UNIVERSAL CHURCH OF CHRIST

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UCOC
c/o Rev. F. Rosales
Or
c/o Rev P. Buras
514 Pingag 2 Matlang
Isabel, Leyte 6539
Philippines

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Universal Church Of Christ
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Universal Church Of Christ, Web Site 3

Today, the Christian who opposes Roman Catholicism is heading for big trouble! We are now in an ecumenical world and all Christian faiths are expected to join with each other. The fact that they do not believe the same things is, to them, nothing to worry about. And the fact that Roman Catholicism does not teach the same things as the Bible teaches concerning salvation etc, is of no consequence. There are faithful witnesses against Roman Catholicism, whose work is vital and illuminating. We are content to leave a more thorough criticism to them. This page merely wishes to give a very brief introduction to a blunt truth that Roman Catholicism is a cult. It is NOT part of the Christian Church and so it is not Christian at all. What it teaches is heresy and lies. A cult cannot act in any other way. It is this Churches wish to point out a fact that as with many other godless cults that within the Roman Catholic fold there are a handful and I mean a handful! of Christians who, for reasons known only to themselves will not, or cannot, get away from Romanism. They, however, are exceptions, who do not alter the charge made against Roman Catholicism, or the command to come out from it. Although Romanism is so obviously a cult of great significance, it is rarely listed as a cult by observers. In The Theology of the Major Sects by John H. Gerstner publ. Baker, for example, no mention is made of it at all. Why use the word sect to describe false religions? It is generally stated that a sect is a section within a larger body which has similarly based views. A cult is often stated to be a system of religious worship, but applied to nonChristian groups. It is usual to contrast Romanism with Protestantism or with Evangelicalism. Frankly, we are not bothered by these contrasts, worthy though they are. There is only one contrast we should make that which exists between a supposed church and its claimed basis for belief. In the Romanist issue, that basis is God's word, scripture. All other contrasts are secondary.
We must go deeper than that. The reason is that many sects within the Christian Church some call all denominations sects. And I have some sympathy with that definition hold differing views. What makes one group Christian and the other not? What deviance from God's word is allowable before a group may legitimately be called a cult?
This writer proposes that to qualify as a religious cult, a group has mainly to negate God's word relating to salvation there are other reasons. This key doctrinal issue involves the position and role of Christ, election, the matter of repentance, the way to salvation, the meaning of Church and so on. That is, those central doctrinal teachings that have been loved and taught for centuries under the general umbrella of Protestantism.
Salvation is through the Lord Jesus Christ alone. It is a free gift of God which cannot be earned. Indeed, neither can it be rejected by those who are the elect. To obtain salvation the elect merely have to acknowledge the gift or, as some say, accept it. This includes the element of repentance there is far more to this of course. Jesus Christ (our Saver) taught that we do not need priests as in the old times priests stood between God and men, but now that He is Chief Priest, all Believers become priests and members of God's holy household. There is now no need for the intervention of earthly priests and New Testament pastors have no resemblance to them at all. Salvation is strictly between an individual and God and it can never be lost. These are all scriptural truths that cannot be altered. They are at the centre of what it is to be a Believer. That is why Paul says that anyone who brings another gospel to us is bringing no gospel. That is, they are liars and frauds.
On these central issues Roman Catholicism fails miserably! To be saved, according to the rules of the Roman Catholic organisation {we should not give it credibility by calling it a church), one has to follow the teachings of Romanism and obey the priests. On this count alone, Romanism is heretic.
Note:
Here are a few quotes from the Catechism

1."There is no offense, however serious, that the Church cannot forgive." Pg. 256, #982

2."By Christ's will, the Church possesses the power to forgive the sins of the baptized..." Pg. 257, #986

3."The Church, who through the bishop and his priests forgives sins in the name of Jesus Christ..." Pg. 363-364, #1448

Scriptures say:

Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?" Mark 2:7

"And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." Ephesians 4:32

In the place of repentance is the confession box, where a priest hears the sins and the perceived sins of adherents. He will then absolve them of their sins, so long as they do this or that in penance. Thus the priest stands between God and men and claims to absolve sins on God's behalf. This takes the place of personal repentance before a Holy God. It is therefore invalid and, again, heresy. The pope, too, claims to be Christ's substitute on earth!
Note:
"For the Roman Pontiff, by reason of his office as Vicar of Christ, and as pastor of the entire Church has full, supreme, and universal power over the whole Church, a power which he can always exercise unhindered." Pg. 234, #882

"The Roman Pontiff... as supreme pastor and teacher of all the faithful..." Pg. 235, #891

Part of the Romanist salvation process is to attend and take Mass. In this heinous act, priests claim to literally call down Jesus Christ from heaven. He obediently comes down and somehow or other? changes Himself into a round biscuit! This biscuit is then swallowed. The wine in Mass becomes the literal blood of Christ. Thus, in many thousands of Masses every day, Christ literally changes into biscuits and wine!Behind this mockery of Truth is the
teaching that Christ is sacrificed daily for our sins, by the priests. This is outright blasphemy.
Note:
The Council of Trent summarizes the Catholic faith by declaring: "Because Christ our Redeemer said that it was truly his body that he was offering under the species of bread, it has always been the conviction of the Church of God, and this holy Council now declares again, that by the consecration of the bread and wine there takes place a change of the whole substance of the bread into the substance of the body of Christ our Lord and of the whole substance of the wine into the substance of his blood. This change the holy Catholic Church has fittingly and properly called transubstantiation." Pg. 347, #1376.

Remember Christians, Jesus Christ died once for our sins and once only. 1 Corinthians 11 gives an account of the Lord's Supper. The wording used clearly indicates that this enactment is symbolic and not real in any way. Romanism teaches that Christ's sacrifice on the cross was not sufficient. This brings in many other heresies and errors. For example, it would mean that Christ (although God} was not able to provide salvation for all who are elect; it means that he made a mistake by not being able to do so; it means that God needs priests to help Him administer salvation and so on. The Church of Jesus Christ is made up solely of the saved. Those saved before time began by God. They are elected and saved by a direct act of God. But in Romanism, all who subscribe to the Roman Catholic organisation's teachings and to its officers, from popes down, are members of that "church". By being dutiful and obedient members of Romanism, doing everything required of them, they are saved and will enter heaven. though not necessarily straight away they will have to work their way through purgatory first! Of course, if they pay huge amounts of money to the organisation during their lifetime, people can shorten time spent in purgatory. Also, when they are dead, their relatives can buy chunks of time off their punishment. There is much, much more to Romanism that is repugnant. What can we do about this? We must never allow Romanism to keep its cloak of respectability: call it an organisation, not a church; never call it Christian; always call it a cult; do not show deference to priests, popes, nuns or any other official; never give to its charities and say why; never join in prayer or with any other Christian worship in ecumenical services. Pray for those trapped in the clutches of Romanism treat them with respect, but never treat their religion with respect. God does not!

Notes: Even the Christian Research Institute, USA, an otherwise sound body, accepts the RCC as a valid church so beware! It is error to suppose that the RCC is in any way a true church with just a few mistakes.