(Disclaimer: This transcript is auto-generated and may contain mistakes.)

So tonight we're going to talk about the largest cult in the United States of America. The largest cult in the United States of America. So by the last census numbers that I've seen, one in five people in the United States is part of this cult, and it fits our definition of a cult. What we're going to talk about tonight, of course, is the Roman Catholic Church. So it fits our definition of a cult that we've been talking about, where number one, they follow a man or some sort of man leads this cult, and of course with the Roman Catholic Church, this man is the pope, and of course there's extra biblical authority in any of these cults, where there's always extra biblical information or extra biblical authority as the Catholic Church would call it. Now that really, once again, that's what distinguishes us as Baptists, and I've always said that to anyone who's had a problem with the church that I go to or the religion that we are in, I've always been willing to sit down with anyone and just say, hey, let's open the Bible and let's talk about it. Let's open the Bible and let's talk about the problems that you have with my beliefs. Let's just open the Bible, and you show me from the Bible where I'm wrong, and then we'll have a discussion. But the conversation always ends there, because no one knows the Bible anymore, number one, and they certainly don't know what it says. Because when you're a Baptist, what the Bible says is all that matters. So what you're going to see tonight, and I can't scratch the surface of this, all right? I was writing this sermon and this really, all these different things, they deserve their own sermon, but I'm going to try to touch on the main big things. Garrett asked what chapter of the Bible to read tonight. I could have picked any chapter from the New Testament for sure, and it would have blown holes in some sort of Catholic doctrine. Okay, it's that bad. So you know, look, the Bible is our boss, and that's what we're going to do tonight. We're just going to look at what the Bible says, as we've been doing throughout this series. So let's look at the history of the Catholic Church. I'm not going to focus a lot on the history of the Catholic Church, because we don't have a lot of time. I want to start getting into some of these doctrines. But the history of the Catholic Church, of course, it was founded in 313 AD by a Roman emperor named Constantine. Constantine, you know, in 313 AD, he put out the edict of Milan, basically making this new version of Christianity, this government state, this state marriage of this religion, this thing, this beast that they created together, and he made it, you know, out, he stopped the persecution of Christians by the Romans, and it basically turned over to persecution from this new creation of the Roman Catholic Church. In 325 AD, the Council of Nicaea convened, where all these leaders of these different denominations or whatever they were, came together to decide the doctrines of this new found church, but that's not how we decide doctrines. We decide doctrines by what the Bible says. So that's where it all began, with Constantine. Constantine himself never even converted to this Christianity. By the way, Catholics are not Christian. And don't ever let anyone tell you that they're not. And when you go out soloing, you will find that many Catholics even know that they're not Christian. Because you'll find many ex-Catholics who are very, when you ask them where they go to church, they're very pronounced when they say it's a Christian church. What they mean by that is it's not Catholic. There was a time in this country not too many years ago, you know, 40, 50 years ago, where Catholics were not considered Christian. It's this new ecumenical movement that's bringing everyone together that's telling everybody that anyone who names Christ is a Christian, all right? So look, Constantine was looking for a way to unite a fractured empire. He never even converted to the false Christianity that he created. There's rumors that on his deathbed he created, or he converted to this Christianity, this Roman Catholicism. Look, Constantine is burning in hell right now. I am positive of it. He never converted to the Roman Catholic Church, and even if he did, he's in hell, okay? So here's, he was looking for a way to unite a fractured empire, to win battles, to grow the empire. The doctrines that became the Roman Catholic faith are as follows, and I'm just listing the main doctrines. The papacy and the infallibility of the papacy, the pope. The worship of Mary, or the immaculate conception of Mary, that not only was Jesus, you know, born of a virgin, but Mary was immaculate, no, the immaculate conception of Mary, which is okay. The perpetual virginity of Mary, which is what I was talking about, where she never had any more children, she never was with Joseph as her husband. The assumption of Mary, meaning she was taken up in bodily form, she never died. Mary as the co-redemptrix, Mary as the mediatrix, I mean, we're not even gonna really get into a lot of this stuff, it's just nowhere in the Bible at all, is all I can tell you. The petitioning of saints in heaven for their prayers, the ordinances of the church functioning as sacraments, basically baptism and the Lord's Supper are the ordinances of the church that the Bible defines. They have all these different sacraments in the Catholic church, which basically means a sacrament means that it is necessary for salvation, okay? Infant baptism, one of their sacraments, but the baptizing of infants, or the sprinkling of infants. Confession of sin to a priest, purgatory, indulgences, an equal authority of church tradition and scripture, there's your extra biblical authority right there. Church tradition can define, it's the same as scripture. It's adding to the word of God, plain and simple, okay? It's that extra biblical revelation, and then of course, their doctrines on salvation. We're gonna hit a few of the main ones here, we can't even begin to touch all of these, alright? But look, the Catholic church, the Roman Catholic church has a huge history on violence against Christians. First of all, as we continue the history of the Catholic church, the Roman Catholic persecution of Christians is well documented throughout history. One of my favorite books, maybe my second favorite book is this small little guy right here. This is The Martyr's Mirror. This documents Christian persecution from the time of Christ up until the 1600s or so. It's not a small book, right? So it began with the Jews that persecuted the Christians, then it went to the Romans for a couple hundred years, and I think I have it marked here. But basically, just to give you an idea, this part is the Jews and the Romans, and this part is the Catholics persecuting the Christians, okay? This could be a sermon series, we could talk about this for several weeks as well. I'll just, the Catholics, they martyred Christians for two main reasons in The Martyr's Mirror. The first main reason for The Martyr's Mirror is it's a documented history of Baptists, or people that hold to the Baptist doctrines throughout history being killed by the Catholic church, and they were mainly killed over the doctrine of Baptism, number one. It's really over