The Roman Catholic religion has a number of defenders. They make truth claims about their religion. One of the foundational truth claims asserted by Roman Catholic apologists is that the Roman Catholic religion is Christian. We do not believe the Roman Catholic religion is Christian. Hence, we answer Rome’s truth claims point by point in hopes of helping Christians give a defense [apologia] for the hope that is in them.
One arena of heated debate with Rome is the nature and definition of the Christian Church. Rome believes that the Christian Church is an institution ruled and operated by the Roman Catholic hierarchy. Rome believes that the Christian Church is composed of believers and non-believers. Rome believes that she is the purest form and representation of the Christian Church while maintaining that there are other Christian Churches that do not believe what Rome believes about various matters of faith and practice.
Christians believe that the Christian Church is none other than the Body of Christ and is composed solely of Believers in Christ. Only those who have been put in Christ through faith alone in His finished work of Christ alone constitute the Body of Christ. There are no unbelievers in the Body of Christ. There are no non-Christians in the Christian Church. Christians also believe that there is only one set of beliefs that constitute the heart’s belief of all Christians. There are not several Christian Churches with each believing contrary things about salvation.
We now offer this discussion using a composite of Roman Catholic arguments gleaned from our interaction with several Roman Catholic apologists. This episode centers around the nature of the Christian Church and the proper identification of the Christian Church. We first give the Roman Catholic assertion and follow with a Christian response.
The Real Church
Roman Catholic Claim
Jesus said his Church would be “the light of the world.” He then noted that “a city set on a hill cannot be hid” (Matt. 5:14). This means his Church is a visible organization. It must have characteristics that clearly identify it and that distinguish it from other churches. Jesus promised, “I will build my Church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18). This means that his Church will never be destroyed and will never fall away from him. His Church will survive until his return.
Christian Response
Right from the start Christians have a problem with Rome. In Matt. 5:14 Jesus was giving His sermon on the mount. He addresses His followers as the ‘light of the world.’ All who are in Christ are ‘a light on a hill.’ They are members of the Body of Christ and constitute His Church. The Church of Jesus Christ is synonymous with The Body of Christ. It is a visible organization in the sense that it is composed of Christians from every tribe, nation and tongue. It is a universal Body that exists in local expression throughout the world.
As the Apostle Paul writes, the Church (Ekklesia) meets at various places and times throughout the world. The Body of Christ. is the Church meeting together to follow the Word of God.
1CO 1:2 to the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:
The Roman Catholic religion has institutionalized the word ‘church’ and given it an identity that does not correspond to the Bible. When we realize that the Church is the Body of Christ, it gives us the proper understanding of a living Body of People in Christ.
EPH 2:19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household,
EPH 2:20 having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,
EPH 2:21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord;
EPH 2:22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.
EPH 4:11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,
EPH 4:12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;
EPH 4:13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fulness of Christ.
EPH 4:14 As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;
EPH 4:15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head, even Christ,
EPH 4:16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by that which every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.
It is quite right that the gates of hell will not prevail against the Church [Body of Christ] because God will not leave or forsake His own who are in Christ. But Roman Catholic dogma denies the security of the believer and hence views the church as an institution marked by elaborate ritual rather than a collection of living saints in Christ.
1PE 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
1PE 2:10 for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Real Baptism
Roman Catholic Claim
Because of original sin, we are born without grace in our souls, so there is no way for us to have fellowship with God. Jesus became man to bring us into union with his Father. He said no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is first born of ‘water and the Spirit’ (John 3:5)-this refers to baptism.
Through baptism we are born again, but this time on a spiritual level instead of a physical level. We are washed in the bath of rebirth (Titus 3:5). We are baptized into Christ’s death and therefore share in his Resurrection (Rom. 6:3-7).
Baptism cleanses us of sins and brings the Holy Spirit and his grace into our souls (Acts 2:38, 22:16). And the apostle Peter is perhaps the most blunt of all: ‘Baptism now saves you’ (1 Pet. 3:21). Baptism is the gateway into the Church.
