Catholicism: Tradition, Division, and the Gospel

Catholicism: Tradition, Division, and the Gospel

The Roman Catholic Church is the largest branch of Christianity, with over one billion adherents worldwide. For centuries, it has claimed to be “the one true Church” founded by Jesus Christ, the only reliable custodian of salvation and authority.

But history and Scripture tell a different story. Far from being the one true church, Catholicism is one branch among many — a branch that elevated human tradition and papal authority over the Word of God.

Paul warned the Corinthians against this very thing:

“Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.”(1 Corinthians 1:10, NASB)

The existence of Catholicism — like every other denomination — is proof of human pride and sin. Christ is not divided, but men have divided His body.

History & Founding

The Catholic Church did not suddenly appear; it developed over centuries.

• Early Centuries (1st–4th): The church in Rome gained prominence because of its location in the capital of the empire, and because both Peter and Paul were martyred there. Over time, the Bishop of Rome began to be viewed as a figure of special authority.

• Constantine and the Roman Empire (4th century): With Constantine’s conversion (312 AD) and the Edict of Milan (313 AD), Christianity moved from persecuted faith to state-recognized religion. The Roman bishop gained political as well as spiritual power.

• Doctrinal Additions: Over time, new doctrines were added — such as purgatory, indulgences, and Marian devotion. By the medieval period, the church’s authority was tied not just to Scripture but to papal decrees and councils.

• The Great Schism (1054 AD): The Roman Catholic Church officially split from the Eastern Orthodox Church. Disagreements over papal authority, the wording of the Nicene Creed, and certain practices led to the division. This is crucial: the Catholic Church cannot be “the one true faith,” because by 1054 it had already split in two. Both sides excommunicated each other, and each claimed to be the true church.

• The Protestant Reformation (16th century): In response to corruption, indulgences, and the distortion of salvation, reformers like Martin Luther, John Calvin, and others broke from Rome. Once again, the Catholic claim to exclusive authenticity was challenged. If Catholicism were truly “the one true church,” it would not be marked by centuries of fracture and reform.

Core Beliefs & Distinctives

• Authority: Catholicism teaches that authority rests in three streams:

  1. Sacred Scripture

  2. Sacred Tradition

  3. The Magisterium (teaching office of pope and bishops)

     
     

     By elevating tradition alongside Scripture, Catholicism often overrides biblical teaching.

• The Sacraments (Seven): Baptism, confirmation, Eucharist (communion), penance, anointing of the sick, holy orders, marriage. These are believed to convey grace, and without them, salvation is incomplete.

• The Church: The Roman Catholic Church claims to be the one true church, outside of which salvation is uncertain.

• Mary and the Saints: Mary is venerated as the “Mother of God,” declared sinless from birth (Immaculate Conception, 1854), assumed bodily into heaven (Assumption, 1950). Saints are prayed to for intercession.

• Purgatory and Indulgences: Catholicism teaches a temporary purging after death for believers who die imperfect. Indulgences (remissions of punishment) could historically be purchased, sparking the Reformation.

• Salvation: Officially, Catholicism teaches that salvation is by God’s grace through Jesus Christ — but that grace is mediated by the Church and its sacraments. This binds salvation to church authority, not to Christ alone.

Strengths

• Reverence in Worship: Catholic liturgy emphasizes the holiness and transcendence of God, offering a seriousness that modern “show churches” often lack.

• Emphasis on Action: Catholicism stresses that faith must be lived out. While Protestants rightly emphasize salvation by grace alone, Catholics remind us that true faith produces works (Ephesians 2:10). This is biblical — though Catholicism misapplies it by binding works to salvation itself.

• Historical Continuity: The Catholic Church has preserved documents, practices, and liturgical rhythms that connect modern believers with the early church.

Weaknesses / Errors

• Tradition Over Scripture: Catholicism has elevated human tradition to the level of Scripture, leading to practices (prayers to saints, indulgences, papal decrees) that contradict the Bible.

