NICK'S CATHOLIC BLOG

7 reasons Protestant anthropology is to be rejected

2012-01-30T17:00:00.000-08:00

(If you want to double your effectiveness as a Catholic apologist in 30 minutes, read this article.) Anthropology refers to the study of human nature in general, but within the context of theology it refers to man's nature as it corresponds to his final goal, his abilities, and the effects of Adam's sin. This subject is indispensable in forming good theology, especially when discussing

Do Muslims deny the Crucifixion of Jesus?

2012-01-12T12:48:00.000-08:00

Like most Christians living outside the Middle-East and northern Africa, my knowledge of Islam is limited, yet Islam's massive influence on world history from the time it began in the Seventh Century up to today make it a subject worth looking at. The question is: where to start? My most recent interest in looking into Islam came when a blogger named David made a post regarding the Muslim view

"Call no man Pastor" - a fresh look at Our Lord's prohibition.

2012-01-08T10:36:00.000-08:00

In seeking to 'refute' the naive Protestant attack of appealing to Our Lord's instructions to "call no man father" (Matthew 23:9) as a prohibition of calling a priest "father," most Catholics have fallen into an entirely 'defensive mindset' and thus failed to apply this teaching at all. Typically, a Catholic will point out how this instruction cannot literally mean don't use the term "father" in

Sports Mad America

2011-12-20T17:34:00.000-08:00

Sports have a stranglehold on the heart and mind of our culture and people need to be made aware of this. As predicted by the Popes of the last few centuries, as Secularism continued to take hold, mankind would begin to think less about the eternal dimension of their life (especially religious obligations) and focus solely on the temporal aspects (life's pleasures). While fewer and fewer parents

The Filioque proved in Revelation 22:1

2011-12-11T19:06:00.000-08:00

The other day I decided to look into the Filioque - the part of the Nicene Creed that says the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father "and the Son" - and as I was casually looking at how the Greek term "proceeds" is used in the New Testament, I came across a fascinating verse in Revelation 22:1. It turns out other people have noticed this as well, but to my amazement I couldn't find any Catholic

What would Mr Robinson Do? (Did St Maximus really abandon Rome?)

2011-12-05T19:03:00.000-08:00

The Sixth Ecumenical Council assembled in 680 A.D. to deal with the Monothelite heresy. In the course of condemning this error, the Council also condemned various men who played a role in propagating this heresy, including Pope Honorius. Throughout history, Protestants and Eastern Orthodox have pointed to this situation as definitive proof that the Pope is not infallible, and that he can even be

Augustine: The (Lost) Fourth Chapter?

2011-11-29T19:46:00.000-08:00

It is not uncommon for Eastern Orthodox (and even some Protestants) to say Saint Augustine was one of the worst heretics in all of Church history. Of course, some don't go so far as to make that an explicit charge, but they'll make all sorts of allusions to the fact, often by saying a certain teaching is one of the most pernicious heresies ever and connecting that back to something Augustine

The definitive Paul vs James debate: the end of Protestantism is near!

2011-10-29T15:28:00.000-07:00

I happened across one of the most astonishing admissions in the history of Reformed Protestant scholarship. One of the most renowned Reformed scholars, Dr. Buchanan, said this in his 400 page tome, The Doctrine of Justification: 'There is not in all the Scriptures,' says one [opponent], 'an instance in which one man's sin or righteousness is said to be imputed to another. There is not in all

The blasphemous foundations of Mormonism

2011-10-19T18:46:00.000-07:00

Mormonism is a popular subject right now, not only because a popular presidential candidate named Mitt Romney is a Mormon, but most especially because the Mormon church has a major internet campaign going to promote Mormonism. More and more advertisements (especially on Google and major social networking sites) are promoting a church that appears welcoming and offers a very family friendly

One of my BIGGEST finds ever - a Protestant scholar refutes Sola Fide!

2011-10-05T12:38:00.000-07:00

In the middle of writing another post refuting Sola Fide, I came across a popular Protestant Commentary that said something I never thought I'd see in a Protestant Commentary. Presbyterian theologian Albert Barnes wrote a hugely popular Commentary on the New Testament. Though he apparently later on taught some unorthodox Protestant doctrines, his reputation became somewhat tarnished, but his

A Protestant show stopper: Psalm 106:30f

2011-09-26T23:10:00.000-07:00

If you want to pull the rug out from out under a Protestant, ask them to tell you what Psalm 106:30-31 means, Then Phinehas stood up and intervened, and the plague was stayed. And that was counted to him as righteousness [ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην] from generation to generation forever. As will be shown, this is one of the most devastating verses for Sola Fide in the whole Bible. It's right

Does Saint Paul have his own "Not by Faith Alone" verse?

2011-09-14T12:11:00.000-07:00

In Romans 10:9-10 (NKJV) we read: If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness*, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Plainly read: to be "saved" you must "confess" and "believe". Obviously, "salvation by faith alone" is ruled out here. But

The Little Flower and the Death Penalty

2011-09-08T15:16:00.000-07:00

In her famous biography, The Story of a Soul (selling millions of copies even today), St Therese of Lisieux (affectionately referred to as "The Little Flower") recounts a time in her life when she first became conscious of her duty to look out for the salvation of her fellow citizens: In order still further to enkindle my ardour, Our Divine Master soon proved to me how pleasing to him was my

Habemus altare! - We have an Altar!

