Can you explain to me what are the main differences between Catholics, Christians, and United Methodists?

Question

and what are their main beliefs?

Answer 1

There are several very important differences between Catholics and Protestants. While there have been some attempts over the last several years to find common ground between the two groups, the fact is that the differences remain, and they are just as important today as they were at the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. Following is brief summary of some of the more important differences.

One of the first major differences between Catholicism and Protestantism is the issue of the sufficiency and authority of Scripture. Protestants believe that the Bible alone is the sole source of God’s special revelation to mankind, and as such it teaches us all that is necessary for our salvation from sin. Protestants view the Bible as the standard by which all Christian behavior must be measured. This belief is commonly referred to as “Sola Scriptura” and is one of the “Five Solas” (sola being Latin for “alone”) that came out of the Protestant Reformation as summaries of some of the important differences between Catholics and Protestants.

While there are many verses in the Bible that establish it’s authority and it’s sufficiency for all matters of faith and practice, one of the clearest is 2 Timothy 3:16 where we see that “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” Catholics on the other hand reject the doctrine of “Sola Scriptura” and do not believe that the Bible alone is sufficient. They believe that both the Bible and sacred Roman Catholic tradition are equally binding upon the Christian. Many Roman Catholics doctrines, such as purgatory, praying to the saints, worship or veneration of Mary, etc. have little or no basis at all in Scripture, but are based solely on Roman Catholic traditions. Essentially the Roman Catholic Church’s denial of “Sola Scriptura” and their insistence that both the Bible and their “Sacred Tradition” are equal in authority undermines the sufficiency, authority and completeness of the Bible. The view of Scripture is at the root of many of, if not all, the differences between Catholics and Protestants.

Another major but closely related difference between Catholicism and Protestantism is over the office and authority of the Pope. According to Catholicism the Pope is the “Vicar of Christ” (a vicar is a substitute), and takes the place of Jesus as the visible head of the Church. As such he has the ability to speak “ex cathedra” (with authority on matters of faith and practice), and when he does so his teachings are considered infallible and binding upon all Christians. On the other hand, Protestants believe that no human being is infallible, and that Christ alone is the head of the church. Catholics rely on apostolic succession as a way of trying to establishing the Pope’s authority. But Protestants believe that the church’s authority does not come from apostolic succession, but instead is derived from the Word of God. Spiritual power and authority does not rest in the hands of a mere man, but in the very Word of God recorded in Scripture. While Catholicism teaches that only the Catholic Church can properly and correctly interpret the Bible, Protestants believe that the Bible teaches that God sent the Holy Spirit to indwell all born again believers, enabling all believers to understand the message of the Bible.

This is clearly seen in passages such as John 14:16-17: “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.” (See also John 14:26 and 1 John 2:27). While Catholicism teaches that only the Roman Catholic Church has the authority and power to interpret the Bible, Protestantism acknowledges the biblical doctrine of the priesthood of all believers, and that individual Christians can trust the Holy Spirit for guidance in reading and interpreting the Bible for themselves.

A third major difference between Catholicism and Protestantism is how one is saved. Another of the “Five Solas” of the reformation was “Sola Fide” (faith alone), which affirms the biblical doctrine of justification by grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-10). However, according to Roman Catholicism, man cannot be saved by faith alone in Christ alone. They teach that the Christian must rely on faith plus “meritorious works” in order to be saved. Essential to the Roman Catholic doctrine of salvation are the Seven Sacraments, which are: baptism, confirmation, the Eucharist, Penance, anointing of the sick, Holy Orders, and matrimony. Protestants believe that on the basis of faith in Christ alone, believers are justified by God as all their sins are paid for by Christ on the cross and His righteousness is imputed to them. Catholics on the other hand believe that Christ’s righteousness is imparted to the believer by “grace through faith,” but in itself is not sufficient to justify the believer. The believer must “supplement” the righteousness of Christ imparted to him with meritorious works.

Catholics and Protestants also disagree on what it means to be justified before God. To the Catholic, justification involves being made righteous and holy. They believe that faith in Christ is only the beginning of salvation, and that the individual must build upon that with good works because “man has to merit God’s grace of justification and eternal salvation.” Of course this view of justification contradicts the clear teaching of Scripture in passages such as Romans 4:1-12; Titus 3:3-7, as well as many others. On the other hand, Protestants distinguish between the one time act of justification (when we are declared righteous and holy by God based on our faith in Christ’s atonement on the cross), and sanctification (the ongoing process of being made righteous that continues throughout our lives on earth.) While Protestants recognize that works are important, they believe they are the result or fruit of salvation, but never the means to it. Catholics blend justification and sanctification together into one ongoing process, which leads to confusion about how one is saved.

