Back in 1517 the professor and Augustinian monk Martin Luther said in effect, "I dissent, I disagree, I protest" to the church of Rome and nailed the famous 95 Theses on the door of the Castle Church All Souls in Wittenberg, Saxony, on Halloween night. Since then there have been irreconcilable differences between the faiths and this started the Reformation, which brought about the Counter-Reformation of the Catholics at the Council of Trent, 1545-63. In effect, they condemned the Protestants and anyone who believed in their formula of salvation dogma (church accepted doctrine) which is salvation by faith alone (they pronounced them "anathema" or cursed). Justification by faith alone became the battle cry of the Reformation. Note that the Catholics condemn Protestants, and not the reverse as they said in Vatican Council II that one cannot be saved apart from the Church or that "it is necessary for salvation." What Protestants rejected was that Roman Catholicism is mainly a religion because it adds merit to grace and works to faith and doesn't rely solely upon Christ alone in faith, but faith also in the Church or Pope. Catholicism is primarily a tradition that adherents follow without questioning authority.
The point of disagreement lies not in the deity of Christ or the infallibility of Scripture but in the doctrine of soteriology or of the study of salvation. We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, and the authority is in Scripture alone. Catholics take issue at all these points: They add merit to grace; works to faith; faith in the Church or Pope to Christ; and tradition and the Church to Scripture. Catholics believe that the instrumental means of salvation are the sacraments and as the Church administers them in baptism Holy Communion. Protestants believe the instrumental means is faith and this is a gift of God so that we cannot boast. Protestants see Christ as our Mediator (see 1 Tim. 2:5) while Catholics have declared Mary as Co-Redeemer or and Co-Mediator or Mediatrix. Protestants see all believers as priests unto God and we don't need a priesthood. All believers have the authority to interpret Scripture, however, the responsibility and obligation to do it correctly, and not just the priest, for no prophecy of Scripture is of a "private interpretation" according to 2 Pet. 1:20.
Protestants have nothing against tradition as long as it complies with Scripture or doesn't contradict it. For example, where Catholics have unbiblical traditions or are out of sync or harmony with Scripture are traditions such as: Believing the Church is built on Peter, the first Pope; there is a purgatory to purge of sin; prayers can be said to Mary and the dead saints (invocation of saints); images are made to kneel and pray before; the mass and sacraments are needed for salvation; salvation is through the Roman Catholic Church; in communion, the elements become the actual body and blood of Christ (transubstantiation); penance is for the restoration of fellowship; the notion that indulgences are made for the dead in purgatory; veneration and worship of Mary; holy water; canonization of saints; the celibacy of priests; and the repetition of the Rosary. None of these are based on Scripture and in fact contradict sound doctrine.
Other traditions include the addition of nuns, monks, monasteries, convents, Lent, Ash Wednesday, Holy Week, All Saints Day, declaring the Pope to be the Vicar of Christ and Head of the Church (per Col. 1:18 Jesus is Head), the infallibility of the Pope, the perpetual virginity of Mary, the immaculate conception of Mary, the assumption of Mary, the crowning of Mary as Queen of Heaven and Mother of God. Basically, the problem lies in the fact that they attribute tradition as having equal authority as Scripture. Whereas, Jesus rebuked the Pharisees: "... [T]heir teachings are but rules taught by men."
Vatican II said in the 1960's on the Ecumenism: "For it is through the Catholic Church alone, which is the all-embracing means of salvation, that the fullness of the means of salvation can be obtained."
This is where contention arose: Their spirit of exclusion and condemnation which is not based on Scriptural support but only edict and tradition of Rome [declared at the Council of Trent] and the Papists. Read the blasphemy of Pope Pius the Ninth, the first "infallible" Pope in 1870: "I alone, despite my unworthiness, am the successor to the apostles and Vicar to Christ. I alone have the mission to guide and direct the ship of Peter. I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. They who are with me are with the Church. They who are not with me are out of the Church." The Bible says that Christ is the Rock and there is one Mediator between God and man, the Man Christ Jesus (cf. 1 Tim. 2:5). Paul says in 1 Cor. 10:4 that "that Rock" was Christ. They see Peter as the "rock" but Christ only called him "Petros" or rock in Greek, and the truth he expressed as "Petra" or foundation rock" in Greek that would be the Rock of His church. This church position is highly sectarian (Paul condemns sectarianism in 1 Cor. 1) and is exclusive.
