Catholic and Protestants
The Reformation Irrevocable Difference

One of the most interesting developments that will take place in the prophetic future will be the "unification" of the world's various religious systems. The Bible tells us that one day the world will openly embrace a “one world religion.” This religious system will exist during the seven year tribulation, and is referred to in the book of Revelation as the “the great harlot who sits on many waters.”

Looking at this passage, it is important to remember that the Bible often compares our relationship with Christ to that of “a bride to her groom.” It is a “marriage relationship” and therefore the Bible often uses the words fornication, adultery, and harlot to describe a marriage that has gone bad. As Christians, it is imperative that we constantly evaluate this “marriage relationship.” We don't want to allow anything that could possibly harm this covenant. Yet, there is “cancer” that is spreading among us today. It comes in subtle form dressed in the attire of “tolerance and acceptance.”

The Bible is “a book of doctrine.” Good doctrine is absolutely important in keeping our relationship to God pure or “adultery free.” No Bible doctrine is more important than the doctrine that justification is by faith alone. The Latin term for this doctrine is sola fide. Martin Luther described it as "the article that determines whether the church is standing or falling." History provides plenty of evidence affirming Luther's assessment of this. The undeniable fact is that churches and denominations that hold firmly to sola fide remain evangelical, which is to say they have a passion in spreading the gospel message.

Those “willing to yield” or compromise Bible doctrine do so by inevitably surrendering to liberalism, or even worse, they embrace “forms of apostasy.” Therefore, evangelical Christians have always treated justification by faith alone as “the central biblical distinctive” of their faith. Indeed, true evangelicals are those who firmly believe that justification is by faith alone.

Scripture clearly makes sola fide the only alternative to “a system of condemnation” known as “works-righteousness.” Israel's own apostasy was rooted in their abandonment of the doctrine of justification by faith alone.

In other words, those who trust Jesus Christ for justification by faith alone receive “a perfect righteousness” (2 Corinthians 5:21) that is granted to them. Those who attempt to establish “their own righteousness” or mix faith with works only receive “the terrible wage” (Romans 6:23) that is due all who have fallen short of God's perfection. This is the primary reason many fall away from the principle of sola fide, and why this cardinal Bible truth must be earnestly defended in this age of apostasy—because too many people now consider justification before God as dependent on “a mixture of faith and works.” The effect of mixing faith and works makes “justification” a process that is then based upon the believer's “flawed righteousness,” rather than God’s declarative act of grace based on Christ's perfect righteousness. Remember, it was Israel's “own righteousness” that caused their lack of faith in the first place.

The problem is that religion makes “sanctification” a part of the “justification” process, which only dilutes the primary doctrine of faith by the doing of works. This then is the abandonment of sola fide, and this was the error of the Galatian legalists. Paul called this “a different gospel.” This same error is now found in virtually every religious system; and sadly, this error is the bedrock of the Catholic Church's own doctrine of justification. This will be proven further down in this lesson.

Christians are currently being duped into “a relationship” that will soon lead to the coming of the “one world religion” spoken about earlier. There is being cultivated by those who are openly promoting “ECT”—an acronym meaning “Evangelicals and Catholics Together.” As a former Roman Catholic and now an evangelical Christian, I recognize that there is a movement underway that encourages an “ecumenical union between evangelical Christianity and Roman Catholicism.” To be accomplished this would require evangelicals to alter their stance on sola fide and grant legitimacy to a doctrine of justification that mingles faith and works. This trend is particularly alarming because this movement is now emanating from within many evangelical churches themselves.

Today, the biblical doctrine of justification by faith alone is being vigorously attacked from every quarter. A new generation of Roman Catholic apologists has taken up the fight against sola fide. These apologists’ strongly advocate that Scripture does not teach this doctrine. They claim that it is the invention of Martin Luther and other Reformers. And today there is an atmosphere of tolerance that is assisting in pushing “pure theology” to the back burner. Absolute and accurate theology (Bible doctrine) has now taken a back seat to the great “moral issues” of the day (abortion, euthanasia, homosexuality, and similar concerns). The Roman Catholic Church is bitterly opposed to these issues and today's “moral activists” now see it as "unprofitable" to debate Bible doctrine. They would rather have the doctrinal differences that have existed between Roman Catholic Church and the protestant reformers to fade into obscurity.

This “mind-set” is behind the ECT movement of bringing evangelicals and Catholics together. This movement now calls for “all evangelicals” to openly embrace “all Catholics” as true brothers and sisters in Christ. This has happened because people are now more obsessed with works than with truth. Very few people are willing to openly confront contradictory view points. It is easier, and much more polite, to simply not argue. And this is the reason that attacks on Bible doctrine often go unchallenged. The coming generation will reap “the poisonous fruit” of this current trend. Paul’s words are just as true today regarding this issue.

No doctrine is more important to defend than the biblical teaching that believers are justified by faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. Sola fide is the one truth Christians must clearly keep in sight if they are to avoid the evils of “works salvation.” The apostle Paul considered this so important that he issued a solemn curse of “eternal damnation” against anyone who would corrupt “the gospel” at this point. No wonder so many in the Reformation gave their lives in defense of this valid Bible doctrine. In fact, “justification before God” was the doctrine that sparked the Reformation, because Catholic theology had neglected and strayed from this doctrine for centuries. And Rome was totally unprepared to answer “the early reformer's doctrinal challenges” concerning the issue.

Martin Luther understood Rome's unwillingness to address the doctrine of justification by faith. He knew that the doctrine of justification by faith alone would have automatically ended the sale of “indulgences” and many of the other abuses of Rome's ecclesiastical power. Reformers began preaching the doctrine of justification by faith alone in Christ alone. This began to awaken the masses to the truth of scripture. It was inevitable that the Roman Catholic Church would have to soon respond to this kind of preaching and they did.

The Roman Catholic Church set forth its views on justification in the mid-sixteenth century at the Council of Trent. Trent was the Roman Church's answer to the Reformation, and much of the Council's work was specifically designed to set Catholic doctrine apart from the reformer's Protestant ideas. The “Canons and Decrees of Trent” are not merely the "archaic opinions" of some medieval bishops. These cannons still represent “the official position” of the Roman Catholic Church today. Why? Because all subsequent Catholic councils have “uniformly reaffirmed” these official declarations. In fact, the Second Vatican Council in 1966 declared these doctrines “irrevocable.” This means that “all faithful Catholics” are commanded to receive them as “infallible truth.” Therefore, in order to understand Roman Catholic doctrine on justification, one must go back to the Council of Trent.

The Council of Trent took the position that “works” was an essential part of justification. In doing so, they were left with a grace that is “no longer grace.” Therefore, even though Trent started with an affirmation of divine grace, the doctrine of justification they ascribed is actually “a different gospel.” This is the reason that “ECT,” will become the catalyst that will now propel the religious world into a “one world religion.” This may appear to be a little bit radical; but if moral issues are the objective, it is better that Roman Catholics and evangelical Christians work separately against them. If the Catholic Church is already anti-abortion, anti-pornography, and anti-homosexuality, then they are going to use all of their energies within the framework of their system to go after those moral issues. But if evangelical Christians “throw in with them” in a show of unity, this will only lead to the confounding of spiritual truth.

It is understood that the Catholic Church claims to be “true Christianity.” However, evangelical Christians just can't just reverse 450 years of history and now willingly throw their arms around the Roman system. The truth is that Roman Catholicism is not a group of wayward brothers, but it is actually an “apostate form of Christianity.” It is a false religion; it is “another religion.” In an article that appeared in Christianity Today, J. I. Packer said, “We should acknowledge as brothers and sisters in Christ, anyone who lives to the highest ideals of their communion.” But this is impossible if one holds to true Bible doctrine regarding the issue of justification. How can a Christian fellowship with anyone who holds to “the highest ideals of Roman Catholicism?” On what grounds can they have “spiritual unity?” Yet spiritual leaders from both Roman Catholic and Protestant churches are today coming together in a common effort to fight a cultural war, to the detriment and sacrifice of Bible doctrine.

It is understood why there are many who would voice opposition to these remarks, that the Roman Catholic Church is apostate and that it is not a true Christian community. Their position is “reasonable” in light of today’s ideals of “tolerance and acceptance.” But keep in mind that this position is directed at the Roman Catholic’s position on the doctrine of justification. It is not to say that everyone within the Roman Catholic system is lost. There may indeed many who have been saved by faith alone in Christ alone.

