R.C. Sproul, founder of Ligonier Ministries, brings his profound insights to the table. He discusses the persistent differences in belief between Protestants and Roman Catholics, particularly on justification by faith. The conversation delves into Luther's 95 Theses and the Catholic response during the Counter-Reformation. Sproul explains the significance of baptism and grace in Catholic theology, as well as the complexities surrounding mortal and venial sins. The discussion emphasizes the vital importance of faith alone from the Reformation perspective, urging clarity in the gospel message.
The distinction between mortal and venial sin illustrates the Roman Catholic emphasis on different sin consequences affecting salvation and justification.
The Catholic doctrine’s focus on sacraments and merit for maintaining justification contrasts sharply with the Protestant doctrine of faith alone for salvation.
Deep dives
Mortal vs. Venial Sin
The distinction between mortal and venial sin is crucial in understanding the Roman Catholic view of salvation. Mortal sin is seen as detrimental to the grace of justification within the soul, carrying the consequence of eternal damnation if one dies while guilty of it. In contrast, venial sin, while acknowledged as real sin, does not destroy the saving grace inherent in a person's soul. This dichotomy highlights a fundamental difference in beliefs between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism, particularly during the Reformation, where views on salvation and the implications of sin became focal points of theological debate.
The System of Justification
The Roman Catholic doctrine of justification is a complex system developed over centuries, centering on the sacrament of baptism as the initial means of justification. According to this perspective, baptism infuses justifying grace into the soul, which must then be maintained through cooperation with that grace. In contrast, the Protestant view posits that faith itself is both a necessary and sufficient condition for justification, allowing for the condition that true faith inherently leads to being justified. This fundamental difference showcases the contrasting beliefs regarding salvation between the two religious traditions.
The Role of Penance and Works
In the Roman approach, losing one's justification through mortal sin necessitates the sacrament of penance, involving confession to a priest, absolution, and performing works of satisfaction to restore grace. Unlike the Protestant view, which holds that justification comes solely through faith, the Catholic church emphasizes that actions such as saying specific prayers or performing good deeds can earn merit and restore justification. This system of works introduces the concept of congruous merit, contrasting with the more straightforward Protestant belief in salvation by grace alone. The outcome of this teaching is that individuals must continually navigate their sins and seek restoration, which diverges sharply from the Protestant assurance of eternal life upon having faith.
Do Protestants and Roman Catholics still differ as much as they did in the 16th century? Today, R.C. Sproul confirms that the official teaching of the Roman Catholic Church continues to reject justification by faith alone in Christ alone.
Get the book The Legacy of Luther, plus lifetime digital access to R.C. Sproul’s teaching series Justified by Faith Alone and the accompanying digital style guide, for your donation of any amount: https://gift.renewingyourmind.org/3657/donate Meet Today’s Teacher: R.C. Sproul (1939–2017) was known for his ability to winsomely and clearly communicate deep, practical truths from God’s Word. He was founder of Ligonier Ministries, first minister of preaching and teaching at Saint Andrew’s Chapel, first president of Reformation Bible College, and executive editor of Tabletalk magazine. Meet the Host: Nathan W. Bingham is vice president of ministry engagement for Ligonier Ministries, executive producer and host of Renewing Your Mind, host of the Ask Ligonier podcast, and a graduate of Presbyterian Theological College in Melbourne, Australia. Nathan joined Ligonier in 2012 and lives in Central Florida with his wife and four children.
Renewing Your Mind is a donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts
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