesus used many symbolisms about Himself -- He called Himself a door, a vine, etc. And since eating human flesh is cannibalism, they argue that Jesus could not have been speaking literally in John 6. The Eucharist, however, is a unique and miraculous reality in which we consume the entirety of the living Christ -- although his natural condition is veiled by the sacrament. The Church has consistently understood Christ's words to be literally referring to His true flesh and blood, as is evident in the writings of the early Church saints like St. Ignatius of Antioch (50-107), St. Justin Martyr (100-165), St. Irenaeus of Lyons (125-203), St. Ambrose (340-397) and St. Cyril of Jerusalem (315-386). Although all the faithful in the Church have always believed in the concept of transubstantiation, in 1215, the Fourth Lateran Council dogmatically defined the concept: that while the outward appearances of bread and wine remain {the taste, touch, smell and looks}, their inward realities or substance has become the living Christ. Because Jesus is truly present - body, blood, soul and divinity - we adore the Eucharist with profound reverence.
The Church is the extension of Christ's incarnation, and that extension takes place through the sacraments" (Scott Hahn , Swear to God, Page 22)
Some verses used to support Protestant arguments.
Genesis 9:4 - "Only flesh with its lifeblood still in it you shall not eat."
Deuteronomy 12:18 - "You shall not partake of the blood, but must pour it out"
Acts 15:29 - "Abstain from ... meats of strangled animals"
The resolution:
What Our Lord was calling the Jewish people to do is to die to the Old Adam and Old Testament laws and rituals and enter the new covenant of his body and blood. Also in:
Psalms 27:2; Isaiah 49:26; Micah 3:3; 2 Samuel 23:15-17; Revelation 17:6, 16 - to symbolically eat and drink ones body and blood back in Jesus' times means to assault. This would make our Lord promise life everlasting to the culprit for slandering and hating Him, which would reduce the whole passage to utter nonsense. Christ would be saying "He that reviles me has eternal life". (Page 241 "Catholicism and Fundamentalism by Keating")
An example of Jesus talking symbolically about food
John 4:31-34; Matthew 16:5-12 - Jesus talking symbolically about food
Eucharist is promised.
John 6:35-71 - Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist
1 Corinthians 2:14 to 3:4 -
Foretold and prefigured.
Exodus 12:8, 46 - Paschal lamb had to be eaten
Exodus 16:15 - "This is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat" (manna)
Malachi 1:11 - "everywhere they bring sacrifice to my name, and a pure offering"
John 6:32-60 - (The Bread of Life discourse - Jesus refers back to the manna of the Old Testament.)
See also: - Psalms 78:24ff, Proverbs 9:2ff, Wisdom 16:20
Instituted by Christ.
Matthew 26:26-29, Mark 14:22-25, Luke 22:17-20 - Eucharist is instituted by Jesus
1 Corinthians 5:7 - Jesus is called the paschal lamb who has been sacrificed
1 Corinthians 11:23-25 - (St. Paul pens the earliest written account of the institution of the Eucharist)
John 1:29 - Jesus is called "the lamb of God"
Celebrated by the Apostles.
Acts 2:42 - "devoted themselves to the ... breaking of the bread and to the prayers."
Acts 20:7 - "first day of the week when we gathered to break bread"
1 Corinthians 10:16-22 - Eucharist is our participation in Christ's Body and Blood
Christ is truly present in the Eucharist.
Matthew 26:26 - "Take and eat, this is my body."
Mark 14:22, 24 - "This is my body ... This is my blood of the covenant."
Luke 22:19-20 - "This is my body, which will be given for you ... new covenant in my blood"
John 6:50-69 says: {This is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world." The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us (his) flesh to eat?" Jesus said to them, "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 within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever." These things he said while teaching in the synagogue in
Note 1: - Verse 62-63 states "Does this shock you? What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life."
What Our Lord says here is not intended a Maldonatus thought, to increase the scandal, but to rectify what was simply a cannibalistic interpretation of what he has just said. The Ascension will perhaps surprise the recalcitrants more, but it will eliminate the chief difficulty about eating the flesh of One who in celestial glory takes his place where he was from eternity.
Note 2: - Notice that the close followers of Our Lord, the "disciples" LEFT HIM because this was a hard saying. Then Our Lord asks Peter if he will leave him too. Peter representing the 12 apostles says: "Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. WE HAVE COME TO BELIEVE (John 6:69)". My personal note to my separated brethren: Come join us and BELIEVE!
1 Corinthians 10:16 - (In the Eucharist, we participate in the Body and Blood of Christ)
1 Corinthians 11:24 - "This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me."
St. Ignatius (110AD) - [heretics] abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer, because they do not confess that the Eucharist is the Flesh of Our Savior Jesus Christ...(Letter to the Smyrnaeans 6, 2)
St. Justin Martyr (150AD) - not as common bread, nor common drink do we receive these; but ... as we have been taught, the food which has been made into the Eucharist by the Eucharistic prayer set down by him, and by the change of which our blood and flesh are nourished, is both the flesh and blood of that Incarnated Jesus."(First Apology 66, 20)
St. Irenaeus of Lyons (195AD) - He [ Jesus ] has declared the cup, a part of his creation, to be His own Blood from which causes our blood to flow; and the bread, a part of his creation, He has established as His own Body from which He gives increase to our bodies. (Against Heresies 5, 2, 2)
St. Cyril of
St. Cyril of Jerusalem (350AD) - "Do not regard the bread and wine as simply that, for they are, according to the Master's declaration, the Body and Blood of Christ. Even though the sense suggest to you other, let faith make you firm. Do not judge in this manner by taste, but be fully assured by faith, not doubting that you have been deemed worthy of the Body and Blood of Christ." (Catechetical Lectues: Mystagogic 4,22,6)
The Eucharist must be worthily received.
(if the Eucharist were just a symbol there would be no need to partake of it worthily)
1 Corinthians 10:21 - "cannot partake of the table of the Lord and of the table of demons"
1 Corinthians 11:23-29 - "whoever eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself" (receiving the Eucharist unworthily makes us guilty of his Body and Blood)
The Holy Sacrifice of the
Prefigured
Genesis 14:18 - "Melchizedek king of
Genesis 22:13 - (Abraham, our Father in Faith, offers a sacrifice of ram in place of his son Isaac)
Exodus 12:1-11 - The Paschal lamb {prefiguring of the Eucharistic Lord Jesus, the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world} Yahweh ordered a male lamb to be slain and eaten by the Jewish people to fulfill the Passover. Staying at home eating food that looked like lamb and remembering Jesus would NOT fulfill the law. You had to eat the lamb. This is a foreshadowing of receiving the Lamb of God at Holy Communion because each Mass is the Passover.
What was required Foretold
Malachi 1:11 - "they bring sacrifice to my name and a pure offering"
Instituted by Jesus and asked to be done
Luke 22:19 - "This is my body ... given for you; do this in memory of me."
1 Corinthians 11:25 - "this cup is the new covenant in my blood ... do this in remembrance of me."
Attested to
Acts 2:42-47 - (New believers devoted themselves to breaking of the bread)
Hebrews 13:10 - "We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat."
See also: - Matthew 26:26-27, Mark 14:22-24, Luke 22:19-20, Acts 20:7-19, 1 Corinthians 5:7-8, 1 Corinthians 10:16-21, 1 Corinthians 11:17-34, Hebrews 7:27, Hebrews 10:10
Sacrament of Confirmation:
"The Church is the extension of Christ's incarnation, and that extension takes place through the sacraments" (Scott Hahn , Swear to God, Page 22)
Acts 2:1-4 - (Coming of the Spirit - "There appeared to them tongues as of fire")
Acts 2:38 - "and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit"
Acts 8:14-17 - Peter and John laid hands on those that had already been baptized and they received the Holy Spirit
Acts 19:5-6 - Paul imposed his hands on the baptized and they received the Holy Spirit
2 Corinthians 1:21-22 - "It is God who gives us, with you, a sure place in Christ and has both anointed us and marked us with his seal, giving us as pledge the Spirit in our hearts"
Ephesians 1:13 - you were sealed with the promise of the Holy Spirit
Hebrews 6:1-2 - Let us leave behind us then all the elementary teaching about Christ and go on to its completion, without going over the fundamental doctrines again: the turning away from dead actions, faith in God, the teaching about baptisms and the laying-on of hands, about the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment.
See also: - Wisdom 9:17
Sacrament of Confession/Reconciliation
Catholic Note:
Protestants have a hard time thinking that a man can give absolution for another's sins. They claim there is only one mediator between God and man: Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5). Catholics believe Christ gave His apostles the power to forgive sins, a power that has been handed down for generations through apostolic succession. The sacrament of reconciliation is Christ's gift to us. The root of all sin is pride; its antidote is humility. Confessing one's sins to God's appointed representative is thoroughly biblical, and calls for tremendous humility. The priest does not act on his own, He acts in the name of God and on behalf of His Church, administering God's forgiveness (absolution). The sacrament of Confession wipes away our sins, increases sanctifying grace in our souls, and reunites us with Christ and His Church. The Church is the extension of Christ's incarnation, and that extension takes place through the sacraments" (Scott Hahn , Swear to God, Page 22)
Jesus continues his example of priestly forgiveness in the Old Testament.
Leviticus 4:13-21 - "priests shall make atonement for them, and they will be forgiven"
Leviticus 5:14-26 - (Sin offering brought to the Old Testament priests, who make atonement for sinners' forgiveness.)
See also: - Leviticus 4:27-25, Leviticus 5:5, Numbers 5:8
Confession is not a private affair in the Bible.
Leviticus 5:14-26 - (Public confession with animal sacrifice)
Numbers 5:6-7 - "man ... commits a fault ... he shall confess the wrong he has done"
Matthew 3:6 - "baptized by him ... as they acknowledged their sins"
Acts 19:18 - "believers came forward and openly acknowledged their former practices"
James 5:16 - "confess your sin to one another ... that you may be healed."
See also: - Leviticus 26:39-42, Psalms 32:3-5, Proverbs 28:13, Mark 1:5
Jesus has power to forgive sins.
Matthew 9:1-8 - (Healing of paralytic - "which is easier to say your sins are forgiven or ...") Son of Man has the authority to forgive sins
Mark 2:10 - (Jesus says the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth)
Luke 7:48 - "He said to her, 'Your sins are forgiven.'"
1 John 5:16 - there is sin that is not deadly
See also: - Acts 2:38, 1 Johns 1:9
Jesus gives his power to forgive sins to His priests
Matthew 16:19 - (Jesus gives the apostles the power to bind and loose sins)
Matthew 18:18 - whatever you bind and loose on earth, so it is in heaven
John 20:22 - If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven; if you retain anyone’s sins, they are retained.
John 20:23 - After saying this he breathed on them and said: Receive the Holy Spirit. (recall Genesis 2:7)
2 Corinthians 5:17-20 - "God ... has reconciled us to himself ... given us the ministry of reconciliation"
James 5:14-15 - "presbyters of the church ... pray over him ... he will be forgiven" (prayer of presbyters forgives sin)
See also: - Luke 22:29-30, James 5:16
After forgiveness, the need for reparation can remain.
2 Samuel 12:13-14 - "The LORD ... has forgiven your sin ... but ... child born to you must surely die"
Luke 19:8-9 - (Jesus praises Zacchaeus for his promise of reparation)
Penance as satisfaction for sins.
Matthew 3:8 - "Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance."
2 Corinthians 7:10 - "godly sorrow produces a salutary repentance without regret"
See also: - Luke 3:8, Acts 2:38
Call No Man Father? (Matthew 23:9)
Catholic Note:
All human titles are only shadows of God's authority from which they derive, Ephesians 3:15. RE: "call no one on earth Abi father". "Father" is a term sometimes used of the great Rabbis. Note our Lord is not a grammarian regulating the use of terms: he is a doctor of the spirit. He forbids any acknowledgement of fatherhood that obscures the fatherhood of God, nothing more. If we make no allowance for the concreteness and brevity of his phrases we reduce either them to absurdity or him to inconsistency. He would not forbid a human son to use the word father nor would he forbid the term if addressed to one who is God's representative; in this second case, indeed, it serves to remind its user of the fatherhood of God. Nor must the Christian disciple pose as an independent spiritual guide. He himself is subject to one Teacher and one Guide - to the Lord Himself.
