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PART I
The Chief Truths of Christianity
FAITH
Faith is a gift given to us by God by which we firmly believe all that
He has revealed. If we wish to reach Heaven, we must have Faith.
St. Paul says: “Without Faith it is impossible to please God.”
(Heb. 11:6).
Jesus says: “He that believeth not, shall be condemned.” (Mark
16:16).
The true Faith is to be found in the Church alone, because She teaches
all that Christ taught. “He that heareth you, heareth Me.”
(Luke 10:16). Jesus founded His Church so that His teachings
would be preserved in Her for all generations. “Going therefore,
teach ye all nations.” (Matt. 28:19).
Faith is a gift for which we must always pray, for God gives it to
us out of His own pure Goodness. “Without Me you can do nothing.”
(John 15:5).
Jesus seeks His lost sheep
Here are the chief truths we believe as Christians:
The Bible is a collection of 72 Books written by Moses, the Prophets,
the Evangelists (St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke and St. John), and others
under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and received by the Church as
the inspired and revealed work of God. The Bible is divided
into two parts: the Old (45 Books) and the New (27 Books) Testament.
The Old Testament contains the inspired Books written before the
coming of Jesus Christ. The New Testament contains the inspired Books
written after the coming of Jesus Christ.
We believe all that is contained in the Bible because it is the word
of God, Who is the infallible truth. The
Douay-Rheims version of the Bible is the most accurate translation
available.
Tradition is the unwritten word of God, handed down to us by word of
mouth from Jesus and the Apostles. St. Paul writes regarding Tradition:
“Therefore,
brethren, stand fast; and hold the Traditions which you have learned,
whether by word, or by our epistle.” (2 Thess. 2:14). The Church
has preserved Tradition unaltered, as the records of history prove.
In Tradition we must recognize the same authority that we recognize in
the Bible, God the Eternal Truth. "He that heareth you, heareth
Me; and he that despiseth you, despiseth Me; and he that despiseth Me,
despiseth Him that sent Me." (Luke 10:16). |
