A Catholic Response to the Anti-Catholic Website of the Church of Christ

Recently by way of a dear friend, I became aware of an anti-Catholic website presented by a congregation who claim the name “Church of Christ”, one of a number of faith groups originating from a movement during the early 1900s. At the top of the website they display the deceptive headline, “Roman Catholic Faith Examined!” in large red letters. It is obvious from their accusations that they have no knowledge of the Catholic Faith nor can they claim they examined the Catholic faith as is evidenced by the reference sources they list at the bottom of their web page. In order to examine the Catholic faith they would have had to research, above all, the Catechism of the Catholic Church and its supporting resources to claim any justification or credibility. Therefore their claims are deceptive. They have no credibility. This COC (Church of Christ) goes on to make the following allegations:

COC SAYS: “The Catholic writers …state that one can accept the Bible as being inspired and as having authority only on the basis of the Catholic Church..."

Response: This is a distortion and vague claim which will be addressed in the following response.

COC SAYS: "...In reality, the Bible is inspired and has authority, not because a church declared it so, but because God made it so. All scripture is inspired of God..." (2 Tim. 3:16). "...Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit." (2 Pet. 1:21). "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." (Matt. 24:35). "The grass withered, and the flower has fallen--but the word of the Lord endures forever." (1 Pet. 1:24-25). The Catholics are wrong, therefore, in their assumption that the Bible is authoritative only because of the Catholic Church. The Bible does not owe its existence to the Catholic Church, but to the authority, power and providence of God.”

Actually here they prove the Catholic Church is right, not wrong by their own statement. Because they are quoting the teachings of the Catechism of the Catholic Church in the position they are claiming.

Broken down:

The COC saying ; “The Catholic writers (speaking of lay persons, not the authority of the teaching Church) …state that one can accept the Bible as being inspired and as having authority only on the basis of the Catholic Church. In reality, the Bible is inspired and has authority, not because a church declared it so, but because God made it so.”

First response to the COC:

Notice the very first line of the above statement of the COC: “The Catholic Writers… state”.
Also notice it does not say ‘the Catechism of the Catholic Church states’. Let me point out that I am well aware that through their founders and ministers this "church' never attempts to refute the “Catechism of the Catholic Church” which is the authentic teachings of the Catholic faith produced by the Catholic Church under the authority of the Vatican and of which is made readily available to the general public for anyone to review at their leisure.

Instead, the COC search through as many unofficial paperback style books written by Catholic lay people as they can in their attempt to try and find a word any Catholic author may have used casually enough that their ministers can take out of context and distort to make false claims against the Catholic Church itself. Again, this is what they do; it is their method of deception in an attempt to demean the Catholic Church; this is how they try to justify their own existence apart from the teaching authority of the Church, and to deceive others into following their own way of thinking. They avoid the Catechism that presents the accurate teachings of Catholicism and refer to books written by individuals in lay terms intended for the purposes of simplicity and not intended to be presented with the same authority as the Catechism of the Catholic Church which is the only teaching authority of the Catholic Faith. Their motive is simply because they do not want to obey a teaching authority.

“For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine but, following their own desires and insatiable curiosity, will accumulate teachers and will stop listening to the truth and will be diverted to myths.” (2 Timothy CH4; v3-4)

Back to the quote of the COC: 
in response to the COC’s allegations that the Catholic Church claims the Bible as “having authority only on the basis of the Catholic Church”; this is a ludicrous statement that makes no sense at all and one can only guess what this statement is actually trying to claim. Regardless, the COC is obligated to provide where this statement is found in the official teachings of the Catechism of the Catholic Church because that is who they are attempting to debase. But they will not be able to do that because it is a false allegation. To assist them in their realizing what the Catholic Church teaches, I will provide the actual quotes from the Catechism of the Catholic Church as it has always taught in regard to its recognition of scripture as the Inspired Word of God. Perhaps they will also see what they do correctly claim in recognizing scripture as the Inspired Word of God they adopted from the teachings of the Catholic Church.

(Note: CCC means "Catechism of the Catholic Church.)

