A Tour of Italy: Discerning Truth in a Culture Steeped in Tradition
In Colossians 2:8, we read, "See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, . . . , and not according to Christ." Recently, our own Gabby Terry and her husband, Riley, had the privilege of visiting Italy for a whirlwind, one-week tour. In addition to the architectural magnificence and geographical beauty of this region, they witnessed firsthand a very religious people and nation shrouded with "human traditions" blinding them to the truths of Scripture. Join us today as Gabby shares their experience.
Last week, I visited the beautiful country of Italy with my husband, Riley. We had a wonderful time seeing the historic architecture and artwork while enjoying amazing food! During our visit, we visited many important Roman Catholic sites, including the Vatican. It was easy to get caught up in the marvelous beauty of the buildings and the artwork they contained. However, my husband and I experienced a mix of emotions when it came to the foundational beliefs of this rich culture.
As we looked at the numerous depictions of Christ on the cross and other portrayals of biblical accounts, we asked ourselves, “Is what they practice here actually aligned with Scripture?”
We entered St. Peter’s and were shown the “Holy Door.” This door is to be opened next year for the Jubilee.* Jubilees have biblical roots, as the Mosaic era established jubilee years to be held every 50 years for the freeing of slaves and forgiveness of debts as manifestations of God's mercy. However, in 1300 AD, Pope Boniface VIII established a Jubilee where pilgrims to Rome could receive a plenary indulgence.**
According to the teachings of the Catholic Church, when you sin, you must go to confession to be forgiven. However, forgiveness only applies to the guilt of your sin; there may still be consequences of your sin that you may have to pay for in this life or after you die. An indulgence is a way to lessen that penalty.
Apart from Christ, there is no atonement for our sin or the consequences of our sin.
The “Holy Door” represents Jesus when He said, “I am the Door. Whoever enters through me will be saved" (John 10:9). As many visitors pass through, it is believed that going through the “Holy Door'' during a jubilee year means receiving a plenary indulgence or removing the consequences of your sin.
If I understood our guide correctly, this “removal” only lasted one year. Millions of people will come to the Vatican (which requires a paid entry fee, by the way!) to walk through this door.
Upon hearing that this ’removal’ of consequences lasted only a year, we had to stifle a laugh. Then, the laughter turned to sadness. This place, set up to supposedly honor Christ, led people in the opposite direction of Him. And there is absolutely nothing in the Bible that supports this claim. Apart from Christ, there is no atonement for our sin or the consequences of our sin (Hebrews 10:1–18).
Isaiah 53:6 ESV
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Romans 5:10–11 ESV
For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.
More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
1 John 2:2 ESV
He is the propitiation*** for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
God tells us in Galatians 6:7 that we will reap what we sow. If we sinned and there were no earthly consequences, we would see sin as something that is “no big deal” to God, and others might think He condones sin, which is absolute blasphemy against God’s character!
As we continued our tour, it became more evident that tradition and rituals trumped Christ’s sacrifice in their eyes, which was very odd to realize as we passed by the largest number of crucifixes I had ever laid eyes on. Why so heavily honor something that they deemed not sufficient?
The beauty and pomp we observed made Roman Catholicism seem so romantic and appealing, but is it really? I thought about how much extra “work” they believed God required of them. The gift of salvation is no longer a gift, according to them. The whole experience reminded me how essential it is to know what God’s Word actually says and not what another human being claims God said. It is quite literally Satan’s oldest trick, “Did God really say…?”
As a Christian, I implore you to study the Word daily with proper hermeneutics.**** Meditate on it and pray that God gives you an understanding of His Word. In doing so, you will develop a rich relationship with the Lord and the truth of His Word. The Bible is the Sword of Truth, which can be taken literally. When Jesus was tempted by Satan in the desert, He responded with the truth of Scripture. When the world attacks your beliefs with claims that are nowhere to be found in the Bible, fight back with Scripture and the whole armor of God Ephesians 6:10–18)! He has promised that His Word will not return empty but will accomplish what He pleases and shall prosper in the thing for which He sent it (Isaiah 55:11).
*Jubilee: A season or occasion of joyful celebration.
**Plenary indulgence: In the Catholic faith, a plenary (meaning “full”) indulgence is a special type of indulgence that, if all the requirements are met, removes all temporal punishment due to one's sin.
***Propitiation: atonement; satisfying, or repaying a debt. In other words, Jesus is the one and only sufficient payment for the sins of humanity.
****Hermeneutics: the study of the general principles of biblical interpretation. Hermeneutics deals with the approach to biblical interpretation, whereas exegesis deals with the interpretation of a specific passage in the text.
Author Bio:
Howdy! My name is Gabrielle Terry, but you can call me Gabby. My husband, Riley, and I (married since October 2022) live in the beautiful state of Georgia! Currently, I am the youngest person on staff at Reasons for Hope, and most of the time, you will see me on the streets with a microphone in my hand doing Mic’dUP interviews. I also help teach youth groups to go out and evangelize through Mic’dUP!
Besides evangelism, I greatly admire how God designed our bodies and what we can do to support them. I wanted to be able to help others learn this information, so I became a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner. Now, I can help people understand the foundations of what our body needs to thrive through holistic practices with a Christian perspective. If you want more information on what I do as an NTP, please email me at gabrielleterry@rforh.com.
Howdy! My name is Gabrielle Terry, but you can call me Gabby. My husband, Riley, and I (married since October 2022) live in the beautiful state of Georgia! Currently, I am the youngest person on staff at Reasons for Hope, and most of the time, you will see me on the streets with a microphone in my hand doing Mic’dUP interviews. I also help teach youth groups to go out and evangelize through Mic’dUP!
Besides evangelism, I greatly admire how God designed our bodies and what we can do to support them. I wanted to be able to help others learn this information, so I became a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner. Now, I can help people understand the foundations of what our body needs to thrive through holistic practices with a Christian perspective. If you want more information on what I do as an NTP, please email me at gabrielleterry@rforh.com.
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