2011-08-24T01:23:00.000-07:00

[UPDATED: See the quote at the end.] Most people are aware of the slogan "Habemus Papam!" when a new Pope is elected; it means "We have a Pope!" In the case of this post, I'm going to be taking a look at Hebrews 13:10, in which "Habemus altare" appears in the Latin Vulgate translation of the first few words of that verse: We have an altar whereof they have no power to eat who serve the

The wishy-washy "Protestant-ethos" in Eastern Orthodox moral teaching

2011-08-11T00:43:00.000-07:00

[I can't believe it's been over a month since I last posted. I've been very busy (and still am). I'm not the type to post too frequently (I believe it leads to burn-out), but a few posts a month is not asking too much. It seems that I have a lot of posts in the "drafts" box that I never seem to have the time to finish up, and though this post was not an exception, I want to post something so I've

Examples of Individuals Losing Salvation in Scripture

2011-06-24T11:07:00.000-07:00

One of the most effective ways of refuting the Protestant (particularly Calvinist) heresy of Eternal Security (aka Once Saved Always Saved) is to point out some examples of individuals in Scripture who at one point in their life were saved but then lost their salvation through grave sin (whether they repented or not is outside the scope of this brief article). The following list is by no means

Traditionalist Thoughts on Women's Head-Coverings (with an interesting tie-in to Sola Scriptura)

2011-06-17T18:15:00.000-07:00

One very unpopular (and thus often forgotten about) subject that has recently caught my attention is the Christian teaching on head-coverings for women. This subject is unpopular because the underlying subject matter is so repugnant to our modern culture. I have always thought the practice of head-coverings was pious and traditional, but mostly done for reasons of modesty and aesthetics. Most

Did John Calvin believe in "double imputation"?

2011-06-09T14:07:00.000-07:00

The more I study historical Protestant documents, I continue to be amazed at how often later generations of Protestants depart from what the Pretend Reformers originally taught. A few months ago I was investigating a quote by a popular Reformed professor claiming Calvin taught the "imputation of Christ's Active Obedience" - yet when I examined the quote in detail and context, it seemed quite

Introduction to Traditionalism

2011-05-31T14:30:00.000-07:00

The purpose of this post is to give an introduction to what it means to be a "traditionalist" Catholic. Unfortunately, the term "traditionalist" today is widely misunderstood, often signifying rash judgmentalism and disdain for all things less than perfect. In reality, this misunderstanding stems from ignorance (on all sides) and a sad (recent) history of mistreatment traditionalists. The truth

How to use James 2:24 most effectively.

2011-05-19T14:19:00.000-07:00

As everyone is well aware, James 2:24 is a Catholic 'favorite' when it comes to refuting the Protestant heresy known as Sola Fide (i.e. Justification by Faith Alone). What many Protestants and Catholics don't know is that James 2:24 is by no means the only Biblical resource for dealing with Sola Fide, Catholics have many just as effective Biblical texts to deal with that heresy. That said, the

To be deep in history is to cease to be Protestant

2011-05-13T12:03:00.000-07:00

Many people are aware that the title for this post comes from a statement made by the Venerable John Henry Cardinal Newman, convert to Catholicism from Anglicanism. The sentiment being expressed is that you will not find any reasonable historical testimony in the Early Church Fathers (ECFs) for uniquely "Protestant doctrines." While Protestants might accept various early church teachings, such as

Why William Webster's Justification Aritlcle is not Scriptural.

2011-05-06T18:12:00.000-07:00

Reformed Apologist William Webster has an articled titled, "The Biblical Teaching of Justification," in which he seeks to prove his Calvinist views on justification are correct, while refuting and exposing Catholic claims to the contrary. Since Webster has a lot of respect in Reformed apologetics, I thought it necessary and important to confront his errors. Since his article is so long, I will

Did Calvin believe in Christ's Active Obedience?

2011-03-14T08:16:00.000-07:00

I've been encountering more and more Calvinists who claim John Calvin taught the concept of Christ's "Active Obedience," and quoting Calvin's Institutes, Book 2, Chapter 16, Section 5. One such proponent of this claim was a Reformed apologist and professor, Dr R. Scott Clark, on his blog (Here). Though Clark puts special emphasis on Calvin's use of the phrase "whole course of his obedience," and

BLOG ALERT - Spam problem - READ

2011-03-05T14:08:00.000-08:00

Something disturbing happened today, about an hour ago. There is a major spam problem out there as many know, and Google/Blogger have done what they can to get rid of it. Unfortunately, Google/Blogger's system sometimes targets innocent Blogs/Accounts. This happened to me. When I went to my blog, the page said the blog was locked/removed, without any links or process for me to get it back. As

List of teachings Protestants cannot agree upon due to Sola Scriptura.