the doctrine of salvation. They would not give in to say that salvation, you had to add works to salvation, period. So they died, and they died horrible deaths. I'll just read you one account of a man named Michael Sattler in 1527. The charges against him were he taught, held, and believed that the body and blood of Christ are not present in the sacrament, because the Catholics believed that they were actually eating and drinking the blood of Christ, for real. Second, he taught and believed that infant Baptism is not tied to salvation. He rejected the sacrament of extreme unction, that's the anointing of oil, it's a sacrament. It's necessary for salvation. He rejected it, anointing with oil to forgive the sins of the sick. So when you're sick, they just put some oil on your head and you're forgiven. Not on the Bible. He despised and condemned the mother of God and the saints, he refused to worship Mary and the saints. He declared that men are not to swear before the authorities. He commenced a new and unheard custom in regard to the Lord's Supper, placing the bread and wine on a plate and eating and drinking the same. And he left the order and married a wife. Bishop must be a husband of one wife. It's in the Bible. The judges, having returned to the room, the sentence was read. It was as follows. In the case of the governor and his imperial majesty versus Michael Sattler, judgment is passed that Michael Sattler shall be delivered to the executioner, who shall lead him to the place of execution, cut out his tongue, throw him upon a wagon, tear his body twice with red hot tongs. After he has been brought without the gate, he shall be pinched five times in the same manner. After this had been done in the manner prescribed, he was burned to ashes as a heretic. His fellow brethren were executed with the sword and sisters drowned. His wife, also after being subjected to many entreaties, admonitions and threats under which she remained very steadfast, was drowned a few days afterwards, done the 21st day of May 1527. The quotes from Michael Sattler in his death, in his trial, you can tell that he was full of the Holy Ghost. Just the things that he said. And people asked him, they asked him for a sign that he wouldn't recant Christ. He wouldn't recant his beliefs and they asked him for a sign and it's documented in the martyr's mirror that when at his death, when they tied him to a ladder and they lit him on fire, after all these horrible things, he couldn't speak anymore. They cut out his tongue. He raised his hand to everybody. He just raised his hand before he died and went to heaven. I mean it's a great, I mean it's a horrible story, but it's a testimony to those of us who remain. So first of all, the Catholic Church has killed millions of Christians in the most horrible ways possible, okay? Over these doctrines that they've just made up and created, alright? So let's get to the Catholic doctrines in light of the Bible. Now this is why, you're gonna see why it's so easy to get Catholics saved. If you actually find a Catholic who isn't a proud, arrogant person and just actually wants to know the truth, because many Catholics just grew up in this. They don't know. And in their minds, they believe what the Bible says. In their minds, they just don't know what it says. But the Catholic Church teaches nothing even close to what the Bible says. So the first thing I wanna bring up today, or tonight, is the infallibility of the Pope. Turn to John 21, verses 15 through 17. This is what, and I'm gonna read you a lot of the Catholic positions first and the verses that they use to back up their positions, okay? And we'll see how deep those things are, alright? John 21, look at verse number 15. And the Bible says, So when they had died, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon son of Jonas, loveth thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He said unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith unto him again the second time, Simon son of Jonas, loveth thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon son of Jonas, loveth thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Loveth thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things. Thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. So you see, Peter is the Pope and he's infallible. It's right there, you know? I mean this is, you read these Catholic doctrinal statements and it'll be this 10 page doctrinal statement that just, it references a verse like this. And then you read the verse and you're like, what in the world? Well it's because they're not saved and they don't even understand what they're reading. I mean that doesn't even say anything close to Peter is the Pope or the first Pope or whatever. I mean Peter was married. He had a mother-in-law. Right. Anyway, turn to Matthew 16. This is a big one on Peter was the Pope. Turn to Matthew 16 real quickly. I don't want to spend a lot of time on this one. But Matthew 16 verse 13 and they'll just go straight to verse 18 and say, and where the Bible says, and I also say unto thee, thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. So there it is. Peter's the Pope and he's infallible. It's like, what? Let's read the whole thing though. Let's start at verse number 13 and let's see what Jesus and Peter are actually talking about here, okay? Matthew 16 and verse number 13. When Jesus came into the coast of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples saying, whom do men say that I the Son of Man am? And they said, some say that thou art John the Baptist, some Elias, and others, Jeremias or one of the prophets. And he saith unto them, but whom do ye say that I am? And Simon Peter answered him and said, thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. These men were Jews. They knew that there was a coming Messiah and Peter just said to Jesus, you're the Christ. You're the one. You're the one that the Old Testament's been prophesying, that all the prophets were prophesying. It's you. And Jesus answered and said unto him, blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood have not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee that thou art Peter and upon this rock, this rock meaning that he is the Christ, the profession that he's the Christ. I mean who's the rock in the Bible? I mean has Peter ever referenced as the rock anywhere in the Bible? The Catholics will say, well Petrus means rock and all this kind of stuff. But look, turn to 1 Corinthians 10 and verse number 4. We could study Jesus being the rock and the cornerstone for a long time. And I give unto these the keys, the kingdom of heaven and whatsoever thou shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and that whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Then he charged his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ. So they had just found out, the whole context of Matthew 16 was that they just professed that Jesus was the Christ. Jesus was asking, who do people say that I am? But who do you say that I am? And Jesus said that the Father in heaven, God revealed to them, the disciples. It said to them, not just Peter, that he was the Christ. Look at 1 Corinthians chapter 10 and verse number 4. And the Bible says, and did all drink the same spiritual drink, for they drank of that spiritual