Posted on 08/08/2025 3:48:54 PM PDT by Roman_War_Criminal
Five hundred years have passed since the Reformation began, and yet the influence of the Roman Catholic Church remains strong. I’m not referring to the mammoth oligarchy that seeks to dictate the lives of an estimated one billion people, but rather its continuing influence upon churches outside its realm, including many that adhere to the inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture.
While attending Talbot Seminary, I wrote my master’s thesis on Roman Catholic Justification in the Light of Scripture. In my study, I discovered that Catholicism’s key departure from Scripture was its firm insistence that God’s justification of sinners happens at the end of their life. This teaching contradicts what Paul wrote in Romans 5:1: “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
In other words, God justifies us at the moment of our regeneration (see also Titus 3:4-7). Why is it so important to affirm this clear biblical truth?
It’s because the error of placing our justification at the end of one’s life has crept into evangelical churches in various forms that continue to grow in popularity, as well as negate the glorious hope embedded in the Gospel. It does so by. . .
Undoing the Finality of Our Salvation
I’m not aware of when Catholic theologians first decided that God’s justification of the sinner happens at the end of one’s life, but by the time of Reformation, it had become deeply entrenched in the church’s dogma. This teaching provided the church with the means to control the lives of its members from birth to the grave.
As a result, Catholics can never be sure of their salvation since their final destination depends upon their obedience as well as adherence to the church’s sacraments up to the time of last rites. Under such a scenario, how could anyone be certain of the final outcome of their faith?
Scripture tells us a much different story. Not only does it reveal that God justifies us at the moment of our regeneration, but it also provides us with the security of our hope that Catholicism kills. When God justifies the sinner, He declares that person not guilty of all his or her sins, past present, and future.
The word for “justify” in the Greek comes from the law courts of Paul’s day; it depicted a judge declaring the accused “not guilty” of their crimes. For us, it’s the legal declaration of our righteousness that comes solely through faith by grace. God declares us innocent solely because Jesus bore the punishment for our sins on the cross; His blood covers all of our iniquity. Romans 8:1 states the finality of God’s proclamation of our righteousness, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
Later in Romans 8, the apostle elaborates on the permanence of God’s verdict: “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.” (Romans 8:32-34).
For all of us in Christ Jesus, our justification is a done deal. God, who is not bound by time, looked at our entire life and declared us not guilty of all our sins. Who can possibly overturn His verdict? No one can provide Him with evidence that He didn’t already know about.
The belief that one can lose their salvation, or walk away from their faith, reflects the Roman Catholic understanding of justification, which regards it as a process that’s not fully settled until death. The only way to deny the finality of our salvation is to either say that someone can reverse God’s verdict, which is impossible, or somehow repackage the Catholic teaching of when God credits our account with His righteousness. If it happens at the time of our rebirth, it’s an absolute done deal.
Subjecting the Believer to a Works Mentality
The Roman Catholic error regarding justification empowers the church to enforce obedience whether it be to its traditions, its sacraments, or Scripture. Do we see this same works mentality today outside of the Catholic faith? We do.
I have experienced various forms of legalism in my life. Such teachings deceive believers into thinking they must earn favor with God, which is something they already fully possess via their secure righteous standing before Him, i.e., their justification.
Legalism reverses the order of chapters in the book of Ephesians. Instead of encouraging adherence to Paul’s instructions based upon one’s secure righteous standing before God, the works mentality begins with the commands as the way to assure the believer of his or her favor in the Lord’s sight. Paul never intended for chapters 4-6 of Ephesians to be the means of obtaining God’s approval, but rather the result of our permanent “holy and blameless” standing before God (Ephesians 1:3-14).
Once our focus shifts away from Christ and what He has done for us to how we should live, we lose the joy that comes from our security and the peace from knowing we will surely meet Jesus in the air in the future. The works mentality, popular in many Evangelical churches, is a remnant of Catholicism that spotlights our behavior rather than our glorious hope in Jesus’ appearing.