Luke 14:26 - Jesus says, "Anyone who comes to me without hating father, ... "
Acts 6:14 to 7:2 - St. Stephen calls the Jewish leaders "fathers"
Acts 21:40 to 22:1 - St. Paul calls Jerusalem Jews "fathers"
Romans 4:16-17 - Abraham called "the father of us all"
1 Corinthians 4:14-15 - St. Paul says, "I became your father in Christ through the gospel"
1 Thessalonians 2:1 - we treat you as a father treats his children
1 Timothy 1:2 - St. Paul says, "my true child in faith"
Titus 1:4 - St. Paul says, "my true child in our common faith"
Philemon 10 - whose father I became in my imprisonment
Hebrews 12:7-9 - we have earthly fathers to discipline us
1 John 2:13,14 - I write to you, fathers, because you know him
Sacrament of Holy Orders
"The Church is the extension of Christ's incarnation, and that extension takes place through the sacraments" (Scott Hahn , Swear to God, Page 22)
Protestant verse against Catholics, saying that we should not call priests "Fathers".
Matthew 23:9 - "Call no one on earth your father, you have but one Father in heaven."
Throughout the New Testament, humans are called "Fathers".
Matthew 19:19 - "honor your father and mother"
Acts 7:2 - (St. Stephen calls the Jewish leaders "fathers.")
Acts 22:1 - (
Romans 4:16 - "Abraham .. is the father of all of us"
1 Corinthians 4:15 - "I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel"
1 Timothy 1:2 - "Timothy, my true child in faith"
Philemon 10 - "Onesimus, whose father I have become in my imprisonment"
1 Thessalonians 2:11 - "treated each ... of you as a father treats his children"
Hebrews 12:9 - "we have had our earthly fathers to discipline us"
1 John 2:13 - "I am writing to you, fathers"
See also: - Matthew 3:9, Luke 1:73, Luke 3:8, Luke 4:26, John 8:56, Acts 22:1, Romans 4:11-12, Romans 9:10, 1 Timothy 5:1, Titus 1:4, James 2:21
Instituted by Christ Our Lord.
Luke 22:19 - He took the bread, said the blessing, broke it and said to the Apostles {'Do this in memory of me'} (The bishops are the successors of the apostles. Priests partake in the bishops work.)
John 20:21-22 - "As the Father has sent me, so I send you ... and He breathed on them saying 'Receive the Holy Spirit"
Conferred by the imposition of OR laying on of hands.
Acts 6:6 - the apostles prayed and laid hands on them
Acts 13:3 - "they laid hands on them and sent them off."
Acts 14:22 - they appointed presbyters in each church
1 Timothy 4:14 - gift received through the laying on of hands of presbyterate
2 Timothy 1:6 - gift of God you have received through the imposition of hands
Titus 1:5 - appoint presbyters in every town, as I directed you
See also: - 1 Timothy 5:22, James 5:14
Gives grace.
Acts 14:22 - (Apostles appointed presbyters)
1 Timothy 4:14 - "the gift you have, which was conferred on you through ... the imposition { or laying on } of hands"
2 Timothy 1:6 - "stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition { or laying on } of my hands"
Priests have authority in spiritual matters.
2 Chronicles 19:11 - "high priest over you in every thing that pertains to the LORD"
Malachi 2:7 - "lips of the priest are to keep knowledge and instruction is to be sought from his mouth"
Matthew 10:1 - "summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits"
Matthew 28:19-20 - "Go ... teaching all that I have commanded you"
Luke 10:16 - "Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me."
Luke 22:19 - (Jesus tells apostles to break bread in memory of him)
John 20:21-23 - "As the Father sent me, so am I sending you. After saying this he breathed on them and said: Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone's sins, they are forgiven; if you retain anyone's sins, they are retained" Acts 20:28 - Holy Spirit appointed you overseers to tend to the needs of the Church
See also: - Matthew 18:18, 1 Timothy 5:22, Titus 1:5, 1 Peter 2:5-10
Holy Orders given to the celibate.
