Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

The Gospel for Roman Catholics
Southern Baptist Midwestern Seminary For The Church ^ | June 14, 2015 | A.D. Robles

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.


TOPICS: Catholic; Charismatic Christian; Evangelical Christian
KEYWORDS: doctrine; globalwarminghoax; gospel; popefrancis; romancatholicism; salvation
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 801-820821-840841-860 ... 1,181-1,190 next last
To: NKP_Vet

“.....the whole structure of Revelation is a big Passover liturgy where Christ, the Priest King, the firstborn Son and the Lamb looking as though it’s been slain conducts and celebrates the heavenly liturgy........ And the earthly liturgy is meant to be a reflection in that, a participation in that.....There is the Lamb looking as though it’s been slain and making all of the people in heaven priests so they can assist in the offering of the firstborn son of God to the Father and join themselves with it.....”

That’s nonsense.....

The book of Revelation is a “revealing of Jesus Christ”....’He is the key’ throughout the entire book because he was given...” the key of the house of David I will lay on his shoulder; so he shall open, and no one shall shut; and he shall shut, and no one shall open. I will fasten him as a peg in a secure place, and he will become a glorious throne to his father’s house. ( Isa. 22:20-23)

.....”Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in” ( Mat. 23:13).

When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from.’ (Luke Luke 13:25)


821 posted on 07/07/2015 8:40:48 AM PDT by caww
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 778 | View Replies]

To: Resettozero

You made a good-sounding argument except that it’s a circular reasoning that YOU drew the outline of that which “must be believed”.


I would say that all of the words that Jesus spoke in John 6 “must be believed.” And what Jesus said was straightforward; there was nothing circular about it. If you don’t want to believe all of them, that’s between you and God.

I have often reflected on the words of Peter when Jesus asked the Twelve if they also wanted to leave. They understood what Jesus said in the same way that those who left understood it, and I agree they didn’t know what to make of it. But they believed that He was the Holy One of God; and knew that if they stayed with Him, He would reveal to them the meaning of His words.


822 posted on 07/07/2015 8:45:01 AM PDT by rwa265 (Do whatever He tells you, just do it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 803 | View Replies]

To: MHGinTN; verga; Salvation; Mrs. Don-o
Finally got around to watching this portion beginning at 8:55 and am requesting to hear from other RCs on this forum if they agree or disagree with these statements by John O'Brien.

John O'Brien's statements begin at 8:55 into this video

If they do, then there is the crux of the matter of our congregation's disagreement with Catholicism as practiced in the statement by John O'Brien.

If they don't, where do they differ from O'Brien?
823 posted on 07/07/2015 8:53:36 AM PDT by Resettozero
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 811 | View Replies]

To: rwa265

What Jesus said was not circular reasoning. How YOU outlined YOUR reasoning IS circular; the manipulation of Scripture to match your beliefs rather than comparing the Word of God with the Spirit of the whole Bible to determine what is actually meant.


824 posted on 07/07/2015 8:59:29 AM PDT by Resettozero
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 822 | View Replies]

To: rwa265

And He did reveal the meaning! I have posted for you guys the three renderings of the Lord’s Communion. IN EACH Jesus calls the contents of the cup fruit of the vine, not blood, fruit of the vine. He declares the His blood will be the seal of the New Covenant. The blood for sealing a covenant is never drunk. Even the Jews, when making a marriage deal over sons and daughters, only drank from a cup of wine. Those who believe in Him as Savior and Lord are His bride by contract.\, hence the cup of wine to seal the deal, and the fourth cup will be drunk in the Kingdom of His Father, in Heaven, to celebrate the Marriage. Be there or be ... square?


825 posted on 07/07/2015 9:09:20 AM PDT by MHGinTN (Is it really all relative, Mister Einstein?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 822 | View Replies]

To: rwa265

John 6:48-51

Yes, I do believe this is what Jesus Christ said. It’s important for any follower of Jesus to know what He meant”.

RCs say He meant for the RCC to institute the Mass/Eucharist beginning at some date hundreds of years in the future from the day He spoke these words to the twelve disciples that remained.

I say RCs have interpreted these same words from John 6 incorrectly and to their own detriment.

So, you and I do not share the same interpretation of John 6.


826 posted on 07/07/2015 9:10:46 AM PDT by Resettozero
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 801 | View Replies]

To: Resettozero

I seriously doubt that these ardent apologists for the religion of catholicism will be able to watch the video from *:55 through to 13:50. It will hurt their feelings too greatly as the Truth exposes how they have been deceived. That’s a hard thing to accept, ‘that you have been deceived for lo these many years’, and satan counts on that to capture most souls he will drag away from God’s Grace.


