Posted on 05/17/2008 6:30:09 PM PDT by e.Shubee
John F. MacArthur is no ordinary evangelical. I think that there is something special about him because of the unusual excellence of his book The Gospel According to Jesus. I consider that book to be the finest exposition on the gospel ever written.
The most surprising thing about John MacArthur is his wide acceptance, given that he believes in the true gospel and takes a strong stand on the historic Protestant understanding of Roman Catholicism. Consider his protestant message, Unmasking the Pope and the Catholic System, delivered shortly after the death of Pope John Paul II, and see if you can either respect or refute his statements.
http://www.bereanbeacon.org/audio_video/UnmaskingThePope.mp3
“I have actually seen a number of threads posted by catholics that took an offensive(v. defensive) position towards evangelicals/protestants.”
I have seen it too. It is my opinion that non-Catholic Christians do this more than Catholic Christians. If you think otherwise, fine.
Freegards
I have participated in more of these debates than I can even remember and I can say without hesitation that I have NEVER seen ANY Catholic even suggest that Protestants would be denied Eternal Live in Heaven. However, I have on a great many occasions see Protestants not only suggest this, but actually declare it with regards to Catholics.
IMO most people don't take notice of threads in the Religion Forum unless a) it was posted by someone they know, or b) THEIR beliefs are mentioned in the thread title. Case in point - you thought I was a "weird disgruntled Catholic." I'd bet most Catholics on FR never noticed the many threads I posted about the Calvinists, the Baptists, the Dispensationalists, the Mormons, or the Swedenborgites. They're out there - you probably just didn't notice them. Likewise, anti-Protestant hitpieces are posted by Catholics all the time. When they're not goring your sacred cow, you probably don't pay much attention to them.
You'd think that the largest Christian denomination would expect to get the largest amount of news coverage. I got numerous complaints from Catholics when I posted pro-Catholic threads. There's just no pleasing some people.
I agree. I truly don't understand the Protestants who insist on attacking the Catholic Church ad nauseam. I wish they would spend their time examining the real threat of radical Islam and the killing of Christians and burning of churches in Muslim countries. Why not fight against a real threat, rather than a perceived difference of opinion among those who accept Jesus Christ as the Way, the Truth and the Light?
Do you agree with MacArthur?
He spends the first 1/3 of the audio saying the pope is the anti-christ. Then, he goes into why his doctrine of faith alone and eternal security is the only true doctrine.
He not only 'hates' sin but 'hates' doctrinal errors! And on and on.
I'd like to see one "pro-Catholic" thread where the source is so provocative.
Many of them see Catholics as the real threat. It’s that simple.
Suuuure you did.
Links please.
It's a narrow analogy limited to the topic at hand. ;-)
However, as you know even the most devout among us can be led astray by temptation, sometimes, for example, under the lingering belief that the end justifies the means. Perhaps McArthur, in sincerity believes that a little white lie about catholicism that will lead someone to find what McArthur believes is "biblical truth" and this leads to their salvation, then perhaps this white lie is better than leaving them under the "false doctrines of papism", or something like that. (I am only guessing, and am trying to give the man the benefit of the doubt.)
I’ve not listened to the audio. As I’ve told a few RCs on FR, the Bible does reveal the identity of antiChrist - nor does it tell us if antiChrist is a person or an attribute of a particular heresy within the church. (I’m reading this book on the subject right now: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0801066069 to gain a better understanding of it)
To answer you: No, I do not consider the pope to be antiChrist. John tells us “every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.” I disagree with the RCC - and her popes - on many issues but I don’t hear this heresy come forth from her or him.
I respect MacArthur to a degree but am not a big fan of his. I disagree with him on a few issues. I DO agree with him that it’s right to hate doctrinal errors - but only those that can reasonably be shown to depart from Biblical truth - such as the RCC doctrine that Mary was sinless or that she was assumed up in to heaven. These doctrines I hate because they are false.
I’ve see “pro-catholic” threads on FR that have been just as provocative - such is the condition of having the freedom of an “open” thread.
Ooops - typo: “the Bible does reveal the identity of antiChrist” should be “the Bible does NOT reveal the identity of antiChrist”
"I have participated in more of these debates than I can even remember and I can say without hesitation that I have NEVER seen ANY Catholic even suggest that Protestants would be denied Eternal Live in Heaven. However, I have on a great many occasions see Protestants not only suggest this, but actually declare it with regards to Catholics."
John MacArthur made biblical based claims.
Your refutation of his claims has no scripture references.
A refutation without references is like saying ‘it so because I said its so.’, and stands entirely on the witness of the speaker.
LOLOL!
Well Alex, you could be right, and I do know you post many sorts of threads about all differing sorts of Faiths. I think what might have confused me is that sometimes you wouldn’t say what you thought about the threads that you posted. I still think Non-Catholic Christians post more threads about Catholics than Catholic Christians post about non-Catholic Christians.
Freegards
My response was to Ransomed, you were copied on it.
However, I will say that I find it difficult to believe that in th two months you could even begin to imagine that you have seen enough of these type threads to determine any sort of ratio.
I wasn’t looking for one, sorry.
Yes, there are many times when non-Catholic posters have asserted that Catholics—because they practice the Catholic Faith-—are in danger of going to hell.
That’s a judgment call that belongs to God alone.
See Matthews Gospel, 16th Chapter. Pay particular attention to verse 18.
Until you can document the existence of your Church and it’s doctrinal distinctive’s from the day of Pentecost to the present, you have no valid claim against the divinely established, authoritative and visible One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.
Until such time, I’ll leave you to your research.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.