Protestant Errors

Response to comment [from a Catholic]:  "The Protestant reformers had no legitimate mission from God..."

The Protestant Reformation was necessary (Ps 100:5).

We are ambassadors for Christ (Prov. 13:17; Isa. 18:2; 30:4; 33:7; 36:11; 39:1, 2; Luke 14:32). We proclaim the gospel of grace (Ac 20:24). It must be believed (Mk 1:15; Heb 4:2) to bring peace (Lk 2:10,14; Eph 6:15) and hope (Col 1:23). The gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God to salvation (Ro 1:16; 1Co 1:18; 1 Th 1:5). The gospel is one of grace not works (Eph 2:8-10) and it is glorious (2 Co 4:4). You're welcome.

The Roman Catholic Church has attempted to pervert the gospel (Gal. 1:6–8). They have departed from historical, biblical Christianity.

[The Divine Rebuke of Corrupt Religious Authority by Mike Gendron Proclaiming the Gospel Ministries] "Two streams of Christianity have been operating side-by-side for 2000 years. One is the body of Christ, the apostolic church which includes all who have been born again with the Spirit of God. This true church holds to the faith of the apostles and submits to the authority of Scripture. The other stream is apostate Christianity; those who profess Christ but hold to a different gospel and therefore have never experienced the second birth (1 John 2:19-20).

Since apostasy also occurred in Judaism, there is a critical question to consider. Was the action that caused the Jews to depart from the only religion God ordained, the same action that caused apostates to depart from the only Church Christ established? Yes! The fatal error common to both occurred when religious leaders replaced God's authority with an authority of their own. The Pharisees used the Chair of Moses to distort God's word with their own traditions and the Roman Catholic Church has used the Chair of Peter to do the same. It is indeed astonishing to see how the Catholic clergy resembles the Pharisees of first century Judaism. Both became corrupt when they rejected the absolute supreme authority of Scripture. While we know how Jesus condemned the hypocritical Pharisees for their character and conduct, we can only wonder if the same rebukes would apply to the Catholic clergy today. The Pharisee's stubborn refusal to submit to God's authority ultimately led them to reject Jesus as the Messiah, while the same stubborn refusal has led the Catholic clergy to reject Him as their all-sufficient Savior.

In Matthew 23 Jesus gives His last public sermon and it is filled with sharp rebukes against the corrupt religious leadership of the Pharisees. The sermon is also a warning for those who follow false shepherds instead of the True Shepherd. It is therefore my prayer that Catholics will take an objective look at their religious leaders. Have they become just as corrupt as the shepherds of God's chosen people...? 'The Lord knows how to rescue the godly...and to keep the unrighteous under punishment...especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority (2 Peter 2:9-10).'" Full text: The Divine Rebuke of Corrupt Religious Authority

Also see:

Vid. Catholicism vs Christianity by Mike Gendron

[The Protestant Reformation was necessary.] "Already answered..."

You removed the scripture from my quote. It is what you do (Eph 4:14). The Protestant Reformation was necessary (Ps 100:5).

[They Oppose Divine Authority Proclaiming the Gospel Ministries] "In Matthew 23:2, Jesus says: "The scribes and Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses," the position of authority. Notice that they seated themselves, God did not put them there. In doing so, they opposed divine authority by establishing their own. This is analogous to Catholic priests. They stubbornly continue a sacrificial priesthood which was divinely terminated 2000 years ago. When Jesus, the High Priest offered Himself once, as a sacrifice for sin, for all time, there was no longer a need for priestly sacrifices. Our merciful God made this clear when He tore open the veil that once prevented access into His presence by anyone other than sanctified priests (Mark 15:38). We now "have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith' (Heb. 10:19-22).

Catholic priests are not called by God, nor are they in the will of God. Their bogus offerings can never take away sin nor can they do what Jesus has already done: "by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified" (Heb. 10:11)." Full text: They Oppose Divine Authority

Response to comment [from a "Christian"]: [The Protestant Reformation was necessary (Ps 100:5).] "[N]either that verse nor anything in Scripture say that..."

His truth endures.

For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations [Ps. 100:5].

"I don’t know who you are, or why you are, or where you are, but I do know that God is good to you, and He is good to me. Oh, how good He is!