2011-03-04T08:21:00.000-08:00

The following is a 'open' list of teachings (subject to further expansion) which Protestants cannot agree upon due to the doctrinal relativism caused by Sola Scriptura. Though many Protestants today would "solve" this problem by tossing a lot of these into the "non-essential" category, I believe the doctrinal issues I've mentioned have been clearly seen to cause division among Protestants: Once

An array of Reformed tetimony of the ahistorical nature of Sola Scriptura

2011-02-16T20:14:00.000-08:00

The following are quotes from well known Protestant Apologists teaching publicly on the subject of Sola Scriptura and admitting the ahistorical nature of it: James White: The main element of [Catholic apologist] Mr. Ray’s misrepresentation of sola scriptura can be seen in just this: the doctrine speaks of a rule of faith that exists. What do I mean by this? One will search high and low for

John MacArthur fails to "deliver" on Sola-Scriptura

2011-02-05T15:17:00.000-08:00

One of today's most outspoken and harshest critics of Catholicism is Reformed pastor and televangelist John MacArthur. Unfortunately, I think he spends too much time and effort condemning Catholics without actually backing up his words. But even when he does back up his accusations, this brief article will show just how absurd (and sometimes embarrassing) his attempts at refuting Catholicism can

1914 - A House Built on Sand (Jehovah's Witnesses)

2011-01-31T00:00:00.000-08:00

Anyone who has ever had any interaction with a Jehovah's Witness (JW) will likely have noticed the extraordinary emphasis they place on the year 1914A.D. This is because this date is foundational to their whole existence. In this year, the JWs claim Jesus was installed as King in Heaven, which ushered in 'the end times' of the world, and was "confirmed" by the outbreak of World War I. (Though the

Note to John Piper: Don’t Equate Whole Bible with Theologically Accurate

2011-01-27T16:25:00.000-08:00

John Piper - a man I generally respect, though don't often agree with theologically - made some embarrassing comments on his blog in a brief reflection he posted on January 19. The title of his post is: "Don’t Equate Historically Early with Theologically Accurate" The post is short enough that I feel it's worth posting here in full: Beware of imputing advantage to antiquity. Seventy years after

DEBATE INDEX PAGE

2011-01-26T14:55:00.000-08:00

Debate Index Page This post will host all the essays to all the debates I take part in. It will be updated periodically (so the date of this post can change). Eternal Security Debate (versus Vocab) - January 2011 Debate Introduction and Format Affirmative Negative Opening Essay Opening Essay Rebuttal Rebuttal Cross Examination Questions Cross Examination Questions Cross Examination

Eternal Security Debate - Vocab’s Concluding Essay

2011-01-26T09:49:00.000-08:00

Eternal Security Debate Vocab’s Concluding Essay (link) As I reviewed the debate between Nick and I on the very important question of "do the Gospels teach that salvation can be lost", I felt a sense of sadness creep over me. I didn’t think “Oh, look how great I did” or “Nick was untouchable” or anything like that. No, the main thing I kept on thinking is how tragic it is that so many people

Eternal Security Debate - Nick’s Concluding Essay

2011-01-24T17:46:00.000-08:00

Eternal Security Debate - Nick’s Concluding Essay This final essay of mine will consist chiefly in analyzing Vocab’s Rebuttal Essay as well as his Cross-Examination Answers to my questions. Vocab’s Rebuttal Essay. He began by claiming I cited too many proof texts (21) and “often without an adequate justification.” I would respond by saying that I believe I commented adequately upon every

Eternal Security Debate Vocab’s 5 Cross-Examination Answers

2011-01-18T08:10:00.000-08:00

Eternal Security Debate Vocab’s 5 Cross-Examination Answers (Link) 1) To “persevere,” as I see it and based on how Scripture uses the term, means to endure various trials and sufferings without falling away (or get up when you fall) until you cross the "finish line." How can you believe in Perseverance when you believe the Christian is eternally Saved the moment they believe? In other words,

Eternal Security Debate - Nick's 5 CrossEx Answers

2011-01-12T19:08:00.000-08:00

Eternal Security Debate Nick’s 5 Cross-Examination Answers Question 1: Is it possible to lose and regain your salvation thousands of times within one life? Or is there a limit to how many times one can be saved? How does one re-gain their salvation after they have lost it? Answer: A Christian can fall into grave sin, lose their salvation, then repent (especially through the Sacrament of

Eternal Security Debate - Vocab's 5 Questions for Nick

2011-01-10T08:25:00.000-08:00

Eternal Security Debate Vocab's 5 Questions for Nickby Vocab (Link) 1. Is it possible to lose and regain your salvation thousands of times within one life? Or is there a limit to how many times one can be saved? How does one re-gain their salvation after they have lost it? 2. Please explain the (apparent?) inconsistency in your view that the Roman Catholic Church could never become apostate

Eternal Security Debate - Nick's 5 Questions for Vocab

2011-01-06T13:06:00.000-08:00

Eternal Security Debate - Nick's 5 Questions for Vocab 1) To “persevere,” as I see it and based on how Scripture uses the term, means to endure various trials and sufferings without falling away (or get up when you fall) until you cross the "finish line." How can you believe in Perseverance when you believe the Christian is eternally Saved the moment they believe? In other words, if there is

Eternal Security Debate - Negative Rebuttal Essay

2011-01-04T14:47:00.000-08:00

Eternal Security Debate Debate Resolution:Do the Gospels Teach that Salvation Can Be Lost? Negative Rebuttal Essayby Vocab (Link) In his opener, Nick lists a great number of proof texts (21!), gave his brief interpretation (often without an adequate justification), and then quickly moved on to his next proof text. It is difficult to properly exegete 21 different passages of Scripture in

