The Reformation really didn’t work. Luther had wanted to reform the Catholic Church. What he managed to do was start a new movement — Protestantism. In any rate, the Catholic Church was in chaos. They were losing parishioners to the Protestants and they needed to do something. It’s a shame that church didn’t recognize the truth and they ended up just reaffirming and ratifying the false teachings.
The Council of Trent 1545 – 1563
The Council of Trent ran in 3 phases — like a meeting could run for 18 years!
Phase I: 1545-7
- Sticking to the Latin Vulgate as the official language for the Bible and Masses — They refused to speak in the language of the people. This kept the church united, but still the people didn’t understand anything.
- Justification — They kept the Medieval view of merit in that justification was with faith AND works. You still had to pay back the debt of sin — which is a lie.
- You still needed the 7 Sacraments, confession, penance, etc., for salvation.
- Veneration of the Saints and Mary
Phase II: 1551-2
- Transubstantiation – They tried to get on the same plane as the Lutherans, but neither would budge on the Eucharist.
Phase III: 1562-63
- Reaffirmed the existence of Purgatory — which doesn’t exist.
- Prohibited the sale of Indulgences — but they still exist! You can’t buy or pray your way into heaven!
- The Celibacy of Clergy (we’ll get into this unfortunate dark hole tomorrow)
- Catholic Universities
- Relics — souvenirs of martyrs, apostles and saints — it’s still paganism!
- The formation of the Jesuit Monastic Order
Vatican I – 1869-70
- Convoked by Pope Pius IX
- Papal Authority and Infallibility came into question again and they upheld it.
- Upheld the idea of Unam Sanctum — that salvation is only as a member of the Roman Catholic Church.
- Immaculate Conception of Mary
- Here they argued what the official title of the church would be. “Holy Roman Catholic Church” at first, but ended up with: “Holy Apostolic Roman Catholic Church”. The irony is that they want to sound “apostolic” but they have veered so far from the church of the Apostolic Age (Acts). If Peter or Paul or any of the Apostles walked into a Catholic Church today, they would be like Jesus turning over the tables of the money changers in the temple. I can just picture them tearing down statues of saints and Mary.
Vatican II – 1962 – 5
- “Modernizing” the church — they sold out to culture. Pope John XXIII, wanted to change the church to gain more parishioners. “They were called to devise a new means of proclaiming ‘the good tidings of salvation,’ so that all people might unite in one faith ‘where truth reigns, charity is the law, and whose extent is in eternity.’ It was a “papal pipe dream.”1
- Ended the Latin Mass — I remember this. All of a sudden we could actually understand what the priest was saying! Think about it. The Latin language died in 600s. It took them over 1300 years to start speaking the language of the people!
If you want an idea of where Pope Francis and the Roman Catholic Church is headed, check out my “Signs of Times” post.
It’s Your Choice
Someone asked me on Instagram if they should leave the Catholic Church. My instantaneous response would have been, “Yes! Run and don’t look back!” However, the Holy Spirit held me back. I responded with…
Invite Jesus into your heart, then let the Holy Spirit lead you in the right direction.
Then I posted this…
If you’re not sure if you’re saved or not, if you truly want to be born again and have the assurance of salvation, receive the Holy Spirit, feel His Shalom — a peace that surpasses all understanding, and get a 1-way, non-stop ticket to Heaven after you die, or that you won’t be left behind at the Rapture, which can happen at any moment, this is what you have to do…
Believe. Repent. Be Baptized. Receive the Holy Spirit.
- Believe — have Faith — that Jesus is the Christ and He died taking your sins away forever and that He rose from the dead 3 days later.
- Repent of your sins — stop sinning! Do a complete 180-degree turn in your life and surrender your life to Him. When you ask Jesus to forgive you He will. ALL your sins will be wiped clean — past, present, and future! And All means ALL!
- Be Baptized by water baptism — show the world and yourself that you have died to your old life and are born again in Christ.
- Receive the gift of Holy Spirit in your heart.
Invite Jesus into Your Heart and Receive the Gift of Grace, Joy, Peace, and the Confident Hope of Eternal Life…
Pray this prayer humbly and wholeheartedly…
“Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner. I believe You died for my sins. Please forgive me. Right now, I turn from my sins and open the door of my heart and my life to you. I confess You as my personal Lord and Savior. I surrender my whole life to you and I will follow you for the rest of my life. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
We’re living in the Last Days! Jesus Christ is coming back soon! Are you ready? There’s no time to waste!
Soli Deo Gloria — To God Alone Be the Glory!
Next Steps in Your New Walk with Jesus…
- Start reading the Bible daily to get to know God. If you don’t have one, I recommend the YouVersion, Bible.app and Through the Word app — both are free and have a lot of great Bible studies.
- Pray every day. Talk to God. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you daily.
- Find and join a Bible-believing church — preferably a non-denominational one and be baptized!
Here are some videos to dig deeper in to the Council of Trent, Vatican I and II.
Sources:
- Among the Ruins: The Decline and Fall of the Roman Catholic Church, by Paul L. Williams, 2017
Top Picture : Council of Trent, painting in the Museo del Palazzo del Buonconsiglio, Trento, Laurom / CC BY-SA