rock, capital R, that followed them. And here's a really complicated one, and that rock was Christ. So Christ is the rock that the church is built upon. And even if it was talking about Peter, which it's not, that doesn't say that Peter was the first pope and that he's infallible. It's stupid. It's nowhere in the Bible at all. It's made up. And it's made up because of any, what are the reasons that men start cults? Money, power, lust. That's what. That's what it is. It's the story of the popes. That's what it is. It's a cult. So the Catholics teach that this pope is the vicar of Christ on earth. He's the mediator between all the people on earth and Christ. But the Bible says in 1 Timothy 2, 5, it says there's one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus. I mean is that hard to understand? I mean that verse says there's one God. I mean it's really simple. There's one God. And then you say, okay, there's one mediator. I mean he's not like there's, okay, here's the God and here's the vicar and there's this guy over here. No, it's like there's one God and there's one mediator. And that mediator is the man Christ Jesus. That's it. You have access to him. You don't need anybody to go between you and God. Hebrews 9, 15, I'll just read it for you. And for this cause, he is the mediator of the New Testament, Jesus. That by the means of death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of internal inheritance. Jesus Christ is our mediator, period. So back to the infallibility of the pope. They're walking this one back, by the way. So they were like really into the infallibility of the pope back in like the martyr's mirror days, in like the Middle Ages and all this. I mean every pope was like, I'm infallible. Of course he is. I mean if you're going to be the pope and you want to have power over the world and over people, you better say you're infallible. It's no different than the Roman emperors declaring themselves to be deity. I mean this is not a new game, folks. So they're basically declaring themselves to be deity, to have the words of God, okay? The infallibility from Catholic answers is so confusing, I don't even know why I'm reading this. Some ask how popes can be infallible if some of them live scandalously. This objection, of course, illustrates the common confusion between infallibility and impeccability. There's no guarantee that popes won't sin or give bad example. Other people wonder how infallibility could exist if some popes disagreed with other popes. I mean they didn't even agree with each other, you know? And this too shows an inaccurate understanding of infallibility. See the problem is that you're stupid. Which applies only to solemn official teachings on faith and morals, not to disciplinary decisions or even unofficial comments on faith and morals. A pope's private theological opinions and life are not infallible, only what he solemnly defines considering to be infallible teachings. So I mean they're walking this one back, right, because people have the internet now and they can figure out, they can read up on the popes, right, and they're like, whoa, infallible? So let's look at a couple popes. We're not going to take a lot of time here. And I had to keep it G-rated. I mean I had to like, like really like, I mean like, I mean I had to like bring it down like six times, okay? Pope Innocent III, from 1198 to 1216. He was the most powerful of all the popes. He claimed to be the vicar of Christ, vicar of God, supreme sovereign over the church of all the world. He claimed the right to depose kings and princes and all things on earth and heaven and hell are subject to him. I mean that's pretty good. I mean the guy, he had it figured out, you know what I mean? He's like, hey, I control everything. He brought the church into supreme control of the state. The kings of Germany, France, England, practically all the monarchs of Europe, obeyed his will. He ordered two crusades. He decreed transubstantiation, that's the whole body blood, like literally turning into the body blood. He confirmed the confession of the priests. He declared himself to be infallible, of course. He forbade the reading of the Bible. This is another thing. So this is like probably number two on the list of why people were killed for, you know, as a heretic, because they actually had a Bible and you're going to figure out when we read all these different things, why if you're a Catholic pope that's declaring himself to be infallible, you do not want people having Bibles. I mean, that's against what you want, all right? He forbade the reading of the Bible. He ordered the extermination of heretics, instituted the Inquisition, and ordered the massacre of the Albigensins. Those were Baptists, okay? In the period immediately following Pope Innocent III, the Inquisition did its most deadly work against the Albigensins, but it claimed the vast multitude of victims in Spain, Italy, Germany, and the Netherlands. Later on, the Inquisition was the main agency in the papacy's effort to crush the Reformation, which we're not going to get into that. It stated that in the 30 years between 1540 and 1570, no fewer than 900,000 people were killed and put to death in the pope's attempt to exterminate the Albigensins and the Waldensins, both Baptists, Baptist people. Pope John XXIII from 1410 to 1415 was called by some the most depraved criminal who ever sat on the papal throne. I mean, you know, he married several women, he had 200 maidens, nuns, he married nuns, he married married women, he lived in adultery with his brother's wife, was guilty of sodomy and other nameless vices that we have to cut out of the list for G-ratedness. Pope Innocent VIII, 1484 to 1492, had 16 children by various married women, multiplied church offices, sold them for vast sums of money, decreed the exterminations of the Waldensins, again, couldn't get rid of them, couldn't kill them all. Sent an army against them, appointed the brutal Thomas of Torquemada as the inquisitor general of Spain and ordered all rulers to deliver up heretics to him. Pope Pius VII issued a bull against Bible societies and owning a Bible and reading a Bible, restored the Jesuits, and decreed that the pope himself was infallible, alright? And by these infallible decrees, by the way, was not this weird thing that I just read you from the 2020 Catholic Church. They believed that whatever they said, when they said we're infallible, whatever we said is God's word. That's what they meant, is to be equal with God's word, alright? But here's the problem. There's no scripture to support the infallibility of any man on earth. I know this seems silly to even say it to you. Romans 3, 10, as it is written, there is none righteous, no not one, Romans 3, 23, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. On speaking infallibly, turn to Proverbs 30. On speaking infallibly. So let's say that just even if he declared his words to be infallible, turn to Proverbs chapter 30. Look at verse number 5. Every word of God is pure. He is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words. Blessed he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar. Remember Herod, when he spoke this big speech and everyone said he's God, and then God just killed him? Turn to Revelation 22. Turn to Revelation 22. Revelation 22, look at verse number 