Refuting Mike Gendron's tract "Are You Being Deceived?"

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Are You Being Deceived? If I were to insult you, you'd feel the sting immediately. If I were to embarrass you, you'd be the first to know. But if I were to deceive you...you might never know it! As painful as being insulted or embarrassed can be, at least you're aware of what's taking place. But deception can be deadly because you don't realize you are being betrayed, misled, seduced or ensnared. It's much more than a clever slight of hand. Deceived people are not even aware they are being misled unless they are confronted with the truth. Tragically, many go to their graves deceived about their relationship with God. The Importance of Your Source for Truth What is your source for truth? Is it trustworthy? Will it protect you from the schemes and lies of the master deceiver, Satan? The biblical prophet Jeremiah gave wise counsel for choosing who to trust. He said if you put your trust in man you will be cursed like a withered bush in a barren desert. However, if your ultimate trust is in God, Jeremiah said you will flourish like a tree planted by the water (Jeremiah 17:5-8). Still many people today disregard Jeremiah's advice and in their search for truth put their trust in man--religious leaders--instead of God.

Well, here we go again. notice firstly that Mr. Gendron fails to connect his own teachings to the cited passage, even though I have pointed out many times over that he regularly teaches things that depart from the straight reading of the Word of God. Could this actually be a form of self-deception?

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Who Will You Trust? Catholics, for example, believe that the pope and the Roman Catholic Church teach exactly what Jesus and the Bible teach. But how do we know if the popes' teachings or the dogmas of the Roman Catholic Church are true? The only way we can be 100% sure is to do what the church of Berea did in New Testament times. They examined the Scriptures to see if what the Apostle Paul taught them was true (Acts 17:11). We must use the same scriptural standard for the teachings of all religious leaders. Disregarding the objective truth of God's Word in favor of the subjective teachings of men can be a tragic mistake.

(Bold emphasis is mine) Didn't I just point out that I've shown this man to be doing exactly that in previous articles of mine?

I have been comparing Catholic teaching to the Word of God for many years now and it was just such comparisons, sparked by a-C remarks, (See My Testimony) that both led me home and maintains me in the Catholic faith. My examinations of Mike Gendron's a-C propaganda has also shown that he is not a reliable source for correct teaching.

Furthermore, we know that the Bereans did not set the example that he seeks to make of them. Catholic Answers has a number of articles on this.

• Why the Bereans Rejected Sola Scriptura
• Not by Scripture Alone | Catholic Answers
• Acts 17:11 The Bereans rejected "Scripture Alone"!

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The Danger of Deception Would it surprise you to learn that many religious teachings go against the Bible? Shouldn't that concern you, since your eternal destiny may depend on such teachings? Here is how Catholic doctrine misleads people about God's plan of salvation: All graces needed to attain eternal life can be merited (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2027).

Now here, (again) we see that Gendron cherry picks his citations of source for catholic teaching in order to mislead his readers and followers. her cites CCC 2027, but fails to cite the actual section of the catechism that that 'IN BRIEF" statement actually refers to Section III, paragraphs 2006-2011, which read.


III. MERIT

You are glorified in the assembly of your Holy Ones, for in crowning their merits you are crowning your own gifts.59 2006 The term "merit" refers in general to the recompense owed by a community or a society for the action of one of its members, experienced either as beneficial or harmful, deserving reward or punishment. Merit is relative to the virtue of justice, in conformity with the principle of equality which governs it.
2007 With regard to God, there is no strict right to any merit on the part of man. Between God and us there is an immeasurable inequality, for we have received everything from him, our Creator.
2008 The merit of man before God in the Christian life arises from the fact that God has freely chosen to associate man with the work of his grace. The fatherly action of God is first on his own initiative, and then follows man's free acting through his collaboration, so that the merit of good works is to be attributed in the first place to the grace of God, then to the faithful. Man's merit, moreover, itself is due to God, for his good actions proceed in Christ, from the predispositions and assistance given by the Holy Spirit.
2009 Filial adoption, in making us partakers by grace in the divine nature, can bestow true merit on us as a result of God's gratuitous justice. This is our right by grace, the full right of love, making us "co-heirs" with Christ and worthy of obtaining "the promised inheritance of eternal life."60 The merits of our good works are gifts of the divine goodness.61 "Grace has gone before us; now we are given what is due. . . . Our merits are God's gifts."62
2010 Since the initiative belongs to God in the order of grace, no one can merit the initial grace of forgiveness and justification, at the beginning of conversion. Moved by the Holy Spirit and by charity, we can then merit for ourselves and for others the graces needed for our sanctification, for the increase of grace and charity, and for the attainment of eternal life. Even temporal goods like health and friendship can be merited in accordance with God's wisdom. These graces and goods are the object of Christian prayer. Prayer attends to the grace we need for meritorious actions.
2011 The charity of Christ is the source in us of all our merits before God. Grace, by uniting us to Christ in active love, ensures the supernatural quality of our acts and consequently their merit before God and before men. The saints have always had a lively awareness that their merits were pure grace.

