Do Catholics and Protestants believe in the same Gospel?

[Kotton]

Magisterial Teaching tells us that this is The Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist; the body, blood, soul and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ, Truly present in the Blessed Sacrament.
When it comes to THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN on the EUCHARIST (JN 6)
A Protestant believes that Christ is only present symbolically in the Eucharist as he puts his faith in the bible alone “Sola Scriptura” where he gets his own understanding, he got his teaching from self-interpretation.

A Catholic believes in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist as he puts his faith in “Sacred Scripture” and “Sacred Tradition” where he gets St. Ignatius who got his teaching directly from the mouth of John himself.

Looking at the two differences in the way Catholics and Protestants come to know the Gospel, and knowing that Christ’s teachings are understood differently between Catholics and Protestants, I began to wonder Do Catholics and Protestants believe in the same Gospel?

Santos: Greetings from a Missouri Synod Lutheran (MSL) who I’m sure qualifies as a “Protestant” in your lexicon. We totally believe in the Real Presence of Jesus’ Body and Blood in the Blessed Sacrament and think those who do not so believe are in grave error! We think the Bible is very clear that this is 100% true. We can not fantom how they could possibly think it is only symbolic. I suppose however, that you believe that MSLs receive nothing but symbolism as they participate in the Lord’s Supper, as it has not been consecrated by a Priest, Therefore, the heretical “symbolic only” believing protestants are in this case correct.

Mrs. Kotton

 

[Sean_Boyle]

Now here is the most notable difference between my gosple and your gosple. I have lived the gosple of Christ, i have suffered for the faith, have paid all, and i mean all, I have heard the voices of God the father at different times and the voice of God the son at different times and the voice of the holy spirit they are all different voices each different and each testifying of the other and always agreeing with the scriptures.
For 7 years i was persucated for the witness of Christ. I have seen into the spirit realm and have even seen powers of darkness such as a prienapality. Please excuse the speeling this in my my natural tounge. In that time of persucation God unvailed the Gosple of christ to me and empowed me and i worked mericals and also recieved the annointing of God. I also was ministered to by God and his ministering angles so were did i get the gosple from, directly from GOD. So do you believe in the gosple of Christ it is written in his book. Are you following Christ or your form of the gosple.
We are taught that there will be many Christ taugh and many are coming and all false but one the Christ of the cross. Is you faith in man and a earthly church. Or in the finished work of the cross. Do you recall the day of your salvation. Was it a special event on your life. Drug addits recieve salvation all the time, murders and drunks recieve salvation all the time and no minister is leading them, no priest is praying over them so the gosple of Christ is his gosple and he administers it to whom he desires how ever he desires.
The catholic church promotes the false priesthood of men over the real priesthood of Christ as the one high priest between God and man as scripture teaches thus they have created a priesthood that is not based in any known word of scripture it is made up. You do not need any other priest other then Jesus Christ and God will not honor such. Christ offered his blood one and sat down as high priest for all tiems next tot he father. The catholic church has tryed to recreat a priesthood based on the levitical preisthood which God destroyed by creating a eternal high priest in the person of Jesus so by what authority has the Holy Roman Chruch created this new priesthood. It is fiction. The priesthood was about the law the priesthood of Christ is about grace thus they do not mix. You can’t serve two masters weather they are the law and grace or money and God.
So is the gosple of catholic and the gosple of the protestants the same gosple. Indeed not. It is written my sheep know my voice. Has God spoke to you! In my short life i have seen the tower of david, held the rod of the prophet and served as a prophet, ministered as as apostle and lived as a holy reject among man. And I have suffered for the faith. Yeat I count all this nothing for the cause of Christ. For what do you stand for what do you live and for what do you die. I preach Christ and the Finished work of the cross.
What are you preaching, You preach worship mary as a goddess above sin, that is not the gosple. You preach puratory that is not the gosple, you preach the eucharist being the actualy blood of christ and the bread of his body and him being put to the cross anew that is not the gosple read hebrews were is states he will not suffer the cross but one time. He is not put to the same of the cross anew in the eucharist. You teach to pray to the saints that have passed over. This is forbidden in the word of God. We have one high priest to him alone do we go in prayer. You promote carved images. God has forbidden us to make any carved image of anything in heaven above or below. You promote a preisthood amoung man but God has destroyed the priesthood amoung men and as established one priesthood that of Jesus the eternal High Priest. and has declared us all equal priest before God. So are you seeing your church at the authority or the word of God. His name is Jesus. And to him alone belongs salvaton he does not honor what is not of him. Nor are all who call upon his name his.
Is it not writen not all who declare themselfs of Israel are of Israel. We are a royal priesthood heirs and joint heirs before God. We are kings and priest. He was not made a priest with out a oath.
So do you know God have you met Christ or do you just know about christ. Some of the catholic may be saved most will not be. Some indeed have met Christ i am sure. But they also have left the church of the catholic in order to follow Christ. You do not serve to master and Christ alone is our master. We as christians can’t bow to a bishop or a pope or a earthly priest because to do so is sin. We bow to Christ and him alone to bow to a man is sin before the lamb of God. Did not the apostle even stop them from bowing to him when he preformed mericals by the power of God. Even the angle who john bowed before said am i not your fellow worker bow not.
We know Christ we are the saved and the redeemed. The born again of God. Are you?