Nevertheless, in most cases this cannot be the case because of the specific teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. But this is tolerated we live in “an age of tolerance and peaceful, gentle coexistence.” We live in a world that is “fed up” with theological controversies and disputes. We no longer live in the 16th century where people burned each other at the stake over theological differences.

So when a statement of opposition is made concerning the Roman Catholic Church, which is the largest professing body in the world that claims a Christian position, it will likely provoke an outcry from the vast majority of people, Catholic and Protestant. That is because the one thing that “the spirit of tolerance” of our day cannot tolerate is “intolerance.” And this is because to those who hold such an “intolerant tolerance,” “relationships” are more important than “truth.” In light of this a review of the Apostle Paul’s position in order.

In this passage the Apostle Paul is saying, “If anybody, Peter, another apostle or even an angel from heaven, should preach any other gospel, let them be eternally condemned.” That's not a Southern Baptists, Presbyterian, Lutheran, or any other Protestant position. It is the “apostolic position” of the apostle Paul. He wanted to make sure that he made himself clear, so he stated his condemnation twice. By reading the remainder of this chapter one finds that Paul goes on to say that he even had to resist the Apostle Peter who was guilty of compromising the gospel. That must have really horrified the readers of Paul’s letter.

Can you imagine what they would have said if they had adhered to the “tolerance and acceptance” philosophy of today? They would have said, “We just can’t have a break-up of fellowship and unity between Peter and Paul! Why can't we all just get along in a spirit of tolerance?” But Paul needed them to understand that there is only one Gospel, which is that because Jesus Christ paid the penalty-price for the sins of the world on Calvary’s Cross, anyone may have eternal life if they will only place their complete confidence (trust/faith) only in Him and His sacrifice instead of any other person, church, ordinance or work.

But in the 16th century, at the Council of Trent, the Roman Catholic Church placed its "unambiguous condemnation" on the doctrine of justification by faith alone and has never removed that anathema. The Roman Catholic Church condemns sola fide! And if sola fide is the Gospel, which it is, then the Roman Catholic Church has ”condemned the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Not one of the Roman theologians who went to the Council of Trent as a delegate went there with the intention of condemning the gospel. They actually believed that they were “defending the gospel,” and thought it was the Protestants who had in fact committed “apostasy.” If nothing else, they should be admired for understanding what was at stake, accurate Bible doctrine. Unfortunately, this is something that is not understood today. These Catholic theologians obviously understood that for a person to deny or change the gospel message would indeed place that person in a position of “anathema.”

But the truth is that when the Roman Catholic Church condemned the doctrine (the Protestant declaration of the day) of justification by faith alone, it brought the anathema of God upon itself. The Roman Catholic Church openly rejected the “Gospel of Jesus Christ” and actually promoted another gospel. And this is why the Roman Catholic Church is totally apostate!

It is important to understand this. In a time such as today, this age of tolerance,
false teachers will always be the first ones to cry “intolerance.” False teachers will always say you are being divisive, you are being unloving, and you are being ungracious. They do this because they can only survive when they aren’t scrutinized. So they cry against intolerance, against any kind examination, or any scrutiny; while they plead that everyone should just embrace each other. Those who advocate false doctrine always cry the loudest about unity. Listen carefully when you hear the cry for unity, because it may be done under the cover of “encroaching” false doctrine. If ever Christians should follow 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 by examining everything carefully, it is when someone is crying for unity, love, and acceptance.

For those who are not Roman Catholic or who are not familiar with the Council of Trent and its dogma, the following is a portion of its affirmations.

The First Secession of the Ecumenical and General Council of Trent

Celebrated under the sovereign Pontiff, Paul III, on the thirteenth day of the month of December, in the year of the Lord, 1545.

Session 6 Cannon 12: If any one saith, that justifying faith is nothing else but confidence in the divine mercy which remits sins for Christ's sake; or, that this confidence alone is that whereby we are justified; let him be anathema.

The Council of Trent, spent eighteen years examining the doctrines of the Protestant Reformation, and at the end of that time, they came out with their many Canons of the Council of Trent. This is the particular one that is referred to in this lesson. This Catholic doctrine has never been altered or denied by the Catholic Church. It says, “If any one saith, that justifying faith is nothing else but confidence in the divine mercy which remits sins for Christ's sake; or, that this confidence alone is that whereby we are justified; let him be anathema.”   Think about it. Every evangelical Christian in the world stands under the official condemnation of the Roman Catholic Church.

