James McCarthy concluded:
What it means to be a "good Roman Catholic" is defined in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. There you will find a false gospel of infant baptismal justification, good works and sacraments that improve one's standing before God, a merit system whereby Catholics working in cooperation with grace can earn eternal life, and a reaffirmation of purgatory as a place where Catholics must atone for their sins. Roman Catholicism rejects justification by faith alone through the imputed righteousness of Christ. [239]
James White concluded:
Rome's official teachings continue to deny justification by faith alone, and when other teachings are allowed into the discussion - such as the Mass and Purgatory - there are fundamental and basic differences between Protestants and Roman Catholics on the central issue of the Gospel itself...
I conclude that the official teachings of Rome have compromised the Gospel through both addition and subtraction. Not only are the central places of grace and faith replaced with a human-centered concept, but additions are made that likewise violate the spirit of the Gospel of grace. [240]
Keith Green concluded:
Not only does Paul warn that an authentic angel from heaven should not be heeded while preaching a "different doctrine," but he gives the ultimate warning, "even though we!" Paul strictly warned the Galatians not even to listen to him, the chief apostle and master of true doctrine, if he should reverse himself on any of the fundamental teachings of the gospel. How much more then, should we reject the appalling traditions and practices of a system that is not only unbiblical, but is actually steeped in mysticism, bordering dangerously on the occult!
To merely call such a system "a cult," would be to throw it into the vast category of religions and quasi-religions that are currently making the rounds of our college campuses and city streets, snatching up many-an-unsuspecting youth. No, the Roman Church is not a cult. It's an empire! With its own ruler, its own laws, and its own subjects! The empire has no borders; it encompasses the globe with its eye on every person who does not vow allegiance. It calls the members of other faiths "separated brethren" (The term used by Vatican II to describe the members of Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and Protestant churches) and has as its goal the eventual bringing together of everyone under its flag. [241]
Many Roman Catholics are born into "strong Catholic families" and wouldn't dream of questioning it or leaving it!
They are Catholic because they were born Catholic. They remain Catholic because they "like it." Unconcerned about doctrine, they pass through life without ever having seriously questioned the veracity of the institution to which they have entrusted their eternal souls. [242]
Often the reason that Catholics react so strongly when a family member converts has more to do with family and culture than it has to do with theology. [243]
A Roman Catholic must allow the Bible to sway his/her Theology more than his/her upbringing.
Keith Green aptly described the dire situation for Roman Catholics:
The first consequence of the doctrine of penance (as well as the doctrines of purgatory and indulgences) is that the Roman Catholic, though baptized and confirmed, can never have that assurance of his salvation and that sense of spiritual security which is such a blessing to the true Christian. In proportion as he is spiritually sensitive, the person who holds to a works religion knows that he has not suffered as much as his sins deserve, and that he can never do as much as he should in order to be worthy of salvation.
A dying Roman Catholic, after he has done all that he can do, and after the last rites have been given to him, is told that he still must go to purgatory. There he will suffer unknown torture, with no assurance as to how long it will continue, but with the assurance that if his relatives pray for his soul, and pay with sufficient generosity to have candles lit and have special Masses said for him, that his sufferings will be shortened somewhat.
Oh what a contrast with all of that, is the death of the true believer who has the assurance that he goes straight to heaven into the immediate presence of Christ! (Phil. 1:23.) What a marvelous blessing is the true faith of the Christian, both in life and especially at the time of death! [244]
Please remember that the purpose of this essay is not to attack individual Roman Catholics. We are interested in Biblically understanding the stated doctrines of the church and testing them against the Bible.
The Apostle John told us, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1).
The same Apostle said, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth" (3 John 4). That is exactly what we are after: the truth. It is a joyful thing to learn, know, and follow the truth.
Sadly, Roman Catholics can be on the receiving end of harsh treatment, even by those who claim to be Christians. This should never be.
The Bible tells us how to treat all people, (including Roman Catholics.) We are to love them, serve them, be kind to them, be respectful to them, and lovingly guide them into the truth (which means warning them).
Thank you for taking the time to read this essay. I appreciate your willingness to consider what the Bible has to say about the claims of the Roman Catholic Church.
Despite what people are inclined to believe, the Roman Catholic Church is not "another denomination" or a more liturgical form of Christianity.
It is a dangerous cult that leads 1 billion+ people to hell.
Believing/Saying this does not make one mean or divisive; it prods us to lovingly reach out to this mission field.
The bedrock of Biblical faith is the 10 Commandments. "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." Have we always put God first in our lives? Of course not.
"Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain." Have we ever used God's name as a swear-word? Even if we haven't, all of us have failed to give God's Holy name the reverence it is due.
"Thou shalt not steal." Had we ever taken anything that didn't belong to us? A pen? A paperclip? Creative tax preparation? The value of the object doesn't matter. Who of us can honestly say we've followed this command always?
"Thou shalt not kill." Jesus said that when we think evil thoughts towards someone without cause, we are guilty of murder.
"Thou shalt not commit adultery." Jesus said that when we think lustful thoughts we are guilty of adultery. Who of us can say we have never had lustful thoughts?
And there are others: "Do not covet," "Honor your mother and father," "Do not lie."
The truth is that whether we like it or not, we are accountable to God just like a criminal is accountable to the criminal justice system. We have broken God's law, the Ten Commandments, and we stand guilty before the judge. There is coming a day when God will judge us all. There will be no appeals, no technicalities, and no evidence thrown out. We are all guilty; none of us even comes close to the standard that God demands. If we trust in our own works and merits to save us, we will be condemned to hell forever.
The Roman Catholic Church presents a gospel that is radically different than the one offered by the God of the Bible. The Roman Catholic gospel is one that depends on works and merit. But this is bad news because the Bible teaches that nobody is good enough to merit salvation on his or her own works. It is only by the grace of our Lord Jesus that anyone can be saved.
The Bible Teaches, "There is none righteous, no, not one" (Romans 3:10).
Can we merit our salvation as the Roman Catholic Church teaches? The Bible says, "But we are all as an unclean thing , and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6).
Be warned: The Apostle Paul said, "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed" (Galatians 1:8). Those who do not cling to the true gospel of Christ will be found guilty on Judgment day. "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27).
Acts 17:31 warns us that God "hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness." On that day, those who trust in the Roman Catholic false gospel of works and merits will be found guilty of not being good enough. "There is none righteous, no, not one" (Romans 3:10). And God will be just in casting that person out forever. " It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Hebrews 10:31).
The most important question everyone must answer is: "If you were to die today, do you know that you have eternal life? Are you certain that you will spend all eternity with God the Father?"
Despite the impressive zeal and devotion of many, many Roman Catholics, following the wrong gospel is a serious matter.
The Biblical gospel is that we are all guilty of transgressing the Law of the One True God. All our works are like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). If we try to reach God on our merits, we will fail every time.
But in God's great love and mercy, He came down in the form of a man and died on the cross in our place, taking upon Himself our punishment, providing for our salvation! "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God" (1 Peter 3:18). This is the good news, no, great news!
I invite you to repent of and forsake the false gospel of works and merit, and turn to and worship the True and Living God, who offers salvation and full atonement because of Jesus' work and merit.
May God bless you as you consider this gravely important matter.
Mark Edward Sohmer
March 2006
Next: Appendix A: Doctrinal Overview:
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