SHARING THE GOSPEL WITH OUR ROMAN CATHOLIC FRIENDS

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SHARING THE GOSPEL WITH OUR ROMAN CATHOLIC FRIENDS

• By
• Rudy D. Gonzalez, Dean
• Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
• San Antonio, Texas

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The Roman Catholic World View

• The Roman Catholic Church is the only true
  church.
• The Bible derives its authority from the Church.
  Any attempt to use the Bible to show the errors
  of Catholic tradition is wrong because it is the
  official living teaching organ of the Church
  which correctly interprets it.
• The RCC must be true since Jesus promised that
  "the gates of hell would not prevail against it".
  The view of the Reformers was not the general
  view of the church. This is seen as proof enough
  that Jesus was in favor of the views of the
  Church at this time. To deny this would be to
  imply that somehow the gates of hell did prevail
  against the church.

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Issues that Make Evangelism to Roman Catholics
Difficult

• Real Expectations of Roman Catholics
• Faithful Catholics have ongoing responsibilities
  to their church, fellow catholics and departed
  family members to hold masses, pray rosaries, add
  to treasury of merit, etc.

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RCC Beliefs/Practices that Make Evangelism
Necessary Reliance on

• Sacramental Salvation, Sanctification
• Reliance on The Virgin Mary as Co-Redeemer
• Reliance on Saints, Relics and Sacramentals to
  Secure Heavenly Benefits
• The Apocrypha for Extra-Biblical Doctrines
• Question
• Do such beliefs engender confidence in a persons
  true understanding and appropriation of salvation
  
• by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone?

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Second Vatican Council and the Evangelistic
Opportunity Three Positive Developments

• 1. Protestants viewed as brethren divided from
  us, diminishing earlier pejorative attitudes
• 2. The RCC promotes interfaith dialogue and
  ecumenical worship services, thus exposing its
  members to Protestant, evangelical worship
  styles.
• 3. Bible reading by laity, giving opportunity
  for a Bible based gospel presentation

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Pope Benedict XVII July, 2007

• Reasserted the primacy of the RCC, saying that
  other Christian churches suffer defects and that
  Protestant cannot be called churches "in the
  proper sense.
• Pope Benedict XVI purports to correct "erroneous
  interpretation" and "misunderstanding" of the
  teachings of the Second Vatican Council of the
  1960s.
• Protestants "because of the absence of the
  sacramental priesthood, have not preserved the
  genuine Eucharistic Mystery," and are therefore
  to be termed mere "Christian communities."

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Some Outreach Essentials

• Be Aware of Situations Roman Catholics Face
• Concerning vows for the deceased, Mary, saints,
  etc.
• Concerning obligations to friends, godparents,
  etc.
• Develop Friendships for Several Reasons
• Will help you pray intelligently, for them, loved
  ones.
• Will help you gauge level of commitment to the
  RCC
• Will model the nature of salvation as relational
• Practically, their relationships will be strained
  and even severed. New relationships need to be
  formed.

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Some Outreach Essentials

• Emphasize Three Gospel Facts
• Salvation is a spiritual experience (John 35-6)
• Salvation is a free gift, not earned (Eph.
  24-10)
• Salvation is a present possession (Rom. 108-10)
• Keep Focused on the Real Need
• The sacraments, priesthood all but eliminate the
  possibility of a direct relationship with God
• Having a relationship with the Father through
  Jesus Christ as opposed to mere religion.

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Some Outreach Essentials

• Use the RC Liturgical Calendar for Witnessing
• Advent, four weeks before December 25
• Christmas, December 25-January 6
• Lent, forty days before Resurrection Sunday
• October 7, The Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary
• Know how to Lead a Person to Faith in Christ
• NT exhibits a balance of the indicative and
  imperative
• Indicative Usually doctrinal, explaining
  biblical truth
• Imperative Calling for proper response that
  logically follows
• Relating the gospel message is only half the work
• People need to make a decisionthe imperative
  action.
• Why? One is never guaranteed tomorrow.

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Some Outreach Essentials

• After Conversion Encourage a Clean Break
• By removing shrines, images, medallions form
  their autos, homes, wallets, bodies, front yards,
  etc.
• By rejecting vows, promises to God, Mary, Saints
• By helping them become Bible readers
• By leading them into a plan of discipleship
• By transitioning to Bible-based vocabulary
• Hispanics rezos, padre, misa, Santos, Madre de
  Dios, iglesia,
• Anglos saints, Mother of God, sacrament, church,
  priest,

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Further Witnessing Tips

• Be familiar with key doctrines relevant to the
  RCC (sin, substitutionary atonement, etc.)
• Know the biblical metaphors and terms used to
  communicate salvation (e.g. New Birth, Adoption,
  Redemption Justification). Do not confuse them.
• Avoid being critical of RCC beliefs, or Mary
• Use probing questions that require them to
  elaborate on their relation with God, Christ.

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Five-Fold Way to Give Your Personal Testimony

• Discovery Explain how you first came to know
  you needed Christ as your savior.
• Deliberation Express any nagging question/s and
  how it/they were overcome.
• Decision Relate the time and place and details
  of your profession of faith
• Dissonance Admit to any doubt/s after your
  decision and emphasize the promises of God.
• Discipleship Show how the Lord helped you to
  overcome and continue in faith.

