A LESSON NOT YET LEARNED FROM THE PAST

 

For a long time Catholics have chided Protestants for their divisions.  The Catholic Church claims to be the one true Church of Jesus Christ (CCC #2105).  They claim that they are “one” because of the Church’s dedication to unity.  See this article:

https://answeringcatholicclaims.blogspot.com/2014/02/there-aremany-important-choices-that-we.html

Catholics claim a “profound” unity, one which is established by God and is “inherent” in the Church.  They will claim that their unification is in direct obedience to the prayer of Jesus Christ in John 17.  But interestingly, the Catholic Church is also concerned about unity with other spiritual groups, including non-Christian ones.

But this is nothing new – they have been spearheading (and are totally committed to) an ecumenical movement which will ultimately cause all religions to come together in “peace,” with the Catholic Church as the head, of course. 

Those leading in this ecumenical movement seem to be saying that we should all put aside our differences and focus on our agreements and similarities.  After all, wasn’t unity what Jesus was all about?  (Actually, no – see Matthew 10:34).  And wouldn’t this unity lead to peace, something that would benefit the whole world?

Well, this sounds really good, doesn’t it?  Everyone would be one big happy family.  Although we would not agree on everything, or even agree on many things, we would at least be “unified” and enjoying peace, right?

But what does this type of unity look like?  Would it look like former Pope John Paul II’s  prayer meetings, where he prayed together with religious leaders from around the world, including Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Bahais, a voodoo priest, witch doctors, and other pagans – hoping to focus on “common ground”?  Is this the “unity” that the Catholic Church is hoping for?

What Will I Have to Give Up?

These ecumenical groups want to encourage dialogue with others in order to bring about this unity.  Dialogue with other groups is fine, but again, their emphasis must be, and will ultimately be, on putting aside our theological and spiritual differences, even our most cherished ones in order to be part of this group.  But this concept is totally unbiblical and promotes “unity at any cost.”  And the cost would indeed be great.

But how can Catholics “unite” with others whose faith does NOT include the same authority, doctrine, worship, government, outward expression, or sacraments?  “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed” (Amos 3:3)?

But it is interesting how they praise the “special” unity they have, yet they also want to unite with other spiritual groups (like Protestants and others) who (according to the Catholic Church) do not have true unity!  So, which is it?  Do you Catholics want to embrace true unity or not?  Why brag about your own “unique” brand of unity and then desire to tarnish that unity by joining with other groups whose concept of unity is “tainted”?

Even if Catholics would be sincere about true unity and true faith, those with whom they are joining would necessarily be corrupting that faith with a different form of their own. 

The Core Biblical Truth

But is the peace sought after in this modern ecumenical movement biblical?  Is this actually the kind of peace and unity that Jesus had in mind?

Jesus Christ is indeed the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).  But there is such a thing as false peace, as well (Jeremiah 6:14).  This is the “peace” that the ecumenical movement brings.  The Bible also tells us:

“There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked” (Isaiah 48:22). 

These groups will have neither true peace nor true unity.  And it is extremely important to remember that the unity that Jesus calls for is unity in the truth (John 17:17)!

Following is one of the simplest and most critical teachings in all of Scripture.  The rejection of this verse by the world religions and other non-Christians is the cause of many, if not most, of them perishing in the Lake of Fire.  Listen very carefully to what Jesus Christ says:

“Jesus saith to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life:  no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.’” (John 14:6)

There is no way to avoid this core biblical truth.  It is His work on the cross, alone, that allows any human being to be fit for Heaven.  Absolutely no one on the face of this planet could possibly make it into Heaven apart from His suffering at Calvary.  Those who do not abide by this truth will be lost.  Yes, Christianity is exclusive, so the secular world (and even the religious world) doesn’t like this fact. 

John 14:6 simply will not allow the modern ecumenical movement to ultimately prosper.  This is an absolute biblical fact.  This movement cannot and will not circumvent the truth of God’s Word.  I pray that we can all embrace this truth before Judgment Day comes.

Who is Behind this?

It’s interesting to see some of the groups who are behind all this modern ecumenical activity.  How is it that secular organizations like the United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU), corrupt as they both are, would be so interested in a religious crusade like the ecumenical movement?  Personally, I believe that their interest is in control, not brotherly unity.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) is another corrupt entity that is pushing this idea.  In fact, they have been working together with the Catholic Church to bring about this movement for quite a while now. 

