FAITH Teachings from the epistles of Saint Paul
The Catholic Church teaches that her bishops are the successors of the Apostles, having received their authority through the laying on of hands in an unbroken line of bishops from the apostolic era down to today. What does Paul say about this?
"Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophetic utterance when the council of elders laid their hands upon you"
(1 Tim. 4:14). [Saint Timothy was appointed by Paul as the first Bishop of Ephesus.]
"You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me before many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also" (2 Tim. 2:1-2).
"This is why I left you in Crete, that you might amend what was defective, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you"
(Titus 1:5). [Saint Titus was appointed by Paul as the first Bishop of Crete.]
The Catholic Church teaches that divine revelation consists of both Apostolic Tradition and Sacred Scripture. Apostolic Tradition is the preaching and practice of the Apostles among the early faith community, handed down in the Church through the succession of bishops. What does Paul say about this?
"Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I have delivered them to you" (1 Cor. 11:1-2).
“So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter” (2 Thess. 2:15).
"Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is living in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us" (2 Thess. 3:6).
"Follow the pattern of the sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus; guard the truth that has been entrusted to you by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us" (2 Tim. 1:13-14).
The Catholic Church teaches we are "born again" through Baptism. What does Paul say about this?
"Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life" (Rom. 6:3-4).
"Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? ... And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God" (1 Cor. 6:9, 11).
"[God] saved us, not because of deeds done by us in righteousness, but in virtue of his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit" (Titus 3:5).
The Catholic Church teaches that our bodies will be redeemed along with our souls: that the bodies of the dead will rise on the Last Day and be reunited with the souls. What does Paul say about this?
"For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in travail together until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies" (Rom. 8:19-23).
"Lo! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable nature must put on the imperishable, and this mortal nature must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: 'Death is swallowed up in victory.' 'O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting?'" (1 Cor. 15:51-55).
"The righteousness from God ... depends on faith; that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that if possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead" (Phil. 3:9-11).
The Catholic Church teaches it is proper to call priests "Father." What does Paul say about this?
"For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. I urge you, then, be imitators of me" (1 Cor. 4:15-16).
"For you know how, like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to lead a life worthy of God" (1 Thess. 2:11-12).
The Catholic Church teaches that celibacy in religious life and ministry, in imitation of Christ (and Paul), is beneficial as it allows one to give himself totally to the service of the Lord. What does Paul say about this?
"I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own special gift from God, one of one kind and one of another. To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is well for them to remain single as I do. ... Only, let every one lead the life which the Lord has assigned to him, and in which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches. ... Now concerning the unmarried, I have no command of the Lord, but I give my opinion as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy. ... I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to please the Lord; but the married man is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided. And the unmarried woman or girl is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit; but the married woman is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please her husband" (1 Cor. 7:7-8, 17, 25, 32-34).
The Catholic Church teaches that the souls of the elect are not asleep in the grave, but are dwelling now with Christ in heaven. What does Paul say about this?
"May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light" (Col. 1:11).
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us. ...
"But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and to a judge who is God of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks more graciously than the blood of Abel." (Heb. 12:1, 22-24).
The Catholic Church holds a special reverence for Christ's Crucifixion, the act by which we are redeemed. This is reflected in our regard for the sign of the cross and crucifix. What does Paul say about this?
"For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God"
(1 Cor. 1:22-23).
"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Gal. 2:20).
"But far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world" (Gal. 6:14).
The Catholic Church teaches that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, took on human flesh and became like us in all things but sin (cf. Heb. 4:15); and that Christ is at once true God and true man. What does Paul say about this?
"When the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law" (Gal. 4:4).
"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men" (Phil. 2:5-7).
"He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation; for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, that in everything he might be pre-eminent. For in him all the fulness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross" (Col. 1:15-20).
The Catholic Church teaches that divorce (the breaking of a valid marital union) is forbidden under any circumstances, but that the separation of the spouses (without breaking the marital bond) is permitted when it is for the well-being of one of the spouses (such as in the case of abuse). What does Paul say about this?
"To the married I give charge, not I but the Lord, that the wife should not separate from her husband (but if she does,
let her remain single or else be reconciled to her husband)—and that the husband should not divorce his wife"
(1 Cor. 7:10-11).
The Catholic Church teaches it is possible for a Christian to lose his salvation (against the teaching of Eternal Security). What does Paul say about this?
"What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?" (Rom. 6:1-2).
"Well, I do not run aimlessly, I do not box as one beating the air; but I pommel my body and subdue it, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified" (1 Cor. 9:26-27).
"Therefore let any one who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall" (1 Cor. 10:12).
The Catholic Church teaches that at the consecration of the Mass the substance of the bread and wine are transformed into the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ, under the appearances of bread and wine. What does Paul say about this?
"All ate the same supernatural food and all drank the same supernatural drink. For they drank from the supernatural Rock which followed them, and the Rock was Christ. ... The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread" (1 Cor. 10:3-4, 16-17).