Christian Response
First, Rome’s axiom that the word “baptism” must always refer to the sacramental application of water in Christian baptism must be refuted. If the axiom falls, the Roman argument loses all its force. Let us begin with John 3:5. Was Jesus referring to Christian baptism when He said, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5, KJV)? The answer is No, for a very simple reason:
Jesus was addressing Nicodemus in the context of what Nicodemus should have known from the Old Testament. “Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?” (John 3:10, KJV). Where in the Old Testament could Nicodemus have learned about a Trinitarian baptism? Jesus could not have been chiding Nicodemus for not knowing something that Jesus would institute after His resurrection. He was appealing to something Nicodemus should have already known, i.e., from the Old Testament scriptures. The meaning of “water” in v. 5 must therefore be derived from them.
We note from Isaiah 44:3 that God promises to pour out water and His Spirit; Ezekiel 36:25-26 speaks of sprinkling water in the context of giving a new heart and placing God’s Spirit in the believer; Jeremiah 4:14 commands Jerusalem to “wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved,” not “wash thy bodies” but “wash thine heart”; and Psalms 51:2,7,10 speaks of washing from sin in the context of creating a clean heart, and renewing a right spirit “within me.” Because the Old Testament overwhelmingly associates “cleansing of the heart” with water and spirit, the allegory in John 3:5 must speak of rebirth, and not Trinitarian Christian baptism. As can be seen, with this the testimony of the New Testament overwhelmingly agrees.
1 Peter 3:21
Peter wrote, “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 3:21, KJV.) Rome uses this to prove that baptism saves. We agree with the statement, but not Rome’s definition of “baptism.” In fact, Peter rules out water baptism entirely: “not the putting away of the filth of the flesh.” Of what, precisely, is Peter speaking if not water baptism? He is speaking of “the answer of a good conscience toward God,” and that is regeneration. Consider the weighty scriptural testimony that it is a “sprinkled heart” and not a “sprinkled body,” a “pure heart and mind” not a “pure body” that results in the answer of a good conscience: “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.” (Hebrews 10:22, KJV). “Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:” (1 Timothy 1:5, KJV). “Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled” (Titus 1:15, KJV). In that light, and given Peter’s explicit denial that he is speaking of water baptism in 1 Peter 3:21, what else can “the answer of a good conscience” be but regeneration by “hearts sprinkled” (Heb 10:22) rather than by “bodies sprinkled”? Thus, 1 Peter 3:21 maintains a “wall of separation” between the figure or the sign, and what the sign signifies. The water of the flood is the sign/figure of baptism (v. 20), but the baptism that saves is what the water signifies: regeneration.
Colossians 2:12
The context of this verse is quite telling. The two preceding verses make clear that Paul is not going to be talking about water baptism: “And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:” (Colossians 2:10,11, KJV). What, precisely, is the circumcision made without hands, and what are its fruits? Circumcision without hands is “circumcision of the foreskin of the heart” as in Deuteronomy 10:16, and the result is that we are “no more stiffnecked.” That is the context of what Paul is about to say next-he appeals to the Old Testament as preface to the recent regeneration of the believers in Collossae, and he cites their “being no more stiffnecked” as evidence of rebirth (cf. Col 1:6). Paul in vv. 10-12 was saying we are complete in Him though circumcision of the foreskin of the heart which, making us alive, leads to “putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ.” The “circumcision of Christ” is “the circumcision made without hands” which is circumcision of the heart, or rebirth. The two are co-identified as rebirth. He continues, and having already twice clarified that he is speaking of a transformation of the heart, then clarifies three more times that he is writing of an inner transformation of rebirth and not something done with human hands or even by water: “Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses” (Colossians 2:12,13, KJV).
Baptism in Colossians 2:12 is therefore clearly identified with the Old Testament practice of circumcision. But Paul is clearly speaking of “hearts baptized” just as Moses had been speaking of “hearts circumcised” (Deuteronomy 10:16) and as Jeremiah had been speaking of “hearts washed” (Jeremiah 4:14).
