This was written in a newsletter update by Jason Post. I loved how he explained Catholicism versus Christianity.
"As my friend (I'll call him Peter) and I were talking, he made a statement that I've heard 1000 times before. The topic had turned to spiritual things and he began musing about how all religions - especially the Christian ones - were, essentially, the same; 98% the same, to use his language. And, after all, how important could that 2% really be? I happily conceded that, in many instances, the 2% that separates some Christian denominations is not that big, but I also noted that humans and chimps have 98% the same DNA (as was reported several years ago). In that instance, I said, that 2% is everything!
Mandy and I have these kinds of conversations often when speaking to our friends about what it means to have a living faith. All of their questions finally boil down to this one: "what's the difference between what you believe and what we believe [pause] really?" The assumption implied in their tone is, not much.
Had Peter and I not been interrupted I would have gone on to explain what I see as the fundamental difference between what I believe and what the Catholic church in Ireland teaches. Over the years I've learned that I usually get in 1 point, so I need to lead with the best. I used to try to build to the Gospel only to be frustrated when the conversation would be cut short. Now I just lead with it. Using something I heard from Bill Hybels years ago, I explain the difference between "do" vs "done."
Catholicism looks different depending on where you are in the world, as does the distance between the Catholic on the street and the official dogma of the church in Rome. So I understand that a Catholic in Dallas, perhaps, looks different than a Catholic in Dingle. My conversations here are culturally tuned - I think - to the right frequency.
All Catholics would agree that a person is saved by grace (although they may not be comfortable with the language of "saved"). They would even argue that a person is saved through faith. The difference, then, is that a Catholic is (being) saved by grace that is dispensed by the church as they "do" the sacraments. They cannot rightly speak of assurance because they are not necessarily saved at any given moment. They are being saved as they receive grace through doing, in faith.
My view of the New Testament, however, is that we are saved by grace, through faith - alone. That is, Jesus has "done" all that we need in order to be saved so that there is nothing left for us to "do" except respond in saving faith. There is no guesswork involved. Jesus has done it all. We merely hide ourselves in Him.
Do vs done.
Peter and I didn't get to finish that conversation, but we'd had it before. He's heard the Gospel, but, like so many here, he is blinded. So what do we do? We continue to walk with our friends, sharing our own story of how this Gospel has, and is, changing us. Would you please join us in praying for our friends?"
"As my friend (I'll call him Peter) and I were talking, he made a statement that I've heard 1000 times before. The topic had turned to spiritual things and he began musing about how all religions - especially the Christian ones - were, essentially, the same; 98% the same, to use his language. And, after all, how important could that 2% really be? I happily conceded that, in many instances, the 2% that separates some Christian denominations is not that big, but I also noted that humans and chimps have 98% the same DNA (as was reported several years ago). In that instance, I said, that 2% is everything!
Mandy and I have these kinds of conversations often when speaking to our friends about what it means to have a living faith. All of their questions finally boil down to this one: "what's the difference between what you believe and what we believe [pause] really?" The assumption implied in their tone is, not much.
Had Peter and I not been interrupted I would have gone on to explain what I see as the fundamental difference between what I believe and what the Catholic church in Ireland teaches. Over the years I've learned that I usually get in 1 point, so I need to lead with the best. I used to try to build to the Gospel only to be frustrated when the conversation would be cut short. Now I just lead with it. Using something I heard from Bill Hybels years ago, I explain the difference between "do" vs "done."
Catholicism looks different depending on where you are in the world, as does the distance between the Catholic on the street and the official dogma of the church in Rome. So I understand that a Catholic in Dallas, perhaps, looks different than a Catholic in Dingle. My conversations here are culturally tuned - I think - to the right frequency.
All Catholics would agree that a person is saved by grace (although they may not be comfortable with the language of "saved"). They would even argue that a person is saved through faith. The difference, then, is that a Catholic is (being) saved by grace that is dispensed by the church as they "do" the sacraments. They cannot rightly speak of assurance because they are not necessarily saved at any given moment. They are being saved as they receive grace through doing, in faith.
My view of the New Testament, however, is that we are saved by grace, through faith - alone. That is, Jesus has "done" all that we need in order to be saved so that there is nothing left for us to "do" except respond in saving faith. There is no guesswork involved. Jesus has done it all. We merely hide ourselves in Him.
Do vs done.
Peter and I didn't get to finish that conversation, but we'd had it before. He's heard the Gospel, but, like so many here, he is blinded. So what do we do? We continue to walk with our friends, sharing our own story of how this Gospel has, and is, changing us. Would you please join us in praying for our friends?"
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