Clarity of Scripture

The Protestant doctrine of the Clarity of Scripture (also referred to as the Perspecuity of Scripture) posits that all things that are necessary for salvation are clearly understood by the educated as well as the uneducated.  It states that the Holy Spirit gives everybody an equal understanding about matters concerning salvation.

As Catholics, we understand that there are many things in Scripture that are indeed clear and straightforward.  However, like the Ethiopian eunuch on Acts 8:26-39, we understand that not all aspects of Scripture are as easily understood as others – or by all people. In the story of the Ethiopian eunuch, the Apostle Philip met him on the road from Jerusalem.  The eunuch was reading the Scriptures and Philip asked him if he understood what he was reading.  He told Philip, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” (Acts 8:31).

The story of the eunuch is the inspired Word of God – and we are explicitly told in that story that not everybody understands all of Scripture equally.  The Church is the guardian of the Holy Deposit of the Faith (2 Tim. 1:14).  According to the Catechism, Scripture must be read “within the living tradition of the whole Church.” Unfortunately, too many people over the centuries have read it with the intentions of starting their own “church”.

As St. Peter tells us under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit: “Know this first of all, that there is no prophecy of scripture that is a matter of personal interpretation, for no prophecy ever came through human will; but rather human beings moved by the holy Spirit spoke under the influence of God” (2 Pet. 1:20-21).

The main flaw of the doctrine of Perspecuity of Scripture is evident in the almost 50,000 disjointed and perpetually-splintering Protestant denominations that exist today.  If Scripture is so clear that anybody can understand it, then why are there so many denominations - ALL claiming to have the “truth”. 

The catechism tells us: 134 All Sacred Scripture is but one book, and this one book is Christ, "because all divine Scripture speaks of Christ, and all divine Scripture is fulfilled in Christ"

In short, the Bible is a Catholic Book – written FOR Catholics BY Catholics.  It is not something that is to be personally dissected and individually interpreted.  Because it is a Church book – it takes Christ’s Church to interpret it.

St. Augustine, Doctor of the Church and one of the greatest thinkers the Church has ever produce wisely stated, “I would not believe in the Gospel, had not the authority of the Catholic Church already moved me.”

The Rapture??

You may have heard the term, “The Rapture” from a Protestant friend or relative. Although the word itself doesn’t appear in Scripture, the idea that Christ will come back to rescue the “elect” from the coming period of persecutions against the Church is only about 175 years old.  It is taken largely from a faulty interpretation of 1 Thess. 4:17: “Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”
Rapture theology finds its origin in the 1830’s, when a Protestant minister named John Nelson Darby began teaching this new idea to his followers, even though there was no Scriptural basis for it.  Neither was there a basis for it in tradition since it had never been a teaching of the historic Christian Church.  Since then, Darby’s novel invention has been picked up by many newer Protestant groups, that is, groups which have sprouted up over the last 100 years or so.  It has also become the topic of many books and films, such as the “Left Behind” series.

The Bible is clear that the Second Coming of Jesus will be preceded by a period of persecution (Matt. 24:20-31; Mark 13:19-27; 2 Thess. 2:1-4) commonly referred to as the Tribulation.  However, there is no mention of Jesus coming a second time to rescue his believers only to return a third time.  When we read 1 Thess. 4:17 in context with the other Scripture verses that mention the Tribulation and the Second Coming, it is clear that is speaking about what is going to happen when the Lord returns at the end of time – not before.

Before the 1800’s, every Protestant denomination agreed with the Catholic Church that this event of being “caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” would occur simultaneously with the Second Coming of Christ.  Like many other aberrant pseudo-Christian teachings, belief in the Rapture has become widespread among Evangelical and Fundamentalist groups.

Because this has never been a teaching of the Catholic Church, many anti-Catholics use this as fodder to lure Catholics away from their faith.  Sadly, they have succeeded in doing just that with this false doctrine of men (Mark 7:7-8, Col. 2:22).  Jesus warned of false prophets whom he called, “wolves in sheep’s clothing”, that would lead people astray with aberrant teachings and about whom we would recognize by their fruits (Matt. 7:15-16).

As Catholics, we must be on our guard - not only as it pertains to our Lord’s glorious return, but also to be wary of false teachings that would lead us away from His mystical Body – the Church.

Protestant Confusion

At the Last Supper, Jesus fervently prayed for the unity of His Body – the Church.  That it remain ONE – as He and the Father are ONE.  This is recorded in the Gospel of St. John (John 17). 
The greatest affront to the unity of the Body of Christ was the so-called Protestant Reformation that began in the 16^th century, when flawed men decided that they had a better idea because of corruption within the Church.  In their zeal to confront corruption, however, they began to systematically change doctrines and do away with the Traditions that were passed down by the Apostles.  Unfortunately, the confusion that was caused by the Reformation continues to reverberate to this day.  The tens of thousands of Protestant “denominations” continue to splinter day after day, year after year.  The abandonment of the doctrines and precepts of God have given way to the doctrines and precepts of mere men (Matthew 15:8-9, Mark 7:6-7):
Some Protestant denominations believe in baptismal regeneration, while others do not.
Some believe in soul-sleep, while others do not.
Some believe in the total depravity of man, while others do not.
Some believe in the Holy Trinity, while others do not.
Some believe in doctrine of “once saved, always saved”, while others do not.
Some believe in a pre-tribulation “Rapture”, while others do not.
Some believe that only those who were predestined will make it to heaven, while others do not.
Some believe that some were predestined for hell, while others do not.
Some believe in a woman’s right to choose abortion, while others do not.
Some believe that practicing homosexuality is a sin, while others do not.

