TITLE: Who can interpret the Bible?

This is an important question, don't you think? It is generally accepted that the Bible is God's Word given to man. In the Bible we find God's message to the people of this troubled, sinful, and lost world. Wouldn't you like to know for yourself what God's Word has to say? Well, we must then consider the following: Can you and I read the Bible and understand it's message? We believe, on the authority of Scripture, that God expects us to read the Bible and understand its very plain Scripture, as we explained at length in the Introduction.

But, now we must study: What saith Rome?

"The task of interpreting the Word of God authentically has been entrusted solely to the Magisterium of the Church, that is, to the Pope and to the bishops in communion with him." (Catechism page 30, para #100)

According to Rome only the Pope has the ability to interpret God's Word. It also says that the "bishops in communion with him [Pope]" can understand the Bible. What this is basically saying is that as long as the "bishops" agree with what the Pope says they too can understand God's message.

This reminds me of when I was a young child playing with my little brother. Whenever he got a new toy I would refuse to play with him unless he let me use it. The Pope has made a similar statement here. "... to the bishops in communion with him..." As long as the bishops agree with him they too can play. Now I am not very proud of how I treated my little brother, but I ceased childish ways when I matured. Unfortunately, the Catholic Church holds to the same mentality I did as a child. "You can play but only if you accept that I am the only one who is right!"

Why would the Catechism make this kind of statement? " The task of interpreting the Word of God authentically has been entrusted solely to ... the Pope." Well, if you read the Bible and it disagrees with Rome's teachings the Catholic Church would have you believe that you do not have the ability to understand what you have read. Henceforth, the Catholic Church justifies it's many false doctrines.

It is very important that this Catholic teaching be discarded as false. God Has given His written Word to every man, woman, and child for our own personal study and instruction. It is by the Word of God that we test what is true and false. It is by the Word of God that false teachings such as that of Romanism are exposed. The Bible itself admonishes us, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world." (1 John 4:1). I believe one of the important ways we know what is true and false is by understanding God's clear truth found in the Bible. God's Word is a light manifesting what is true and exposing what is false.

Now, ask yourself the question, "Who will judge all mankind at the Final Judgment Day?" The answer, most Catholics and Protestants will agree, is Jesus Christ. Listen to Jesus' own words: "For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son." Since this is true, we need to examine as to which basis Jesus will judge every man, woman, and child. What is the basis for Judgment?

"The basis of the judgment is this, the test by which men are judged, the ground for the sentence is this: the Light has come into the world and people have loved the darkness rather than and more than the Light, for their works are evil." [John 3:19, Parallel Bible, KJV/Amplified Bible Commentary].

Finally, consider carefully Jesus' Words about spiritual light: "But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!" [Matthew 6:23]

In this last sentence, Jesus was saying, "If that organ which gives your mind the ability to see light, is dark [blind], then you really are in great darkness".

We are going to show you that so much of the "Light" of Roman Catholicism is the same Paganism of Antiquity that the entire Church structure is full of spiritual darkness rather than the Light of the World over which it claims to have a monopoly.

Remember, the stakes of our discussion are high: your personal eternal soul.


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