Another such attempt at ecumenism happened in 1994, where a group of Catholics and Protestants got together and drafted a document titled Evangelicals and Catholics Together: the Christian Mission in the Third Millennium (ECT).  It was signed by prominent members on both sides.   The document emphasized unity and a common mission between the two groups.  This seemed to be an attempt to reverse the Protestant Reformation of the 16^th century, and there was a heavy emphasis on agreement on the doctrine of justification.

Shame on these Protestants for betraying the gospel of grace.  Whether intentional or not, they have fallen for the slick language and have violated the biblical gospel and traded it for a works-based salvation, which is inherent in the Catholic system.  Have both sides forgotten what the Reformation was all about?  Did these people forget about all the anathemas (curse of excommunication) hurled at Protestants from the Catholic Council of Trent?  Do they not remember that many people died (on both sides) to maintain their cherished doctrines?  Or is it all just a simple “mistake” or “misunderstanding” from the past, to be glossed over today?

The Tower of Babel One More Time?

The book of Genesis tells us of man’s first attempt at ecumenism (Genesis 11:1-8).  In a nutshell, God confounded this endeavor when they were trying to form a one-world government/religion.  He didn’t like it then, and He doesn’t like it now.  But in this modern, last-day attempt, God will actually allow mankind to go through with it, but man will finally see that the result will be disastrous.  It will end with the anti-Christ creating a one-world “church” where everyone will be forced to worship him (the anti-Christ) because he performed impressive false miracles (Revelation 13:11-15)… and many will believe in this great delusion (2 Thessalonians 2:11) and will be eternally lost because of it.

Conclusion

Shouldn’t the world have learned an important lesson from this biblical story?  No, they haven’t, but this ecumenical movement is an attempt by man to re-create the tower of Babel.  In essence, it is man shaking his fist toward God once again, and saying “We don’t care what God thinks about it, we will make a name for ourselves” (Genesis 11:4). 

I once heard an example given by Greg Koukl of Stand to Reason.  His example demonstrated the importance of similarities and differences.  He drew a picture of two small round circles, one representing an aspirin and the other representing arsenic (a deadly poison).  He pointed out that they were both small pills, both round, and both started with the letter “a”.  These were the similarities.  But far more important was the fact that one would KILL you and the other would help if you had a headache.

He made the point that their differences were far more important than what they had in common.  It is the same thing with different religions/beliefs.  No matter how many similarities a false religion has with the true one, being at odds with the most crucial core belief of Christianity is fatal.  The difference between the biblical gospel and other “gospels” is one’s destiny for eternity.

So, there is no way that all religions can come together in “unity” in a successful way.  They cannot tolerate the harsh truth that Jesus is the only way to Heaven.  My friends, either Jesus is lying or He is telling the truth.  We cannot have it both ways.

If I were a Catholic, I would take a serious look at the list of powerful people and organizations that are promoting this ecumenism and run far away from them.  Any group pursuing such “unity” is extremely dangerous.

This biblical lesson from the past that God has given mankind concerning ecumenism is simply one from which we MUST learn.  Each person’s eternal destination depends on it.

CATHOLIC CONVENTS AND MONASTERIES: SANCTUARIES OR CESSPOOLS?

• “Sanctuary” – A place of refuge or safety.
• “Cesspool” – A disgusting or corrupt place.

It is normally admirable to see someone who is sold out to God, serving Him at all costs, and is willing to do anything to please our Lord.  This often appears to be the case with Catholic monks and nuns.  Most of the people within these two groups appear to have a very sincere dedication to God (or to the Church), since they have chosen “the consecrated life.”

Now, understand that there are different groups of nuns and monks and they don’t all have the same rules.  Some are stricter than others.  But all of them have a measure of asceticism built into their system.

Asceticism

The online dictionary.com describes asceticism as:

1) The manner of life, practices, or principles of an ascetic.

2) The doctrine that a person can attain a high spiritual and moral state by practicing self-denial, self-mortification, and the like.

3) Rigorous self-denial; extreme abstinence; austerity.

According to the Oxford Languages dictionary, it means:

"Severe self-discipline and avoidance of all forms of indulgence, typically for religious reasons."

So that is why when a would-be monk or nun enters these groups, they will then be isolated, at least to a certain extent, for a period of time to live very closely together in a monastery (monks with other monks or nuns with other nuns).  In extreme cases, they will be completely isolated from the outside world (cloistered), with almost no exceptions.  Sometimes, nuns will live in a convent, where there seems to be a little more freedom.   

Furthermore, Catholic nuns and monks generally will be forced to live a celibate life, meaning that they will not be allowed to marry and they must abstain from sex, in some cases, for the rest of their lives.