A fourth major difference between Catholics and Protestants has to do with what happens after men die. While both believe that unbelievers will spend eternity in hell, there is significant and important differences as to what happens to believers. From their church traditions and their reliance of non-canonical books, the Catholics have developed the doctrine of purgatory. Purgatory, according to the Catholic Encyclopedia, is a “place or condition of temporal punishment for those who, departing this life in God’s grace are, not entirely free from venial faults, or have not fully paid the satisfaction due to their transgressions.” On the other hand, Protestants believe that because we are justified by faith in Christ alone, and that Christ’s righteousness is imputed to us – when we die we will go straight to heaven to be in the presence of the Lord (Corinthians 5:6-10 and Philippians 1:23).

Yet even more disturbing about the Catholic doctrine of purgatory is the fact that they believe that man must or even can pay or make satisfaction for his own sins. This along with their misunderstanding of what the Bible teaches about how man is justified before God, results in a low view of the sufficiency and efficiency of Christ’s atonement on the cross. Simply put, the Roman Catholic viewpoint on salvation implies that Christ’s atonement on the cross was not sufficient payment for the sins of those who believe in Him, and that even a believer must atone or pay for his own sins, either through acts of penance, or time in purgatory. Yet the Bible teaches over and over again that it is Christ’s death alone that can satisfy or propitiate God’s wrath against sinners (Romans 3:25; Hebrews 2:17; 1 John 2:2; 1 John 4:10). Our works of righteousness cannot add to what Christ has already accomplished.

While there are numerous other differences between what Catholics and Protestants believe, these four should be adequate to establish that there are serious differences between the two. In much the same way as the Judiziers (Jews who said that Gentile Christians had to obey the Old Testament law to be saved) that Paul wrote about in Galatians, Catholics, by making works necessary for one to be justified by God, end up with a completely different gospel. The differences between Catholicism and evangelical Protestants are important and significant.

Answer 2

Please note that this answer is very brief so its not very complete.

To the Bible believing Christian, our beliefs are based on the Bible. We believe that Jesus died for our sins and by putting our faith and trust directly in Jesus, Jesus will forgive our sins and we will get to live forever in heaven.

The 2nd link below shows you how Bible believing Christians believe we can be saved. Everything on that link comes from the Bible.

Roman Catholics teach they since they wrote the Bible, (that's a lie by the way) they don't have to follow the Bible so they follow their traditions and the Pope.

Most of the Roman Catholic traditions contradict the Bible.

Roman Catholics teach that they are the only true church and that they are the only ones who know the truth. They teach that you get saved by received Sacraments from them.

A Sacrement is a church ceremony which they, they church controls. You get grace through these Sacrements and if you have faith in the church which gives you the Sacrements, at best you will hope to end up in purgatory.

Purgatory is a place non Catholics claims is NOT talked about in the Bible. Catholics teach its a place where your sins will be purged away making you fit for heaven.

Christians believe Jesus died to take away our sins, period.

United Methodists started out 200 years ago as an Evangelical Bible believing group, but in the past 70 years they have fallen further and further away from the Bible, so that today a United Methodist can believe whatever he wants as long as its not the Bible.

Pastor Art

PS: The Bible was written by God using 40 Ghost writers and all of those Ghost writers, except one, were Jewish, not Roman Catholic.

Answer 3

There is no difference between Catholics and Christians since Catholics ARE Christians, in fact the first Christian Church and the only one founded by Jesus Christ. What you mean of course is Catholics and Protestants. However, if you word the question that way, there is no difference between Protestants and Methodists because Methodists ARE Protestants. But there are many differences between various Protestant denominations, in some cases greater differences than between some Protestant denominations and Catholics.

Answer 4

A Christian is anyone who believes that Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God and the Messiah.

All Catholics are Christian, but not all Christians are Catholic.

Christians that are not Catholic are Protestants.

All United Methodists are Protestants, but not all Protestants are United Methodists.

Answer 5

The religion is called Christianity, and its followers are called Christians.

Roman Catholics and United Methodists are sub-groups, called denominations, of Christianity. The United Methodist Church is a subgroup of a larger subsection of Christianity known as the Protestants.

As Christians, they have more in common than they have as differences. They believe in the elements of the Nicene Creed.

Differences are largely ones of government. Roman Catholics believe the Pope is the head of the church and that his word on matters of faith is final and infallible. Protestants reject the primacy of the Pope, and generally follow a more democratic form of government. The United Methodists still have bishops, but they are elected at Jurisdictional Conferences once every 4 years.

Theologically, Roman Catholics also revere Mary, believe in transubstantiation at the Eucharist, and have 7 sacraments (baptism, confirmation, marriage, ordination, confession, the Eucharist, and final unction [last rites]).

Methodists are more scripturally based, reject transubstantiation theology, and have only 2 sacraments (baptism and the Eucharist).

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Answer 6

A true Christian is someone who has been born again by the spirit of God.You must repent of your sins and accept Jesus as lord and Savior.Denomination is man made. Being baptized,says ritualistic prayers, and all of that other junk is not going to get you to heaven.Jesus told Nicodemus,you must be born again.

Answer 7

just different denominations. We all profess Christ as savior and Lord. Doesn't matter what practices we choose.