Eternal Security Debate - Affirmative Rebuttal Essay

2011-01-03T18:29:00.000-08:00

Eternal Security DebateDebate Resolution:Do the Gospels Teach that Salvation Can Be Lost?Affirmative Rebuttal Essayby Nick In this Rebuttal Essay I will address the three main sections which Vocab wrote upon. The first section dealt with addressing important distinctions and approaches to our respective theologies. While I as a Catholic do not believe in Sola Scriptura, and thus would

Eternal Security Debate - Negative Opening Essay

2010-12-29T20:13:00.000-08:00

Eternal Security Debate Debate Resolution:Do the Gospels Teach that Salvation Can Be Lost? Negavie Opening Essayby Vocab (LINK) Section 1: KEY DISTINCTIONSMy Key AssumptionsBefore I begin discussing the question of do the gospels teach that salvation can be lost, it is important to make known some key issues which under gird the position that no truly justified person can be lost:God-breathed

Eternal Security Debate - Affirmative Opening Essay

2010-12-27T18:32:00.000-08:00

Eternal Security Debate Debate Resolution:Do the Gospels Teach that Salvation Can Be Lost? Affirmative Opening Essayby Nick Among the various heresies that arose at the time of the Reformation, one of the most notable was the doctrine of “Eternal Security” - the teaching that the Christian cannot lose his salvation. Since this debate is focused only on whether the Four Gospels teach salvation

Eternal Security Debate - Do the Gospels Teach Salvation can be Lost?

2010-12-27T11:13:00.000-08:00

Eternal Security Debate: Do the Gospels Teach Salvation can be Lost? Affirming Resolution: Nick Denying Resolution: Vocab (Blog link) Opening Essay - Due Monday Dec 27 Rebuttal Essay - Due Monday Jan 3 5 CrossEx Questions - Due Thursday Jan 6 (3 days later) 5 CrossEx Answers - Due Monday Jan 10 (4 days later) Concluding Essays - Due Monday Jan 17 Essays are 2,000 words each. Only the Four

Did Christ Fulfill the Law in our Place?

2010-12-13T18:41:00.000-08:00

A common but very serious theological error is the Protestant notion that Jesus fulfilled the Law in our place. This error is of a two fold nature: first, conflating and confusing the two notions of "fulfill" and "obey all the commandments perfectly" as if they were synonymous, and second, not recognizing Christians are called to fulfill the law and that the Bible never teaches Jesus "obeyed all

Justification by Faith Alone Debate - Status: Canceled

2010-10-25T15:58:00.000-07:00

Justification by Faith Alone Debate - Status: Canceled Sorry for the delay in keeping readers up to date on this debate. After an initial grace period to get caught up on essays, it has been mutually determined by Jeff and I that there is too much going on in terms of work/school to give this topic the treatment it deserves. What is important is that we ended this debate on good terms and with

Are Catholics Interpreting Scripture without Magisterial Authorization?

2010-10-22T17:19:00.000-07:00

There is a frequent charge by Protestants that whenever a Catholic presents Scriptural evidence for any particular doctrine, rather than engage the passage in question and interpretation of it, the Protestant simply responds by saying something to the effect, "is that your private interpretation, or did the Magisterium infallibly interpret this verse for you?" The intent is to neutralize the

Council of Nicæa Proves Papacy

2010-10-12T15:30:00.000-07:00

The Papacy is one of the most decisive (and divisive) issues in Christendom, particularly in determining whether or not the Catholic Church is the One True Church. While much can be said as far as the Scriptural support goes, the testimony of Tradition is just as powerful in this regard, most notably the testimony of the early Ecumenical Councils. At this point many Eastern Orthodox and

Justification by Faith Alone Debate - Cross Examination Questions by Nick to Jeff

2010-10-09T10:06:00.000-07:00

Justification by Faith Alone DebateCross Examination Questions to Jeffasked by Nick 1) What are the top 3 passages which you believe most strongly teach the notion of Christ’s Active Obedience (i.e. that He kept the law in our place and this obedience was counted as if we had done it)? 2) As mentioned in the Opening Essay, the term translated into English as impute/reckon/credit/account is

Justification by Faith Alone Debate - Rebuttal Essay by Nick

2010-10-09T10:02:00.000-07:00

Justification by Faith Alone DebateRebuttal Essay by Nick (1) This Rebuttal Essay will focus upon interacting with Jeff's Opening Essay. As I noted in the conclusion of my Opening Essay, Sola Fide has a specific meaning, and it's not enough to simply point to a passage that speaks on “salvation by faith” without proving the concepts behind the doctrine. (2) Jeff begins his Opening Essay by

William Webster's astonishing claims about Sola Scriptura

2010-10-05T16:45:00.000-07:00

William Webster is a popular Reformed Apologist who has published many articles online. He is very blunt when it comes to defending Sola Scriptura and Sola Fide, which is an approach I admire because one should be confident when doing apologetics for the position they deem to be the correct one. I recently came across one article of his on Sola Scriptura that was too important to not comment upon

