Roman Catholicism

How the Protestant view of the Bible is different…

At the time of the Reformation, the differences between Protestants and Catholics were clear. Many of the critiques against the Catholic church were about aspects of their theology and practices that even modern day Catholics today would cringe at. The Catholic church of today looks different. Many of the critiques of the Reformation have been addressed over the last 500 years. Protestants of today might wonder if we are really that different. The goal of the articles below is to highlight some of the differences that still exist today and look at what the Bible has to say about them. The reality is that Protestants and Catholics are just as different as ever. While we have a shared history prior to the reformation, we have continued to drift apart. Unfortunately many people are blind to these differences and unaware of the dangers of mixing in incorrect theology and practices. Catholicism has many attractive elements and many things that are useful for the average Christian, but we need greater discernment and a greater foundation before exploring the things that may be helpful.

Featured

Justification

This is the really the central question to the whole discussion about Catholicism and Protestantism. How is a person made right before God? For the Protestant justification takes place immediately at the moment of salvation. As soon as you place your faith in Jesus Christ you are justified.

The Sacraments

We understand that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone. Our faith then produces in us a desire to do good works that God has in fact prepared for us. But the Catholic view is that these works are essential.

The Eucharist

For Catholics, communion is something very different. The word is transubstantiation. It’s a belief that the communion elements miraculously transform into the physical body and blood of Christ. If this was true then would they not be tormenting the body of Christ once again?

Salvation

Because the Catholic church has added so much to the Gospel and the life of the Christian with regards to salvation, I thought it would be helpful to include an outline from a sermon I gave on this very topic. The basic outline is that salvation is not based on my performance, or found in any other person or on any other path.

Purgatory

Because the Catholic view is faith + works, grace + merit and Christ + righteousness they’ve had to invent a place where people go who haven’t finished adding to their salvation. In other words because faith in Christ isn’t enough for them, people still have work to do after they die.

The Pope

In Matthew 16:18 Jesus says, “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” The debate revolves around the phrase “this rock.” Is the rock Peter himself or the confession he just made.

Mary

What Catholics believe is that for Mary to be worthy of giving birth to Christ, she herself had to be sinless. But scripture teaches in Romans 3:23 that all have sinned. This includes Mary. She was special in that she was used by God, but she was by no means sinless.

The Apocrypha

When I was twelve I purchased a book about “mysteries of the Bible” from a popular retail store. As soon as you put mystery in the title it implies something. The author apparently has the answer to something that has long been a secret. Our culture loves mysteries and especially conspiracy theories.