Catholics and Orthodox, do you think this Protestant Gospel is true, but from a different point of view, or is it false?

Question

If I understand the Gospel in the Heideberg Catechism correctly, it teaches this:
(Also if I don't understand it correctly, please correct me!)

It says that we are depraved. So "repentance from sin" is not just feeling sorry for certain acts (like lying, murdering...), it is a repentance from sin in general.

As an example (not from the Catechism, I heard this from a Pastor): Let's say we love somebody, our love is very rarely unconditional. We often expect something in return. We often don't want to love someone more than they love us, because we are afraid to get hurt. Also society labels too much devotion towards another person as a sign of weakness, so we only give a person a certain amount of love. Therefor even though this kind of love is valued by people, in the eyes of God it is still far away from holiness.

So when we repent, we are a new person (as the Bible says, we are born again.) After that we have to grow in faith, "bear fruits", and show our faith in deeds too. But this is not the same as trying to fix the "old me", that did not give their entire life to Jesus.

OPsaltis · Answer

There are only a few places where a translation can make any sort of actual doctrinal difference; some differences appear in ecclesiology, such as translating episkopos -- literally overseer/supervisor/bishop -- as "office", to downplay the role of bishops.

The problem is in interpretation, not translation. If one starts with the notion that the Bible is the final rule and authority, then one runs afoul of history -- and of the Bible itself!  The scriptures affirm that the Church of God (that is, the church founded by Jesus) is the "pillar and foundation of the truth" -- not a book. See I Tim 3:15.

From the error of "sola scriptura" above flows the error of "sola fide" as the reformers ignored or recast certain scriptures that did not fit their preconceived doctrines.

Luther and Calvin could not agree even on the meaning of the eucharist and baptism, and both considered them fundamental to the Christian faith. So much for the Bible being the guide to all truth. It just cannot be.

Forgive me.
/Orthodox

Anonymous · Answer

Any society that labels devotion as bad will lose cohesion in a few generations. It will have to be replaced.  Maybe even by a series of temporary substitutes.

Democracy Matters · Answer

All verses of the Bible are the same. It's just that the Catholic Church, the Orthadox and the Protestant Churches translate them differently. In fact, without the Protestant reformation, the Catholic Church wouldn't have evolved its teachings in so many things. All gospels are true. It's the meanings of the gospels behind them which confuses the Churches.

Anonymous · Answer

OPEN FORUM....PROTESTANT DOCTRINE OF APOSTLES CREED AND BIBLE IS THE SAME...BUT THE HOLY SPIRIT COMING INTO THE HEART IS WHEN WE GET SAVED...IVE NEVER KNOWN A BORN AGAIN CATHOLIC..

Trending News

Catholics and Orthodox, do you think this Protestant Gospel is true, but from a different point of view, or is it false?

4 Answers