Justification by Faith Alone Debate - Opening Essay by Jeff

2010-10-04T16:50:00.000-07:00

A Debate Over Sola Fide: Opening Essay by Jeff A. Introduction: Why engage in a debate on the subject of faith? As Hebrews 11:6 says, "Without faith it is impossible to please God." If God is to be pleased with the Christian, faith must have it's proper place. Of course, neither Catholic nor Protestant deny that faith is an essential aspect of the Christian life. But it is my firm

Justification by Faith Alone Debate - Opening Essay by Nick

2010-10-01T12:00:00.000-07:00

Does the Bible teach Justification by Faith Alone?Opening Essayby Nick I would like to begin by thanking Jeff for engaging in this debate with me; he will be affirming the resolution, I will be denying it. 1) The doctrine of Sola Fide is built from the premise that, starting with Adam, God had established a way for man to get to heaven, and this condition was perfect obedience to God’s law (

Justification by Faith Alone Debate Annoucement

2010-09-26T12:49:00.000-07:00

Justification by Faith Alone Debate Annoucement I am pleased to announce that a Calvinist named Jeff has agreed to a debate on Sola Fide with me. Here are the general conditions of the debate: Resolution: Does the Bible teach Justification by Faith Alone?Affirmed: JeffDenied: Nick Essays are 3,000 words, posted publicly on our blogs by the END of the week (by midnight on Saturday). A 1 week

Sola Scriptura: Formal versus Material Sufficiency

2010-09-15T12:45:00.000-07:00

There is a very critical distinction which Catholics must always keep in mind when discussing the topic of Sola Scriptura. This distinction determines whether the doctrine of Sola Scriptura is true or not. The distinction is "material" versus "formal" sufficiency of Scripture. On his wonderful blog, Dr Michael Liccione was having a discussion with a Protestant systematic theology professor on

Because of the hope of Israel, I am bound with this chain.

2010-09-09T10:41:00.000-07:00

I was re-reading the Acts of the Apostles recently, and something very profound stood out to me that didn't 'hit me' as it should have in the past: the Apostle Paul loved his Jewish brothers dearly! Not being a Jew myself, and thus not having lived the Jewish lifestyle, I can only get a glimpse of what it was like for St Paul when he stood among his brethren to share the Gospel with them. While

Sola Scriptura Debate - Concluding Essay by Gerry

2010-09-07T08:52:00.000-07:00

Sola Scriptura Debate - Concluding Essay by Gerry All right, so we are in the concluding part of the debate. I want to thank my opponent Nick for being an courteous and respectful opponent. Let's thank him also for his insights in this discussion. We hope that the two of us are able to give the readers enough information to consider each others point of view. First of all let's evaluate

Sola Scriptura Debate - Concluding Essay by Nick

2010-09-04T08:31:00.000-07:00

Sola Scriptura Debate - Concluding Essay by Nick This is my final essay for the debate. It will consist in commenting on Gerry’s answers to my cross examination, addressing issues that I feel were not adequately covered, and a final thought. Also, I would like to also thank Gerry for taking the time to go through with this debate, and that I appreciate the mutual respect we have had for

Sola Scriptura Debate - Gerry's Response to 5 Questions

2010-09-02T10:00:00.000-07:00

Sola Scriptura Debate - Gerry's Response to 5 Questions Here are my responses to Nick's questions: (1) What do you believe are the top 3 passages that most strongly teach Sola Scriptura? Well, as I have presented in my opening statement, 2nd Timothy 3:16 and 17 is the leading proof text because this shows the nature of Scripture (theopneustos), its usefulness (teaching, rebuking, correcting,

Sola Scriptura Debate - Nick's Response to 5 Questions

2010-08-28T12:41:00.000-07:00

Sola Scriptura Debate - Nick's Response to 5 Questions I will now respond to the 5 questions Gerry asked me for the cross-examination portion of the debate: Question 1: 1. Give me just one apostolic teaching that is proven to be:a. originating from the apostles;b. necessary for salvation; andc. which I cannot find in Scriptures and which your teachers make no reference in ScripturePlease

Sola Scriptura Debate - 5 Questions for Nick

2010-08-27T14:58:00.000-07:00

Sola Scriptura Debate - 5 Questions for Nick We are now in the cross examination portion. Here are my five questions for my opponent, Nick: 1. Give me just one apostolic teaching that is proven to be: a. originating from the apostles; b. necessary for salvation; andc. which I cannot find in Scriptures and which your teachers make no reference in Scripture Please provide your sources for the

Sola Scriptura Debate - Rebuttal Essay by Gerry

2010-08-27T14:56:00.000-07:00

I would like to thank Nick once again for posting his opening statement. The entirety of Nick's argument is found here. His opening however is quite unusual since it contains rebuttals to Evangelical evidences which should be done in his rebuttals and not on the opening statements. Furthermore, it presented Evangelical evidences which I didn’t present in my opening as evidences and now I am

Sola Scriptura Debate - 5 Questions for Gerry

2010-08-21T19:06:00.000-07:00

Sola Scriptura Debate - 5 Questions for Gerry (1) What do you believe are the top 3 passages that most strongly teach Sola Scriptura? (2) How do you know what books belong in the Bible? (3) How do you interpret 2 Thessalonians 2:15? (4) How could Jesus, the Apostles, and early Christians practice Sola Scriptura before all the books of Scripture were written? (5) If you believe there was

