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Revised Second Edition

Copyright 1996, Catholic Answers.
All Rights Reserved.
WHETHER or not you are

At 32
Catholic, you may have
pages, Pillar
questions about the Catholic
of Fire, Pillar
faith. You may have heard
of Truth is
challenges to the Catholic
packed with
Churchs claim to be the
information
interpreter and safeguard of
about the
the teachings of Jesus Christ.
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Such challenges come from and God's plan
door-to-door missionaries who for us. Plus, its
ask, "Are you saved?", from convenient size
peer pressure that urges you and special
to ignore the Churchs pricing make it
teachings, from a secular perfect to carry
culture that whispers "There is with you and
no God" give to others
as you share
You cant deal with these your faith with
challenges unless you them.
understand the basics of the
Catholic faith. This booklet Available in
introduces them to you. print version
In Catholicism you will find

answers to lifes most troubling questions: Why
am I here? Who made me? What must I believe?
How must I act? All these can be answered to
your satisfaction, if only you will open yourself to
Gods grace, turn to the Church he established,
and follow his plan for you (John 7:17).
http://www.catholic.com/documents/pillar-of-fire-pillar-of-truth 6/5/2016
AN UNBROKEN HISTORY
Jesus said his Church would be "the light of the
world." He then noted that "a city set on a hill
cannot be hid" (Matt. 5:14). This means his
Church is a visible organization. It must have
characteristics that clearly identify it and that
distinguish it from other churches. Jesus
promised, "I will build my Church and the gates of
hell will not prevail against it" (Matt. 16:18). This
means that his Church will never be destroyed
and will never fall away from him. His Church will
survive until his return.
Among the Christian churches, only the Catholic

Church has existed since the time of Jesus. Every
other Christian church is an offshoot of the
Catholic Church. The Eastern Orthodox churches
broke away from unity with the pope in 1054. The
Protestant churches were established during the
Reformation, which began in 1517. (Most of
todays Protestant churches are actually offshoots
of the original Protestant offshoots.)
Only the Catholic Church existed in the tenth

century, in the fifth century, and in the first
century, faithfully teaching the doctrines given by
Christ to the apostles, omitting nothing. The line
of popes can be traced back, in unbroken
succession, to Peter himself. This is unequaled by
any institution in history.
Even the oldest government is new compared to

the papacy, and the churches that send out door-
to-door missionaries are young compared to the
Catholic Church. Many of these churches began as
recently as the nineteenth or twentieth centuries.
Some even began during your own lifetime. None
of them can claim to be the Church Jesus
established.
The Catholic Church has existed for nearly 2,000

years, despite constant opposition from the world.
This is testimony to the Churchs divine origin. It
must be more than a merely human organization,
especially considering that its human members
even some of its leadershave been unwise,

corrupt, or prone to heresy.
Any merely human organization with such

members would have collapsed early on. The
Catholic Church is today the most vigorous church
in the world (and the largest, with a billion
members: one sixth of the human race), and that
is testimony not to the cleverness of the Churchs
leaders, but to the protection of the Holy Spirit.
FOUR MARKS OF THE TRUE

CHURCH
If we wish to locate the Church founded by Jesus,
we need to locate the one that has the four chief
marks or qualities of his Church. The Church we
seek must be one, holy, catholic, and apostolic.
The Church Is One (Rom. 12:5, 1 Cor.

10:17, 12:13, CCC 813822)
Jesus established only one Church, not a

collection of differing churches (Lutheran, Baptist,
Anglican, and so on). The Bible says the Church is
the bride of Christ (Eph. 5:2332). Jesus can have
but one spouse, and his spouse is the Catholic
Church.
His Church also teaches just one set of doctrines,

which must be the same as those taught by the
apostles (Jude 3). This is the unity of belief to
which Scripture calls us (Phil. 1:27, 2:2).
Although some Catholics dissent from officially-

taught doctrines, the Churchs official
teachersthe pope and the bishops united with
himhave never changed any doctrine. Over the
centuries, as doctrines are examined more fully,
the Church comes to understand them more
deeply (John 16:1213), but it never understands
them to mean the opposite of what they once
meant.
The Church Is Holy (Eph. 5:2527, Rev.

