____________________________________________________ THE GOSPEL OBSERVER "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20). ____________________________________________________ November 3, 2002 ____________________________________________________ Contending for the Faith Catholicism Negates Jesus' Death, New Birth (Part 2 of 2) by Larry Ray Hafley Editor's note: We want to conclude with this fine article by brother Hafley. These following points he makes continue with his thought of what would be the result IF Jews could be saved apart from the gospel of Jesus Christ. If that could be so, then the following would hold true -- which, of course, brother Hafley points out the error of. For example, the three preceding points dealt with 1) "The new birth is 'null and void,' at least as far as the Jews are concerned"; 2) "The gospel is not now, and never has been, 'the power of God unto salvation...to the Jew first and also to the Gentile (Romans 1:16)'"; and 3) "Jesus erred when he said to the Jews that their unbelief would condemn them." All of these points would hold true IF the Jews could be saved without faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. Let us now continue with brother Hafley's article to see of some other things that would be so IF the Jew could be saved apart from faith in the deity of Christ. -------------------------- 4. God's grace is nullified and Jesus died in vain. At least, that is what Paul argued. "I do not nullify the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly" (Gal. 2:21). If unbelieving Jews are saved by the works of the law (which Paul contended was an impossibility (Gal. 2:16, 21; 3:10, 11), why did Jesus "taste death for every man" (Heb. 2:9)? How could he be the propitiation for our sins, "and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world," if the Jews are saved by "intensify(ing) their covenant" (1 Jn. 2:1, 2)? The Hebrew writer has harsh words for those who have "insulted the Spirit of grace" (Heb. 10:29). When they say Jews may be saved by Moses' law, the Catholic bishops endorse that which the Spirit of grace says has "nullified" the grace of God. Is not the sanctifying of unbelief an insult to the Spirit of grace? Peter, whom the Catholic bishops claim as their first Pope, said that those who had been "redeemed" "with the precious blood of Christ" stood "in the true grace of God" (1 Pet. 1:18, 19; 5:12). That being true, in what kind of grace does one stand if he has "counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing" (Heb. 10:29)? Yet, that is where the unbelieving Jew stands to whom Catholicism promises grace and acceptance. The Hebrew Christians were in danger of drawing back unto perdition (Heb. 10:32-39). They were seeking asylum under Moses and the blood of bulls and goats, which could never "take away sins" (Heb. 10:4). As such, they were warned of the eternal consequences which carries with it a penalty worse than physical death (Heb. 10:29). In strong and strict terms, they were told of the folly and futility of turning to "Israel's covenant" and of forsaking the covenant of Christ (Heb. 2:1-4; 10:26-31). "See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth (Moses), much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him (God, through Jesus) who speaks from heaven" (Heb. 12:25; Cf. 1:1, 2). In light of those sacred, solemn, searing words of the Spirit, how dare men declare them recipients of redemption who nullify the grace of God and make the cross of Christ of none effect? 5. Paul was wrong when he said the purpose of the law was "to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith" (Gal. 3:24, 25). No, Paul, according to Catholic scholars, that was not the purpose of the law. According to Catholicism, Paul did not know that the Jews, instead of coming to Christ in order to be justified by faith, must retain and maintain the "intensity" of their devotion to their law and not to Christ. The law was written "unto the fathers by the prophets" (Heb. 1:1). It was given to the Jews (Rom. 9:4, 5). The promises of which Paul spoke were made unto "Abraham and his seed" (Gal. 3:16). Hence, it cannot be denied that the Jews were included in the "us" of Galatians 3:24 -- "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith." Now, since that system of faith has come, the Jews are "no longer under a schoolmaster"; that is, they are no more under the law, for "the law was (their) schoolmaster" (Gal. 3:24, 25). In view of the declaration of Galatians 3:24, 25, that the law was given to bring the Jews to Christ that they might be justified by faith, and that, therefore, the Jews are no longer under the law, will someone please explain how, in view of that, Catholicism can say, "with the certainty of biblical witness," that grace is available to unbelieving Jews apart from faith in Christ? Denial will not make the text disappear or go away. Either Scripture is wrong, or Catholicism is wrong. Both positions cannot be true. Which is correct? 6. Access into the grace of God is not by faith. If the Jews (who yet "crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame," declaring in their unbelief that he deserved the death he died) are saved, it follows that Paul was wrong when he declared that "we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand" (Rom. 3:24; 5:1, 2). Without faith, one cannot have access or entrance "into this grace wherein we stand" and by which we are saved and justified (Rom. 3:24). Galatians 2:16 through 3:29 is the declaration of independence from the curse of the law. It is the charter of spiritual liberty, freeing those who were bound under sentence of death to the works of the law. It is an emancipation proclamation granting full inheritance to the family of faith. Because "Israel's covenant" is not of faith, it cannot liberate and emancipate, it cannot free and forgive its captives who wait on their spiritual death row. However, "you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise" (Gal. 3:26-29). Now, let us reverse that great text. What is true of the opposite of it? Let us see. "You are not sons of God for you have not believed in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were not baptized into Christ have not put on Christ. There is both Jew and Greek, there are slaves and free, there are males and females; for you are not one in Christ Jesus. And if you are not Christ's, then you are not Abraham's seed, and not heirs according to the promise." See the condition of those who are not children of God by faith in Christ, those who have not been baptized into Christ? Now, it is to just such people, modern day unbelieving Jews, to whom Catholicism would grant the blessings and benefits of sonship and inheritance. If they have those blessings (and I would to God that they did!), then one can make no sense of Galatians 2:16-3:29, particularly 3:26-29. Observe that Abraham's seed are those who are children of God "in (not out of) Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:26). This "squares" with Romans 2:28, 29, "For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God." In view of those texts, are unbelieving Jews today "Abraham's seed"? Are they Jews "whose praise is...from God"? No wonder that Jesus said to Nicodemus, a man who had the blood of Abraham pulsing, coursing and throbbing through his body, "Ye must be born again"! 