Catholicism - Introduction

Part 1

Introduction

I'm posting a series on Catholicism.  Having been surrounded by catholicism while growing up, I feel the need for discussion on this for the sake of my family.  The purpose of these posts is not to bash catholics, but to pose the question:

Does Catholicism preach a different Gospel?

The vast majority of people who call themselves "Protestants" have little knowledge of what they are "protesting". 

If you ask them, "Why are you Protestant rather than Roman Catholic?" they will say, "Well, I don’t believe I need to confess my sins to a priest", or, "I don’t believe the pope is infallible", or, "I don’t believe in the bodily assumption of the Virgin Mary into heaven", or something of that sort.

All of the above are valid concerns and will be addressed.

The main "protest" should be the question of how a sinner finds salvation in Christ.

Luther asserted that the doctrine of justification by faith alone is the article upon which the church stands or falls.  Where did he get this idea?  Scripture.

If the Reformation articulation of the biblical doctrine of justification was correct (and I believe that it was), to anathematize it was to anathematize the Gospel.  If any communion claims to be Christian but denies or condemns an essential truth of Christianity, at that point that organization shows itself to be apostate and no longer a true or valid church.

There can be no unity unless one side surrenders, because the two positions are completely incompatible.  Someone is right and someone is wrong, and the one who has significantly distorted the New Testament Gospel deserves condemnation.

[Gal 1:8 LSB]  But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should proclaim to you a gospel contrary to the gospel we have proclaimed to you, let him be accursed!

One only needs to look to the thief on the cross next to Yeshua to see how one is reconciled.  Was the thief baptized?  Did he understand justification, sanctification, sacraments, etc.?  No - it was faith in Yeshua alone!

[Act 16:31 LSB]  And they said, “Believe in the Lord Yeshua, and you will be saved, you and your house.”