Would you like a list of the Catholic doctrines that you as a “christian” believe without question to be of God? Do you reject Christmas (Christ’s Mass)?

 

[Church_Militant]

I voted yes and the reason why is that the essential faith in Christ for the beginning of one’s salvation experience is indeed the same, though both groups tend to come at it from different points.

However…it is also my personal belief that most n-Cs begin to fail in their preaching of the Gospel almost immediately by espousing doctrines that are not validly scriptural, such as OSAS and that works is of no consequence in our salvation. One may assert that their faith is based solely on the finished work of Christ but the New Testament does not support the position that that is all one needs to be saved.

Those who teach such things (I have seen) cherry pick verses and passages out of the Bible to do so and ignore or discount the rest of the context of the New Testament. The Catholic Church does not. Do I think my friend Zooey and SinginBeauty are saved believers? Yes I do, based on their respective testimonies to me personally. Do I think that n-C church really teach the “full gospel”? No, I do not.
Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.

 

[Zooey]

I fear for those Christians who cling so tightly to OSAS…I worry that they do not realize the serious need that we all have, of repenting, & praying for forgiveness…
The Christian life demands of us that we have the humility to admit our own failings for what they are: sin. I am troubled whenever I hear a believer claim that because they are Christian, they are not sinning; & that if anyone sins, he/she is not Christian…
If there is anything more profoundly Christian than a healthy recognition of one’s own capacity for sinful behaviour, I cannot imagine what it might be…The Holy Spirit enlightens us of sin in our lives; He does not give us a “free pass” to do whatever we may please without consequences!!.

 

[Santos]

Santos: Greetings from a Missouri Synod Lutheran (MSL) who I’m sure qualifies as a “Protestant” in your lexicon. We totally believe in the Real Presence of Jesus’ Body and Blood in the Blessed Sacrament and think those who do not so believe are in grave error! We think the Bible is very clear that this is 100% true. We can not fantom how they could possibly think it is only symbolic.

Mrs. Kotton, Thank you so very much for your post. Hopefully it can be seen as a testimony of Truth for other non-Catholic Christians. As a Lutheran, you realy present in faith, what Martin Luther Truly believed. That is the True Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Martin Luther affirmed the doctrine, and “never” intended for it to be denied, as a result of the Reformation. Sometimes I sit and wonder if Martin Luther ever looks down from heaven, saddened that the causes of the Reformation have led to so many christian’s denial of the True Presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. (I use this as a figure of speach, to underline a cause that wasn’t intended)

God Bless You, Mrs. Kotton

 

[Santos]

Melchior, Although we are seperated brother’s in Christ Our Lord, I sincerly see you to be Christian. There is a lot that your fellow protestants can learn from you, as I agree that I myself have learned from you, Zooey, Mrs. Kotton and other protestants on this thread that embrace Catholic Christians as one in the same family.

I do admit that I truly believe that there are so many differences in the Gospel, as we see it. For me the Gospel is yes, Jesus Christ, but more then one passage of scripture, for me the Gospel is “all” that has been “written” and “revealed” of the Lord, who is Our Savior. There is only one “Truth” as there is only one “Gospel”. There isn’t variations of Truth or variations of the Gospel. Christ gave only “One”. And any less then that fullness of the “Truth” or “Gospel” would be “less” indeed.