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Use the Rosary as an Opportunity for Bible Study

• Traditionally given by Mary to St. Dominique
  (1214)
• Prayers set to events in life of Mary, Jesus,
  totaling 3/4 sets, and 15/20 mysteries
• Joyful mysteries, announcement of Jesus birth
• Luminous mysteries, Jesus life and ministry
  (2002)
• Sorrowful mysteries, Jesus crucifixion, death
• Glorious mysteries, Jesus resurrection, but also
  assumption, coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven
• The account of Jesus life, mission offers many
  opportunities to share the gospel.

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Appeal to Mary as a Springboard for Sharing the
Gospel

• Luke 249, Mary ignorant of Jesus mission
• Luke 146, Mary admits need of a Savior
• John 21-5, Mary pointed people to Jesus
• John 146, Jesus says, I am the way, the truth,
  and the life, the only way to the Father.
• Acts 412, Jesus, the only name for salvation
• I Tim. 25, Only one mediator, Jesus Christ
• Hebrews 725, Jesus is the only intercessor

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Concerning Assurance of Salvation

• Roman Catholics believe assurance of salvation is
  presumptuous, and arrogant.
• However, remember to stress the following
• The Bible teaches the work of spiritual
  regeneration is the work of God and precludes any
  boasting
• Believers are filled with humility when they come
  to understand their sin and Gods forgiveness
• Christian assurance of salvation is based on the
  reliability of Gods immutable promises Rom.
  108-11 Col. 112-14 I Pet. 13-5

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Responding to Sincere QuestionsSome Guidelines

• Most Roman Catholics have been exposed to
  elaborate ceremonies filled with mystical ritual
  and symbolism
• Simple faith in Christ comes across as too easy
  and uncomplicated compared to the elaborate pomp
  and circumstance of RCC liturgy
• The gospel will raise many issues, questions
• The best answer is always biblically based
  speaking the truth in love (Ephesians 415)

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Which church is the true church?

• Issue Roman Catholics believe that multiple
  denominations proves that none are the real
  church. Only the RCC is the true church the RCC
  has the fullness of saving graces, etc.
• Answer The Bible teaches that the true church is
  not any visible religious group.
• Eph. 43-6 The spiritual unity of the body of
  Christ
• Eph. 47-16 The diversity within the church body

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What about the Pope?

• Issue Catholics believe the Pope is the direct
  spiritual descendant of Peter (Matt. 1616-18 )
• Answer The rock is Peters factual statement,
  You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,
  or Peter insofar as he is making a factual
  confession.
• Jesus is the churchs sole foundation
• 1 Cor. 310-11 For no man can lay a foundation
  other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus
  Christ
• Eph. 220 Christ Jesus Himself is the corner
  stone,
• I Peter 24-6 Jesus is the cornerstone, no one
  else.

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Who has ultimate authority?

• Issue Roman Catholics believe church tradition
  and the Magisterium are equal in authority with
  the Bible. They place great trust in priestly
  pronouncements.
• Answer Traditions referred to by Paul in II
  Thess., and 1 Cor. were clearly established. II
  Tim. 315-17 teaches that the Bible alone is
  sufficient to make us wise unto salvation.

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What is the Roll of the Virgin Mary?

• Issue Roman Catholics believe Mary is a co
  mediator with Jesus. Some see her as a co
  redeemer.
• Pope John Paul IIs motto was totos tuus, Mary,
  I am totally yours.
• Mary provides a gender balance to the
  male-oriented Godhead.
• Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153AD) advised,
  Therefore, you should hide behind Mary, who by
  showing her breast to Christ reminds him of where
  he received his life. She mitigates divine
  wrath.

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What is the Roll of the Virgin Mary?

• Answer
• Mary should be held in high esteem as one whom
  God chose to give birth to His Son.
• Mary is an example of godly conduct and humble
  obedience.
• The Bible does not support the RCC teaching on
  Mary. Example
• Matt. 1355-56 Mary had other sons, daughters
• Luke 146 Mary needed a savior

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To whom should we confess our sins?

• Issue Roman Catholics receive absolution from
  venial sin through the sacrament of penance as
  administered by the parish priest.
• Answer Confession should be made only to God
  (Psalm 414 514 1 John 19)
• No reference in the NT can be found to support
  the teaching that one should confess sins to a
  priest (See Luke 2447 Acts 412 822 1043
  1338 I Tim. 25 Heb. 725)

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Is there a Purgatory?

• Issue Roman Catholics believe in an
  intermediate realm where the faithful departed go
  to be purged of venial sin before entering
  heaven. This doctrine became official in the
  Council of Florence in 1439, and affirmed at
  Council of Trent. However, recently the RCC has
  quietly deemphasized it.
• Answer Doctrine of purgatory is based on 2
  Maccabees 1239-46, which describes a Jewish
  practice, not a Christian practice. Roman
  Catholic theologian, Richard McBrien admits,
  There is, for all practical purposes, no
  biblical basis for the doctrine of purgatory.

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Why cant I celebrate the Mass?

• Issue Catholics believe Jesus Christ is
  sacrificed repeatedly through the Mass. It is a
  true sacrifice, not only of praise, thanksgiving,
  and commemoration, but also of expiation for the
  living and the dead. To quit, one would have no
  guarantee of the removal of his sins.
• Answer I Peter 318 speaks of the finality of
  Jesus sacrifice. He died once and for all.
  Hebrews 1018 emphasizes the efficacy of Christs
  single sacrifice. (See Heb. 726-27 925-28
  1010-12 1315 et al.)

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Three Useful Resources

• D. Sanchez, R. Gonzalez, Sharing the Good News
  with Roman Catholic Friends (Church Starting
  Network), 2003
• D. Sanchez, Gospel in the Rosary (Church Starting
  Network), 2003.
• www.churchstarting.net

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The End