18. For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, if any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book. If any man shall take away the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, out of the holy city, and from the things that are written in this book. In the Old Testament, it also talks about it in Deuteronomy. If you add or change God's word, you know, you're going to hell, and that's what the Bible says right here. Certain things will just get you a straight ticket to hell, and adding and changing God's word are one of those things. Worship of Mary and praying to the saints. Romans 13, 7 explains this one. Let's turn there. We just studied Romans 13. I didn't get that out of it. Check it out again. Maybe I missed something. Romans 13, look at Romans 13 in verse number 7, and this will explain why you should pray to saints and worship Mary. The Bible says, render therefore to all their dues, tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor. There it is right there. Worship the saints. The chapter's not even about the saints. The chapter's about the government. The chapter is about the authorities and God's purpose for man-made government is what the whole chapter's about. I mean, it's not about the saints. It's about paying your taxes and not owing the government what, and then it talks about what the government's supposed to do. First Peter 2, verse 17 is another one. You don't have to turn there. I'll just read it for you. But it's clear. Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. There you go. Fear God. Honor the king. Pray to the saints. They're walking this back as well, by the way. They're walking this back as well. But here, just because they don't write it down, they call it veneration now. They don't call it, you know, worship, because that's getting them in some trouble. So they're calling it veneration, which is a lower form of worship. But they're still praying to saints. They're still having idols of saints. They're still, you know, the saints are the intermediary between you and God. I still remember people telling me in my own family when I was a kid, like, hey, if you lose something, pray to this saint. They give me a little necklace and rub this and pray to it. And you'll find your wallet. I'm like, I believed it. I was like six. You know, I mean, I don't know. But it's love the brotherhood. Pope Leo I says this, Christ's origin is different, but his human nature is the same. Human usage and custom were lacking, but by divine power, a virgin conceived, a virgin bore, a virgin she remained. Now we're going to talk about Mary remaining a virgin, okay? The only problem with this is, go to Matthew 13, is the Bible. I mean, it sounds pretty neat. It's like, oh, really? Okay, let's check it out. Matthew 13. And I don't even think they quote Scripture on this. I heard some explanations of this, which I'll tell you, which are kind of funny. Matthew 13, look at verse number 55. Jesus was preaching in his hometown, right? And he wasn't received well there. The Bible says in verse number 55, is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And his brethren, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas, and his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then has a man to all these things? They're like, his whole family. We know them. They live right down the block. There's like eight of them, or however many there was there. Mark 6, 3, just a parallel passage. Is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joseph and of Judah and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. Turn to Galatians 1, verse 9. Galatians 1, verse 9. Galatians 1, and verse number 9, or I'm sorry, verse number 18. Let me just turn there, I think I had a mistake here. Galatians 1, and verse number 18, I think. And after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter in a boat within 15 days. But other of the apostles saw I none, save, that means except, James, the Lord's brother. I mean, you know, it's pretty clear, folks. I mean, I've heard Catholics say, oh yeah, well, you know, Joseph, he had a bunch of kids from a previous marriage, and that's what these were. But they wouldn't have any relation to Jesus at all then. Because Joseph wasn't Jesus' father, his physical father. Anyway, it's, that one's done. So it makes no sense, it's just made up. Which is why people were like, no. They were like, no, we're not going to believe that. And people went to their death because of these things. So they're not small things. Turn to 1 Corinthians 1, in verse 1. I just want to point out, first of all, who are the saints? Who are the saints? Another one that deserves its own full sermon. Turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 1, and verse number 1. Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes, our brother, unto the church of God, which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that are in every place, call upon the name of Jesus, with all that in every place, call upon the name of Jesus, our Lord, both theirs and ours. And everybody who is called upon the name of Jesus is a saint. That's the bottom line. And everywhere in the New Testament, you will see that whatever the word saint is used, it is talking about believers in Christ. Period. It is not some special tear of something that somebody gets to decide. I mean, the Catholic Church is basically making up who they decide who gets to be a saint. It's completely made up. It's extra biblical. It's talking about saved believers. And the irony is that none of which are those people, okay? So back to worshiping saints. Turn to Acts chapter 10. We're going to finish up on the saints here. Acts chapter 10. Look at verse number 25. The apostles would not want you worshiping them anyway. Look at Acts 10 and verse 25. Peter's meeting Cornelius. And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. But Peter took him up saying, stand up, I myself also am a man. Peter rebuked him for worshiping him. He was not to be worshiped. That belongs to God. They don't want, look, dead believers do not want you, believers who have gone home to heaven do not want you praying to them. There's one mediator. There's one God and one mediator. It's the man Christ Jesus. It's not your grandpa or whoever. It's the man Christ Jesus, okay? Let's look at infant baptism. Infant baptism is the number one reason that these people died right here, okay? Let's look at infant baptism. Catholics today. Let's look at the, first of all, let's look at the question of do unbaptized babies go to heaven or hell, okay? Now Catholics are walking this one back today too, okay? Because basically they used to say, there used to be a huge deal from the AD 400 all the way up to, from what I can tell, the early, the mid 1900s that Catholics would not want to bury unbaptized babies and they wouldn't, you know, have funerals and all this. They had to put them in unconsecrated ground because they went to this different hell called limbo that they made up too. It's not in the Bible. They made it up. Catholic answers. Here's the, we also, here's what they say. First of all, when you ask a question to someone, a pastor or whoever, some religious leader, you say, do unbaptized babies go to hell? And they give you a 10 page dissertation and then they don't answer the question at the end. They are lying to you, okay? When you ask someone a yes or no question, and what they say now is they're going to say, well, we don't know, we hope, but they don't even say we don't know right at the beginning. They give you a 10 page dissertation because they're lying to you, okay? In rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name, these commands are universal, not restricted to adults. This is for infant baptism. Furthermore, these commands make clear the necessary connection between baptism and salvation. A connection explicitly stated in 1 Peter 3. Let's go there. Let's check it out. In 1 Peter 3 verse 21, baptism now saves you, not as removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a clear conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. So they say baptism saves us. Let's look at that. Look at 1 Peter chapter 3 and verse number 21. 