Have you ever asked why? #4
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Have you ever asked why? #5 (about the Mormon Church)
Have you ever asked why? #4 (about the Protestant)
Have you ever asked why? #3 (about the Catholic Church)
Have you ever asked why? #2 (about the Catholic Church)
Have you ever asked why? #1 (about the Catholic Church)
Once Saved, Always Saved?
What the Bible teaches about death
Biography of Bro. Felix Manalo
Why Mary should not be worshipped
Mankind's last hope for salvation
Verses that prove that Christ is NOT God

A pamphlet published  in the "God's Message" Magazine. Fourth in a series.

July 2002

HAVE YOU EVER ASKED WHY?

...Protestants claim that man can be saved by faith alone?

Protestantism teaches that all a person needs in order to be saved is to have faith in Christ; he does not have to do good works:

"Protestantism rests firmly upon the belief that God deals directly with man as a person, so that salvation is gained by faith alone." (Leslie J. Dunstan, ed. Protestantism, p. ix, emphasis ours)

"Protestant principals

"1. Justification by faith in Christ. Man can be saved only by faith in Christ, not by good works. Good works are the outgrowth of faith in Christ." (Marvin L. Galbreath. 20 Centuries of Christianity. p. 32, emphasis ours)

But the Bible teaches that man cannot be justified and be saved by faith alone. Faith in Christ should go hand in hand with good works or obedience to Gods will for a person to be justified and inherit the kingdom of heaven.

"What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith, but does not have works? Can faith save him?.. Thus also faith, by itself, if it does not have works, is dead, .. You see then how that a man is justified, and not by faith only." (Js. 2:14, 17, 24, New King James Version, emphasis ours)

"Not everyone that says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that does the will of my Father in heaven." (Mt. 7:21, Ibid., emphasis ours)

...every Protestant believes that he can understand the Bible by himself?

The Protestant principal of the right of private judgement states that every Protestant believer has the right to interpret the Bible for himself since he has the Holy Spirit to guide him:

"Protesant Principals

"4. The right of private judgement. Every Christian has the right to interpret the Bible for himself through the guidance of the Holy Spirit" (Marvin L. Galbreath. 20 Centuries of Christianity. p. 32, emphasis ours)

But the apostles teach that the Bible is not a matter of ones own interpretation. According to them, one receives the Holy Spirit when he listens to and believes in the gospel or Gods word preached by the one He sent to preach, and not simply when he studies the Bible by himself:

"First of all you must understand this, that no prophesy of scripture is a matter of ones own interpretation." (IIPt. 1:20, Revised Standard Version, emphasis ours)

"In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise." (Eph. 1:13, NKJV, emphasis ours)

And how shall they preach unless they are sent?So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God." (Rom. 10:15, 17, Ibid.., emphasis ours)

...Protestants hold that the Church of Christ is made up of people who believe in Christ but are scattered in different denominations?

In claiming that man can find salvation in any of the Protestant churches or denominations that allegedly make up Christs Church, Protestant lecturer Loraine Boetter in a way contends that that the body or the Church of Christ is divided into these separate groups whose names, beliefs and practices differ from one another

"The great Proportion of Protestant denominations do not claim to be the only true church, but readily and gladly acknowledge that salvation is to be found in any church where the gospel is preachedWhether called Baptists, Methodist, Lutherans, Presbyterians, or what not, they all belong to one body, the church of Christ, " (Loraine Boettner. Roman Catholicism, pp. 37-38, emphasis ours)

But according to the Bible, the true Church of Christ is not divided into independent churches or denominations with different names and beliefs. Rather, it is a single body or organization having one faith, one spirit and one baptism:

"so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other." (I Cor. 12:25, New International Version, emphasis ours)

"Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually." (I Cor. 12:25, NKJV, emphasis ours)

"There is one body and one Spirit-- just as you were called in one hope of your calling-- one Lord, one faith, one baptism." (Eph. 4:4-5, Ibid., emphasis ours)

For I testify unto every man that hears the words of the prophecy of this book, If anyone shall add unto these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book: And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part out of the Book of Life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

(Revelation 22:18-19, NKJV)

Does your religion really teach the truth?

Its not too late for you to find out what our Lord God really wants you to do. Make sure that your faith will not be worthless. Learn the true words of God in the Bible as upheld by the Church of Christ.

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Editorial office: Iglesia ni Cristo Central Office

No. 1 Central Ave., New Era

Quezon City 1107 Philippines