The most formidable, relentless, and deceptive enemy has been Roman Catholicism. It is an apostate, corrupt, heretical, false Christianity. It is a front for the kingdom of Satan. The true church of the Lord Jesus Christ has always understood this.
– John MacArthur
Christ Alone Wyoming 
I agree with the quote 100%.
What time in history did the RCC become apostate?
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I am so glad God saved me out of it. I was raised Catholic, went to Catholic schools all the way through college. Being Catholic was like being Italian -you just don’t change that because it is engrained in you. I will forever be in awe of how God brought me out and changed my life.
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Pilgrim,
Now this is a quote worth considering. Making bold assertions in a triumphal manner, it serves the purpose of hammering at Rome well without resorting to fallacious citation of texts.
An improvement of a sort!
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What about the Orthodox Churches? The Eastern Rite Christian Churches? What disagreements do they have with the Catholic Church? Why are some of them in communion with Rome?
Were the Apostles Heretical as well? What about the disciples of the Apostles in regards to their writings?
I am really intersted in knowing why you feel this way and if you are using the Bible to justify your ideas. Could you let me know what Bible passages you are using?
p.s. Can we pray for Christian unity?
Sincerely,
Joey
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Joey,
Your call for peace is truly encouraging. It seems that it’s impossible to find tolerant Christians these days. I love and support other Christians, whether they are Protestant, Catholic, or Orthodox.
John MacArthur’s comment is elitist. People need to stop exalting themselves and their own views of the church and scripture.
Here’s something to chew on:
There are countless articles and blogs on this Protestant site attacking the Word of Faith gospel. If it hadn’t been for the Protestant Reformation, this gospel would never have existed! (The unfortunate result of Sola Scriptura- anyone can read the Bible and interpret it the way they see fit)
This should humble people. Yes, we all have our opinions. Personally, I am a Protestant and I do believe in Sola Scriptura. However, I will never be caught telling someone else that I’m right and they wrong when it comes to theology (unless they deny the deity of Christ like the Muslims do). Why? Because I am a man, and man is fallible.
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Veritas,
How do you know you’re correct on the deity of Christ? Why can’t you be incorrect on that doctrine?
I have to assume that it’s because the Bible clearly teaches that Jesus is God, but the Bible clearly teaches other things like salvation by grace alone through faith alone. I would say the Bible is very clear on the deity of Christ, however it is even more clear on salvation by faith alone.
By not being willing to say someone who believes in works-righteousness (like a Catholic) is wrong, you’re not taking a stand for tolerance, you’re disrespecting the Bible. You’re not doing anyone any favors by not standing for the truth.
Have you read what Paul had to say about works-righteousness in Galatians? It makes MacArthur look extremely polite. Why would Jews adding their works to the gospel be any different than a gentile adding their works to the gospel? Anyone who adds to the gospel is going to hell. I know this, not because I’m intolerant, but because the Bible says so.
Thanks,
Bill
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Bill,
I believe that Paul was addressing the outward form of religion in Galatians, specifically circumcision. The Hebrews were trying to convince the Galatians to follow the Law and Jesus at the same time.
I would also disagree that the Bible clearly teaches salvation by grace alone through faith alone. If so, why does Paul himself talk about works so much?
“He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.”
Romans 2:6-8
By the way, the above passage is not talking about the believer’s reward. Notice he’s talking about eternal destiny.
James said:
“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves”
James 1:22 – “doers” denotes action(works), not just faith.
“You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works”
James 2:22 – says faith was completed by works. This means faith can be incomplete apart from works.
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Veritas,
You have a fundamental misunderstanding of the gospel.
We have broken God’s law (the Ten Commandments) by lying, stealing, disobeying our parents, looking at someone with lust (Matt 5:28-29), etc. Just like any guilty criminal, we must be punished. God is infinitely holy, righteous and just, and cannot let sin go unpunished. God’s place of punishment is eternal hell. We have sinned against an infinitely holy God, and our punishment is infinite.
Blood is the only payment God accepts for sin. Since our penalty is infinite, only blood of infinite value can make payment. That is why Jesus must be God. Only His blood is of infinite value. Jesus paid for sin completely. There is nothing left to pay. If you try to offer your good deeds to pay for your sin, that is bribery. If you offer your good deeds plus Jesus, that isn’t really trusting in Jesus alone.
The verses you point out have been pointed out to me by every Jehovah’s Witness, Catholic, Oneness Pentecostal, and Mormon I’ve ever talked with on this topic, and I’m familiar with them. Jesus said that a good tree produces good fruit (Matt 7:15-20). We are changed from thorn bushes into fruit trees by God’s power. The verses you refer to show that humans can tell whether someone is a Christian by telling whether they’re producing fruit or thorns. It’s a hypocrite who says that they’re a Christian while only producing thorns.
What are you going to do about your sins?
Thanks,
Bill
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I also suggest reading a post I published last year:
Faith vs Works
This will (hopefully) give you a better understanding of the relationship between the two and their role in the life of a true believer.
One is the FRUIT of salvation while the other is the ROOT of salvation. It is essential to know the difference lest you be propagating “another gospel;” one of works.
– The Pilgrim
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Ok,
On a more personal note, the Protestant idea of faith only in regards to salvation has actually hurt my faith more than helped it. In my church, we were told all we needed to do was ask for forgiveness of our sins and have faith that we received it. It didn’t matter what sin it was, or how many times you committed it. Everytime you sinned, God forgave it. Recently, I read the Catholic Catechism and learned that lust was a mortal sin. Personally, this was a sin I had struggled with for quite a while. Protestants would tell me to trust God’s grace and keep asking for forgiveness. However, everytime I prayed after indulging in this sin, I felt condemned, not released. After learning that it was a mortal sin, I realized I could be damned for it.
This revelation changed me. I finally understood what Jesus meant when he said,
“Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.”
After learning more about mortal and venial sins, and how they affect the Christian, I became more proactive in my faith. Now, I’m making an effort to live righteously. I’m not doing it so I can ‘earn’ my salvation. I know that Christ paid the penalty for my sin. However, that doesn’t mean that I’m free from personal responsibilities. Both Paul and Jesus make it abunduntly clear that we must pursue righteousness and shun evil.
I never found that in Protestantism. Right now, I just call myself a Christian. I believe some Catholic ideas, some Protestant ones, and a lot of Orthodox ones.
Peace,
Veritas
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Pilgrim,
I read your blog and enjoyed it. You made the point that justification couldn’t be earned by good deeds or works. This is certainly not my argument. Yes, I believe that man is justified by grace through faith(the Scriptures make that clear). However, justification is only one part of salvation. What about sanctification and glorification? To be justified requires only faith. Sanctification on the other hand, demands an effort. The Holy Ghost helps you, but you must submit yourself to him and his guidance. You must work to maintain your salvation. Otherwise Christ will spit you out.
Peace
Veritas
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I agree, Veritas.
Those who claim to be “justified” but live lives that show no change are proving that justification never took place.
However, sanctification is an ongoing process whereas justification is a one time instant change in which God regenerates a dead man.
Your works have no part in justification and to suggest that they do is a false gospel (e.g. Mormonism, Catholicism, Islam, Jehovah’s Witnesses).
We are saved by God’s grace and not of ourselves. Nothing we can do can add to the priceless, precious Blood of the Savior that purchased us. To suggest otherwise is an utter contempt for Christ’s shed blood.
Respectfully,
– The Pilgrim
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amen. God saved me out of it, also.
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I have been drawn by God from a Catholic upbringing, and eventually out of life as a Calvinistic Baptist (via Pentecotsalism etc.) Christ is continuing to draw me to himself, as he has promised to ‘all men’.
Just a thought, if the Bible is so clear on ‘justification by faith alone’, as Bill asserts, why is the only scripture (AV) to contain the words ‘Faith’ and ‘Alone’ (good ol’ eSword) James 2:17. ‘Even so faith if it hath not works in dead being alone’.
I think it is safer to say, Martin Luther was very clear on justification by faith alone. It is documented fact that the Luther added the word ‘alone’ in his own translation of Gal 2:16. Why did Luther do this? Was alone meant to be in there? Or did Luther just think it had a nice ring to it? Was he ‘adding’ something which was not the Gospel? If so, according to Bill ‘Anyone who adds to the gospel is going to hell’.
