Authority to Understand Scripture

The Roman Catholic Church is a false religion and a false church. One thing the Roman Catholic Church teaches in their own writings is that they alone have the authority to interpret scripture. Here is what they say:

"The task of interpreting the word of God authentically has been entrusted solely to the Magisterium of the Church, that is, to the pope and to the bishops in communion with him."

So according to the Roman Catholic Church, if you are just a normal member or a normal person, you cannot pick up the Bible and actually understand what it says. You must trust in the Roman Catholic Church, because that is the organisation that God chose to interpret the Bible for you.

Now, the Bible does teach that an unsaved person cannot understand the word of God. The Bible says: "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." So you must have the Spirit of God to be able to interpret scripture. And the Ethiopian eunuch said that he could not interpret the word of God on his own — "How can I, except some man should guide me?" That is true of an unsaved person.

But when you get saved, you are indwelt with the Holy Spirit of God — also referred to as the Holy Spirit of truth. And with the Holy Spirit of truth inside of you and indwelling you, the Bible says: "Ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him."

So if you are a saved person, you do have the ability — with the Holy Spirit of truth inside of you and guiding you — to pick up the Bible, read it, and actually understand it for yourself. You do not need the pope or a council of bishops to tell you what it means.

When you have a religion that tells you that you cannot read the Bible for yourself and determine what you believe, that sounds like a cult. Why are they afraid of people picking up the Bible and learning and reading for themselves? The answer is obvious — because if people actually read the Bible for themselves, they would see very quickly that what the Catholic Church teaches is not in it. And so they maintain control by telling people only we have the power and ability to interpret scripture for you.

That is a cult. And therefore, the Roman Catholic Church is a false religion and a false church.

Pastor Matthew Stucky