First off, I am not a Roman Catholic and I have never been one. I am an Evangelical teaching in an Evangelical institution.
Unfortunately, I STRONGLY disagree with McArthur's view on the subject. certainly there will always be disagreements, but I am afraid that McArthur may actually exclude many Evangelical from what he calls "the Biblical Side" (e.g. Pentecostals and Charismatics).
For those of you who want to find out what Roman Catholics really believe, I would recommended the Catechism of the Catholic Church, allongside anything by Peter Kreift.
I think you'd be hard pressed to give an example of a man with more discerning and regard for the Holiness of God in scripture than Pastor MacArthur.
The ancient catechisms might have been helpful when they were written, but Christian doctrine is only meaningful if it's lived and if it's preached.
Don't be taken in by the alleged "evangelical" movement. Though, if you do have a heart for evangelism, you might check out the helpful material at http://wayofthemaster.com/
Otherwise, even our unsaved president claims to be a follower in the evangelical movement, which shows you how worthless this movement is spiritually. (Before you fly off the bat, be encouraged to pray for the safety and wisdom of our commander in chief; the Lord alone anoints government leadership.)
You have made a very good point on the meaning and, may I add, the value of doctrine. You are also right to highlight the double-edged nature of referring to particular movements without getting one's life in line.
Still, I would be reluctant to declare a good part of the official teaching of the Roman Catholic Church as wrong. The matter of practice among the ordinary Roman Catholics is a completely different issue, unfortunately.
btw. the Catechism was published only a few years ago.
First of all the Bible tells us that all of us fall short in the glory of God,
and we are not save because of our religion. It's because of our faith and thru accepting Jesus Christ as our Redeemer & Savior.
Some people claimed that they are christians but do they really know the meaning of it? Only God alone can judge us, as christians
we are not here to discriminate other religion. We are here to create thirst for the unbeliever so that they will see our productiveness, our peace and joy so they will want what we have. :angel:
On the internet it is easy to find Christian bashing of certain faiths, mostly by Christians of specific faiths that believe somehow that only their belief system is 100% correct, and anything that doesn't fit in the box of their thinking, is just dead wrong. I think in many ways, we are all a little wrong, but lets also hope we are all a little right as well.
I was born and raised into the Catholic Faith, and will step up to say that I truly believe there are many devoted Catholics that I will see in Heaven. But I also remember masses in Latin. Oh My God, it is total Miracle Faith survived over the generations for what I saw growing up were people that went to church because otherwise they would go to Hell. The fact that they slept through most of the long dry service did not seem to matter. Most everyone I knew had no familiarity with their Bible at all other than what was hashed and rehashed every year in the Misselette. When I left home, I left home hungry for the Word, and it took a lot of searching before I began to understand the Bible.
But for all the immersion in the Word I have had in the last twenty some odd years, just a few months ago, a friend called me on a doctrine long, long ago drilled into my thought process, that I never gave thought to the truth about.
Catholic teaching when I was growing up taught me that Mary, the Mother of Jesus was assumed into Heaven. This was never Biblical, it was doctrine, just like limbo or purgatory. So that is my only real problem with Catholicism or any other faith that preaches doctrine over the Word. So be careful what you believe and make sure that it is in the Word, for it is so easy to believe it is there and never give it another thought.
I think if it is that easy to fall into believing something this menial is true, then what of bigger things, and what else might I be thinking I have read, that was never really written, only taught tome from young up? And what of changes that may have occurred that none of us might be aware of?
When you consider such, it is not out of the realm of possibilities that we might all be at least slightly misguided in our minor details at least. For this reason I try not to get caught up in the minor details, but rather focus on the big picture, on the things that really will matter to the Lord, like the Heart, the Love, the Service to each other, the Healing and Lifting up that we can do whether we are feeding the less fortunate or bringing comfort to the suffering or people who are searching for their path.
So love all who love Jesus, even the misguided, for if their hearts are pure for Him, you gotta know He will work out the details later not only with them, but perhaps with us as well, for I doubt any of us are as "Right" as we might like to think we are, myself no exception.
I no longer follow the rituals of the Catholic faith, but totally love my Sunday Services in a full Bible based church that preaches straight from the Word. Go where you are fed in the Word and where your heart is on fire for the Lord Jesus. Love thy Father the Lord God Almighty, and be Led in the Holy Spirit that when the Day of Judgment comes, you might resemble some semblance of what your Creator designed you to be.
Anyone that tells me they Love Jesus and want to do His Wil, I say "Amen" to that. Catholic Doctrine is not something that a bunch of men got together and declared doctrine. Let me begin with Isaiah 22:15 where God is angry with the Bishop of Isreal and replaces him. The new Bishop is granted the same Authority -- Powers -- Jurisdiction that the previous Bishop had. By giving this new Bishop the "Keys to the House of David" the dynasty was continued. " When he opens, no one will shut and when he shuts no one will open."
When Jesus gave Peter the "Keys to the Kingdom of Heaven" "What you bind will be bound in Heaven...) he was the first in a dynasty that is still going today and as promised by Christ will remain until His return,
The Full Deposit of Faith was given to Peter and Christ's Church to be passed on to "Trustworthy Elders".
Catholic Doctrine over the years has needed to be defined and explained but it HAS NEVER BEEN CHANGED.
As for Mary being assumed bodily into Heaven, ask yourself why was there no great outcry from the early Church as to this Doctrine? Also why has no city or town ever claimed to hold her bones or tomb or anything? You would think that the woman that gave birth to Our Lord and Savior would be a wonderful addition to any town's tourist attraction? Yet, nowhere and at no time has this happened!
My Sisters and Brothers, I ask you to invoke the Holy Spirit and think.
Deuteronomy 34:5 - So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD.
Deuteronomy 34:6 - And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day.
Can you imagine if we knew where the bones were buried?
That spot would become a shrine. If Mary was buried, someone would have known -- and I guarantee you the grave would be maintained and viewed as hollow ground.
My point again is this: if the Doctrine that Mary was assumed bodily into Heaven was such an apostacy, while was there no outcry from The Fathers of the Church. It was only when many theories as to how it was done and why God did it started to circulate did The Magistarium of The Church form a Council and define it -- once and for always. Even Luther did not question that doctrine.
True about building shrines~~it's our fallen human nature to have idols.
I don't know a whole lot about the Catholic faith so I am going there, but as far as Mary being raptured up, it is altogether possible as there are several "raptures" in the bible. Enoch, Elijah, Jesus, all the saints resurrected after Jesus' death, the bride of Christ, the two witnesses during the 7 year tribulation and the tribulation saints at the end of the 7 years.
I just don't believe ANYONE was or is sinless and to be worshiped or prayed to except God as in the~Trinity. Peace with two fingers~~ :peace:
