By Kathy Schley
Years ago I dialogued with another Christian (and anti-Catholic) for several years who told me that I possess a "false Jesus." If only he could see through his monitor he would see my eyes roll! There's nothing more that turns me off during a debate is the personal judgment of where we are with God and our eternal fate with Him because we do not embrace the other believer's doctrines in its entirety. I also see this condemnation in some members within my own religion. Before I get into my article I would like to say that I've met many Christians in Christendom who see Jesus Christ in other believers and worship our Savior together. But unfortunately there are some in Christendom who cannot see Jesus Christ in another believer, but instead see condemnation. The non-Catholic Christian who believed I possessed a false-Jesus had said to me many times, "I would love to see you in Heaven sitting at God's Table with me." And my reply to him would be, "I plan on being there, even without your approval."
Are Catholics Christian? This is an ironic subject to me. I've been asked what church I attend, what religion I belong to, etc. When I say I am Catholic, the other person responds, "I am Christian" (as if to imply Catholics are not Christian). I've also been told bluntly that Catholics are not Christian, and if Catholics believe they are Christian it's because they have a "false Jesus" lying to them. I've also been told that after the death of the apostles Satan took over the Church forcing Christians to go into hiding (however there aren't any recorded documents to support these claims but we are expected to believe these claims on heresay). Many do not know what "catholic" means? The term, "catholic," was first used by St. Ignatius of Antioch, an early Church father and bishop, and a disciple of the apostle John. The term means, Universal Faith. The Church father, St. Augustine, in the 4th century, used the term, "Catholic Church," to distinguish the true Church of the universal faith from heretical groups. The early Church fathers were Catholics because they belonged to a Church of a universal faith. It was also in the 4th century the Books of our Bible was declared as the inspired Holy Word of God by the early Church fathers in Synod of Hippo (367 AD), and the Canon was confirmed in the Council of Carthage (397 AD). It was Catholics who sifted the wheat from the chaff and declared which Books are the inspired Holy Word of God, and which books are not. Imagine, putting faith in the Bible, believing it to be the inspired Holy Word of God, because non-Christians, deceived by Satan, said it was!
I've been accused of being brainwashed, but common sense tells me the Bible didn't just fall out of the sky! God inspired men to write the Bible, and He also inspired men to sift through all the books declaring which Books are His inspired Holy Word, and which books are not. We have the infallible Word of God in this universal faith because Jesus promised the gates of Hell would not prevail against His Church. (Matthew 16:19) So when we accept the Bible as the inspired Holy Word of God, we accept it on the Catholic's word. So if Catholics today are not Christian, than neither were the early Church fathers who declared the Books of our Bible as the inspired Holy Word of God...and worst yet, Jesus lied!
Many "Bible-alone" Christians believe the Bible had always existed. They believe the Bible came before the Church. But according to history, the Church existed before the Bible. That means the "Bible-alone" Christians didn't have a Bible the first four centuries of Christianity. What did the "Bible-alone" Christians do without a Bible the first four centuries? I imagine they had the Word of God preached to them by the early Church, that St. Augustine called "The Catholic Church." Or as some believe with extreme rejection of Catholicism, they were hiding as the true Christians (although there aren't any recorded documents to support this claim). And although the Books of our Bible was given to us in the 4th century, it was still many centuries later before many possessed their own copy of it because it wasn't until 1440 the printing press was invented by a German inventor, Johannes Guttenberg. So Christians relied on the Catholic Church to learn the Gospel. And the churches had stories of the Gospel on stain glass windows. Even their statues gave a story of God's Word.
It has also been said to me that we must not be focused on the early writings of our early Church fathers because their writings are not the inspired Word of God. Catholics never said the writings of our early Church fathers are the inspired Word of God. But it's history that gives us an insight to what was believed and practiced in early Christianity. Also, our early Church fathers declared the Books of our Bible as the inspired Word of God. Certainly God would guide them to interpret these Books without error (Hence, infallibly). And some of our early Church fathers were Theologians and Biblical Scholars, and Doctors of the Church. My same opposers who tell me I should not be focused on the beliefs, practices and worship of our early Church fathers, also tell me I need to focus on my private interpretation. In other words, be a "Theologian" myself! The doctrines of the Catholic Church are accused of contradicting the Bible. However, if we have thousands of different doctrines and "Truths" to the Bible because we have made ourselves a Theologian, this is contradiction to the Bible! While there are Scriptures that speak to the individual personally and gives us a spiritual awakening, there are also Scriptures that only the Catholic Church can deliver without error. Jesus entrusted the Word of God to His apostles and to their successors beginning with "word of Mouth" (Tradition), and later in writings. The Bible itself teaches the Church came before the Bible. The early Christians learned the Word of God through Apostolic Tradition, just like the apostles learned the Word of God through Tradition, through the preaching of Jesus. We see "Tradition" when we read the Bible. We don't see any teachings of Jesus instructing His apostles to write down His Word. Nor do we see the apostles and their followers going in different directions with their own copy of the scrolls. We don't see private interpretation with every person being a Theologian. Instead we see Jesus building His Church on His apostles and entrusting His Word to His Church to be delivered without error. He promised the gates of Hell would not prevail against His Church.
