ROMAN CATHOLIC LEADERS SEND LETTER TO POPE, ACCUSING HIM OF HERESIES

 SUBVERTING THE REFORMATION:

 

 Pope Francis unveils an idol of Martin Luther, who he has embraced as a leader of the church. This has, in part, led to Roman Catholic leaders charging the Pope with heresy, as you will see in this article.

ROMAN CATHOLIC LEADERS SEND LETTER TO POPE, ACCUSING HIM OF HERESIES 

SEE: http://pulpitandpen.org/2017/09/25/roman-catholic-leaders-send-letter-to-pope-accusing-him-of-heresies-not-a-repeat-of-1517/; 

 

republished below in full unedited for informational, educational, and research purposes:

A letter twenty-five pages long laid out the perceived heresies committed, taught or espoused by Pope Francis, was signed by 40 Roman Catholic Leaders and delivered to him to consider. Nearly two weeks later, the Pope has not responded and those Roman Catholic leaders have made their letter public, conjoining it with the “Feast of Our Lady of Ransom.” The letter accuses the Pope of seven different heresies, most dealing with human sexuality and receiving the sacraments.
Entitled, “Correctio Fillialis de Haeresibus Propogatus,” the document has three main parts. The first part of the document specifies that the clergy signing the letter are not arguing with papal infallibility, because “the Church teaches that a pope must meet strict criteria before his utterances can be considered infallible.” The letter specifies that the Pope hasn’t said that his heretical viewpoints are officially the dogmatic teaching of the church, and so the writers specify they’re not challenging his papal infallibility.
The second part of Correctio Fillialis de Haeresibus Propogatus specifies which heresies are taught by Pope Francis in his Amoris laetitia, a “post-synodal apostolic exhortation” (position paper) published by him in 2016. The Roman Catholic leaders allege that the Pope expressed or implied these heresies in the Amoris laetitia. These particularly deal with Francis’ departure from Romish orthodoxy by his lighter views on adultery and fornication.
The third part of Correctio Fillialis de Haeresibus Propogatus accuses the Pope of falling for the encroachments of “modernism” and [drum-roll please], the influence of Martin Luther on Pope Francis. No, not Karl Marx…Martin Luther.
You can find the document, here.
Accusing Francis of being influenced by Luther, the document says…

In the second place, we feel compelled by conscience to advert to Your Holiness’s unprecedented sympathy for Martin Luther, and to the affinity between Luther’s ideas on law, justification, and marriage, and those taught or favoured by Your Holiness in Amoris laetitia and elsewhere necessary in order that our protest against the seven heretical propositions listed in this document may be complete; we wish to show, albeit in summary form, that these are not unrelated errors, but rather form part of a heretical system. Catholics need to be warned not only against these seven errors, but also against this heretical system as such, not least by reason of Your Holiness’s praise of the man who originated it [emphasis ours].

The document then lists specific homilies given by Pope Francis in which he spoke sympathetically of Luther, as evidence that he had been influenced by the Reformer.
This development really is fascinating. First, the letter accuses Francis of heresy, while still clinging to the dogma of papal infallibility through a loophole in interpretation that is altogether unclear. Secondly, it is worth noting that Protestants are not the only ones seeing Francis being a leftist, and these Romanists are very politely – but very clearly – calling out their own Pope for his positions on social issues. Third, in typical Romish fashion, these Papists blame Martin Luther for Francis’ drift left.
There is no word about how the letter was delivered to the Pope, as to whether it was the Vatican postal service or it was nailed to his door.

[Update: The Vatican has blocked its internet servers from accessing the website collecting signatures for Correctio Fillialis de Haeresibus Propogatus so that it cannot be accessed by anyone in the Vatican City]
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Contend for the Truth About Grace  by John Fallahee

www.proclaimingthegospel.org 

One indispensable truth arising out of the Reformation was the rediscovery that salvation is a gift solely of God's grace and is not earned or merited. This is one of the Five Solas of the Reformation, Sola Gratia or "grace alone." If you were living during or even before the Reformation, most likely you would have been deceived about the truth of God's grace because of the false teachings of the Catholic Church. You would have been taught that works, keeping the law, and the sacraments were necessary for salvation. To complicate matters, the Catholic Church forbade personal ownership of the Bible in 1229 at the Council of Toulouse. This continued for hundreds of years. William Tyndale in 1536 was burned at the stake for translating the Bible into English. As a result of these egregious laws, many would remain in spiritual darkness, not knowing the truth of God's amazing grace. But then the Reformers, equipped with the supreme authority of the Scriptures, confronted the Catholic Church's authority and their deceptive teachings, God began to set souls free. To comprehend the great doctrinal divide between the Bible and Roman Catholic's teaching on grace, we have provided four key areas to equip you in your evangelistic encounters and future discussions on grace. It should be noted, that those who reject Rome's teaching on grace will be eternally condemned through multiple anathemas declared at the Council of Trent.

1) Proclaim God alone is the exclusive source of grace. When saving grace is discussed in the Bible, it references God alone as the sole source and never references any other mediator, person, rite or ritual (Romans 3:24-26; 5:15, Acts 11:23, Hebrews 10:29). Below are several examples of Roman Catholic teachings that are contrary to Scriptures on grace. The numbers in parenthesis are paragraph numbers from the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

A. Rome teaches a different source and medium for grace: RCC teaches that the sacraments confer the grace of God and are necessary for salvation (1127-1129, 1131). RCC condemns anyone who denies the necessity of the sacraments (Trent, Session 7, Canon 4).

B. Rome teaches grace is dependent on man: The "ordained priesthood" is needed to guarantee grace is dispensed through the sacraments (1120). RCC condemns anyone who denies the priesthood (Trent, Session 23, Canon 1-8).

C. Rome teaches grace is received through a rite: It says saving grace comes through the medium of water in the rite of infant baptism and through the faith of others, not the infant (1263, 1266, 1279, 1253-1255). Rome condemns anyone who denies infant baptism (Trent, Session 7, Canon 13).

D. Rome teaches grace is received through a ritual: Eucharistic grace and the forgiveness of sin is dispensed and received through the repeated ritual of the Eucharistic Sacrifice (1325, 1367, 1371, 1390, 1402, 1407). Rome condemns anyone who denies the Eucharist remits sins (Trent, Session 13, Canon 5).

2) Proclaim God's grace is a gift through the Instrument of faith alone. Saving grace (same as justifying grace) is given directly to the individual and can only be received through genuine faith in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:4-9, Romans 3:21-28; 4:16-25; 5:1-2). The Bible teaches that grace cannot be merited or earned by our works (2 Timothy 1:8-11, Titus 3:5-7, Galatians 2:16). Rome teaches the exact opposite as seen below.

A. Rome claims one can merit grace for themselves and for others to attain eternal life (2010, 2017).

B. Rome teaches grace is not by faith alone, but through obedience to the Sacramental Economy (1076,1113-1126). 

3) Share how God justifies by His grace alone (Romans 4-5). Rome claims those being baptized (usually infants) receive "baptismal grace" and the "grace of justification." Rome also teaches that those who receive the sacrament of baptism are made righteous (1446, 1992, 2020). It condemns anyone who believes that saving grace and God's righteousness are received through faith alone (Trent, Session 6, Canon 9, 12, 14, 15).
4) Reveal how God's saving grace is an irrevocable gift. Saving grace can never be lost (Romans 8:28-39; 11:29, John 6:39; 10:27-30, 2 Corinthians 1:21-22, Jude 1:24). Since it is not a work of man, but solely a work of God, it follows that you can not lose what you did not earn. We must remember the basis of saving grace is Christ's cross-work, which is perfect, and permanently enduring (Hebrews 7:27, 9:12, 10:10, 10:14). Rome denies this.

A. Rome teaches that mortal sin can destroy justifying grace (1446, 1855, 1861). It says justifying grace can only be restored through the sacrament of penance and reconciliation (1422, 1440, 1446). Rome condemns anyone who believes their salvation is secure (Trent, Session 6, Canon 16).

Praise God for His amazing grace! I would be negligent if I did not mention saving grace also instructs us to "deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age" (Titus 2:11-12). We also need to shine the light of the Gospel more than ever because the darkness of apostasy is spreading through the ecumenical movement. Many are trying to reverse the Reformation and undermine the exclusivity of the Gospel. They need to be less focused on signing unity accords with Catholics to save a dying culture and more concerned with proclaiming the Gospel to save dying souls. 

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The Reformation Recovered The Doctrine of Justification By Faith  by Mike Gendron

 www.proclaimingthegospel.org

 

 

When Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the Castle Church door in Wittenburg 500 years ago this month, he ignited a theological firestorm that would burn throughout Europe. As a Roman Catholic monk, Luther's greatest desire was to become right with God, yet his religion offered no peace or assurance. This led him to begin a diligent study of God's Word and it was there that he discovered the only way a condemned sinner could be justified by a holy and righteous God. Luther's study of Scripture revealed the glorious doctrine of justification that had been concealed and corrupted by religious traditions for over 1000 years. The Bible declares the justification of sinners can only be accomplished by a divine exchange - the imputing of man's sins to Christ, and the imputing of Christ's righteousness to sinners (2 Cor. 5:21). The only way condemned sinners can be justified is through the sin-bearing, substitutionary death of Christ who satisfied divine justice.

The doctrine of Justification is said to be the hinge upon which the gates of heaven open and close. Those who get justification wrong also get the Gospel wrong, and those who die embracing a false gospel will pay for that mistake forever. The doctrine of Justification declares the inflexible righteousness of God as a Judge who must punish every sin, that has ever been committed, by everyone who has ever lived. It also declares His love, mercy, and grace in providing His only Son to be crucified as a substitute for sinners.

Many Christians are unaware of how the Catholic Church has twisted and distorted the biblical doctrine of Justification and condemned those who believe it. Yes, they have pronounced 33 anathemas from the Council of Trent on anyone who believes that they are justified by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Since this has eternal consequences, we have provided 10 contrasts between the biblical Doctrine of Justification and the corrupted doctrine that continues to be taught by Rome. To print a copy of these 10 contrasts click here. The numbers in parenthesis are paragraph numbers from the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

1) Justification is by faith in what God accomplished in Christ (Rom. 5:1). Rome says initial justification is by water baptism (1992).

2) Justification changes one's legal status before God whereby a condemned sinner has been acquitted and declared righteous (Rom. 5:12-21). Rome says justification changes the inner man, not his legal status (2019).

3) Justification is an instantaneous act of God which immediately declares a sinner righteous (Rom. 4:3). Rome says justification is an ongoing process, the ongoing renewal of interior man (2019).

4) Justification is permanent and is never lost by sin. The legal status of a justified man is as unchangeable as the righteousness of Christ (Heb. 10:14). Rome says justification is temporal. It is lost by sin and regained through the sacrament of penance and good works (1446, 1861).

5) Justification is by grace apart from works (Titus 3:7; Rom. 11:6). God justifies those who do not work (Rom. 4:5; Gal. 2:16). Those justified receive the gracious gift of Christ's righteousness (Rom. 5:17). Rome says justification must include good works (2010). "If anyone says that the sinner is justified by faith alone, let him be anathema" (Trent, Canon 9). Rome says re-justification must be merited by making satisfaction for sins through works of mercy, prayer, service to neighbors, etc. (1459, 1460, 2027).

6) Justification is by imputation or crediting of Christ's completed righteousness to the one justified (2 Cor. 5:21; Rom. 4:5). Rome says justification is by infusion of God's righteousness which renews the interior man (1989).

7) God justifies the ungodly (Rom. 4:5). Rome teaches final justification is only for those who have become righteousness (2016, 2020).

8) After justification all sins are no longer taken into account or punished (Rom. 4:5; 2 Cor. 5:19-21). Rome says that sins committed after justification will be punished either in purgatory or in hell (1030, 1861).

 

9) God promises to glorify everyone He justifies because those justified can never be condemned (Rom. 8:1, 8:30). Rome says that God will condemn to hell anyone who was justified (by water baptism) but who dies in mortal sin (1861).

10) Justification precedes sanctification (Rom. 6-8). Rome says justification is an integral part of sanctification (1995).

 

The righteousness that justifies the ungodly sinner is an alien righteousness that was accomplished outside of and apart from man. It is the completed righteousness of Jesus Christ and is given as a gift from God apart from any merit or work of man. His perfect righteousness is imputed at the moment the redeemed is united with Christ by faith. The righteousness of Christ is our passport into heaven! No one will enter into glory without it (2 Peter 3:13).