Matthew 19:12 - "Some are incapable of marriage ... some have renounced marriage for the sake of the kingdom"
1 Corinthians 4:14-16 - "I became your father in Christ Jesus ... be imitators of me."
1 Corinthians 7:7-8 - (Paul encourages Corinthians to stay celibate as he is)
See also: - 1 Samuel 21:4-5, Isaiah 52:11, Malachi 1:10-11, Acts 14:22-23
Some verses used against Priestly celibacy.
1 Timothy 3:2 - bishop must be married once.
Note: Those are not to be accepted who have married again after the death of their first wife lest this should prove an occasion for criticism. Celibacy as a law for the clergy was of later ecclesiastical institution, although as a counsel it was urged by
1 Timothy 4:1-3 - The Spirit has explicitly said that during the last times some will desert the faith and pay attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines that come from devils, seduced by the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are branded as though with a red hot iron: they forbid marriage and prohibit foods which God created to be accepted with thanksgiving by all who believe and who know the truth.
Note:
Some verses used to support Priestly celibacy.
Jeremiah 16:1-4 - (Jeremiah told not to marry or have children)
Matthew 19:12 - (Jesus who was celibate, praise celibacy)
1 Corinthians 7:8 - (
1 Corinthians 7:32-35 - (
Jeremiah 16:1-4 - Jeremiah told not to take a wife and have children
Matthew 19:12 - celibacy praised by Jesus, who was, himself, celibate
1 Corinthians 7:8 - St. Paul was celibate
1 Corinthians 7:32-35 - celibacy recommended for full-time ministers
Ephesians 5:21-33 - marriage is good: holy symbol of Christ and the Church
1 Timothy 5:9-12 - pledge of celibacy taken by older widows
2 Timothy 2:3-4 - no soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits
Sacrament of Matrimony or Marriage
"The Church is the extension of Christ's incarnation, and that extension takes place through the sacraments" (Scott Hahn , Swear to God, Page 22)
Brings challenge of unity, love and holiness
Matthew 19:5 - This is why a man leaves his father and mother and becomes attached to his wife, and the two become one flesh? They are no longer two, therefore, but one flesh.
Ephesians 5:25 - "love your wives, even as Christ loved the Church"
1 Thessalonians 4:4 - "acquire a wife for himself in holiness and honor"
See also: - Mark 10:7, Ephesians 5:31ff, 1 Timothy 2:15
Dignity of Marital Love
Genesis 2:23 - "This one ... bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh"
Mark 10:7-12 - what God joined together, let no man separate
1 Corinthians 7:3-5 - (Husbands and wives have authority over each others bodies)
Ephesians 5:21 - "Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ"
Colossians 3:18-19 - "be subordinate to your husbands ... Husbands, love your wives"
1 Peter 3:7 - "live with your wives in understanding, showing honor"
See also: - Matthew 9:15, Matthew 19:4-6, Matthew 25:1-13, Mark 10:6-9, Ephesians 5:21-33
Image of Christ and His Church
2 Corinthians 11:2 - "betrothed you to one husband to present you as a chaste virgin to Christ"
Ephesians 5:23 - "husband is head of his wife, just as Christ is head of the Church"
Ephesians 5:25 - "love your wives, even as Christ loved the Church"
Ephesians 5:22-32 - union of man and wife are an image of Christ and his Church
Revelation 19:7 - "wedding day of the Lamb ... bride has made herself ready"
See also: - Jeremiah 31:31-34, Matthew 25:1-10, John 3:29, Romans 8:31-39, Romans 12:1-13, 1 Corinthians 6:13-20
Divorce and re-marriage
Catholic Note:
Jesus revealed that Moses allowed divorce in Deuteronomy 24:1-4 as a temporary provision because of the "hardness of their hearts" (Matthew 19:7-9). But Jesus restored God's original plan of indissoluble marriage (Matthew 19:3-9); therefore, the Catholic Church continues to teach that a valid marriage between a baptized man and baptized woman cannot be dissolved for any reason except death. It can't be ended by a civil divorce (or even by an annulment, which is not a "Catholic divorce" but rather the determination a marriage was not valid in the first place.) Some Protestants claim that Matthew 5:32 and Matthew 19:9 allow exceptions to Jesus' teaching on indissolubility: "whoever divorces his wife, except for un chastity [porneia], and marries another commits adultery." Here porneia is used in a technical sense to forbid incestuous marriage among close relatives (as in Acts 15:20 and 1 Corinthians 5:1). These illicit unions are not valid marriages in the first place. Note that not a single
Allowed in the Old Law
Deuteronomy 24:1-4 - (If a man had good reason, he could give his wife a bill of divorce.)
