Apologetics for the Masses #397 - Mike Gendron Pamphlet (Part 2)

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Topic

Dissecting the Lies and Misinformation in a Mike Gendron Pamphlet (Part 2)

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General Comments

Hey folks,

I rarely ask you to do something along these lines, but, if after reading this newsletter, you are a bit "put out" by what Mike Gendron has written in this pamphlet of his, then I am asking you to forward this newsletter to him...and to his wife. Their email addresses are: mike@proclaimingthegospel.org and jane@proclaimingthegospel.org. These emails are publicly available on Gendron's website.

And, the reason I am asking you to send them both this newsletter is because I want to get their attention. Both of them are former "devout Catholics" and both of them slam the Church on their website. So, since she is a part of his "ministry," and since she also publicly derides the Catholic Church, I have no qualms about including her in this request.

If he has the courage to respond to this newsletter - or the last one and the next one - then I will print every single word that he says and send it out to my subscriber list. You and I both know that he would never do the same with the arguments I make against his theology.

Introduction

Last week I started taking apart one of Mike Gendron's anti-Catholic pamphlets titled: Which Jesus Do You Trust? Which, again, was nothing but an unadulterated attack on the Catholic Faith. It was filled with misinformation, half-truths, and outright lies about Catholic teaching. So, this week I continue the analysis of Mr. Gendron's pamphlet and respond accordingly to what is in it. I'll finish up with this pamphlet in next week's newsletter.

In this second part, I will take three sections of his pamphlet, present them in their entirety, and then go back through them paragraph-by-paragraph with my commentary interspersed.

Challenge/Response/Strategy

Mike Gendron Pamphlet - "Which Jesus Do You Trust?" (cont'd)

Jesus Is The Only Savior
Peter declared: “There is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Yet Catholics deny that Jesus is the only name for salvation. “In the treasury, too, are the prayers and good works of the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints...In this way they attained their own salvation and at the same time cooperated in saving their brothers” (CCC, 1477).

Jesus Saved Forever
Jesus “is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25). Jesus promises they will never perish because He gives them eternal life and He will never cast them out (John 6:37-39; 10:28). Catholics have no such assurance. The Catholic Jesus offers only conditional life. After the sacrament of baptism each Catholic is placed on probation and must strive to remain in God’s favor through good works, sacraments and law keeping (CCC, 1129, 2068). Those who die in a state of mortal sin will suffer in hell’s eternal fire (CCC, 1035).

Jesus Is The Only Sinless Mediator
God’s perfect man and man’s perfect God is the only one qualified to be “the mediator between God and men” (1 Timothy 2:5). Only in Him can those who were formerly far off, be brought near by His blood (Ephesians 2:13). Only in Christ can sin, which separated sinners from God, be removed (Isaiah 59:2). The Catholic Jesus is robbed of His glory and honor by the Catholic Mary who is called a sinless Mediatrix. “Without a single sin to restrain her...she became the cause of salvation for herself and the whole human race” (CCC, 494).

------------------------------------------

Mike Gendron
Peter declared: “There is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Yet Catholics deny that Jesus is the only name for salvation. “In the treasury, too, are the prayers and good works of the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints...In this way they attained their own salvation and at the same time cooperated in saving their brothers” (CCC, 1477).

My Response

It is exactly because of this kind of statement that in the last newsletter I accused Mike Gendron of "knowingly" distorting Catholic teaching. Knowingly and willingly. Which means I can't call him ignorant as much as I can call him a liar and a deceiver. To knowingly distort, misrepresent, and lie about the beliefs of others so that you can mislead people for personal financial gain, or fame, or some such thing is a very, very serious sin. Not to mention the spiritual effect on those so deceived by pulling them away from, or keeping them from seeking out, Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. After all, Jesus said it would be better to have a millstone placed around your neck and be thrown into the sea rather than mislead others. I know Gendron doesn't believe sin has any consequences regarding his salvation, so maybe that's why he feels free to so blatantly lie about Catholic teaching. But, can he really think that Jesus is pleased with such actions?

