Tonight we pick up where we left off in last week’s session.

Ask Anything April – Session 2

presented 10 April 2019

AUDIO

Presentation Notes

SPECIFIC QUESTIONS

Catholics & Catholicism: Catholics believe in confessing to a priest, or “blessing” themselves by doing a cross outline gesture over themselves. Are they saved if they believe in Jesus’ death and resurrection? Even though they pray to saints and such? Even though they confess to a priest? P.S. my best friend is Catholic and is unsure of what she believes vs. what Christians believe.

  • Let’s go back and consider the one and only way we get saved
  • Walk through Ephesians 2: 1-10
  • Romans 10: 8-13
  • If you truly believe these things, then you will be saved, regardless of what you call yourself
  • However, there are implications to these verses which impact Roman Catholic practices because of what those practices are held to mean.
  • I believe there are individual Catholics who acknowledge Jesus as Lord and Savior, who believe in Jesus’ death and resurrection, and so meet the Scriptural tests, despite doing those other things
  • But if they think they must do those other things to be saved or keep their salvation, that would be embracing a works-based salvation.
  • If they believe in salvation by grace through faith alone, we can’t say they aren’t saved
  • However, that isn’t yet the official Catholic doctrine, though they’ve made some progress toward the historical truth of the gospel!
    • “Salvation in Roman Catholicism is a process. To begin, God grants actual grace to a person which enables him to believe in Christ (CCC 2000) and also believe in the truth of the Catholic Church (CCC 1814). After belief, the person must be baptized, which is necessary for salvation (CCC 1257). This baptism erases original sin (CCC 405), unites the person with Christ (CCC 977), infuses grace into the person (CCC 1999), and grants justification (CCC 1992, 2020). After baptism, he is saved. But, to maintain his salvation, it is necessary for him to perform good works (CCC 2010, 2068, 2080) and participate in the sacraments (CCC 1129) which provide grace that is “proper to each sacrament” (CCC 1129, 2003). this is necessary in order to maintain infused grace (CCC 987, 1468). However, grace can be lessened by venial sins or completely lost by mortal sins.”
    • “To conclude, the  Roman Catholic must have faith, participate in the sacraments, take the Eucharist, keep the commandments, perform penance, and do indulgences in order to attain, maintain, and regain his salvation as well as reduce the punishment due to him for the sins of which he has already forgiven.”
    • That definitely is NOT salvation by grace through faith alone!
  • The many extrabiblical elements of Catholicism are definitely problematic.
    • Praying to saints when we’re commanded to pray to “Our Father”
    • The extreme and unbiblical veneration of Mary and thinking she can help them out.
    • James 5: 16 does call us to confess our sins to one another – it just doesn’t create a special class of people who are the only recipients of our confessions. Priesthood of all believers!
    • Ministers don’t grant forgiveness on God’s behalf, God does!
    • Jesus even says not to call people “Father”, yet that’s what they call priests
  • Are Catholics saved? Generally not. Can Catholics be saved – I’d say it’s possible, but it’s a difficult path to walk.

Jews & Judaism: Are Jewish people saved? The Jews are God’s people, yet they do not recognize Jesus as the Messiah. Are all Jewish people unsaved?

  • John 3: 16, John 14: 6, Romans 3: 20-25, and Ephesians 2: 8-9 lay it out clearly. We’re saved by grace through faith in Christ alone.
  • You can be Jewish and Christian, as many in the early church were, following Mosaic Law while embracing Jesus as Messiah, Lord, and Savior
  • Today these are called “Messianic Jews” or “Completed Jews” – we’ll be fellowshipping with some on April 17th for our Seder! These are saved, for they  recognize Yeshua as Savior and accept the New  Testament.
  • Most Jews today aren’t saved, because good works will never save us!
    • Philippians 3: 2-11
    • Step through  Romans 11: 1-12, 25-31
      • There is a partial hardening for the past 2,000 years – why so many Jews are hostile or just unaffected by the gospel, though there is a remnant saved by grace
      • Once the full number of Gentiles are gathered, there will be a great turning of Jews to Jesus

Since God said that the Jews are the chosen people, why do they think He (Jesus) is not the Savior?

  • Because of the partial hardening described earlier in Romans 11
  • Jesus was  not what they were expecting in a Messiah – they wanted an immediate restoration of the Davidic kingdom and throwing off of the Roman Empire – they misunderstood the prophecies about Jesus

Why do we reference Jewish culture so much if they are not correct in what they believe?

  • That depends on what you’re referring to!
  • When I preach/teach I’ll often describe the Jewish culture of the 1st century to  help you understand how the original teaching or writing would have been understood
    • A major part of my responsibility is to build a bridge for you from 2,000-3,000 years ago to the present, so you can more fully understand what was taught and what it meant, so you can bring it forward and apply to your 21st century life.
    • An understanding of Jewish culture often helps us better understand the point of the author or speaker, the reaction they were evoking in their audience, and implications for the teaching that we might miss
    • As an example – in the Parable of the Prodigal Son – the behavior of the older son is somewhat minimized to us – it would have stood out egregiously to the original audience, and they would have know that Jesus was condemning them!
  • However, I’ve observed a certain fascination with Jewish culture and the Law within Christian circles, which can easily turn into legalism
    • The desire to somehow be more holy in God’s eyes by following some or all of the Law.
    • That becomes quite unhealthy, because for those of us in Christ, we’re already as high in God’s esteem and love as possible, because Christ lives in us and we are new creations in Christ

MISCELLANEOUS QUESTIONS

Do we still ask for a vote from the congregation to accept a person or persons who have requested membership in the church?

  • Yes, in a congregational church such as ours.