Sola Scriptura Debate - Rebuttal Essay by Nick

2010-08-21T09:25:00.000-07:00

Does the Bible Teach Sola Scriptura? Rebuttal ESSAYbyNick I would like to start off by saying I’m not sure why Gerry’s Opening Essay was so short, using approximately 1/4 of the essay word limit. Given that this is a Rebuttal Essay of his Opening Essay, I will attempt to address everything he wrote that I deem problematic for proving his thesis. (1.a) Gerry said: “the Bible alone is

Sola Scriptura Debate - Opening Essay by Gerry

2010-08-09T19:07:00.000-07:00

Sola Scriptura Debate - Affirmative Opening Essay by Gerry As an Evangelical Christian, I firmly believe that the Bible alone is sufficient to function as the infallible rule of faith and morals. I believe that God’s inspired word is found in no where else but in the Scriptures. This is what we call, Sola Scriptura. Although man may embrace traditions and interpretations, those things are

Sola Scriptura Debate - Opening Essay by Nick

2010-08-09T18:55:00.000-07:00

Debate Resolution: Does the Bible Teach Sola Scriptura?Affirming: Gerry (Protestant)Denying: Nick (Catholic) OPENING ESSAYby Nick I want to begin by thanking my opponent, Gerry, for being open to having this debate. We both know just how much hangs in the balance with the Protestant doctrine of Sola Scriptura, so it’s obvious that this doctrine should be a major focus for those trying to

Sola Scriptura Debate Announcement

2010-08-09T18:14:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to announce an upcoming debate I'm having on Sola Scriptura with a Protestant. His name is Gerry, from the Philippines. His blog is Solutions Finder Apologetics. Debate Resolution: Does the Bible teach Sola Scriptura? Affirming: Gerry Denying: Nick The "clock" started on August 8, 2010 (yesterday), but I've been so busy that I haven't had time to even post this! Thankfully,

Protestantism's Adulterous Affair

2010-07-27T00:17:00.000-07:00

Anyone who holds Scripture in high regard will recognize that divorce is something God despises (Mal 2:16; Mark 10:2-12) since it is a tearing apart of a sacred bond and a repudiation of one's covenant vows. Divorce is a (grave) sin, and only the most liberal Protestants out there would deny that (since they repudiate Christian morality in general). This post is aimed at the "conservative"

Why I am not Eastern Orthodox

2010-07-21T09:43:00.000-07:00

When it comes to examining Christianity, and especially which path to follow upon careful study and prayer, the three "top choices" are: Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Protestantism. Protestantism is the least likely candidate, and is to be rejected on various grounds (e.g. no historical continuity before Luther). This leaves Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy. The following ten reasons (not

Faith Alone Obliterated

2010-07-15T04:07:00.000-07:00

The intention of this post is to be a simple, yet very direct refutation of Justification by Faith alone, especially as it pertains to the example of Abraham. Between Protestants and Catholics there is a divide on what grounds God blessed Abraham. I believe Genesis 26:4f does a fine job of answering this question, when God speaks to Isaac, Abraham's son: I will make your descendants as numerous

"Atonement" according to Scripture - More Problems with Penal Substitution

2010-07-07T00:20:00.000-07:00

Though the term "atonement" is frequently tossed around, especially when discussing Christ's Sacrifice, many Protestants don't realize how the Old Testament usage and understanding of this term actually goes directly against their own claims of what "atonement" means. The erroneous Protestant understanding of the Atonement, popularly called Penal Substitution, entails the notion of a guilty party

Greek Expert Daniel Wallace on Romans 5:12ff

2010-06-23T16:49:00.000-07:00

I recently came across some very interesting information from an extremely significant source: world-renowned Greek expert Daniel Wallace says Romans 5:12ff is not speaking of "justification," but rather "sanctification." The following is from a series he has done on the books of the New Testament, here are his comments in his Essay on Romans (italics in original, bold highlighting by me): Having

JWs are correct about John 1:1, Jesus is not God!

2010-06-09T17:38:00.000-07:00

Jehovah's Witnesses are famous for their claim that Jesus in not God, and that John 1:1 confirms this. What most Christians don't realize is that the JWs are actually correct on this point, John 1:1 does not teach Jesus is God. Before people get worried, I assure you that there is a "happy ending" to all this (though not as you might be expecting). The following are quotes from some of the JW's

Protestants going beyond what is written.