Let's look at how he distorts Catholic teaching with his quote from Paragraph #1477 of the Catechism. First, note that his quote from the paragraph - along with his verbiage immediately preceding it - is strategically edited to make the reader think that the Catholic Church teaches that Mary and the saints were saved by their own prayers and good works apart from anything Jesus did. Now, having noted that, let's look at the part of the paragraph that he left out. Here is the full quote from Paragraph #1477, with the part Gendron left out in italics and underlined:

"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," (CCC #1477).

He left out the part of the paragraph that says Mary and the saints were saved not by anything they did apart from Jesus Christ, or by some name other than Jesus Christ, but only "by his grace". By His grace they have become holy (and one must be holy to see the Lord - Hebrews 12:14) and by His grace they carried out the mission the Father entrusted to them (Ephesians 2:10), or, to put it another way, by His grace they did the will of the Father and were thus able to enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 7:21). Only "by His grace" were those "who have followed in the footsteps of Christ the Lord" - i.e., they had faith in Jesus (which automatically saves you according to Gendron's theology, right?) - able to do these things!

In Gendron's pamphlet, the phrase "In this way they attained their salvation" appears to be referring to the prayers and good works of Mary and the saints. In other words, they were saved by their own actions. However, that phrase - "in this way they attained their salvation" - in the unedited paragraph, clearly refers to becoming holy and doing God's will by the grace of Jesus Christ, and not by their own prayers and good works!

Why, pray tell, do you think he left that oh so crucial part of the paragraph out of his pamphlet? Why?! I'll tell you why: Because the part he left out completely contradicts the lies about Catholic teaching that he is trying to sell to those who read his pamphlet. Plus, let's go back just a few paragraphs in the CCC to Paragraph #1460. Here is what Paragraph #1460 of the CCC has to say:

"The satisfaction that we make for our sins, however, is not so much ours as though it were not done through Jesus Christ. We who can do nothing ourselves, as if just by ourselves, can do all things with the cooperation of 'him who strengthens' us. Thus man has nothing of which to boast, but all our boasting is in Christ...in whom we make satisfaction by bringing forth 'fruits that befit repentance.' These fruits have their efficacy from Him, by Him they are offered to the Father, and through Him they are accepted by the Father," (Phil 4:13; 1 Cor 1:31; 2 Cor 10:17; Gal 6:14; Luke 3:8).

Paragraph #1460 of the CCC completely, totally, and devastatingly eviscerates Gendron's lie about Catholics believing we can be saved in some name other than the name of Jesus Christ. Or that we can somehow be saved by our own power and efforts apart from Jesus Christ. Now, I can't say with 100% certainty that Gendron has read Paragraph #1460, but I would be willing to place a wager that he most certainly has, he just chooses to ignore it because it doesn't fit with his false narrative about Catholic teaching on salvation. But, even if he hasn't read CCC #1460, his selective editing of CCC #1477 still provides overwhelming evidence that he is deliberately and maliciously misrepresenting Catholic teaching. He should be ashamed to call himself a follower of Christ and do such a thing as this.

Mike Gendron

Jesus “is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25). Jesus promises they will never perish because He gives them eternal life and He will never cast them out (John 6:37-39; 10:28). Catholics have no such assurance. The Catholic Jesus offers only conditional life. After the sacrament of baptism each Catholic is placed on probation and must strive to remain in God’s favor through good works, sacraments and law keeping (CCC, 1129, 2068). Those who die in a state of mortal sin will suffer in hell’s eternal fire (CCC, 1035).

