2. “...he [Jesus Christ] never instructed anyone to write a book. If he meant the Bible to be the Christian's sole rule of faith, he would have said so — but he never did.”²

This is a deceptive statement. Please consider the following:

During the Lord's earthly ministry, He did NOT:

a. Start His church

b. Instruct anyone to write a book of the new scriptures

c. Set aside the Mosaic Law for the church age.

d. Send his apostles to minister to the Gentiles.

e. Give the definition of a bishop in His church.

However, the Lord Jesus Christ DID say during His earthly ministry:

John 16:12-13 “Many things yet I have to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will teach you all the truth. For he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he will hear he will speak, and the things that are to come he will declare to you.

After the Lord's earthly ministry, death, burial and resurrection:

a. He DID start His church as recorded in Acts the second chapter.

Acts 1:4-5 And while eating with them, he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, ”of  which you have heard,” said he, “by my mouth; for John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence.

Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in foreign tongues, even as the Holy Spirit prompted them to speak.

 1Corinthians 12:13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body (the church), whether Jews or Gentiles, whether slaves or free; and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.

b. He DID authorize the writing of a book now called the Bible.

2Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproving, for correcting, for instructing in justice; That the man of God may be perfect, equipped for every good work.

1Corinthians 14:37 If anyone thinks that he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things I am writing to you are the Lord's commandments..

Even Roman Catholic writings acknowledge this: “By the end of the first century much of this oral teaching was reduced to writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. This writing we call the New Testament.”³ It is very deceptive, then, to give the impression that the Lord Jesus did not authorize the writing of the scriptures.

c. He DID set aside the Mosaic Law by careful steps through His apostles during the Acts period and then had the apostle Paul finally write:

Ephesians 2:14-15 For he himself is our peace, he it is who has made both one, and has broken down the intervening wall of the enclosure, the enmity, in his flesh. The Law of the  commandments expressed in decrees he has made void, that of the two he might create in himself one new man, and make peace.

d. He DID send his apostles to the Gentiles via a vision to the apostle Peter in Acts the 10th chapter.

Acts 10:28 And he said to them, You know it is not permissible for a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; but God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.

e. He DID give a definition of a bishop in His church.

1 Timothy 3:1-7 This saying is true: If anyone is eager for the office of bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then, must be blameless, married but once, reserved, prudent, of good conduct, hospitable, a teacher. Not a drinker or a brawler, but moderate, not quarrelsome, not avaricious. He should rule well his own household, keeping his children under control and perfectly respectful. For if a man cannot rule his own household, how is he to  take care of the church of God? He must not be a new convert, lest he be puffed up with pride and incur the condemnation passed on to the devil. Besides this he must have a good reputation with those who are outside, that he may not fall into disgrace and into a snare of the devil.

Clearly, the unmarried, childless men of the Roman Catholic institution are NOT bishops in the Lord’s church! Here is one of the identifying marks of the church the Lord Jesus Christ is building. Thus, Roman Catholicism is NOT the true church of the Bible.

²Karl Keating, Catholics, Fundamentalists, and the Bible, (Los Angeles, Franciscan Communications), p.2