Romans 6:4 and Titus 3:5
Likewise, Paul, in his letter to Titus spoke of the “washing of regeneration” (3:5) not the “regeneration of washing.” This is none other than that of which Jeremiah had been speaking, namely “washed hearts.” And finally, in Romans 6:4, Paul speaks of baptism in precisely the same way he did in Colossians 2:12, specifically as rebirth to newness of life. Compare:
“Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.” (Colossians 2:12, KJV).
“Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4, KJV).
We note in both cases that Paul is writing of walking in newness of life due to “circumcision made without hands” (Colossians 2:11) and “circumcision of the heart” (Romans 2:29).
This renewal of the heart, according to the consistent testimony of David, Ezekiel and Isaiah, is an operation of the Spirit of God, which is rebirth or regeneration. And since Paul identifies the baptism of the Spirit as the means of entry into the Body of Christ.
“For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 12:13, KJV).
We therefore conclude with him that rebirth “is the gateway into the Church,” not “water baptism,” and rebirth is precisely what Jesus was speaking of in John 3:5, as was Peter in 1 Peter 3:21, Paul in Titus 3:5, Colossians 2:12 and Romans 6:4.
The Real Purpose of Life
Roman Catholic Claim
Old catechisms asked, “Why did God make you?” The answer: “God made me to know him, to love him, and to serve him in this world and to be happy with him forever in the next.” Here, in just 26 words, is the whole reason for our existence. Jesus answered the question even more briefly: “I came so that [you] might have life and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).
God’s plan for you is simple. Your loving Father wants to give you all good things-especially eternal life. Jesus died on the cross to save us all from sin and the eternal separation from God that sin causes (CCC 599-623). When he saves us, he makes us part of his Body, which is the Church (1 Cor. 12:27-30). We thus become united with him and with Christians everywhere (on earth, in heaven, in purgatory).
Christian Response
The overwhelming assumption in Roman Catholic theology is that God has a purpose for each and every person in the world that can be thwarted [frustrated] by that person. The enormous underlying axiomatic presupposition in Rome is that man’s alleged free-will is the final determining factor in his future. Essentially, Rome believes that Jesus Christ died on the cross for each and every person in the whole wide world. Based upon this understanding of the atonement of Christ, Rome reasons that God wants to save each and every person in the whole wide world. Notice the supposition: “Your loving Father wants to give you all good things – especially eternal life.” God wants to save everyone but God cannot. Why can He not? Because, some men will not let God save them. Unless man lets Him God cannot save anyone. When Rome says, “When he saves us, he makes us part of his Body, which is the Church”, Rome means when we let God save us and when we let God put us in His Church.
The mere idea that God’s absolute sovereign will, that brings to pass all things according to His counsel, can be stymied by the will of man is bad enough. The Bible explodes this mythology of Rome in numerous instances. Let one example be sufficient for now.
ROM 9:14 What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be! ROM 9:15 For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” ROM 9:16 So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy. ROM 9:17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I raised you up, to demonstrate My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed throughout the whole earth.” ROM 9:18 So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires. ROM 9:19 You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?” ROM 9:20 On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it? ROM 9:21 Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use, and another for common use?
However, Rome further distances herself from Christian theology by insisting that God has provided a way of salvation for man within the Roman Catholic religion. Not only does Rome deny God the sovereign power to save whom He wills, Rome substitutes her religious rituals in the place of God’s method of salvation. In this way the water of Rome is doubly poisoned.
Real Security
Roman Catholic Claim
Rome begins with a “characterization” of Christianity. Rome thinks that evangelicals teach “security” regardless of lifestyle. This summary statement below was sent to us by a Roman Catholic who borrowed it from a Roman Catholic apologetic web site. Here is the exact citation. Notice that this Roman Catholic wishes to throw down a belief that he considers to be popular among evangelicals. Here we see that Rome distorts Christianity and then demolishes a “christianity” of her own making.