1 Peter 3 and verse number 21. The Bible reads, the like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. You see those first four words? The like figure whereunto. Turn to Romans chapter 6 and verse 4. Remember how we read the Bible literally unless we see words like as or asunto or as this where it's clearly using symbolism. The Bible here is saying that this baptism is a figure. It's a figure of our salvation in 1 Peter chapter 3. It's a figure whereunto even baptism now also doth save us. Then he puts in parentheses not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but because it's a good conscience toward God to get baptized is what he's saying. Look at Romans 6 verses 4. The Bible reads, therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. It's a picture identifying us with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. You sit in the water, you go under the water, it pictures the death, and you rise out of the water, it pictures the resurrection of Jesus Christ. And it's a command that God's given us, so it's our obedience. It's a good conscience toward God after salvation. We'll show you that in a minute here. It's a picture. But remember Bible reading rule 101? When you read something, and if I read 1 Peter 3.21 and I think that I have to be baptized to be saved, that gives me all kinds of problems elsewhere in the Bible. Like hundreds and hundreds of problems. Like John 3.15, like John 3.16, like John 3.18. Like most easily understood verses in the Bible now don't make any sense. You see? So whenever you read something and your first thought is, hey, that sounds like you have to be baptized to be saved, you're interpreting that wrong. But if you just look at the first four words, it says the like figure, that's what baptism is. It's a figure. It's a picture. That like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of God the Father, by the glory of the Father, even also we should walk in newness of life. The Bible clearly says in John 3.15 that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish. It doesn't say anything about baptism here. But have everlasting life. He that believeth on Him is not condemned. It doesn't say He that believeth and is baptized. It doesn't say He that is baptized is not condemned. It says He that believeth on Him is not condemned. John 3.36, He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. It's believing on. It's very exclusive and it's very clear. And then he says the inverse of it, He that believeth not, so what gets you saved? What gets you everlasting life? Believing on. What makes you not saved? Believeth not. See? It covers both of them. So even where it does say that, you know, He that believeth and is baptized, it could say He that believeth and puts in carpet for a living. It's believing. That's the exclusive thing that gets you saved. John 6.29, Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him. Believe on. Believe on. Believe on. It's again and again and again. You can't miss it. Turn to Acts 16. So what must I do to be saved? Is that ever asked in the Bible? Acts 16.31, the Philippian jailer, he asked that direct question. What must I do to be saved? Now don't you think that they would have told him if he had to get baptized to get saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy house. Okay? And then, of course, he was baptized after he got saved, which is exactly what the Bible consistently teaches. Turn to Acts 8 and verse 35, and I'll show you why most, a lot of Catholics miss this, that baptism is for someone who's saved, someone who has believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and is saved, number one, they have the wrong definition of salvation, we'll get there, but it's someone who's saved and then they get baptized after that in obedience. It's an ordinance that Jesus put in place. Look at Acts 8 verses 35 through 38. The Bible says this, And Philip opened his mouth and began at the same scripture, and he preached unto him Jesus. He preached him the gospel. And as they went on their way, there came unto a certain water, and the eunuch said, See, here is water, what doth hinder me to be baptized? He's saying, Why can't I get baptized? Here's water. And Philip saith, is Philip a man or is he God? Does Philip know what this guy believes? Do we really ever know what someone really believes? All we can do is ask them what they believe, right? And then hope that they're not lying to us. And Philip said, If thou believeth with all thine heart, you know what all thine heart means? You know what believe with all thine heart, that means believe on. That's what that means. It's not believing that Jesus exists. So if you believe that Jesus exists, because Catholics believe Jesus existed, he believed with all thine heart. He put his total faith and trust in Jesus. He believed on Jesus. That's what he's asking him when he says that. Thou mayest. So he's saying if you believe on Jesus, you may. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He believed the gospel that he was just preached. And he commanded the chariot to stand still and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. So here's the Catholic version. I'm going to read you from the Catholic, I can't even understand the acronym, it was like six letters long, but it's the new Catholic, international Catholic version something. Then Philip began with the very passage of scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, Look, here's water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized? And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down in the water and Philip baptized him. Convenient, huh? I mean they just took it out. They just took out the necessity to be saved, to be baptized. Because they teach that baptism saves you. So they can't have verse 37 in there. I mean it's crazy. Look folks, Catholics, it's an outright lie. You're being lied to. Remember Revelation 22 19? If any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life. Whoever did this is going to burn in hell. And whoever is teaching people this, if there's a priest standing up and teaching people this out of this Bible, he's going to burn in hell too. For this. For that one thing. Not just because he's unsaved, God says, you're done. Remember the study on the book of life? Look, you do this and you can no longer ever be saved, ever. You're reprobate. Your name's out and nobody gets