After earth's exile, I hope to go and enjoy you in the fatherland, but I do not want to lay up merits for heaven. I want to work for your love alone. . . . In the evening of this life, I shall appear before you with empty hands, for I do not ask you, Lord, to count my works. All our justice is blemished in your eyes. I wish, then, to be clothed in your own justice and to receive from your love the eternal possession of yourself.63 

Now, does his citation accurately reflect authentic Catholic teaching in its context and does it disagree with or contradict the New Testament? No, it does not. So who is being deceived here?

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Catholics are reborn as sons of God and freed from sin through water baptism (1213).

As is taught in the New Testament and was taught by the early church. The whole teaching on baptism is too long to include here, but I encourage you all to take the time to carefully enter the Catechism at this paragraph and note for yourselves the accuracy of this Catholic doctrine.

Just because Gendron denies it and argues against it, by no means he is correct.
(See also "I Find No Sacraments In the Bible" he said.)

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Purgatory is a cleansing fire that achieves the holiness necessary for heaven (1030-31).

He doesn't even cite the whole passage, which reads,


III. THE FINAL PURIFICATION, OR PURGATORY
1030 All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.
1031 The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned.606 The Church formulated her doctrine of faith on Purgatory especially at the Councils of Florence and Trent. The tradition of the Church, by reference to certain texts of Scripture, speaks of a cleansing fire:607

As for certain lesser faults, we must believe that, before the Final Judgment, there is a purifying fire. He who is truth says that whoever utters blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will be pardoned neither in this age nor in the age to come. From this sentence we understand that certain offenses can be forgiven in this age, but certain others in the age to come.608
1032 This teaching is also based on the practice of prayer for the dead, already mentioned in Sacred Scripture: "Therefore [Judas Maccabeus] made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin."609 From the beginning the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God.610 The Church also commends almsgiving, indulgences, and works of penance undertaken on behalf of the dead:

Let us help and commemorate them. If Job's sons were purified by their father's sacrifice, why would we doubt that our offerings for the dead bring them some consolation? Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers for them.611

Nor does he touch on the fact that we share this essential belief with the Jews even to this day. See Biblical and Jewish Traditional Beliefs About Purgatory

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Jesus is offered daily as a sacrificial victim on Catholic altars (1367).

Which, because of his misleading and specious citation, (In fact, how many a-Cs are actually going to research this by checking the Catechism for context?) would not help anyone to understand the facts of our beliefs.

Again, the relevant Catechism portion is too long to post here, but I urge you all to enter the Catechism at this paragraph (More accurately at CCC 1356 and following.)

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Venial sins are not deserving of hell (1863).

He really should begin to properly cite catechism topics if he intends to contend with knowledgeable Catholics about our most holy faith. The Catechism actually reads...
1862 One commits venial sin when, in a less serious matter, he does not observe the standard prescribed by the moral law, or when he disobeys the moral law in a grave matter, but without full knowledge or without complete consent.
1863 Venial sin weakens charity; it manifests a disordered affection for created goods; it impedes the soul's progress in the exercise of the virtues and the practice of the moral good; it merits temporal punishment. Deliberate and unrepented venial sin disposes us little by little to commit mortal sin. However venial sin does not break the covenant with God. With God's grace it is humanly reparable. "Venial sin does not deprive the sinner of sanctifying grace, friendship with God, charity, and consequently eternal happiness."134

While he is in the flesh, man cannot help but have at least some light sins. But do not despise these sins which we call "light": if you take them for light when you weigh them, tremble when you count them. A number of light objects makes a great mass; a number of drops fills a river; a number of grains makes a heap. What then is our hope? Above all, confession.135 1864 "Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven."136 There are no limits to the mercy of God, but anyone who deliberately refuses to accept his mercy by repenting, rejects the forgiveness of his sins and the salvation offered by the Holy Spirit.137 Such hardness of heart can lead to final impenitence and eternal loss.


This would rather well summarize the teaching of many n-Cs even though they would not use Catholic terminology. For example:

These two circles represent two kinds of lives:

Self-Directed Life
S-Self is on the throne
-Christ is outside the life
-Interests are directed by self, often
resulting in discord and frustration Christ-Directed Life
-Christ is in the life and on the throne
S-Self is yielding to Christ,
resulting in harmony with God's plan
-Interests are directed by Christ,
resulting in harmony with God's plan

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By performing acts of penance, Catholics can expiate their own sins (1459,1477)

