It's official...
I hereby publicly repent to God and renounce any defense I have ever made in the past for Roman Catholic or Eastern Orthodox doctrine which is not derived specifically from scripture. I am not ready to call them a cult yet because I recognize that these are historic Christian churches, but I feel as the reformers did that they have erred from the truth and strayed from the faith that was once delievered unto the saints.
Although I have never believed in the doctrines of purgatory, prayers for the dead, praying to saints, the immaculate conception, the assumption of Mary, salvation via sacraments, etc... I did at one time defend the doctrines against those who opposed them. Mainly I did this for the sake of argument, because I really do enjoy arguing (even positions I don't hold), but also as a defense of people I considered brethren. I apologize to any well-intentioned and well-informed "Protestant" that I may have alienated in the past due to these arguments. I will no longer support those who believe these doctrines in believing them. I will demand proof of them via verifiable early Church history (which means that if you want to claim them as 2000 year old Christian teachings you better show them in scripture and from the earliest post-apostolic fathers like Polycarp, Ignatius, Clement of Rome, etc...).
I also reject the title "Protestant" as it is a pejorative used to denigrate Godly men and women who reject the false doctrines of Rome in favor of Biblical Christianity. And I'd also note that the Reformation happened, the "protest" is over. Concerning the title "Catholic" I reclaim it for myself and all other believers in the Biblical Jesus and the Biblical Gospel. The word has been hi-jacked and through anachronism has become synonymous with "Roman Catholic" or "Eastern Orthodox."
A line has been drawn and it was drawn by God... He said, "come out from among them and be separated" (2Cor. 6:17) as well as "come out from among her my people" (Rev. 18:4). Now I am not saying that the RCC is the harlot from Revelation or Babylon the great, but I will say that as far as churches go, the RCC is in the running to become this apostate church that the Bible speaks of in the last days. I do not have any ill feelings for RC and EO men and women, But I do demand that they support their beliefs sufficiently before claiming them to be "2000 year old Christian beliefs."
Soli Deo Gloria