If that’s not hard enough, some of these “religious,” as they are sometimes called, are usually expected to discipline and punish themselves by eating very small and simple meals (e.g., bread and water), sometimes only once a day.  Depending on the type of monastery, they are expected to fast often for long periods of time, sleep on hard floors or boards, wear extremely uncomfortable clothing (sometimes made of itchy hair or sharp metal pieces) for long periods, whip themselves (self-flagellation), wear tight cords around the body, and/or sometimes taking vows of silence or vows of poverty, etc., etc. 

Obviously, this won’t make most people say, “Hey, sign me up for that!”  No, this lifestyle is unusually harsh and most Catholics will avoid it.

 Motive?

Again, it is indeed rare to see such dedication toward God or Church, but what is the reason for going to this extreme?  Why choose to live such a harsh lifestyle?

Perhaps it is because they are trying to follow what Jesus said:

“And he said to them all, ‘If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.’” (Luke 9:23)

Or maybe they are thinking of what the apostle Paul said:

 “but I buffet my body and make it my slave, lest possibly, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified. (1 Corinthians 9:27- NASB)

Do they intend to emulate the apostle Paul in his hardships and suffering (Galatians 5:24; 2 Corinthians 6:4-10) or are they even trying to outdo the apostle Paul? 

But what they do in the monastery is not what Jesus and Paul were talking about.  There is a balance in your spiritual life and its discipline.  In fact, Paul warned against legalistic asceticism.  Such a life of legalism will only keep you from serving God properly:

“If you have died with Christ to the spiritual forces of the world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its regulations: “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!”? These will all perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such restrictions indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-prescribed worship, their false humility, and their harsh treatment of the body; but they are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.” (Colossians 2:20-23 - BSB)

It is possible that their motives are well-intended, but we need to remain biblical if we really want to please God.  Much of convent/monastic life is unnecessary.  If you really want to please God, try spending more time at home in prayer, and in the Word of God. 

Thinking about a vow of silence?  How about keeping your mouth shut at the appropriate times, but use your freedom of speech to spread the true gospel! 

Instead of taking a vow of poverty, get a job and actually help others financially who live in poverty!

Instead of trying to live a life of isolation in a monastery (which you won’t find in the New Testament), do what Jesus said and interact with the lost by taking the gospel to the world! (Matthew 28:18-20)

Instead of making yourself miserable, pray for those who ARE ALREADY miserable! 

This life in the convent or monastery is closely tied in with a works-based salvation, that is, they believe that they get more “points” doing this and they have a “better chance” to get into Heaven.  It is an earning system.

 Bad Environment

Not only is there an issue with asceticism in convents and monasteries, but there is something that is recognized by most as a more sinister problem.  When there are so many celibate people of the same sex trapped together indefinitely, bad things tend to happen.  An environment like this invites trouble.  We’ve all heard of pedophile and sexual predator priests in the Catholic Church, but what about nuns and monks?  Can it be that the same things happen to them, as well?  Indeed it can.

Back in January 2019, CBS News did a video on nuns accused of sexual misconduct.  One of the former nuns that CBS interviewed, Trish Cahill, was sexually abused by an older nun.  Cahill, when speaking to the CBS News correspondent, used the phrase “pedophile nun.”  And the correspondent said that the phrase “‘Pedophile nun’ is a phrase I think most of our viewers will have never heard.”  The former nun replied, “Really?  Wow!  That’s really a shame because there’s a lot of them out there.  It’s the secret not yet told.”

The Catholic Church is very aware that it breeds such victims.  Cahill also later said, concerning a financial settlement she received from the Church for the abuse she suffered, “They had canon lawyers on retainer just for people like me!”  That is, the Church had lawyers ever ready to defend against the inevitable… those who would make accusations of a sexual nature against Catholic leaders.  Again, the Catholic Church knows very well the monster they have created with these convents and monasteries and their forced living conditions. 

But thank God, some are finally realizing what Protestants have been saying about the Catholic Church for a long time: In this same video, another former nun, Mary Dispenza, said, “The demands of chastity and celibacy are unrealistic demands for many of us.”

Exactly!  They may mean well in the beginning, but it often ends in disaster.

See the video here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THoy6mLX9r4

Problems in the Church

Again, sexual abuse by priests (and others in the hierarchy) is well known and documented.  But there are many reports and stories of monks and nuns who have abused others, as well. This abuse has fallen under different categories.  Sometimes it is psychological, sometimes verbal, very often it is sexual, and many times it is strictly physical abuse. 

