Is The Bible Our Only Guide?
The Catholic Church, through the Knights of Columbus, has been very active in the last few years in advertizing through many newspapers and periodicals her teaching and attitude toward the Bible. We would not at all seek to suppress this freedom of ours to teach ones doctrine. We believe everyone has the right to be heard, so even though the Catholic Church is wrong, we rejoice that this nation of ours upholds the freedom of the press.
The Knights of Columbus have recently put out an advertisement entitled, "No ... The Bible is NOT Our Sole Guide!" The Catholic could not teach otherwise; for, there is not a doctrine distinctively Catholic that is taught in the Bible. In this latest Catholic article, it is stated, "the Catholic Church is the Mother of the Bible." How can the child be born before the mother exists? Even using the fantastic date the Catholics assign for the completion of the Bible (400 years after Christ died), this still puts the Bible in the world hundreds of years before there was a Catholic Church. But, the truth of the matter is, the Bible was completed before the last of the apostles passed away. That makes the Bible at least 500 years older than the Catholic Church. So, how could the Catholic Church be the "Mother of the Bible"?
The Knights Of Columbus Article Has This Statement:
"The Gospel of St. John, for example, says, ... there are many other things which Jesus did which are not written in this book.' And St. Paul said: 'Stand fast; and hold the traditions which you have learned, whether by word or by our epistle' (2 Thessalonians 2:15)."
We ask the Catholic in all kindness if they will tell us those "things which Jesus did which are not written" in the Bible. And, what are those "traditions" which the apostle Paul spoke of? If they know what "traditions" Paul taught which are not written in the Bible then they owe it to the world to tell us.
Their statement, that, "It was 400 years after Christ died before the books of the Bible were assembled in their present form," is designed to cloud the issue. Most of the New Testament was written within forty years after Christ died; and, it was completed during the first century. It is entirely beside the point as to when printing was invented, or as to how the early Christians were able to know God's will. Our concern is whether the Bible in its present form contains all religious truth which it is necessary for us to know. The Bible, itself, declares that it does: -
"Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness: that the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16, 17). What more do we need? The Catholic article admits that "the Bible is the inspired Word of God." Therefore, the Bible furnishes us completely unto every good work."
This Catholic statement is an absolute false hood: -"There are certain truths taught and exemplified by Christ which it the Bible does not record . . . which will be found in the life, practice and teaching of Christ's Church - traditions dating back to the days of the Apostles." Compare that with this declaration of the apostle Paul: - "But though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach unto you any gospel other than that which we preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so say I now again, If any man preacheth unto you any gospel other than that which ye received, let him be accursed" (Galatians 1:8, 9 ). So, if the Catholic Church is teaching any doctrine that is not found in the Bible, God says let her be accursed.
"The secret things belong unto Jehovah our God; but things that are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever" (Deuteronomy 29:29).