7. One may be saved who will not submit himself to the righteousness of God. Since his prayer was that the Jews "might be saved," it is evident that the apostle Paul thought and taught that unbelieving Jews were lost (Rom. 10:1-17). Paul argues that it is "the same" for both Jew and Gentile, for both have the same Lord (Rom. 10:12). Plainly, he says that both classes of men, all men, must call on the name of the Lord, confessing that Jesus is Lord, if they would be saved (Rom. 10:9-13). The language of Roman 10 will not allow one to say that unbelieving Jews can be saved in their unbelief. It will not permit one to be saved who does not believe "that God hath raised him (Christ) from the dead" (v. 9). Yes, Paul allows, the Jews have a fervent "zeal of God," but it is not according to knowledge; rather, it is in ignorance (Cf. Acts 3:17; Rom. 10:3). The Jew is ignorant of God's plan of making men righteous through Christ. Because of that, he has rejected Jesus and gone about to establish his own plan of righteousness, his own system of salvation, which cannot save him. No group of bishops, however gracious are their goals or noble are their intentions, can grant them the hope of eternal salvation apart from faith in Christ. At least, they cannot do so if Romans 10 is to be believed. Because of their unbelief, the Jews were broken off. All who stand, stand by faith in Christ. Only if the Jew turns to faith in Christ can he expect to be saved. That is what the Spirit said in Romans 11:20-23. Thus, they cannot be saved who "have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God." 8. One may have eternal life outside of Christ. "And this is the record, that God hath given unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son" (1 Jn. 5:11). Paul spoke of "the promise of life which is in (not out of) Christ Jesus" (2 Tim. 1:1). May one have eternal life apart from Christ? Peter, who is supposed to have been the first Pope of the Catholic Church, said, "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). Let it be noted that Peter said those words to his brethren in the flesh, the Jews. Late in the afternoon on the day before, he had told the Jews to "Repent...and be converted that your sins may be blotted out" (Acts 3:19). They had refused to acknowledge that Jesus was the Christ and had crucified him. Peter told them there was no other refuge, no other way of redemption, no other plan of peace and pardon. They had to believe and obey the Lord Jesus, or else they would be "destroyed" (Acts 2:36-38; 3:13-19, 23; 4:12). Since the Catholic Church of today no longer prays for the Jews "conversion," they are refusing to pray for that which their alleged first Pope appealed (Acts 3:19). Now, according to the article above, instead of issuing a "call for their conversion...the prayer recited on Good Friday, asks God to help Jews intensify their faith in their covenant." In other words they are not only denying Peter's appeal for their conversion, but they are asking God to harden the Jews in their unbelief toward his only begotten Son! Conclusion If the news report is in error, and if the Catholic Church has been misrepresented, I shall be happy to know it so that I may make correction. Or, if the bishops have overstepped their authority, should we not expect to see a clear disclaimer and denunciation of their pronouncement? Too, should we not expect to hear that the Jews must indeed be converted to Christ and that if they fail to believe on the Son of God, they "shall die in (their) sins" (Jn. 3:18, 36; 8:24; 14:6)? If the news account is misleading, will a Catholic authority, above that of the U.S. Conference of bishops, come out and frankly declare to the Jews exactly what the Savior said to them, "that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him" (Jn. 5:23)? (Addendum: After finishing the article above, I saw a report where another group of religious scholars, some of whom evidently are Protestants, have said much the same as Catholicism has said; namely, that "Jews can be saved without coming to faith in Jesus Christ" [San Antonio Express-News, 9/7/02, 7B]. Again, if that be so, let liberal Protestants answer the same questions posed to Catholics who teach the same error.) -- Via The Watchman Magazine ___________________________________________ News & Notes Joshua Watts will have to have three more surgeries, due to some problems that have arisen with his leg. The steel rod between his knee and ankle will be replaced during one of the surgeries. He has been experiencing a blood disorder, due to the trauma to his leg in the car accident, and also infection of the bone. The first surgery will begin sometime this month, and the third could be anywhere from six to nine months later. Let us keep him in prayer. Also, Sheila Watts has been very sick -- though doing somewhat better now -- with a flu that has put her on the verge of pneumonia. Her doctor has her taking at least 9 different kinds of pills each day and recommended plenty of rest. Let us pray that she will be completely healed soon. We are also glad to have heard the report that all of Frank Ragsdale's cancer is either gone or "dead"! He will still, as a precautionary measure, be undergoing radiation treatment soon. Let us keep him in our prayers, too. ________________________________________ MYRTLE STREET CHURCH OF CHRIST 1022 Myrtle Street Denham Springs, LA 70726 (225) 664-8208 Sunday: 9:15 AM, 10:00 AM, 4:00 PM Wednesday: 7:00 PM evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (225) 667-4520 e-mail: tedwards@onemain.com web site: http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards/go ________________________________________