Power. The Roman church desired power and authority that belonged to God alone, so they stole it. They suppress the Truth of Scripture so their members won't know of Christ's Grace. As a former Catholic, I can tell you this is 100% the sad reality.
Power corrupts more easily than money.
Of course, the latter often comes as the result of the former.
And, of course, we can be easily deceived into thinking we’re “doing good” when we exercise power over others,
it’s just another lie from the Father of Lies.
It is “Saved by Grace.” That is it. Believe the Gospel, 1 Corinthians 15: 1-4. Death, Burial and Resurrection. Believe. Simply put, “Faith plus nothing.” Faith. Nothing else. No works. No being a nice guy. No I gave money to this and that. I never cheated on my wife. I paid my taxes. I loved my kids. I voted. I supported my local Church. I was there in the pew every Sunday, never missed a week. I was a deacon. I was a Sunday School teacher. I did ALL that STUFF I was suppose to do. EXCEPT one thing, BELIEVE in the atoning Blood of Jesus Christ on the Cross, when He said, “It is finished.” His work was done. Mission accomplished. No Mary. No rosary beads. No going to the guy in the little booth and asking forgiveness. All done. Finished. We are saved by believing the Gospel that Paul brought to us directly from the Christ. In his three years in Arabia. Christ taught him EVERYTHING He wanted Paul to know and do. To suffer for the Gospel. And Paul suffered. Faith plus nothing. Nothing else needed or required.
As a former Catholic myself, I concur.
Catholics claim that the church teaches salvation by grace alone, but that is not either historically or in practice what they teach.
They claim it’s grace and then make that grace conditional upon behavior and works.
It’s not grace any more then.