put in. Remember? Nobody gets put in. Names only get erased. Your name gets erased, you're done. That's where this is at. It's a straight up lie. They deleted God's word. Proverbs 30, and thou be found a liar. These people are liars and they're dragging people to hell with them. That's the shame. Now back to the unbaptized babies going to hell thing, I grew up Lutheran, you guys know that? I personally heard Lutheran pastors say that unbaptized babies go to hell. Every single one of my kids was baptized in the hospital after they were born. Because why wouldn't you? When I say baptized, I mean baptized. Because why wouldn't you? You're going to take that risk with your kids, are you crazy? Because if they die and they're not baptized, they're going to hell because baptism saves the child. That's what they teach. That's what the Catholic church teaches. That's what the Lutheran church teaches. You're a Lutheran and you don't know this, read your doctrine. That's what they teach. So if baptism saves you, the Lutheran church teaches, which is just Catholic light, the Lutheran church teaches that before that child can have his own faith, that baptism is like the gas in the tank that keeps them going up until that point that they can have that own faith. So if baptism saves you, let's just be logical about this. Usually they won't say these things anymore because they're just as watered down as everybody else out there, but if baptism saves the child and the child is not baptized and the child dies unsaved, where does the child go? Unless you just don't believe in hell. You see what I'm saying? This is what they teach, folks, no matter what they say. They've walked us back, so they've just said we don't really know. The Catholic says we hope, we hope, but we can still prove their beliefs with logic. If baptism is tied to salvation and you're not baptized, I mean, you're done. The Catechism of the Catholic church states that the Lord himself affirms that baptism is necessary for salvation. John 3.5, let's go there. I mean, it says in John 3.5 that the Catechism of the Catholic church states that because of John 3.5 that baptism saves you, so let's go there, let's check it out. John 3 and verse 5, are you there? I'll give you a minute. Jesus answered verily, verily. Jesus is talking to Nicodemus here. John chapter 3, okay, come on. John chapter 3, probably the biggest, one of the biggest chapters in the whole Bible with the actual gospel in it. They're going to use this for false doctrine. John chapter 3 and verse number 5, Jesus answered, verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven. There it is. Be baptized to be saved. Let's read the whole thing, though. Let's go back to verse number 1, just for fun, and see if we can understand this with us and the Holy Spirit. There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. The same came to Jesus by night and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher from God, for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again. He cannot see the kingdom of God. So there's this concept that Jesus says you need to be born again, all right. Obviously everybody was born the first time. Was everybody in here born? Raise your hand if you were born the first time, all right. I'm talking about physically born here. All right. Okay. Jesus answered. You have to be born again. Nicodemus saith unto him, how can a man be born when he's old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born? So he's talking about the physical birth. He's just thinking about being physically born from his mother again. How can I be physically born? He's being, this is silly. Jesus answered, verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven. You know what's happened every single time my wife had a baby? Right before the baby came, I don't know how many hours before I forget, but her water broke. The baby's in water. The born of water is, he's talking about, Jesus is talking about two births here. The physical birth and the spiritual birth. That's what they're talking about. There's no third birth here. He's talking about two births. Jesus answered and says, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit. How do I know that? Am I just making that up? How about we keep reading the Bible? Look at the next verse. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, physical birth, and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. Jesus is talking about the physical birth, and then you have to be spiritually born. That's what he's saying. There's no like special third birth. I mean, what in the world? Like baptism. Where's baptism? I mean, it's not in there. It's crazy. He's talking about the birth of the Spirit, being saved. And then in the rest of John 3, 3.15, 3.16, 3.18, 3.36, he tells you how to get saved. I mean, it's right there in the same chapter. It's beautiful. So we see that truly, you know, baptism is never necessary for salvation. It's about believing. So you know, what does that tell you? They believe that babies aren't baptized, by the way. I mean, it just tells you they think babies that aren't baptized are not saved. That's what they think. I'm telling you, I know. I've run in those circles. So yeah, I mean, you're starting to understand why Catholics have to burn everybody with the Bible. I mean, you start, you know, there's probably many councils behind closed doors that are like we have to get rid of these Bibles because it's wrecking everything. I want to use this one verse out of the Bible and like the verse, like the three verses before it, the three verses after it completely blow me out of the water. We got to get rid of these Bibles. This is why. Look, I want you to read your Bible here. This is what protects the independent church. You being an independent knowledgeable person in the Word of God as an independent believer makes this church strong. Did you know that? It makes this church strong. It protects this church against heresy. And even if some wacko independent church, you know, across the country goes crazy and he gets a bunch of people to follow his wicked beliefs, it doesn't affect us here because we're still reading the Bible. I mean, I'm sitting here, everybody's got a Bible open here. I mean, are the things that I'm telling you true? Are you reading the verses here? Vain repetitions. This is another good one. This is, I mean, it's just a good one. I mean, it's not real serious, but I mean, you go to the priest and they'll tell you, you know, say, you know, 50 Our Fathers to cover your sins and just do these weird chants and all these kind of things. Turn to Matthew chapter seven. Matthew chapter seven. Vain repetitions. This is a really, really good one, actually. It's good that it just proves that these people aren't, they don't have any interest in knowing what the Bible said. They must not. Look at Matthew chapter six and verse number seven. The Bible says, but when you pray, use not vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. He's saying don't just chant things over and over again. And you know why? And then, like, let's see, one, two, three, like three verses later, he says, in this manner pray, and then he lists out what people call the Lord's Prayer. So literally, three verses later, after God says don't do vain repetitions is what they