These stories and accusations have been around for a long, long time - for decades, or most likely, centuries.  Sexual deviancy in the Catholic Church was especially a problem during the time of the Borgia popes (in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries), but the Catholic Church, not surprisingly, not only tries to downplay these perverted activities, but the Vatican will also hide their modern predators from the public by not contacting law enforcement, but rather, shuffling off offenders to other areas of the country where they are unknown, starting the same cycle all over again.

The Cat is Out of the Bag

Interestingly, the popular website Catholic Answers wrote an article in March of 2008, titled “Convent Horror Stories.”  See here:

https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/convent-horror-stories

According to this article, when Catholics first came to America, Protestants viewed the Catholic Church as the “sworn enemy of freedom.”  The author tells us of (alleged) liars who came against the Church and spread horrible stories and “urban legends,” making it sound as though Catholic priests were perverts.  The author of the article mocked those Catholic haters who seemed to view the responsibilities of a nun to be “serving the perverse sexual needs of Catholic priests.”  Catholic Answers mocks these (allegedly) fabricated “convent horror stories,” and considers them all to be false.  They try to make it appear as though no such thing has happened among the priesthood.

But more interesting yet, is the fact that in August 2018, the Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report came out nationwide and it revealed that some of those very types of things mentioned in the Catholic Answers article were actually true and still happening today.  The types of activities they brushed off as nonsense in 2008 were actually confirmed in 2018.  Not only those things that were mentioned in the Catholic Answers article, but far worse, including pedophilia.  See here:

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4757021-Pennsylvania-Grand-Jury-Report-on-Catholic.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2018/08/14/pennsylvania-grand-jury-report-on-sex-abuse-in-catholic-church-will-list-hundreds-of-accused-predator-priests/

https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/14/us/pennsylvania-catholic-church-grand-jury/index.html

Here is an article with some of my thoughts on this:

https://answeringcatholicclaims.blogspot.com/search?q=pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report also mentioned the involvement of at least one nun, who helped a priest in some of his assaults upon certain victims, and who also, herself, sexually assaulted a male victim (more than once).

The report also includes an incident of at least one monk who abused a male victim.

The focus of the Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report seems to have been mainly on priests, but one would be naïve to think that nuns and monks are exempt from such behavior.

If you think that nuns abusing others is something that doesn’t exist, see this link:

https://www.snapnetwork.org/nun_abuse

And these two by the New York Post:

https://nypost.com/2019/02/16/inside-the-horrifying-unspoken-world-of-sexually-abusive-nuns/

https://nypost.com/2020/12/22/nuns-were-pimps-for-sick-priests-says-sex-abuse-victim/

If you think that monks abusing others is something that does not exist, see these links:

https://www.snapnetwork.org/man_claims_monk_sexually_abused_him_more_than_100_times_as_a_kid

https://www.snapnetwork.org/west_abused_children_spent_time_philadelphia_aug19

This is some Jeffrey Epstein type of behavior!

And in case you’re thinking that this Grand Jury Report is not substantial, or even fake, the Vatican acknowledges the seriousness of those Pennsylvania findings:

“The Holy See treats with great seriousness the work of the investigating Grand Jury of Pennsylvania and the lengthy Interim Report it has produced.”

See here:

https://ucatholic.com/news/vatican-breaks-silence-on-pennsylvania-sex-abuse-scandal-criminal-and-morally-reprehensible/

Conclusion

So, the conclusion is that convents and monasteries are indeed not the sanctuaries they claim to be. 

Note that I am not saying that there has never been anything good to come out of those places.  For example, monks used to make copies of the Scriptures in monasteries.  But that doesn’t negate the problems within them.

There are several things I blame for the problems therein:

First, I blame the social structure of these monasteries and convents to a large extent.  These living conditions certainly provide an unnecessary “occasion of sin,” as Catholics call it (Baltimore Catechism #3, Lesson 18, Question 770-775).

Here, we have a bunch of unmarried men (or women) who are celibate, with no chance to relieve sexual tension, while living together in close quarters for long periods of time.  Concerning these living conditions, someone once so eloquently stated, “That just ain’t right!”

Secondly, they have a powerful Church which is willing to cover up their sins of perversion for them by keeping their crimes from the police, and then removing those offenders to another location for a fresh start.  Thus, they have an incentive to continue in this perverse lifestyle.  They know others around them in the same convent/monastery are doing it, as well, so they all have a dirty little secret, yet they are quietly protected by the Church.  This, alone, tells us that the leaders in the Catholic Church (including the pope) don’t care about the innocent lives that are being destroyed.