My Response

     Yes, Jesus is indeed able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him. Catholics agree with that 100%! But, examine, if you will, something very interesting in what Gendron says in this paragraph vs. what he said in one of the paragraphs I analyzed in last week’s newsletter.
     In the 2nd paragraph I analyzed last week, Gendron was trying to make the point that the work of salvation is done. Completed. It’s over. “It is finished,” are the words of Jesus that Gendron quoted to make that point. In other words, Jesus finished the work of salvation when He died on the Cross 2000 years ago, so there is no longer anything that needs to be, or can be, done regarding anyone’s salvation. Which means, according to Gendron’s flawed and very fallible interpretations of Scripture, that Jesus can’t be “offered daily on Catholic altars” because “There is now no longer any offering for sin,” (Hebrews 10:18).
     Yet, in this paragraph, Gendron is making a different point. He is trying to “prove” the eternal security of the believer - once saved always saved. And he does that by quoting from Hebrews 7:25, which says that Jesus is able to save forever those who draw near to God. “Forever” being the key word here. Yet, how is it that Jesus saves forever those who draw near to God? Well, the 2nd half of that verse tells us: “...since He always lives to make intercession for them.” Huh? Jesus is “always” making intercession for those who draw near to God. But, wait a minute. I thought there was no longer anything that needed to be done by Jesus? “It is finished.” Well, apparently it isn’t finished in the way Mr. Gendron interprets it as being finished.
       And, what exactly is the form of this intercession Jesus is making on behalf of those who draw near to God? Hebrews 7:26 and 8:3 tell us. First, Hebrews 7:26 tells us that Jesus is our high priest in Heaven. Second, Hebrews 8:3 tells us that, “Every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; hence it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer.” So, Jesus is “always” making intercession for those who draw near to God by offering gifts and sacrifices. What sacrifice is Jesus offering as He intercedes for those who draw near to God? His own body and blood. Not sacrificing again and again as the priests of old. No, He is offering, from the rising of the sun to its setting (Malachi 1:11), a pure offering - Himself. The once for all - for all time and for all people - sacrifice of His own body and blood. The only “pure” offering ever made to the Father.
     It seems, then, that Mr. Gendron has contradicted himself from one paragraph to the next within this one little pamphlet. And he has done so because his theology is not systematic. It is not consistent throughout. If ever it is consistent, it is only so in sections. The teaching on one doctrine or dogma might seem to be internally consistent within its own little segment of Protestant theology, but when you add in another doctrine or dogma, the consistency of the theology...the arguments...begins to break down between doctrines - as we have seen here.
     Gendron seems, if the arguments are not closely examined, to make a consistent argument in one paragraph against the continued offering of sacrifice on Catholic altars - “It is finished.” But, when he tries to make his case for another doctrine - eternal security - what happens? Oops...his argument here contradicts his earlier argument. Internal consistency for a particular doctrine doesn’t hold for the Protestant theological system as a whole, and Gendron winds up shooting himself in the foot. Gendron's theology pits "It is finished" vs. "He always lives to make intercession for them." Gendron's theology causes Scripture to contradict itself.
     Another point I want to make is in regard to his use of the word “assurance”. He often mentions in his materials that Catholics have no “assurance” of their salvation. Yet, by his own words, he cannot have assurance of his own salvation. As I mentioned in the newsletter last week, Gendron has written to me in the past, in answer to a question I posed to him, and said this: “Yes, I admit my interpretations of Scripture can be wrong because I am fallible.”
     So, on the one hand, he admits that his interpretations of Scripture “can be wrong”. On the other hand, though, his “assurance of salvation” is based on his interpretation of Scripture. Which means, that he can never have assurance of salvation because his assurance is based on his fallible interpretations of Scripture, which, by his own admission, could be wrong. If you have no assurance that your interpretation is right, how can you have assurance based on your interpretation?! You know, sometimes this apologetics stuff seems a lot like shooting fish in a barrel.
     One last point I want to make in regard to this paragraph. Gendron talks about the “Catholic Jesus” only offering “conditional life”. Mr. Gendron, is it a condition for your salvation that you must repent of your sins (Luke 5:32, 15:7; Acts 11:18)? Is it a condition for your salvation that you must confess your sins (1 John 1:9)? Is it a condition of your salvation that you must do the will of God (Matthew 7:21)? Is it a condition of your salvation that you must forgive others of their sins against you (Matthew 6:14-15)? Is it a condition of your salvation that you must eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of man (John 6:53)? Is it a condition of your salvation that you must make an act of faith in God (Hebrews 11:6)? Is it a condition of your salvation that you must be holy (Hebrews 12:14)? Is it a condition of your salvation that you must keep the commandments (Matthew 19:16-17)? Is it a condition of your salvation that you must love God and love others (1 John 2:9-11; Matthew 22:37-40)?
   In other words, Mr. Gendron, if you don’t repent of your sins, will God forgive them? If you don’t confess your sins, will God forgive them? If you don’t do the will of God, will you be able to enter the Kingdom of Heaven? If you don’t forgive the sins of others, will God forgive your sins? If you do not eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of man, do you still have life within you? If you do not make an act of faith, will you still please God? If you do not keep the commandments, will you still enter life? If you do not love God or your neighbor, can you abide in God?