2010-05-20T13:09:00.000-07:00

A popular (but by no means universal) proof-text Protestants use for alleged support of Sola Scriptura (SS) is 1 Corinthians 4:6 (ESV), "I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another." The phrase "do not go beyond what is written" is

Is Job the "Suffering Servant" of Isaiah 53? - More Problems with Penal Substitution

2010-05-10T19:35:00.000-07:00

Though Isaiah 53 is one of the primary OT proof-texts for the Protestant understanding of the Atonement, popularly termed "Penal Substitution," in this post I will briefly look at various verses in the chapter and show why projecting that erroneous doctrine onto this prophecy doesn't work. As I go through Isaiah 53, I will highlight various words that appear elsewhere in the OT: (53:4a) Surely

Eternally Forgiven? - More problems with Penal Substitution

2010-05-07T16:08:00.000-07:00

There is a long standing debate within Protestantism (most especially Calvinism) on when the benefits of Christ's Life and Death are applied to the Elect. This is especially significant in light of the Protestant doctrine of Penal Substitution, which states Christ received the very punishment the elect deserved for their sins. The result of the Atonement, for Protestants, was actual (as opposed

Sola Scriptura is Unscriptural

2010-04-21T20:59:00.000-07:00

I believe that 2 Timothy 3:16f is the most important passage for Protestantism, because this passage is indispensable for their foundational doctrine, Sola Scriptura. Few other major doctrines rely so heavily on such meager evidence as this, and if this verse is the 'strongest' proof they have to offer, then to remove this 'option' from their apologetics toolbag would - without exaggeration -

Rebuttal of James White's Analysis of My "Silver Bullet" article.

2010-04-14T03:05:00.000-07:00

It has come to my attention that James White has commented upon my Sola Fide article (which I described as a 'silver bullet' and would play an instrumental role in his conversion). The following are my comments to his radio show analysis of my arguments. In my response I will make approximate references to the minutes and seconds in which White addresses the various issues. Throughout the

The Death Knell of Protestantism: Romans 4:3-5

2010-04-08T06:14:00.000-07:00

Update 4-14-2010: see part 2 here. Most readers with even a passing interest in apologetics are familiar with St Paul's words from Romans 4:3-5, For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness." Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the

Should You Believe in the Trinity?

2010-03-23T02:59:00.000-07:00

One of the most popular and important publications of the Jehovah's Witnesses is a booklet titled "Should You Believe in the Trinity?" It is written in such a way as to make the doctrine of the Trinity appear to be illogical, unhistorical, and un-Biblical. Just flipping through it, it might seem pretty convincing, but a careful reader will immediately note some significant problems in the forms

Judica me, Domine

2010-03-23T01:30:00.000-07:00

I don't usually make posts commenting directly upon the blog posts of others, but here is one instance which I believe is most necessary. On March 16, 2010, Reformed apologist James White had this to say on his blog: To all concerned about sola scriptura, patristics, Roman Catholicism, and related subjects. TurretinFan has posted a must-read article here. After examining the above linked

St Augustine was Catholic, not Protestant

2010-02-06T23:56:00.000-08:00

This post was inspired by a series of quotes I came across on a fellow Catholic's blog, The Supplement. Protestants appeal to St Augustine more than to any other Early Church Father (by far). This is because, since the time of Luther, Protestants believe St Augustine was more or less "Protestant," and thus a strong (historical) ally against the Catholic Church. The fact is, nothing could be

Sola Scriptura is Self-Refuting

2010-02-06T23:11:00.000-08:00

There has been a string of posts on some popular Catholic and Protestant apologetics blogs regarding the topic of Sola Scriptura, specifically whether or not it is "self-refuting." While that charge did not originate with me (it has been a Catholic objection to the doctrine for a long time), I have found myself having to not only point it out but explain it as well - to both Catholics and

Seventh Day Adventism & Colossians 2:16f

2010-01-18T17:47:00.000-08:00

Seventh Day Adventists are a denomination of Protestantism that are best know for their stand that the Sabbath Day (7th Day of the week) is God's true day of worship, and that "Christendom" as a whole has corrupted this, making Sunday the day that Christians should set aside to worship on. The subject of this post is whether their position aligns with Scripture, in which Catholics and most

Protestantism Refuted - An Outline

2009-12-22T18:31:00.000-08:00

Protestantism Refuted - An Outline.The following is a post I made on another blog, it is in response to a Protestant objecting that the Catholic view on justification is unbiblical. Each paragraph is to be read more along the lines of a bullet point (hence the use of "outline" in the title), rather than one long paper in the form of an introduction, body, and conclusion.The KEY to understanding

Basic JW apologetics.

2009-11-12T18:23:00.000-08:00

Jehovah's Witnesses (JWs) are a non-Christian break-off of mainstream Protestantism. The goal of this post is not to encourage you to indiscriminately confront JWs *, but rather know enough information that you are convinced they are a false and dangerous group. While most people know that the JWs are famous for their denial of Christ's Divinity (thus the JWs reject the doctrine of the Trinity)

2 Timothy 3:14-17 and Sola Scriptura

2009-10-19T15:34:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since I posted anything new, that needs to change! I'm not the type that is able to post something new every day, or week, (or even month,) but I really shouldn't go this long without posting. I did have a few articles in the works, but they kept getting put on the shelf until later. Sadly, I'm not posting one of those articles now, but (God Willing) I should soon. Anyway,

Calvinists who DENY the imputation of Christ's Obedience.

2009-05-14T23:25:00.000-07:00

While this title probably wont shock many (confessional) Calvinists today - because they know there are so called "Calvinists" who do reject the imputation of Christ's Righteousness - I would bet most reading this have never heard of the group I'm thinking of. Of all the "Calvinist" groups you might be thinking of when reading this, I'm not going to be talking about the "liberals," "N.T. Wright

Penal Substitution - Post Debate Comments

2009-04-29T09:36:00.000-07:00

This post is where people are free to ask any questions or make any comments about the Penal Substitution debate between Turretin Fan and myself. I'll try to answer all questions (so long as they are within reasonable parameters).

