The following is a helpful piece of correspondence we received from our missionary friends in Mexico.

I wanted to share with you the text of our most recent gospel tract. It is based upon a recent conversation I had with a Catholic man. It is entitled: “I Am Not a Christian; I Am a Catholic.”

 

 I Am Not a Christian; I Am a Catholic.      

David W. Christenson

  I was surprised to hear these words one day as I was talking with a Catholic man. Almost everyone considers Catholicism as a Christian religion. I believe that those words would be an offense to most Catholics. I kept thinking, “Truly, there is a great difference between Christianity and Catholicism.”

         To understand the difference, you will have to contemplate the discussion that we had. The man was going from house to house asking for a contribution for an upcoming Catholic festival. I told him that I could not cooperate because I was a Christian, not a Catholic, and that the festival was not in agreement with the Bible. The man understood the difference when he said, “I am not a Christian; I am a Catholic.”

         Even though both Catholics and Christians profess to follow the Bible, Catholics follow the teachings and traditions of the Catholic church instead of the Bible. There are so many literal truths in the Bible that Catholics interpret according to the dogma of Rome or pass over altogether, while trying to support their unbiblical doctrines with the Scriptures to appear biblical. The Bible says, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness,” 2 Timothy 3:16. (Every Bible reference is from The New American [Catholic] Bible.) 

The Word of God is our rule of faith and practice. “Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, “Why do your disciples break the traditions of the elders?” … He said to them in reply, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? … You have nullified the word of God for the sake of your tradition. Hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy about you when he said, “This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines, human precepts,” Matthew 15:1-9. “See to it that no one captivate you with an empty, seductive philosophy according to human tradition, according to the elemental powers of the world and not according to Christ,” Colossians 2:8.

         Even though both Catholics and Christians profess to believe in Christ, Catholics follow the Virgin Mary and the Saints instead of Christ. “You search the scriptures, because you think you have eternal life through them; even they testify on my behalf. But you do not want to come to me to have life,” John 5:39-40. “This is good and pleasing to God our savior, who wills everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God. There is also one mediator between God and the human race, Christ Jesus, himself human,” 1 Timothy 2:3-5. The apostle Peter said, “There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved,” Acts 4:12.

        Even though both Catholics and Christians believe in salvation by grace, Catholics practice salvation through their works instead of the grace of God and faith in Jesus Christ. “For by grace you have been saved by through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so that no one may boast,” Ephesians 2:8-9. “So also at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. But if by grace, it is no longer because of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace,” Romans 11:5-6.

        Christianity bases its doctrines only on the Word of God. Christianity believes that Jesus Christ is the only Savior. Christianity believes that salvation is only through faith in the unique work of Christ on the cross of Calvary. Works or religious rites cannot impart grace. I believe that Catholic man was correct when he said, “I am not a Christian; I am a Catholic.” I think that it is much better to be a true Christian.