Forbidden in the New Law
Matthew 19:4-6, 9 - "the two shall become one flesh ... what God has joined together, no human being must separate" ... to divorce a wife and to remarry is adultery
Mark 10:9 - "what God has joined together, no human being must separate"
Mark 10:11-12 - if either man or woman divorces and remarries they commit adultery
1 Corinthians 7:10-11 - a wife must not be separated from her husband or if she has already left him, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband and a husband must not divorce his wife.
See also: - Matthew 5:31ff, Luke 16:18
Prohibition against divorce and remarriage
Malachi 2:14-16 - for I hate divorce, says the Lord
Matthew 5:31-32 - (Divorce causes adultery; those who marry divorce women commit adultery)
Mark 10:11-12 - "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery"
Luke 16:18 - Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another is guilty of adultery, and the man who marries a woman divorced by her husband commits adultery.
Romans 7:2-3 - A married woman, for instance, is bound to her husband by law, as long as he lives, but when her husband dies all her legal obligation to him as husband is ended. So if she were to have relations with another man while her husband was still alive, she would be termed an adulteress; but if her husband dies, her legal obligation comes to an end and if she then has relations with another man, that does not make her an adulteress
See also: - Exodus 20:14, Deuteronomy 5:18, Matthew 19:3-10, Luke 18:20
Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick
"The Church is the extension of Christ's incarnation, and that extension takes place through the sacraments" (Scott Hahn , Swear to God, Page 22)
Mark 6:12-13 - Apostles anoint the sick with oil (they anointed many sick people with oil and cured them)
James 5:14-45 - "Any one of you who is ill should send for the elders of the church, and they must anoint the sick person with oil in the name of the Lord and pray over him"
Morality: Contraception
Genesis 1:27-28 (Genesis 9:1; 35:11) - "Be fertile and multiple; fill the earth"
Genesis 38:9-10 - (Onan killed for spilling his seed on the ground, not for disobeying Levirate law whose penalty was not death. See Deuteronomy 25:5-10)
Exodus 23:25-26 - blessings promised; no miscarrying, no barrenness, I shall give you your full term of life
Deuteronomy 7:13-14 - you will be blessed: no male or female barrenness
Deuteronomy 25:5-10 - penalty for defying Levirate law: not death
Leviticus 20:13 - if man lies with man, put to death (wasting seed)
Leviticus 20:15 - if man lies with animal put to death (sterile sex)
Leviticus 20:16 - if woman lies with animal put to death (sterile sex)
Leviticus 21:17-20 - crushed testicles are called a defect and blemish
Deuteronomy 23:1 - no one who is castrated shall enter the assembly
Deuteronomy 25:11-12 - punishment for potential damage to genitals
Psalms 127:3-5 - children are a gift from God; How blessed is the man who has filled his quiver with them
1 Chronicles 25:4-5 - God gave 14 sons and 3 daughters to exalt him
1 Chronicles 26:4-5 - (God blessed Obed-edom with 8 sons.)
Hosea 9:10-17 - Israel is punished with childlessness
Matthew 21:19, Mark 11:14 - Jesus cursed the fruitless fig tree
Luke 18:16 - "Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them"
Acts 5:1-11 - Ananias/Saphira slain withholding part of gift
Romans 1:25-27 - the natural function of women is child bearing
Galatians 5:20; Revelation 9:21, 21:8 - Greek pharmakeia = abortifacient potions
Galatians 6:7-8 - God is not mocked - accepting pleasure, denying fruit
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 - your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, glorify God in your body
1 Timothy 2:11-15 - women saved through the bearing of children
See also: - References in the Catechism of the Catholic Church: CCC 2366-2372
Morality: Abortion
God knows and loves us from the womb
Job 10:8 - "your hands have formed me and fashioned me; will you then turn and destroy me?"
