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Should they have signed the Document?
Have the Popes forgiven Martin Luther?
What Are The Implications
Excerpt: On March 29, 1994, wire services worldwide
broadcast the conclusions of an unofficial declaration
that was signed by 40 leading Evangelicals and Roman Catholics,
"Evangelicals and Catholics Together: A
Christian Mission in the
Third Millennium." ..It concluded Catholics
and Protestants are spiritually united in Christ.
.. "This is a time of opportunity - and ..
responsibility - for Evangelicals and Catholics to be
Christians together."
In light of 450 years of unwavering disagreement
between Catholics and Protestants historically,
such declarations are little short of astounding.
Whatever happened to all the disagreements between
Protestants and Catholics that started the
Reformation? "Leaders of both sides have hailed it as "a
landmark document," or "a historic document"
and many are calling it the most significant document
since the Reformation." Among the Evangelical signers
were Dr. Bill Bright, founder of Campus
Crusade for Christ, Dr. Os Guinness with Trinity Forum, Dr. James
I. Packer with Regent College, Rev. Pat Robertson, founder of
the Christian Broadcasting Network and Mr. Charles Colson, founder
of Prison Fellowship. Among the Catholic signers were John Cardinal
O'Connor with the Archdiocese of New York, Father Richard
John Neuhaus of the Institute of Religion and Public
Life and Msgr. William Murphy, Chancellor of the
Archdiocese of Boston.
Whatever one may think of all this, no one can
logically deny two simple facts: 1) the report has already
had substantial influence and produced great controversy,
and 2) the implications for the Gospel are devastating.
One can but guess how this new perspective will play
out and what possible Catholic/ Evangelical coalitions might
be forged in the future. .. It is one thing to work for
social causes and to attempt to better society in
a common alliance: because our culture is dying, few can
object to such partnerships. But it is another thing entirely
to imply that Evangelicals and Catholics are able to reach
a consensus on the nature of salvation.
No Evangelical should forget that although Roman Catholicism
claims it teaches salvation by grace through faith, Rome
officially rejects the biblical teaching
of salvation by grace through faith alone.
Instead, the Catholic Church teaches salvation by faith
and works. This is a "gospel" rejected by God and
condemned in Scripture (Gal. 1:6-9).
What's worse, Rome anathematizes or places a divine curse
upon what the Bible defends as the true Gospel. Therefore
the Evangelical signatures on this document are inexplicable.
Why? Because no Evangelical can logically deny that Rome
teaches salvation by works, in spite of claims to the contrary.
.. According to Rome, salvation requires "the
observation of the whole law of Christ" and, therefore,
"his good works the justified man really acquires
a claim to supernatural reward from God"; "The Church
affirms that for believers the [7 Catholic] sacraments
of the New Covenant are necessary for salvation";
"If anyone says that the sacraments .. are not necessary
for salvation .. let him be anathema" {cursed}; If
anyone should say that men are justified either
by the imputation of Christ's justice alone
or by the remission of sins alone .. let him be anathema
{cursed}; Baptism .. is necessary for salvation as is the
[Catholic] Church herself, which we enter by baptism";
This sacrament of penance is .. necessary for salvation,
.. ", "If anyone denies that sacramental
confession .. is necessary to salvation .. let him be anathema";
.. accepting Jesus has nothing to do with [salvation] .. The
soul [that "accepts Jesus"] remains the same [i.e.,
dead]."
Among the requirements for salvation in
Catholicism are faith in Christ and official Church
doctrine, loyal membership in the Church, obedience to the commandments,
love of God and neighbour, participation in the sacraments (Eucharist,
penance, etc.), prayer, good works, indulgences, persevering
in God's grace until death, and at the point of death dying
in the right condition; finally suffering the
terrible punishments of purgatory to
"cleanse" the believer from all imperfection
so that he may finally attain heaven. .. Over
three-quarters of Roman Catholic priests [American] reject
the view that our only hope for heaven is through personal
faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior" and declare instead
that "heaven is a divine reward for those who
earn it by their good life." ..Salvation by faith and works
in Catholic teaching stands in stark contrast to
the teachings of the Bible: "For it is by grace
you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves,
it is gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast."
(Ephesians 2:8-9) ...
Even Peter Kreeft, a former Evangelical, who has been in the
Catholic Church for over 25 years now, confesses, "Nine
out of ten Catholics do not know .. the absolutely
central, core, essential dogma of Christianity. .. one survey
of 2,000 Catholic families in Spain revealed that 1,998
believed good works would get them to heaven. .. In conclusion,
Evangelicals must never compromise the truths of the Gospel.
..Roman Catholicism is wrong when it claims to be the only true
Church of Christ .. [and] are [not] truly our brothers and sisters
in Christ.
Excerpts from footnotes: 1. Evangelical and Catholics Together:
A Christian Mission in the Third Millennium," 2. World
Magazine, April 9, 1994, 3. Respectively,
Schroeder (translator), The Canons and Decrees
of the Council of Trent. 4. What Separates Evangelicals
and Catholics?, 5. Spiritual Journeys: Toward the
Fullness of Faith,; 6. The Gospel Betrayed, Berean Call,
Dave Hunt. (taken from Newsletter of the
Ankerberg Theological Research Institute, Editor Dr. John Ankerberg,
PO Box 8977, Chattanooga, Te 37411 - October 1994)
Is Martin Luther
Really Forgiven?
Still Waiting for the Condemnation of Reformation to Go "At
Paderborn [Germany] the Pope participated in an ecumenical service
at which both he and the leading Lutheran bishop, Horst Hirschler,
preached. Noting that this is the 450th anniversary of Martin
Luther's death, the Pope said that today Luther is better understood
and the Catholic Church can do him more justice than it did in
his day. Acknowledging Luther's sometime violent temper, John
Paul deplored the fact that Rome had not appreciated what was
legitimate in his intentions, and noted that his predecessor
Hadrian VI (1522-23) had said as much. "We all became guilty,"
the Pope declared." Nonetheless, some Protestants complained
that he did not formally revoke the excommunication of Luther.
There had been rumors before the visit that he wanted to do that
but had been dissuaded by his advisors. In response to this question
on other occasions, John Paul has noted that an excommunication
holds only during a person's lifetime, and Luther's case has
long since been submitted to a higher tribunal, the final judgment
of God. In any event, the logically prior ecumenical step is
the removal of the Council of Trent's condemnation of Reformation
doctrine.. he called the overcoming of divisions among the churches
one of the "pastoral priorities" of his pontificate,
and underscored the importance of Christian unity to the great
task of reevangelizing society..." (First
Things, Wolfhart Pannenberg, December 1996 p.7)
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