Posted on 07/01/2015 7:13:05 AM PDT by RnMomof7
Recently there has been a surge in prominent Evangelicals calling for unity with Roman Catholicism. In one sense there seems to be strong foundational similarities that would justify these calls to unity. Catholics are baptized in the name of the Trinity. God’s revealed word in the Bible -- setting aside their addition of the Apocryphal books, for argument’s sake -- is foundational to their worldview. Catholics love Christ and believe that he died on the cross and rose again to provide grace for sinners.
Obviously there are theological differences associated with the specific teachings of each one of these perceived similarities, and I do not want to minimize the importance of these differences. But for argument‘s sake, at least on the surface, there is some common ground.
There is also a strong agreement in ethical standards. Both Roman Catholics and Evangelicals ground morality on God’s holy nature as revealed in the law of God. This means that on the hot button moral issues of the day; the murder of the unborn, human sexuality, the sanctity of marriage there is solidarity between Roman Catholic and Evangelical ethics because they are coming from the same source. Again, this seems to justify a call to some sense of unity.
Are these good enough reasons to publically stump for visible unity with Roman Catholics? That question is beyond the scope of this post. But there is a more fundamental question that must be answered first. That question serves as the dividing line between followers of Christ and the world, which separates biblical Christianity from every other worldview; does Rome possess and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
The author of the book of Hebrews in chapter 10 contrasts the gospel with that which is but a shadow of the gospel. He argues:
"And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified." -- Heb 10:11–14
The argument being presented here makes it clear that Christ’s singular sacrifice, his death on the cross, perfects those for whom it is made for. This is the gospel. It is contrasted with the shadow of the gospel in which sacrifices were repeatedly made year after year because though they symbolized the atoning and perfecting sacrifice of Christ, they never themselves perfected those for whom they were made. The gospel of Jesus Christ perfects and any other religious strategies cannot.
This principle is directly applicable to the question of Roman Catholicism and the gospel of God. Roman Catholic worship centers on the mass. The mass is a series of liturgical practices that culminates in the Eucharist which according to paragraph 1068 of the Catholic of the Catholic Church (hereafter CCC) is a divine sacrifice. Paragraph 1367 of CCC calls the Eucharist a “truly propitiatory” sacrifice. This sacrifice is performed repeatedly in the life of a Catholic.
The reason the Eucharist is performed repeatedly is because even though it is claimed to be a propitiatory sacrifice that can make reparation for sins (CCC, 1414), it is a sacrifice that never perfects anyone. According to the Catholic message grace is something that you get from God by performing certain acts. First, God gives you the grace for faith in Jesus (CCC, 2000). Second, when you are baptized God graciously erases the sin of Adam from your record (CCC 1257). From that point on you get more grace by doing things like participating in the sacraments, including the Eucharist. The problem is that when you commit sins, you lose some of the grace you have gained and now need more lest your grace be found wanting at final judgment. This forces the Catholic into a position where they need to return day after day, week after week, and year after year to a priest who serves to repeatedly re-present the same sacrifice which never perfects those for whom it is made, since it only offers grace to cover some sin.
This is not the gospel.
Roman Catholics need the gospel for the same reason we all need it. We are all sinners with such a messed up and low view of how holy holiness really is that we think somehow through our own efforts we can attain it. If we just had enough time and willpower we could somehow have our good deeds outweigh our bad, and this will please God just enough for me to be acceptable to him. This is a satanic lie. A satanic lie that to some degree or another we have all bought into at some point in our life.
But the truth is glorious. God is good and God is holy. He is more good and more holy than we can possibly imagine. God is so good and so holy that anything less than absolute perfection is unacceptable in his presence. It is because of God’s awesome goodness and awesome holiness that in his wisdom he has offered us grace, through faith in Christ. A good and holy sacrifice that absolutely without question completely perfects everyone for whom it is made.
If not all; at least a LOT!
Baghdad Bob agrees with you.
Except for those who somehow manage to bypass this little detail.
Nah...
Just an early test run between Catholics; preparation for the 'debates' about DOCTRINE that will follow in the coming centuries...
No; it's not; and it's been PROVEN to you multiple times.
But keep trying; as it gives me an excuse (as though I need one) to post what the Bible (the one Rome assembled) says on the matter...
Luke 1:26-38 New International Version (NIV)
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[a] the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.”
38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.
(will is NOT 'asking')
(This ain't ASSENT)
Slow down tiger, there are some in your number that believe that the judgment has already occurred. One of whom has posted on this very thread. You might want to ask her about that and adjust your theology in accordance.