• CCC105 God is the author of Sacred Scripture. "The divinely revealed realities, which are contained and presented in the text of Sacred Scripture, have been written down under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit."
• CCC106 God inspired the human authors of the sacred books. "To compose the sacred books, God chose certain men who, all the while he employed them in this task, made full use of their own faculties and powers so that, though he acted in them and by them, it was as true authors that they consigned to writing whatever he wanted written, and no more."
• CCC107 The inspired books teach the truth. "Since therefore all that the inspired authors or sacred writers affirm should be regarded as affirmed by the Holy Spirit, we must acknowledge that the books of Scripture firmly, faithfully, and without error teach that truth which God, for the sake of our salvation, wished to see confided to the Sacred Scriptures." 
• CCC108 Still, the Christian faith is not a "religion of the book." Christianity is the religion of the "Word" of God, a word which is "not a written and mute word, but the Word is incarnate and living".73 If the Scriptures are not to remain a dead letter, Christ, the eternal Word of the living God, must, through the Holy Spirit, "open [our] minds to understand the Scriptures."

The Catholic Church never suggested scripture holds no authority outside of the Catholic Church. What the Catholic Church teaches is this:

• CCC113, 2. Read the Scripture within "the living Tradition of the whole Church". According to a saying of the Fathers, Sacred Scripture is written principally in the Church's heart rather than in documents and records, for the Church carries in her Tradition the living memorial of God's Word, and it is the Holy Spirit who gives her the spiritual interpretation of the Scripture (". . . according to the spiritual meaning which the Spirit grants to the Church").

Why does the Catholic Church say this? Because the history of the Bible itself proves it originated within the Catholic Church and was introduced by the Catholic Church to teach the Catholic Faith under the conditions outlined in the Catechism excerpts previously stated. As the Catholic Church was founded by Christ and provided the Holy Spirit to guide it into all truth, both the Catholic Church as the mother Church of all Christianity and the Bible were instituted by God.

For those who truly recognize scripture as the Inspired Word of God, they accept the covenant Jesus made with His Church. It is the Catholic Church Jesus commissioned with His own authority guided by the Holy Spirit to provide the means that all men may learn the Gospel and be saved by obedience and perseverance. Jesus not only founded and commissioned His Church with His own authority He declared a Covenant with His Church that could never be broken.

That the gates of hell shall not prevail against it    (Mat CH16; v18)

That the Holy Spirit would guide His Church in all truth    (John CH16; v12)

That He would be with His Church all days and

That it would stand until the consummation of the World    (Mat CH28; v20)

That despite the fact there would be those who would at times be corrupt both within and outside of His Church, we are to persevere in our faith    (Acts CH20; v28-29), (Mat CH24; v4-13), (Colossians CH1; v23).

And that all things in Heaven and on Earth (including His own Church of which He remains the High Priest always) would be reconciled by Jesus and through Jesus to Himself (Colossians CH1; v20).

“God is faithful: by whom you are called unto the fellowship (oneness) of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing and that there be no schisms (divisions) among you; but that you be perfect in the same mind, and in the same judgment.” (1 Corinthians CH1: vs9-10)

“For no one hates his own flesh but rather nourishes and cherishes it, even as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body.” (Ephesians CH5: vs29-30)

 “To me [Paul], the very least of all the holy ones, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the inscrutable riches of Christ, and to bring to light [for all] what is the plan of the mystery hidden from ages past in God who created all things, …so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the principalities and authorities in the heavens. (Ephesians CH3: vs8-10)

Regardless of a person’s adopted beliefs, the notion that scripture in general is all one needs is clearly misconceived and in fact defiant of Scripture itself. The Bible dispels any validity to separation or division from the Church, and the formation of separate congregations opposes the message of scripture. Rejection of the teaching authority of the Church is also defiance to the decrees of scripture as well. (1 Corinthians CH1; v9-10), (Ephesians CH4; v1-5), (2 Thessalonians CH3; 6), (Philippians CH4; v9), (1 Thessalonians CH2; v13), (2 Timothy CH2; v1-2), (2 Peter CH3; v13-17).