Yet, though I believe that to be “different”, I also believe that God “can” bring together that which has been seperated, by His Mercy and Love. Nothing is impossible of God. I also believe that those whom have not been baptized may also be saved if God so will’s it. All these things are in the Hand’s of God.

Melchior, I was born Catholic and left the Catholic Church for a Protestant Church, the day I left the Catholic Church my mother cried and never stopped crying. These are the words she said,

“Mijo (son) I am a poor woman and I have nothing to give to my children, I would give to you my own life, if needed… Never did I have anything of value to give my kids… Accept one thing that ment more to me then money or gold. My faith… That is a part of me… That is who I am… and that’s all I had to offer.”

When I left the Catholic Church, I could literally see in her eye’s a sadness and a loss, as if I took something from her very soul… and when I came back to the Catholic Church, I never saw her so happy in her entire life before.

At that I made her start crying again, and I honestly believe that she still hasn’t stopped.

Anyways,
God Bless You, and everyone else who’s on this thread.

 

[Baraq]

I feel a Church that adheres to the Apostles Creed(or a like orthodox creed) and the Lords Prayer has a framework for members to be partakers in the same true saving Gospel. Even the OSAS sects present enough scripture for a member to come to faith, though the heresies will choke their growth. The main concern and difference being which Church(es) allow the most opportunity for members to fall away or believe in vain.

With the above in mind, let me ask all in reply…

Which is the worship that is more pleasing to God?
Which is a better witness?
and why

 

[noma]

It is the same essential gospel, with some mistakes and poor wording on both sides.

So I voted “yes”.

 

[Image_of_God]

It is the same essential gospel, with some mistakes and poor wording on -]both sides/-].

So I voted “yes”.

You mean one side. Isn’t it the Catholic Church that existed since the time of the Apostles? Only some of the Protestants have gotten it wrong. The Catholic Church is 100% the truth.

 

[noma]

You mean one side. Isn’t it the Catholic Church that existed since the time of the Apostles? Only some of the Protestants have gotten it wrong. The Catholic Church is 100% the truth.

Not at all as I believe.

 

[Image_of_God]

Not at all as I believe.

Yes, well, we are all intitled to our own opinions, but why don’t you believe this?

 

[noma]

Yes, well, we are all intitled to our own opinions, but why don’t you believe this?

It is a lack of belief. And the reason why is, as with most unbelief, insufficient reason. I find no reason to accept that the Catholic Church is 100% correct. As this would necessarily entail that this, and no other system is 100% correct, exceptional evidence would be necessary.

The verses about St. Peter are nice, and some Church Fathers talk about Papal primacy, without specifying what it means, but going from “keys of the kingdom” and “binding and loosing” to the Catholic Church being 100% correct seems to be a jump.

What is the evidence?

 

[Baraq]

In my earlier post, I didnt intend to imply the doctrine of Perseverance of the Saints as heretical rather just the OSAS sects understanding of it.

The first being the will of God, the latter merely the will of man.

 

[Image_of_God]

It is a lack of belief. And the reason why is, as with most unbelief, insufficient reason. I find no reason to accept that the Catholic Church is 100% correct. As this would necessarily entail that this, and no other system is 100% correct, exceptional evidence would be necessary.

The verses about St. Peter are nice, and some Church Fathers talk about Papal primacy, without specifying what it means, but going from “keys of the kingdom” and “binding and loosing” to the Catholic Church being 100% correct seems to be a jump.

What is the evidence?

I am not only going to provide a list of quotes, since it is just plain insufficient. The evidence is Church history, which you and I are going to have to study from the documents themselves. The only correct answer is to study history. I believe the bishop of Rome has more than a “primacy of honor.” There are many instances in history where the Popes have canceled out canons and nulled synods. If you are seriously confused about the issue, you need to get to the bottom of this confusion, by studying Church the documents themselves.

The Papal Primacy is based on something, the only thing that it is based on is Infallibilty. Think of a person. Would you rely on them if you didn’t think that person is trustworthy? There out to be some reason why all the Patriarchs found it well to depend on Rome for orthodoxy?

Now I am not going to try to derail this thread, so if you have any problems, you have to confront them.

 

[Melchior]

Melchior, Although we are seperated brother’s in Christ Our Lord, I sincerly see you to be Christian. There is a lot that your fellow protestants can learn from you, as I agree that I myself have learned from you, Zooey, Mrs. Kotton and other protestants on this thread that embrace Catholic Christians as one in the same family.

I do admit that I truly believe that there are so many differences in the Gospel, as we see it. For me the Gospel is yes, Jesus Christ, but more then one passage of scripture, for me the Gospel is “all” that has been “written” and “revealed” of the Lord, who is Our Savior. There is only one “Truth” as there is only one “Gospel”. There isn’t variations of Truth or variations of the Gospel. Christ gave only “One”. And any less then that fullness of the “Truth” or “Gospel” would be “less” indeed.

Yet, though I believe that to be “different”, I also believe that God “can” bring together that which has been seperated, by His Mercy and Love. Nothing is impossible of God. I also believe that those whom have not been baptized may also be saved if God so will’s it. All these things are in the Hand’s of God.

Melchior, I was born Catholic and left the Catholic Church for a Protestant Church, the day I left the Catholic Church my mother cried and never stopped crying. These are the words she said,

“Mijo (son) I am a poor woman and I have nothing to give to my children, I would give to you my own life, if needed… Never did I have anything of value to give my kids… Accept one thing that ment more to me then money or gold. My faith… That is a part of me… That is who I am… and that’s all I had to offer.”

When I left the Catholic Church, I could literally see in her eye’s a sadness and a loss, as if I took something from her very soul… and when I came back to the Catholic Church, I never saw her so happy in her entire life before.

At that I made her start crying again, and I honestly believe that she still hasn’t stopped.

Anyways,
God Bless You, and everyone else who’s on this thread.

Thank you for this post, Santos. We are very similar. My mother cried too, she cried particularly hard when I was “rebaptized” in a protestant church when I was 18. I of course now know that my only baptism was my first one. But it took years to realize this. Over the years she accepted it and even embraced it (not Protestantism but our zeal). My mother said that of her 8 children, her two that were Protestants were the only one who she was not worried about because she saw our commitment to the Lord. Over the years she grew in her faith as a Catholic because the faith was so discussed in her home.

When she was dying, 9 months ago, her priest never returned my sisters calls to come see her. My mother told us she was not worried that she “knew who her savior is and was ready to meet him”. My Anglican priest, a 77 year old man (my mom was the same age) came into the city twice to annoint my mom and pray over her, once was late at night. Her Catholic priest never showed and could not even pronounce her name right at her funeral. However, an hour before she died a Jesuit showed up to the ICU and gave her the annointing of the sick. Even though she was not concerned to receive last rites, and was unconscious at the time. I was pleased that this Catholic priest showed up. I have no doubts she is in Heaven and believe this final grace was God sent.

God bless your mom. May she be with you a long time. I am pleased she was able to see you return to the Church. If I do, I am sure my mom with know about it. Cherish your mom.

Merry (belated) Christmas

Mel

 

[Santos]

God bless your mom. May she be with you a long time. I am pleased she was able to see you return to the Church. If I do, I am sure my mom will know about it.

you could put faith on that assurance. Our Lord is God of the living (Mk 12:26-27), both Elijah and Moses were seen conversing with Christ (Mk 9:4) and we are surrounded by “a cloud of witnesses” (Heb 12:1).

Oh yeah, she would know.

Your in my prayers and God Bless You,
Santos

 

[Santos]

However…it is also my personal belief that most n-Cs begin to fail in their preaching of the Gospel almost immediately by espousing doctrines that are not validly scriptural, such as OSAS and that works is of no consequence in our salvation. One may assert that their faith is based solely on the finished work of Christ but the New Testament does not support the position that that is all one needs to be saved.

Those who teach such things (I have seen) cherry pick verses and passages out of the Bible to do so and ignore or discount the rest of the context of the New Testament. The Catholic Church does not. Do I think my friend Zooey and SinginBeauty are saved believers? Yes I do, based on their respective testimonies to me personally. Do I think that n-C church really teach the “full gospel”? No, I do not.
Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.

Well said :clapping:

 

[Santos]

What is the evidence?

Since when do you need evidence to have faith? The persuit for understanding of the things of God, is an ancient mistake.

