How does the catholic way line up with the Bible and the first century believers?

It doesn't, Catholics worship false Gods and idols. Catholicism is a false religion.

If you ask a Catholic scholar they will tell you that Catholics match up very well with the Bible and early (pre-Constantine) Christian believers. Look up some YouTube with Scott Hahn, or Taylor Marshall, or Jimmy Akin, or Dave Armstrong.

If you ask a Protestant evangelical they will tell you that Catholicism does NOT line up with the Bible and that the first century Christians were not Catholic. However you will not find a single early Christian who taught: (1) the bible is our only authority, (2) the Lord's Supper is only symbolic, (3) once saved always saved, or (4) you get saved by faith alone. Those doctrines don't show up until the 16th century.

Some parts of course lines up, but there are some glaring differences. Below is one obvious one.

Mt 23:9 Call no man on the earth your father, for one is your Father, he who is in heaven.

The context is exalting fellow servants of God with lofty titles (NOT calling your dad “father”).

However, the biggest difference is shown below.

First century Christians believed and taught this:

"Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2Tim 3:16-17).

Catholics believe and teach this:

Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, but it's NOT enough for the man of God to be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. He also needs the traditions of the Catholic Church. In fact he needs them more. The scriptures are sort of a nice, but marginalized guideline.

It does not, that is why they made their own version. There is no Pope in the Bible.

see this for a few more.... http://www.gotquestions.org/five-solas.html#ixzz3QjeI1pzr

it doesn't line up

roman catholics added to what the bible and apostles taught. protestants took away from the tradition. orthodoxy is the only true faith as it keeps the holy apostolic tradition (passed down from Jesus to apostles). forgive me.

The bible as you know it is based on what the Church (the CATHOLIC Church) decided was the canons for the whole religion in the 4th century AD (Or CE if you prefer).

"Catholic", btw, means "Universal", and the foundation behind the Pope is when Christ stated "Thou are Peter, and upon this rock (Peter is from the Latin for Rock), I will build this church." The church was for everyone, not just those who were originally Jews, and hence the universality.

There were splits (Schisms) after the fourth century, but the bible as set out in those various synods was used in most of the splinter groups. Christianity, as with the Protestant sects, was not used until long after the universal church (catholicism) was founded.