Again he likes to "short cite" the catechism, which in context reads:
1459 Many sins wrong our neighbor. One must do what is possible in order to repair the harm (e.g., return stolen goods, restore the reputation of someone slandered, pay compensation for injuries). Simple justice requires as much. But sin also injures and weakens the sinner himself, as well as his relationships with God and neighbor. Absolution takes away sin, but it does not remedy all the disorders sin has caused.62 Raised up from sin, the sinner must still recover his full spiritual health by doing something more to make amends for the sin: he must "make satisfaction for" or "expiate" his sins. This satisfaction is also called "penance."
1460 The penance the confessor imposes must take into account the penitent's personal situation and must seek his spiritual good. It must correspond as far as possible with the gravity and nature of the sins committed. It can consist of prayer, an offering, works of mercy, service of neighbor, voluntary self-denial, sacrifices, and above all the patient acceptance of the cross we must bear. Such penances help configure us to Christ, who alone expiated our sins once for all. They allow us to become co-heirs with the risen Christ, "provided we suffer with him."63

The satisfaction that we make for our sins, however, is not so much ours as though it were not done through Jesus Christ. We who can do nothing ourselves, as if just by ourselves, can do all things with the cooperation of "him who strengthens" us. Thus man has nothing of which to boast, but all our boasting is in Christ . . . in whom we make satisfaction by bringing forth "fruits that befit repentance." These fruits have their efficacy from him, by him they are offered to the Father, and through him they are accepted by the Father.64  

His other citation, CCC 1477 actually has nothing to do with his point, though he seeking to attack the merit of the intercession of and the Communion of Saints.
I answer this in my blog article The Intercession & Communion of Saints.

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The Bible says man is saved by believing God's truth (Ephesians 1:13-14).

Again, this is a very shallow and lite gospel of salvation. Does Gendron's scripture citation accurately reflect the many passages of the New Testament that deal with salvation? No, it does not. For instance, consider the following 2 articles I wrote. The differences will be pretty clear I think.

• Who REALLY Preaches "A Different Gospel"?
• How Is A Catholic Saved?

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God can never deceive anyone (Titus 1:1-2). But man remains condemned if he continues in deception.

Well as we all know, even a stopped clock is right twice a day, so there is nothing wrong with this scripture citation, however, as one who has been proved many times to teach error and misinformation, who would actually be the deceived and continuing in their deception?

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False religious systems hold people in bondage to deception by perverting God's truth and grace. Any religion that teaches its followers that salvation is obtained through human effort and merit is nullifying the grace of God. Yet grace is the only means by which God saves sinners! The Bible says "if by grace, it is no longer because of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace" (Romans 11:6).

Of course, by inference he means the Catholic Church, but so far, have any of you reading this seen any such perversions of God's truth and grace in authentic Catholic teaching? I haven't...

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Misplaced Faith Some people blindly put their faith in religious leaders, assuming that their leaders would never seduce anyone with a false plan of salvation. Yet the Apostle Paul warned that "from your own group, men will come forward perverting the truth to draw the disciples away after them" (Acts 20:30).

The complete relevant passage reads:[28] Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God which he obtained with the blood of his own Son. [29] I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; [30] and from among your own selves will arise men speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.

Now, in our discussion and analysis of Mike Gendron's messages, who is actually better described by these verses?

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Other people simply choose not to respond or conform their lives to truth. Instead they turn away to listen to teachers who say what they want to hear (2 Timothy 4:2-4).

Here again, who has this proved to be true of in our examinations of Gendron's messages?

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Then there are people who have a zeal for God, but not in line with the truth. Many people have been indoctrinated with false teaching and have difficulty believing the truth. They fail because they refuse to let go of unbiblical beliefs. It was disobedience to God, a lack of faith in His purpose, plan, and word that separated Adam and Eve from Him. Instead they chose to put their faith in the deceiver, which brought spiritual and physical death to us all.

By his own words he convicts himself I think. God be merciful to him and to all those who also, for the same reasons he gives here, do not carefully study to show themselves approved unto God, rightly handling the word of truth. (2nd Timothy 2:15)

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God uses the very instrument that separated us from Him--faith--to restore us back to Him. By repenting of our dead works and turning to God in faith, we receive spiritual and eternal life: "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so no one may boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Sola Fide anyone? Yet Matthew 25:31-46 refutes this unscriptural gospel of "Christianity Lite".

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God's Truth Determines Destiny The Bible makes it clear that: We are either children of the devil (John 8:43-45) or children of God (John 1:12), We live as slaves to sin or as slaves to righteousness (Romans 6:16-18), and We will spend eternity under the wrath of God or in His loving presence.

As does the Catholic Church! Anyone remember your Baptismal promises?

V. Do you reject Satan?
R. I do.
V. And all his works?
R. I do.
V. And all his empty promises?
R. I do.
V. Do you believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth?
R. I do.

V. Do you believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was born of the Virgin Mary was crucified, died, and was buried, rose from the dead, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father?
R. I do.
Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting?
R. I do.
V. God, the all-powerful Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has given us a new birth by water and the Holy Spirit, and forgiven all our sins. May he also keep us faithful to our Lord Jesus Christ for ever and ever.
R. Amen.

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"Whoever believes in Him [Jesus Christ] will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God" (John 3:18).

