Catholic Doctrine Bible Study

Key Points: We must have the faith of little children, in the sense that little children instinctively know they must depend on others, just as we must depend on and trust God. Do an examination of conscience-Who have I been a bad example to recently? Go to Confession if necessary. Jesus would have died for you if you were the only person on earth!  He loves you that much!! Mt 18:17-20 is another example of how Jesus intended that there be ONE authoritative Church. We must forgive others principally because God has forgiven us.  (We don’t DESERVE forgiveness, and sometimes the person that offends us doesn’t DESERVE our forgiveness either.  But, we must!) Homework:  Think of someone that you hold a grudge against, pray for them each day for a week, and forgive them, at least in your own heart.  Let it go!(Depending on circumstances, you may or may not decide to communicate with the person directly— if there has been physical abuse towards you in the past, as an example.)

Key Points: Matthew shows that Jesus is the “newer, better” Moses. Moses makes it to the Promised Land after all!  (But, as with us, Moses doesn’t reach the ultimate Promised Land until after his death- this world is not our home!) With faith, we can “move mountains”, FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD ( which is what we’re here for!) , but not necessarily for our own personal earthly benefit. Jesus didn’t need to pay the temple tax. (As God, the Temple was his house!), but did so as an example for us.

Key Points: God only changes someone’s name on 3 occasions in the Bible.  Each time, the change denotes the person is to become the leader of God’s people. Peter, (“Rock”) is given the “keys”, the power to “bind and loose”, will represent the authority of God on earth. The Church is to last until the end of the earth, so that authority (keys) is to be passed down. “Apostolic succession.” See linked images for additional support https://drive.google.com/file/d/1at58RsLF1j7OHu-2Xof5lWs9dYH3zoso/view?usp=sharing https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cw6Z8gYqeDAnf7NVx_uLcPe_xhmrW3Vb/view?usp=sharing

Key Points: 15:3-9  Don’t edit the word of God to suit your beliefs.  (Follow the one Church that Jesus founded.) Jesus came to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.  At different moments in our lives, we can be both, and we need Jesus equally in both circumstances. Jesus helped the Canaanite (non-Jewish) woman because of her PERSISTENT FAITH. He indirectly referred to her as a “dog”, I believe, to show the Apostles the error of their ways in assuming that Jesus came only for the Jews, using an epithet that they, themselves, likely used to describe Gentiles.  It was a “teaching moment” that Jesus used, for their benefit.

Key Points: There is a Hell.  Jesus makes reference to it about 60 times in the Gospels.  (Having said that, Jesus makes about 3 times more references to Heaven.) The Feeding of the 5000 (men, plus additional women and children) was a real miracle of Jesus.  To say otherwise is to deny the divinity of Christ. When we keep our eyes on Christ, we can do more than we ever could without him, as Peter discovered. (14:39)  When we doubt Him, we will “sink.” (14:30)

“ How to get rid of a sinful habit.” and “Is the doctrine held by many non-Catholic Christians of “Once Saved, Always Saved” true? Key Points: Jesus has given us enough signs to trust him.  We don’t need more signs; we need more faith! To rid ourselves of a sinful habit, we must replace the bad habit with a good one.  The vacuum will be filled with something. Jesus’ gift is to all who will follow him, which is more important than even family. The seed sown on the rocky ground shows that salvation can “fall away.” So, NOT  “Once Saved, Always Saved.” We must persevere!  (With God’s grace!) The Parable of the weeds and the wheat growing together describes the Church.

Key Points: What sin can’t be forgiven? We must look beyond the LETTER of the law to follow the SPIRIT of the law. ( So, if helping an accident victim causes you to miss Mass, helping the wounded person takes priority.)  The LAW is good and needed, but it’s ultimate purpose is to guide us as to how to love God and our fellow people better, not the other way around.  “Whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.....” means to reject God’s mercy to the end of our life...either by saying that we don’t need God’s mercy (that we don’t need God at all), or by saying that our troubles are so great that God cannot help us.  (See CCC paragraph 1864.) We will answer for every thing we’ve said and done on the day of judgement. (But, thank God for Purgatory!)

Key Points: (“Came not to bring peace, but the sword”) Your eternal life is more important than your earthly life. How am I acknowledging Christ to others? Jesus causes division.  (But in a good way!) We must choose between following what the world tells us, or following Christ. To “take up one’s cross” is to risk even crucifixion to follow Jesus, as was understood in Jesus’ culture.  10:40 A prelude to Apostolic Succession. Who do you know that needs “a cup of cold water” today?

Key Points: Jesus has power over sin and death. The Church is a hospital for the sick (all of us!), not a country club for the (spiritually) well-off. Who can you “take by the hand” or “touch” to help with their problems? “Whoever endures to the end will be saved”  flies in the face of the “once saved, always saved” theology espoused by many non- Catholic Christians.

Key Points: Jesus healed several people in this chapter,  including total social outcasts (lepers) with a touch.  Who needs our touch today, even if (ESPECIALLY IF!) they are outcasts by our society? Leprosy analogous to mortal sin.  Jesus told the lepers to “show yourself to the priest”, just as WE must show ourselves to a priest in the Sacrament of Reconciliation to be declared clean of our “leprosy” of serious sin. Jesus’ healing is available to ALL!  ( The Centurion was a Gentile.) Our relationship with Jesus needs to be our #1 priority.  (2 examples where they were not.)