Adhering to the False Teaching of Replacement Theology
The refusal of a great many churches today to recognize the prophetic significance of Israel also mirrors Catholicism’s teaching on Bible prophecy.
Replacement Theology, or amillennialism, is the longstanding belief of the Roman Catholic Church. Augustine, a fifth century theologian, popularized the teaching that the church is the new Israel, which replaced the church in God’s prophetic program. He denied the future restoration of Israel and applied the Lord’s many promises to do so to the church, albeit spiritually.
Because Israel’s miraculous reappearance as a nation on May 14, 1948, contradicted its long held beliefs, the Vatican refused to recognize Israel as a nation until the end of 1993, a full forty-five years later. Why the delay apart from their realization that Israel’s astounding rebirth refuted their longstanding amillennial beliefs?
What does today’s popularity of Replacement Theology in Bible-believing churches have to do with a biblical understanding of justification? I provide a full answer to this question in my previous article: Can God Change His Mind about Israel? Or About Us?
Based upon Romans 11:28-32, I explain how God’s unfailing mercy lies at the heart of His continuing faithfulness to us as well as to Jacob’s descendants. He will not renege on any of His promises to His people, whether it be to the nation of Israel or to us as New Testament saints. Chapters 9-11 in the book of Romans were not a rabbit trail in Paul’s line of thought, but rather a critical part of it as he showed how the promised future restoration of Israel demonstrates the Lord’s unfailing mercy not only to the Jewish nation, but also to all justified saints, which He proclaimed in Romans 8:31-38.
Identifying the Church as God’s Kingdom
From its inception, the Roman Catholic Church believed it was God’s physical kingdom on earth and hence a political entity, which directly results from its adherence to Replacement Theology, which teaches that the church is just such a realm. Its role as a governing power during the Dark Ages has long since faded, but not this exalted view of itself.
The Vatican is officially the “Vatican City State.” This came about via the 1929 Lateran Treaty between the Holy See and the Kingdom of Italy through which it became an officially recognized independent governing state. The US sends an ambassador to the Vatican, just like it does for other governing entities.
Unfortunately, the Reformation didn’t change the perception of the church as God’s corporal kingdom on earth. Many churches, deeply steeped in amillennialism or its offshoots, continue to teach that Jesus is now reigning over the nations in fulfillment of such passages such as Psalms 2 and 46 as well as Revelation 20:1-10.
During the past few decades, Dominion Theology has grown exponentially in popularity. It asserts that the church will bring about millennial conditions on the earth and rule over it before Jesus’ returns. Is this not a variation the long ago kingdom aspirations of the Vatican?
The Bible teaches that as New Testament saints; we are heirs to a kingdom rather than current possessors of it (Ephesians 1:12-14; James 2:5). Paul couldn’t have been more clear when he said: “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable” (1 Corinthians 15:50). When Jesus appears, He will transform our lowly bodies into ones like His, immortal and incorruptible (Philippians 3:20-21; 1 Corinthians 15:51-55). He will make us fit to inherit His kingdom that’s coming to the earth.
The Bible never identifies the church as a kingdom, but rather describes it as the “body of Christ” with Jesus as its Head. The picture of body life in Romans 12:3-8 is most certainly not that of a kingdom, but rather of functioning entity were all its members enjoy an equal standing. Furthermore, the role of the leaders of a kingdom differs radically from the humble servant leadership Jesus prescribed for His Church (Mark 10:42-45; see also 1 Peter 5:1-5).
Why does this matter? It signifies that we are not now enjoying the glories of God’s promised kingdom on the earth as those who adhere to Replacement Theology claim. The good news is that in the future, we will participate in God’s spectacular kingdom on earth with immortal bodies in a realm devoid of wars, government corruption, overt wickedness, and injustice.
Making One’s Obedience and Feelings the Validation of Salvation
I heard a pastor say this in his Sunday sermon, “You are okay if you love the Lord.” No, no, no, no!! The Bible says that all those in Christ are “okay” because the Lord loves us!
Looking to one’s feelings, or even obedience, as the validation of one’s salvation yields the same fruit as the rigors of Catholicism: it traps believers in the same web of insecurity that obstructs their walk with the Lord and turns their focus away from their joyous blessed hope in Jesus’ appearing.
If it’s true that God’s justification of the sinner happens at the moment of our redemption (Titus 3:4-7) and is by its nature wholly irreversible (Romans 8:1 and 26-39), and Scripture teaches that both are true, the Bible must be the sole rock upon which we must base our assurance of eternal life, not our feelings, our love for the Lord, nor our obedience to some standard.
Our assurance of eternal life comes from what Scripture says about us as New Testament saints, i.e., our justification though faith alone by grace.
A biblical understanding of what happens when God justifies us counters the hope-killing remains of Roman Catholicism in today’s churches that rob believers of the joy that comes from knowing the certainty of their salvation. Scripture frees us from the works mentality that results from thinking we can lose our salvation, walk away from our faith, or must work to keep ourselves within God’s favor and love for us.
Sadly, these vestiges of Roman Catholicism persist in many churches outside its realm. Not only do they breed insecurity and a works-based validation of our hope of eternal life, but in many cases these places of worship also dismiss the biblical hope that we will reign with Jesus in His glorious kingdom, one that will include a restored Israel. Our hope in Jesus’ appearing and what happens afterward is not just dry theology, but something that breathes life into our souls each and every day.
If you have not yet placed your faith in Jesus or are unsure of your salvation, please see my article, Jesus is the Only Path to Eternal Life. In it, I explain the saving message of the cross and how you can know that you belong to the Savior.
How much works is enough?
I'm a kinda lazy guy and don't want to extend myself.
Still stuck in the OT.
Good for you.
Sorry bro, we will just have to agree to disagree with your interpretation of James.
Good summary. The Bible will not contradict itself.
Heaven or Hell. Which will it be? Nothing else matters bro. I hope you make it.
I will say it again Heaven or Hell. It’s all that matters.
Throwing scripture under the bus are people who reject Jesus’ own words in John 6 that this is HIS body.
Why do you reject Jesus’ own words?
Eucharist as True Presence: In John 6:51–56, Jesus says, “The bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh… Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.” Paul affirms this in 1 Corinthians 11:23–25, quoting Jesus’ institution of the Lord’s Supper (“This is my body”) and warning that unworthy reception profanes Christ’s Body and Blood (1 Corinthians 11:27–29), implying a real, not symbolic, presence.
the Catholic Church is actively engaged in missionary work and attracting many converts in North America and Europe, counter to your claims.
The Catholic Church is vigorously engaged in missionary efforts in North America and Europe, proclaiming the Gospel and fostering faith.
IN NORTH AMERICA
Organizations like the Pontifical Mission Societies support evangelization through education and outreach, with initiatives like the New Evangelization emphasizing sharing Christ’s message in secularized areas (John 15:16). The Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) deploys missionaries to U.S. college campuses, reaching thousands with Bible studies and retreats, fostering vocations and conversions (web:6). Dioceses, such as Los Angeles, promote parish-based missions, with programs like Alpha for evangelizing non-Catholics (Acts 1:8).
EUROPE
Despite secular challenges, the Church is active in mission work. The Neocatechumenal Way operates in countries like Italy and Spain, forming missionary communities to re-evangelize lapsed Catholics and attract converts (Matthew 28:19–20). In Poland and Ireland, vibrant youth movements, like World Youth Day, inspire evangelization (web:8). The Emmanuel Community in France runs missions in urban areas, engaging seekers through liturgy and charity (1 Peter 3:15). These efforts show a robust missionary push, not a lack of recruitment.
Next you think there aren’t many converts to the Church.
The facts prove you wrong
In the U.S., the Archdiocese of Los Angeles reported 5,587 converts in 2025, including 2,800 baptisms (post:2). The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) programs across dioceses saw a 30–70% increase in adult converts in 2024, driven by Eucharistic revival and outreach (web:4). Pew Research notes 1.5% of U.S. adults (roughly 3.8 million) are converts to Catholicism, with 59% from Protestant backgrounds (web:9). In Canada, dioceses like Toronto report steady convert numbers through evangelization programs..
Dublin’s archdiocese saw a record number of adult baptisms in 2025, attributed to catechesis and accompaniment.
In the UK, high-profile conversions, like Anglican clergy joining the Ordinariate, continue, with thousands entering annually.
Your claim that the Church relies on natural growth or lacks evangelistic zeal misreads its mission. The Catholic Church, guided by Christ’s mandate (Matthew 28:19), actively evangelizes through missionaries and converts, not just relying on families or clergy. The Protestant error lies in overlooking this data and assuming Catholicism is declining, ignoring its growth through conversions and missionary efforts, as evidenced above.
Daniel, you make false claims again
Your claim that Catholicism teaches salvation by works, even by grace, and your interpretation of Galatians 5:4 as a warning against Catholic soteriology is false.
Let me clarify the Catholic view, which is not what you allege:
Catholics believe salvation is by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8–9), a gift from God, not earned by works. John 3:5 and Acts 2:38 affirm Baptism as the entry into this grace, regenerating us by the Spirit (Titus 3:5). Faith, however, is not alone but works through love (Galatians 5:6), producing good works as fruits of grace (James 2:17, “Faith without works is dead”). Works, like those in Hebrews 6:9–10, reflect a living faith, not a means to earn salvation. The Catholic view of merit is God rewarding His own grace at work in us (Philippians 2:13), not human effort apart from Christ.
You cite Galatians 5:4, “You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace,” as a warning to regenerate believers (Galatians 4:6, Hebrews 3:12, 10:25–39). This verse addresses those seeking justification through Mosaic Law (e.g., circumcision, Galatians 5:2–3), not Catholic teaching. Catholics affirm justification by grace through faith (Romans 5:1), with works as a response to grace, not a legalistic system. Acts 15:7–9, which you reference, shows Peter affirming Gentile salvation by faith, a doctrine Catholics uphold. Your error lies in equating Catholic cooperation with grace (James 2:22) to the legalism Paul condemns.
You describe the “obedience of faith” (John 3:2–7, Acts 10:43–47) as validating believers. Catholics agree: faith, infused by the Spirit, leads to obedience (Romans 1:5), seen in Baptism (Acts 2:38) and good works (Matthew 5:16). However, your view risks separating faith from works, contrary to James 2:24, “A person is justified by works and not by faith alone.” The Catholic integration of faith and works, rooted in grace, aligns with Scripture’s holistic view (Philippians 1:6).
Your claim that Catholicism teaches salvation by works misrepresents our doctrine, which emphasizes grace as the source of faith and works (Ephesians 2:10). Early Christians, like Clement of Rome (1 Clement 32, c. 96 AD), taught justification by faith working in love, not works alone. Your application of Galatians 5:4 to Catholics overlooks the context of legalism and the harmony of faith and works in Scripture (Galatians 5:6, James 2:17).
Too bad the Grand Inquisitor did NOT follow the Scripture you posted.
Elsie, you cite Romans 4:5–8 and referencing “Abraham believed God” (Romans 4:3) to emphasize justification by faith. Catholics agree that faith is essential for salvation, as “by grace you have been saved through faith” (Ephesians 2:8–9).
However, Scripture teaches that faith and works are inseparable, as af_vet noted with James 2:14–26: “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:17), and “a person is justified by works and not by faith alone” (James 2:24).
In Romans 4:5–8, Paul argues that Abraham was justified by faith, not by works of the Mosaic Law (e.g., circumcision, Romans 4:9–12), before the Law was given. This doesn’t exclude works flowing from faith. James 2:21–22 clarifies that Abraham’s faith was “completed by his works” when he offered Isaac (Genesis 22:9–12), showing faith and works cooperate. Galatians 5:6 reinforces this: “Faith working through love” justifies, aligning with Catholic teaching that works, empowered by grace (Philippians 2:13), are fruits of living faith (Matthew 5:16).
Your error lies in interpreting Romans 4 as excluding all works, ignoring James 2:14–26 and the broader scriptural call for faith to produce good works (Ephesians 2:10). Early Christians, like Clement of Rome (1 Clement 32, c. 96 AD), taught justification by faith and works together, rooted in grace. If you’d like to discuss Romans 4, James 2, or other Scriptures further, I’m open to seeking Christ’s truth together (John 14:6)!
Why do you reject Jesus’ own words?
Throwing scripture under the bus are people who reject Jesus’ own words in Matthew 23:9 KJV to call no man your father upon the earth...
Why do you reject Jesus’ own words?
Also...
the Catholic Church is actively engaged in missionary work and attracting many illegal aliens to The United States of America.
Golly! I wonder where Dan got THAT silly idea!
Salvation is entirely by grace, through faith, and not by faith alone. Faith must be accompanied by works.
217 posted on 8/13/2025, 2:22:13 AM by af_vet_1981 ( The bus came by and I got on, That's when it all began.=)
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Don’t listen to him Dan,
he’s a devil not man,
and he spreads the burnin’ sand with water.
...water.
No, it is by faith, without works, so that no man can boast.
Works demonstrate whether the faith you have is genuine saving faith or mere intellectual assent. Remember, even the demons believe, and tremble.
The works demonstrate the character of our faith, whether it is saving faith or just intellectual assent without trusting Christ.
GOD doesn't need to see our works. He already knows if we are His or not and if the faith we exercised is saving faith. It's other human beings that need that validation.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
By faith alone eliminates any possibility of us being able to claim and credit for our salvation.
Your response misrepresents Catholic teaching on salvation, authority, and the Eucharist, relying on selective interpretations and personal websites that distort historical and scriptural evidence.
Demolishing your points one by one, using Scripture, early Christian witness is easy enough. Let me show that the Catholic Gospel is the apostolic Gospel, not a deformation.
Your links, which I've reviewed, are filled with errors and biases—I'll address them too. Your error is cherry-picking texts to fit a 16th-century invention while ignoring the Church Christ founded (Matthew 16:18).
You claim the Catholic Gospel is not the apostolic one, linking to a site contrasting Catholic salvation (grace through merit, baptism, Purgatory) with "Biblical" salvation (faith alone). This is false. The Catholic Gospel is salvation by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8–9), where baptism regenerates (John 3:5, Titus 3:5, Acts 2:38), and faith works through love (Galatians 5:6, James 2:24). Merit is God's grace rewarding His own work in us (Philippians 2:13), not earning salvation. Your site's "contrast" ignores that the apostles taught baptismal regeneration (Acts 22:16, 1 Peter 3:21) and purification (1 Corinthians 3:13–15).Your error is projecting individualism onto the NT, where salvation is communal and sacramental (1 Corinthians 12:13).
you link to your nonsensical "peaceby" cult website that is filled eith your errors your site claiming "deformation" in leadership, priesthood, Eucharist, baptism, gospel, afterlife, Scripture vs. tradition, prayer, and Mary.Thus is a strawman caricature
NT leadership includes apostolic succession (Acts 1:20–26, 2 Timothy 2:2), with Peter as rock (Matthew 16:18–19). Priesthood evolves from NT elders (1 Timothy 5:17) offering spiritual sacrifice (Romans 12:1), fulfilled in the Eucharist (1 Corinthians 11:26). Baptism is regenerative (Acts 2:38), the Eucharist real (John 6:53–56, 1 Corinthians 11:27–29), and prayers for the dead apostolic (2 Maccabees 12:44–45, accepted by early Church). Mary’s role is biblical (Luke 1:48, John 19:26–27).