Check...that's Catholic.

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God has revealed that trusting in anything other than Christ and His Word is evidence of deception. Those who choose to follow the traditions, opinions, and philosophies of men will be condemned. Jesus said "Whoever rejects Me and does not accept My words has something to judge him: the word that I spoke, it will condemn him on the last day" (John 12:48).

Sadly for Gendron, he has failed to accept the very scriptural fact of the inclusion of Sacred Tradition as mentioned in the New Testament and cited by the apostles themselves. So then this would not qualify as the "traditions of men" that he wishes to allege against the Catholic faith.

Infallibility & How The Apostles Taught the Study of Sacred Tradition.

Tradition? No way!

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By contrast, how wonderful are the words, "to those who did accept Him He gave power to become children of God to those who believe in His name" (John 1:12). Are you basing your life and eternal destiny on the eternal truths of God's Word or on the Catholic traditions added to God's truth? How will you respond to God's truth?

Sorry Mike but having weighed you message against the Word of God and found them seriously wanting of the fullness of truth, and having compared the Word of God and the authentic teachings of the Catholic Church, I have not found said additions, though I have found you yourself misrepresenting Catholic doctrine and teachings and teaching contrary to the New Testament, therefore I base my life and eternal destiny on the eternal truths of God's Word and on the Catholic traditions documented for the 2,00 years of Christian history.

 In conclusion, Gendron offers the following as a chart showing alleged contradictions between Catholic teaching and what he says "God teaches". The chart won't reproduce here so I have broken it down so I can address it in its particulars.

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God Teaches Salvation is only through Christ (Acts 4:12). The pope Teaches Salvation is through the Roman Catholic Church and its sacraments (846, 1129).

First notice the way he seems to intentionally disrespect the Pope by failing to follow proper English standards and capitalizing His Holiness' title. If I wanted to be equally petty, I suppose I could just decapitalize his last name and call him "gendron", but I'm not like that.

Catholics have absolutely no problem at all with what Acts 4:12 says. "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

Now Look at his Catechism citations:
846 How are we to understand this affirmation, often repeated by the Church Fathers? Re-formulated positively, it means that all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is his Body:
Basing itself on Scripture and Tradition, the Council teaches that the Church, a pilgrim now on earth, is necessary for salvation: the one Christ is the mediator and the way of salvation; he is present to us in his body which is the Church. He himself explicitly asserted the necessity of faith and Baptism, and thereby affirmed at the same time the necessity of the Church which men enter through Baptism as through a door. Hence they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it or to remain in it.

1129 The Church affirms that for believers the sacraments of the New Covenant are necessary for salvation. "Sacramental grace" is the grace of the Holy Spirit, given by Christ and proper to each sacrament. The Spirit heals and transforms those who receive him by conforming them to the Son of God. The fruit of the sacramental life is that the Spirit of adoption makes the faithful partakers in the divine nature by uniting them in a living union with the only Son, the Savior.

Now...do these citations contradict the verse from the Word of God that Mike Gendron cited? Why no...they do not. In fact, nowhere in authentic Catholic teaching will you anywhere find any assertion that salvation is by any means other than Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We never did, do not now, and never will.

Moreover, consider this, if Our Lord didn't want the church to serve the purpose it does, then why did He specifically found it as he did in

Matthew 16:18-19 (Douay Rheims)

¹⁸ And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

¹⁹ And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven.

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God Teaches You are saved by faith and not by works (Ephesians 2:8-9). The pope Teaches You are saved by faith plus works (1815,1821,2010,2027).

We've all seen the Ephesian passage so often we can quote it from memory, right? I know I can. However, notice what is missing here. see any reference to

Matthew 25:31-46 (Douay Rheims)

³¹ And when the Son of man shall come in his majesty, and all the angels with him, then shall he sit upon the seat of his majesty.

³² And all nations shall be gathered together before him, and he shall separate them one from another, as the shepherd separateth the sheep from the goats:

³³ And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left.

³⁴ Then shall the king say to them that shall be on his right hand: Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess you the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

³⁵ For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink; I was a stranger, and you took me in:

³⁶ Naked, and you covered me: sick, and you visited me: I was in prison, and you came to me.

³⁷ Then shall the just answer him, saying: Lord, when did we see thee hungry, and fed thee; thirsty, and gave thee drink?

³⁸ And when did we see thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and covered thee?

³⁹ Or when did we see thee sick or in prison, and came to thee?

⁴⁰ And the king answering, shall say to them: Amen I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to me.

⁴¹ Then he shall say to them also that shall be on his left hand: Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels.

⁴² For I was hungry, and you gave me not to eat: I was thirsty, and you gave me not to drink.

⁴³ I was a stranger, and you took me not in: naked, and you covered me not: sick and in prison, and you did not visit me.

⁴⁴ Then they also shall answer him, saying: Lord, when did we see thee hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to thee?