“His mercy is everlasting.” He hasn’t run out of it. Perhaps since He extended so much mercy to me, you thought He had exhausted His supply. He hasn’t. He has a lot left for you. His mercy is everlasting. Like the flour in the barrel belonging to the widow that Elijah helped—it never runs out.

“His truth endureth to all generations.” My, what a great psalm of praise this is!" McGee, J. Vernon: Thru the Bible Commentary. electronic ed. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1981, S. 2:823

[They Prevent Entrance into Heaven Proclaiming the Gospel Ministries] "In Matthew 23:13, Jesus condemns the Pharisees for doing the same thing Catholic priests are doing. Jesus declares: "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from men; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in." Both the Pharisees and Catholic clergy have kept people out of the Kingdom with their legalistic teachings that nullify God's sovereign grace. They bar the gates of heaven with a works-righteousness system that leaves their followers hopelessly guilty and without assurance or peace. Many Catholics, who are zealous for God, are working to establish their own righteousness because they have been taught a perversion of the Gospel. Their priests "malign the way of truth" and point them to the wide road that leads to destruction (Mat. 7:13; 2 Pet. 2:1-2)." Full text: They Prevent Entrance into Heaven

Response to comment [from a Catholic]: "The basic Protestant error is in not continuing to uphold the Scriptures as taught by Christ's historic Church..."

False premise.

See:

What was the first / original church? Is the original / first church the true church?

[Their Converts Become Sons of Hell Proclaiming the Gospel Ministries] "In verse 15, Jesus again curses the Pharisees. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel about on sea and land to make one proselyte [convert]; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves." The Catholic clergy also makes their converts "sons of hell." Their ministry is not one of conversion but of perversion. Instead of proclaiming the good news of Christ's finished work of redemption, they pervert the message with continuous offerings for sin that keep converts in ritualistic bondage (Catechism [CCC], 1367). Priests deny the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice by insisting Catholics must make their own satisfaction for sins (CCC, 1459). After doing their penance, Catholics are given the false hope by priests that their sins have been forgiven.

Catholics are instructed that Jesus merely opened the gates of heaven with His death and resurrection. Since He only made salvation possible, a perversion of the true gospel is necessary to instruct Catholics what they must do to enter the gates of heaven (CCC, 2027). Converts to this damning gospel of works and sacraments remain under God's wrath. Their destiny remains unchanged-- a Christ-less eternity of torment." Full text: Their Converts Become Sons of Hell

You will know them by their fruits (Mt 7:16).

[They Are Self Indulgent and Robbers Proclaiming the Gospel Ministries] "In verse 25, Jesus cursed the Jewish leaders for their external piety which hid their internal corruption. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence." The Catholic clergy is also guilty of robbery and self-indulgence. Although their subjects view them as trustworthy with a supernatural touch of holiness, they have a long history of sexual immorality that includes raping and robbing children of their innocence. Some of the pedophile priests have been caught and exposed, but their bishops relocated them to other parishes where they continued indulging in sexual perversions. Rather than being godly shepherds who protect their flock, they are wicked wolves who destroy the flock.

There is no gentle way to expose the Catholic clergy who rob and extort millions of dollars each year from their congregations with the ungodly practice of indulgences. Priests perpetuate the fraudulent scam of indulgences and purgatory in order to collect stipends from grieving individuals who want to reduce the time of suffering for their loved ones. This may be the cruelest hoax of all time. It is a deceptive practice that holds people in bondage to their church not only in this life but even after death." Full text: They Are Self Indulgent and Robbers

[False premise/Roman Catholic Church the "first church"] "Or not..."

"...[L]et’s examine the Roman Catholic claim that it is the “first church.” Nowhere in the New Testament will you find the “one true church” doing any of the following: praying to Mary, praying to the saints, venerating Mary, submitting to a pope, having a select priesthood, baptizing an infant, observing the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper as sacraments, or passing on apostolic authority to successors of the apostles. All of these are core elements of the Roman Catholic faith. If most of the core elements of the Roman Catholic Church were not practiced by the New Testament Church (the first church and one true church), how then can the Roman Catholic Church be the first church?" Full text: What was the first / original church? Is the original / first church the true church?

