In Exodus 14:13-14, Moses says to the Israelites, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be still.”
It’s a famous rallying cry, popularized on everything from t-shirts to non-denominational blogs as a way of living out “faith alone.” But there’s a problem: Moses’ plan is a bad plan, and God corrects him for it.
This Sunday, you’ll hear the wander Jews in the desert announce their preference for the security of slavery in Egypt over the uncertainty of following Moses (and God) in the Exodus, and you’ll hear the followers of Jesus in John 6 prefer free bread over saving truths. It’s easy to condemn these people, but are we really so different?
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” Depending on who’s counting, that’s the Eighth or Ninth of the Ten Commandments. Either way, it’s part of the Ten Commandments, which makes it both ironic and unfortunate that so many falsehoods are spread about the Catholic Church and the Ten Commandments. Here are three that you might… Continue reading 3 Falsehoods About the Ten Commandments
There are several flow charts trying to show the ridiculousness of religious opposition to same-sex marriage by making three claims: (1) Leviticus forbids homosexuality, but it also bans a bunch of other stuff, and nobody [a.k.a., no Gentile] actually lives by all those rules; (2) Paul seems to forbid homosexuality, but actually means something like temple prostitution; and (3) Jesus doesn’t mention homosexuality. Here’s why none of those arguments work.
Celibacy: it’s not just for priests and nuns, and it’s not just for life. Scripture also teaches that temporary celibacy is a way for laypeople to specially consecrate themselves to God.
Many of the most popular attacks on Mary (both by Protestants today, and by figures like Nestorius throughout the history of the Church) end up being attacks on Jesus. This post looks at three specific examples: (1) “all have sinned” as a denial of the Immaculate Conception; (2) “no one greater than John the Baptist”; and (3) refusing to acknowledge Mary as Mother of God.
In John’s Gospel, Mary sparks Jesus’ public ministry by requesting the changing of water into wine at the Wedding of Cana. Does Jesus rebuke her for this? Or is He warning her?
Some Protestants view John 10 as rendering the Church unnecessary (for example, for setting the canon of Scripture), since Jesus says that “My sheep hear My voice.” In fact, this passage is actually a ringing endorsement of the necessity of the Church.
Anonymous, The Last Supper (17th c.) Are we saved by faith and works, or by faith alone? This question is, from a traditional Protestant perspective, the single biggest issue dividing Catholics and Protestants. R.C. Sproul has pointed out the historical importance of the question: Luther made his famous comment that the doctrine of justification by… Continue reading Is St. John the Key to Settling the Justification Debate?
Catholics believe in the infallibility of the Church and of the pope. This serves as both a teacher of, and an important check to, our personal interpretations of Scripture. If I understand a passage of Scripture to be teaching X, and X is a conclusion contrary to the teachings of the Church, I can be… Continue reading The Protestant Fallacy That Threatens to Undermine Christianity