“Some people promote an especially attractive idea: All true Christians, regardless of how they live, have an absolute assurance of salvation, once they accept Jesus into their hearts as “their personal Lord and Savior.” The problem is that this belief is contrary to the Bible and constant Christian teaching.” (emphasis ours)
Christian Response
Immediately we must burn up this “straw man” that Rome has fashioned in this opening salvo against the security of God’s elect. True Christians would never make the claim that heaven is theirs “regardless of how they live.” So, Rome begins by objecting to a position that no true Christian regards as biblical. Christians by the very nature of regeneration are repulsed by the notion that they can sin freely because they are secure in Christ. Christians are well aware of the apostle Paul’s warning:
ROM 6:1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase?
ROM 6:2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?
And again:
GAL 5:13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
By arguing against something not even believed by Christians, the Roman Catholic apologist presents a poor characterization of Christianity. Rome misses the point that all true Christians have a high regard for the work of the Holy Spirit being accomplished within a Christian as well as the promises of God in Christ Jesus. These promises include giving to Christians the mind of Christ, a growing loathing of personal sin and the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit.
In reality, the critical difference between Christianity and Roman Catholicism is that Roman Catholicism insists that true believers can be ultimately lost. As proof they point out hypocrites who assert they are Christians but in reality live for the devil. The true Christian would see this same hypocrisy and say that hypocrites are not true believers in the first place.
Because Rome views salvation to be dependent upon man, Rome is able to threaten the very elect of God with a loss of salvation should they stumble and sin. Such is the theology of all man-made schemes of salvation. If man gets himself into heaven by his righteousness then man can surely get himself out of heaven and into hell by his own sinning. In Rome, salvation is “of the man.”
In contrast, Christians believe that they are put in Christ by God and are protected by the power of God for a sure and certain eternal salvation bought with the eternal blood of Christ. If God puts a man in Christ then God will keep him there.
Real Authority
Roman Catholic Claim
Jesus chose the apostles to be the earthly leaders of the Church. He gave them his own authority to teach and to govern-not as dictators, but as loving pastors and fathers. That is why Catholics call their spiritual leaders “father.” In doing so we follow Paul’s example: “I became your father in Jesus Christ through the gospel” (1 Cor. 4:15).
Christian Response
To begin, we note that Paul does not really say he became the Corinthians’ father. Rather he says he begat them:
“For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.” (1 Corinthians 4:15, KJV).
This is important, because Paul elsewhere says he travails like a woman in birth pangs for the sake of the Galatians:
“My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you” (Galatians 4:19, KJV).
If Roman Catholic priests are to be addressed as “father” because of 1 Corinthians 4:15, let them also be addressed as “mother” on account of Galatians 4:19. But if this reasoning fails for the latter, it must of necessity fail for the former, and we see that Paul assigned no such office or title to himself. “To beget” or “to travail in birth” are metaphors for his ministry of preaching, which leads to our next point. Paul apparently only used this metaphor when he was addressing those to whom he personally ministered:
“And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:1, KJV.
“Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.” Galatians 4:13, KJV.
But we note in his letter to the Roman church, such metaphors are absent, for he did not personally preach to them. In fact had never even met them, though he had long desired to:
“Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you… Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles.” (Romans 1:10-13, KJV).
Where in Romans does Paul call them “his children” and where does he call himself their mother or father? Nowhere. He simply was not present when they heard the gospel and believed. The Roman Catholic use of 1 Corinthians 4:15 is a classic case of “generalizing the exception.” It is like the young child who learns that the next door neighbors are the O’Connors, and concludes confidently that the rest of the families in the neighborhood are the O’Joneses, the O’Smiths and the O’Johnsons. He has taken the exception and made it the rule! So too, have Roman Catholics with 1 Corinthians 4.
Contrarily, the Roman Catholic priest at best, could be called “father” by those to whom he personally preached at their conversion to Roman Catholicism, and while they are calling him “father,” let them also call him “mother,” lest they ignore the plain implications of Galatians 4:19. And if a Roman priest shudder to be called “mother,” then let the title “father” be withheld as well.
Real Prayer
Roman Catholic Claim
One of the most important activities for a Catholic is prayer. Without it there can be no true spiritual life. Through personal prayer and the communal prayer of the Church, especially the Mass, we worship and praise God, we express sorrow for our sins, and we intercede on behalf of others (1 Tim. 2:1-4). Through prayer we grow in our relationship with Christ and with members of God’s family (CCC 2663-2696).
This family includes all members of the Church, whether on earth, in heaven, or in purgatory. Since Jesus has only one body, and since death has no power to separate us from Christ (Rom. 8:3-8), Christians who are in heaven or who, before entering heaven, are being purified in purgatory by God’s love (1 Cor. 3:12-15) are still part of the Body of Christ (CCC 962).
Jesus said the second greatest commandment is to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22:39). Those in heaven love us more intensely than they ever could have loved us while on earth. They pray for us constantly (Rev. 5:8), and their prayers are powerful (Jas. 5:16, CCC 956, 2683, 2692).
Our prayers to the saints in heaven, asking for their prayers for us, and their intercession with the Father do not undermine Christ’s role as sole Mediator (1 Tim. 2:5). In asking saints in heaven to pray for us we follow Paul’s instructions: “I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone,” for “this is good and pleasing to God our Savior” (1 Tim. 2:1-4).
All members of the Body of Christ are called to help one another through prayer (CCC 2647). Mary’s prayers are especially effective on our behalf because of her relationship with her Son (John 2:1-11).
God gave Mary a special role (CCC 490-511, 963- 975). He saved her from all sin (Luke 1:28, 47), made her uniquely blessed among all women (Luke 1:42), and made her a model for all Christians (Luke 1:48). At the end of her life he took her, body and soul, into heaven-an image of our own resurrection at the end of the world (Rev. 12:1-2).
Christian Response
There is no questioning the priority of prayer in the life of a Christian. Christians pray for their needs and desires. They are commanded to pray and there is no such thing as a Christian who does not pray. God gives new life in Christ. One of the fruits of new life is prayer.
However, the Roman Catholic religion insists that those who are alive on earth should pray for those who have died to this physical life. Their argument is not reasonable or Scriptural. First, Rome teaches that Christians land in a place of their imagination called Purgatory. Rome lectures us that Purgatory is a place of cleansing for sin designed for Christians who have died but are not yet pure enough to go to heaven. This in and of itself is spurious There is no such place as Purgatory. It is simply a figment of Rome’s fantastic imagination. Scripture knows of no place of waiting and purification called Purgatory. Secondly, according to Rome’s own testimony, no one can be certain where a person has ultimately landed after their death here on earth. How could a person possibly pray to or for another person if he is unsure of where that person may be? There is no ‘heavenly security’ for the dead in the Romish religion. How can a Roman Catholic know for sure if his beloved relative or wife or friend is in heaven or in hell?
Rome summons Revelation 5:8 as a proof text that those who have died and gone to heaven pray for those alive on earth.
REV 5:8 And when He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, having each one a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
The assumption in Rome is too much for this highly symbolic text of Scripture. It is not mentioned that these prayers are from those who have died and gone to heaven. We do know that the saints [Christians] alive on earth are said to offer up to God a pleasing aroma of incense with their prayers. But there is no mention of saints in heaven praying continually for those alive on earth. To do this, the saints alive in heaven would have to have intimate knowledge of the trials and tribulations of the saints left on earth. No where in Scripture are the saints in heaven said to have such intimate knowledge and a prayer life for believers alive on earth.
REV 8:3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
REV 8:4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel’s hand.
These two passages seem to indicate that the prayers going up before the Lord are from His people yet alive on earth. They are not said to be from the company of elect alive in Heaven.
We are at a loss to see the logic of Rome’s citation of 1 Timothy 2:1-4 as a proof for ‘asking saints in heaven to pray for us.’
1TI 2:1 First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men,
1TI 2:2 for kings and all who are in authority, in order that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.