“Therefore, brothers, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught, either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours.” (2 Thessalonians CH2: v15)

“…Conduct yourselves in a way worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that… you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind struggling together for the faith of the gospel,” (Philippians CH1: v27)

“For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.” (1 Corinthians CH12: v13)

“…he is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he (not man) may hold the primacy: Because in him, it hath well pleased the Father, that all fullness should dwell; And through him (not man) to reconcile all things unto himself (not to man, but reconciling man to Himself as well), making peace through the blood of his cross, both as to the things that are on earth, and the things that are in heaven.” (Colossians CH1: vs18-20) [Also refer to (Ephesians CH4: vs11-16)]

In Jesus it has well pleased the Heavenly Father that all fullness in grace should dwell and disseminate. That through Him (not man) He reconciles all things to Himself (not Himself to all things), making peace through the blood of His cross, both as to the things that are on earth, and the things that are in heaven. That through Christ we have been reconciled that we may be presented Holy before God the Father provided that we persevere in the faith, firmly grounded, stable, and not shifting from the hope of the Gospel (good news, teaching) that we received, which has been preached (taught personally, not self-interpreted or self learned from texts or scripture alone) to every creature under heaven.

In accordance with the numerous scripture passages provided here we must come to realize that since the very beginning of Christianity we have been called to learn and persevere in our faith; that is to say the genuine faith we were taught by the apostles and of which has remained preserved and protected through the Church Christ Himself commissioned since its infancy two thousand years ago. We are called to solidarity in one Church, one body, one faith. A solidarity where there can exist no division in what we declare or encourage of others. Immediately, let me say if any person would suggest this is not true, that person would be obligated to produce Biblical support that diversity in our Christian beliefs is acceptable. In short, it can not be done simply because such does not exist, but rather opposes the undivided unity scripture demands.

One Church can represent only one faith, one teaching rendering one system of beliefs that Jesus calls all people to live by. Where two or more systems of beliefs or “faiths” exist in opposition they can not be one. Where two or more conflicting systems of conduct are encouraged for living a Christian life, only one can be authentic and fulfilling to Christ’s calling. Only one life can be lived by one person at one time. In addition to reviewing the provided scripture passages, we can further see this decree in the following:

“I, then, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace: one body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Ephesians CH4: vs1-6)

“…let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body. And be thankful.” (Colossians CH3: v15)

“May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to think in harmony with one another, in keeping with Christ Jesus, that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ.” (Romans CH15: vs5-6)

“I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd.” (John CH10: v16)

What self proclaimed prophet or founder of any other Church including the COC is justified by scripture to establish and teach others a revised faith in opposition to the Church Jesus founded two millennia ago based on their own judgments? Not one. Which one is not in opposition to scripture? Not one. Which one is justified to reconcile all things on earth including the Church Jesus founded with His Blood and all things in Heaven through himself and to himself in the name of Jesus Christ? Not one.

Contrary to what the Church Of Christ falsely alleges against the Catholic Church, scripture holds its authority no matter who reads it or who presents it or how they present it. Scripture does not conflict with itself. It is the man or woman who in pride and self-righteousness claims them self a prophet or founds a church claiming to know what scripture means better than its author or those who placed it into text as the servants of God. In reality, it is that man or woman who distorts scripture, the Inspired Word of God, to his or her own intent and leads others astray from His one Church who will answer far more profoundly to the authority of scripture.

“Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew CH5: vs18-19)

“For whoever keeps the whole law, but falls short in one matter, has become guilty in respect to all of it.” (James CH2: v10)

“This saying is trustworthy: If we have died with him we shall also live with him; if we persevere we shall also reign with him. But if we deny him he will deny us. If we are unfaithful he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself. Remind people of these things and charge them before God to stop disputing about words. This serves no useful purpose since it harms those who listen. Be eager to present yourself as acceptable to God, a workman who causes no disgrace, imparting the word of truth without deviation.” (2 Timothy CH2: vs11-15)

“For it is impossible in the case of those who have once been enlightened and tasted the heavenly gift and shared in the holy Spirit and tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to bring them to repentance again, since they are re-crucifying the Son of God for themselves and holding him up to contempt. Ground that has absorbed the rain falling upon it repeatedly and brings forth crops useful to those for whom it is cultivated receives a blessing from God. But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is rejected; it will soon be cursed and finally burned. But we are sure in your regard, beloved, of better things related to salvation, even though we speak in this way. For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love you have demonstrated for his name by having served and continuing to serve the holy ones.” (Hebrews CH6; 4-10)

“Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that the antichrist was coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. Thus we know this is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not really of our number; if they had been, they would have remained with us. Their desertion shows that none of them was of our number.” (1 John CH2; 18-19)

The Church of Christ does not abide with the consistency of the teachings of Christ through His Church as is evidenced through the lineage of Christianity since conceived by Christ Himself two millennia ago. The COC also teaches others in defiance of scripture’s call to the oneness, the solidarity within the one body of the Church. The COC also teaches others in defiance of scripture’s call to obedience to the Church. The COC also teaches others in defiance of scripture’s call to persevere in that one faith in the Church. And most arrogantly of all, the COC implies by its own formation that Jesus was either incapable of enforcing the covenants He made with His Church, incapable of reconciling His Church to Himself and through Himself, or just broke His covenant and abandoned His Church.

On their website the COC presented a number of accusatory questions referring to scripture verses attempting to demean the Catholic Church. The following is the list of accusatory questions posted on the Church of Christ website and our brief response:

1. Why does it condemn clerical dress? (Matt. 23:5-6).

Response: what does this verse say; “All their works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in Synagogues.” (Matt. 23:5-6)

This verse does not condemn clerical dress at all but the prideful abuses by the men who held authoritative positions in the Jewish faith. Also, Phylacteries remain in use at times in Judaism but are not part of dress in Catholicism. This is a distorted use of this verse from scripture and a blatantly false and unjustified allegation made against the Catholic Church.

2. Why does it teach against the adoration of Mary? (Luke 11:27-28).

Response: what does this verse say; “While he was speaking, a woman from the crowd called out and said to him, "Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed." He replied, "Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it."

This verse by no means suggests anything against the adoration of Mary. It would be illogical to conclude that Jesus would speak contradictory to the Father in Heaven in regard to His Mother Mary. As was said by the angel Gabriel in Luke Ch1; “And coming to her, he said, "Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you." …Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. …And the angel said to her in reply, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.”

Further in the same chapter scripture also attests to Mary’s enduring blessed state in verse 48 “behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed.”

So it is not correct that (Luke CH11:27-28) is teaching against the adoration of Mary but rather this verse reflects Jesus as the Rabbi, and the Teacher preaching to is His gathering and telling them that all who are faithful and obedient to the word of God will be elevated to a state of blessedness as well.

3. Why does it show that all Christians are priests? (1 Pet. 2:5,9).

Response: All the faithful in union with the Body of Christ on earth in the Catholic Church are priests to the degree they must serve and worship God in Christ. But this is not the only verse that speaks of the faithful of Christ in His true Church nor does it suggest there is no distinction of authority within or requirement of obedience by the faithful to the Catholic Church.

“The one who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things. And he gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the extent of the full stature of Christ, so that we may no longer be infants, tossed by waves and swept along by every wind of teaching arising from human trickery, from their cunning in the interests of deceitful scheming.” (Ephesians CH4: vs10-14)


4. Why does it condemn the observance of special days? (Gal. 4:9-11).

This reference pertains to the old ritual observances from the Old Testament, promoted by those Jews in opposition to Christianity like the Sabbaths or Yom Kippur, new moon, Passover or Pentecost, sabbatical years. It is not a blanket condemnation of assigning days for the observance of Christ or His teachings, as proven by the following samples:

“On the first day of the week when we gathered to break bread, Paul spoke to them because he was going to leave on the next day, and he kept on speaking until midnight.” (Acts CH20; v7)

“On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that contributions need not be made when I come” (1 Cor. 16:2).

Our Lord Jesus Christ declared that He was Lord of the Sabbath and that its Observance was at His disposal: (Matthew CH12: 1-8), (Mark CH2: 24-26), (Luke CH6: 5), (John CH5: 10-11).