19:78, CCC 823829)
By his grace Jesus makes the Church holy, just as

he is holy. This doesnt mean that each member is
always holy. Jesus said there would be both good
and bad members in the Church (John 6:70), and
not all the members would go to heaven (Matt.
7:2123).
But the Church itself is holy because it is the

source of holiness and is the guardian of the
special means of grace Jesus established, the
sacraments (cf. Eph. 5:26).
The Church Is Catholic (Matt. 28:1920,

Rev. 5:910, CCC 830856)
Jesus Church is called catholic ("universal" in

Greek) because it is his gift to all people. He told
his apostles to go throughout the world and make
disciples of "all nations" (Matt. 28:1920).
For 2,000 years the Catholic Church has carried

out this mission, preaching the good news that
Christ died for all men and that he wants all of us
to be members of his universal family (Gal. 3:28).
Nowadays the Catholic Church is found in every

country of the world and is still sending out
missionaries to "make disciples of all
nations" (Matt. 28:19).
The Church Jesus established was known by its

most common title, "the Catholic Church," at least
as early as the year 107, when Ignatius of Antioch
used that title to describe the one Church Jesus
founded. The title apparently was old in Ignatiuss
time, which means it probably went all the way
back to the time of the apostles.
The Church Is Apostolic (Eph. 2:1920,

CCC 857865)
The Church Jesus founded is apostolic because he

appointed the apostles to be the first leaders of
the Church, and their successors were to be its

future leaders. The apostles were the first
bishops, and, since the first century, there has
been an unbroken line of Catholic bishops
faithfully handing on what the apostles taught the
first Christians in Scripture and oral Tradition (2
Tim. 2:2).
These beliefs include the bodily Resurrection of

Jesus, the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist,
the sacrificial nature of the Mass, the forgiveness
of sins through a priest, baptismal regeneration,
the existence of purgatory, Marys special role,
and much more even the doctrine of apostolic
succession itself.
Early Christian writings prove the first Christians

were thoroughly Catholic in belief and practice
and looked to the successors of the apostles as
their leaders. What these first Christians believed
is still believed by the Catholic Church. No other
Church can make that claim.
Pillar of Fire, Pillar of Truth

Mans ingenuity cannot account for this. The
Church has remained one, holy, catholic, and
apostolicnot through mans effort, but because
God preserves the Church he established (Matt.
16:18, 28:20).
He guided the Israelites on their escape from

Egypt by giving them a pillar of fire to light their
way across the dark wilderness (Exod. 13:21).
Today he guides us through his Catholic Church.
The Bible, sacred Tradition, and the writings of the

earliest Christians testify that the Church teaches
with Jesus authority. In this age of countless
competing religions, each clamoring for attention,
one voice rises above the din: the Catholic
Church, which the Bible calls "the pillar and
foundation of truth" (1 Tim. 3:15).
Jesus assured the apostles and their successors,

the popes and the bishops, "He who listens to you
listens to me, and he who rejects you rejects
me" (Luke 10:16). Jesus promised to guide his

Church into all truth (John 16:1213). We can
have confidence that his Church teaches only the
truth.
THE STRUCTURE OF THE CHURCH

Jesus chose the apostles to be the earthly leaders
of the Church. He gave them his own authority to
teach and to governnot as dictators, but as
loving pastors and fathers. That is why Catholics
call their spiritual leaders "father." In doing so we
follow Pauls example: "I became your father in
Jesus Christ through the gospel" (1 Cor. 4:15).
The apostles, fulfilling Jesus will, ordained

bishops, priests, and deacons and thus handed on
their apostolic ministry to themthe fullest
degree of ordination to the bishops, lesser
degrees to the priests and deacons.
The Pope and Bishops (CCC 880883)
Jesus gave Peter special authority among the

apostles (John 21:1517) and signified this by
changing his name from Simon to Peter, which
means "rock" (John 1:42). He said Peter was to
be the rock on which he would build his Church
(Matt. 16:18).
In Aramaic, the language Jesus spoke, Simons

new name was Kepha (which means a massive
rock). Later this name was translated into Greek
as Petros (John 1:42) and into English as Peter.
Christ gave Peter alone the "keys of the
kingdom" (Matt. 16:19) and promised that Peters
decisions would be binding in heaven. He also
gave similar power to the other apostles (Matt.
18:18), but only Peter was given the keys,
symbols of his authority to rule the Church on
earth in Jesus absence.
Christ, the Good Shepherd, called Peter to be the

chief shepherd of his Church (John 21:1517). He
gave Peter the task of strengthening the other
apostles in their faith, ensuring that they taught
only what was true (Luke 22:3132). Peter led

the Church in proclaiming the gospel and making
decisions (Acts 2:1 41, 15:712).
Early Christian writings tell us that Peters

successors, the bishops of Rome (who from the
earliest times have been called by the affectionate
title of "pope," which means "papa"), continued to
exercise Peters ministry in the Church.
The pope is the successor to Peter as bishop of