"For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, 'This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.' In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.' For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died" (1 Cor. 11:23-30).
The Catholic Church teaches that God reveals Himself to us partly through reason (and the observation of Creation) and fully through the gift of faith (revelation). What does Paul say about this?
"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of men who by their wickedness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. Ever since the creation of the world his invisible nature, namely, his eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse; for although they knew God they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking and their senseless minds were darkened" (Rom. 1:18-21).
The Catholic Church teaches that good works along with faith are necessary for salvation. What does Paul say about this?
"But by your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed. For he will render to every man according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are factious and do not obey the truth, but obey wickedness, there will be wrath and fury" (Rom. 2:5-8).
"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive good or evil, according to what he has done in the body" (2 Cor. 5:10).
"Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (Phil. 2:12).
The Catholic Church teaches the charism of tongues (languages) is an extraordinary gift given to some in the Church for the purposes of building up the body of Christ (evangelization), but that it is not a gift given to all the baptized, nor is it necessary for salvation. What does Paul say about this?
"Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, then healers, helpers, administrators, speakers in various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?" (1 Cor. 12:27-30).
The Catholic Church teaches that God's grace is efficacious, transforming us from sinfulness to holiness and enabling us to actively participate with Him in His work. What does Paul say about this?
"For there is no distinction; since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, they are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as an expiation by his blood, to be received by faith" (Rom. 3:22-25).
"Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God" (Rom. 5:1-2).
"For we are God's fellow workers" (1 Cor. 3:9).
"For our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience that we have behaved in the world, and still more toward you, with holiness and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God" (2 Cor. 1:12).
"But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with him, and made us sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2:4-7).
The Catholic Church teaches that homosexual acts are "acts of grave depravity" (Catechism of the Catholic Church, par. 2357).
What does Paul say about this?
"Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever! Amen. For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. Their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural, and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in their own persons the due penalty for their error" (Rom. 1:24-27).
"Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the immoral, nor idolaters,
nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God"
(1 Cor. 6:9-10).
The Catholic Church teaches that all believers share in the one priesthood of Christ through the sacrament of Baptism ("the priesthood of the baptized"), but within the larger community exists a smaller, ministerial priesthood charged with conferring the sacraments and forgiving sins. What does Paul say about this?
"But how are men to call upon him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher? And how can men preach unless they are sent?" (Rom. 10:14-15).
"But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit" (Rom. 15:15-16).
"This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. ... For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. I urge you, then, be imitators of me" (1 Cor. 4:1, 15-16).
"Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophetic utterance when the council of elders laid their hands upon you"
(1 Tim. 4:14).
The Catholic Church teaches that the Pope, as the successor of Saint Peter, holds a primacy among the bishops; and has received the charism of maintaining doctrinal unity in the Church. What does Paul say about this?
"Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas, and remained with him fifteen days" (Gal. 1:18). [Paul recognizes Peter (Cephas) as the Christian leader, traveling to Jerusalem to speak with him and remaining with him for fifteen days.]
The Catholic Church teaches that a state of purification (purgatory) exists after death, through which some souls of the elect must pass on their way to heaven. This purification is for the temporal debt of sins that are already forgiven. What does Paul say about this?
"According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and another man is building upon it. Let each man take care how he builds upon it. For no other foundation can any one lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any one builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—each man's work will become manifest; for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire"
(1 Cor. 3:10-15).
The Catholic Church teaches that our sufferings become redemptive when they are united to the sufferings of Christ in His Passion and Cross. What does Paul say about this?
"More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us" (Rom. 5:3-6).
"I appeal to you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship" (Rom. 12:1).
"Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church" (Col. 1:24).
The Catholic Church teaches that Jesus Christ rose bodily from the dead on the third day. In fact, this truth is the very foundation of our faith. What does Paul say about this?
"[I am set apart by God through] the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and designated Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 1:3-4).
"But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain" (1 Cor. 15:13-14).
"The righteousness from God ... depends on faith; that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that if possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead" (Phil. 3:9-11).
The Catholic Church teaches that the once-for-all sacrifice of Christ, the new Passover, is re-presented (not repeated) to the faithful at Mass. What does Paul say about this?
"For Christ, our paschal lamb, has been sacrificed" (1 Cor. 5:7).
"Consider the people of Israel; are not those who eat the sacrifices partners in the altar? What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be partners with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons" (1 Cor. 10:18-21).
"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. For if we sin deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins" (Heb. 10:23-26).
The Catholic Church teaches that the one God exists in three coequal, coeternal persons: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. What does Paul say about this?
"For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many 'gods' and many 'lords'—yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist" (1 Cor. 8:5-6).
"And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!'" (Gal. 4:6).
"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men" (Phil. 2:5-7).
"He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation; for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities — all things were created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, that in everything he might be pre-eminent. For in him all the fulness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross" (Col. 1:15-20).