vainly repeat. I mean, you can't make this stuff up. It's what they vainly repeat. I remember the vain repetitions. Psalm 51 was ruined for me as a child. Created me a clean heart. I mean, we would say this dinner prayer, bless the soul Lord and these thy gifts through a bounty through Christ our Lord, which we were about to receive through a bounty of Christ thy word. I didn't even know what I was saying. I thought bless the soul Lord was one word when I was like five. Because when you pray it, it's like bless the Lord and these thy gifts which are about three through the bounty of Christ our Lord. Like what? Because everyone's just trying to say it as fast as they can because no one wants to pray anyway. I mean, a vain repetition, the alphabet song. I thought L-M-N-O. L-M-N-O-P. I thought L-M-N-O was one letter. Till I was like 30. No, I'm just kidding. No, but you see what I'm saying? Vain repetitions make you lose. That's why God said don't do it because it makes you lose all meaning. When we pray, I don't even think about what I'm going to pray after the end of the sermons. I just pray what I feel that I should pray, that I should ask God. That's what you should do. He's giving you an outline of, hey, this is how to address God, how to be respectful to God, how to talk. He's giving you an outline, an example. He doesn't say vainly repeat this. He told you not to vainly repeat it three verses earlier because it's almost like He knew that people were going to do this stupid stuff. Of course He knew. Okay, that's just vain repetitions. Salvation. Let's get to salvation. I'm running along here. Salvation. From the Catholic website, how should you answer if one asks that you are saved, if you are saved? This is what the Catholics will say. Answer with a resounding yes. Tell them that it is through baptism that you were saved just as the Bible says in 1 Peter 3.20. We already went there. And that it is through baptism, water, and spirit that you were born again just as the Bible says in John 3.5. We went there already too. First of all, here's the thing. Have you ever heard a Catholic say that? Never. I've talked to thousands of Catholics. I've never heard one say that. Never. It's their doctrine though. Shouldn't they say that to me? I said that when I was a Lutheran. People would ask me when I was saved. I'd say when I was baptized as a baby. See at least I knew my own false doctrine for crying out loud. You know what I'm saying? I mean at least embrace it. Be serious about it. I'm just kidding. Don't embrace it. Go to John 6 verse 54. He keeps, he continues. He said John 6 54 says we will have eternal life by doing something, eating the flesh, and drinking the blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So he's saying you've got to be baptized to be saved? You've got to eat the flesh and drink the blood of Jesus, he said, to be saved. Let's turn there. This is fun. John 6 54. John 6 54. Are you all there? John 6 54. Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life, and I will raise him up that last day. Huh. Maybe we should look at some context here. Let's go up to verse 47. Okay. Let me give you a context of pretty much the whole chapter. This is right after Jesus fed the 5,000 with what? Bread. Okay. So the context is food, eating. Alright. Look at verse 47. I'd read the whole chapter and just bust this thing up, but it's good enough. We only need like three verses. Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me hath everlasting life. Ah! It keeps saying that. It keeps going back to believe on. He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life. Now how many people think that Jesus is a loaf of bread? Raise your hand. Nobody? There's a church called Bread House or something. It's called the Bread House. Yeah. I'm serious. It's called the Bread House. Right? Yeah. House of bread. I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness and they are dead. Oh, see, he's going to teach something here. This is the bread with cometh down from heaven that a man may eat thereof and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever. You see, the manna fed him for a day. You see? But he's this bread that if you eat of him, you'll live forever. See? This is what Jesus is teaching. And the bread that I give is of my flesh which I will give for the life of the world. He's going to die. His body is going to die for the life of the world. He's talking about his physical death coming. The Jews therefore strove among themselves saying, how can this man give us his flesh to eat? I mean, this is the Catholic today. We're going to eat his flesh. We must eat his flesh. Then Jesus said unto them, verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Then again, he is again talking about the physical death and the physical shedding of his blood, comparing it to the living bread that you have to eat once and not again and again and again. And before in the chapter, he talks about how he fed the 5,000 and how that bread is going to feed those people. But it's not. And then he compares it to this bread that you only have to eat one time. See? So hey, if the Catholic really wanted to follow his false doctrine a little bit closer, he'd believe that you only had to eat the physical blood and drink the blood once. That's what the Bible teaches. You don't have to do it one time. Hebrews, this is the main theme in Hebrews. The shedding of blood of bulls and goats, they had to do it every year. Jesus had to die once. It's a more perfect sacrifice. That's why it's better, remember? One time. So you don't have to go to communion one time. But I mean, it's totally false. It's just they don't even know what they're reading. He's talking about him being the bread, him being the living bread. And how do you get that? Go back to verse 47. I say to you, he that believeth on me hath everlasting life. If you believe on Jesus, you have his blood and his flesh for you. That's what it says. That's what it means. And it's beautiful. He's predicting his own death for the world. But wait, there's more. Go to 1 Corinthians 15. This is the Catholic, once again, explaining how he's saved. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15 that we are being saved. Being saved. Salvation is a process, as the Bible clearly teaches, says the Catholic. Turn to 1 Corinthians 15 and verse number 2. This is what he's talking about. 