Rome. The worlds other bishops are successors to
the apostles in general.
HOW GOD SPEAKS TO US

As from the first, God speaks to his Church
through the Bible and through sacred Tradition.
To make sure we understand him, he guides the
Churchs teaching authoritythe magisteriumso
it always interprets the Bible and Tradition
accurately. This is the gift of infallibility.
Like the three legs on a stool, the Bible, Tradition,

and the magisterium are all necessary for the
stability of the Church and to guarantee sound
doctrine.
Sacred Tradition (CCC 7583)
Sacred Tradition should not be confused with

mere traditions of men, which are more commonly
called customs or disciplines. Jesus sometimes
condemned customs or disciplines, but only if they
were contrary to Gods commands (Mark 7:8). He
never condemned sacred Tradition, and he didnt
even condemn all human tradition.
Sacred Tradition and the Bible are not different or

competing revelations. They are two ways that
the Church hands on the gospel. Apostolic
teachings such as the Trinity, infant baptism, the
inerrancy of the Bible, purgatory, and Marys
perpetual virginity have been most clearly taught
through Tradition, although they are also implicitly
present in (and not contrary to) the Bible. The
Bible itself tells us to hold fast to Tradition,
whether it comes to us in written or oral form (2

Thess. 2:15, 1 Cor. 11:2).
Sacred Tradition should not be confused with

customs and disciplines, such as the rosary,
priestly celibacy, and not eating meat on Fridays
in Lent. These are good and helpful things, but
they are not doctrines. Sacred Tradition preserves
doctrines first taught by Jesus to the apostles and
later passed down to us through the apostles
successors, the bishops.
Scripture (CCC 101141)
Scripture, by which we mean the Old and New

Testaments, was inspired by God (2 Tim. 3:16).
The Holy Spirit guided the biblical authors to write
what he wanted them to write. Since God is the
principal author of the Bible, and since God is
truth itself (John 14:6) and cannot teach anything
untrue, the Bible is free from all error in
everything it asserts to be true.
Some Christians claim, "The Bible is all I need,"

but this notion is not taught in the Bible itself. In
fact, the Bible teaches the contrary idea (2 Pet.
1:2021, 3:1516). The "Bible alone" theory was
not believed by anyone in the early Church.
It is new, having arisen only in the 1500s during

the Protestant Reformation. The theory is a
"tradition of men" that nullifies the Word of God,
distorts the true role of the Bible, and undermines
the authority of the Church Jesus established
(Mark 7:18).
Although popular with many "Bible Christian"

churches, the "Bible alone" theory simply does not
work in practice. Historical experience disproves
it. Each year we see additional splintering among
"Bible-believing" religions.
Today there are tens of thousands of competing

denominations, each insisting its interpretation of
the Bible is the correct one. The resulting divisions
have caused untold confusion among millions of
sincere but misled Christians.
Just open up the Yellow Pages of your telephone

book and see how many different denominations
are listed, each claiming to go by the "Bible
alone," but no two of them agreeing on exactly
what the Bible means.
We know this for sure: The Holy Spirit cannot be

the author of this confusion (1 Cor. 14:33). God
cannot lead people to contradictory beliefs
because his truth is one. The conclusion? The
"Bible alone" theory must be false.
The Magisterium (CCC 8587, 888892)
Together the pope and the bishops form the

teaching authority of the Church, which is called
the magisterium (from the Latin for "teacher").
The magisterium, guided and protected from error
by the Holy Spirit, gives us certainty in matters of
doctrine. The Church is the custodian of the Bible
and faithfully and accurately proclaims its
message, a task which God has empowered it to
do.
Keep in mind that the Church came before the

New Testament, not the New Testament before
the Church. Divinely-inspired members of the
Church wrote the books of the New Testament,
just as divinely-inspired writers had written the
Old Testament, and the Church is guided by the
Holy Spirit to guard and interpret the entire Bible,
both Old and New Testaments.
Such an official interpreter is absolutely necessary

if we are to understand the Bible properly. (We all
know what the Constitution says, but we still need
a Supreme Court to interpret what it means.)
The magisterium is infallible when it teaches

officially because Jesus promised to send the Holy
Spirit to guide the apostles and their successors
"into all truth" (John 16:1213).
HOW GOD DISTRIBUTES HIS