Penal Substitution Debate – Affrimative Concluding Essay

2009-04-28T11:03:00.000-07:00

Affirmative Concluding Essay Affirmative Concluding Essay Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.Christ died for us, the elect, in our place. He is our substitute as this debate has established. And Tertullian understood it the same way:If He kills me, how will it be His duty to preserve me? Once for all Christ died for us,

Was Jesus damned in your place?

2009-04-18T15:46:00.000-07:00

I would hope that anyone reading the title of this post would consider the suggested question nothing short of blasphemy. For those who don't know, there are Christians who do give an affirmative answer to this question. While you might be thinking this is some fringe group, you will probably be shocked to find the groups who affirm this are Protestants of the Lutheran and Reformed (Calvinist)

Penal Substitution Debate – Negative Concluding Essay

2009-04-11T19:17:00.000-07:00

Penal Substitution Debate – Negative Concluding Essay This final essay will first examine the responses my opponent gave to my cross-examination questions, while the remainder of the essay will be a summary of my thoughts of the entire debate. 1a) My first question sought to find out what Scriptural evidence could be offered

Penal Substitution Debate – Answers to Questions from Negative

2009-03-30T22:10:00.000-07:00

Penal Substitution Debate – Answers to Questions from Negative Affirmative Answer to Question 1 Nick’s first question was a puzzling question. Rather than cross-examining me on positions I had advocated, he asked me to defend the teachings of Hodge, Boettner, MacArthur, Calvin, Luther, Luther again, and Grudem, not all of which are particularly systematic (while those who are have extensive

Penal Substitution Debate – 5 Questions from Negative

2009-03-14T15:48:00.000-07:00

Penal Substitution Debate – 5 Questions from Negative QUESTION 1 FROM NEGATIVE What Scripture teaches about Christ's sufferings directly impacts the validity of Penal Substitution, because if Christ didn't receive the proper type and degree of punishment which the elect deserved then the doctrine is unworkable and thus false

Penal Substitution Debate – Answers to 5 Questions from Affirmative

2009-03-14T14:59:00.000-07:00

Penal Substitution Debate – Answers to Questions from Affirmative Response from Negative to Question 1 The First Question begins by asking why I don't accept the various

Penal Substitution Debate – 5 Affirmative Questions to the Negative

2009-03-03T15:37:00.001-08:00

Penal Substitution Debate – 5 Affirmative Questions to the Negative Question 1 from Affirmative In your opening statement, you described the penal substitution position as: “God's Wrath (due to sin) must be legally satisfied (i.e. sin cannot go unpunished) in order for sinful man to be forgiven and justified.”Then, in your rebuttal, you repeatedly denied that various things were expressions of

Calvinist Joey Henry and Ephesians 2:8

2009-02-16T17:09:00.000-08:00

There is a Calvinist named Joey Henry Ocang whom I was having a nice discussion with on his blog regarding his post dealing with Ephesians 2:8. However, he appears to have blocked my account from responding on his blog. Why? I'm not sure. I never spoke ill of him nor used offensive language, so as far as I'm concerned that is not the way for Christians to deal with others who are seeking dialogue

Negative Rebuttal - Penal Substitution Debate

2009-02-12T01:24:00.000-08:00

Penal Substitution Debate – Negative Rebuttal Essay By Nick 1) I will first deal with the Affirmative Constructive Essay. It seems to me that in that essay my opponent (this term I use in the context of a formal debate, not in the pejorative sense) was more focused on proving the Biblical truth that atonement was necessary, rather than the specific doctrine of Penal Substitution. Because of

Penal Substitution Debate - Affirmative Rebuttal Essay

2009-02-02T09:24:00.000-08:00

Penal Substitution Debate - Affirmative Rebuttal EssayBy Turretin FanMatthew 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.Jerome (circa A.D. 347-420) writing about Matthew 20:28 stated: “He does not say that he gave his life for all, but for many, that is, for all those who would believe.” Because he has given his life as a

Penal Substitution Debate - Affirmative Constructive Essay

2009-01-18T17:38:00.000-08:00

Penal Substitution Debate - Affirmative Constructive EssayBy Turretin FanIsaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.Resolved: God imputed the guilt of the sins of the elect to Christ.This is a debate over substitutionary

Penal Substitution Debate - Negative Constructive Essay

2009-01-14T23:42:00.000-08:00

Penal Substitution Debate Negative Constructive Essay By Nick Penal Substitution is grounded on the Protestant notion that justification is a legal event. As such, God must deal with sin in a legal manner, which (to Protestants) means sin cannot go unpunished without violating the very integrity of God's Holiness and Justice. God's Wrath (due to sin) must be legally satisfied (i.e. sin cannot

Penal Substitution (Atonement) Debate!

2009-01-01T14:07:00.000-08:00

I am pleased to announce that a Reformed Protestant Apologist named "Turretin Fan" has agreed to debate me on a very important theological issue: The Atonement.The classical Protestant view of the Atonement is popularly termed "penal substitution" (penal meaning punishment), a teaching which I as a Catholic believe is an incorrect view of the Atonement (and thus not taught in Scripture).The