⁴⁵ Then he shall answer them, saying: Amen I say to you, as long as you did it not to one of these least, neither did you do it to me.

⁴⁶ And these shall go into everlasting punishment: but the just, into life everlasting.

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God Teaches All who rely on observing the law--commandments--for salvation are under a curse (Galatians 3:10). The pope Teaches Obedience to the commandments is necessary for salvation (2068).

Really Mike? Better go back and read your New Testament again because you seems to have totally missed the following passages, which your statement totally contradicts.

John 14:15 (Douay Rheims)

¹⁵ If you love me, keep my commandments.

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John 14:23 (Douay Rheims)

²³ Jesus answered, and said to him: If any one love me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and will make our abode with him.

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John 15:10 (Douay Rheims)

¹⁰ If you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love; as I also have kept my Father's commandments, and do abide in his love.

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God Teaches Salvation occurs at the moment you repent and believe the gospel (Acts 20:21,Ephesians 1:13). The pope Teaches Salvation is a process from baptism through purgatory (161, 162, 1254, 1255).

First, look at what his verse citations actually say.

Acts 20:21 (Douay Rheims)

²¹ Testifying both to Jews and Gentiles penance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

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Now, does that in any way even infer what he says it does? No.

Ephesians 1:13 (Douay Rheims)

¹³ In whom you also, after you had heard the word of truth, (the gospel of your salvation;) in whom also believing, you were signed with the holy Spirit of promise,

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Does this one? Not at all. Neither verse speaks of immediate salvation. In fact,

However, the New Testament does say...

Philippians 2:12 (Douay Rheims)

¹² Wherefore, my dearly beloved, (as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but much more now in my absence,) with fear and trembling work out your salvation.

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So then, how can one work out their salvation with fear and trembling if it takes place in an instant as Gendron has just stated?

St. Paul also tells us...

1 Corinthians 9:27 (Douay Rheims)

²⁷ But I chastise my body, and bring it into subjection: lest perhaps, when I have preached to others, I myself should become a castaway.

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Not only does it not speak of instant salvation, but teaches that salvation can be lost by becoming that "castaway/" Paul refers to. So then...is Mike Gendron scripturally correct in what he has taught here?

But what about the Catechism references? Do they contradict the Word of God? Let's take a look.

161 Believing in Jesus Christ and in the One who sent him for our salvation is necessary for obtaining that salvation. "Since "without faith it is impossible to please [God]" and to attain to the fellowship of his sons, therefore without faith no one has ever attained justification, nor will anyone obtain eternal life 'But he who endures to the end.'"
Perseverance in faith
162 Faith is an entirely free gift that God makes to man. We can lose this priceless gift, as St. Paul indicated to St. Timothy: "Wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting conscience, certain persons have made shipwreck of their faith."44 To live, grow and persevere in the faith until the end we must nourish it with the word of God; we must beg the Lord to increase our faith;45 it must be "working through charity," abounding in hope, and rooted in the faith of the Church.46

1254 For all the baptized, children or adults, faith must grow after Baptism. For this reason the Church celebrates each year at the Easter Vigil the renewal of baptismal promises. Preparation for Baptism leads only to the threshold of new life. Baptism is the source of that new life in Christ from which the entire Christian life springs forth.
1255 For the grace of Baptism to unfold, the parents' help is important. So too is the role of the godfather and godmother, who must be firm believers, able and ready to help the newly baptized - child or adult on the road of Christian life.55 Their task is a truly ecclesial function (officium).56 The whole ecclesial community bears some responsibility for the development and safeguarding of the grace given at Baptism.

Well? In fact, do these not clearly teach the very same things that the New Testament tells us in passages like

Matthew 28:19-20 (Douay Rheims)

¹⁹ Going therefore, teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

²⁰ Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world.

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God Teaches Only Jesus purifies sin (Hebrews 1:3,Colossians 1:22). The pope Teaches Purgatory purifies sin (1030,1031).

We Catholics have absolutely no problem at all with what both those verses say. In fact we will say "amen" and Alleluia" to them both because we believe every word written in the Bible.

However, in checking these passages for context I discovered that a serious problem for Mike Gendron. Look at the very next verse that he doesn't bother to cite and which blows his whole instant salvation concept right out the proverbial window!
[23] provided that you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which has been preached to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.
Purgatory is actually pretty easy to explain. See Biblical and Jewish Traditional Beliefs About Purgatory

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God Teaches You can know that you have eternal life (John 10:27-30, 1 John 5:13). The pope Teaches You sin if you presume to be saved without merit (2090-2092).

I think the scripture passages that I have already cited already deal with the fact that we know we can be saved, but that Gendron misrepresents both authentic Catholic teaching as well as the Word of God in the things he has said so far.