1 Corinthians 15, verse number 2. By which also ye are saved, ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye believed in vain. By which also ye are saved. I'm not understanding, but you have to get a Catholic Bible. That's the problem. You don't have a Catholic Bible because there it says through which also ye, it says in 1 Corinthians 15, 2, in your new revised standard version Catholic edition, the NRSVCE, that through which you are also being saved. See? It's a process. See how words matter? I keep saying that. Look, salvation is a process to the Catholic. It's a process of you doing good works. The sacrament's going to mass, confessing to a priest, eating Jesus' literal body and blood and you can never know. Turn to 1 John 5, 13. That's why Catholics don't know. That's why most Catholics, if you talk to them who are honest, they don't know they're going to heaven. When you go to the Philippines, you will meet, if you ever do go to the Philippines, you will meet the most humble, nicest Catholics you'll ever meet in your life and they're all going to tell you, I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. You'll meet many arrogant, rich Catholics here who will just say, yeah, I'm awesome. That's why I'm going to heaven, because they think they're awesome. They think they got it all figured out. But the honest Catholic who's honest with himself, he doesn't know because you can't know. 1 John 5, 13, these things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have eternal life and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. It's like the believe on Oreo cookie, right? I mean, believe on, that's what it takes. I mean, how many times in the Bible, I mean, God, we're going to get to heaven and God's just going to be like, why is there so few of you here? How many times did I have to say it? I mean, it's again and again and again. Ephesians 2, 8 through 9, many Catholics don't know this. So make sure you never remove this from your soul winning presentation, for by grace are you saved through faith and not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works. It's not of works. A gift doesn't cost a penny. If you pay a penny for something, it might be a good deal, but it's not a gift. It's a good deal. It's not a gift. Gift, gift, gift. I gave unto them eternal life. It's not of works, lest any man should boast. Drum roll, folks. It's another works-based religion. It's another works-based cult. So let's close in Matthew chapter 7. This is the Catholic today, okay? Matthew chapter 7, look at verse number 21. Matthew chapter 7 and verse number 21. This is the Catholic today, because believing Jesus existed is not going to get you to heaven. And the Bible says, not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. This is Jesus talking. But he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? In thy name cast out devils. In thy name done many wonderful works. Then I'll profess unto them, I never knew you, depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Those people calling Jesus Lord will get you nowhere. It's about believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. And if they bring up the end of verse number 21, see, you have to do the will of my Father which is in heaven. Well, thank you, I'm glad you asked. Turn to John chapter 6 and verse number 41, where the Bible says, and this is the will of him that sent me, that everyone would see at the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life. And I will raise him up at the last day. The will of the Father is that you believe on the Son. That's the will of the Father. And trusting in your works and believing Jesus existed will get you nowhere. You can't be good enough. Alright, it's just another works-based cult. I hate to get to the end of these sermons and just be like, it just works. It's just works. It's just works. That's all it is. Now let me just talk about for two minutes the modern Catholic Church. Okay, turn to Romans chapter 1. You got it. Romans chapter 1. If you wonder what's going on with the modern Catholic Church, you already had a little bit of a taste of it when I talked to you about the popes from the past. It's nothing new under the sun. Okay. Look at Romans chapter 1 and verse number 25. Who changed the truth of God into a lie and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever, Amen. For this cause, God gave them up unto vile affections. Okay. Look, these priests today, if you're wondering why this is happening to all these kids, it's because these priests, you shouldn't be surprised, because these priests are reprobates. They have been rejected by God and becoming a vile, unnatural sodomite and pedophile and predator is a result of being given up, given over to that mind, to that vile affection. It's a result of it. So you shouldn't be surprised. You shouldn't be surprised. They're reprobates. I mean, just for removing God's word and preaching false doctrine, they're reprobates. All bets are off after that. You know, it says God gave them up, God gave them up, God gave them over to a reprobate mind in verse number 28, to do those things which are not convenient. Look, many of the popes themselves were known sodomites. Okay? I mean, this is not new. Some independent journalists out there have found that they think 80% of Catholic priests, these are like secular people, that 80% of Catholic priests are homosexuals. Independent studies by like, you know, the New York Magazine cites different studies that are calling it like 50 to 60%. Look, they're reprobates. So they're probably all sodomites. For all we know, they're all capable of it. It's a dangerous situation. You know, they've been given over. They've been given over. You say, you know, you're so hateful. You know what? But somebody has to tell the truth today. I mean, you're not going to hear this anybody anywhere else, but I mean, somebody has to tell the truth. But here's what I want to know. I mean, what about these kids? I mean, is all this stuff is covered up and paid off and lawsuit? I mean, what about these kids? What about these kids that are still there? I mean, does anyone care? What if people stop telling the truth? What if the few of us that are here, sermons like this need to be preached? Because people need to understand that these people are dangerous. And these Catholics need to get, you know, we need to pull them out of the fire is what we need to do. I mean, so who's going to tell the truth today? It's a wicked workspace cult that is endangering children all across the world is the bottom line. You notice that they're not committing adultery with women in their parishes. You notice that? It's because they're reprobates. That's why. And the Bible clearly explains it in Romans chapter one. Okay. I wasn't able to scratch the surface. Almost all of Catholic doctrine is easily disproved from very easy to understand Bible verses. It's not, we're not getting into huge prophecy here and diving down, you know, 401 level Bible classes here. These are very straightforward Bible verses, not of works. Very simple. Okay. And no one will get more people saved, more Catholics saved than Bible believing Baptists. So that, that's how hateful we are. We love the Catholics, Catholics of this country. We need to get the gospel to them and we need to pull them out of this fire and only we can do it with the truth of the gospel. That's loving. Calling false prophets, false prophets, and going after the people and trying to save the people that they're affecting. That's loving. That's as loving as you could be. Sticking your head in the sand. That's not love. Let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer. Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for today. We thank you for the church services today, Lord. Thank you for this wonderful growing church, Lord. I ask that you just continue to bless this work. Bless the ministry. Bless the soul winning of this church, Lord. Just give us boldness and clarity as we go out and we just try to undo all these false doctrines, Lord, and just help us to have the words to say and give people the hearts to receive the truth. And when we tell it to them. We love you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Amen. Amen.