Their veneration of the Virgin Mary as the tradition was declared at the Vatican in 1994 as follows: "The Church's devotion to the Blessed Virgin is intrinsic to Christian worship. The church rightly honors the Blessed Virgin with special devotion. ... The liturgical feasts dedicated to the Mother of God and Marian prayer, such as the rosary, an 'epitome of the whole gospel,' express this devotion to the Virgin Mary." [Mat. 1:25 says that Joseph had "no union" with Mary until "she gave birth" implying losing her virginity, while Mark 6 and Mat. 13 list Jesus' brothers.] Praying to Mary contravenes the example of the Apostles and seeing her as sinless contradicts her addressing God as her Savior in the Magnificat. The obeisance to Mary was exemplified by Pope John Paul II in May of 1991 when he went to Fatima in Portugal and placed a crown of diamonds on a statue of Mary for saving his life from an assassination attempt. This is no less than the so-called hyper-elevation of Mary and seeing her as without sin through the immaculate conception and crowned as Queen of Heaven. Pope Leo the Twelfth said, "No one can approach Christ except through the Mother." He also said, "... [Nothing] according to the will of God comes to us except through Mary." None of these dogmas are warranted in Scripture and undermine the gospel and the Incarnation.
In short, Rome has declared that there is no higher authority than the Pope, who they see as the direct successor of Peter, who they say was the first Pope [But Paul put him in his place, even accusing him of hypocrisy] and is head of the Church, and in order to be saved one must be subject to his authority, making Protestants heretics. Relying on Mat. 16:18-19 they say Peter was given "the keys" but Jesus makes it clear in John 20:23 that the right to forgive was given to all the apostles and this was clearly delineated in Scripture--Acts 10:43 says all who believe in Jesus are forgiven! Roman Catholics always refer to Mat. 16:18-19. Catholics say Jesus was just talking to Peter when He gave authority, but Peter is the subset of the larger band of disciples and this is reading into the Scripture or eisegesis and to justify their understanding of the church and of the legitimacy of a Pope, they are taking the verse out of context--the full analogy of Scripture, that is; for Scripture is its own interpreter (see John 20:23) and it never contradicts itself. It isn't wrong to call someone a heretic if you can prove it by Scripture, but they just declare it by church dogma and tradition and cannot base it on any biblical authority. Protestants believe the Bible is sufficient to rule our faith and we don't need tradition, which is acceptable only as it is concordant with Scripture and not in conflict with biblical dogma. In sum, Roman Catholics believe there is no higher authority than the Pope and it is necessary to be subject to him for salvation [decreed by Pope Boniface the Eighth, in his Bull of 1302]. The reason they accept this is tradition and they believe in tradition as equal validity as the Bible. Everyone must ultimately ask himself: What is your rule of faith?
In the final analysis, if you find yourself compromising your faith or not believing sound doctrine is important and worth sticking to, or not sticking to your guns, you are on the way to a falling away. You must be in the know or be privy to what this religion stands for so you will be prepared when God opens the door for you to testify of the truth--He who is of the truth will listen. The adage it doesn't matter what you believe as long as you are sincere is fallacious. Paul spoke of Israel as having a "zeal for God, but not according to knowledge" (cf. Rom. 10:2, ESV). We do not judge Catholic counterparts, but we must be willing to take a stand for the truth when the time is right.
As a quick litmus test of orthodoxy, ask a Catholic friend if he believes in free will. Augustine said we did with reservations: We have a free will, but we are not freed. We are set free upon salvation, not born free--i.e., we don't have liberty, but are voluntary slaves of sin. Rome has condemned anyone who doesn't affirm the Catholic doctrine of absolute free will--they believe the will is not affected by the fall of Adam, in other words, but remains in a neutral position freely able to choose Christ apart from God's intervention and aid. Jesus said, "Apart from me you can do nothing" (cf. John 15:5). If left to ourselves, none of us would've chosen Christ!
Free will introduces merit and makes some worthy of salvation by their free choice. A pertinent verse is Romans 9:19 which says, "You will say to me then, 'Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?'" Another is John 1:13 which says we are not saved by the will of man but of God! If you came to Christ on your own, you probably left Him on your own! Jesus plainly said, "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent me draws him" (John 6:44, ESV). And: "... [T]his is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father" (John 6:65, ESV). This is commonly called the "wooing" or drawing ministry of the Holy Spirit who empowers us unto faith by quickening our spirit and opening our eyes. We didn't choose our nature and we are only clay in the Potter's hands, but we are free to act according to our God-given nature, disposition, or temperament. Who said we need free will to be saved--we need our wills made free! "For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure" (Phil. 2:13, ESV).