There isn't a Scripture that says God's Word is rooted in Scripture only. Instead St. Paul tells us God's Word is rooted in BOTH writings AND TRADITION.
"So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to THE TRADITIONS which were taught by us, EITHER BY WORD OF MOUTH, or by letter." (2Thessalonians 2:25)
"Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that you keep away from any brother who is living in idleness and not in accord WITH THE TRADITION that you received from us." (2Thessalonians 3:6)
And St. Paul tells us it is THE CHURCH that is the pillar of faith. [Note: he didn't say the Bible is the pillar of faith]
"...if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is THE CHURCH of the living God." (1Timothy 3:15)
It is THE CHURCH that is the sole teaching of God. And the Books of our Bible came from Her.
The fact that the Catholics today adhere to Catholic doctrines and practices, they are judged by some as not being a Christian, and are not saved. But if we look at the early writings of our Church fathers on how they interpreted the Scriptures and what was passed down to them through Tradition, they believed and taught what the Catholic Church believes and teaches today, such as Tradition, the Real Presence, Purgatory, the Virgin Mary, Primacy of Peter, Infant Baptism, Communion of Saints, etc.. They too prayed to the Virgin Mary and to the saints, and prayed for those in Purgatory, and confessed to priests, etc. I cannot deny or ignore the fact that our Bible (a compilation of Books) was declared to be the inspired Holy Word of God by CHRISTIANS who believed and taught the very same doctrines that the Catholic Church believes and teaches today.
I've been told that I am not a Christian because I put my trust into men in my Catholic Church and into my own works to gain salvation, rather into Jesus Christ Himself. This accusation is a gross distortion of my religious views! And according to my opposers it is condemning to listen to the men in my church, however I must listen to my opposers (and they are not men?). And although they preach against the doctrine of mediation between men, a "mediator" is exactly what they are! I had written another article called, A Catholic's Salvation, that puts the Catholic doctrine of salvation into the correct perspective.
When I am asked, "Are you born-again?" My answer is, "I'm born again...and again...and again...and again." Is once enough?
Catholics also have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We recognize that Jesus is God. We recognize that we are not our own, and God (the Blessed Trinity) dwells within. After we get a taste of God, we become addicts of God and crave God to get closer to God. We can't get enough of God. We recognize God is Heaven, and to be in Heaven is to be with God. We recognize that our attachment to things that are not of God, and the sins we commit out of weakness, rob our sight to God and experiencing His Divine Characteristics.
All Christians will agree they are called to judge a doctrine that they believe is not a doctrine of God and defend God's Word. Christians are also called to warn others that certain acts in their lifestyle can prevent them from seeing salvation. Christians are called to share the Gospel of Christ. Christians are called to "test the spirits" because many false prophets have gone out into the world. (1John 4:1) But God condemns passing personal judgment on another soul of where that soul is with God presently and in eternity. No one knows where a soul is with God, except for that soul and God. And only God can make that judgment of our eternal salvation with Him. Jesus says, "Judge not...the measure you give will be the measure you get." (Matthew 7:1-2) And St. Paul says, "For the Spirit searches every thing, even the depths of God. For what person knows a man's thoughts except the spirit of the man which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God." (1Corinthians 2:10-11) Yet, many believe they were given a special calling to pass personal judgment. I've also seen and heard outrageous remarks made by individual members in my belief system to other Christians. Other Christians have also been judged as not being a Christian because they don't embrace Catholicism in its entirety. Sharing our differences with other believers is good and brings Christians closer together in unity. Many will find that there is more common ground to worship the Savior together, than there is division.
Do I believe only Catholics are Christians? Of course not. Do I believe only non-Catholics are Christians? Of course not. Do I believe bad trees that bore bad fruit such as Adolf Hitler and Saddam Hussein have died in condemnation? I don't know. Only God would know this answer. Anything can transpire between a soul and God during the soul's passing without the knowledge of witnesses. Only God would know whose names are in the Book of Life, and whose are not.