Thirdly, to make matters worse, false doctrine pervades not only monasteries and convents, but the Catholic Church as a whole.  No amount of magnificent architecture, or well-meaning occupants, can make up for false doctrine.  False doctrine is a curse that will destroy eternal souls.  If there is any doubt as to whether there is false doctrine in the Catholic Church, see the multitude of articles in this blog.

Are these Catholic convents and monasteries considered sanctuaries – are they bastions of truth with biblical principles – or are they cesspools of false doctrine and perversion?  The answer is clear for those who have eyes to see and ears to hear (Isaiah 6:10; Jeremiah 5:21; Matthew 13:15).

 

 

 

IS THE CATHOLIC CHURCH’S UNITY BETTER THAN THAT OF OTHER CHURCHES?

When Catholics debate issues about Bible teaching with Protestants, they will often say, “That’s just your opinion, and just your interpretation of the passage.  You Protestants can’t really know what the Bible says in many cases, since there are so many differences and divisions when interpreting Scripture within Protestantism.  You guys can’t agree on anything!” 

The Catholic Church claims that they are the one true church, specifically, “the one Church of Christ” which is “one, holy, catholic and apostolic” (Dogmatic Constitution of the Church, Lumen Gentium, paragraph 8).

But when Protestants point out the fact that there are many arguments within Catholicism (sometimes even about doctrine), Catholics will backtrack and are forced to admit it, but they’ll say that the Catholic Church is truly unified because it can “officially” settle disputes within its ranks.  They have the pope to do that, and he can do it “infallibly”!

But if that’s true, why do Catholics still have so many arguments with each other?  That fact is undeniable.  In just one recent example, there was an issue about Pope Francis complaining about a prominent Catholic television network (EWTN) that was attacking and insulting him. 

See these links for details:

https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2021/09/21/pope-francis-says-attacks-and-insults-against-him-are-work-of-the-devil/

https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2021/09/21/pope-francis-ewtn-critics-241472

https://www.ncronline.org/news/vatican/pope-francis-issues-thinly-veiled-criticism-ewtn-comments-gender-ideology

In these articles, the pope claims that he doesn’t mind so much EWTN’s criticism of him – what he claims to be against is this Catholic network attacking the Church.  However, it seems that the problems EWTN has with the Catholic Church revolve largely around what the pope, himself, is allowing in the Church!  After all, as the sole “human head” and “Vicar” of the Church, isn’t he the one ultimately responsible for the things going on within the Church?  And isn’t he the one who is supposed to discipline leaders, clarify misunderstandings and establish Catholic teaching?  If Pope Francis is the answer to the problem of disagreements in the Church, then why is there still such major division in Catholic circles today?

It is true that EWTN has had some strong things to say, especially about the liberal-leaning Church leaders, and the way the church is being run.  Some critics are claiming that the pope said that EWTN was a “work of the devil.”

Catholic writer and apologist Dave Armstrong (as well as other pope supporters) claims that Pope Francis did not say EWTN was a “work of the devil,” but that criticizing the Church is.  Maybe the pope meant that, or maybe he didn’t, but isn’t that pretty much the same thing?  If EWTN is attacking the Catholic Church, wouldn’t that also reflect on the pope who runs it?

Furthermore, in his article, Armstrong also names several prominent Catholic people/teachers/publishers with whom he disagrees.  You can find Armstrong’s article here:

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2021/09/pope-francis-did-not-say-ewtn-work-of-the-devil.html

So we can see that this “unique” harmony and unity that the Catholic Church claims to enjoy simply does not exist. 

It’s deceptive to claim a “final human authority” who can settle all disputes, when this pope, himself, is chiefly responsible for causing so many of the divisions within his own Church, including contradicting traditional Catholic beliefs that were deeply held for centuries.

Look, divisions are inevitable (1 Corinthians 11:18-19), especially when such large groups are involved.  We Protestants are not complaining about the Catholic Church because it has divisions; every church has them.  We are simply protesting the hypocrisy and pretension involved on the part of Catholic accusations of Protestant divisions, as though Catholics don’t have them.

This whole issue of divisions is simply a distraction used by Catholics to deny the doctrine of “Sola Scriptura” (the Bible alone).  This just means that the Bible is the only infallible rule of faith for the Christian church today.  The idea is not complicated.

Protestants assert that the principles of Scripture are clear enough to settle arguments within the body if simple interpretation principles and common sense are used.  See these links:

https://answeringcatholicclaims.blogspot.com/2013/07/quick-notes-on-sola-scriptura-part-6.html

https://answeringcatholicclaims.blogspot.com/2014/02/there-aremany-important-choices-that-we.html

https://answeringcatholicclaims.blogspot.com/2009/12/dialogue-on-bible-interpretation.html

Yes, we must strive for unity in the church (John 17:20-21) – but God wants us to have unity in the TRUTH (John 17:17), not just an external, cosmetic type of unity where everyone says the exact same prayer at the same time and everyone uses the same gestures.

