Protestants

[ltl]

How do we witness to such people?

Their doctrine of salvation can be confusing - they say it is by grace through faith alone but they still practice infant baptism etc.

[Alen]

If they got the understanding of salvation right, then leave them be. No point arguing theology and doctrine, if they are saved.

-Alen

[ltl]

That's right. But I'm rather confused about some of those denominations.

Take for example, Lutherans. You know - their catechism says baptism forgives sins (implying salvation?), but their church confession says salvation is by grace through faith alone. Kinda contradicting isn't it?

[Alen]

In a case like that, I would verify with the person, that they understand that Christ alone saves them, not baptism, not works etc. Sometimes what the church says it believes, and what the congregation believes are two different things. I have met many Catholics whom I believe are saved. They do not believe at all in a works salvation etc. After a great amount of questions, and 'testing' I believe they are saved. I don't know how, but they seem to have it on the money.

So with these protestants, what the church believes and what they believe can differ. Just make sure they trust Christ alone in their salvation.

-Alen

[Guest Guest]

You have to remember though that a lot of people go to a church which most closely believes what they believe. I had a presbyterian friend that said she believed in salvation by faith, but that her children will be christened as infants because if they aren't they can't be saved or "maintain" their salvation. She believes infant baptist is the "act of faith" from the parents that saves her children, and that once they are sprinkled, as they grow older, to still have salvation, it has to be a personal walk with the Lord and it has to be maintained to keep salvation.

Katy-Anne

[dwayner79]

[quote="Katy-Anne"]
You have to remember though that a lot of people go to a church which most closely believes what they believe. I had a presbyterian friend that said she believed in salvation by faith, but that her children will be christened as infants because if they aren't they can't be saved or "maintain" their salvation. She believes infant baptist is the "act of faith" from the parents that saves her children, and that once they are sprinkled, as they grow older, to still have salvation, it has to be a personal walk with the Lord and it has to be maintained to keep salvation.

Katy-Anne
[/quote]

That is a bizarre rendition of infant baptism, and not the "norm" of what the presbyterian church teaches. So in that case she may think that, but that does not mean she is n the church "closest to her beliefs".

[Pastorj]

Every Lutheran, Methodist, etc that I have met have believed the same thing when it comes down to a final question, "What are you trusting in to get to Heaven?". Their answer is always something other than the blood of Jesus Christ or anything remotely similar. I am sure there are people in these groups that are saved, but you will know when you ask them what they are trusting in to get to Heaven. I don't even talk about being born again or sin or anything else until I have asked that question. Their terminology is very similar and they will get confused and think they have already done what you are talking about. Get to the issue right away of what they are trusting in to get to Heaven.

By the way, do the same thing with Catholics, Baptists and everyone else also.

[Alen]

Thanks for that phrase Pastorj, I think that asking them what they are trusting to get them to heaven is an excellent question to ask. I often ask "If God was to ask you why should I let you into heaven, what would you say?" But that seems more effective.

-Alen

[Alen]

You have to remember though that a lot of people go to a church which most closely believes what they believe.

Katy-Anne

Yep, I have met many more Catholics that trust in works to get to heaven. It's sometimes frustrating talking to them, they agree with EVERYTHING you say, even about salvation is by faith, not by works, then you ask them why do they think they are going to heaven "Well, I believe I have been a good person and tried my best.."

-Alen

[ltl]

Well Alen that's post-Vatican II Catholicism - which mainly teaches that salvation... for Christians will be by faith and works, and for non-Christians, if they have not wilfully rejected Catholicism, they will go to heaven if they do good works.

Don't be surprised thus if they say such stuff like "I'm a good person" etc.

[lettheredeemedsayso]

I ask them how they interpret this verse.

Act 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

[Doc H]

A saved 'Catholic' is no longer a Catholic because they MUST DENY:

The Mass
Baptismal Regeneration
The Immaculate Conception and Ascension etc.etc.

These are NOT optional belief's!

I have yet to meet a saved 'Catholic' despite numerous encounters.

Charismatic Catholics use the same terms as we do but with different definitions.

Most Catholic apologists will claim that the Catholic church has always taught the salvation is by GRACE and NOT works.

Check out some of their websites-but be careful these are shark infested waters.

Doc H

[Pastorj]

I would agree with Doc for the most part. I too have never met a saved person who attended a Catholic church. I met a man recently that claimed he was saved, but the more I talked with him, I found out that he was not trusting in Christ alone. That is why I always go back to the simple question, "What are you trusting in to get you to Heaven".

[Guest Guest]

We have several ex-Catholics at my church. The thing is, as soon as they got saved, they left the Catholic church and came to ours. In fact, one of the stories of a young couple getting married this year is awesome. He had been going to our church for years, but he had backslidden. He met a Catholic girl at college and asked her to marry him, he loved her so much and still does. They had decided to raise their children Catholic and Baptist and let them choose. Well, the Lord started tugging on his heart, and he went back to church, bringing his lovely fiancee with him. It was awesome because she got saved at the same time he got convicted and got his heart right and now they can be equally yoked in marriage. They serve the Lord a lot in church now, and she has no desire to go back to the Catholic church, but desires to see her family saved. One of her sisters has since been saved, and also left the Catholic church.

Katy-Anne

[ltl]

AMEN

By the way... Doc H, how do I deal with Traditionalist Catholics? They seem to know everything about their beliefs.