Because many Christians today tend to either slip into “some form of legalism”
or to slide into some sort of "wishy-washy" compromise of the gospel, it is now more urgent than ever that a true understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ be in their possession. Because now is the time when the concept of truth is seriously under
attack and the values and morals of Christians are under enormous assault, Christians must either stand together for true Bible doctrine or they will surely all fall together without it.

The Council of Trent also came up with many other affirmations that are “unbiblical.” These Catholic theologians saw “justification” as a process whereby “the sinner is actually made righteous.” In other words, the Council of Trent said justification entails “the whole process of sanctification.” According to the Council, justification is a lifelong process. In fact, the process extends “beyond this life and into the next.” According to the Council of Trent, “Purgatory is necessary” to blot out “the full debt of our sins” and to avoid eternal punishment:

Session 6, Cannon 30: If anyone saith that the guilt is remitted to every penitent sinner after the grace of justification has been received, and that the debt of eternal punishment is so blotted out that there remains no debt of temporal punishment to be discharged either in this world or in the next in Purgatory, before the entrance to the kingdom of heaven can be opened—let him be anathema.

To put it in other terms, “good works” are necessary to preserve one’s justification, and therefore whenever Catholics sin, they must now regain their justification through “religious rituals.” This is clearly an unmistakable denial of sola fide. According to Trent, God's “unlimited grace” is now conferred through works and also the “receiving of sacraments.”

Session 7 Canon 8:  If anyone saith that by the said sacraments . . . grace is not conferred through the work worked but that faith alone in the divine promises is sufficient for the obtaining of grace, let him be anathema.

The Council of Trent further issued an explicit repudiation of sola fide:

Session 6 Canon 9: If anyone says that by faith alone the sinner is justified, so as to mean that nothing else is required to cooperate in order to obtain the grace of justification . . . let him be anathema.

In other words, the Council of Trent decreed that anyone who claims to be justified on the basis of faith alone apart from works “is unconditionally condemned to eternal damnation.” As mentioned earlier, whenever justification is mingled with sanctification,
the grounds for justification then becomes the sinner's “own imperfect works
of righteousness” rather than “the perfect righteousness” of Jesus Christ. The
Council of Trent explicitly acknowledged this fact. Consider the following canon:

Session 6 Canon 11: If anyone says that men are justified either by the sole imputation of the justice of Christ or by the sole remission of sins,....or also that the grace by which we are justified is only the good will of God, let him be anathema.

The reason that Catholics and evangelical Christians have “irreconcilable differences” is because the Roman Church is preaching another gospel, and according to Paul's own words, “is no gospel at all.” The Council of Trent expressly contradicted the “reformation teaching” that Christ's perfect righteousness is imputed to the sinner's account by faith alone, but the Bible clearly states that the righteousness of Jesus Christ is the only ground on which anyone may stand acceptable before a Holy God. Contrary to this, the Council of Trent states that “grace” is imparted into the believer's heart, resulting in a righteousness that is based upon “the believer's own righteousness.” Later they added that this righteousness then must be perfected by sacraments and eventually purgatory.

Scripture teaches no such thing. In fact, the Catholic doctrine of justification is precisely what Paul condemned. One would think that anyone who was a member of the Roman Catholic Church would have at least studied the Roman epistle that was written by Paul. If they would have done this, they would not have missed the following:

and

Paul stated that a belief in justification apart from faith only in Christ as totally worthless. So some may ask, “You mean to say a reprobate murderer, can go to heaven.” The answer is “yes.” God's Grace looks at all sin equally, therefore it takes the same amount of grace to save a 5 year old child as it does a murderer.

The apostle Paul understood this through his own personal experience as he so aptly describes in the following passage:

Site editor’s closing note: Salvation may only be obtained by faith alone in Christ alone. When a person, for his personal salvation, places his full and genuine confidence (trust/faith) in Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on Calvary rather than any other confidence (good works, church ordinances, religious practices or any other means), he is instantly saved (granted eternal life). This turning to Christ from any other confidence is biblical repentance. It is a decision, an act of the will. And once the person makes this decision to trust only in Jesus Christ, he is forever (permanently) born of the Spirit of God and neither he nor God can change his eternal destination.