Updated April 5, 1999 (David W. Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061-0368, fbns@wayoflife.org) - Today’s Evangelicalism has rejected the Bible’s command to rebuke and to separate from error. It has determined rather to be positive. Harold John Ockenga, frequently called the "father of New Evangelicalism," said in a news release of December 8, 1957: "Instead of attack upon error, the New Evangelicals proclaim the great historic doctrines of Christianity."

The Lord Jesus Christ and His Apostles were not New Evangelicals. They did attack error. It is no wonder that New Evangelical leaders have been drawn farther and farther into fellowship with apostasy. Separation is the hedge of protection around the truth. If separation is rejected, truth becomes mingled with error and eventually falls to the ground.

One of the chief evidences of Evangelical apostasy is its blindness toward Roman Catholicism. To celebrate its 40th anniversary, Christianity Today interviewed two former editors: Carl Henry (1956-1968) and Kenneth Kantzer (1978-1982). When asked the question, "What is your assessment of the Evangelicals and Catholics Together statement?" Kantzer replied: "I DO NOT FOR A MOMENT DENY THE CHRISTIANITY OF ANY TRUE ROMAN CATHOLIC. MANY ROMAN CATHOLICS ARE CERTAINLY EVANGELICAL" (Christianity Today, September 16, 1996, p. 35).

This idea of evangelical Catholicism is relatively new, but it has become popular in recent years.

Christian Booksellers Endorses Evangelical Catholicism

Another example of this is the February 1992 issue of the Bookstore Journal, the "official publication of Christian Booksellers Association." This is the organization that represents many of the Christian bookstores across North America. The February issue featured three articles on the theme "The Catholic Market: Dispelling Myths, Building Bridges." The cover of this issue is dominated by a large string of Rosary beads. Peter Kreeft, who is described in the magazine as a "born again, Bible-believing, Spirit-filled, evangelical Catholic," wrote the main article. Kreeft argues that Catholics and Protestants share a common faith and must come together for the sake of reaching the lost and presenting a united front against humanism. Consider a couple of excerpts:

Catholics are Protestants’ brothers and sisters in Christ. They are Christians. I should know. I’m one myself.

I’m also an evangelical--always was, always will be. Catholics are supposed to be evangelicals. ‘Evangelical’ means ‘gospel,’ and there’s only one gospel. ...

Catholics are Christians. They believe every word in the Bible. They believe in Christ as Lord and Savior. They trust in Him alone for their salvation. There is no other savior--not Mary, not the saints, not the pope, not the church, not themselves. ...

Catholics believe in Christ’s promise of regeneration, justification, salvation, the kingdom of God, eternal life, the new birth, and sanctifying grace. Beneath the diverse formulas--which are diverse even in Scripture--the overwhelming reality common to orthodox Catholics and orthodox Protestants is the real presence of Jesus Christ in the soul. We are separated brothers and sisters--seriously warring at times--but we are siblings, not strangers. ...

Even if they add false doctrines to Christianity, they don’t subtract true doctrines from it. Even if they revere Mary, the saints, the pope, and the church too much, they do not revere Jesus Christ too little. ...

Bridges are especially being built in moral areas, now that our society is rapidly degenerating into another ancient Rome. ... When the dragon is breathing down our necks, we better work together. We have such clear common enemies that there is no time for fratricidal squabbles within the ranks.

What a bunch of mumbo jumbo. Kreeft is fearfully loose with the truth. First, he rips the term "evangelical" out of its historical context and gives it a new meaning. Webster’s Deluxe Unabridged Dictionary gives the standard definition of "evangelical": "of or for the gospel ... of those Protestant churches, as the Methodist and Baptist, that emphasize the salvation by faith in the atonement of Jesus, and reject the efficacy of the sacraments..." The New Merriam-Webster Dictionary of 1989 gives a similar definition: "of or relating to certain Protestant churches emphasizing the authority of Scripture and the importance of preaching as contrasted with ritual."