Psalms 22:11 - "from my mother's womb you are my God"
Psalms 139:13-15 - "you formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother's womb"
Isaiah 44:2 - "the LORD formed you from the womb"
Isaiah 49:1-15 - "formed me as his servant from the womb"
Luke 1:41 - "When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb."
See also: - Ecclesiastes 11:5, Isaiah 44:24
Children have identity and purpose from the womb
Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) 49:7 - "Jeremiah ... even in the womb had been made a prophet"
Wisdom 7:1 - "in my mother's womb, I was molded into flesh"
Jeremiah 1:5 - "before I formed you in the womb I knew you ... dedicated you"
See also: - Jeremiah 20:15-18, Hosea 12:2-4
Morality: Homosexuality
Catholic Note:
Scripture clearly describes homosexual acts as abominations. The city of
Genesis 1 - complementarily of sexes reflects God's inner unity
Genesis 2 - transmission of life through total self donation where the two become one flesh
Genesis 19 - God destroys
Leviticus 18:22 - "You shall not lie with a male as with a woman." (cut off from people {verse 29})
Leviticus 20:13 - (If man lies with a man, they shall be put to death for their abominable deed.)
Romans 1:24-27 - "... handed them over to impurity ... mutual degradation of their bodies" ... "female exchange natural relations for unnatural ... Males did shameful things with males"
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 - "neither ... boy prostitutes nor sodomites ... will inherit the kingdom" (active homosexuals won't inherit the kingdom of God)
1 Timothy 1:10 - those who engage in such acts called "sinners" ...are opposed to sound teaching."
Morality: Chastity
Praised
Proverbs 22:11 - "The LORD loves the pure of heart"
Wisdom 3:13 - "blessed is she who ... knew not the transgression of the marriage bed"
Wisdom 4:1 - "Better is childlessness with virtue"
Chastity, Virginity held in high esteem
Matthew 19:10-12 - (Jesus specifies only some are called to this vocation)
1 Corinthians 7:8-9 - (Paul says the unmarried and widow should stay as they are)
1 Corinthians 7:32-35 - (Married are anxious about their spouses; unmarried/virgins are free to focus on God)
Revelation 14:4 - "they are virgins and these are the ones who follow the Lamb"
Chastity, Virginity preferable to marriage
Psalms 45:15 - "In embroidered apparel she is led to the king"
Matthew 22:30 - "at the resurrection they are neither married nor are given in marriage"
Titus 2:4-5 - "train younger women ... to be ... chaste"
Better for ministry
Matthew 19:12 - "some ... have renounced marriage for the sake of the kingdom"
1 Corinthians 7:25-28 - (
Recommended to ministers of the Church
1 Timothy 3:2 - "bishop must be ... married only once"
1 Timothy 3:8 - "deacons must be dignified"
Chastity, Fornication provokes God's anger
Deuteronomy 22:21 - (Law calls for stoning of girls who fornicate in their father's house)
Proverbs 6:29 - "[your] neighbor's wife - none who touches her shall go unpunished"
1 Corinthians 6:9 - "neither fornicators ... nor adulterers ... will inherit the kingdom of God"
Hebrews 13:4 - "God will judge the immoral and adulterers."
See also: - Jeremiah 5:7, Hosea 4:14
Chastity, Fornication should be avoided
Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) 42:12 - "Let her not parade her charms before men"
Deuteronomy 5:18 - "You shall not commit adultery"
Chastity, Impure thoughts should be forbidden
Exodus 20:17 - "You shall not covet your neighbor's wife"
Matthew 5:28 - "one who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery"
See also: - Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) 9:4, Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) 42:18-21, Proverbs 6:25