In the multitudes of things that Jesus COULD have said or done (That pesky bible verse...) this SURELY was missed at the cross:
Hey; Thief Number Two!
Yes Lord?
You HAVE forgiven everyone; right?
In what way?
How can we remember something that is NOT found in the bible?
purgatory, the sacraments, beads and brown scalpuli,
See the post above my reply here???
Sorry; I am more Berean like; as I tend to see what the Bible (which you Catholics repeatedly tell me that your religious organization assembled - way back when) has to say on a subject.
I do not blindly RELY on what others in my similar belif system have to say on the subject; even those with an explosion of the alphabet behind their primary title.
Whoa again tiger, you folks all tell us on a regular basis that you all agree on the main things, and the time/ point that you receive judgment seems pretty important to me. She has also used the Berean technique to arrive at this conclusion. You all need to get this settled. Inquiring minds need to answer to this valid issue.
Well stated and Concur.
I observe any comment against your post is only from an adversarial soulish thinking. Such is consistent with their nature. The new man immediately rejoices at the love of the Word and evidence of faith expressed in your post. GB. Concur.
I don’t see anywhere where he is telling you what you believe.
I didn’t see him say. “ You believe......”.
What he is doing it showing what Catholicism teaches. We also recognize that most Catholics do not beleive everything their church teaches, even if they can figure out exactly what that is.
And to preclude any request of what that might be, the question remains as to whether those outside the Cathoilc church are saved or can be saved. Both the CCC and on the ground Catholics including FRoman Catholics, are all over te map on this.
“May your word to me be fulfilled.”
All those repeated "will's" do not indicate a brute imposition that will happen without or against consent. Think of the examples of a contract, a piece of legislation, a treaty or a covenant. You could have a contract where the other party says says "I will sell you 5.2 acres of land for $5M, I will include the house and all its furnishings"--- but it's not a contract until the other party signs it.
Similarly a piece of legislation could say "The Dept. of Parks and Rec will construct two additional swimming pools, and will open them to the public in 2016" blah blah, blah," but it's not legislation until the City Council passes it.
A treaty says "The city of Boogaloo will be recognized as the capital of Boogaloosia," but it's not so recognized unless the treaty is ratified.
A covenant says "You will conceive in your womb and bear a son" --- but it's not a covenant until she says, “May your word to me be fulfilled.”
The whole history of the Lord's relations with His chosen ones, is a history of covenants. Every covenant in the Bible leads up to the Messiah and thus prefigures this one. God specifically excludes a paradigmatic non-covenant relationship from being the one that will lead to the Messiah (the relation between Abraham and the concubine Hagar) and approves Abraham's relation with the faithful and free woman, his wife Sarah.
Obviously the culminating act in this whole chain of covenants,is a covenant.
It becomes so when Mary assents.
Is Jesus the descendant of Abraham and Hagar, or Abraham and Sarah?
Is Mary prefigured by Hagar, or by Sarah?
To deny this is to deny the whole meaning of covenants in God's dealings with His chosen ones, and denies the significance of Mary's "May your word to me be fulfilled."
Mary is called "Blessed." (Luke1:48)
And Jesus said "Blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it."
Summary by me:
1281: Those who do not know about the Church, may still, by the inspiration of God's grace, seek Him sincerely and find Him, and be saved, even without baptism.
816: Those who know that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, and refuse either to enter it or to remain in it, can not be saved.
The way one is saved is by becoming a member of the Body of Christ. Only "in Christ" are we saved. There is no way to be saved outside of Christ, and to be in Christ is to be a member of His Body, the Church, and one ordinarily enters the Church by Baptism.
"Ordinarily" --- but "God has bound salvation to the sacrament of Baptism, but he himself is not bound by his sacraments." Meaning God is always free to do His will, there being nothing that can in any way constrain Him.
If you will kindly read #1257 through #1261 you'll understand what the Church is talking about here.
Happy Sunday!
When in my early thirties, several decades ago, I no longer could recite the Nicene Creed. I found it an insufficient statement of my faith in Lord Jesus Christ alone. Still do, although it sounds very religious and inclusive.
The demons believe in one God also. And tremble.
"The demons believe in one God also. And tremble."
...But the demons do not have faith in Him and they do not love Him. Such "believe-ism" is not faith, which is a living faith because it is a living faithfully. Have some kind of verbal, notional, non-faithful "faith" but without love, and you are nothing, says St. Paul.
May love capture our hearts more and more, R2Z. Tagline.
Read my page :)
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.