[They Are Hypocrites Proclaiming the Gospel Ministries] "In verse 27, Jesus curses them for their hypocrisy. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness." This hypocrisy is also common among the Catholic clergy. They appear pious in their liturgical robes, but underneath the vestments are spiritually dead men. Their unregenerate hearts cause others to fall into hypocrisy. Since they do not have hearts controlled by the Spirit they must hide their wicked hearts with outward pomp. They say they represent Jesus Christ but, by means of hypocrisy, they follow doctrines of demons (1 Tim. 4:1-3). Since they reject “doctrines conforming to godliness," their lives are marked by sin instead of godliness (1 Tim. 6:3; Jude 4, 8–16)." Full text: They Are Hypocrites

"[O]at's personal theological preferences and opinions carry no binding authority whatsoever..."

Truth is truth independent from oatmeal (Ac 5:29, Mt 15:9).

[They Are Boastful and Proud Proclaiming the Gospel Ministries]: "In verse 29, Jesus condemns the religious leaders for boasting that they were better than their forefathers. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, and say, 'If we had would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.'" Recently we have heard apologies from the Vatican for the persecution of Jews and Christians throughout history. The Catholic clergy of today is saying, we are not like our forefathers, we no longer kill the servants of God; you can trust us. We would agree they are better today than in the past, but that is nothing to boast about. History reveals that previous popes were guilty of committing nearly every sin and crime possible, including assassinations, murder, rape, adultery, fornication, incest, robbery, conspiracy, bribery, fraud and perjury. The corruption of 29 popes was so contemptible that the Vatican has listed them as "anti-popes." However, its attempt at revising history cannot erase the ungodly scandals and crimes of the papacy.

Jesus accentuates his rebukes with a sobering question. "You serpents, you brood of vipers, how shall you escape the sentence of hell?" May we all learn from biblical history and urgently and forcefully warn our loved ones, who are following false shepherds, to turn to the only True Shepherd!" Full text: They Are Boastful and Proud

"Good. Then we can just ignore his theological preferences and opinions..."

"Every verse of the Bible means exactly what the author intended it to mean..." Full text: How to Interpret the Bible by Darrell Ferguson

See:

Hermeneutics

"[N]o one really cares about serpent's theological preferences and opinions..."

Truth is truth independent from me (Ac 5:29, Mt 15:9).

[A Striking Comparison Proclaiming the Gospel Ministries]

"Judaizers

1. Professed faith in Jesus as Son of God
but rejected Paul's teaching
2. Added circumcision as a requirement
for salvation (Acts 15:1)
3. Condemned, not for rejecting the
Gospel, but for adding more
requirements (Gal. 1:6-9)
4. Said you must follow Jewish customs
for fellowship (Gal. 2:14)
5. Had priests and a sacrificial system
6. Had the showbread, altars and
offerings, worshipped with
candles and incense (2 Ch. 2:4)
7. Required to keep feast days
8. Required to keep the Ten Commandments
for salvation
(Gal. 3:2-19)
9. Must keep all the traditions of the
Elders
10. Identified as false brethren who
sought to bring people into
legalistic bondage (Gal. 2:4)

Catholic Clergy

1. Profess faith in Jesus as Son of God
but reject Paul's teaching
2. Added baptism as a requirement for
salvation (CCC, 1213-15)
3. Condemned, not for rejecting the
Gospel, but for adding more
requirements (Gal. 1:6-9)
4. Say you must become a Catholic for
salvation (CCC, 846; 1129)
5. Have priests and a sacrificial system
6. Have the Eucharist, altars and
offerings, worship with
candles and incense
7. Required to keep feast days
8. Required to keep the Ten Commandments
for salvation
(CCC, 2068)
9. Must keep all the traditions of the
Church Fathers (CCC, 82)
10. Identified as false teachers who
control people with legalistic
bondage (Gal. 2:4)" A Striking Comparison

"...[B]ut not what serpent says it means."

Truth is truth independent from me (Ac 5:29, Mt 15:9).

Objective truth is found in God’s word not man’s opinion (2 Tim. 2:15; Jas. 1:18).

"...[W]e can all just ignore serpent's theological preferences and opinions..."

Don't you do that every day? 1 Tim. 6:3–5

See:

Indifference

Response to comment [from a Christian]: "I believe that Christianity, and your relationship with god, is a very personal thing..."
 

