Replies

"I've heard all this before. My husband was taught this--along with the vitriol--in Catholic school. I see that his was not the only one."

Sometimes the truth isn't vitriol, it's just the truth. I listed not a single quote of Luther's that cannot be found in his writings. The man hated Jews, for example, and he made no bones about it. He wanted it known. And btw, the Catholic Church doesn't teach protestant theology in their schools, other than to perhaps refute some heresies; but I admire your husband for learning the truth. After all, what is Protestant theology except the Catholic teachings minus something? There are few Protestant articles of faith that weren't first taught by the Catholic Church. It seems to me rather that Protestant theology is a negative one, basing its teachings mainly on condemning certain Catholic doctrines, and accepting certain others. The Ministers like to tell the congregation what they don't believe. "We dont believe Mary remained a virgin --- We don't believe in confessing our sins to a priest --- We don't believe we eat the flesh of Christ in the Eucharist --- We don't believe in the purgatory", etc, etc. It's negative theology. I've rarely heard a Protestant Minister make his sermon without finding a thinly veiled way to take a swipe at the pope or at some other Catholic teaching.

You've missed a lot of good sermons. I've rarely heard a negative one. To be sure, I'm careful about the churches I select to attend, because I'm not interested in ones that do not preach the Bible.

Ever the antagonist, I say: 1) Who cares if Mary remained a virgin or not? Salvation does not depend on it. 2) I confess my sins directly before God who knows ALL my sins (even the ones I don't). 3) I certianly DO believe that the true bobdy and blood of Christ is present in communion.

As far as purgatory, The Bible never speaks of a place where one can go to be purified of his sin. Rather, it always speaks of a Person to whom we can go to be purified: Jesus Christ. God tells us that those who refuse to trust Christ to cleanse them from their sins are condemned: Whoever believes in Him avoids condemnation, but whoever does not believe is already condemned for not believing in the name of God's only Son (John 3:18). There are only two choices: Whoever believes in the Son has life eternal. Whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but must endure the wrath of God (John 3:36; See also Revelation 20:15; Luke 16:19-31, especially verse 26). Anyone who accepts Christ is completely saved: There is no condemnation now for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). Saying that there is no condemnation, certainly eliminates the flames of purgatory.

Another passage which clearly excludes the idea of purgatory is, …their sins and transgressions I will remember no more (Hebrews 10:17). If, as the Bible says, God no longer remembers the sins of those who are in Christ, He does not punish them for these sins. To do so would be saying that Christ had not made full payment for them and that God the Father still remembered them. (See also Romans 5:8-11; Hebrews 10:14-18; Psalm 103:12).

"The Ministers like to tell the congregation what they don't believe."What Protestant churches have you visited? I'm astonished, because I've never attended a Protestant church where a sermon was given on what they don't believe in.