This is the historical meaning of the term "evangelical," and to say that a Roman Catholic can be an Evangelical is to bring utter confusion to terminology.

Further, Kreeft apparently knows about a brand new kind of Catholic Church. He certainly is not describing the Catholic Church of history. He is not describing the Catholic Church of Trent nor the Catholic Church of Vatican II nor the Catholic Church of the New Catholic Catechism. He is not describing the Catholic Church headquartered in Rome. THAT Catholic Church DOES NOT believe every word in the Bible. Far from it! THAT Catholic Church DOES NOT trust Christ ALONE for salvation, nor does that Catholic Church believe in regeneration, justification, salvation, the kingdom of God, eternal life, and the new birth. Oh, yes, Rome uses those words, but by them it DOES NOT mean what "evangelical" Bible believers mean. What a bunch of lies Mr. Kreeft puts forth!

The amazing part is that these lies are given an unchallenged forum in an Evangelical publication. Shame on the Christian Booksellers Association.

Chuck Colson Endorses Evangelical Catholicism

The second recent illustration of New Evangelicalism’s acceptance of Roman Catholicism is the book Evangelical Catholics by Keith Fournier. The author acknowledges that he is a traditional Roman Catholic, but he claims also to be an evangelical, Bible-believing Christian. Now, the surprise is not that a Catholic would write such a book. If Roman Catholicism feels it can benefit from attempting to put on an "evangelical" face, it will attempt to do so. This has always been Rome’s way. Did I hear someone say, "I don’t believe that"? Why don’t you ask the good citizens of Catholic Ireland, Catholic Italy, or Catholic Mexico. They will tell you about Rome’s honesty. Or ask the history books. They will tell you.

As we noted about the articles in the Bookstore Journal, the real problem is that this propaganda about evangelical Catholicism is being accepted by today’s Evangelical leaders. The glowing foreword to Fournier’s book was written by well-known Evangelical Charles Colson, head of Prison Fellowship Ministries. Consider an excerpt from Colson’s foreword:

A few years ago I was invited to Franciscan University of Steubenville [a Roman Catholic institution], in Ohio, to receive the Poverello award. ...

But at root, those who are called of God, whether Catholic or Protestant, are part of the same Body. What they share is a belief in the basics: the virgin birth, the deity of Christ, His bodily resurrection, His imminent return, and the authority of His infallible Word. They also share the same mission: presenting Christ as Savior and Lord to a needy world. Those who hold to these truths and act on this commission are evangelical Christians.

... It’s high time that all of us who are Christians come together regardless of the difference of our confessions and our traditions and make common cause to bring Christian values to bear in our society. When the barbarians are scaling the walls, there is no time for petty quarreling in the camp. ...

We have much to forgive, much to relearn. But Evangelical Catholics can help us do both so we can band together against the rising tides of secularism which threaten to engulf us.

May God grant healing to His church.

This is all quite amazing, and I want to share some reasons why it is IMPOSSIBLE for a Roman Catholic to be an evangelical Christian.

Evangelical Catholicism Is Impossible Because Roman Catholicism Is NOT Evangelical

First, evangelical Catholicism is impossible because Roman Catholicism is NOT evangelical! This should be self evident, and it was to previous generations of Evangelicals. Obviously, though, today’s Evangelical leaders do not have the discernment of their forebears.

Colson says Roman Catholics believe in the authority of the Bible. This is not true. Catholicism places Roman tradition on equal par with Scripture, thus rendering the Bible’s authority ineffective. Consider what Vatican II declared about the so-called authority of the Bible in Roman Catholic thinking:

"Sacred Tradition and sacred Scripture, then, are bound closely together, and communicate one with the other. For both of them, flowing out from the same divine well-spring, come together in some fashion to form one thing, and move towards the same goal ... Thus it comes about that the Church does not draw her certainty about all revealed truths from the holy Scriptures alone. Hence, both Scripture and Tradition must be accepted and honoured with equal feelings of devotion and reverence" (Vatican Council II--the Conciliar and Post Conciliar Documents, imprimatur by Walter P. Kellenberg, D.D., Bishop of Rockville Center, August 12, 1975, p. 682).