GIFTS
Jesus promised he would not leave us orphans

(John 14:18) but would send the Holy Spirit to
guide and protect us (John 15:26). He gave the
sacraments to heal, feed, and strengthen us. The
seven sacraments baptism, the Eucharist,
penance (also called reconciliation or confession),
confirmation, holy orders, matrimony, and the
anointing of the sickare not just symbols. They
are signs that actually convey Gods grace and
love.
The sacraments were foreshadowed in the Old

Testament by things that did not actually convey
grace but merely symbolized it (circumcision, for
example, prefigured baptism, and the Passover
meal prefigured the Eucharist. When Christ came,
he did not do away with symbols of Gods grace.
He supernaturalized them, energizing them with
grace. He made them more than symbols.
God constantly uses material things to show his

love and power. After all, matter is not evil. When
he created the physical universe, everything God
created was "very good" (Gen. 1:31). He takes
such delight in matter that he even dignified it
through his own Incarnation (John 1:14).
During his earthly ministry Jesus healed, fed, and

strengthened people through humble elements
such as mud, water, bread, oil, and wine. He
could have performed his miracles directly, but he
preferred to use material things to bestow his
grace.
In his first public miracle Jesus turned water into

wine, at the request of his mother, Mary (John 2:1
11). He healed a blind man by rubbing mud on
his eyes (John 9:17). He multiplied a few loaves
and fish into a meal for thousands (John 6:513).
He changed bread and wine into his own body and
blood (Matt. 26:26 28). Through the sacraments
he continues to heal, feed, and strengthen us.
Baptism (CCC 12131284)
Because of original sin, we are born without grace

in our souls, so there is no way for us to have
fellowship with God. Jesus became man to bring

us into union with his Father. He said no one can
enter the kingdom of God unless he is first born of
"water and the Spirit" (John 3:5)this refers to
baptism.
Through baptism we are born again, but this time

on a spiritual level instead of a physical level. We
are washed in the bath of rebirth (Titus 3:5). We
are baptized into Christs death and therefore
share in his Resurrection (Rom. 6:37).
Baptism cleanses us of sins and brings the Holy

Spirit and his grace into our souls (Acts 2:38,
22:16). And the apostle Peter is perhaps the most
blunt of all: "Baptism now saves you" (1 Pet.
3:21). Baptism is the gateway into the Church.
Penance (CCC 14221498)
Sometimes on our journey toward the heavenly

promised land we stumble and fall into sin. God is
always ready to lift us up and to restore us to
grace-filled fellowship with him. He does this
through the sacrament of penance (which is also
known as confession or reconciliation).
Jesus gave his apostles power and authority to

reconcile us to the Father. They received Jesus
own power to forgive sins when he breathed on
them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose
sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose
sins you retain are retained" (John 20:2223).
Paul notes that "all this is from God, who has

reconciled us to himself through Christ and given
us the ministry of reconciliation. . . . So, we are
ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing
through us" (2 Cor. 5:1820). Through confession
to a priest, Gods minister, we have our sins
forgiven, and we receive grace to help us resist
future temptations.
The Eucharist (CCC 13221419)
Once we become members of Christs family, he

does not let us go hungry, but feeds us with his
own body and blood through the Eucharist. In the

Old Testament, as they prepared for their journey
in the wilderness, God commanded his people to
sacrifice a lamb and sprinkle its blood on their
doorposts, so the Angel of Death would pass by
their homes. Then they ate the lamb to seal their
covenant with God.
This lamb prefigured Jesus. He is the real "Lamb

of God," who takes away the sins of the world
(John 1:29). Through Jesus we enter into a New
Covenant with God (Luke 22:20), who protects us
from eternal death. Gods Old Testament people
ate the Passover lamb. Now we must eat the
Lamb that is the Eucharist. Jesus said, "Unless
you eat my flesh and drink my blood you have no
life within you" (John 6:53).
At the Last Supper he took bread and wine and

said, "Take and eat. This is my body . . . This is
my blood which will be shed for you" (Mark 14:22
24). In this way Jesus instituted the sacrament
of the Eucharist, the sacrificial meal Catholics
consume at each Mass.
The Catholic Church teaches that the sacrifice of

