Letters    

OF BAPTISTS, PROTESTANTS, AND ROMAN CATHOLICS

Dear F. M. F.                                                                                                 January 13, 1988

     First, it is historically inaccurate to label Baptists as "protestants." They did not come out of the Roman harlot. The "Church" is not Roman Catholic. It originated in Jerusalem, not in Rome. It was not until the 4th century that Rome claimed herself to be "universal."

    Second, regarding the Pope: The first time the words "Il Papa," or "The Father," was used was of Leo I who in 452 interceded with Attila to spare the city of Rome. He was hailed as a hero, but the term had no religious connotation at the time.

     Third, if you remember history, you will recall that Rome usurped the place of older churches when she proclaimed herself to be the "Mother Church." The church at Rome was not as old as the church in Antioch which sent out Paul and Silas, and Barnabas and Mark. The "Mother" church, if there is any validity to such a claim, would belong to Jerusalem where Christians were first persecuted, and where the first church council was held.

     Fourth, I am shocked that you could be convinced that early Christians were members of the Roman Catholic Church. Have you forgotten the martyrs and the confessors? They were brutalized and murdered because they were not members of the Babylonian system.

     Fifth, Rome adopts all heroes and heroines, all the gods and goddesses, as well as all pagan festivities that suit her "magnanimous" self. But if you remember theology, you know that Romanism is Pelagianism, and that Augustine withstood it. Dante spoke of the separation of Church and State, and declared, "Before the Church are the Old and New Testaments; after the Church are traditions. It follows, then, that the authority of the Church depends not on traditions, but traditions on the Church." And, Savonarola preached that salvation and the forgiveness of sins is only by the grace of God. The Roman Catholic Church can claim only by deceit that these men and many more like them are the "sons of the Church." This Babylon excommunicated and exiled them, and slew the latter.

     Sixth, so, a liberal teacher or author convinced you of a lie when he told you that Luther died a conscientious Papist. Lutheranism was flourishing in his lifetime. Don't you remember that he was excommunicated? and how he publicly burned his excommunication to the applause of the Wittemberg student body?

     Seventh, episcopal church government was not confined to Rome. Patrick, the so-called "Apostle" to Ireland, was, according to his own chronicles, sent by the Church of Gaul. He mentions nothing at all of Rome or mariolatry. And, when the Church of Rome forbade possession of the Word of God, Patrick distributed portions of the Bible and built the stronghold of Armaugh around the Scriptures.

      Eighth, the term "Protestant" was first used at the Diet of Spires in 1529. However, in his History of Protestantism, J. A. Wylie points out that in every age there have been "protestors" who opposed the degeneration of the Christian Church. With the corruption of spiritual life in the Church at Rome, the 3 things that characterized Old Testament worship were adopted: priests, sacrifices, and altars. But we are not still living in the Old Testament era.

     Ninth, purgatory is a Roman Catholic invention. Hell is not; and in denying the doctrine of everlasting punishment, one must deny the doctrine of everlasting bliss in Heaven. You cannot have a thesis without having an antithesis.

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