Let's look at the Catechism citations anyway though because I think we'll see a very specious misrepresentation of what they say.
* Hope
2090 When God reveals Himself and calls him, man cannot fully respond to the divine love by his own powers. He must hope that God will give him the capacity to love Him in return and to act in conformity with the commandments of charity. Hope is the confident expectation of divine blessing and the beatific vision of God; it is also the fear of offending God's love and of incurring punishment.
2091 The first commandment is also concerned with sins against hope, namely, despair and presumption:
By despair, man ceases to hope for his personal salvation from God, for help in attaining it or for the forgiveness of his sins. Despair is contrary to God's goodness, to his justice - for the Lord is faithful to his promises - and to his mercy.
2092 There are two kinds of presumption. Either man presumes upon his own capacities, (hoping to be able to save himself without help from on high), or he presumes upon God's almighty power or his mercy (hoping to obtain his forgiveness without conversion and glory without merit).

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God Teaches The sacrifice of Jesus is finished (John 19:30). The pope Teaches The sacrifice of Jesus continues in daily Mass (611, 1405).

Here he attempts to attack the re-presentation of the sacrifice of Christ in the Mass. We know that this is what the Church teaches and those who know the scriptural teachings on the Eucharist, know full well that we all say "amen' to the verse in John 19:30 that Gendron cites, but let's look at his Catechism citations anyway to see what's going on. (See also my article The Eucharist IS Scriptural)
611 The Eucharist that Christ institutes at that moment will be the memorial of his sacrifice. Jesus includes the apostles in his own offering and bids them perpetuate it. By doing so, the Lord institutes his apostles as priests of the New Covenant: "For their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth."

1405 There is no surer pledge or dearer sign of this great hope in the new heavens and new earth "in which righteousness dwells," than the Eucharist. Every time this mystery is celebrated, "the work of our redemption is carried on" and we "break the one bread that provides the medicine of immortality, the antidote for death, and the food that makes us live for ever in Jesus Christ."

No conflict with scripture there, but I guess Gendron feels that if he throws a bunch of numbers at people, they won't check it like I have done and as a result they'll buy into his propaganda. Notice how he concludes.

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As you can see, these teachings directly oppose each other. One is truth that will set you free. One is deception that will hold you in bondage.

Yeah, Mike, you're absolutely right.

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Which teachings will you choose? Choose carefully. In this life you can be wrong about a lot of things and still survive. But when this life is over, if you were wrong about God's only provision for your sins, you will perish in the lake of fire for all eternity.

Well Mr. Gendron, I urge you to take this part of your message to heart and reconsider for the sake of your eternal soul since it has been shown that you not only wrongly oppose and misrepresent Catholic teachings, but actually contradict specific passages of the Word of God in your messages.

As someone pointed out earlier in this thread, take note of James 3:1, which says. Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, for you know that we who teach shall be judged with greater strictness.

 

Does the Bible teach that everything that we believe and practice has to be found in its pages?

A Catholic buddy of mine offered this list as a start...

Hmmm...things non-Catholics believe that are not in the Bible. Lets see.
1. Evangelistic appeals.
2. Vacation Bible School.
3. Youth groups and youth pastors.
4. Church picnics,
5. Praise bands.
6. Bible Colleges.
7. Short hair on men, long hair on women. ( I once knew a preacher who insisted Jesus had a crew cut)

A non-Catholic then asked, "Can you show me where in the Bible it calls tradition God breathed?" to which I replied, Sure...2nd Thessalonians 3:6 And we charge you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother walking disorderly, and not according to the tradition which they have received of us.

So still no one has shown me where the Bible says that everything that we believe and practice has to be found in the pages of the Bible. I need to see this if I'm going to abandon my Catholic faith and return to what you have.

In fact...you need to show it to all of us Catholics because so long as you can't, every Catholic reading this has no chance of converting away from our most holy faith. Worse still...it makes it appear that we are right to reject this and (God help us all!), that would mean that you would be wise to seriously consider converting to the Catholic faith ASAP. 

If it's not in the Bible then it violates the very tenet that virtually every n-C doctrine is based upon, that such things must be found in the pages of the Bible. That's probably the fundamental foundation of most n-C belief and teaching in the last 500 years. 

This is a doctrine is one that many non-Catholics hold very dear and I'm serious...if you can show me this and not be refuted by me and my Catholic brothers and sisters, then you have a chance to really dent our Catholic faith. If you can't....well...that dent might be somewhere else.

I have Bibles all over the place right here and you even get the benefit of the 73 book canon to use. I absolutely need to see this. Seriously. 

This article is about getting some non-Catholic to show me where this idea is found within the pages of the Word of God. That's all I'm asking here.

If you want to shake me as a Catholic loose from my faith then this is what it will take.

I've read the Bible several times and cannot find this taught there, even with 73 books to work with.

I re-converted to the Catholic faith in part because of this very thing. If the Catholic Church is wrong on this...it should be pretty simple to show me.  

which is one of the things that a lot of people on both sides of this issue don't understand. My friend John Martignoni has a kinda neat way of explaining that here.

 A friend of mine said that his church takes the Bible literally, but that the Catholic Church doesn't...is that true?