Christ on the cross occurred "once for all"; it
cannot be repeated (Heb. 9:28). Christ does not
"die again" during Mass, but the very same
sacrifice that occurred on Calvary is made present
on the altar. Thats why the Mass is not "another"
sacrifice, but a participation in the same, once-
for-all sacrifice of Christ on the cross.
Paul reminds us that the bread and the wine really

become, by a miracle of Gods grace, the actual
body and blood of Jesus: "Anyone who eats and
drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord
eats and drinks judgment on himself" (1 Cor.
11:2729).
After the consecration of the bread and wine, no

bread or wine remains on the altar. Only Jesus
himself, under the appearance of bread and wine,
remains.
Confirmation (CCC 12851321)
God strengthens our souls in another way,

through the sacrament of confirmation. Even
though Jesus disciples received grace before his
Resurrection, on Pentecost the Holy Spirit came to
strengthen them with new graces for the difficult
work ahead.
They went out and preached the gospel fearlessly

and carried out the mission Christ had given
them. Later, they laid hands on others to
strengthen them as well (Acts 8:1417). Through
confirmation you too are strengthened to meet
the spiritual challenges in your life.
Matrimony (CCC 16011666)
Most people are called to the married life. Through

the sacrament of matrimony God gives special
graces to help married couples with lifes
difficulties, especially to help them raise their
children as loving followers of Christ.
Marriage involves three parties: the bride, the

groom, and God. When two Christians receive the
sacrament of matrimony, God is with them,
witnessing and blessing their marriage covenant.
A sacramental marriage is permanent; only death
can break it (Mark 10:112, Rom. 7:23, 1 Cor.
7:1011). This holy union is a living symbol of the
unbreakable relationship between Christ and his
Church (Eph. 5:2133).
Holy Orders (CCC 15361600)
Others are called to share specially in Christs

priesthood. In the Old Covenant, even though
Israel was a kingdom of priests (Exod. 19:6), the
Lord called certain men to a special priestly
ministry (Exod. 19: 22). In the New Covenant,
even though Christians are a kingdom of priests
(1 Pet. 2:9), Jesus calls certain men to a special
priestly ministry (Rom. 15:1516).
This sacrament is called holy orders. Through it

priests are ordained and thus empowered to serve
the Church (2 Tim. 1:67) as pastors, teachers,

and spiritual fathers who heal, feed, and
strengthen Gods peoplemost importantly
through preaching and the administration of the
sacraments.
Anointing of the Sick (CCC 14991532)
Priests care for us when we are physically ill. They

do this through the sacrament known as the
anointing of the sick. The Bible instructs us, "Is
anyone among you suffering? He should pray. . . .
Is any one among you sick? He should summon
the presbyters [priests] of the Church, and they
should pray over him and anoint him with oil in
the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will
save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him
up. If he has committed any sins, he will be
forgiven" (Jas. 5:1415). Anointing of the sick not
only helps us endure illness, but it cleanses our
souls and helps us prepare to meet God.
TALKING WITH GOD AND HIS

SAINTS
One of the most important activities for a Catholic
is prayer. Without it there can be no true spiritual
life. Through personal prayer and the communal
prayer of the Church, especially the Mass, we
worship and praise God, we express sorrow for
our sins, and we intercede on behalf of others (1
Tim. 2:14). Through prayer we grow in our
relationship with Christ and with members of
Gods family (CCC 26632696).
This family includes all members of the Church,

whether on earth, in heaven, or in purgatory.
Since Jesus has only one body, and since death
has no power to separate us from Christ (Rom.
8:38), Christians who are in heaven or who,
before entering heaven, are being purified in
purgatory by Gods love (1 Cor. 3:1215) are still
part of the Body of Christ (CCC 962).
Jesus said the second greatest commandment is

to "love your neighbor as yourself" (Matt. 22:39).
Those in heaven love us more intensely than they

ever could have loved us while on earth. They
pray for us constantly (Rev. 5:8), and their
prayers are powerful (Jas. 5:16, CCC 956, 2683,
2692).
Our prayers to the saints in heaven, asking for

their prayers for us, and their intercession with
the Father do not undermine Christs role as sole
Mediator (1 Tim. 2:5). In asking saints in heaven
to pray for us we follow Pauls instructions: "I
urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions,
and thanksgivings be made for everyone," for
"this is good and pleasing to God our Savior" (1
Tim. 2:14).
All members of the Body of Christ are called to

help one another through prayer (CCC 2647).
Marys prayers are especially effective on our
behalf because of her relationship with her Son
(John 2:111).
God gave Mary a special role (CCC 490511, 963

975). He saved her from all sin (Luke 1:28, 47),
made her uniquely blessed among all women
(Luke 1:42), and made her a model for all
Christians (Luke 1:48). At the end of her life he
took her, body and soul, into heavenan image of
our own resurrection at the end of the world (Rev.
12:12).
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF LIFE?

