Are Protestant beliefs and practices Biblical?

Question

I am a Catholic, and this is meant to preach about certain unBiblical Protestant beliefs.

1) Mary had children other than Christ.
Nowhere in the Bible is anyone (besides Jesus) called a "son/child of Mary". Jesus is always referred to as "THE Son of Mary" rather than "A Son". In Luke 1:31,34 the angel tells Mary that she will conceive and she says, "How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?" Nothing stops a virgin from conceiving, unless they want to keep their virginity. Mary must have wanted to keep her virginity.
2) Eternal salvation.
Many Protestants believe that our salvation can never be lost once we have accepted Christ. But 2 Peter 2:20-21 and Hebrews 10:26-27 both say that we will go to Hell if we willingly sin after being saved.
3) Sola-Scriptura.
Protestants believe that we must go by the Bible-alone. But the only people in the Bible who went by sola-Scriptura were the pharisees of John 5:39-40, of whom Jesus said, "you refuse to come to me".
Protestants do not have the Truth.

Luke 1:31,34
And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son...Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
Hebrews 10:26-27
For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which will devour the adversaries.
2 Peter 2:20-21
For if, after they have escaped the defilement of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in it and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.
John 5:39-40
You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.
Only Catholicism has all the Truth.

Viewers' comments:
"I like that, one more argument among the christians. One more I would like to add...are catholics, christians?" (Mamakumar)
Answer: Yes, because we believe in the Triune God and in Jesus as Savior. I also think it is good to have disagreements and debates between denominations. It proves that we all seek the Truth. That is just my opinion, though.
"While I think that some denominations have possibly skewed the truth I think you make a blatantly foul accusation and assumption that all who are not Catholic lack truth." (Molly)
It should read they lack the full Truth. I ran out of characters. But the ending statement, that only in Catholicism is found the full Truth, that is true.

More comments:
"How many times do the apostles warn about quarreling with their brothers? By adding fuel to this fire (Catholic vs. the Rest) you do nothing but bring discord and shame." (Molly)

Since the earliest times, there have been sharp disagreements and divisions (Acts 15:39-40). These were not intended by God, but they ar necessary to the walk of Faith. I am only trying to bring us back into harmony.

"If Mary had other children AFTER Jesus, it doesn't matter. It's immaterial and frankly hardly a discussion point except to say that she was a human, a woman and a mother." (Molly)
The belief is a part of RCC doctrine, so if it is wrong it means WE are wrong.

"Eternal salvation isn't bought or earned. It has and is given by the grace of God. There are such things as strong and weak Christians (as Paul said) but instead of discarding the weak, help them."
There is no such thing as eternal salvation, until death.
Scripture isn't the whole Word of God It is also oral (1Thess 2:13).

To Jeanmarie
Mt 13:55f talks of Jesus' brothers. There names were "James, Joseph..." Jewish tradition had firstborns named for their fathers/grandfathers (Lk 1:59-61). Jesus' paternal family were "Jacob (or James) and Joseph" (Mt 1:16). So Jesus' "brothers" were born before Him, meaning not from Mary but from a wife before her.
3- Mt 23:9 was speaking of placing men in the place of the Father. See Acts 7:2 to see that it is not a sin to call men your father.
4-Matthew 27:52 says that saints are holy.
5-All mediation, such as that in Gal. 3:19-20 and Job 33:23, is done through Christ. All saints mediate (1 Tim. 2:1), but the mediation is Christ working through them. Mary mediated in John 2:1-11.
6-Purgatory is in the Bible, and Jesus died for all sins. You merely misunderstand Purgatory.
7-God is Mary's Savior because He saved her from sinning. She never sinned because He saved her from that temptation.
2 Thess 2:15. Do you hold Traditions as equal to the Bible? Guees not. You should.

One more addition to Jeanmarie.
"In Rev. is says to beware of the Church that sits on 7 hills. Guess what?"
Actually, it does not say that. It says beware of the WOMAN who sits on seven hills (Rev. 17:9). But there is no need to wonder at it: It even tells us exactly what her name is in Rev. 17:5. It is "Babylon", or "Rome".
Rome was the whore of Babylon, not a Church!
And please don't appeal to "Oh, the Catholic Church is the ROMAN Catholic Church" because that isn't true. The Catholic Church is the Byzantine, Coptic, Eastern, Orthodox, et. al Catholic Church. Romanism is just one rite.
Besides, the Roman Catholic Church originates from the Vatican, not from Rome. Rome and the Vatican are two different countries.

Answer 1

The truth hurts those who refuse to relinquish their pride. I think you did a good thing by opening up to comments and by defending the Catholic faith. Dialog with non-Catholic Christians is healthy and should be encouraged. We should welcome their criticisms and attacks because it means they are passionate and not lukewarm.

The only thing we can do is make the truth available by the grace of God. If Protestants truly desire the truth then God will guide them. Christ taught one doctrine and has only one bride in the Kingdom of Heaven, His True Church. Christ does not have thousands of brides represented by schismatic communities.

Experience has taught me that most people will ignore the truth if it conflicts with their comfort level. We Catholics can not change them, we can only speak the truth and have faith that God will guide them. However, if an individual refuses the truth due to free will that is their choice.