The Fullness of truth is important. In John 14:6 Jesus tells us that He is "the truth" and I for one want nothing less.

I am trying to get you or any of the other n-Cs here that hold that belief to show us where it is found in the Word of God. 

Again though....where is this scriptural mandate that all that we believe and practice must be found in the pages of the Bible? 

I don't understand how people can believe this idea since St. Paul plainly tells Timothy that he's to withdraw from anyone who doesn't walk according to that tradition. If it wasn't inspired, the why would he make a big deal of it?

2nd Thessalonians 3:6 And we charge you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother walking disorderly, and not according to the tradition which they have received of us.

The following article from my blog points out some other ways in which the apostles showed their thinking on Sacred Tradition.
Infallibility & How The Apostles Taught the Study of Sacred Tradition.

One of the big problems in discussing this topic is that so many different non-Catholics have differing definitions of what this actually means and that makes it really hard.

This is another case where we Catholics have difficulty seeing that often propagated "Unity in essentials" that they speak of.

Perhaps this is also another by product of this very foundational doctrine of post reformation non-Catholic Christianity?

Here are scriptures that one non-Catholic offered me..and my responses.

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1 Cor 4:6 Now, brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, "Do not go beyond what is written." Then you will not take pride in one man over against another.

Which is a very good point to make about that same interpretation which goes beyond what is written.

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Luke 1:1-4: Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled[a] among us, 2just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

Here again, this does not say that everything that we believe and practice has to be found in the Bible. In fact....it actually is saying that the purpose of Luke's Gospel is to affirm oral tradition.

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In Matthew 4:1-11. Three times Jesus was tempted by the Devil and each time Jesus replied exactly the same three dangerous words that defeated the Devil: "IT IS WRITTEN" If any one could have used oral tradition, it was Jesus, yet he chose the only safe and sure way to defeat Satan: Scripture.

Still, this does not tell us what you claim it does. It infers much, such as that scripture is useful for resisting temptation, which certainly agrees with 2nd Timothy 3:16, but being useful is not the same as being the only and ultimate authority, which is something that I have not found in the Word of God.

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Mark 12:24 24 Jesus replied, "Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?

We've already discussed that ignorance of scripture is ignorance of Christ, but this also fails to make the claim that would make your belief scriptural.

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2 Timothy 3:15 and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

Again...where does that even infer a sole and final authority to the Bible? In point of fact, St. Paul is here referring to the Old Testament, which by the same logic that you have used would eliminate the New Testament from any inspired authority. That's just based upon your own logic and not something that either of us believe.

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1 John 5:13 13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

Does not claim the authority asserted. Another case of interpretation going beyond what is written?

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2 Timothy 3:16-17: 16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Catholics have no problem at all with this verse. We believe that is means exactly what it says and we do not believe it means anything more. This does not claim a final and ultimate authority. Like I said before...it's inspired and useful...

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Luke 10:26 What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?" Jesus expected even his enemies to correctly interpret the Bible by simply reading and studying it.

Again...this refers to the Old Testament and by your own logic would cast aside the New Testament as well as open the door for an interpretation that says we need to read and obey the law to be saved. That won't wok now, will it?

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Acts 17:11-12 Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. 12Many of the Jews believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men. Even though the apostles were inspired with genuine oral revelation, they always directed people to the scriptures for the final determination of truth.

They were talking to Jews about the Messiah. What other source would one expect them to use seeing that even Our Lord pointed out, "For many will come in my name saying, I am Christ: and they will seduce many."  Still there is no claim of final and ultimate authority here in this passage.

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Deuteronomy 4:2 Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the LORD your God that I give you.

But by this logic this verse would deny inspiration and acceptance of the New Testament (again) since it specifically refers to the law. Further (and again) this would mean that we are still to obey the law in order to be saved. I know that that is not what most non-Catholics believe nor are trying to say, but that is where it logically and specifically leads. 

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I maintain that the Bible is the sole INFALLIBLE authority, to which all other authority is subordinate.

If that is true then I would like to see the Biblical passages that lay claim to that authority. Please show me.

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Sola Scriptura means that the Bible alone is the SUPREME canon of faith. There are other authorities. I, for instance, consider my pastor an authority, but his words should be measured against the Scriptures. If they collide, he is the one who's in error.

Since this belief requires that any such belief has its basis in the Bible, I would like to see the scriptures where that is taught.

And who is the authority that decides when that happens and where do they derive their authority from?

What I believe we see here is a assertion of conclusion drawn from a fallacious premise not supported by the text of the scriptures quoted.  

The reason why I like this one that it occurred to me one day that I do not feel that I have to logically prove this is true in some debate format in order for me to believe this is true. Maybe some other folks are up to this, but I think I will pass myself..

Certainly your prerogative, however, it is not a matter of feelings, which can mislead us, but of facts. Facts as to what given passages of scripture actually say, or do not say in order to ascertain objective truth. If it is untrue that the Bible lays claim to the infallible authority that your definition ascribes to it, then, even by the errant standard of Sola Scripture (as you have defined it) one would have to reject that interpretation.