If Mr. Gendron's Jesus offers "unconditional" life, then that means, essentially, that everyone is saved. There are no conditions to salvation, folks! Believers, non-believers, sinners, saints, Christian, Jew, Muslim, Buddhist, atheist...why, even Catholics are saved. There are no conditions, according to Mr. Gendron which means no one has to do anything in order to be saved.

Mike Gendron

God’s perfect man and man’s perfect God is the only one qualified to be “the mediator between God and men” (1 Timothy 2:5). Only in Him can those who were formerly far off, be brought near by His blood (Ephesians 2:13). Only in Christ can sin, which separated sinners from God, be removed (Isaiah 59:2). The Catholic Jesus is robbed of His glory and honor by the Catholic Mary who is called a sinless Mediatrix. “Without a single sin to restrain her...she became the cause of salvation for herself and the whole human race” (CCC, 494).

My Response

Essentially no problem with the first three sentences of this paragraph. However, here again we see the selective editing of Mr. Gendron that I find so contemptible. His edited quote from Paragraph #494 of the CCC makes it seem that Catholics believe it is Mary, not Jesus, who is the "cause of salvation for herself and the whole human race". Again, let's look at the quote and include the part of it that he chose to leave out (italicized):

"Thus, giving her consent to God's word, Mary becomes the mother of Jesus. Espousing the divine will for salvation wholeheartedly, without a single sin to restrain her, she gave herself entirely to the person and to the work of her Son; she did so in order to serve the mystery of redemption with Him and dependent on Him, by God's grace. Being obedient she became the cause of salvation for herself and for the whole human race," (quoting St. Irenaeus for that last sentence).

Do you see how utterly corrupt his selective editing of Catholic teaching is? Compare the edited quote to the full quote. He is portraying Catholic teaching as Mary being the cause of salvation; whereas, what Paragraph #494 actually says is that it is Mary's obedience to God, her "yes" to God, her giving her consent to God's word as the "cause" of Jesus...of salvation...coming into the world. She is not the direct cause of salvation - Jesus is - rather, she is the direct cause, along with the Holy Spirit, of bringing He Who is salvation into the world. That is how she can be said to be the cause of salvation for herself and the whole world, because she is the cause of Jesus for herself and the whole world and Jesus is salvation.

Gendron leaves out all of the paragraph about Mary's consent to God's Word, the divine will, giving herself entirely to the work of her Son, and her being dependent on Him by God's grace, and her being obedient to God. Why did he choose to leave all of that out? Because, again, by doing so, he was able to disfigure what the Catechism actually says, and make it say something that Catholics do not teach, do not believe, and do not confess - all for his own nefarious purposes. I have no word for it other than...despicable!

One last question for Mr. Gendron: If you believe a "sinless" Mary would rob Jesus of His glory and honor, then, before the Fall, didn't a sinless Adam and a sinless Eve rob Jesus of His glory and honor?

Closing Comments

I hope all of you have a great week!

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