I Really Need To Tell You This

I know I'm a little late on this one, but I wanted to add a few more points on Candy's latest effort to convert the Catholics to Christianity.

First, I will agree that Candy's tone is much nicer in this one. I didn't even notice her calling us satanists once, which is always a good courtesy to observe.

The RC led ecumenical movement has fooled many Christians into believing that Roman Catholicism is just another denomination of Christianity. Yet, when one looks at the basic fundamentals of the beliefs of the RCC and of the common Christian church, it is obvious that the two are two very different religions.

I am very curious as to what Candy means here by "the common Christian church."

At its basic, Christianity is a belief that we are saved by God's grace, through our faith in Jesus Christ, as is manifest by our works. Other core beliefs might be "basics" such as the Virgin Birth, the Trinity, and a literal Resurrection of Jesus.

If you take things a step further and look at what we call "historic" Christianity, you find a belief in Original Sin, Baptism for the remission of sins, infant baptism (to remove the stain of Original Sin), and a belief in sacraments, though the number of sacraments varies. In this group of historic Christians, you may include the Roman Catholic Church, the Orthodox, Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists, and Presbyterians.

I believe that it is Candy's religion which is out of the norm of "the common Christian church." I'm not saying that her salvation is in danger, but that by rejecting the doctrine of Original Sin, rejecting the view that Baptism is more than a symbol, and by denying that any sacraments exist, you are outside the norm of Christianity.

You see, the RCC's teaching of purgatory is only a partial truth. Purgatory is more accurately what the Bible calls "outer darkness." . . . The problem with outer darkness (or, what RC's call "purgatory,") is that there is a way out, but only ONE exit - Judgment Day. All inhabitants of the outer darkness will be found to NOT have their names written in the Lamb's Book of Life, and they will then be found guilty.

I have already written on Purgatory here. But I thought I would share a few scripture verses which indicate that there are more than two options after death. Hell is surely a place where you cannot leave, correct? And no one would need to be set free from Heaven. So if verses indicated people being released from a place, then were would it be but purgatory?

Zechariah 9:11 "As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water."

Ephesians 4:8-10 "Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

1 Peter 3:19-20 "By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water."

1 Corinthians 15:29 "Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?"

Why would the early Christians be baptized for the dead if the dead are either in Heaven or Hell? This verse is also a clear indicator that our actions can have an impact on the dead.

Also worth a look are these:

Philippians 2:10-11 "That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Revelation 5:3 "And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon."

Revelation 5:13 "And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever."

If God refuses to receive prayer, praise, and worship from the unrepentant sinner, why would he permit the damned to undertake this practice? In these verses, "under the earth" would not refer to those in Hell, but in purgatory.

You are saved (not "being saved") by faith, not by Mary, rites, Eucharist, mass, works ("good deeds"), rituals, or traditions.

Certainly all Catholics will agree with Candy here. I think that Candy would be more effective at trying to convert Catholics if she had even a basic understanding of Catholic doctrine. I quoted the Catholic Catechism here, showing that we are in agreement with Candy on this one. I answered her next point about Mary being called Mediatrix there at the same time.

Jesus hates the traditions of the Roman Catholic church. We know this because of how much He hated the traditions of the religious people who were around at His time on this earth, the Pharisees.

You can read my Defense of Sacred Tradition here.

As I've said before, if being saved means believing that we are saved though God's grace, through our faith in Jesus Christ, as is manifest by our works, then Candy need not fear for the salvation of Catholics. However, if being saved means believing that PLUS rejecting the Catholic Church, then it isn't really being saved by faith ALONE, is it?