A small church that is unified in biblical truth is vastly superior to a billion-member church that is unified in error.  If we really want unbelievers to be drawn by our unity (John 17:22-23), then this unity must be based on scriptural truth.  A “unity” based on error is worse than irrelevant.  True unity may not come easy, but it is better to be honestly divided, than to have an artificial unity.

So, to answer the question first posed in the title of this article, no, Catholicism’s unity is not any better than anyone else’s.

 

CATHOLICISM AND MY PERSONAL TESTIMONY

Today’s article will be different.  It will be about my personal experience with the Catholic Church and its teachings.  Anyone who has read this blog knows that I am not a Catholic and that I disagree strongly with the Catholic Church on many issues, although there are some things they teach with which we can agree.  For the record, I did not leave the Catholic Church for personal reasons.  I was not berated by a bishop.  I was not molested by a priest.  I did not leave the Catholic Church because I wanted to shack up and live guilt-free with my girlfriend, or because I found its views on contraception too strict.  And it wasn’t because Catholics are mean people.  In fact, I live in an area with a high concentration of Catholics and many of them are great people and wonderful neighbors.

 

No, I left the Catholic Church for doctrinal reasons.  I strongly disagree with many of its teachings which I believe are not biblical.

My Childhood

I was raised on a farm and was one of six siblings and, for the most part, had a great childhood.  We were raised Catholic, although we were not devout.  We very seldom went to church except for weddings and funerals.  My dad didn’t see attending church as a necessity, although he certainly taught us right from wrong.  My mom was the one who taught us our prayers and helped us through First Communion, Confirmation, etc. 

Even though I was hardly ever in church in my younger years, I was somewhat tender toward the things of God.  I really did want to go to church, but just didn’t get much opportunity to do so as a child.

I vividly remember one day speaking with my oldest brother about how old some people get.  He said, “Yeah, some people grew to be 500 years old and even older.  It’s in the Bible.”  I thought, “Wow, that’s amazing!  But it must be true if it’s in the Bible.”  Now, I didn’t think this because we were Sola Scriptura (“Bible only”) believers.  In fact, we didn’t even have a Bible at home (that I was aware of) and I knew almost nothing about the Bible, but somewhere down the line, I became aware that it was God’s Word and it needed to be taken seriously.  From that moment, I had a greater respect for the Bible and I will ever be grateful to my brother for sharing that information with me that day.

 

The Skunk

As the years went by, I started attending catechism at my small-town elementary school.  Almost everyone in that school was Catholic and I remember how most of the students knew a lot more about their catechism than I did, since they attended church every week. 

Anyway, as a side note, there was kind of a funny thing that happened one day.  As I said, it was a small school in a small town and we would sometimes walk from the school to the Catholic Church a few blocks away to attend catechism there.  On one of these trips, a group of us were walking back to the school after catechism class and we found a dead skunk in the middle of the street.  As we surrounded it, one of my good friends, Greg, somehow managed to toss it on me.  I don’t remember how it happened, but it certainly did and the evidence was there!  When we got back to school a few minutes later, the teacher immediately smelled it and scolded Greg for his mischievous deed.  We still laugh about it today.

Trouble on the rise… 

As a kid, I very seldom got in trouble.  I was basically a good person in everyone’s eyes, a “goody-two-shoes,” if you will.  But the sinful nature of Adam in me prevailed and I grew tired of this image.  I remember walking down my gravel road one day as I decided I was going to do something bad.  I wasn’t even sure what I was going to do yet, but I really wanted to break out of this “good guy” mold.  At that moment, all I can describe is that something definitely changed.  Something seemed to “click” in my mind.  My heart was set to do evil (Ecclesiastes 8:11).

 

Because of this, a series of personal events occurred and things quickly went south.  It was almost as though God was saying to me, “Oh, so you want to be a tough guy, huh?  You want to go against the good I’ve given to you all your life?  Ok, then I’ll turn up the heat!”  God loves us but He will discipline us for our own good (Job 5:17; Proverbs 13:24; 22:15; Revelation 3:19).  And the “spanking” began.  This was the start of the worst period in my entire life.  Things began to happen that caused depression, bitterness and hatred to set in.  I had become a miserable, lustful, foul-mouthed and angry young man and I found out that when God decides to spank a wayward child, you’ll know you’ve been spanked!  I don’t know what would’ve happened if God had extended this period of misery, but only by His grace did I survive it.