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It occurred to me that it is a fact that today I do not hold to any other infallible rule of faith and conduct So logically unless I am convinced that there is another infallible rule of faith and conduct out there (be it the Book of Mormon, your pope speaking on faith and morals, or David Koresh), the Bible is my only infallible rule of faith and conduct.

Just because you are convinced does not make it correct. One can be sincerely in error and this is one reason I suspect some people ascribe to this belief.

To me it's fairly simply. If you want me to believe that everything that we believe and practice must be found in the Word of God, then you need to show me precisely where the Bible says that. So far I haven't seen anything like that, but have seen a lot of verses and then interpretations of men telling me they mean something other than what they actually say. 

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Now of course convincing me that there is another infallible rule of faith and conduct is a very difficult sell. Per 1 Thess 5:21 I am to examine everything carefully and hold fast to that which is good. So I don't know how one can convince me that there is another infallible rule of faith and conduct except through the rule of faith and conduct that I know is infallible. And I have not seen anything in the Bible that gives me the license to elevate any other rule of faith to the status of infallible.

Yet I have not seen anything that gives anyone the license to elevate the Bible to that status while I do see the simple statement from St. Paul as to what the pillar and ground of the truth is.

1st Timothy 3:15 "if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth"

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I approach this based on the presumption that the Word of God, the Bible is indeed God's Word. Your line of questioning does not appear to accept the presumption, therefore no matter how I would answer, it would not make any difference to you. What your view of the Bible is will be the determining factor of how one receives the Word of God. When you cite the church as being the pillar and support of the truth; it simply means that God has chosen to work through His elect to maintain the purity of His word and all that is contained.

Presumption does not work. It comes to a conclusion even before it has looked at the facts. Would anyone want to be the subject of any case where presumption was the basis for conclusion? Very risky.

Where does 1st Timothy 3:15 even infer such a belief as you assert? I'll have to disagree with your interpretation and go with what the Word of God actually says right there.

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There is no place in the Bible that explicitly states that all Christian teachings MUST BE in the Bible, but a logical and rational thought will lead you to that conclusion; simply put, where else will you find it?

You express a gross fallacy because that may be your own opinion, but even if one accepts the authority ascribed to the Bible by Sola Scriptura, one would have to reject that.

As to your last question...you already answered that when you touched on 1st Timothy 3:15 above. What does that verse literally tell us is the pillar and bulwark of the truth?

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You have two premises that must be true for what you said above to be true and is a source of major doctrinal error within your church. First you must put your church above the authority of scripture to make the claim that your church interprets the bible.

Which is the only option supported by the New Testament.

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Second you presume that "scared tradition" were taught by Jesus adn passed down to the apostles and are outside of Scripture. How can you derive this and prove it is of divine authority unless you just make the claim that your church says it is that way; therefore it is.

Not so at all. I examined the evidence in the New Testament and wrote the following article on my blog based upon what I found.Take a look. Infallibility & How The Apostles Taught the Study of Sacred Tradition.

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The logic make no sense and I don't believe it to be possible to show Jesus taught anything that is not in the written pages of Scripture. Jesus himself said that Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God; where do all Christians go to find what proceeded out of the mouth of God? the Bible?

So then teachings that the apostles offer in their New Testament writings, (and there are a great many) that Our Lord never spoke about are invalid? Surely you didn't mean that! Yet that is the only logical conclusion to arrive at based upon what you have just said. 

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I cannot force a reasonable and logical deduction on any person; you either get it and see it or you don't. Jesus said the Man shall not live on bread alone but by every word the proceeds from the mouth of God; where does a Christian go to find what proceeds from the mouth of God? The Bible?

Was the New Testament written at that point when Our Lord said that? Isn't He quoting an Old Testament proverb? (Deuteronomy 8:3 to be exact) In all 3 places recorded, there is no New Testament scriptures...as a result you cannot correctly use that to support a premise that involves the New Testament Christian faith.

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The antithesis of you question is where does it not say we are to use the Bible for all teaching of moral principle and practices? Where does it say we are to obey "traditions" not written and contradict the teaching God has given. traditions are okay if they don't contradict, but when they do then they need to be done away with otherwise god's word becomes perverted and another gospel will emerge..right?

There are no such contradictory Sacred Traditions, and the link to the article on my blog will refute that idea.

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All of you keep repeating the same fatal fatal flaw. You are putting the authority of your church above that of scripture;

Not so! The New Testament puts the Church above scripture, as has been shown already, while no one has yet given me a single passage of the Bible that tells us that everything that we believe and practice must be found in its pages.

People can argue all day that we Catholics don't understand, but if you don't have a scripture text that specifically says what you say is true, then even by a Sola Scriptura standard one would have to reject it as a false teaching.   

NOTE: See page 21.