Old catechisms asked, "Why did God make you?"
The answer: "God made me to know him, to love
him, and to serve him in this world and to be
happy with him forever in the next." Here, in just
26 words, is the whole reason for our existence.
Jesus answered the question even more briefly: "I
came so that [you] might have life and have it
more abundantly" (John 10:10).
Gods plan for you is simple. Your loving Father

wants to give you all good thingsespecially
eternal life. Jesus died on the cross to save us all
from sin and the eternal separation from God that
sin causes (CCC 599623). When he saves us, he

makes us part of his Body, which is the Church (1
Cor. 12:2730). We thus become united with him
and with Christians everywhere (on earth, in
heaven, in purgatory).
What You Must Do to Be Saved
Best of all, the promise of eternal life is a gift,

freely offered to us by God (CCC 1727). Our initial
forgiveness and justification are not things we
"earn" (CCC 2010). Jesus is the mediator who
bridged the gap of sin that separates us from God
(1 Tim. 2:5); he bridged it by dying for us. He has
chosen to make us partners in the plan of
salvation (1 Cor. 3:9).
The Catholic Church teaches what the apostles

taught and what the Bible teaches: We are saved
by grace alone, but not by faith alone (which is
what "Bible Christians" teach; see Jas. 2:24).
When we come to God and are justified (that is,

enter a right relationship with God), nothing
preceding justification, whether faith or good
works, earns grace. But then God plants his love
in our hearts, and we should live out our faith by
doing acts of love (Gal. 6:2).
Even though only Gods grace enables us to love

others, these acts of love please him, and he
promises to reward them with eternal life (Rom.
2:67, Gal. 6:610). Thus good works are
meritorious. When we first come to God in faith,
we have nothing in our hands to offer him. Then
he gives us grace to obey his commandments in
love, and he rewards us with salvation when we
offer these acts of love back to him (Rom. 2:611,
Gal. 6:610, Matt. 25:3440).
Jesus said it is not enough to have faith in him;

we also must obey his commandments. "Why do
you call me Lord, Lord, but do not do the things I
command?" (Luke 6:46, Matt. 7:2123, 19:16
21).
We do not "earn" our salvation through good

works (Eph. 2:89, Rom. 9:16), but our faith in
Christ puts us in a special grace-filled relationship
with God so that our obedience and love,
combined with our faith, will be rewarded with
eternal life (Rom. 2:7, Gal. 6:89).
Paul said, "God is the one who, for his good

purpose, works in you both to desire and to
work" (Phil. 2:13). John explained that "the way
we may be sure that we know him is to keep his
commandments. Whoever says, I know him, but
does not keep his commandments is a liar, and
the truth is not in him" (1 John 2:34, 3:1924,
5:34).
Since no gift can be forced on the recipientgifts

always can be rejectedeven after we become
justified, we can throw away the gift of salvation.
We throw it away through grave (mortal) sin (1
John 5:16, Rom. 11:2223, 1 Cor. 15:12; CCC
18541863). Paul tells us, "The wages of sin is
death" (Rom. 6:23).
Read his letters and see how often Paul warned

Christians against sin! He would not have felt
compelled to do so if their sins could not exclude
them from heaven (see, for example, 1 Cor. 6:9
10, Gal. 5:1921).
Paul reminded the Christians in Rome that God

"will repay everyone according to his works:
eternal life for those who seek glory, honor, and
immortality through perseverance in good works,
but wrath and fury to those who selfishly disobey
the truth and obey wickedness" (Rom. 2:68).
Sins are nothing but evil works (CCC 18491850).