Noma,

I got a Christmas gift for you… It’s a seed! I wan’t you to plant it deep in the rich soil of your soul, and water it with faith!

In Lk 9:18 we see Peter’s confession about Jesus being “The Messiah of God”, Then in Lk 9:32 the men are referred to as “Peter and his companions” which is a clear recongnition of Peter’s position as Leader among the twelve.

In Lk 10 Jesus sends out Peter (Christ’s shephard) with seventy-two followers (Christ’s flock) on a mission…

Your seed: The words of Jesus Christ to Peter; the first Pope, and the Church:
**Lk 10:16 **-“Whoever listens to you, listens to me. Whoever rejects you (Pope-Church) rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”

Jesus Christ confirms Peter’s position as shephard to his flock:
Jn 21:17 -"He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” [Jesus] said to him, “Feed my sheep.”

As bishops are the successor’s to the apostles (Acts 1:25-26), the Bishop of Rome is successor to the office of Peter as “Shephard to the flock”.

The early Church always accepted the Bishop of Rome as head of the Church. Around 80 AD, the Church at Corinth began to remove presbyters (priests) from office. It was Pope Clement I; the 4th Bishop of Rome, that was called to settle the matter instead of St. John the Apostle who was still alive in Ephesus, which was much closer to Corinth than Rome.

**St. Irenaeus **(180-200 AD), who was taught by St. Polycarp (desciple os St. John the Apostle), stressed that Christians must be united to the Church of Rome in order to maintain the Apostolic Tradition. In his work AGAINST HERESIES (180/199 AD), St. Irenaeus names all the Popes suceeding Peter up to his time-twelve in all.

During the first 300 years, mostly lived through the Roman Persecutions, there are so many writings on the Primacy of Peter, the Authority Passed Down, etc. I just read about 12 written letter’s that leave no question or doubt (and that wasn’t even scratching the surface)… I wanted to start typing some down for you, but I have this feeling that no matter what you recieve, it’ll never be enough for a mind that is already set.

**Just know **that Christ set up a living, continuing authority to teach, govern, and sanctify in His name, guided by the Holy Spirit into all truth (Jn 16:13), led by a chief shephard (Jn 21:17) with bishops, priests and deacons (1 Tim 3:1, 8; 5:17), to which the gates of hell shall not prevail against (Mt 16:18).

Is the Pope just a man in a hat? No. That’s our Spiritual Papa (Father), the Shephard left by Christ to feed his Sheep. What’s our business? to follow him and not stray away from that one fold and one shephard (Jn 10:16). Just know that there are many around you daily, trying to help…

The Eternal Word say’s that it is by faith that we please God, not by understanding. If you can believe in 90% of what the Church teaches, taught for 2000 years, then what makes you think they got the other 10% wrong? Anything that you do believe, didn’t you get it from the Church?

 

[johnstown_johnn]

Good question.

It looks, at least to me, the adoption of the New American Bible (NAB) is a vehicle to find harmony with the protestant brothers and sisters in the quest for ecumenism. Trading truth and traditional beliefs for nebulous accomodations with other interpretations.

The missals we use today in the Novus Ordo are extracts from NAB.

There is only ONE Truth and it cannot be upgraded; it is what it is.

Within the Church we are saturated with Modernists and from my perspective it’s like having protestants directing our services.

I resent the absence of Catholic hymns from the Mass and replaced by old protestant songs such as “Amazing Grace.” etc.

I go to Mass and my greatest consolation through all of this is the Eucharist; It is the highpoint of the Mass and dispells any discomfort I have with the New Church.

One day, the Church will be restored to her former glory. The Eucharist will be recognized more inwardly as the Living Bread by all; the songs of adoration will return; the solemnity of the Mass will be most realizable and Christ will be in our hearts 24-hours a day.

Protestants, many denominations, have a looser translation of the Gospels and some have a more literate translation.

The Gospels contain passages that are "literate’ and some are “figurative.” And that is the key differences between us. The knowing of one from the other.

 

[Truthstalker]

The questions is faulted as it is too vague. Two problems:

1. Many Catholics are CINO.
2. Protestant theology is so wide, some have no Gospel, some insist Catholics have no Gospel, some insist only their group has the Gospel, and theology varies between individual Protestants.

Better to ask, “Does Catholicism have the same Gospel as (say) the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod?”