Catholic Rebuttals | Christian Answers

Objection:
Catholics think Jesus died for noth
ing!

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Rebuttal: Catholics believe he died for everything

Salvation Through Jesus
What the Church Teaches
  • CCC 161: The necessity of faith in order to attain salvation.
  • CCC 162: Perseverance in faith, faith is a free gift, faith working through love (Gal 1: 5-6).
  • CCC 756: "Often, too, the Church is called the building of God. The Lord compared himself to the stone which the builders rejected, but which was made into the corner-stone. On this foundation the Church is built by the apostles and from it the Church receives solidity and unity. This edifice has many names to describe it: the house of God in which his family dwells; the household of God in the Spirit; the dwelling-place of God among men; and, especially, the holy temple. This temple, symbolized in places of worship built out of stone, is praised by the Fathers and, not without reason, is compared in the liturgy to the Holy City, the New Jerusalem. As living stones we here on earth are built into it. It is this holy city that is seen by John as it comes down out of heaven from God when the world is made anew, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.”
  • CCC 618: “The cross is the unique sacrifice of Christ, the "one mediator between God and men". But because in his incarnate divine person he has in some way united himself to every man, "the possibility of being made partners, in a way known to God, in the paschal mystery" is offered to all men. He calls his disciples to "take up [their] cross and follow [him]", for "Christ also suffered for [us], leaving [us] an example so that [we] should follow in his steps." In fact Jesus desires to associate with his redeeming sacrifice those who were to be its first beneficiaries. This is achieved supremely in the case of his mother, who was associated more intimately than any other person in the mystery of his redemptive suffering. Apart from the cross there is no other ladder by which we may get to heaven.”

What The Bible Says

  •  John 3:16 -”For God so loved the world that he gave* his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life".  (This verse is found in the book A Catechism for Adults, the official teaching of the Church lesson 14.)
  • John 16:12-13 – “I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.  When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own authority , but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare the things that or to come.”
  • The Holy Spirit guides Philip and the apostles the foundation the 12 pillars of the Church, in fullness of truth, for he (the Spirit) will take what is mine (Jesus) and declare it to you. We must follow what the Apostles taught and what the ordained bishops and priest teach, this is the beginning of  the Church.  If the Spirit of God can’t speak on his own authority, how can you?
  • Eph 5:25-29 – “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church and handed himself over for her, to sanctify her, 26 cleansing her by the bath of water with the word, 27 that he might present to himself the church in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 So [also] husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one hates his own flesh but rather nourishes and cherishes it, even as Christ does the church.”
           Jesus established a Church!  He died for His Church the people of God.  This Church is a visible one, it is the light of the world because where Christ is
          there is also his bride the Church because He and her are one.
  • 1Cor 3:9 – “We (the apostles) are God’s co-workers; you are God’s field (the Corinthians).”
  • Acts 4:11 – “He is ‘the stone rejected by you, [a] the builders, which has become the cornerstone.”
  • 1 Peter 2:7-8 –  “Therefore, its value is for you who have faith, but for those without faith: “The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and “A stone that will make people stumble, and a rock that will make them fall.” They stumble by disobeying the word, as is their destiny.”
  • 1 Cor 3:11 – “For no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is there, namely, Jesus Christ.”
  • 1 Tim 3:15 – “But if I should be delayed, you should know how to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of truth.”
  • Ephesians 2:19-20 -   So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone.
  • 1 Peter 2:5 – “And, like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
  • Rev 21:2 – “I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband”
A Catechism for Adults, the official teaching of the Church (Source)

​Question:
Who is the saviour of all men? 

Answer:  Jesus Christ is who; by His death on the Cross has saved us from our sins.

Question:
Who is Jesus Christ?                  

Answer:  The Son of God, the Second Person of the Trinity, true God and true Man.

Question:
Will Jesus come back?             

Answer:  Yes, on the Last Day, to judge the living and the dead.

In Other Words,

Sin entered the world by man’s disobedience. This act damaged the relationship between God and man, causing death to enter the world. 
The effects of death not only damaged man but it damage all of God's creation the universe.  Jesus says his death concurred death, and in His second coming it's not only man that will be restored but all of the universe will be restored.  Jesus died for everything the Father created, He will restore a new heaven and earth.

You can clearly see the Catholic Church teaches the necessity of faith in Jesus Christ in the Catechism.  I challenge you to go read the Catechism and find where the Church teaches we work and earn our salvation.  In the Church, working in faith is simply cooperating with Jesus to our best, which by the way we understand is never good enough.  It is doing whatever the Spirit leads us to do, whether it’s suffering for the love of neighbor, alms giving, prayer, it's taking up our cross and following Jesus as we are instructed to do.

Read Galatians 2:21, in context, it is obvious Paul is referring to the laws of the Old Testament, particularly referring to circumcision, Paul is not talking about the works of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament.  Fundamentalist, like all people, cannot and should not explain what they DO NOT UNDERSTAND, about Catholic Church doctrine. Just because you think you understand the precepts, devotions, practices and doctrines of the Church does not make you an authority on these subjects, you must get your facts right, before making these insane accusations.  The Church has never taught a person can earn or merit for themselves the rights to heaven.
 
The Church has always taught for 2,000 years that Jesus is the way the truth and the life, and by his life, death and resurrection, through faith by his grace we his children have access to the throne of the Father. Jesus is our High Priest, in which we now have a participation of his royal priesthood of the New Jerusalem, the kingdom of God here on earth, which is the Catholic Church (CCC's 1544, 1545, 1590 and 2 Tim1:6, 1Tim 3:, Titus 1:5).
 
So let it be clear, the Catholic Church does not teach salvation is to be earned, apart from Christ’s passion and death, as though salvation is something we can grasp. This is the way the Catholic Church prescribes works and good deeds; Mt 25:40-45, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.”  Jesus identifies himself with all men, especially the poor and afflicted. Thus by serving others we serve Christ.  By performing works of mercy we hope to find mercy (Jas 2:1-13). “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will do the works that I do; and greater works than I do, because I go to the Father (John 14:12).

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