What Is The Gospel?

Most Protestants Are Catholics Worst Friends

Why?

Ask a Catholic friend, "If you died today, why would God let you into heaven?"

With minor variations the most common answer is, "Because I'm a good person." The thought is, "I'm not perfect but I haven't done anything really bad - like kill someone. So, God wouldn't keep me out of heaven."

Sometimes a Catholic response would be, "Because of Jesus" or "Jesus died on the cross for me." Although this is correct, the Catholic friend doesn't understand what this really means. A Catholic truly understands the Holiness of God but remember that God's Holiness separates us from God - God's Grace allowed for us to have a relationship with God. The Catholic friend sees as a painful suffering moment without understanding what happened at the cross. So, this response would require you to ask another question, "So, what does it mean that Jesus died for you?"

Now ask your Catholic friend, "Is there anything you must do to get to heaven?"

The most common answer is that some work must be done, whether it's the sacraments, the church, doing good, etc.

Think about this... you believe that Jesus paid for your sins....
The Catholic Church teaches that when we die we go to Purgatory (if your Catholic) until we have suffered enough to cleanse ourselves from our sins. This teaches that Jesus didn't pay for your sins - we do. The Bible teaches that very much the opposite. Here is one of many verses that tells us that Jesus paid for our sins. "In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 1 John 4:10

So why are most Protestants Catholics worst friends?

Most Protestants won't ask these questions and will not tell the The Gospel to their Catholic friends! What kind of friend would keep eternal truth from another friend? The answer: someone who really doesn't care.

To make matters worse, too many Protestants have been a friend to a false gospel. They not only won't say that the Catholic teaching is wrong but they chastise anyone who does.

I mean this with great sincerity: The only conclusion is that many Protestants don't really believe the Gospel - they are proving that they believe in relativism (all religion is relative and the Bible is a matter of opinion).

Let me give you some examples:
- A large Baptist church in Texas asked a priest to speak. When a couple passed out tracts about the false doctrine of Catholic Church, they were told by the pastor to leave the property immediately and escorted by a security guard.

- Protestants will ask the Catholic Church to join them in Evangelistic events, which automatically gives the appearance of approval and unity on the Gospel.

- In a kind manner, when I have started discussion about Catholicism amongst Protestants, the have reception was very cold and the conversation was quickly ended.

Ironically, Catholic doctrine specifically states that you are not Saved if you are not Catholic - this was reiterated by Pope John Paul II in 2000.

The Gospel of Luke was an account written to Theophilus, whose name means, lover of God. Please be a true friend to your Catholic friend and show that you also are a lover of God - present the Gospel and embrace others that continue in this work.