We can avoid sins by habitually performing good
works. Every saint has known that the best way to
keep free from sins is to embrace regular prayer,
the sacraments (the Eucharist first of all), and
charitable acts.
Are You Guaranteed Heaven?
Some people promote an especially attractive

idea: All true Christians, regardless of how they
live, have an absolute assurance of salvation,
once they accept Jesus into their hearts as "their
personal Lord and Savior." The problem is that
this belief is contrary to the Bible and constant
Christian teaching.
Keep in mind what Paul told the Christians of his

day: "If we have died with him [in baptism; see
Rom. 6:34] we shall also live with him; if we
persevere we shall also reign with him" (2 Tim.
2:1112).
If we do not persevere, we shall not reign with

him. In other words, Christians can forfeit heaven
(CCC 1861).
The Bible makes it clear that Christians have a

moral assurance of salvation (God will be true to
his word and will grant salvation to those who
have faith in Christ and are obedient to him [1
John 3:1924]), but the Bible does not teach that
Christians have a guarantee of heaven. There can
be no absolute assurance of salvation. Writing to
Christians, Paul said, "See, then, the kindness and
severity of God: severity toward those who fell,
but Gods kindness to you, provided you remain in
his kindness, otherwise you too will be cut
off" (Rom. 11:2223; Matt. 18:2135, 1 Cor.
15:12, 2 Pet. 2:2021).
Note that Paul includes an important condition:

"provided you remain in his kindness." He is
saying that Christians can lose their salvation by
throwing it away. He warns, "Whoever thinks he is
standing secure should take care not to fall" (1
Cor. 10:1112).
If you are Catholic and someone asks you if you

have been "saved," you should say, "I am
redeemed by the blood of Christ, I trust in him
alone for my salvation, and, as the Bible teaches,
I am working out my salvation in fear and
trembling (Phil. 2:12), knowing that it is Gods
gift of grace that is working in me."
THE WAVE OF THE FUTURE

All the alternatives to Catholicism are showing
themselves to be inadequate: the worn-out
secularism that is everywhere around us and that
no one any longer finds satisfying, the odd cults
and movements that offer temporary community
but no permanent home, even the other,
incomplete brands of Christianity. As our tired
world becomes ever more desperate, people are
turning to the one alternative they never really
had considered: the Catholic Church. They are
coming upon truth in the last place they expected
to find it.
Always Attractive
How can this be? Why are so many people

seriously looking at the Catholic Church for the
first time? Something is pulling them toward it.
That something is truth.
This much we know: They are not considering the

claims of the Church out of a desire to win public
favor. Catholicism, at least nowadays, is never
popular. You cannot win a popularity contest by
being a faithful Catholic. Our fallen world rewards
the clever, not the good. If a Catholic is praised, it
is for the worldly skills he demonstrates, not for
his Christian virtues.
Although people try to avoid the hard doctrinal

and moral truths the Catholic Church offers them
(because hard truths demand that lives be
changed), they nevertheless are attracted to the
Church. When they listen to the pope and the
bishops in union with him, they hear words with
the ring of trutheven if they find that truth hard
to live by.
When they contemplate the history of the Catholic

Church and the lives of its saints, they realize
there must be something special, maybe
something supernatural, about an institution that
can produce holy people such as St. Augustine,
St. Thomas Aquinas, and Mother Teresa.
When they step off a busy street and into the

aisles of an apparently empty Catholic church,
they sense not a complete emptiness, but a
presence. They sense that Someone resides
inside, waiting to comfort them.
They realize that the persistent opposition that

confronts the Catholic Churchwhether from non-
believers or "Bible Christians" or even from people
who insist on calling themselves Catholicsis a
sign of the Churchs divine origin (John 15:18
21). And they come to suspect that the Catholic
Church, of all things, is the wave of the future.
Incomplete Christianity Is Not Enough
Over the last few decades many Catholics have

left the Church, many dropping out of religion
entirely, many joining other churches. But the
traffic has not been in only one direction.
The traffic toward Rome has increased rapidly.

