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

Are Catholics Christian? Within recent decades we've seen a blurring of the lines between the distinction of a Catholic and a Christian. It used to be that when you would ask someone who adheres to Catholicism what religion they pertain to they would without hesitation say I'm a Catholic. But within recent years we've seen a younger generation claim Christianity but use the prefix Catholic with that. Now make no mistake about it Catholics are not Christian and if you want a more in-depth study on this I want to encourage you to go to my YouTube channel First Works Baptist Church and type into the search bar why Catholics are not Christian and you will get a sermon on that. Let me start off by saying that I don't hate Catholics. You know I hate the Catholic religion but I don't hate the individual and in fact in my opinion Catholics are some of the most receptive people in the Los Angeles area. The vast majority of the people that I went to the Lord are Catholics. I was a former Catholic. I believe they have great precursors to prepare them for salvation. They believe that the Bible is the Word of God. They believe in Trinity. They believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Now having these beliefs doesn't get someone saved. They have to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ exclusively without works in order to be saved. Which leads me to my first point Catholics are not Christian because they have a different salvation. They'll often say there is no salvation outside of the Catholic Church. Whereas the Bible actually says something completely different. Acts chapter 4 verse number 12 says neither is there salvation in any other for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. Of course that name is Jesus not the Catholic Church. John 3 36 says he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. He that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him. John 1 12 says but as many as received him to them give you power to become the sons of God even unto them that believe on his name. The Bible says that in order to have salvation all we have to do is place our faith in Jesus Christ plus nothing minus nothing. Whereas the Catholic Church will actually say you have to do good works in order to merit eternal life. You have to keep the seven sacraments in order to merit eternal life. But that's not what the Bible says. The Bible says not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us. And in fact when confronted with this truth Catholics will often say well yeah it's by faith but you have to do the works also. Now herein lies the dichotomy of Catholic salvation because they will readily admit that it's by faith alone but they'll also say but you also have to do the works. You also have to keep the seven sacraments. You also have to get baptized and partake of the Eucharist and do all these things in order to merit eternal life. Whereas the Bible says in Ephesians chapter 2 verse 8 through 9 for by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God not of works that any man should boast. You see keeping the seven sacraments doing good works are things that take effort on our part whereas the Bible says that it's not of yourself it's by grace. The Bible also says in Romans chapter 11 verse number 6 and if by grace then it is no more of works otherwise grace is no more grace. So the Catholic who says that it's by faith alone but adds the seven sacraments and good works in order to merit eternal life they actually make the gift of God null and void. Folks the most famous verse in the Bible John 3 16 says for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. Catholics are not Christian because they have a different salvation. Number two Catholics are not Christian because the Catholic Church is a den of idolatry. You see you walk into a Catholic Church one of the first things you'll see are idols images of Jesus Christ images of the Apostles images of other so-called Saints and this is a direct violation of the Word of God. Exodus chapter 20 verse number 3 says thou shall not make unto thee any graven image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or that is in the earth beneath or that is in the water under the earth thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them nor serve them for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God the Bible says. You see the Bible specifically says that we should never make an image of Jesus make an image of the Godhead and not only that but we should even bow down and worship it. Now when Catholics are confronted with this biblical truth they will often try to refute it by saying well we don't worship these images we're just venerating them you know we're giving them veneration not worship. But here's the thing when you look at what their veneration looks like it is worship according to the biblical definition so you can change the word all you want it's still worship according to the Bible and the Bible says that we need to keep ourselves from idols. What agreement at the temple of God with idols the Bible says and so Catholics are not Christian because number one they have a different salvation number two the Catholic Church is a den of idolatry number three they worship a different mediator. Now one of the key doctrines of the Catholic Church is this matter of Mariology they believe that Mary is the mother of God and that she's a mediator between us and God himself this of course is a polar opposite of what the Bible actually teaches you see the Bible teaches us in 1st Timothy chapter 2 verse number 5 for there is one God and one mediator between God and men the man Christ Jesus there's only one mediator between us and God not Mary it's Jesus Christ now no one's denying the existence of Mary no one is denying that she gave birth to Jesus Christ what we are denying is that she's divine what we are denying is that she's a mediator between us and God the Bible says that Jesus Christ ever liveth to make it the intercessions for us not Mary now when confronted with this truth what they'll often say yeah but you know she's still the mother of God you know she's the mother of God in the flesh well actually that's not necessary what the Bible teaches and in fact in Matthew chapter 12 we find the story of Jesus preaching to the multitudes an individual comes to him and says behold thy mother referring to Mary and thy brethren stand without desiring to speak with thee he responds by saying who is my mother and who are my brethren and he stretched forth his hands unto his disciples and said behold my mother and my brethren for whosoever shall do the will of my father which is in heaven the same as my brother and sister and mother Catholics are not Christian because of the fact that they worship a different mediator and lastly Catholics are not Christian because of the fact that they find their origins in what they refer to as the first Pope known as Peter they claim that when the Bible says behold thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my church that was the ordination of the first Pope and the first Pope was Peter now here is the ridiculousness of this teaching you see Pope actually means father you know and think of the papacy the papa it's referring to father and which is in direct violation of what the Bible teaches in Matthew chapter 23 where it states and call no man father upon the earth for one is your father which is in heaven and so to call Peter the Pope is in direct violation of what Jesus says which he basically said you should call no man referring to religious leader a father which is upon the earth we never see in the Bible anybody referring to Peter as the Pope we never find anybody kissing his feet or kissing his ring or him carrying a staff with the upside-down crucifix folks this is Catholic doctrine and it doesn't match up with the Bible why Catholics are not Christian number one they have a different salvation number two the Catholic Church is a den of idolatry number three they worship a different mediator and number four they find their origins in the so-called Pope Peter in Matthew chapter 16 which is not a proper interpretation if you want more information about this go ahead and subscribe to my youtube channel first works Baptist Church type in why Catholics are not Christian you'll get more information about that if you have any questions also you can DM me and hope to see you in the next video right god bless you