Recently, I decided to search for a Catholic Bible study online so I could learn more about typology. Typology is the relationship between the Old Testament and the New Testament. So I googled Catholic Bible Study and came across a website with the URL CatholicBiblestudy.org. I think "o.k. it's an 'org', must be official..."
It's put together by a J.D. Martinez. He goes on to write that he grew up as a Roman Catholic and was an alter boy and somehow we're supposed to believe that qualifies him on the subject of Catholicism. He says his purpose is to teach Catholics, (his interpretation,) about the bible. I admit, he was very clever because he uses a Catholic Bible and he also uses the Cathechism of the Catholic Church. When I finally scrolled down to the end of the page he finally admits he's actually a "born again" Christian. Unfortunately he didn't leave any contact info, (Wonder why?)
So, he basically divides his categories into typical hot button issues that anti-Catholics think are grave errors. Salvation, Mary, Purgatory, Popes, Mass, Celibacy, Sacred Tradition, Confession, Baptism and the Eucharist. He also has a subject "Gospel Veiled to those Perishing!" I won't cover all of it in this post because there's so much to sort through and cover.
For today's post, I will look at his first subject on Salvation and Justification. Right off the bat he rattles off a bunch of Bible verses showing us poor misguided Catholics how we can't work our way into heaven. I would list them except for the fact that is he's going off the wrong assumption. He assumes because of what he was "taught" as a kid that Catholics think we "earn" our way into heaven.
Now, I won't argue the fact that yes, many times those early cathechism classes weren't the best at teaching young children the Catholic faith. I learned as an adult and it was something I wanted to learn about. I could also ask questions if I didn't understand something. Often times, kids aren't interested in this subject and they may not always pay attention. Sometimes the teachers aren't the most qualified. Sometimes they are misinformed as well. Many years ago nuns would talk about Limbo. This concept was never part of Catholic teaching but somehow the idea crept in. Eventually the Church had to step in to correct this assumption. At any rate, my husband was taught the faith when he was a child. He happens to be extremely intelligent and he remembers things very well. He paid attention in class. So his understanding of the Catholic faith wasn't any different than mine. Maybe he had a better teacher than Mr. Martinez. It is tragic that too often, parts of the Church has failed in educating young children about the faith. But all we have to do is look at our own statistics in public education and we see another place where we fail our children. Not all children can read or are able to even graduate from high school. Yet, the fundamentals of education remain the same. Two plus two still equals four and it always has.The Catholic Church does not teach nor has it ever taught that we can earn salvation by works, (good deeds, sacraments, ect",)
Mr Martinez references paragraph 1477 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church as "proof " of what he believes the Church teaches. (oddly enough he doesn't actually quote the paragraph or give a link to it.)
Let's look at paragraph 1477 because he completely took it out of context. First of all, it's not even under the section on Justification and Grace. It's in Part 2: The Celebration of Christian Mysteries under the section- In the Communion of Saints which is actually talking about what the communion of saints mean in the apostle's creed.
It says:
"This treasury includes as well the prayers and good works of the Blessed Virgin Mary. They are truly immense, unfathomable, and even pristine in their value before God. In the treasury, too, are the prayers and good works of all the saints, all those who have followed in the footsteps of Christ the Lord and by his grace have made their lives holy and carried out the mission the Father entrusted to them. In this way they attained their own salvation and at the same time cooperated in saving their brothers in the unity of the Mystical Body."89
In its' actual context, this paragraph is talking about Mary and the Saints and the kind of lives they led and how they are exemplary of a holy Christian life. I talk about Saints in a previous post and how they can help us to live better Christian lives. However, they didn't "earn" their salvation through works alone. First, they were saved by their faith which is a grace from God and comes only from God.
Here's what the Catechism actually teaches and it's under Part 3 under Justification and Grace, (Wonder why Mr. Martinez skipped this section...):
I. Justification
- 1987
- The grace of the Holy Spirit has the power to justify us, that is, to cleanse us from our sins and to communicate to us "the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ" and through Baptism:34
35
- 1991
- Justification is at the same time the acceptance of God's righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ. Righteousness (or "justice") here means the rectitude of divine love. With justification, faith, hope, and charity are poured into our hearts, and obedience to the divine will is granted us.
- 1992
- Justification has been merited for us by the Passion of Christ who offered himself on the cross as a living victim, holy and pleasing to God, and whose blood has become the instrument of atonement for the sins of all men. Justification is conferred in Baptism, the sacrament of faith. It conforms us to the righteousness of God, who makes us inwardly just by the power of his mercy. Its purpose is the glory of God and of Christ, and the gift of eternal life:40
But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from law, although the law and the prophets bear witness to it, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, they are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as an expiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins; it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies him who has faith in Jesus.41
II. Grace- 1996
- Our justification comes from the grace of God. Grace is favor, the free and undeserved help that God gives us to respond to his call to become children of God, adoptive sons, partakers of the divine nature and of eternal life.46
- However, we are not saved by faith alone and this is clearly stated in Jame 2:24. More from the Cathechism...
- 2003
- Grace is first and foremost the gift of the Spirit who justifies and sanctifies us. But grace also includes the gifts that the Spirit grants us to associate us with his work, to enable us to collaborate in the salvation of others and in the growth of the Body of Christ, the Church. There are sacramental graces, gifts proper to the different sacraments. There are furthermore special graces, also called charisms after the Greek term used by St. Paul and meaning "favor," "gratuitous gift," "benefit."53 Whatever their character—sometimes it is extraordinary, such as the gift of miracles or of tongues—charisms are oriented toward sanctifying grace and are intended for the common good of the Church. They are at the service of charity which builds up the Church.54
- So, there you have it. Thus far, CatholicBibleStudy.org is grossly misrepresenting Catholic teaching. It's one thing to disagree with what the Church really teaches. Misrepresenting and deceiving is another story and I will not stay quiet when I see such things. I intended this blog to just be about miracles and my own spiritual life but when I see things like this I have to speak up and get on my soap box. I hope any Catholic that comes across this post will be enlightened and will warn others of this deceptive website.
- God bless.
No comments:
Post a Comment