Is Romanism truly Christianity?

Is Romanism truly Christianity. I will give you a clue it isn’t. Just so that anyone who reads my blog that I have written extensively on this subject. However, I am not alone in this observation. This has consisently in the past been the position of Baptists and Protestants.

BY
T. W. MEDHURST,
Glasgow, Scotland
I am aware that, if I undertake, to prove that Romanism is not Christianity, I must expect to be called “bigoted, harsh, uncharitable.” Nevertheless I am not daunted; for I believe that on a right understanding of this subject depends the salvation of millions.
One reason why Popery has of late gained so much power in Great Britain and Ireland, and is gaining, power still, is that many Protestants look on it now as a form of true Christianity; and think that, on that account, notwithstanding great errors, it ought to be treated very tenderly. Many suppose that at the time of the Reformation, it was reformed, and that it is now much nearer the truth than it was before that time. It is still, however, the same; and, if examined, will be found to be so different from, and so hostile to, real Christianity, that it is not, in fact, Christianity at all. Christianity, as revealed in the Sacred Writings, is salvation by Christ. It sets Him before us as at once a perfect man, the everlasting God, the Godman Mediator; who, by appointment of the Father, became a Substitute for all who were given Him. It teaches that by Him God’s justice was magnified, and His mercy made manifest; that, for all who trust in Him, He fulfilled the law, and brought in a complete righteousness; and that by this alone they can be justified before God. It teaches that His death was a perfect sacrifice, and made full satisfaction and atonement for their sins, so that God lays no sin to their charge, but gives them a free and full pardon; that He has ascended to the right hand of God, and has sent down the Holy Spirit to be His only Vicar and Representative on earth; that He is the only Mediator between the righteous God and sinful man; that it is by the Holy Spirit alone that we are convinced of sin, and led to trust in Jesus that all who trust in Him, and obey Him with the obedience of faith and love, are saved, and, being saved, are made “kings and priests unto God,” and have “eternal life” in Him...more

What is wrong with the Catholic church?

This is the first part of a series on the Catholic church. Today (April 24, 2008) I made a comment at Discernment about this subject. Currently on that site is an article about the Catholic church and the veneration of saints. I am starting by quoting my own comment and then I would like to elaborate on it.

“Saint! I thought every real believer in Christ was a saint. How did this mystic manage to become something I have been since I became a Christian 49 years ago. He is no more a saint than I am a nuclear scientist or president of the US. Catholic doctrine sure is all messed up when it comes to this kind of thing. Just to think some protestants want to return to the catholic church, despite the fact that it has changed very little since the dark ages, when the Catholics were excommunicating and executing our theological ancestors. I wonder what Luther would think?”

Charles Hodge, in his three volume set titled Systematic Theology states this about Catholic veneration of saints: “The important principle is this: Any homage, internal or external, which involves the ascription of divine attributes to its object, if that object be a creature, is idolatrous” (Hodge, iii 281). On first reading this you could possible say that Hodge had left a loophole for Catholics to slip through, but you would be wrong, because he goes on to say this: “Whether the homage paid by Romanists to saints and angels be idolatrous is a question of fact rather than of theory; that is, it is to be determined by the homage actually rendered, and not by that which is prescribed” (Hodge, iii 281). No mater how you look at it the Catholic churches practice of the venerating of saints is idolatry. Even in this country you will see Catholics driving around with little statues of Mary or Jesus on their car’s dashboard. If that is not idolatry then what is idolatry? Any time that you give unto another the respect or attention that is only reserved unto God, it becomes idolatry.

Now why is this so important to a retired baptist preacher you might ask? Well it is right on top of this, there are many baptists and other protestants who are clamoring back to Roman-ism. The Catholic church has yet to repent of her harlotry, she still has the blood of saints on her hands. This is true from the very top of the Catholic church down to its very bottom. The blood of the saints are on the hands of the pope down to the lowest level of members. The whole head is sick and a festering sore, to return to that from which you were separated is a slap to the face of God.

God is “…the original source and giver of all good,…”(Hodge, iii 281). Only God and him alone is do our worship. Now what is worship? It means to give respect or honor unto another, in this respect we might call a judge your worship or worshipful . The words in the Hebrew and Greek from which we draw the word worship, in and of themselves are controlled not by their meaning, but by their application (Hodge, iii 281). The Catholic church makes a distinction between the honor that is do to a judge, governor or any earthly individual. They make the distinction between those above, saints and Mary. This distinction has no support in the Bible whatsoever. What is completely lacking in Catholic teaching is the criteria by which you make the judgement of who deserves what type of worship (Hodge, iii 281). Now here is the problem, I am sure that some one will post on this and unless the post is respectful I will not allow it to go up. The argument here is not against just me, but the likes of men such as Charles Hodge.

At this point I would be saying to those who have entered back into the beast of Rome and those who are in the harlot to: (2Co 6:17) “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,” just for your information Rome is the unclean thing in this instance. I am sure that Paul would agree with me in this regard.