Why Roman Catholicism is Not Evangelical Christianity.
This collection of articles is not a "slam" against individual Catholics, but against a "system" that claims to be based upon the authority of the Bible. If Roman Catholicism were a system of beliefs based upon the Bible, then with an open Bible, that system should be able to stand up to examination FROM the Bible. If ANY system fails to meet Christ's qualification for being true, then it is to be rejected. Jesus said to His Father in John 17:17, "Thy word is true."".
If I had to summarize the difference between Catholicism and the Christian faith, I would point out to these three things:.
1. For the Christian, CHRIST ALONE is the mediator and the priest. The Christian comes to God through Christ (by direct prayer). Christians are able to confess their sins, requests, etc. directly to God, rather than a priest figure. In Catholicism, there are others called mediators - Mary, the many saints and the Catholic priests, who are placed on a pedestal, in effect becoming a hindrance to the intimate and personal communion with God. In Christianity all men are seen as equal before God, but in the Catholic faith the Pope, priests, and other people deemed "saints- are the only ones given a direct connection to God, and others must honor them and go to them in order to access God.
2. For the Christian, salvation is by GRACE ALONE; salvation is granted to him as a free gift by God through faith "if you recognize the significance, believe, and commit to entrust God with your life, you are saved. It is free, of course for the Christian; it was very 'expensive' for God - He paid with the blood of His Son to free us from sin. In Catholicism, people try to earn their salvation by good works, and by penance, and by their suffering in this world and in an imaginary place called purgatory.
3. For the Christian, the BIBLE ALONE is the infallible rule of faith and life.