“after he had given thanks, broke it and said, "This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." (1 Corinthians CH11; 24)


5. Why does it teach that all Christians are saints? (1 Cor. 1:2).

 All Christians who obey and persevere in the Faith and in a sincere heart are saints. Man is also told not to judge his own righteousness as only God will judge the hearts of man. Salvation is not fulfilled merely by our saying we believe in Christ or we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. It is not exclaiming we are saved when in fact scripture tells us we are not to acquit ourselves of all sinfulness or judge our own righteousness, only God can pass that judgment; “for He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will manifest the motives of our hearts”. (1 Corinthians CH4: 3-5)

6. Why does it condemn the making and adoration of images? (Ex. 20:4-5)

It is not again a blanket statement as even God required the making of images for specific purposes in scripture. The Catholic doctrine on the veneration of images was fully outlined by the Second Council of Nicaea in 787 AD:
“Proceeding as it were on the royal road and following the divinely inspired teaching of our holy Fathers, and the tradition of the Catholic Church (for we know that this tradition is of the Holy Spirit which dwells in the Church), we define with all care and exactitude, that the venerable and holy images are set up in just the same way as the figure of the precious and life-giving cross; painted images, and those in mosaic and those of other suitable materials, in the holy churches of God, on holy vessels and vestments, on walls and in pictures, in houses and by the roadsides; images of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ and of our undefiled Lady, the holy God-bearer, and of the honorable angels, and of saintly and holy men.
For the more frequently these are observed by means of such representations, so much the more will the beholders be aroused to recollect the originals and to long after them, and to pay the images the tribute of an embrace and a reverence of honor, not to pay to them the actual worship which is according to our faith, and which is proper only to the divine nature: but as to the figure of the venerable and life-giving cross, and to the holy Gospels and the other sacred monuments, so to those images to accord the honor of incense and oblation of lights, as it has been the pious custom of antiquity. For the honor paid to the image passes to its original, and he that honors an image honors in it the person depicted thereby.”

The real purpose of the commandment is to steer the people of God away from idolatry, that is, the worship of any false god. Consider the following passages: (Deuteronomy CH7: 4-5) (2 Kings CH17: 9-12).

In the same Scriptures we see the Jews making statues and such for legitimate religious purposes, and under God’s command:  

“And the Lord said to Moses, Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and every one who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live. So Moses made a bronze serpent, and set it on a pole; and if a serpent bit any man, he would look at the bronze serpent and live” (Numbers CH21: 8-9).

“You shall make two cherubim of gold; you shall make them of hammered work, at the two ends of the mercy seat. Make one cherub at the one end, and one cherub at the other; of one piece with the mercy seat you shall make the cherubim at its two ends. The cherubim shall spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings. They shall face one to another; the faces of the cherubim shall be turned toward the mercy seat” (Exodus CH25: 18-20).

"In the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim of olive wood, each ten cubits high” (1 Kings CH6: 23).

“The height of one cherub was ten cubits, and so was that of the other cherub. He put the cherubim in the innermost part of the house; the wings of the cherubim were spread out so that a wing of one was touching the one wall, and a wing of the other cherub was touching the other wall; their other wings toward the center of the house were touching wing to wing” (1 Kings CH6: 26-27).

 “...on the borders that were set in the frames were lions, oxen, and cherubim. On the frames, both above and below the lions and oxen, there were wreaths of beveled work” (1 Kings CH7: 29).

“...for the altar of incense made of refined gold, and its weight; also his plan for the golden chariot of the cherubim that spread their wings and covered the ark of the covenant of the Lord” (1 Chronicles CH28: 18).

7. Why does it teach that baptism is immersion instead of pouring? (Col. 2:12).

Scripture does not suggest that Baptism is not valid unless one is fully immersed in water.

8. Why does it forbid us to address religious leaders as "father"? (Matt. 23:9).

 The above quote from the Gospel of St. Matthew must be read in the context of the whole of chapter 23, in which Our Lord Jesus Christ denounces the pride and hypocrisy of the Scribes and Pharisees, the contrast between their words and their actions (v. 3), the heavy burdens they placed on the shoulders of the people without giving any assistance (v. 4) and their love to be seen and praised: “They do all their deeds to be seen by men; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues, and salutations in the market places, and being called rabbi by men” (vv. 5-7). A literal understanding of Our Lord’s words would lead to an absurd conclusion, prohibiting us from calling our natural fathers “father,” while allowing us to call our mothers “mother.” Such an interpretation would go against Scripture itself, where Our Lady says to the Child Jesus: “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously” (St. Luke 2:48). It would also prevent us from calling anyone “teacher” for Our Lord warned equally against the use of this title as well: “But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brethren” (St. Matt. 23:8). If it were forbidden as is claimed by the COC use, the apostles themselves would be condemned.