1TI 2:3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
One can readily read that the apostle would have those alive on earth pray for those alive on earth. Rome leaves out the middle verse, “for kings and all who are in authority”, so as to leave the impression that Paul is somehow including those also who have died as part of the his “prayers for all men.” Rome wishes us to believe that the apostle Paul is asking us to pray for and to those who have died when he says, “prayers, petitions and thanksgiving be made on behalf of all men.” Only in Rome’s imagination does all ‘all men’ equal those in a fictitious place called Purgatory and those in heaven already!
As to Rome’s claims that Mary’s prayers are especially effective on our behalf we have much to say. Rome claims that Mary was saved from all sin. As proof Rome cites Luke 1:28,47. Is this what the Bible teaches?
LUK 1:26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee, called Nazareth,
LUK 1:27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
LUK 1:28 And coming in, he said to her, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.”
There is no intimation that Mary was “saved from all sin” in Gabriel’s announcement that Mary was the favored one. The Greek term used here charitoo [favored one] does not mean sinless. It is used in Ephesians 1 of the fullness of grace given by God to all Christians.
EPH 1:6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed [charitoo] on us in the Beloved.
Mary, upon hearing the news from Gabriel cries out in Luke 1:47.
LUK 1:46 And Mary said: “My soul exalts the Lord,
LUK 1:47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
The plain indication of this text is that Mary understood God to be her savior in the same sense that God is the savior of all Christians. There is no hint of a preemptive salvation for Mary. Mary was not prevented from sinning. She was to be saved from her sins like everyone else.
Roman Catholics are taught that Mary was assumed into heaven without suffering the decay of death. This is said to be “an image” of the future resurrection at the end of the world. The terms used here are deliberately nebulous. How can Mary’s alleged assumption be an “image” of a resurrection when resurrection means life from an actual death? The term “image” is stretched beyond meaning by Rome. Also, what proof do we have that Mary was assumed bodily into heaven? The verse given to us is Revelation 12:1,2.
REV 12:1 And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars;
REV 12:2 and she was with child; and she cried out, being in labor and in pain to live birth.
Is the woman mentioned in this highly symbolic book Mary? There is good reason to think it is not Mary. We notice that the pain of labor is upon this woman. This would contradict Roman Catholic theology that spares Mary of original sin [pain in child bearing] and that denies Mary the normal birthing process. [Rome holds to a miraculous delivery] But, even if this woman was Mary (There is no indication that she is Mary. In the context of Revelation Israel seems to be the reality behind this symbol) what does this passage say about a bodily assumption? It says nothing.
Most Roman Catholics will not bother to look up passages of Scripture slipped in beside the audacious claims of Rome. The assumption is that Rome knows best. The assumption is hat somehow these passages support the Romish claims. But, as we can see, the contentions of Rome are not supported by the Bible.
Real Salvation
Roman Catholic Claim
Best of all, the promise of eternal life is a gift, freely offered to us by God (CCC 1727). Our initial forgiveness and justification are not things we “earn” (CCC 2010). Jesus is the mediator who bridged the gap of sin that separates us from God (1 Tim. 2:5); he bridged it by dying for us. He has chosen to make us partners in the plan of salvation (1 Cor. 3:9).
The Catholic Church teaches what the apostles taught and what the Bible teaches: We are saved by grace alone, but not by faith alone (which is what “Bible Christians” teach; see (Jas 2:24)
Christian Response
We notice that the Roman Catholic defender says that “the promise of eternal life is a free gift.” This is Roman Catholic doublespeak. Rome gives the impression that salvation is a free gift. But it is not so in Rome. The “promise of eternal life” is a gift of God but eternal life itself is contingent upon works of merit in Rome.
What exactly is meant by “the promise of eternal life is a gift freely offered to us by God”? It means that to get the gift of eternal life there are strings attached. Rome believes that a gift is free if you can attain it. Christians believe that a gift is free. Christians believe that for a gift to be a gift it must be free of charge. Rome believes that a gift can still be a gift if it is earned.