Most believe in contraception, while others do not – and the list goes on.

While, this is in no way an attack on any Protestant denomination – it is a presentation of the truth of God as preserved, protected and defended by His Church with the guidance of the Holy Spirit (John 16:12-15, 1 Tim. 3:15).  The simple fact, however, is that every single Protestant denomination was started by a flawed sinful human being.  By contrast, the Catholic Church was established by none other than Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity – God himself.

Sola Scriptura

The second pillar of the Protestant Reformation is the doctrine of Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone).  Adherents to this doctrine believe that the Bible alone is our sole authority – the final court of arbitration.  The problem is that the Bible itself rejects this notion.  Nowhere in scripture does it say that scripture alone is the final authority.

Scripture tells us that the Church is the final authority.  In Matt. 16:18-19, Jesus tells St. Peter that the gates of hell wouldn’t prevail against his Church and that he was giving him (Peter) the keys to the kingdom of heaven.  Later, in Matt. 18:15-18, he tells the Apostles that the Church was to decide all matters that couldn’t be resolved.  He gave the Church the authority to make the final decision and judgment.  In these passages, along with John 20:21-23, Jesus gives them the power to bind and loose.

Not long before his Crucifixion, Jesus told the Apostles that the Holy Spirit would guide them to all truth – that he would take from what was his (Jesus) and declare it to them (the Church).  The main verse that non-Catholics use to support Sola Scriptura is 2 Tim. 3:16, where it says that “All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness”. Notice that it says scripture is “useful” – it doesn’t say that it is “sufficient”.

Finally, St. Paul tells us that sacred tradition (written and oral) is also binding and authoritative (2 Thes 2:15, 1 Cor 11:2, 2 Tim 2:2, 1 Thes 2:13).

We must remember that the bible was born from the Church – not the Church from the Bible

Sola Fide

The Protestant Reformation was born of 2 major beliefs: Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone) and Sola Fide (Faith Alone).  Sola fide is the belief that we are saved by faith alone – apart from anything else.  The only place in all of scripture where the words “faith alone” are found is in James 2:24 where it says we are not saved by faith alone.

You may have been told that all you have to do is to “believe in the Lord Jesus Christ” in order to be saved.  Or that if “you accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior”, your eternity is secure.

On the contrary, simply believing is not enough.  We must be obedient and do what the Lord wills.  In the St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans (Rom. 1:5, 16:26), he speaks of the “obedience of faith” and “faith working through love” (Gal. 5:6).  He also says that says that love is greater than faith or hope (1 Cor. 13:13).  It is the greatest of all virtues.  James 2:14-26 speaks of the necessity of works and that “faith without works is dead.”  

In Mark 1:24, a demon cried out to Jesus, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? We know who you are--the Holy One of God!"  James 2:19 tells us, “You believe that God is one. You do well. Even the demons believe that and tremble. If “even the demons believe” – how do we differentiate ourselves from them?  We remain obedient to the will of God, and not our own will.

In Matt. 31-46, Jesus said that the reward of his faithful ones were rewarded with eternal joy in heaven.  Those who didn‘t were banished to eternal suffering.

Are we doing what the Lord wills of his faithful?  Or are we secure in the false notion that all we have to do is believe?

Once Saved Always Saved?

Not according to the Scriptures. As a mater of fact, according to the Bible, just the opposite is true.

When read in context, the Scriptures teach us that we have a moral assurance- a moral certitude of heaven – if we do God’s will and endure to the end.

In Matt. 7:21, Jesus tells us, “Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.”

Later, in that same Gospel (Matt. 24:13), Jesus reminds us that "He who endures to the end will be saved"  There are many places in Scripture where we are admonished to continue to do the will of God and persevere (2 Chronicles 15:2, Matthew 10:22, 2 Timothy 2:12, 1 Corinthians 10:12, 2 Peter 2:20-21, 1 Cor. 9:27, 1 Timothy 4:16, Hebrews 10:26-27, Hebrews 10:29, 1 John 5:13).

In 2 Tim. 4:7, St. Paul likens this journey to a race when he says, “I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith.”

There are those who believe that once we accept Jesus, there is nothing we can do to lose our faith – our guarantee, yet Jesus himself says differently.  In the parable of the sower, we see that not all of the seed that fell on the ground grew and yielded fruit - only the seed that fell on the rich soil which are those who remain faithful in the Church (Mark 4:1-20, Matthew 13:1-23, Luke 8:1-15). These are the faithful who endure to the end.

We must remember that the Bible is not filled with absolute guarantees for those who believe – it is filled with God’s wonderful promises for those who remain faithful.