The Roman Catholicism described by Kreeft, Fournier, and Colson is a figment of their imagination. The real Roman Catholic Church has spoken through its popes and councils, and it is NOT evangelical.

Colson also says Roman Catholicism shares the mission of presenting Christ as Savior and Lord to a needy world. This is not true. Catholicism’s goal is making more Catholics. This is plainly seen in the history of the Roman Church. Catholic priests have never entered a land simply to preach Christ and lead people to Bible salvation. They don’t lead men to the freedom of the gospel; they make converts for the Pope and bring men into a sacramental bondage. This is evident in the unevangelized condition of Roman Catholic lands and cannot be disputed.

Roman Catholicism has never preached the gospel to the unsaved Masses, because it does not have the gospel. It has only a perverted message, an unholy mixture of truth and error. Rome’s dogma of purgatory proves that it does not believe in salvation by the grace of Christ alone through faith alone. Consider another quote from Vatican II:

"The doctrine of purgatory clearly demonstrates that even when the guilt of sin has been taken away, punishment for it or the consequences of it may remain to be expiated or cleansed. They often are. In fact, in purgatory the souls of those who died in the charity of God and truly repentant, but who had not made satisfaction with adequate penance for their sins and omissions are cleansed after death with punishments designed to purge away their debt" (Vatican II Documents, p. 75).

This, my friends, IS NOT the blessed gospel that Paul preached. Rome’s sacramental gospel is not the Bible gospel. Further, the Christ that is preached by Rome is a false one of its own making. It is the christ of the unscriptural Mass.

I do not want to be unkind, but truth is falling to the ground. Countless multitudes have gone to Hell because of Rome’s false gospel, and for Evangelical leaders today to say that Rome can now be the happy home of Evangelical Christians is inexcusable wickedness. It helps blind the minds of Catholics to their need of true Bible salvation in Jesus Christ, and it weakens the zeal of Evangelicals to win Roman Catholics to Christ. This, of course, is exactly what Rome desires to accomplish through its ecumenical endeavors. Rome knows what it is doing, but gullible Evangelicals don’t.

The "petty quarreling in the camp" that Colson speaks of involves the very gospel by which we are saved and the very Christ who saves us. Rome preaches a false gospel and a false christ.

There is absolutely no such thing as someone who is "truly orthodox in adherence to Catholic doctrine and fully evangelical in his relationship to Christ and His creation." That is an impossibility. There is no such thing as an "evangelical Catholic."

Consider other quotations from Fournier’s book Evangelical Catholics that illustrate how foolish this idea really is. Let’s see if this man really has an evangelical or Bible-believing Christian faith:

"In their marvelous document entitled the ‘Decree on Ecumenism,’ the Bishops of the Catholic Church show the respect which must properly be afforded to all Christians: ‘All those justified by faith through baptism are incorporated into Christ. They therefore have a right to be honored by the title Christian, and are properly regarded as brothers in the Lord by the Sons of the Catholic Church.’" (p. 16)

"I believe that Jesus literally meant what He said about the consecrated bread and wine of the Eucharist ... indeed, a source of life to all who will believe." (p. 17)

"I am a sacramentalist. I believe that God reveals Himself in sign and symbol, spirit and mud. I remember learning as a boy that a sacrament was an outward sign instituted by God to give grace." (p. 17)

"I have submitted myself to the teaching office of the church and its leadership." (p. 18)

"Saint Augustine in his City of God warned his fellow Catholics that baptism and membership in the church would not assure salvation, but could offer great assistance in the Christian life. The Catholic Bishops of the Second Vatican Council echoed Augustine’s warning: ‘He is not saved, however, who, though he is part of the body of the Church, does not persevere in charity. ... If they fail moreover to respond to that grace in thought, word, and deed, not only will they not be saved but they will be the more severely judged.’" (p. 18)

"Often I knelt in front of my favorite statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, pouring my heart out to Him. ... I frequently sneaked upstairs and sat alone, looking at the beautiful stained-glass windows and enjoying the fragrance of the votive candles as it filled the air. ... For me, even as a child, these times of private devotion were ‘evangelical moments.’ ... As soon as I was able, which was around the third grade, I served dutifully as an altar boy at the altar of sacrifice. Even though I didn’t understand the Latin spoken in the Catholic liturgy of that time, I knew that I was a part of something miraculous. ... I would later wander from the cross, but the memories of those ‘evangelical moments’ would linger..." (p. 26)

"One Saturday morning after personal prayer, I borrowed my father’s truck and drove through the streets of Lakeland, Florida. I noticed an advertisement for Saint Joseph’s Catholic Church, and I felt compelled to find the church. ... why such a strong pull on my heart to locate this church? Could it be of the Holy Spirit? ... As I walked inside, I recognized the familiar aroma peculiar to older Catholic churches--the votive candles. The candles, the statues, and the tabernacle all reminded me of the wonder of God. I felt drawn into His presence, filled with a sense of mystery and awe. I slowly made my way up the aisle. The closer I came to the altar, the more my heart was filled with an unspeakable Presence, an excitement that made my whole being attentive. Reaching the altar, I fell prostrate and cried out, ‘O God, I need to find my home in Your church.’ I could have lain there for hours. ... I sat through the Mass and felt everything come alive--the words of the Scriptures, the words of the canon, the words of consecration. Each point of the Mass pierced my heart. I wept openly. Afterward, I approached the priest and told him my whole story. ... He smiled and welcomed me home. ... So I went to Mass again that day. ... I knew at that moment I was finally home. This was where I belonged. This was the ark. This was the place where God would show me His plan for my life. In the months that followed, I fell deeply and passionately in love with the Catholic church and was obsessed with learning more about her." (pgs. 45-46)

"... the virgin Mary was and still is ‘blessed among women’ (Luke 1:42). Catholics believe she was kept from any tarnish of sin." (p. 98)

"Although we often think of baptism and salvation as an adult affair, the church recognized centuries ago that they apply to children, even to infants. ... How can a baby be saved without acknowledging Jesus? ... The faith exercised need not be his." (pgs. 101-103)

"‘We hope in God for our complete salvation ... however, we can never be sure that we will always be faithful to Him. ... We must persevere in our faith in God, love for God, and obedience to his will, until the end of our lives.’ ... If we run the race and don’t give up, we will win the prize--the imperishable crown of our full salvation in the Lord of lords and King of kings..." (pgs. 106, 107,110)

"...one of the great scholars of all time, Ignatius of Loyola. Ignatius founded the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), which is still recognized as the great order of Catholic priests of scholars, thinkers, and writers. Many Christians have found the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius tremendously helpful for growth in holiness." (p. 139)

"The second incident happened during a meeting I recently attended of the American Congress of Christian Citizens, an ecumenical group that Pat Robertson founded to oppose the rising tide of anti-Christian bigotry in the media. In our meeting room were major evangelical leaders I’ve admired for years--Dr. Charles Stanley, Dr. Jerry Falwell, Dr. D. James Kennedy, Pat Robertson, and many others. I found not only a tremendous openness to my presence, but also a growing respect for my church and a thawing in what had been hard ice in the past. Perhaps the comments by Dr. Falwell were most illustrative. With a sincerity born of battle fatigue, he told the whole group not even to consider trying to affect public policy with only a narrow evangelical Protestant church coalition. He said that from its inception any such effort must include Catholics and consultation with great churchmen such as Cardinal Law and Cardinal O’Connor. Clearly not backing off one bit from his self-described ‘narrowness of doctrine,’ Dr. Falwell showed a refreshing openness." (p. 172)

"I still remember with joy my opportunity to address Prison Fellowship’s morning devotions. There I stood, a lay Catholic, in the midst of a group of Protestant brethren engaged in a beautiful evangelical work of mercy and true Christian social action. I shared our common gospel and read an excerpt from Bernard of Clairvaux [a Roman Catholic ‘saint’ particularly known for his devotion to Mary and the infant Jesus], a member of our common family heritage." (p. 190)

"We were privileged to honor Dr. James Dobson and Focus on the Family at Franciscan University of Steubenville. We bestowed upon him an honorary doctorate as a statement of our support for him and his work." (p. 200)

"Dr. Billy Graham is another prophetic leader. ... He acknowledges that God is in the midst of Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism, not just Protestantism." (p. 205)

"One other prophetic voice is Chuck Colson. ... His organization, Prison Fellowship Ministries, has demonstrated a prophetic and courageous ecumenism. In fact, recently Chuck asked what we at Franciscan University thought of PFM’s statement of faith, and we raised some concerns about its terminology but little about its content. Chuck immediately began reworking the statement to alleviate our concerns. Why? Because he is committed to making PFM genuinely ecumenical. ... Several years ago we honored Chuck with our Poverello Medal, our highest award given annually to the man, woman, or organization which most reflects the spirit of Saint Francis in his simple love for Jesus Christ." (p. 205)

"Among the keynote speakers at our annual Priests’ Conference have been Dr. Vinson Synan, Reverend Bob Mumford, and the Reverend Terry Fullam. In other conferences we have been blessed by the teaching of Elisabeth Elliot and Reverend Glandion Carney. Franciscan University is committed to ecumenism, and we are committed to being Catholic." (p. 206)

"The current divisions among Christians, insofar as they feed mistrust, are insane. ... Let’s not cover up the divisions any longer with pious sounding jargon and self-justifying polemic. The disunity among us is insanity." (p. 211)

It is obvious that Mr. Fournier follows traditional Roman Catholic heresy. He grew up in Roman Catholicism and he returned to it during a spiritual crisis. He has a love affair with Rome and admits it. He believes in sacramentalism, baptismal regeneration, infant baptism, a sinless Mary, the Mass, and the so-called teaching authority of the Roman church. He exalts Loyola, father of the treacherous Jesuits, as a man of God. He frequently quotes the Pope of Rome as an authority. He glories in the strange Catholic saints. Fournier, of course, has the right to follow Romanism if he pleases, but he does not have the right to call this Evangelical Bible Christianity.

Though Fournier says the divisions among Christians are insane, he is wrong. Divisions based on doctrine are commanded by God. I’ll tell you what IS insane. It is insane for a Roman Catholic such as Fournier to claim to be an Evangelical Bible believer. That, my friends, is utter confusion.

Roman Catholicism is diametrically opposed to Bible Christianity. They are contrary to one another, and there is no way to make common cause between the two. Fournier’s own pen proves this. Romanism is just as destructive as secularism. In fact, Romanism encourages secularism because it presents to the world a false, powerless caricature of Christianity. This is why secularism and every other ism prospers in Catholic countries. Thus to call for unity with Rome for presenting a united "Christian" front against secularism is ridiculous. Romanism is no friend of truth and righteousness. Roman Catholicism does not produce biblical holiness.

We have seen that the concept of evangelical Catholicism is patently wrong because Roman Catholicism is diametrically contrary to the evangelical Christian faith. Consider with me some other reasons why we can know that it is impossible for a Catholic to be an Evangelical:

Salvation Requires Sound Doctrine

Evangelical Catholicism is also impossible because salvation requires sound doctrine. In the Bookstore Journal, Kreeft says, "...people are saved not by theological correctness ... but by faith in Christ." He argues that even if Roman Catholics believe all sorts of wrong doctrines, they must be considered true Christians. He is wrong about that. Consider Romans 6:17:

"But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart THAT FORM OF DOCTRINE which was delivered you."

This verse teaches that we are saved by believing sound doctrine--that doctrine which was delivered by the Apostles. We see this in many other passages of Scripture. The converts on the day of Pentecost "continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine" (Acts 2:42). Timothy was commended that he was "nourished up in the words of faith and of GOOD DOCTRINE..." (1 Tim. 4:7). He was told to give himself wholly to "reading, to exhortation, TO DOCTRINE ... for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee" (1 Tim. 4:13-16).

It is obvious that doctrine is crucial. We are saved by believing sound doctrine, and believing sound doctrine is an evidence that we are saved. How do we know that we are abiding in the Holy Spirit? By sound doctrine.

"But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as THE SAME ANOINTING TEACHETH YOU OF ALL THINGS, and is truth, and is no lie, and EVEN AS IT HATH TAUGHT YOU, YE SHALL ABIDE IN HIM" (1 John 2:27).

What doctrine did the Apostles teach about salvation? Romans 3:21-24 contains the glorious Gospel message:

"But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all that sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being JUSTIFIED FREELY by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."

Salvation is the free gift of God to all who will receive it by faith. God freely justifies the believing sinner because full payment for sin was made by Jesus Christ on the cross. The believing sinner is justified, is made a child of God, and has eternal life. John 3:16 promises that the believer "shall never perish, but have everlasting life." This glorious salvation cannot be earned, and it is Christ who keeps the sinner, not the sinner who keeps himself.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." (1 Peter 1:3-5)

Contrast this lovely message to that preached by Rome. Consider the following quotes from the Vatican II Council. The publication cited is Vatican Council II--the Conciliar and Post Conciliar Documents. This large volume is published by the Roman Catholic Church and contains the Imprimatur of Walter P. Kellenberg, D.D., Bishop of Rockville Center, August 12, 1975.

"Just as Christ was sent by the Father so also he sent the apostles ... that they might preach the Gospel to every creature and proclaim that the Son of God by his death and resurrection had freed us from the power of Satan and from death, and brought us into the Kingdom of his Father. But he also willed that the work of salvation which they preached should be set in train through the sacrifice and sacraments, around which the entire liturgical [ritualistic] life revolves. Thus by Baptism men are grafted into the paschal mystery of Christ. ... They receive the spirit of adoption as sons." (pgs. 23-24)

"In that body the life of Christ is communicated to those who believe and who, through the sacraments, are united in a hidden and real way to Christ in his passion and glorification. Through baptism we are formed in the likeness of Christ ... In this sacred rite fellowship in Christ’s death and resurrection is symbolized and is brought about." (p. 327)

"If they fail to respond in thought, word and deed to that grace, not only shall they not be saved, but they shall be the more severely judged." (p. 337)

"God’s only-begotten Son ... has won a treasure for the militant Church ... he has entrusted it to blessed Peter, the key-bearer of heaven, and to his successors who are Christ’s vicars on earth, so that they may distribute it to the faithful for their salvation. ... The merits of the Blessed Mother of God and of all the elect ... are known to add further to this treasury." (p. 80)

It is clear that Rome preaches a false gospel. Rome’s gospel says Christ died to purchase merit that was delivered to the Pope and the Catholic Church to distribute through its sacraments. To be saved, the sinner must partake of Christ through Rome’s sacramental system.

Rome teaches that its baptism is the door of entrance into Christ. But this baptism doesn’t guarantee salvation. The sinner must hold out faithful in the sacramental system. If he does, he is not promised heaven at death, but is promised purgatory where sins remaining at death are dealt with by an undetermined period of punishment.

That this is Rome’s gospel cannot be disputed.

Rome’s blasphemous message is a gospel of faith plus works, law plus grace. In fact, the Council of Trent put a curse on anyone who preaches that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone:

"If anyone shall say that justifying faith is nothing else than confidence in the divine mercy pardoning sins for Christ’s sake, or that it is that confidence alone by which we are justified ... let him be accursed" (Canon 12)

The Council of Trent is still upheld as authoritative by Rome. Pope John XIII who convened the Vatican II Council made it plain in his opening speech that Trent remained in force: "The salient point of this Council is not, therefore, a discussion of one article or another of the fundamental doctrine of the Church which has repeatedly been taught by the Fathers and by ancient and modern theologians and which ... still shines forth in the Acts of the Council of Trent" (The Documents of Vatican II, p. 715). The Vatican II Council repeatedly referred to Trent as authoritative. The present Pope also affirms Trent. In his 1984 encyclical, Pope John Paul II called Catholics back to the canons and decrees of that Council.

Trent’s curse is upon those who say salvation is by grace alone, but God has His curse, too. Galatians 1:8 says anyone who adds to the message of the grace of Christ is cursed of God. "But through we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed." I had much rather endure Rome’s curse than God’s.

We see that it is utterly impossible for one to be saved through the message that Rome teaches. Sound doctrine is crucial to salvation, but Rome’s doctrine is false. And it is not only the doctrine of salvation that Rome has perverted. It has rejected the apostolic doctrine of the church, of the priesthood, of baptism, of the Lord’s Supper, of marriage, of intercession, of latter things, of civil government--to name only a few.

Many Catholics have been saved, praise the Lord, but how are they saved? Catholics who get saved are saved by believing the apostolic gospel of the grace of Christ ALONE WITHOUT WORKS and by turning away from the perversion taught by their church. They are saved in spite of Roman Catholicism, not because of it.

"Evangelical Catholicism" is thus seen as an absurdity. Historically, the term "evangelical" has been identified with true Bible salvation and sound doctrine in contrast with sacramentalism. We have seen the dictionary definition. If one is Evangelical, it is clear that he has rejected Catholic doctrine. To teach otherwise is to turn the definition of these words inside out and to write one’s own dictionary.

Repentance Requires a Change of Mind

We can further say that evangelical Catholicism is impossible because repentance requires a change of mind. It is impossible to be saved without repentance. "And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent" (Acts 17:31).

Repentance is a change of mind that results in a change of life. This is what we see in every Bible example of salvation. Those who were saved had a dramatic change in their thinking. They changed their minds about sin, about God, about life, about false religion, about everything spiritual and religious. Consider those at Thessalonica who were saved. They "turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God." They clearly changed their minds about the false religion they had followed before conversion. Consider the Jews who were saved at Pentecost. They turned their backs to Judaism. They turned their backs to the false religious teaching of their leaders, the Pharisees and Saducees. They cleaved exclusively to Christ for salvation, and associated themselves exclusively with the true Christians.

This always happens when people are truly saved. Repentance demands it. The sinner who gets saved will come to Christ alone for salvation and will throw away all his attempts at self-merit. He will turn his back to any false religion with which he was associated before his conversion, having understood that God is displeased with such. This is the very essence of repentance, and it is impossible that one who has truly repented could continue to follow Romanism, with its blasphemous doctrines and practices. Those who cleave to Romanism yet claim to be Evangelical are making a mockery of salvation.

God Demands Separation from Error

The impossibility of evangelical Catholicism is further seen in the fact that God demands separation from error. Consider the following verses:

"Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; AND AVOID THEM." Rom. 16:17

"Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: FROM SUCH TURN AWAY." 2 Tim. 3:5

"If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness ... FROM SUCH WITHDRAW THYSELF." 1 Tim. 6:3-5

"But SHUN profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness." 2 Tim. 2:16

"But AVOID foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject." Titus 3:10-11

The evangelical Catholic argument claims that one can be a true Christian walking in God’s will yet remain in the Roman Catholic Church. Contrariwise, these verses demand that the Christian turn away from false teaching. How, then, is it possible for a Christian to be walking in God’s favor while remaining in the Catholic Church? It is utterly impossible.

The Catholic Church teaches a false gospel. God says avoid it. The Catholic Church teaches a false priesthood. God says avoid it. The Catholic Church teaches a false popery. God says avoid it. The Catholic Church teaches a false sainthood, a false purgatory, a false Mary, a false Mass. God says avoid it.

A person who rejects Rome’s gospel and believes the truth might remain in the Catholic Church for a time, especially if he has no one to disciple him in the Bible, but such a one cannot rightly be called an evangelical Catholic. Rather he is a disobedient Christian.

The Righteous Love Truth and Hate Error

Finally, the impossibility of evangelical Catholicism is seen in that the righteous love truth and hate error.

"Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way." (Psalm 119:128).

"Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good" (Rom. 12:9).

The Christian who truly loves God and righteousness and truth hates error. It is impossible to love the truth without hating evil. I realize this is contrary to the positive-only philosophy of our day, but the Bible says this is impossible. Spiritual pacifism is a phony godliness. Even common sense tells us this is impossible. The man who loves sheep must hate wolves.

The godly Psalmist cried, "I hate every false way." Why? Because he esteemed God’s Word to be right and he loved God’s Word above all else. This is why I say that the root problem with New Evangelicalism is a lack of zeal for the truth. I realize Evangelicals will vigorously deny this, perhaps even laugh at such an idea. "How could it be that such godly men as Billy Graham and Bill Bright or J.I. Packer lack zeal for the truth?" some will query. My friends, I don’t care how APPARENTLY godly someone is. The Bible says that those who really love and esteem truth will hate that which is against truth. The very fact that today’s Evangelical leaders DO NOT hate false doctrine, but rather fellowship with those who teach all sorts of blasphemies, proves that they DO NOT have a zeal for the truth. They are watch dogs that cannot bark.

Any Christian that loves the truth will hate Rome’s heresies. Those who love Roman Catholicism, or make excuses for it, are not evangelical Catholics; they are false teachers and deceivers.

In conclusion, we can ask what, really, is the best thing we can do for Catholics? The Bookstore Journal argued that the Christian bookstore that carries ecumenical and Catholic literature is doing Catholics a service. One of the Journal’s three articles on the subject was entitled "Serving the Catholics in Your Community," and concluded thusly: "If you’re serious about serving Catholics, then be sensitive to the authenticity of their faith and meet their needs. ... a willingness to meet them on their terms is Christlike."

I beg to differ. It is not Christlike to meet people on their terms; it is Christlike to meet people on God’s terms! Meeting people on their terms is the apostasy described in 2 Timothy 4:3-4. The Christian who wants to serve Catholics must be honest with them about Catholicism. He must be honest about the fact that there is no biblical authenticity in the Catholic faith. He must be honest that Rome’s gospel is under God’s condemnation.

In "An Open Letter to Billy Graham," dated May 5, 1992, Wilson Ewin made the following statement about dealing with Roman Catholics. Ewin preached Jesus Christ to Catholics for 40 years:

"Those of us in Quebec constantly present to Roman Catholics the difference between God’s atonement or reconciliation and that practiced by their church. We do this in love for their souls, although you would term this ‘proselytism’ and a ‘criticism of the church’ they attend. Likewise, untold millions of Roman Catholics throughout the past ten centuries became believers of the Biblical gospel. They converted to Christ because someone displayed true love for their souls as they wandered in the darkness of papal falsehood. These evangelists pointed out the difference between God’s way of salvation and the impossible one being taught by the Church of Rome."

Our prayer is that the eyes of many Christians will be opened and that they will have the courage to turn from the path of error and compromise down which their leaders are walking.