Apologetics for the Masses #248 - Blue Collar Apologetics (cont'd)

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General Comments

I want to thank the folks at St. Bernard's in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana - and anyone that came from outside the area - for the very nice time they showed me while I was in their fair city this past weekend. I gave my Blue Collar Apologetics Seminar for the first time and I think it went very well. At least, everyone told me they really enjoyed it and learned a lot from it...and I know Cajuns don't mess around with the truth. It needs some tweaking, but all in all I think it worked out fairly well. So, if you are interested in having the Blue Collar Apologetics Seminar came to a parish near you, just let me know and we can talk about it.

I'm hoping to speed up the writing of my book because I would like to have something out in the first half of next year, to coincide with the showing of the 5-part mini-series I taped for EWTN, so please say some prayers for me to find some time to write. I do, however, now have a professional editor for my book. She lives here in Birmingham and has edited books that are out there on the market. So, I'm hoping that will help the process along as well.

Introduction

Closing up chapter 5 of the book, so this will be a relatively short newsletter...

Blue Collar Apologetics, Chapter 5 - Sola Fide (Conclusion)

Sola Fide and the Four Strategies

1) The Ignorant Catholic

Protestant Argument:
In Ephesians 2:8-9, the Bible says that we are saved by grace, through faith, and that works have nothing at all to do with our salvation. But Catholics believe that they can work their way into Heaven. Why do you believe what your church says rather than what the Word of God says?

Catholic Response:
Wow. That’s a good question. And, I'm going to have to be honest with you and tell you that I don't know the answer to your question right now, but, I tell ya what I’m going to do...I’m going to do a little research and find out the answer, and I’ll get back to you on that once I do.

2) How to Be Offensive (Aw-fensive) Without Being Offensive (Uh-fensive)

Protestant Argument:
John 3:16 says that all those who believe in Jesus will be saved. It doesn’t say anything about works or working your way into Heaven. It is faith and faith alone that saves us. Why does your church teach something that is so obviously contrary to the Bible?

Catholic Responses:
Catholics believe that we have to have faith in order to be saved, but does John 3:16 say that believing alone is what saves us? I mean, think about this: Do we need to love God in order to be saved? [Easy question, right? Ask that of a person who believes in salvation by faith alone - Sola Fide - and see what they say. Think about it. If we are indeed saved by faith alone - Sola Fide - then the correct answer is, “No, we don’t need to love God in order to be saved.” Because if we need to love God in order to be saved, then we are not saved by faith “alone.” It would be faith AND love that saves us. So, if we need to love God in order to be saved, then Sola Fide is false. But, the other option they have is to say we can get into Heaven without loving God, or, without loving our neighbor. Really?! What Christian in their right mind would say you don’t have to love God or neighbor in order to be saved? That doesn’t make any sense. Either way they go, they’ve got a problem.]

If salvation by faith alone is the most central and most important Christian doctrine, then why does the phrase "faith alone" appear only once in all of Scripture, and that is to say that we are not justified, or saved, by "faith alone" (James 2:24)? [Do you realize that? The phrase “faith alone” appears in Scripture just once, and that is to say that we are NOT justified, or saved, by faith alone. You will see some pretty fancy verbal and scriptural gymnastics as folks try to get around that one. The Word of God says that we are not justified by faith alone; yet most Protestants believe that we are justified by faith alone. Can you imagine what folks would say if there was a verse in the Bible that stated, very plainly and bluntly, the Eucharist is merely a symbol, but Catholics tried to say, “Oh, no, that doesn’t really mean what it says.” I don’t think that would fly too well, but that is, essentially, what Sola Fide believers do.]

So, if we’re saved by faith alone, then do we have to forgive others in order to get into Heaven? “No. We should forgive others, but our salvation isn’t dependent upon that.” But doesn’t Jesus tell us in Matthew 6:15 that if we don’t forgive others of their trespasses, then the Father won’t forgive us of our trespasses? “Well, yeah, I guess so. So what?” Well, that means if we don’t forgive others of their sins against us, God won’t forgive us of our sins against Him. Can we get into Heaven if our sins are NOT forgiven? “No, but...” So, we do have to forgive others of their sins in order to get into Heaven. Since that's something we do, isn’t that a work?

If salvation is the greatest thing we can achieve, which it is; and the only thing necessary for salvation is faith, according to you; then why does 1 Corinthians 13:13 say that love is greater than faith? How can love be greater than faith, if it is faith alone that gets us the greatest thing we can ever hope to have - salvation?

3) It's the Principle of the Thing!

Catholic responses:
If you keep reading just one more verse, to Ephesians 2:10, you will see that we were created “for good works.” Furthermore, it says that God has prepared certain good works for each of us, “that we SHOULD walk in them.”

Catholic Scriptural Principle: It is God’s will that we should do the good works which He has prepared for us to do.

In Matthew 7:21, it says that not everyone who cries, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only those who do the will of God the Father.

Catholic Scriptural Principle: If you don’t do the will of God, you don’t get into Heaven.

Conclusion: If you don’t do the will of God, by not doing the works that He has prepared for you that you should walk in them (Eph 2:10), then you will not get into Heaven (Matthew 7:21). Therefore, salvation by faith alone is not true.

4) But That's My Interpretation!

Protestant Argument:
In Ephesians 2:8-9, the Bible says that we are saved by grace, through faith, and that works have nothing at all to do with our salvation. But Catholics believe that they can work their way into Heaven. Why do you believe what your church says rather than what the Word of God says?

Catholic response:
I will be happy to continue talking to you about all of these things and to answer your questions, but before we go further, there is an issue that is fundamental to all of this that we need to get out on the table: I need to know if you are infallible in your interpretation of the Bible? {Pause and wait for answer.}

If the answer is, "No, I'm not infallible": Then, just so we're clear on this, everything you're telling me about what this or that passage of the Bible means, could be wrong, right? I mean, since you're not infallible in your interpretation of the Bible, you could be wrong some of the time, or even all of the time, couldn't you? So, essentially, the best you can do in this conversation, is to offer your fallible interpretation of the Bible vs. my fallible interpretation of the Bible, right? And I know you'll say your fallible interpretation is better than my fallible interpretation, but you won't be able to be absolutely sure of that, will you...since you're not infallible?

If the answer is, "Yes, I am infallible": You are infallible?! Really?! Well, then, could you provide me with some evidence that tells me you are indeed infallible? Does the Bible mention your name as being infallible? Have you received a vision from God telling you that you're infallible? How do you know that you are infallible? What would you say if I claimed to be infallible? If you're infallible, why can't the Pope be infallible, as well?

Summary

Thus ends chapter 5. If you've noticed the repetition in Strategy 1 and Strategy 4 from chapter 4 to chapter 5, that is quite intentional. By repeating these things, you will learn them and get comfortable with them. I'll start chapter 6 in the next newsletter. I hope all of you have a great week.

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