The Bible says not to be unequally yoked, and this means you must have a mutual respect and understanding in your faiths, but not necessarily to be of the same denomination. You must be able to pray together if you want to stay together. If there is one thing that'll change your theology in a hurry it's falling in love! Caveat: The husband is in the role of the spiritual head of the family and must not be derelict or remiss in his duties to take charge and lead. Soli Deo Gloria!
The point of disagreement lies not in the deity of Christ or the infallibility of Scripture but in the doctrine of soteriology or of the study of salvation. We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, and the authority is in Scripture alone. Catholics take issue at all these points: They add merit to grace; works to faith; faith in the Church or Pope to Christ; and tradition and the Church to Scripture. Catholics believe that the instrumental means of salvation are the sacraments and as the Church administers them in baptism Holy Communion. Protestants believe the instrumental means is faith and this is a gift of God so that we cannot boast. Protestants see Christ as our Mediator (see 1 Tim. 2:5) while Catholics have declared Mary as Co-Redeemer or and Co-Mediator or Mediatrix. Protestants see all believers as priests unto God and we don't need a priesthood. All believers have the authority to interpret Scripture, however, the responsibility and obligation to do it correctly, and not just the priest, for no prophecy of Scripture is of a "private interpretation" according to 2 Pet. 1:20.
Protestants have nothing against tradition as long as it complies with Scripture or doesn't contradict it. For example, where Catholics have unbiblical traditions or are out of sync or harmony with Scripture are traditions such as: Believing the Church is built on Peter, the first Pope; there is a purgatory to purge of sin; prayers can be said to Mary and the dead saints (invocation of saints); images are made to kneel and pray before; the mass and sacraments are needed for salvation; salvation is through the Roman Catholic Church; in communion, the elements become the actual body and blood of Christ (transubstantiation); penance is for the restoration of fellowship; the notion that indulgences are made for the dead in purgatory; veneration and worship of Mary; holy water; canonization of saints; the celibacy of priests; and the repetition of the Rosary. None of these are based on Scripture and in fact contradict sound doctrine.
Other traditions include the addition of nuns, monks, monasteries, convents, Lent, Ash Wednesday, Holy Week, All Saints Day, declaring the Pope to be the Vicar of Christ and Head of the Church (per Col. 1:18 Jesus is Head), the infallibility of the Pope, the perpetual virginity of Mary, the immaculate conception of Mary, the assumption of Mary, the crowning of Mary as Queen of Heaven and Mother of God. Basically, the problem lies in the fact that they attribute tradition as having equal authority as Scripture. Whereas, Jesus rebuked the Pharisees: "... [T]heir teachings are but rules taught by men."
Vatican II said in the 1960's on the Ecumenism: "For it is through the Catholic Church alone, which is the all-embracing means of salvation, that the fullness of the means of salvation can be obtained."
This is where contention arose: Their spirit of exclusion and condemnation which is not based on Scriptural support but only edict and tradition of Rome [declared at the Council of Trent] and the Papists. Read the blasphemy of Pope Pius the Ninth, the first "infallible" Pope in 1870: "I alone, despite my unworthiness, am the successor to the apostles and Vicar to Christ. I alone have the mission to guide and direct the ship of Peter. I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. They who are with me are with the Church. They who are not with me are out of the Church." The Bible says that Christ is the Rock and there is one Mediator between God and man, the Man Christ Jesus (cf. 1 Tim. 2:5). Paul says in 1 Cor. 10:4 that "that Rock" was Christ. They see Peter as the "rock" but Christ only called him "Petros" or rock in Greek, and the truth he expressed as "Petra" or foundation rock" in Greek that would be the Rock of His church. This church position is highly sectarian (Paul condemns sectarianism in 1 Cor. 1) and is exclusive.
Their veneration of the Virgin Mary as the tradition was declared at the Vatican in 1994 as follows: "The Church's devotion to the Blessed Virgin is intrinsic to Christian worship. The church rightly honors the Blessed Virgin with special devotion. ... The liturgical feasts dedicated to the Mother of God and Marian prayer, such as the rosary, an 'epitome of the whole gospel,' express this devotion to the Virgin Mary." [Mat. 1:25 says that Joseph had "no union" with Mary until "she gave birth" implying losing her virginity, while Mark 6 and Mat. 13 list Jesus' brothers.] Praying to Mary contravenes the example of the Apostles and seeing her as sinless contradicts her addressing God as her Savior in the Magnificat. The obeisance to Mary was exemplified by Pope John Paul II in May of 1991 when he went to Fatima in Portugal and placed a crown of diamonds on a statue of Mary for saving his life from an assassination attempt. This is no less than the so-called hyper-elevation of Mary and seeing her as without sin through the immaculate conception and crowned as Queen of Heaven. Pope Leo the Twelfth said, "No one can approach Christ except through the Mother." He also said, "... [Nothing] according to the will of God comes to us except through Mary." None of these dogmas are warranted in Scripture and undermine the gospel and the Incarnation.
In short, Rome has declared that there is no higher authority than the Pope, who they see as the direct successor of Peter, who they say was the first Pope [But Paul put him in his place, even accusing him of hypocrisy] and is head of the Church, and in order to be saved one must be subject to his authority, making Protestants heretics. Relying on Mat. 16:18-19 they say Peter was given "the keys" but Jesus makes it clear in John 20:23 that the right to forgive was given to all the apostles and this was clearly delineated in Scripture--Acts 10:43 says all who believe in Jesus are forgiven! Roman Catholics always refer to Mat. 16:18-19. Catholics say Jesus was just talking to Peter when He gave authority, but Peter is the subset of the larger band of disciples and this is reading into the Scripture or eisegesis and to justify their understanding of the church and of the legitimacy of a Pope, they are taking the verse out of context--the full analogy of Scripture, that is; for Scripture is its own interpreter (see John 20:23) and it never contradicts itself. It isn't wrong to call someone a heretic if you can prove it by Scripture, but they just declare it by church dogma and tradition and cannot base it on any biblical authority. Protestants believe the Bible is sufficient to rule our faith and we don't need tradition, which is acceptable only as it is concordant with Scripture and not in conflict with biblical dogma. In sum, Roman Catholics believe there is no higher authority than the Pope and it is necessary to be subject to him for salvation [decreed by Pope Boniface the Eighth, in his Bull of 1302]. The reason they accept this is tradition and they believe in tradition as equal validity as the Bible. Everyone must ultimately ask himself: What is your rule of faith?
In the final analysis, if you find yourself compromising your faith or not believing sound doctrine is important and worth sticking to, or not sticking to your guns, you are on the way to a falling away. You must be in the know or be privy to what this religion stands for so you will be prepared when God opens the door for you to testify of the truth--He who is of the truth will listen. The adage it doesn't matter what you believe as long as you are sincere is fallacious. Paul spoke of Israel as having a "zeal for God, but not according to knowledge" (cf. Rom. 10:2, ESV). We do not judge Catholic counterparts, but we must be willing to take a stand for the truth when the time is right.
As a quick litmus test of orthodoxy, ask a Catholic friend if he believes in free will. Augustine said we did with reservations: We have a free will, but we are not freed. We are set free upon salvation, not born free--i.e., we don't have liberty, but are voluntary slaves of sin. Rome has condemned anyone who doesn't affirm the Catholic doctrine of absolute free will--they believe the will is not affected by the fall of Adam, in other words, but remains in a neutral position freely able to choose Christ apart from God's intervention and aid. Jesus said, "Apart from me you can do nothing" (cf. John 15:5). If left to ourselves, none of us would've chosen Christ!
Free will introduces merit and makes some worthy of salvation by their free choice. A pertinent verse is Romans 9:19 which says, "You will say to me then, 'Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?'" Another is John 1:13 which says we are not saved by the will of man but of God! If you came to Christ on your own, you probably left Him on your own! Jesus plainly said, "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent me draws him" (John 6:44, ESV). And: "... [T]his is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father" (John 6:65, ESV). This is commonly called the "wooing" or drawing ministry of the Holy Spirit who empowers us unto faith by quickening our spirit and opening our eyes. We didn't choose our nature and we are only clay in the Potter's hands, but we are free to act according to our God-given nature, disposition, or temperament. Who said we need free will to be saved--we need our wills made free! "For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure" (Phil. 2:13, ESV).
The Bible says not to be unequally yoked, and this means you must have a mutual respect and understanding in your faiths, but not necessarily to be of the same denomination. You must be able to pray together if you want to stay together. If there is one thing that'll change your theology in a hurry it's falling in love! Caveat: The husband is in the role of the spiritual head of the family and must not be derelict or remiss in his duties to take charge and lead. Soli Deo Gloria!