The RADEN Report#10

Editor... Well, it's a surprise to me, but the recent Vatican declaration entitled "Dominus Iesus" has stirred up all sorts of interest and questions. There is nothing new in the document; it contains long-established official Roman Catholic teaching. Maybe it's just the freshness of it being presented over again that has caused so much interest. In any event, I plan to answer some of the questions I am hearing in this format. I'll only deal with one or two questions in each edition. I hope this is useful to you or to someone you know.

"Does the Roman Catholic Church really teach that sacraments are necessary for salvation?"

FIRST... According to Roman Catholicism's most recent Ecumenical Council (Vatican II, 1962-1965) the Roman Catholic Church fully supports, as required belief, all of the decrees of the Council of Trent. The Council of Trent still officially defines the beliefs of Roman Catholicism, and it's decrees are not optional for Roman Catholics. Anyone who knowingly disagrees with these official decrees is automatically declared to be "anathema," which, in Catholic terminology, means the offending person has fallen from grace and cannot enter Heaven unless they turn and embrace all Catholic doctrine and are given absolution through a member of the Roman Catholic hierarchy.

The ONLY official statements of Catholic belief must come from the Vatican and be approved by the pope. What the Vatican has put down on paper is what constitutes Roman Catholic belief, not what anyone else - not even individual Roman Catholic leaders - may think or say. Ecumenical operatives like Charles Colson and Timothy George try to talk around the facts of Roman Catholic belief, but according to official Roman Catholic teaching, no one is free to express or hold to a belief that is inconsistent with official Roman Catholic teaching.

For those of us who have been raised in a free society, such a dictatorial mentality is hard to grasp or even believe, but the Vatican, through its Magesterium, does claim ultimate and infallible teaching authority over all "Christians" (yes, even over evangelicals and other supposed "separated brethren.") The recent Vatican decree "Dominus Iesus" clearly reaffirms the dictatorial stance of the Roman Catholic Church. This is nothing new at all, but particularly since Vatican II, ecumenical smoke-screens have helped to hide such facts from evangelicals.

(By the way, this kind of mind-controlling "check your mind at the door" requirement is one of the marks of a "cult." Saying this may be offensive, but it's simply a fact, and the sooner that genuine Christians recognize the facts, the more effective they will be in their witness to Roman Catholics... it is the truth that sets men free.)

Cannon 1... "If anyone says that the sacraments of the New Law (decrees and interpretations of the Roman Catholic Church) were not all instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ, or that there are more or less than seven, namely, baptism, confirmation, Eucharist, penance, extreme unction, order and matrimony, or that any one of these seven is not truly and intrinsically a sacrament, let him be anathema."

Cannon 4... "If anyone says that the sacraments of the New Law are not necessary for salvation but are superfluous, and that without them or without the desire of them men obtain from God through faith alone the grace of justification, though all are not necessary for each one, let him be anathema."

Cannon 8... "If anyone says that by the sacraments of the New Law grace is not conferred ex opere operato, but that faith alone in the divine promise is sufficient to obtain grace, let him be anathema." ("ex opere operato" is a Latin phrase used to say that the sacrament confers grace from the act itself... thus, clearly indicating belief that sacraments - religious works - can confer salvation.)

Cannon 3... "If anyone says that in the Roman Church, which is the mother and mistress of all churches, there is not the true doctrine concerning the sacrament of baptism, let him be anathema."

Cannon 5... "If anyone says that baptism is optional, that is, not necessary for salvation, let him be anathema."

Also, according to the most recent edition of the official Catholic Catechism (1994):

1129... "The Church affirms that for believers the sacraments of the New Covenant are necessary for salvation." (italics emphasis in original)

1131... "The sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us. The visible rites by which the sacraments are celebrated signify and make present the graces proper to each sacrament."

1257... "The Lord himself affirms that Baptism is necessary for salvation.... The Church does not know of any means other than Baptism that assures entry into eternal beatitude; this is why she takes care not to neglect the mission she has received from the Lord to see that all who can be baptized are 'reborn of water and the Spirit.' God has bound salvation to the sacrament of Baptism...." (italics emphasis in original)

What we are looking at here is more than a matter of some debatable personal interpretations... described above are the elements of another gospel, a gospel that cannot save and that identifies Roman Catholicism as a false church. Those who trust in the official teachings of Roman Catholicism need to be lovingly approached with the truth of the one Gospel of Christ, which is completely opposed to any false-gospel of sacramental grace.

Now, having seen that the Roman Catholic Church does officially teach another gospel, let's contrast some recent statements from two well-known leaders in the Church today (both are Southern Baptists)...

"Evangelicals and Catholics are brothers and sisters in Christ." (ECT alliance foundational statement, co-authored by Charles Colson)

"I believe that the Roman Church is a false church and it teaches a false gospel…" (Dr. R. Albert Mohler jr. on "Larry King Live," 3/22/00 - from Baptist Press report)

"The most hopeful words from any Christian leader today have come from John Paul II…" (Charles Colson in How Now Shall We Live, 1999, page 303)

"Indeed, I believe that the pope himself holds a false and unbiblical office." (Dr. R. Albert Mohler jr. on "Larry King Live," 3/22/00 - from Baptist Press)

"Evangelicals and Catholics Together’s (ECT) joint statements have emphasized the great truths we hold in common without compromising… doctrinal differences…." (Charles Colson in How Now Shall We Live, 1999, page 304)

"…the Catholic Church itself teaches and represents a false gospel – ‘a gospel of works rather than grace.’ " (Dr. R. Albert Mohler jr. on "Larry King Live," 3/22/00 - from Baptist Press)

"See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition rather than on Christ." Colossians 2:8

"Who is behind Mission America?" -- "Does the Roman Catholic Church teach that the Church is necessary for salvation?" -- "What is the Lighthouse Movement?" -- and more.

The RADEN Report is a news and commentary service purposed to inform and educate the body of Christ regarding the dangers of ecumenism. For our purposes, ecumenism is defined as cooperative ventures of an evangelistic nature with individuals and/or groups which promote errant doctrine. Much of the New Testament was written to oppose the false doctrines of men who claimed to be Christian teachers, yet were bringing in "destructive heresies." According to Jude we are to "earnestly contend for the Faith that was once for all delivered unto the saints." This we aim to do and to encourage others in this part of God's work. If we can be of assistance to you in this way, please let us know. Additional copies (hard-copy) of RADEN are available, as well as other resources. Why not pass RADEN on to a friend? If you would like to read the ECT document, click here. We also have the ECT put together into booklets, if you would like for us to send you one or more, request it by email. Please include your home address and how many you would like.

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