Today we are seeing more than a hundred and
fifty thousand converts enter the Catholic Church
each year in the United States, and in some other
places, like the continent of Africa, there are more
than a million converts to the Catholic faith each
year. People of no religion, lapsed or inactive
Catholics, and members of other Christian
churches are "coming home to Rome."
They are attracted to the Church for a variety of

reasons, but the chief reason they convert is the
chief reason you should be Catholic: The solid
truth of the Catholic faith.
Our separated brethren hold much Christian truth,

but not all of it. We might compare their religion
to a stained glass window in which some of the
original panes were lost and have been replaced
by opaque glass: Something that was present at
the beginning is now gone, and something that
does not fit has been inserted to fill up the empty
space. The unity of the original window has been
marred.
When, centuries ago, they split away from the

Catholic Church, the theological ancestors of these
Christians eliminated some authentic beliefs and
added new ones of their own making. The forms
of Christianity they established are really
incomplete Christianity.
Only the Catholic Church was founded by Jesus,

and only it has been able to preserve all Christian
truth without any errorand great numbers of
people are coming to see this.
YOUR TASKS AS A CATHOLIC

Your tasks as a Catholic, no matter what your
age, are three:
Know your Catholic faith.
You cannot live your faith if you do not know it,

and you cannot share with others what you do not
first make your own (CCC 429). Learning your
Catholic faith takes some effort, but it is effort
well spent because the study is, quite literally,
infinitely rewarding.
Live your Catholic faith.
Your Catholic faith is a public thing. It is not

meant to be left behind when you leave home
(CCC 2472). But be forewarned: Being a public
Catholic involves risk and loss. You will find some
doors closed to you. You will lose some friends.
You will be considered an outsider. But, as a
consolation, remember our Lords words to the
persecuted: "Rejoice and be glad, for your reward
is great in heaven" (Matt. 5:12).
Spread your Catholic faith.
Jesus Christ wants us to bring the whole world

into captivity to the truth, and the truth is Jesus
himself, who is "the way, and the truth, and the
life" (John 14:6). Spreading the faith is a task not
only for bishops, priests, and religiousit is a task
for all Catholics (CCC 905).
Just before his Ascension, our Lord told his

apostles, "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching
them to observe all that I have commanded
you" (Matt. 28:1920).
If we want to observe all that Jesus commanded,

if we want to believe all he taught, we must follow
him through his Church. This is our great
challengeand our great privilege.
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Pillar of Fire, Pillar of Truth | Catholic Answers Page 1 of 22

DocumentsPillar of Fire, Pillar of

Revised Second Edition

WHETHER or not you are

In Catholicism you will find

Among the Christian churches, only the Catholic

Only the Catholic Church existed in the tenth

Even the oldest government is new compared to

The Catholic Church has existed for nearly 2,000

even some of its leadershave been unwise,

Any merely human organization with such

FOUR MARKS OF THE TRUE

The Church Is One (Rom. 12:5, 1 Cor.

Jesus established only one Church, not a

His Church also teaches just one set of doctrines,

Although some Catholics dissent from officially-

The Church Is Holy (Eph. 5:2527, Rev.

By his grace Jesus makes the Church holy, just as

But the Church itself is holy because it is the

The Church Is Catholic (Matt. 28:1920,

Jesus Church is called catholic ("universal" in

For 2,000 years the Catholic Church has carried

Nowadays the Catholic Church is found in every

The Church Jesus established was known by its

The Church Is Apostolic (Eph. 2:1920,

The Church Jesus founded is apostolic because he

the Church, and their successors were to be its

These beliefs include the bodily Resurrection of

Early Christian writings prove the first Christians

Pillar of Fire, Pillar of Truth

He guided the Israelites on their escape from

The Bible, sacred Tradition, and the writings of the

Jesus assured the apostles and their successors,

me" (Luke 10:16). Jesus promised to guide his

THE STRUCTURE OF THE CHURCH

The apostles, fulfilling Jesus will, ordained

The Pope and Bishops (CCC 880883)

Jesus gave Peter special authority among the

In Aramaic, the language Jesus spoke, Simons

Christ, the Good Shepherd, called Peter to be the

only what was true (Luke 22:3132). Peter led

Early Christian writings tell us that Peters

The pope is the successor to Peter as bishop of

HOW GOD SPEAKS TO US

Like the three legs on a stool, the Bible, Tradition,

Sacred Tradition (CCC 7583)

Sacred Tradition should not be confused with

Sacred Tradition and the Bible are not different or

whether it comes to us in written or oral form (2

Sacred Tradition should not be confused with

Scripture (CCC 101141)

Scripture, by which we mean the Old and New

Some Christians claim, "The Bible is all I need,"

It is new, having arisen only in the 1500s during

Although popular with many "Bible Christian"

Today there are tens of thousands of competing

Just open up the Yellow Pages of your telephone

We know this for sure: The Holy Spirit cannot be

The Magisterium (CCC 8587, 888892)