• Papal Authority: The pope is declared infallible when speaking ex cathedra (from the chair of Peter). This was only formalized in 1870, but represents the height of human authority over divine truth.

• Sacramental System: By making grace dependent on the sacraments, Catholicism places salvation in the hands of the Church rather than the finished work of Christ.

• Mary and the Saints: Mary is honored beyond biblical warrant, and prayers to saints make them mediators — in direct violation of Scripture.

• The Claim to Be the “One True Church”: The very history of schism (1054, 1517, etc.) disproves the claim.

What They Get Wrong Biblically

Division Is Sin

• Catholicism’s claim to be “the one true church” ignores Paul’s command that there be “no divisions” (1 Corinthians 1:10–13, NASB). Catholicism is itself one branch of a divided tree.

Authority

2 Timothy 3:16 (NASB): “All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness.”

Catholicism elevates tradition and papal decrees above the sufficiency of Scripture.

Mediation

1 Timothy 2:5 (NASB): “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.”

Prayers to Mary and saints directly contradict this verse.

Salvation

Ephesians 2:8–9 (NASB): “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

While Catholicism affirms grace, its sacramental system effectively makes salvation dependent on human cooperation and church rituals.

Clerical Celibacy

One of the most distinctive Catholic practices is the requirement that priests remain celibate, forbidden from marriage. While the Catholic Church teaches that celibacy enables a life of greater devotion to God, this requirement is not biblical and was only formalized in the Middle Ages (Council of Elvira, 306 AD, with broader enforcement after the 11th century).

Scripture makes clear that apostles and early church leaders were married.

• Peter was married:

“Now Simon’s mother-in-law was lying sick with a fever; and they immediately spoke to Jesus about her.”(Mark 1:30, NASB)

• Paul acknowledged apostles’ right to marry:

“Do we not have a right to take along a believing wife, even as the rest of the apostles and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?”(1 Corinthians 9:5, NASB)

In fact, Paul lists marital faithfulness as a qualification for elders and overseers:

• “An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, skillful in teaching.”

  
  

  (1 Timothy 3:2, NASB)

Far from forbidding marriage, the Bible assumes church leaders would normally be married, and faithfulness in marriage would prove their character. Catholic celibacy laws contradict Scripture, and by doing so, have led to widespread pastoral and moral problems.

Refuting Common Myths

• Myth: “Catholics believe you are saved by works.”

  Reality: Catholic doctrine teaches salvation by grace, but mediated through the sacraments. The problem is not crude “works righteousness” but grace bound to church rituals.

  
  

• Myth: “Catholics don’t believe in Jesus.”

  Reality: Catholics absolutely affirm Jesus as Lord and Savior. The problem is that His role is obscured by devotion to Mary, saints, and sacramental systems.

Conclusion / Pastoral Reflection

Catholicism is vast, ancient, and influential. It has preserved reverence and continuity. But it has also obscured the simplicity of Christ by layering tradition, papal authority, and sacramental systems on top of the gospel.

It is not the “one true faith.” It is one branch among many, divided like all others. The division itself is sin.

John 14:6 (NASB): “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.’”

Our call is to love Catholic neighbors, refute error with Scripture, and remind all that salvation is not in Rome, not in ritual, but in Christ alone.

Denominations Are Unbiblical

At the root, the very existence of denominations contradicts the clear teaching of Scripture. Paul rebuked the Corinthians for dividing themselves under labels — “I am of Paul,” “I am of Apollos” — and asked the piercing question: “Has Christ been divided?” (1 Corinthians 1:13, NASB).

Denominations are simply the modern version of that same error: elevating human traditions, teachers, or cultural distinctives above the unity of Christ. While God has worked through these groups despite their flaws, the reality remains — denominations fracture the body of Christ, blur the gospel’s simplicity, and create loyalties that compete with loyalty to Jesus Himself. The church was never meant to be “Catholic,” “Orthodox,” “Baptist,” or “Pentecostal.” It was meant to be one body, with Christ as its only Head.