In desperation one day, I suddenly remembered I had a book written by a preacher collecting dust on my bookshelf.  I opened it and read for the first time about God’s plan for His people.  It was as though the author was speaking directly to me.  I began to cry like a baby in a much-needed emotional release.  At this time, God wonderfully began to change my heart and my whole situation.

Something Lacking

A short time later, my girlfriend and I got married and since we were both Catholic, we were attending a local Catholic church.  One day at work, I met a guy named Elliot, who shared the gospel with me.  He told me things from the Bible that I had never heard in the Catholic Church.  He also encouraged me to read the Bible for myself.  So, I bought one and began reading it.  This was an eye-opening experience. 

My wife and I were still going to the Catholic Church, but we both felt like it was similar to going to a restaurant with a large buffet, yet only taking a tiny taste and leaving unsatisfied.  We enjoyed the very short “homily” (sermon), but everything seemed to be swallowed up in rituals.  As time went on, we discovered that many things the Catholic Church taught were not found in Scripture and that some things actually went against what the Bible teaches.  Once again, we did not leave the Catholic Church for personal reasons, but because of what it teaches.  If you are wondering about which teachings I object to, there are many articles on this blog which will give details on different topics.  One of the most important topics with which we disagreed with Catholics was justification, i.e., how a person is saved, and the differences here are too important to ignore.

Conclusion

I want everyone to know that this blog was not produced out of bitterness or to personally attack Catholics.  Throughout the blog, I am just attempting to share what God has shown me.  Again, I have many great Catholic friends (and family) and this blog is not meant to disparage them.  Rather, I hope that this article arouses their interest and lets everyone know where I am coming from.

 

Having said that, if I am wrong about the content of all these articles, you may have nothing to lose… but if I am right, there are serious spiritual consequences for those Catholics who choose to continue to embrace the teachings of Rome.

Lastly, I want to urge everyone – Catholics, Protestants and otherwise – to test all things (1 Thessalonians 5:21), including the things I say, with Scripture, since it is the only God-breathed revelation for mankind today (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Sanctify them through Thy truth.  Thy word is truth. (John 17:17)

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:32)

NO RESUME ON JUDGMENT DAY

Man, by nature, is not a humble creature.  All of us like to think highly of ourselves and we like others to think highly of us, as well.  Here in America, we spend billions of dollars every year on cosmetics, beauty aids, gym memberships, fine clothing and fancy cars.  We are very concerned about our image.  We want to look good and we want our friends, neighbors and co-workers to think we look good.

And that spills over into our morality.  Not only do we want to look good, but we want to believe that we are good persons.  Many, if not most, consider themselves to be moral people.  They just can’t imagine that they would be in the “bad person” category.  After all, they are better than Adolf Hitler, or Joseph Stalin, or Jeffrey Dahmer, or Saddam Hussein, aren’t they?  It’s hard to convince most people that they are not as good as they think they are.  For one example, see this short video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2mRCx5pkPY

Judgment Day

So, what about Judgment Day?  Will God consider most people to be good enough to get into Heaven?  Do any of them think that there’s a possibility that they might be shocked on that critical day?  It seems that many will expect God to react in their favor.  For example, let’s look at “George” (a fictional character).  George thinks that God will most likely say, “George, why should I let you into Heaven?”  And then George pulls out his lengthy resume, unrolls it like a scroll, and begins to show God, one by one, how many good things he did for the church, his family and for other people, causing “oohs” and “ahhhs” of approval from the angelic hosts.  God responds, “Wow, George, I am very impressed!  You’ve certainly earned your way into Heaven.  Come on in!”

Ok, maybe I’m exaggerating a little, but this is, I believe, pretty much what many people will be expecting on Judgment Day.  They’re trusting in their goodness, hoping that the good things they’ve done will outweigh the bad.

Is Anybody Good?

But the Bible sheds some light on Judgment Day.  In Matthew 7:21-23 we see that there are many who will be utterly shocked that God finds them to be “workers of iniquity,” instead of “good people.”  The people in this Bible passage did many “good” deeds, and they even did them “in Jesus’ name.”  And they definitely expected this to work in their favor, i.e., to merit entrance into Heaven.  Yet, to their horror, they were rejected, they were sent to Hell.  What did they do wrong?  Well, for one thing, they were trusting in their works to get them in:  “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works?”  But the Bible is clear that we are saved only by the grace of God, through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5), and not by works (Romans 4:4-5).  Remember, Jesus said that no one is good but God (Mark 10:18). 

