I find this evanjelly fish attitude deadly. I am not against individual catholic people and recognize that many Catholics are saved. One such Catholic could be on this BB, Robert. However, as Robert knows he is not saved because he is Catholic. Such Catholics are saved in spite of being Catholic.
Just to clarify my attempt in this thread was to create a one-directional pursuit to those things we
know are true in the Bible, to the eventual if not inevitable neglect of all things doubtful (this means dropping transsubstatiation - which does not insure any assurance of security of salvation) while pursuing the essense of all these things: Christ. It's one directional in that that I was pointing to the core, essential doctrines of the Gospel, while I was not condoning defecting (the other direction - or perhaps a side-slip) to Catholic doctrine. That is all I have to say. Really this thread came up as a response to the Catholic bashing crisis we had here for a while. Luckily the moderators have now enacted new ordinances that no new Catholic threads are to be made.
Secondly, and I say this with meekness, but I don't know how many times I've requested people not to judge another persons salvation. God says not to! You cannot know the inner condition of a person's heart, and anything out side of faith is sin! Nonetheless I digress. I just don't like saying "so and so, who is a professing Christian, is not saved." A servant of the master stands or falls before Him only.
Their Church preaches another gospel.
Yes they do have different doctrine, far too legalistic (or should I say sacramentalistic) for my taste.
They preach that justification comes both by faith in Christ and works.
Well there is a difference between legalistic rituals and works. Works must be present as the expression of faith (James 2). And if you'll notice, what did Jesus say to all seven Churches in Revelations?: "
I know your works".
The great danger of your post is that it is not theologically discerning enough to see the official doctrines of Rome are "another gospel."
This was not syncretism with the RCC way of thought, but rather a discarding of all extraneous doctrines to focus on the core of Chirst. I do not approve of RCC doctrines, and I do wish that they would seriously reform.
Justification by faith ALONE is the core issue which began the protestant reformation. Catholics commonly use the trick of saying "we believe in justification by faith, and leave off the word "ALONE." By this they are saying that faith is only one part of justification, and works are the other part. This is unacceptable to me and it is "another gospel."
Well if they are trying to, having begun in the spirit, be made perfect in the flesh (Galatians 3:3) then they most certainly commit the fallacy of the Galatians and the Judaizers.
While some Catholics refuse to confess the errors of Rome and are my brothers in the Lord, I will never accept those who believe official Catholic Dogma that denies justification by faith ALONE.
Fair enough. Salvation is by God's grace alone, "lest any man should boast". But do remember we are expected to commit good works, but they are to be "wrought in God".
God Bless,
~Josh
