A Wilderness Cry Evangelism and Apologetics
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Monday, November 11, 2013
Witnessing to Catholics
O Mother of Perpetual Help, thou art the dispenser of all the goods which God grants to us miserable sinners, and for this reason he has made thee so powerful, so rich, and so bountiful, that thou mayest help us in our misery. Thou art the advocate of the most wretched and abandoned sinners who have recourse to thee. Come then, to my help, dearest Mother, for I recommend myself to thee. In thy hands I place my eternal salvation and to thee do I entrust my soul. Count me among thy most devoted servants; take me under thy protection, and it is enough for me. For, if thou protect me, dear Mother, I fear nothing; not from my sins, because thou will obtain from me the pardon of them; nor from the devils, because thou art more powerful than all hell together; nor even from Jesus, my Judge himself, because by one prayer from thee he will be appeased. But one thing I fear, that in the hour of temptation I may neglect to call on thee and thus perish miserably. Obtain for me, then, the pardon of my sins, love for Jesus, final perseverance, and the grace always to have recourse to thee, O Mother of Perpetual Help. (Devotions in Honor of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, published by The Redemptorists).
The above is a prayer to Mary, mother of Jesus. The level of idolatry makes me physically ill and at the same time my heart breaks for all my friends and acquaintances that are entrenched into the Roman Catholic Church. Writing this post has been on my heart for some time now. Half of my 15 years in health care have been working in Catholic hospitals. I have many friends and co-workers whom are Catholic. Know that my intention is not to offend you, although I probably will. Know that because I love you and care about you, I must speak the truth in love.
There are over 1.2 billion Catholics worldwide, so your chances of running into one witnessing on the streets is pretty good. Last year at a local festival I had an evangelism booth and a large majority of the people I witnessed to were Catholics. If you have read any of my other posts, you may be asking why am I even writing this post because biblical evangelism doesn't change with whom you are witnessing to. Catholics fit into the same works righteousness group along with Mormons, Jehovah witnesses, and Islam. That is a key difference to keep in mind when on the streets. Biblical Christians are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). Everyone else, including Catholics, add works to salvation. So we take them through the Law and the Gospel just like everyone else we encounter. However, there are some things you should know about them, so when they come back with objections you can reason with them from the scriptures. This will not be exhaustive and complete since this is just a blog, but I will be addressing the most common topics and also will be giving you some recommended resources at the end.
Its important to know that as Christians all knowledge comes from God and His word (Proverbs 1:7, Col.2:2-3), however our RC friends add sacred tradition to their knowledge source. There is a problem with this because scripture and their traditions contradict each other many times. Only one can be correct. Who are you going to trust? God and His word or fallible man? The answer is obvious. So if the Catholics sacred traditions contradict their sacred scripture then their source of knowledge can not be trusted. Example:
As Christians who according to scripture is the only mediator between God and man? Jesus Christ of course.
1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus
But according to the RCC Mary is a mediator:
"Taken up to heaven she did not lay aside this saving office but by her manifold intercession continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation .... Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix.'" (CCC, par. 969)
Here is a key difference between Christians and Catholics, the Gospel itself. As Bible believing Christians we are saved by grace, through faith, in Christ alone. Ephesians 2: 8-9. According to the RCC we are accursed because we hold to that.
"If any one saith, that by faith alone the impious is justified; in such wise as to mean, that nothing else is required to co-operate in order to the obtaining the grace of Justification, and that it is not in any way necessary, that he be prepared and disposed by the movement of his own will; let him be anathema" (Council of Trent, Canons on Justification, Canon 9).There in lies the difference. The Gospel. Are you saved by grace through faith in Jesus? Or are you adding something to that? Was Christ sacrifice insufficient my Catholic friends? Was His precious blood not enough to save you, that you have to do something to merit salvation for yourself? That is not what Gods word says!
This could get very lengthy because of all the problems with this false religion. I suggest you head over to CARM.org and read up. This article with cut and paste info is especially helpful in witnessing to Roman Catholics.
In a nutshell Catholicism is a works righteous religion. Just keep in mind they are counting on their good deeds, works, baptism, etc. to get them into heaven. They arrogantly believe they can bribe the Just Judge of the universe with their good deeds, which in actuality are like a used menstrual cloth in the eyes of a Holy God. Isaiah 64:6 There are many problems and issues which we could discuss here, from the idolatry of Mary, the papacy or purgatory, but the central issue to focus on is the Gospel. The RCC are teaching a false gospel (Galations 1:6-9). If you add anything to the FINISHED work of Christ on the cross (John 19:30), you are teaching a false gospel. In fact they trample under foot the precious blood of Jesus Christ and blaspheme God when they assert that His sacrifice was not efficacious for the forgiveness of sins.
So how do we reach them? Biblical evangelism. Law to the proud and Grace to the humble. Take them through the law and strip them of their self righteousness, show them that they stand condemned before a Holy and Righteous Judge that will not be bribed (2 Chronicles 19:7). If God is good, He must punish sin where it is found. Then lovingly lead them to the foot of the cross, where Jesus Christ paid the penalty IN FULL (2 Cor. 5:21) for their sins if they would humble themselves, repent-turn from their sins and by faith and faith alone receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. They must be born again or they will not see (much less go) the kingdom of heaven (John 3:3). Confess and pour out their hearts to Christ (the only mediator between man and God), not a priest (just a sinful man) and not Mary (who was a sinner in need of a Savior just like us). If they would humble themselves, repent and believe the Gospel, God would remove their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26), they would receive the Holy Spirit, the one and only Vicar of Christ (John 14:26), not the Pope, a sinful man in need of a Savior just like us.
If you're Catholic and you're reading this please know that I love you and I care about you. This is truly good news for you! Please consider these things I have talked about. Please read the scriptures for yourself. I can not convert you, only God can remove the scales from your eyes and my sincere prayer is that He will! Do not let pride and allegiance to an enslaving religion keep you from eternal life with Jesus and an peace, joy, and knowledge that surpasses all understanding.
Resources:
http://carm.org/roman-catholicism
http://vintage.aomin.org/Roman.html
Tracts:
http://www.shop.onemilliontracts.com/Worldview-Witnessing-Tracts-97-count-package-WVT-001.htm
http://www.tractplanet.com/Custom-Tract--Catholic-Tract_p_140.html
A couple of books that helped me:
The Roman Catholic Controversy by James R White
Roman Catholicism by Loraine Boettner
SDG!
Steven
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Open Air Sermon: Romans 6:16 "Slaves to Sin"
Open Air Sermon in Downtown Philadelphia PA bar district, Sept 2013 during The Herald Society Conference.
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