Luther says ‘faith alone’. whereas James in his ‘epistle of straw’ (Luther’s demeaning epithet, not my own) says ‘not by faith only’ (James 2:24). I’m pretty sure who I believe.
While on the subject of: ‘It’s a hypocrite who says that they’re a Christian while only producing thorns.’ did Luther’s own works bear the resemblance of good fruit from a good tree? Not if you happened to be Jewish or a peasant apparently.
Like I say, just thoughts.
best,
Dave
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Dave,
You’re free to speculate on Martin Luther’s salvation. The doctrine of sola fide has little to do with him. It’s based on the Bible.
James 2 is talking about our justification before men–not before God. Salvation–being born again–produces good works. Good works don’t persuade God to save you.
Offering good works as payment for our sins is bribery. The only payment God accepts for sin is blood (Lev. 17:11, Heb. 9:22). If you approach God with anything other than Jesus’ blood, you’re going to be in trouble.
Thanks,
Bill
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@Dave:
The Protestant view has always been that we are justified by faith alone, however not by faith that is alone. Genuine faith will produce good works and a changed life. That is why James can say what he says.
The reason we emphasize ‘alone’ is because that is what the Scriptures emphasize. If one takes justification as being legal and forensic (which the RCC does not) then Paul’s argument in Romans 3 becomes clear. It is not by our works, it is not through obedience to the law that we are justified, but by faith. It is a one time declarative event, after which we can live holy lives (by God’s grace and empowering) not in an effort to save ourselves, but out of gratitude, love, and a desire to glorify God.
It is interesting you brought up the image of the good tree and thorns. A good tree does produce good fruit, why? It produces good fruit because it is a good tree. Tell me, can a tree make itself good, or can it once being good become bad? No – not according to Jesus’ illustration. Likewise, by God given faith, man is justified and is declared a good tree. This cannot be undone. If you suggest it can then it is an attack against God and the work of Christ to save. However, there will be many claiming to be good trees, who in fact, like James’ said, had faith without works. This is evidence that they were never a good tree. As Jesus continues in Matthew 7, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven…”
Jesus concludes by saying the wise man built his house on rock, not on sand. The sandy foundation is the one that declares their works before God and trusts in them (Matt. 7:22), yet truly remains wicked at heart for they have not been saved (Matt. 7:23). The wise man builds on the rock, which is Christ and His work (by faith) and then flowing from this has a life of righteousness, not to save himself but simply aided by the Spirit and in response to God’s grace.
I am not calling you to an unholy life (nor are the Scriptures), however if you are trusting in your holy life to save you, then I call you to repent and to trust in Christ’s work alone to save you.
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Romans 3:28–For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.
Romans 5:1–Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Galatians 2:16–nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.
Galatians 3:11–But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.”
2nd Timothy 3:15–from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
Dave,
Luther may have added the word “alone” but he didn’t really have to. The idea is all throughout Scripture, that we are made righteous not by the bloody rags of human effort, but only by the blood that Christ shed upon the mercy seat of the cross.
Also, you might want to do some more research on Luther’s thoughts on James before you accept what you hear from those who think we have to add vile human works to the perfect blood of Christ in order to be saved.
While it is true that Luther may have waffled on the matter of the canonicity of the epistle of James, he did in fact hold it in high regard.
James White wrote a concise, accurate article on this very subject. The reason for the article was to refute Catholics who like to use that “epistle of straw” comment to assault Luther’s character. All emphases mine:
Here is the “epistle of straw” comment in its entirety:
“In short, St. John’s Gospel and his first Epistle; St. Paul’s Epistles, especially those to the Romans, Galatians and Ephesians; and St. Peter’s first Epistle―these are the books which show you Christ and teach everything which is necessary and blessed for you to know, even if you never see or hear any other book or teaching. Therefore in comparison with them St. James’s Epistle is a right strawy epistle, for it has no evangelical quality.”
Luther was not mocking the value of the epistle of James, but comparing its “evangelical quality” with the other books listed in that quote. In fact, Luther preached out of the book of James on many occasions–a might strange act for one who is cliamed to have despised the writing, no?
Source for the last quote:
History of the New Testament Study by F. F. Bruce
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