(Acts CH7: 2), (Romans CH4: 11), (James CH2: 21), (Acts CH4: 25), (Acts CH22: 1), (1 Corinthians CH4: 14-15), (2 Corinthians CH12: 14), (Philippians CH2: 22), (1 Thessalonians CH2: 11), (1 Timothy CH1: 2), (Titus CH1: 4).

9. Why does it teach that Christ is the only foundation and not the apostle Peter? (1 Cor. 3:11).

What this verse says is no one can “lay a foundation”, it does not say who may serve as a foundation. Jesus is the only one who can lay that foundation which He did upon Peter. By this verse alone the establishment of the Church of Christ is invalid.

10. Why does it teach that there is one mediator instead of many? (1 Tim. 2:5).

Christ is the one mediator of redemption, for there is no other name under heaven by which man is saved. Nevertheless, this does not prevent others from acting as intercessors of prayer. For in the same verse to St. Timothy, St. Paul says, “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way. This is good, and it is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior” (2: 1-3).

Christian intercessory prayer is only possible because Christ is the one mediator who allows us to go boldly into the Father’s presence through Him. Furthermore, Scripture itself attests that the Holy Spirit “intercedes with sighs too deep for words” (Rom. 8:26).

The Virgin Mary interceded with Christ at the wedding of Cana (St. John 2:1-10).

 Abraham interceded on behalf of Sodom and Gomorra (Gen. 18:16-32).

An angel interceded on behalf of Jerusalem (Zech. 1:12).

The “Lord accepted the intercession of Job” after he had prayed for his friends (Job 42:7-10).

Moses also interceded for the people of Israel, asking God’s mercy and grace, for the sake of the dead Patriarchs who were righteous: “But Moses implored the Lord his God, and said, ‘O Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians say, It was with evil intent that he brought them out to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from your fierce wrath; change your mind and do not bring disaster on your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, how you swore to them by your own self, saying to them, I will multiply your descendants like the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.’ And the Lord changed his mind about the disaster that he planned to bring on his People”. (Exod. 32:11-14)

11. Why does it teach that a bishop must be a married man? (1 Timothy CH3: 2, 4-5).

 It doesn’t, it says he must be married only once and that is if he is married. Scripture makes it clear that celibacy is an even greater sacrifice for those who accept it. (1 Corinthians Ch7: 38). As St. Paul said, “The unmarried man is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to please the Lord; but the married man is anxious about the affairs of the world, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided.”

12. Why is it opposed to the primacy of Peter? (Luke 22:24-27).

Scripture does not oppose the primacy of Peter in Luke chapter 22 simply because this verse has nothing to do with the primacy of Peter in the establishment of the Church. Scripture does not conflict with itself and clearly Jesus commissioned Peter with the primacy of the keys in (Matthew CH16: 15-19).

13. Why does it oppose the idea of purgatory? (Luke 16:26).

This verse does not oppose the idea of purgatory. It merely makes it clear one cannot arbitrarily transfer between hell and Heaven. It makes no reference to a purgatorial process of purification or place either in support of or in opposition.

14. Why is it completely silent about infant baptism, instrumental music in worship, indulgences, confession to priests, the rosary, the mass, and many other things in the Catholic Church?

Scripture doesn’t specifically refer to forms of abortion either, does that insinuate something? It doesn't say when the soul enters the body, does that mean there is no soul?

 It is clear the Church of Christ by way of their anti-Catholic website has little to no true understanding of scripture nor of the Catholic faith, but presents its bias in the abuse of scripture and maintains its separation from the teaching authority of the Catholic Church in opposition to an overwhelming number of proclamations of scripture.

We pray for their enlightenment.