Pope Document Signing Spurs Debate, Prayer for Catholics

While monitoring seismic activity ever since Pope Benedict XVI dropped his cluster bomb on all non-Catholics and their churches recently, I received several great comments to TheScroogeReport's Wrong Turn: Pope Benedict XVI Detours Salvation Through Catholic Church post.

One of those comments stood out enough to be highlighted here. This comes from Johnny Johnston, a pastor from Calvary Chapel, Santa Cruz, Calif. I think it's interesting that those most willing to be heard on the subject seem to be coming from the Calvary group - an evangelistic bunch determined to stick to God's word found in the bible.

Some of those coming to the Pope's defense are saying that his co-signing of the Catholic-centric document does not mean he was implying the Catholic church is the only way to salvation. However, from all that I've heard, it certainly seems to be the point he was making...and if not, why muddy the waters? Let's make it perfectly clear.

From Johnny Johnston:

The Roman Catholic Catechism says one thing...the Pope and every priest I have spoken to over the years says another. The Roman Catholic Church's pronouncements are held above Scripture.

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out." (John 14:6 and 6:37)

The Pope says no one can be saved apart from the Roman Catholic Church...in direct contradiction to the words of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Years ago, a devout Catholic woman attending a bible study asked me, "How can I be sure I am going to heaven?" I pointed out Romans 10:9,10...."if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

She embraced the good news with her whole heart. I was happy to tell her that she had everlasting life and would go straigt to heaven when she died.

A short time later, this Christian lady died of a brain tumor. At her funeral held in the Catholic church she attended, her priest related that as she lay dying, she spoke to him about being born again. In his own words spoken at the funeral, he said, you don't have to be concerned about being born again, you are a good Catholic.

How tragic! His words were in direct contradiction to the words of Jesus.

The priest, at the family's request allowed me to say a few words. I related the converation about how she wanted to be sure she would go to heaven. I was able to quote Romans 10:9, 10 and how she embraced the Gospel.

After the service, a number of the Catholic people attending approached me to repeat what I had said. They had never heard a simple presentation of the Gospel. How tragic! Lifelong Catholic senior citizens, faithful to their church, had never been presented a clear teaching of personal salvation.

I pray that all Catholics will come to understand that Jesus is the way.

Amen!

- Alexander, TheScroogeReport.com