827 posted on 07/07/2015 9:13:54 AM PDT by MHGinTN (Is it really all relative, Mister Einstein?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 823 | View Replies]

To: SkyPilot
I recall this monstrosity.....it's creepy to say the least....It's intention is to capture the anguish of 20th century mankind living under the threat of nuclear war and titled 'La Resurrezione' which depicts Jesus rising from a nuclear crater in the Garden of Gethsemane.... the risen Christ who, soaring, emerging from a chaos indefinite depicting the death......The rest of the sculpture is a collection of.. 'natural elements'... fused with each other and not well-defined as rocks, twigs and roots. The designer/artist claimed..."I had the idea of depicting Christ as if He were rising again from the explosion of this large olive grove,... Christ rises from this crater torn open by a nuclear bomb; an atrocious explosion, a vortex of violence and energy.”

The artists definition and his work does not remotely depict the biblical resurrected Christ...but "something else".


828 posted on 07/07/2015 9:15:36 AM PDT by caww
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 762 | View Replies]

To: metmom

It looks demonic no matter what story line it’s given.


829 posted on 07/07/2015 9:17:59 AM PDT by caww
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 786 | View Replies]

To: Resettozero

What Jesus said was not circular reasoning.


So you agree with what Jesus says here?

53 Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. 54 Whoever eats[s] my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.”


830 posted on 07/07/2015 9:19:39 AM PDT by rwa265 (Do whatever He tells you, just do it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 824 | View Replies]

To: MHGinTN

Be there or be ... circular?


831 posted on 07/07/2015 9:21:37 AM PDT by rwa265 (Do whatever He tells you, just do it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 825 | View Replies]

To: rwa265

For the third time...

Yes, I completely agree that Jesus said those words in John 6 but hear/read them with a different understanding than do you and many Roman Catholics.

Do you want to ask me the same thing again? Don’t.

I’ll post it again: I most definitely believe John 6 is true.


832 posted on 07/07/2015 9:24:24 AM PDT by Resettozero
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 830 | View Replies]

To: caww

Grotesque thing.


833 posted on 07/07/2015 9:26:38 AM PDT by Resettozero
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 828 | View Replies]

To: Resettozero

Sorry, I didn’t see your second time before posting.


834 posted on 07/07/2015 9:28:29 AM PDT by rwa265 (Do whatever He tells you, just do it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 832 | View Replies]

To: rwa265

S’alright.


835 posted on 07/07/2015 9:31:29 AM PDT by Resettozero
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 834 | View Replies]

To: Resettozero

Yes it is grotesque...repulsive and offensive. Looks like something pagans would have designed centuries ago...or something the environmental weenies would celebrate.


836 posted on 07/07/2015 9:36:25 AM PDT by caww
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 833 | View Replies]

To: rwa265
Sadly, the lack of know what the rest of the Word of God declares, from Genesis to the Revelation, allows for such errors as isolating one passage to be absolute regardless of what else is said BY JESUS elsewhere in the Bible.

This is how the different Gospel of salvation taught by RCC is foisted upon people ignorant of what the Word declares, that it is by Faith that Salvation happens, and it is immediate and it is forever, because it is based upon The Promise of God Who cannot lie and cannot be defeated.

Only by ignoring the entire Bible and focusing upon just the misinterpretation method of SELECTIVE LITERALISM taught by the RCC can one conclude a pagan ritual is authorized in order to keep your salvation or renew your salvation having dropped it some where/when.

But God allows men and women to try and work their way to obtain Salvation. They will not earn it however, no matter how many Masses or beads or water dunkings or confessionals or purgatory hours they expend.

Salvation is by Faith ONLY so that ONLY the Work of Jesus The Christ is glorified. A catholic insisting that salvation must be obtained through the baptism, sacraments, confessions, and purgatory is purposely ignoring the scenes in Acts where immediate salvation came by hearing The Word of God preached, and immediately God put His Spirit in those believers.

Catholic priests cannot transfer The Work of Jesus to even a sincere catholic. This most Precious of Gifts, the Grace of God in Christ reconciling, can be offered and given ONLY by God's Holy Spirit ... and the divinity of Jesus cannot be magically transubstantiated into a wafer to be placed upon a catholic altar on earth. That is blasphemous. Blasphemers are accursed by their own actions. What O'Brien wrote regarding priests superiority to Jesus is blasphemy. Follow it and the abyss is the only destination.

837 posted on 07/07/2015 9:38:43 AM PDT by MHGinTN (Is it really all relative, Mister Einstein?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 830 | View Replies]

To: caww

It is demonic in origin, when one studies where and how the demons will be released from the Earth during the last of the Tribulation. The sculpture is straight from a demonic scene in Revelation ... hideous, yes, but seems appropriate to have it so prominently displayed in The Vatican for the Popes to sit before.


838 posted on 07/07/2015 9:41:15 AM PDT by MHGinTN (Is it really all relative, Mister Einstein?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 836 | View Replies]

To: MHGinTN

Doncha wish we could cut and paste VIDEO as easily as TEXT?

maybe in Windows 15.3


839 posted on 07/07/2015 10:03:56 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 812 | View Replies]

To: MHGinTN
Here it is with lighting....I can see the old environmentalists rejoicing over this thing....branches, twigs etc.....yet it depicts dead and dying...


840 posted on 07/07/2015 10:04:05 AM PDT by caww
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 838 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 801-820821-840841-860 ... 1,181-1,190 next last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson