Revvin' on the Road to Heaven
In most every apologetic discussion with Evangelical Protestants, the topic of eternal security will come up. Is salvation assured for those who profess their faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior, or is our salvation an ongoing process? Are we justified by faith alone as the Protestant often contends, or is it faith in cooperation with works as the Catholic Church teaches?
At some point, the Protestant will cite 1 John 5:13 where he says, "I write these things to you so that you may know that you have eternal life, you who believe in the name of the Son of God." (NAB) They usually emphasize the word "know" as if it indicates certainty. The Catholic may agree that we have eternal life, but with less certainty, heeding the "things" that John wrote about obeying the commandments and avoiding sin. John writes about deadly sin just a few verses later. Most Protestants believe the "completeness" of Christ's Sacrifice means salvation is a done deal for the believer and anything more that we do gain eternal life indicates a belief that Christ's Sacrifice was insufficient. In fact, most Protestants believe they can commit adultery or any serious sin without losing salvation because the Blood of Christ washes away all sins, past, present and future. (No wonder they seem to be having much more fun than we do!)
Earlier this week, I found myself responding to a non-Catholic friend about the meaning of 1 John 5:13. He queried, "What does that verse mean if it doesn't mean that there is a way for Christians to know they will have eternal life?" Karl Keating's apostolate Catholic Answers offers the following response for Catholics who are asked, "Are you saved?" I am redeemed by the blood of Christ, I trust in him alone for my salvation, and, as the Bible teaches, I am 'working out my salvation in fear and trembling' (Phil 2:12), knowing that it is God's gift of grace that is working in me. (Pillar of Fire, Pillar of Truth, p.25)
It's a good answer, but I was trying to find a simple analogy to explain my understanding of 1 John 5:13 in a friendly way. Can we be assured of our salvation? I hope what I came up with does not set Catholicism back too far!
Back in the 70's, a co-worker of mine bought an early version of the SUV with 4-wheel drive. I believe it was a Ford Bronco or something similar. We live and work in a rural area where the roads do not always get plowed in the winter, and he good-naturedly bragged that he would arrive home safely during the first big snowstorm because he had 4-wheel drive while the rest of us would be stranded. We had a heavy snowfall one day and I decided to follow behind him as far as I could on the way home thinking he could open a path. When he tried to blast his way through a rather large drift, he got stuck immediately. I stopped and we spent a half hour or so trying to get him moving. Eventually, a farmer with a much larger truck came along and pulled him out.
The next day at work, we talked about how his front wheels did not appear to be driving as he tried to free the Bronco from the snow. He got his owner's manual out, and read a section where it told about the 'transfer case', and how it needed to be engaged while the transmission is in neutral in order to apply power to the front differential. The manual also explained how the driver must exit the vehicle and manually lock each of the front hubs by turning the locking knob a quarter turn. If John had written this passage in the manual, he might have concluded by saying, "I tell you these things so you know you have 4-wheel drive."
If anyone had asked my co-worker if he had 4-wheel drive, he would have been perfectly correct is answering, "YES, absolutely! I have 4-wheel drive." He did, but he still had to play an active role for it to be effective in getting him to his destination. I look at 1 John 5:13 in a similar way. I can truthfully say, "YES, I have eternal life", but I must follow "these things" that John tells me (obey the commandments, avoid sin, etc.) in order to partake of this gift from God. In my view, John wants us to know the blood of Christ opened the gates of heaven to all of us, but we must act in cooperation with God's will to reach our destination. In this context, so many other Bible passages make sense regarding what we must do to enter the kingdom of heaven.
So there you have it! Eternal security is like 4-wheel drive - well, sort of. Perhaps I should add a disclaimer. We have just gone through about a week of 90+ degree temperatures. It's probably no coincidence that I am harking back to snowstorms. If this analogy seems a little crazy, I could be delirious from the heat. Have mercy.
Wednesday, June 29, 2005
Sunday, May 29, 2005
Simple Answers to Not So Tough Questions
In a recent email exchange with a self-proclaimed 'Independent Fundamental Baptist Evangelist', he posed six questions to me, apparently intending to corner a defenseless Catholic. Finding answers to such questions is not difficult if one knows where to look. Most Fundamentalist objections to Catholic teaching are commonly known and addressed by many competent Catholic Apologists. They can be found on the Internet and in various Catholic publications. Be certain your sources maintain fidelity to Catholic teaching. If you are not sure, look for a green rating on the Catholic Culture website. After answering his questions, our on-going dialogue ended abruptly. I am not so naive to think he immediately enrolled in RCIA, but perhaps he will come to see Catholic teaching as reasonable. Below are the six questions and my brief answers.
Is Mary the mother of God?
Yes, BUT not in the sense that she precedes God or is the source of God's divinity. She carried God-made-flesh in her womb and in that context, she is the Mother of God. To say otherwise aligns oneself with a 5th century heresy called Nestorianism which essentially claimed that Jesus was two distinct persons, one being God and the other Man. Jesus was ONE person with two natures. Since the mother bears the whole person and not just the nature, Mary was a God-bearer, the Mother of God. Luther and Calvin agreed.
Is Mary a co-reedemer? (sic)
God uses His creation to accomplish His purposes. Mary was chosen as the vessel in which God became flesh in order to bring about our salvation. Mary is not a savior, but she played a integral part in God's plan. When the term co-redeemer or co-redemptrix is used to describe her role, it in no way implies equality with Christ any more than a co-pilot is the same as a pilot. Over many centuries of study, the Church has come to a deeper appreciation for the significance of Mary's role. To the best of my knowledge, the Church has never officially applied the term "co-redeemer" to Mary.
How does one get saved?
Our salvation is a free gift offered to us from God. The Catholic Church teaches exactly what the apostles taught and what the Bible teaches. We are saved by grace alone, but not by faith alone. (James 2:24) Jesus said that we must also obey His commandments. (Matt 7:21-23, 19:16-21, Luke 6:46) Our faith in Christ places us in a special relationship with God that combined with our obedience and love will be rewarded with eternal life. (Rom 2:7)
Does taking communion take away sins?
From the Catechism as declared by the Council of Trent in 1551, (#1394) "As bodily nourishment restores lost strength, so the Eucharist strengthens our charity, which tends to be weakened in daily life, and this living charity wipes away venial sins."
(#1395) "The Eucharist is not ordered to the forgiveness of mortal sins -- that is proper to the sacrament of Reconciliation. The Eucharist is properly the sacrament of those who are in full communion with the Church."
(See also 1 Corr 11:27-29)
Does baptism save?
Baptism now saves you. (1 Pet 3:21)
Has there ever been a time when you personally asked Jesus Christ to save you?
Everyday.
In a recent email exchange with a self-proclaimed 'Independent Fundamental Baptist Evangelist', he posed six questions to me, apparently intending to corner a defenseless Catholic. Finding answers to such questions is not difficult if one knows where to look. Most Fundamentalist objections to Catholic teaching are commonly known and addressed by many competent Catholic Apologists. They can be found on the Internet and in various Catholic publications. Be certain your sources maintain fidelity to Catholic teaching. If you are not sure, look for a green rating on the Catholic Culture website. After answering his questions, our on-going dialogue ended abruptly. I am not so naive to think he immediately enrolled in RCIA, but perhaps he will come to see Catholic teaching as reasonable. Below are the six questions and my brief answers.
Is Mary the mother of God?
Yes, BUT not in the sense that she precedes God or is the source of God's divinity. She carried God-made-flesh in her womb and in that context, she is the Mother of God. To say otherwise aligns oneself with a 5th century heresy called Nestorianism which essentially claimed that Jesus was two distinct persons, one being God and the other Man. Jesus was ONE person with two natures. Since the mother bears the whole person and not just the nature, Mary was a God-bearer, the Mother of God. Luther and Calvin agreed.
Is Mary a co-reedemer? (sic)
God uses His creation to accomplish His purposes. Mary was chosen as the vessel in which God became flesh in order to bring about our salvation. Mary is not a savior, but she played a integral part in God's plan. When the term co-redeemer or co-redemptrix is used to describe her role, it in no way implies equality with Christ any more than a co-pilot is the same as a pilot. Over many centuries of study, the Church has come to a deeper appreciation for the significance of Mary's role. To the best of my knowledge, the Church has never officially applied the term "co-redeemer" to Mary.
How does one get saved?
Our salvation is a free gift offered to us from God. The Catholic Church teaches exactly what the apostles taught and what the Bible teaches. We are saved by grace alone, but not by faith alone. (James 2:24) Jesus said that we must also obey His commandments. (Matt 7:21-23, 19:16-21, Luke 6:46) Our faith in Christ places us in a special relationship with God that combined with our obedience and love will be rewarded with eternal life. (Rom 2:7)
Does taking communion take away sins?
From the Catechism as declared by the Council of Trent in 1551, (#1394) "As bodily nourishment restores lost strength, so the Eucharist strengthens our charity, which tends to be weakened in daily life, and this living charity wipes away venial sins."
(#1395) "The Eucharist is not ordered to the forgiveness of mortal sins -- that is proper to the sacrament of Reconciliation. The Eucharist is properly the sacrament of those who are in full communion with the Church."
(See also 1 Corr 11:27-29)
Does baptism save?
Baptism now saves you. (1 Pet 3:21)
Has there ever been a time when you personally asked Jesus Christ to save you?
Everyday.
Sunday, May 01, 2005
Offering An Apology at Every Opportunity
Shortly after Pope John Paul II died, I received an email forwarded from a Baptist minister. It was titled "Ten Reasons why Pope John Paul Should Have Been Afraid on His Death Bed." The original author intended it for other Baptist Churches, but one of the recipients saw fit to forward it to dozens of Catholics. The message contained the usual attacks on the usual doctrines, along with a few personal jabs at Pope John Paul himself.
The text of the message from the Baptist minister follows:
TEN REASONS WHY POPE JOHN PAUL II SHOULD HAVE BEEN AFRAID WHILE ON HIS DEATH-BED
The Pope was at peace while on his death bed. Not all popes have been at peace. In seminary our class visited the local Catholic Church and talked to the priest. We asked him if he knew for sure that he was going to Heaven. He said that "If the pope (John Paul I), didn't know for sure while on his death bed, then how could he?" It is reported that JOHN PAUL II was at peace on his deathbed. But was he at peace for the right reasons? I submit to you that there are reasons why he should have been afraid.
[I also submit unto you also that there are GREAT, GRIEVIOUS (sic), and IRRECONCILABLE differences between the New Testament teachings and the practices of the Holy Roman Catholic Church. It is the height of ignorance to say that Baptists and Catholics are all "brothers and sisters in Christ" as reported yesterday on TV by the pastor of our city's largest Baptist church.]
1. He needed to be afraid because he was trusting in Mary as an intercessor.
2. He needed to be afraid if he was trusting in his Legacy - Luke 12:18
3. He needed to be afraid if he is trusting in his Integrity to save his soul, (Roman 3:19-23).
4. He needed to be afraid if he thought that he was Worthy of Heaven: that it was a reward for merit, instead of a free gift, (Ephesians 2:8-9).
5. He needed to be afraid because he believed in Purgatory as a safety net.
6. He needed to be afraid for because he substituted the exalted the commandments of men over the God breathed, inspired Word. -Mark 7:7
7. He needed to be afraid because he complicated the simplicity of Gospel through endless man-made traditions - (II Corinthians 11:3, Mark 7:8).
8. He needed to be afraid because those who preach a Gospel of salvation through good works are "eternally condemned" - Galatians 1:6
9.He needed to be afraid because he abused the "body of Christ" teaching con-substantiation. John 6:63).
10. He needed to afraid because he took slow and limited action in the removing priests as pedophiles. "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin," (James 4:17).
While our initial reaction to receiving such mailing may be disdain, we should not simply hit the delete key. Nor should we fire back an angry retort. Situations like this provide a wonderful opportunity for evangelization. People who are passionate enough about Jesus to send out these messages are ripe for conversion. Often times, non-catholics have never understood what the Catholic Church really teaches because few Catholics ever make the effort to explain it to them. All they know is misunderstanding and half-truths propagated by other misinformed individuals. Converting a vehement anti-catholic is much easier than converting someone who is indifferent. The anti-catholic is often very pro-Christian, even though misguided in his or her beliefs. Most Christians want the truth, and if they can be shown their Christianity in a new Catholic light, may find themselves making a new journey. As Bishop Sheen once said, "not 100 in the United States hate the Roman Catholic Church, but millions hate what they mistakenly think the Roman Catholic Church is."
What follows are excerpts of my reply to the Baptist's message.
Reverend______, where did the New Testament come from? We know that many early Christian writings claimed to be inspired. Some were universally accepted, some rejected, and some were disputed. Among the disputed were the Epistles of James, Jude, Barnabas, Laodiceans, Clement, Second Peter, Second and Third John, Hebrews, Revelation, and many others. Bishops of the Catholic Church were faced with the task of determining which of these early Christian writings were inspired and should be included in the New Testament. If the Catholic Church is capable of such erroneous teaching as you charge, how do you know your Bible does not contain error? The Catholic Church existed before the Bible, selected its books, and preserved it. Every time you quote from your New Testament, you are trusting the inerrant teaching authority of the Catholic Church. The only great, grievous, and irreconcilable differences are between YOUR INTERPRETATION of the New Testament and the teachings of the Catholic Church.
1. He needed to be afraid because he was trusting in Mary as an intercessor.
Mary is the Mother of Our Lord. She found favor with God. (Luke 1: 28-30) ALL generations will call her blessed. (Luke 1:48) Pope John Paul was obedient to this Scripture. Are you?
2. He needed to be afraid if he was trusting in his Legacy - Luke 12:18
- the parable of the Rich Fool! If you read the news reports on Pope John Paul's will, you would know that he died with virtually no possessions.
3. He needed to be afraid if he is trusting in his Integrity to save his soul, (Roman 3:19-23).
If you are implying that the Pope thinks he is sinless, it has been reported that he confessed his sins about once a week.
4. He needed to be afraid if he thought that he was Worthy of Heaven: that it was a reward for merit, instead of a free gift, (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Don't stop reading at verse 9. "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10) We do not earn our salvation, but we respond in obedience and love for God with good works which combined with our faith will be rewarded with eternal life. (Rom 2:7, Gal 6:8-10)
5. He needed to be afraid because he believed in Purgatory as a safety net.
Again, you do not understand Church teaching. Purgatory is not a 'safety net'. It is a name given to explain a state of the soul after death implicit in Scripture. Purgatory is God's gift to us after death....after all, one has to be perfect to enter Heaven (Rev 21:27, Heb 12:14), therefore, if God had to make the decision of Heaven or Hell for humans without any alternative...Hell would be full and Heaven sparse! You will make use of this temporary alternative whether you believe in it or not!
6. He needed to be afraid for because he substituted the exalted the commandments of men over the God breathed, inspired Word. -Mark 7:7
Examples, please.
7. He needed to be afraid because he complicated the simplicity of Gospel through endless man-made traditions - (II Corinthians 11:3, Mark 7:8).
You probably equate Apostolic Tradition, the oral teaching handed down from the Apostles and their successors, with traditions of men. The Bible tells us to listen to the Traditions that have been handed down. (1 Cor 11:2, 2 Thess 2:15, and 2 Thess 3:6)
8. He needed to be afraid because those who preach a Gospel of salvation through good works are "eternally condemned" - Galatians 1:6
In this passage, Paul is referring to works of the Mosaic law. He is taking on the Judaizers, interlopers who insisted on observance of certain Jewish customs. This has nothing to do with salvation through corporal good works. Saving faith is active. (See Galatians 5:6) If you want to know what the Bible says about corporal works, read James 2:14-26.
9.He needed to be afraid because he abused the "body of Christ" teaching con-substantiation. John 6:63).
In John 6:63, Jesus is contrasting carnal man with those of faith. Scriptural evidence for the Catholic teaching on the Holy Eucharist (transubstantiation, not consubstantiation) is overwhelming. "Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man , and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him." (John 6:53-56) "For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body." (1 Cor 11:29) If after reading these words, one still thinks the Holy Eucharist was merely symbolic, why did so many of Jesus’ disciples turn away when they heard them? (John 6:66) All of Christianity believed in this Real Presence of the Body of Christ in the Eucharist until after the reformation.
10. He needed to afraid because he took slow and limited action in the removing priests as pedophiles. "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin," (James 4:17).
If a Baptist minister who has accepted Jesus as his personal Lord and Savior commits a similar sin, do you believe his salvation is assured? Those priests and bishops will have to atone for their sins. Despite what some people would like to believe, no one is guaranteed heaven. (Rom 2:6-8, 1 Cor 10:11-12) Should they be afraid? As Paul told the Philippians, we need to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. (Phil 2:12)
Despite our differences, we still think of you as our brothers and sisters in Christ.
May God bless you.
(End of response)
When I quoted the Bible in my response, I used the Protestant King James version. The Baptist minister had a web page which stated that the KJV was the only version he used. I wanted to demonstrate that Catholic doctrine can be supported with his Bible. Of course, not having the Deuterocanonical Scriptures makes defending some Catholic doctrine (i.e. Purgatory) more difficult. I also like to ask questions. While we tend to focus on the common Protestant beliefs and misconceptions, there are differences among the many denominations. By virtue of the fact they must self-interpret Scripture, one can never be exactly sure what they believe without asking. When they make accusations without basis, ask for examples. Doing so encourages the conversation to continue.
I am currently involved in an Internet dialogue with not only the minister who forwarded the message, but also the original Baptist author. Add that to other ongoing dialogues with a radio news reporter and a couple more Protestant friends, and it keeps me pretty busy! How does one get involved in such discussions? Actually, it is quite easy.
First, just ask God to use you in this way. The opportunities will come. Secondly, know your faith. Most Catholics hear comments from day to day about the Church, Christ, or just religion in general. Often these comments express misconceptions that can be explained easily if one knows his faith. One little clarification might be enough to begin someone on the road to the Catholic Faith. We need to know Church teaching, or at least know where to find solid orthodox answers for people. Third, when you have an opportunity to share your faith, try to take advantage of it. Respond to those emails or those letters to the editor, but do so in a charitable manner, no matter how vicious the author may have been. Use 1 Peter 3:15 as your motto. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence.
Most objections to the Catholic Faith fall into certain categories. After a while, you will know what the objector is likely to say before he says it. The issues generally include, the papacy, Tradition, Mary, purgatory, Salvation by faith and works, the Sacraments, and so forth. Since most Protestants will not accept anything that is not in the Bible, explanations need to be biblically based. Many great resources are available on the Internet from solid Catholic apostolates such as Catholic Answers or EWTN. All common objections are addressed with Bible references as evidence. You do not need to memorize every answer, but simply know where to find the information.
And, don't be concerned if your dialogue reaps no immediate benefit. All we can do is plant the seed. Count on the Holy Spirit to make it grow. If you are met with rejection, do as the apostles did. Wipe the dust from your sandals and move on.
Shortly after Pope John Paul II died, I received an email forwarded from a Baptist minister. It was titled "Ten Reasons why Pope John Paul Should Have Been Afraid on His Death Bed." The original author intended it for other Baptist Churches, but one of the recipients saw fit to forward it to dozens of Catholics. The message contained the usual attacks on the usual doctrines, along with a few personal jabs at Pope John Paul himself.
The text of the message from the Baptist minister follows:
TEN REASONS WHY POPE JOHN PAUL II SHOULD HAVE BEEN AFRAID WHILE ON HIS DEATH-BED
The Pope was at peace while on his death bed. Not all popes have been at peace. In seminary our class visited the local Catholic Church and talked to the priest. We asked him if he knew for sure that he was going to Heaven. He said that "If the pope (John Paul I), didn't know for sure while on his death bed, then how could he?" It is reported that JOHN PAUL II was at peace on his deathbed. But was he at peace for the right reasons? I submit to you that there are reasons why he should have been afraid.
[I also submit unto you also that there are GREAT, GRIEVIOUS (sic), and IRRECONCILABLE differences between the New Testament teachings and the practices of the Holy Roman Catholic Church. It is the height of ignorance to say that Baptists and Catholics are all "brothers and sisters in Christ" as reported yesterday on TV by the pastor of our city's largest Baptist church.]
1. He needed to be afraid because he was trusting in Mary as an intercessor.
2. He needed to be afraid if he was trusting in his Legacy - Luke 12:18
3. He needed to be afraid if he is trusting in his Integrity to save his soul, (Roman 3:19-23).
4. He needed to be afraid if he thought that he was Worthy of Heaven: that it was a reward for merit, instead of a free gift, (Ephesians 2:8-9).
5. He needed to be afraid because he believed in Purgatory as a safety net.
6. He needed to be afraid for because he substituted the exalted the commandments of men over the God breathed, inspired Word. -Mark 7:7
7. He needed to be afraid because he complicated the simplicity of Gospel through endless man-made traditions - (II Corinthians 11:3, Mark 7:8).
8. He needed to be afraid because those who preach a Gospel of salvation through good works are "eternally condemned" - Galatians 1:6
9.He needed to be afraid because he abused the "body of Christ" teaching con-substantiation. John 6:63).
10. He needed to afraid because he took slow and limited action in the removing priests as pedophiles. "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin," (James 4:17).
While our initial reaction to receiving such mailing may be disdain, we should not simply hit the delete key. Nor should we fire back an angry retort. Situations like this provide a wonderful opportunity for evangelization. People who are passionate enough about Jesus to send out these messages are ripe for conversion. Often times, non-catholics have never understood what the Catholic Church really teaches because few Catholics ever make the effort to explain it to them. All they know is misunderstanding and half-truths propagated by other misinformed individuals. Converting a vehement anti-catholic is much easier than converting someone who is indifferent. The anti-catholic is often very pro-Christian, even though misguided in his or her beliefs. Most Christians want the truth, and if they can be shown their Christianity in a new Catholic light, may find themselves making a new journey. As Bishop Sheen once said, "not 100 in the United States hate the Roman Catholic Church, but millions hate what they mistakenly think the Roman Catholic Church is."
What follows are excerpts of my reply to the Baptist's message.
Reverend______, where did the New Testament come from? We know that many early Christian writings claimed to be inspired. Some were universally accepted, some rejected, and some were disputed. Among the disputed were the Epistles of James, Jude, Barnabas, Laodiceans, Clement, Second Peter, Second and Third John, Hebrews, Revelation, and many others. Bishops of the Catholic Church were faced with the task of determining which of these early Christian writings were inspired and should be included in the New Testament. If the Catholic Church is capable of such erroneous teaching as you charge, how do you know your Bible does not contain error? The Catholic Church existed before the Bible, selected its books, and preserved it. Every time you quote from your New Testament, you are trusting the inerrant teaching authority of the Catholic Church. The only great, grievous, and irreconcilable differences are between YOUR INTERPRETATION of the New Testament and the teachings of the Catholic Church.
1. He needed to be afraid because he was trusting in Mary as an intercessor.
Mary is the Mother of Our Lord. She found favor with God. (Luke 1: 28-30) ALL generations will call her blessed. (Luke 1:48) Pope John Paul was obedient to this Scripture. Are you?
2. He needed to be afraid if he was trusting in his Legacy - Luke 12:18
- the parable of the Rich Fool! If you read the news reports on Pope John Paul's will, you would know that he died with virtually no possessions.
3. He needed to be afraid if he is trusting in his Integrity to save his soul, (Roman 3:19-23).
If you are implying that the Pope thinks he is sinless, it has been reported that he confessed his sins about once a week.
4. He needed to be afraid if he thought that he was Worthy of Heaven: that it was a reward for merit, instead of a free gift, (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Don't stop reading at verse 9. "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10) We do not earn our salvation, but we respond in obedience and love for God with good works which combined with our faith will be rewarded with eternal life. (Rom 2:7, Gal 6:8-10)
5. He needed to be afraid because he believed in Purgatory as a safety net.
Again, you do not understand Church teaching. Purgatory is not a 'safety net'. It is a name given to explain a state of the soul after death implicit in Scripture. Purgatory is God's gift to us after death....after all, one has to be perfect to enter Heaven (Rev 21:27, Heb 12:14), therefore, if God had to make the decision of Heaven or Hell for humans without any alternative...Hell would be full and Heaven sparse! You will make use of this temporary alternative whether you believe in it or not!
6. He needed to be afraid for because he substituted the exalted the commandments of men over the God breathed, inspired Word. -Mark 7:7
Examples, please.
7. He needed to be afraid because he complicated the simplicity of Gospel through endless man-made traditions - (II Corinthians 11:3, Mark 7:8).
You probably equate Apostolic Tradition, the oral teaching handed down from the Apostles and their successors, with traditions of men. The Bible tells us to listen to the Traditions that have been handed down. (1 Cor 11:2, 2 Thess 2:15, and 2 Thess 3:6)
8. He needed to be afraid because those who preach a Gospel of salvation through good works are "eternally condemned" - Galatians 1:6
In this passage, Paul is referring to works of the Mosaic law. He is taking on the Judaizers, interlopers who insisted on observance of certain Jewish customs. This has nothing to do with salvation through corporal good works. Saving faith is active. (See Galatians 5:6) If you want to know what the Bible says about corporal works, read James 2:14-26.
9.He needed to be afraid because he abused the "body of Christ" teaching con-substantiation. John 6:63).
In John 6:63, Jesus is contrasting carnal man with those of faith. Scriptural evidence for the Catholic teaching on the Holy Eucharist (transubstantiation, not consubstantiation) is overwhelming. "Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man , and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him." (John 6:53-56) "For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body." (1 Cor 11:29) If after reading these words, one still thinks the Holy Eucharist was merely symbolic, why did so many of Jesus’ disciples turn away when they heard them? (John 6:66) All of Christianity believed in this Real Presence of the Body of Christ in the Eucharist until after the reformation.
10. He needed to afraid because he took slow and limited action in the removing priests as pedophiles. "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin," (James 4:17).
If a Baptist minister who has accepted Jesus as his personal Lord and Savior commits a similar sin, do you believe his salvation is assured? Those priests and bishops will have to atone for their sins. Despite what some people would like to believe, no one is guaranteed heaven. (Rom 2:6-8, 1 Cor 10:11-12) Should they be afraid? As Paul told the Philippians, we need to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. (Phil 2:12)
Despite our differences, we still think of you as our brothers and sisters in Christ.
May God bless you.
(End of response)
When I quoted the Bible in my response, I used the Protestant King James version. The Baptist minister had a web page which stated that the KJV was the only version he used. I wanted to demonstrate that Catholic doctrine can be supported with his Bible. Of course, not having the Deuterocanonical Scriptures makes defending some Catholic doctrine (i.e. Purgatory) more difficult. I also like to ask questions. While we tend to focus on the common Protestant beliefs and misconceptions, there are differences among the many denominations. By virtue of the fact they must self-interpret Scripture, one can never be exactly sure what they believe without asking. When they make accusations without basis, ask for examples. Doing so encourages the conversation to continue.
I am currently involved in an Internet dialogue with not only the minister who forwarded the message, but also the original Baptist author. Add that to other ongoing dialogues with a radio news reporter and a couple more Protestant friends, and it keeps me pretty busy! How does one get involved in such discussions? Actually, it is quite easy.
First, just ask God to use you in this way. The opportunities will come. Secondly, know your faith. Most Catholics hear comments from day to day about the Church, Christ, or just religion in general. Often these comments express misconceptions that can be explained easily if one knows his faith. One little clarification might be enough to begin someone on the road to the Catholic Faith. We need to know Church teaching, or at least know where to find solid orthodox answers for people. Third, when you have an opportunity to share your faith, try to take advantage of it. Respond to those emails or those letters to the editor, but do so in a charitable manner, no matter how vicious the author may have been. Use 1 Peter 3:15 as your motto. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence.
Most objections to the Catholic Faith fall into certain categories. After a while, you will know what the objector is likely to say before he says it. The issues generally include, the papacy, Tradition, Mary, purgatory, Salvation by faith and works, the Sacraments, and so forth. Since most Protestants will not accept anything that is not in the Bible, explanations need to be biblically based. Many great resources are available on the Internet from solid Catholic apostolates such as Catholic Answers or EWTN. All common objections are addressed with Bible references as evidence. You do not need to memorize every answer, but simply know where to find the information.
And, don't be concerned if your dialogue reaps no immediate benefit. All we can do is plant the seed. Count on the Holy Spirit to make it grow. If you are met with rejection, do as the apostles did. Wipe the dust from your sandals and move on.
Tuesday, April 19, 2005
Saturday, April 02, 2005
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
Catholic Guilt
As part of the Lenten observance, our parish held a Wednesday evening discussion on forgiveness and mercy. A member of our parish council conducted the session which consisted of reading a sermon originally written for an audience of monks. During the discussion which followed, the moderator told how she was riddled with guilt as a youngster and felt obligated to go to confession every two weeks. She blamed her strict Catholic upgrading as the cause of this "problem" and described her relief when she realized that God is merciful and forgiving. Another prominent parishioner replied that the reason for her guilt stemmed from the pre-Vatican II Church of "Thou shalt nots" as compared to the current positive view emphasizing God's love for us. The underlying message was a sense of victory over the necessity for frequent confession.
Often we hear people refer to "Catholic Guilt" as though all Catholics are unfairly taught to bear responsibility for all wrongdoing in the world. We blame this stigma on those evil nuns in Catholic school who poisoned our minds with such nonsense - those same nuns who struck us when we misbehaved, made us memorize the Baltimore Catechism and conform to the Palmer method of penmanship. Thank God, we were able to escape their bondage and rid ourselves of this induced anguish. Now, we can do as we please while totally ignorant of what the Catechism may say, and penmanship is a long-lost art.
Remember when it was a Mortal Sin to miss Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation? By taking one Sunday off, we could not go to Holy Communion again without going to Confession. Well, this may come as a shock to some people, but none of this has changed. We are still obligated to participate in the Sunday Eucharistic Celebration under penalty of Mortal Sin and we may not receive the Eucharistic Christ until that Mortal Sin is absolved through Sacramental Confession to a priest. (CCC 2181, 1415)
Somewhere along the line, we lost our sense of sin. Unless I missed something, we are still required to obey all those "Thou shalt nots". The rules have not changed. Attitudes have changed, mostly due to priests and bishops shifting emphasis to God's merciful love at the expense of fearing His just punishment. While we certainly have a merciful loving God, we must also realize there are consequences to our behavior. Contrary to popular belief, not everyone is going to heaven.
When Catholics hear nothing but the "God is Love" message in the Sunday homily, they acquire a false sense of eternal security. Perhaps priests are afraid they will drive people away if they preach about the evil of sin and the pains of hell. They do their parishioners an injustice when they complacently enable the frequent reception of Holy Communion by those not in a state of grace. (See 1 Cor 11:27)
There is nothing wrong with feeling some of that Catholic guilt. Knowing that our sins harm not only ourselves but the entire community should make us feel guilty. A few diseased branches are a detriment to health of others on the vine. Sinful behavior is contagious. The irony of all this is that frequent confession can take away the guilty feeling. Those oblivious to sin who feel they no longer need frequent confession are the ones who should be feeling guilty the most.
As part of the Lenten observance, our parish held a Wednesday evening discussion on forgiveness and mercy. A member of our parish council conducted the session which consisted of reading a sermon originally written for an audience of monks. During the discussion which followed, the moderator told how she was riddled with guilt as a youngster and felt obligated to go to confession every two weeks. She blamed her strict Catholic upgrading as the cause of this "problem" and described her relief when she realized that God is merciful and forgiving. Another prominent parishioner replied that the reason for her guilt stemmed from the pre-Vatican II Church of "Thou shalt nots" as compared to the current positive view emphasizing God's love for us. The underlying message was a sense of victory over the necessity for frequent confession.
Often we hear people refer to "Catholic Guilt" as though all Catholics are unfairly taught to bear responsibility for all wrongdoing in the world. We blame this stigma on those evil nuns in Catholic school who poisoned our minds with such nonsense - those same nuns who struck us when we misbehaved, made us memorize the Baltimore Catechism and conform to the Palmer method of penmanship. Thank God, we were able to escape their bondage and rid ourselves of this induced anguish. Now, we can do as we please while totally ignorant of what the Catechism may say, and penmanship is a long-lost art.
Remember when it was a Mortal Sin to miss Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation? By taking one Sunday off, we could not go to Holy Communion again without going to Confession. Well, this may come as a shock to some people, but none of this has changed. We are still obligated to participate in the Sunday Eucharistic Celebration under penalty of Mortal Sin and we may not receive the Eucharistic Christ until that Mortal Sin is absolved through Sacramental Confession to a priest. (CCC 2181, 1415)
Somewhere along the line, we lost our sense of sin. Unless I missed something, we are still required to obey all those "Thou shalt nots". The rules have not changed. Attitudes have changed, mostly due to priests and bishops shifting emphasis to God's merciful love at the expense of fearing His just punishment. While we certainly have a merciful loving God, we must also realize there are consequences to our behavior. Contrary to popular belief, not everyone is going to heaven.
When Catholics hear nothing but the "God is Love" message in the Sunday homily, they acquire a false sense of eternal security. Perhaps priests are afraid they will drive people away if they preach about the evil of sin and the pains of hell. They do their parishioners an injustice when they complacently enable the frequent reception of Holy Communion by those not in a state of grace. (See 1 Cor 11:27)
There is nothing wrong with feeling some of that Catholic guilt. Knowing that our sins harm not only ourselves but the entire community should make us feel guilty. A few diseased branches are a detriment to health of others on the vine. Sinful behavior is contagious. The irony of all this is that frequent confession can take away the guilty feeling. Those oblivious to sin who feel they no longer need frequent confession are the ones who should be feeling guilty the most.
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