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The Apostle Peter vs. Modern Catholicism - Apologetics for the Masses #547
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Topic
A Protestant Asks - "The Apostle Peter vs. Modern Catholicism: Whose View On Assurance Is Right?"
General Comments
Okay, posted my first "podcast" to my X.com account. Not all that familiar with X, but the account is just under my name: John Martignoni. It also says "@kephapetros" on it, if that helps you find it. Anyway, the video is the same one I posted on my Facebook page last week. It's raw, unedited, needs some cleaning up, but I wanted to go ahead and post it to X just to get the ball rolling, as it were. Once I learn the editing software I'll clean it up and re-post it. The video is on Sola Scriptura or, rather, Sola [My Private, Non-Authoritative, Fallible Interpretation Of] Scriptura. If you have an X account, do me a favor and go take a look...and share it. It is, hopefully, the first of many videos to follow.
Introduction
In May of last year, I did a 2-part series on an article published in The Christian Post - an online Evangelical publication - that was titled: "Will Pope Leo XIV Preach John 3:16?" It was written by a Lutheran minister from Nebraska by the name of Dan Delzell (Issues #513 and #514). That led, a few months later, to a written exchange between the pastor and me that I featured in Issues #520 - #525.
Recently, Pastor Delzell sent me an email asking if I would post another article of his from The Christian Post in my newsletter. So, I told him I would. Error fears truth, truth does not fear error. The article is titled: "The Apostle Peter vs. modern Catholicism: Whose view on assurance is right?" In this week's issue, I will print the entire article without comment. I'll come back in the next issue and start going through it piece-by-piece with my commentary pointing out all that is wrong with the article. And there is a LOT wrong with this article. So, this is your homework assignment: See if you can go through the article and find one or more of the things that Pastor Delzell got wrong. Out of 16 paragraphs in the article, there are maybe only 2 where I didn't find at least one thing wrong.
Good hunting!
Challenge/Response/Strategy
The Apostle Peter vs. modern Catholicism: Whose view on assurance is right?
Soteriology is the study of the doctrine of salvation. And the Apostle Peter's inspired soteriology is vastly different than what eventually became known as "Catholicism," in spite of the Catholic Church's dubious claim that Peter was "the first pope." After all, Peter did not instill within believers the unhealthy religious fear which Catholicism tends to instill, whether intentionally or not, within many of its adherents.
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Proverbs 9:10). This godly fear is righteous and holy. It involves deep reverence for our Creator, and a profound awareness that I will stand before the Lord on Judgment Day.
But a different kind of fear is produced by what I will call Catholicism's "contingency apparatus," and it is not conducive to spiritual health or spiritual maturity. For example, David Wissel was a Catholic, and then an atheist, before eventually becoming assured of salvation through faith in Christ's atoning death on the cross.
David described his despair within Catholicism: "Learning about mortal sin in Catholic middle school religion class was the first step on my journey to atheism. I remember thinking: 'I could live my entire life as a devout Catholic, only to commit a mortal sin, get hit by a bus, and go to Hell.' I concluded that I wouldn't be able to keep up with the sacerdotal treadmill of mortal sin and confession; I would end up condemned anyway. The only hope, it seemed, was that God did not exist."
Imagine a father telling his 8-year-old daughter: "Heather, as you know, your mother and I have reserved a condo in Florida where we are planning a weeklong vacation at the beach this summer with you and your brother and sister. We want you to go with us, but I must warn you. Every time you do something really bad, I will remove your name from the reservation, at least until you apologize for your disobedience."
In this scenario, a lingering fear would undoubtedly haunt Heather's heart: "Will I be good enough to go on our family vacation?" It would cause Heather to grow up believing that her father's "love" for her is conditional and is based on her performance.
Peter, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, knew how to help believers develop a deep love and appreciation for the Lord, and to walk in godliness and genuine compassion for others. Rather than dangling eternal life in Heaven over their heads like a carrot on a stick, Peter underscored the eternal inheritance which had already been assigned to them.
Peter refers to believers as "God's elect" (1 Peter 1:1), assuring them of their place in Christ's eternal Kingdom. The apostle wrote to those "who have been chosen," (v. 2) here again stressing the permanency of their relationship with the Lord.
Peter then celebrated this glorious fact: "In His great mercy, God has given us new birth into a living hope." (v. 3) The new birth occurs through faith in Jesus (see John 3:1-8) and a "living hope" refers to the certainty that Heaven is my eternal home because of my Savior's sacrifice on the cross for my sins.
Peter encouraged them in their salvation by pointing to their "inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade, kept in Heaven for you" (v. 4). No contingency talk here, but only the wonderful promise that a believer's heavenly inheritance is essentially under lock and key and will definitely be enjoyed one day.
I am reminded of Christ's words: "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand" (John 10:27-28). Compare our Lord's comforting promise to the terribly misguided claim made by Cardinal Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621): "The greatest of all Protestant heresies is assurance."
Do you see why Peter, if he was on Earth today, would not make a good Catholic theologian? The apostle never resorted to "carrot and stick" motivation when teaching believers the truth about God's grace and eternal salvation. A religious contingency apparatus does not accurately convey the love of God or unleash the power of the Gospel, but instead, makes believers feel like their "potential salvation" is on a razor's edge and contingent on them being good enough.
Catholicism's contingency apparatus is directly connected to the Catholic concept which Bishop Robert Barron describes as "growth in justification" and "the Catholic difference." Catholics would be far better served if their church body replaced their contingency apparatus with the inspired biblical approach of helping sincere believers experience the assurance of their salvation through the promise of the Gospel.
Perhaps you worry about this question: "Will I be good enough to get into Heaven?" If your soul has been burdened by a religious contingency apparatus, then turn your anthropocentric focus and wavering confidence away from your best efforts, and rely instead upon what Jesus, the "Rock," (1 Cor 10:3-4) accomplished on the cross for your salvation. And then commit your body and soul to living every moment for your Lord and Savior.
"Faith without works is dead," (James 2:26) but faith never comes alive by doing more works. Faith only comes alive when the Holy Spirit enables you to believe the Gospel (see John 1:12, John 3:16, John 3:36, 1 Cor 12:3). Thankfully, believers in Jesus are on the narrow road to Heaven, rather than the broad road to Hell (see Matthew 7:13-14).
And unless your soteriology was inspired by the Holy Spirit, you will be unable to accurately teach the doctrine of salvation. St. Peter's inspired soteriology came "not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the (Holy) Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words" (1 Corinthians 2:13).
(Dan Delzell is the pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Papillion, Nebraska.)
Closing Comments
I hope all of you have a great week! Please pray for the Bible Christian Society...we keep you and all of your families constantly in our prayers.
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