Christians Come Home!

There is an organization called “Catholics Come Home” doing great work helping Catholics return to the Church. As Catholics, however, I believe we have a duty to bring all Christians home to the Church Jesus founded 2000 years ago. I believe most Protestants are very good people; however, they are following a form of Christianity founded on faulty principles.

The first one is “Sola Scriptura” or “by bible alone”. Protestants believe in the “Bible alone” and in “individual interpretation” of scripture. Through sola scriptura, they do not believe in the authority of the Pope or Church Tradition.

The first problem with sola scriptura? Where is it in the bible? The early Christians did not believe or practice this. The books of the New Testament were not written at the time of Christ. They were written in the decades following Christ’s death and resurrection. There was no “Bible” for the first 350 years following Christ’s resurrection. That’s right – the Bible did not exist until the Synod of Rome, after much debate, approved the 73 books of the Bible in 382 AD. The 73 book Bible was affirmed again at The Councils of Hippo (393 AD) and Carthage (397 AD). The Church reaffirmed the 73 book Bible once more at the Council of Trent in 1563 following the Protestant Reformation and Martin Luther’s decision to remove 7 books from the Old Testament almost 1500 years after Christ. Under what authority did Martin Luther remove seven books from the Old Testament? Did Martin Luther know better than all the previous Church Leaders and Councils?

Our Protestant friends also do not accept the authority of the Pope. I find this to be ironic. They believe in sola scriptura, but do not believe Jesus when He clearly states in the Bible:

Matthew 16:13-20
13 When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. 18 And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Messiah.
Scripture clearly tells us that Jesus anointed Peter as the head of his earthly Church with full authority over it. How can one believe in sola scriptura and not believe what Jesus says in it?
Another aspect of many Protestant denominations is the failure to believe we receive the body and blood of Christ at Communion when the Bible states:
Matthew 26: 26-28
26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, “Take and eat; this is my body.” 27 Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins.

Luke 22: 14-20
14 When the hour came, he took his place at table with the apostles. 15 He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, 16 for, I tell you, I shall not eat it [again] until there is fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” 17 Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and said, “Take this and share it among yourselves; 18 for I tell you [that] from this time on I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me.” 20 And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you.

1 Corinthians 11: 23-32
23For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 26For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.
27Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. 28But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly. 30For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep. 31But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. 32But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world.

Just as God provided Manna to the Israelites, He now provides us His body and blood to strengthen us spiritually. How does one not accept the words of Jesus?

One last point relates to Matthew 16: 18, stated above. Jesus clearly states:
18 And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.

Jesus does not say build My churches; He clearly says “My Church”. How then can Protestants have approximately 30,000 versions of Christ’s Church? This is what happens when there is no central authority or leadership to guide Christ’s Church here on earth. Each person who “interprets” the Bible differently, starts their own church; each with its own interpretations. This leads to Lutherans, Baptists, Methodists, Calvinists, Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons, Church of Christ, etc. It also allows for churches accepting various sins, such as homosexuality, abortion, etc. Ask yourself these two questions:

1) Who started my Church?
2) How old is my church?

If the answer to the first isn’t Jesus; or, 2,000 years to the third; you may be in the wrong Church!
There are other “differences” between Catholicism and Protestantism; confession, baptism of babies, tradition, magisterium and others. The beauty of Catholicism is we can defend our beliefs through scripture – which may surprise many.

To my Protestant brothers and sisters, consider coming home to the Church Jesus founded, the Catholic Church. Catholic means universal. Jesus wanted one Church for all His people. Yes, like God’s people throughout history, the Catholic Church has committed wrongs against God. We are human – just like Adam and Eve in the Garden; the Israelites with the golden calf awaiting Moses to return; Abraham not trusting God when he fathered Ishmael; King David with Bathsheba; the Divided Kingdom of Israel, etc. Jesus Himself said:

Luke 5: 29-32
29And Levi gave a big reception for Him in his house; and there was a great crowd of tax collectors and other people who were reclining at the table with them. 30The Pharisees and their scribe began grumbling at His disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?” 31And Jesus answered and said to them, “It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. 32“I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”

Come home! Come back! Return to the Catholic Church. Jesus is awaiting you with open arms!