Peace be with you.

Answer 2

While I think that some denominations have possibly skewed the truth I think you make a blatantly foul accusation and assumption that all who are not Catholic lack truth.

How many times do the apostles warn about quarreling with their brothers? By adding fuel to this fire (Catholic vs. the Rest) you do nothing but bring discord and shame.

Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life. This is the most important thing that Christians should first and foremost associate themselves with.

If Mary had other children AFTER Jesus, it doesn't matter. It's immaterial and frankly hardly a discussion point except to say that she was a human, a woman and a mother.

Eternal salvation isn't bought or earned. It has and is given by the grace of God. There are such things as strong and weak Christians (as Paul said) but instead of discarding the weak, help them.

Bible alone as compared to what? We search over the Scriptures as they are the Word of God, the Truth (aka Jesus). What better source to educate us? A man is just a man by his own right, but a Man with the Word is a teacher of the Word of God.

ETA - For Raven. I don't agree with you or anyone that states that the Catholic Church is the only truth. As soon as we start labeling Catholic, Lutheran, Baptist, etc. we divide up the church started into mad made categories.

Sure, Catholicism traces its roots back to day 1 but that doesn't mean that mankind, in the middle, has meddled with Christ's intent for the church. Why else would have a reformation been allowed?

Answer 3

The protestant reformers invented "Sola Scritura." That is the belief that all is needed are the scriptures. No one in the Church for over 1500 years has ever put forward such an outragious doctrine.
The Catholic Church is the original Church of Christ. The Pope's recent statement about the Catholic and Orthodox Churches as being trully 'church' is based on the fact that protestant churches do not have Apostolic Succession in their priesthood.
Please refer to the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Its a great book that explains the questions and comments you have.

Answer 4

Boy are you mixed up. Ever heard of James or Jesse. After Jesus met with his followers to pick his apostles (12) they were meeting and a man came in to say your mother and brothers await you. He asked who is my mother and my brothers and looked around the table.
The angel told Joesph what was up and to not touch this virgin until after conception and birth was complete and name the kid Jesus. Which he did. In her world it was not her decision to make( retaining virginity) and certainly would have ended the marraige.
I'm married to a catholic and that's probably not even possible in your world. She is truly born again and loves Jesus.
The hardest thing for me to get her to do is read anyone of the translations I have bought her even her own dialect.
Yet every night she sets at her shrine in our bathroom and reads the same catholic prayers over and over everynight. Before that she will read a few verses.
The pharisees did not have bibles they used scrolls. The penatuck (five books Gen-Duet) We protestants call this the Law. The Jews the Torah. Jesus is all through it but not his teachings and commands.
Protestants have the truth as well as catholics. In both versions it is necessary to see through the crap man added to his worship get to the truth which is God so loved the world he gave his only son. Add anything to that and you miss the point all together.
The cross. The wages of sin is death. All are unworthy. Only the blood of Christ can make us clean. By the way Im wondering why the catholics changed babtism from emersion in the blood (symbolic) of a mature person that has made an adult decision to sprinkeling a baby. Sounds Pagan to me and since the largest babtismal ever built is still standing in Rome.
I'd rather debate these issues El Mono the last thing I want is to fight with a brother or sister in Christ. So let me refer you to gracethrufaith.com for excellent bible studies. Other than that your attitude is unjust. Protestants do have the truth that was hidden by your church for 1600 years and now you want to deny it's necessity.
When we get to heaven we can stand there together and laugh at how silly our devotion to religious practices really were and glory in the praise of God our Father his son Jesus who died for us and the Holy Spirit that empowers us.
God Bless!

Answer 5

Jesus is called the "Son of God" and the "Son of Man". And even though He was born of the virgin Mary, He is not called "The Son of Mary"
" Then His brothers and His mother came , and standing outside they sent to Him, calling Him. And the multitude was sitting around Him; and they said to Him, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are outside seeking You." But He answered them, saying, "Who is My mother, or My brothers?" And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, "Here are My mother and My brothers!"
"For whoever does the will of God is My brother, and My sister, and My mother." Mark 3:31-35
Jesus did not exalt His earthly mother, Mary. He loved her, but did not exalt her. The Catholic church does that.

I believe you can walk away from your salvation. Jesus said He could "Blot you out of the Book of Life"
We go by the "Word" of God. God's word is the Holy Bible, and also,the "Word" is Jesus Christ. You do not understand. See John 1:1-5--"In the beginning was the Word,(Jesus) and the Word (Jesus)was with God, and the Word (Jesus) was God.
HE (Jesus) was in the beginning with God.
All things were made through Him (Jesus), and without Him(Jesus) nothing was made.
In Him (Jesus) was life, and the life was the light of men.
And the light shines in the darkness, and THE DARKNESS DID NOT COMPREHEND IT."

I believe the WHOLE WORD OF GOD, WITHOUT COMPROMISE. No adding to, or taking away from. Just the WORD OF GOD.
If you want to talk about Pharisees, then let's look at the Catholic "religion" with it's rituals and rule and regulations. The priests are the modern day Pharisees. