Grace Thompson
Sharing the Gospel with Catholics can be challenging, but it's important to remember that the Gospel is centred on Jesus Christ, his faithfulness, and his death and resurrection. It's about God's grace and our being found acceptable in Christ. When sharing the Gospel with Catholics, it's crucial to focus on Christ and his Word as the most trustworthy source for truth. This means discussing biblical passages about Jesus and avoiding humanistic concepts like accepting Jesus into your heart. It's also important to be compassionate and gentle, answering questions from the Bible and letting the Holy Spirit guide us. We must pray for God to grant Catholics repentance and a knowledge of the truth, and remember that salvation comes by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Tone | Kind, gentle, patient, non-argumentative, non-condemning, compassionate |
| Focus | Jesus Christ, his Word, his death and resurrection, and his role as the all-sufficient saviour |
| Scripture | Establish Scripture as the supreme authority for truth |
| Prayer | Pray for their salvation, pray for guidance on how to approach the conversation |
| Hospitality | Make others feel welcome, be thoughtful, invite them to spend time with you |
| Repentance | Explain the need to repent and believe the Gospel to be saved |
| Simplicity | Avoid religious jargon, be ready to answer questions about faith from the Bible |
| Action | Don't remain silent, proactively share the Gospel |
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What You'll Learn
- Focus on Jesus Christ as set forth in Scripture
- Discuss how any addition to the Gospel is a denial of Christ's sufficiency
- Show that the Scriptures are sufficient for knowing how to be saved
- Explain the need to repent and that salvation is by God's grace alone
- Establish Scripture as the supreme authority for truth
Focus on Jesus Christ as set forth in Scripture
When sharing the Gospel with Catholics, it is important to focus on Jesus Christ as set forth in Scripture. This means discussing biblical passages about Jesus Christ and his mission to mankind, rather than getting caught up in arguments about Catholic traditions and rituals.
The Bible is the supreme authority for knowing the truth, and it is through Scripture that we learn about Jesus Christ, his life, his teachings, and his mission. As Jesus Christ himself said, "Search the Scriptures" (John 5:39). All Scripture is given to testify of Christ and to centre our attention on His work and mission. Christ should be the focus of our Scripture study.
To effectively share the Gospel with Catholics, one can follow these suggestions:
- Study and discuss the Scriptures: Familiarize yourself with the Bible and encourage Catholics to do the same. Focus on passages that speak about Jesus Christ and his role as the Saviour. For example, the parable of the sower (Luke 8:4-15), where Jesus teaches about the importance of having a receptive heart to receive God's Word.
- Emphasize the sufficiency of Christ: Catholics may have been taught that salvation comes through their church and their good works. However, it is important to emphasize that salvation is by God's grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). Any addition to the Gospel, such as rituals or works, nullifies God's grace (Romans 11:6).
- Highlight the need for repentance: Repentance is a crucial aspect of the Gospel message. Share how Jesus Christ came to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15) and that repentance is necessary for salvation (Mark 1:15).
- Discuss the authority of Scripture: Establish the Bible as the supreme authority for truth (2 Timothy 3:15-17). Show that the Scriptures are sufficient for understanding salvation and knowing Christ (2 Timothy 3:16).
- Pray and evangelize: Pray for the salvation of Catholics (Romans 10:1-4) and boldly share the Gospel with them. Do not remain silent, but actively speak the Word to them (Mark 16:15).
By focusing on Jesus Christ as set forth in Scripture, you can effectively share the Gospel with Catholics and help them understand the sufficiency of Christ's work and God's grace for salvation.
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Discuss how any addition to the Gospel is a denial of Christ's sufficiency
Roman Catholicism is often referred to as the "plus religion" because of what it has added to the Gospel of grace. Catholic salvation is based on Jesus plus Mary, faith plus works, grace plus merit, Scripture plus tradition, and the blood of Jesus plus purgatory. Catholics are often unaware that any addition to the Gospel is a denial of Christ's sufficiency. This is because the Gospel of grace is centred on Jesus Christ the Lord, His faithfulness, His death and resurrection, and our being found acceptable in Him by His grace.
The Bible makes it clear that Christ's work is sufficient for our salvation and that there is nothing more to be done or known for our salvation than what is revealed to us by and through Christ. Christ is God's full and final act of redemption and revelation of Himself. Nothing can be added to His redemptive work, and nothing can be added to the revelation of that work. If the redemption is finished, then the Scriptures are complete, and there should be no more additions to them.
The sufficiency of Scripture means that the revealed will of God is to be discerned through Scripture. God has confined the area of knowing His will within the 66 books of Scripture. Any effort to seek the will or words of God outside of these 66 books is a functional denial of the sufficiency of Scripture.
When sharing the Gospel with Catholics, it is important to focus on what Christ has done and the commandment to trust and believe. It is also beneficial to discuss biblical passages about Jesus Christ, rather than getting into arguments about Mary and the Pope, purgatory, and the rosary.
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Show that the Scriptures are sufficient for knowing how to be saved
Many Catholics have been born into their religion and have never examined their faith through the lens of Scripture. From infancy, they are taught that salvation comes through their church and that they merit saving grace through the sacraments, religious rituals, and good works.
The Bible, however, states that salvation from the penalty for sin is made possible by our faith in the work of Christ, who atoned for our sin by His death on the cross in our place. All that God requires as payment for our sin was accomplished by Jesus on the cross. Therefore, our personal works play no part in our salvation. We can add nothing to the accomplishments of Christ on the cross, and therefore only by faith in His work may we be saved.
The Gospel is centred on Jesus Christ the Lord, His faithfulness, His death, and resurrection, and our being found acceptable in Him by His grace. The biblical concept of salvation is that by grace the believer is accepted in Christ.
To show that the Scriptures are sufficient for knowing how to be saved, we must establish Scripture as the supreme authority for truth (2 Tim. 3:15-17) and proclaim the Lord Jesus as the all-sufficient Saviour (Heb. 7:25; Acts 4:12). We must discuss how sin has condemned every man under God's righteous judgment (Rom. 3:10-18; Heb. 9:27; Rev. 20:14) and explain the need to repent from what they have been doing to save themselves, including the sacraments, the sacrifice of the mass, purgatory, indulgences, other mediators, good works, and infant baptism. These nullify God's grace and deny the finished and all-sufficient work of Christ.
We must also remember that every sinner must repent and believe the Gospel to be saved (Mark 1:15). The only way to heaven is through Christ, and the only way to come to Christ is God's way—with repentance and empty hands of faith.
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Explain the need to repent and that salvation is by God's grace alone
Many Catholics have been born into their religion and have never examined their faith through the lens of Scripture. From infancy, they are taught that salvation comes through their church as they merit saving grace through the sacraments and perform religious rituals and good works to be justified and re-justified. However, this is not in line with the Gospel of grace, which states that salvation is by God's grace alone.
The Gospel of grace states that salvation is not a "trade-in" where a person gives something to Jesus in return for salvation. Instead, a person is saved by God's grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Getting saved is not about giving your life to Jesus or accepting Christ as your personal savior while being wedded to rituals and traditions. It is about recognizing Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior, and being accepted in Him by His grace.
To repent means to turn away from sin with disgust, sorrow, and a resolve not to repeat the offense. It is a change of mind about sin and Jesus Christ, prompted by "godly sorrow," and it "leads to salvation" (2 Corinthians 7:10). Repentance is not something we do to earn salvation; it is a gift from God, undeserved and unearned, yet freely given to sinners in an act of unfathomous mercy. We must turn from our sins and turn to God in faith, asking for forgiveness and casting ourselves on His mercy.
When sharing the Gospel with Catholics, it is important to focus on what Christ has done and the commandment to trust and believe. It is necessary to discuss the wrong ways of evangelizing that are detrimental to the true Gospel, such as the humanistic concept of "accepting Jesus into your heart." Instead, emphasize that the biblical concept of salvation is that the believer is accepted in Christ by God's grace alone.
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Establish Scripture as the supreme authority for truth
The Bible is the supreme authority for knowing the truth. It is the inspired word of God and the final authority in all matters of faith. The Bible alone is the authoritative, complete, and sufficient guide that gives ultimate answers on matters of belief and practice.
The doctrine of Sola Scriptura, or Scripture alone, is the Protestant position and the biblical position. To decide matters of ultimate truth, we must go to the Bible and determine what it teaches; it alone is our guide. The Bible contradicts the Catholic position, which is based on Jesus plus Mary, faith plus works, grace plus merit, Scripture plus tradition, and the blood of Jesus plus purgatory.
Catholics believe that the Church is the custodian, guardian, teacher, and interpreter of the Bible, and that it is the Church's role to continue Christ's work of teaching the truth. They believe that the Church is the final authority because it is the custodian of sacred tradition, which transmits God's word in its full purity. Sacred tradition makes up what is lacking in the Bible.
However, the Bible is not self-contradictory, while church tradition often is. The Scripture stands as the last word on all matters; tradition has no binding authority. The Bible is also sufficient for knowing and understanding how to be saved.
When witnessing to Catholics, it is important to discuss biblical passages about Jesus Christ and to focus on Jesus Christ as he is set forth in Scripture. It is also important to proclaim Jesus and His Word as the most trustworthy source for truth.
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Frequently asked questions
It's important to be compassionate and non-antagonistic. You could begin by sharing your testimony of salvation and showing your faith as a 'relationship' with God, rather than just the acceptance of a 'religion'. You could also discuss biblical passages about Jesus Christ, such as the Gospel passage that will be read at the upcoming Catholic Mass.
Catholics may believe that salvation comes through their church and that they merit saving grace through the sacraments, religious rituals, and good works. They may also believe in the infallibility of the Pope. It's important to explain that salvation comes from God's grace and faith in Christ alone, and that any addition to the Gospel nullifies God's grace.
It's important to establish Scripture as the supreme authority for truth and to proclaim Jesus as the all-sufficient Savior. You can also discuss how sin has condemned everyone under God's righteous judgment and show that the Scriptures are sufficient for understanding salvation. Pray for their salvation and remember that repentance is necessary for saving faith.
You can start by familiarizing yourself with the beliefs of the Catholic Church and considering the differences between Catholic and Evangelical beliefs. Look for creative ways to make contact and create opportunities to share the Gospel. For example, you could invite them to a programme that investigates Christianity and get them to study the Bible.
