Still Protesting
Spring 2022
Dr. D. G. Hart has written an excellent book concerning the importance of the Protestant Reformation and its continuing impact upon the church. His book Still Protesting: Why the Reformation Matters was motivated by a deep concern for souls influenced by some of the “young, restless, and reformed” that have apostatized into Roman Catholicism.
Briefly surveying the history of the Reformation, he focuses on the central question answered by the reformers, “How can a sinner be right with God?” Martin Luther discovered that justification by faith in Christ alone is the soul-saving issue for time and eternity. By relying on the atoning sacrifice of Christ and resting on His shed blood alone, the believing sinner is justified or declared “not guilty” at the judgment bar of God. Praise God for that wonderful era of church history which brought sin-laden Europe out of the Dark Ages and into the light of God’s Holy Word!
In recent years the Reformation with its blessing of spiritual emancipation has been largely forgotten. A spirit of strong delusion has come over the world. The evidence of this delusion is seen in the conversion to Rome by many young families and Reformed ministers. The most well-known among them is Dr. Scott Hahn. His first book, Rome Sweet Home, chronicles his family’s journey into apostasy. Roman Catholic leaders are delighted with the Hahn family and their book. Both are effective tools for leading protestants into “the synagogue of Satan.” While he was a seminary student, he simply asked, “Does the Bible teach anywhere that we must believe only what Scripture says?” It seems that none of his Reformed teachers could quote to him Isaiah 8:20. So Hahn readily accepted the dogmas of the Council of Trent.
In Still Protesting, Dr. Hart surveys the three main reasons given by those leaving Reformed denominations to convert to Romanism. First, Rome is the oldest expression of Christianity, they say, because it is the church that Jesus built. Now any Sunday School child knows that Jesus never went to Rome. He ministered in Galilee, Samaria, and Judea. They say that Jesus built His church on Peter the first pope. However, in Matthew 16:18, Jesus literally pronounced Peter a “pebble or stone,” while referring to Himself saying, “Upon this Rock (massive boulder) I will build My church.” Neither was Peter infallible, for five verses later Christ rebuked Peter calling him “Satan.” Neither was Peter celibate since he had a mother-in-law (Matthew 8:14).
Next, Catholicism is not divided like Protestantism. However, in 325 AD, the Council of Nicaea failed to bring together the empire-wide catholic church which was divided into Orthodox Christians or the followers of the heretical Bishop Arius. Again in 1054, the Latin-speaking Western Roman Church separated from the Greek-speaking Eastern Orthodox Church. Finally, beginning in 1309, a century-long split within Catholicism existed in two stages: the Babylonian Captivity with two opposing popes and the Great Western Schism with three rival popes. Those popes were slinging “Anathemas” or eternal damnations against each other and against any person that supported a rival pope.
Finally, they say, “Roman Catholicism has lovelier buildings in which to worship while protestant worship buildings are plain and uninspiring.” Teens, twenties and thirty-somethings have been particularly vulnerable when traveling to Europe or to large cities in the Americas that boast impressive Roman Catholic cathedrals. Their senses are awed by the splendid architecture, the lovely stained glass and the acoustics. They are overwhelmed with a desire to worship regularly in such inspiring places. While feelings are involved in true worship, they are not primary. Spiritual worship occurs when the Spirit of God uses Scripture to move the heart submissively to Almighty God. Roman Catholic places for worship are normally filled with graven images which are forbidden by God’s second commandment.
May the Lord enable Christians, young and old, to carefully examine the Scriptures, to study church history, to listen to godly counsel, and to obey God’s command that historically and prophetically applies to Roman Catholicism, “Come out of her My people” (Revelation 18:4).
Still Protesting is available from Reformation Heritage Books for $14
Rev. Myron Mooney | Minister of Trinity FPC, Trinity AL