This brings us to the eternal chasm that separates Christians from Roman Catholics. Roman Catholics are taught that salvation is free and all of grace because God invented it. Roman Catholics are taught that the free gift of salvation centers in the origination of a plan of salvation in the mind of God. The “gift” aspect of the Roman Catholic gospel is the sending of Jesus Christ to die on the cross and put in motion a plan of salvation. Since man could not conjure up a plan of salvation, Rome insists that the plan is the “gift” of salvation from God. The words “gift” of God and “grace” of God begin and end with the conceptualization and implementation of a plan of salvation. Of course Rome is adamant that she alone understands the plan of salvation and builds her religion around it.
To illustrate let us suppose that Thor, the Norse god of thunder, wanted to save a colony of ants. The ants have no way of coming up with a plan of eternal life that would land them in a heavenly colony with Thor. So, in his grace, Thor sets up a plan. It is his plan. It will be his gift to give eternal life to a colony of ants. Whatever conditions Thor puts upon an ant to achieve eternal life will still be of ‘grace’ and a ‘gift.’ If Thor says the ants must march through fire, sacrifice themselves in water, starve themselves to death or achieve extraordinary success within the colony to be saved it is still of ‘grace’ and a ‘gift.’ Why? Because the entire plan of salvation was thought up by Thor. No ant could achieve salvation by his own plan. No ant could conjure up such a deal. Thor did it and it is of grace and a gift because Thor brought it down to the ants. If Thor says that ants must satisfy Thor for their sins by punishments it is still ‘of grace’ and salvation is still a ‘gift.’ The ants did not invent it. The ants are only carrying out the plan of salvation.
This is not a far fetched illustration. Listen to the words of Rome.
“The council teaches furthermore that the liberality of the divine munificence [kindness or generosity] is so great that we are able through Jesus Christ to make satisfaction to God the Father not only by punishments voluntarily undertaken by ourselves to atone for sins, or by those imposed by the judgment of priests according to the measure of our offense, but also, and this is the greatest proof of love, by temporal afflictions imposed by God and borne patiently by us.” Council of Trent Fourteenth Session
Essentially, Roman Catholics are taught that God in His magnificent grace has given freely the gift of salvation to all those who follow His plan. Rome claims to have the plan. The plan is to get the gift by earning it. Once one sees that the gift is the right to earn the right to be worthy of the gift then Romanism becomes very clear. Rome sees no contradiction between a true gift and a gift of earning the gift. In Rome, it is the grace of God and His wonderful free gift that allows man to warrant his own salvation. Or, in other words, the gift of grace in Rome is the gift of striving to attain it.
Rome also believes that the offer of salvation is a gift because they baptize passive babies with the claim that baptism washes away original sin. Hence, in Rome, babies experience their first justification passively as a free gift of God in the waters of baptism. This then qualifies salvation as being initially free but later earned as babies grow up to sin and are in need of second, third, fourth and so on justifications.
Christians believe the exact opposite. Both cannot be right. Christians believe that salvation, not only the promise of salvation, but salvation itself is of the grace of God and is a real gift of God. Christians understand that the plan of salvation is all of God and hence a gift of His eternal grace. But Christians also believe that the plan of salvation is to give eternal life freely based only upon the condition of faith. Furthermore, this faith condition is fully satisfied by God Himself Who freely gives faith that we might believe. So then even though faith is the demand and condition of salvation, it too is freely satisfied by God Who grants faith where there is only unbelief. Now this is real grace and it is a real gift.
Let us set forth a Bible passage and see the dramatic difference between Roman Catholicism and Christianity in the interpretation and application of this one important verse.
EPH 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
EPH 2:9 not as a result of works, that no one should boast.
Rome would agree with the apostle Paul using her own understanding of faith and grace. When the apostle says, “For by grace you have been saved”, Rome understands God’s grace as the giving of the plan of salvation. This plan includes the getting of God’s grace in infant baptism and through the rest of the sacraments. To be saved by grace in Rome is to acknowledge the plan of salvation as being all of God’s doing and the getting of grace through the sacraments as a part of God’s plan. When enough grace is gotten then one is saved. Hence Rome cries “salvation by grace!”