True. It's not about religion. It's about a relationship. Ps 119:11
 

"There are several interpretations for just about every verse of the bible.."

Cruciform will say that four hundred more times but it remains false.

"Every verse of the Bible means exactly what the author intended it to mean. We take literally the stuff that was intended to be taken literally and we take figuratively the stuff that was intended to be taken figuratively..." Full text: How to Interpret the Bible by Darrell Ferguson

See:

Hermeneutics

"...[T]he authors are long gone we don't know which one they meant, and we never will know. So pick the one that works best for you and move on..."

Are you a lazy person in general? Matt. 25:26–30

Response to comment [from a "Christian"]: "Amen..."

Amen means we agree.  We do not (Eph 4:14).

[2 Ti 3:5]

"...[H]aving a form of godliness but denying its power. “Form” refers to outward shape or appearance. Like the unbelieving scribes and Pharisees, false teachers and their followers are concerned with mere external appearances (cf. Matt. 23:25; Titus 1:16). Their outward form of Christianity and virtue makes them all the more dangerous." MacArthur, John Jr: The MacArthur Study Bible. electronic ed. Nashville : Word Pub., 1997, c1997, S. 2 Ti 3:5

You do not know him (Phil 3:10). Your religion is work-based. Christianity is faith-based.

See:

Works vs Faith

A Scriptural Response to: Biblical Evidence or Catholics St. Joseph Communication

[Eph 4:14] "[T]hat verse doesn't say that..."

Luckily, the word of God helps us to identify deceivers. 

[Eph 4:14] "I would think that is referring to Protestantism..."

We don't go to heaven or hell based on church affiliation. We go to heaven or hell based on a right relationship with Jesus Christ.

See:

What to "do"

A Scriptural Response to: Biblical Evidence or Catholics St. Joseph Communication

Response to comment [from a Catholic]: [Hermeneutics] "The reality of some 38,000+ non-Catholic denominations and sects, all declaring that _their_ preferred interpretations are "what the Bible says," completely refutes your claim."

There is one body of Christ (Eph 1:23; Col 1:24).

See:

Why are there so many Christian denominations? Why is Christianity so divided into different denominations?

Which of the 30,000 Protestant denominations is the true church of God?

What are the mainline denominations? Why is Christianity so divided into different denominations? Which denominations are considered to be mainline?

What was the Protestant Reformation? What was the cause of the Protestant Reformation? What abuses in the Roman Catholic Church were the root issue...

Response to comment [from a "Christian"]: [We don't go to heaven or hell based on church affiliation.] "[T]he Bible doesn't say that. [I]t does say Eph 1:22,23."

If you are so proud of your church affiliation, why don't you identify with it here? We have a good idea based on your stained glass avatar.

And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all [Eph. 1:21–23].

"Paul concludes on a tremendously high note. The church is the body of Christ, and Christ is the head of the church. Someday everything is going to be under Him. The writer to the Hebrews makes it clear, “Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him” (Heb. 2:8).

At the present time the only thing that is under Him is the church. By this I mean the true church, the real believers. There are many organized groups that call themselves churches but are not listening to the Lord Jesus. These churches are paralyzed. You see, the most tragic sight is a child of God lying on a bed, helpless, as if his brain is detached from his body. I’ve been in many churches that have been like that and there are many individual Christians today who act as if they are detached from Christ, the Head of the body. He says, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). In other words, I can wiggle my little finger because my head is in charge of it; and when He wants you to “wiggle”—that is, exercise whatever gift He has given you—down here, you do it because of love, or else you’re not attached to Him. How important this is today! Paul pictures the church and our relationship to it in this way: “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is 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 Cor. 12:12–13). The thing we need to see is that Christ is the Head of the body, His church, and we are under Him." McGee, J. Vernon: Thru the Bible Commentary. electronic ed. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1981, S. 5:229-230

What do you think of your friend's comment?

SD: [Christ is the head of his church….The statement is true or it is false.]

Cruciform: "It's false..."

link 2 Pet. 2:1

See:

A Scriptural Response to: Biblical Evidence or Catholics St. Joseph Communication

"[M]y affiliation with the historic Trinitarian Church is stated plainly on on my signature in bold red letters..."

There is an option to select "Catholic" in your profile.  Why don't you select it? Eph 4:14. 

Protestant Errors