An Apostle’s Resume

Consider the apostle Paul.  Now this guy had an impressive resume!  He was a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, a zealous Pharisee, a Hebrew of Hebrews and was considered faultless under the Law by his peers (Philippians 3:3-6)!  Yet, he counted all these things as dung that he may gain Christ (Philippians 3:7-9)!  Not only that, but Paul also suffered often in hard labor, imprisonment, beatings, scourgings, stoning, shipwreck, hunger, thirst, cold, lack of sleep and in frequent danger of death.  Not to mention his constant and deep concern for the churches (2 Corinthians 11:23-28).  But even this resume would not be sufficient to merit Heaven, and Paul would be the first to admit this.  No one’s resume is good enough, except for the one provided by Jesus Christ through His work on the cross (1 John 2:2; 4:10).  THAT is the resume we should boast in when we stand before God!

What About Catholics?

So what about those who teach faith plus works to be saved, like the Catholic Church?  Doesn’t this type of mindset leave room for boasting?  Indeed it does (Romans 3:27; Ephesians 2:8-9).

Many Catholics will deny that theirs is a works-based gospel.  They will often quote the Council of Trent and say that they do not believe in salvation by works.  Trent says:

“None of those things which precede justification – whether faith or works – merit the grace itself of justification.”  (Session 6, Chapter 8)

Ok, this may sound good on the surface, but it is misleading for at least two reasons:  1) Scripture tells us that faith does indeed come before and produce justification according to the plan of God (Romans 4:1-3; 9-10), and 2) Trent is saying that works don’t come before justification, yet in other places they tell us that baptism (which is a work) is indeed the cause of salvation!  So they’ve got it all twisted.

On the one hand, they will say that it’s not a works-based salvation, yet, when discussing salvation with them, they will quickly turn to James chapter 2 and insist that salvation is by works, without realizing their flip flop.  I have seen this many times. 

But let’s dispel this myth that Catholicism is not a works-based religion.  This is what they teach…

Official Catholic Teaching

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

“The authority of the Magisterium extends also to the specific precepts of the natural law, because their observance… is necessary for salvation.” (CCC #2036) [Emphasis added]

“…the Second Vatican Council confirms: ‘the mission of teaching all peoples, and of preaching the Gospel to every creature, so that all men may attain salvation through faith, Baptism and the observance of the Commandments.’” (CCC #2068) [Emphasis added]

“The Church affirms that for believers the sacraments of the New Covenant [which are works] are necessary for salvation.” (CCC #1129) [Emphasis in original]

“…The Church does not know of any means other than Baptism that assures entry into eternal beatitude…” (CCC 1257)

According to the Council of Trent:

“If anyone saith that the sacraments of the New Law are not necessary unto salvation… let him be anathema.” (Session 7, Canon 4)

“If anyone saith that the justice [justification] received is not preserved and also increased before God through good works; but that the said works are merely the fruits and signs of justification obtained, but not a cause of the increase thereof; let him be anathema.” (Session 6, Canon 24)

According to the Second Vatican Council’s Apostolic Constitution on the Revision of Indulgences, Chapter 3:

“From the most ancient times in the Church good works were also offered to God for the salvation of sinners… indeed the prayers and good works of holy people were regarded as of such great value that it could be asserted that the penitent was washed, cleansed and redeemed with the help of the entire Christian people.”

This is ample evidence that the Catholic Church teaches salvation by works.  And there are many more examples we could provide.

Conclusion

So, no informed Catholic can honestly deny that the Catholic Church officially teaches that salvation is (at least to some extent) based upon one’s own works.  But according to Scripture, salvation is not of works (Ephesians 2:9), not even by works of righteousness (Titus 3:5), but rather, it is for the one who does not work, but believes (Romans 4:5).

This doesn’t mean that we Christians are never to do any good works, because God certainly wants us to walk in these (Ephesians 2:10).  But our mindset should be that it is only through God’s grace and the cross of Jesus Christ that we are saved, apart from the merits of any of our good works. To say that your works contribute in any way toward your salvation is to say that Jesus’ work on the cross was not sufficient to pay for the sins of the world.  Does anyone really want to say this?

Once again, salvation is not about how great you are, and neither is it about the good things you did for God.  Rather, it is a surrender to God, an admission of helplessness and unworthiness, a humble confession of spiritual bankruptcy on your part.

The gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16).  Accept and believe this simple gospel (the good news) of what Jesus accomplished on the cross, trust in HIS work and suffering and you will not regret it.

I pray that this article is both humbling and encouraging to all.  But I want everyone to know that if you think that your resume will pull you through Heaven’s gates, you don’t stand a chance.