Answering Roman Catholicism

Witnessing to Roman Catholics During a Time of Change

Readers and listeners tell us that the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI has opened doors of opportunity for them to bear witness to Roman Catholic friends and relatives...

From the TeachingtheWord Bible Knowledgebase

February 18, 2013 - Readers and listeners tell us that the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI has opened doors of opportunity for them to bear witness to Roman Catholic friends and relatives about the truth of authentic Biblical Christianity. They have asked for our help. One of our readers writes:

I have a Catholic friend that I daily exercise with. Amid all the angst about the pope stepping down, we got into a discussion about the [Roman Catholic claim that] the pope [is] who Christ built his church on, and what that means as to who the pope is... This discussion goes on... I would appreciate some simple facts that I can share with her, Biblical references that I can show her.

Thank you!

Helpful Resources

Beginning today we are presenting a series of articles on the differences between Roman Catholicism and authentic Biblical Christianity in the weekday editions of our newsletter, The Profitable Word. These articles will focus on five key areas:

  • Doctrine: Tradition vs. Scripture
  • Authority: Church and Papacy vs. Christ
  • Salvation: Works vs. Faith
  • Mediators: Many vs. One
  • The True Church: Visible vs. Invisible

Also, we commend to you an excellent book, Far From Rome, Near to God. Each of this book's fifty short chapters presents the testimony of a Roman Catholic priest who came to saving faith in Christ. Each man's loving desire for the salvation of those he left behind in Romanism shines through on every page. Every Christian will benefit from reading this book, and the Biblical truth it presents can be an excellent means of witnessing to your Roman Catholic friends and relatives.

A Word of Caution

Let us also offer this word of caution. Witnessing to our Roman Catholic friends and relatives is not about winning arguments, but about lovingly and respectfully presenting the truth of the Word of God, by the power of the Holy Spirit, and praying that the Lord will change the hearts of those who are lost. Do not allow the discussion to descend into personalities or other things that are, in the end, irrelevant. Keep the focus on the truth of God's Word, and trust the Lord to use His Word, as He has promised, to accomplish His glorious purpose:

Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.

"For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it." (Isaiah 55:6-11)

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