Your site's "deformation" ignores NT foundations and early Church continuity (Ignatius, Letter to the Smyrnaeans 8:1, c. 107 AD, on bishops and Eucharist). The error is anachronistically imposing Protestant minimalism on the NT, which shows organic development under the Spirit (John 16:13).
You call Scripture the “only wholly inspired substantive authoritative record” of NT belief. But Scripture itself affirms oral tradition (2 Thessalonians 2:15, 2 Timothy 2:2), and the NT Church discerned truth through councils (Acts 15:28, “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us”). The Bible doesn’t claim to be the sole rule (John 21:25), and the canon was determined by the Church (Council of Rome, 382 AD). Your view contradicts the apostles, who taught orally (Acts 20:35).The error is sola scriptura, a 16th century invention not in Scripture, leading to division (2 Peter 3:16 warns of twisting Scripture).
You quote Trent (Chapter XVI, Sixth Session) on merit as “satisfying the divine law,” claiming it’s works-based. Trent teaches merit as God crowning His gifts (Ephesians 2:10, “created in Christ Jesus for good works”). Justification is by grace (Romans 5:1), with works as fruit (James 2:24, “justified by works and not by faith alone”). Your site ignores Trent’s condemnation of Pelagianism (salvation by works alone). The error is misreading Trent as Pelagian, ignoring Scripture’s harmony of faith and works (Matthew 25:31–46, Hebrews 6:10).
You deny regeneration by baptism, claiming it’s by faith alone (Acts 10:43–47). But Acts 10:47 shows Cornelius received the Spirit before baptism, yet was baptized (Acts 2:38, “Repent and be baptized… for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”). Baptism regenerates (Titus 3:5, “washing of regeneration”), as Peter taught (1 Peter 3:21). The error is separating faith from baptism, ignoring NT unity (Mark 16:16, Galatians 3:27).
You say eternal life is a pure gift (Romans 6:23), with no merit from works. Catholics agree eternal life is a gift (Ephesians 2:8), but merit is grace-enabled cooperation (1 Corinthians 3:8, “each will receive his reward according to his labor”). Works validate faith (James 2:17–26), and rewards are promised (Matthew 16:27).Your error is antinomianism, ignoring that faith without works is dead (James 2:26).
You link to a site critiquing the Catholic Eucharist as unscriptural transubstantiation, claiming metaphorical interpretation. But Jesus says “This is my body” (Luke 22:19, Greek estin = real presence), and Paul warns of profaning the Body (1 Corinthians 11:27–29). The site’s “metaphorical” view ignores John 6:55 (“My flesh is true food”), early Christians like Ignatius (Smyrnaeans 6:2, “the Eucharist is the flesh of our Savior”), and the NT sacrifice (Hebrews 13:10). The error is reducing the Eucharist to a memorial, ignoring its sacramental reality (1 Corinthians 10:16).
the links you provided (peacebyjesus.net) with its false claims are a masterclass in distortion, twisting Scripture and history to attack the Catholic Church while ignoring the apostolic faith.
Those links are a house of cards—biased, selective, and ignorant of the early Church’s Catholicity. They reject the Church Christ founded (Matthew 16:18), leaning on a fractured lens that can’t reconcile James 2:17 with Romans 4:5. The apostles taught one faith, preserved by the Church (1 Timothy 3:15), not your revisionist websites. If you want truth, ditch the anti-Catholic blogs and face Scripture and tradition head-on.
I fully expect you to complain again about arthritic hands when you read this, but if you really want to know what Christ taught, ditch that false website you link to
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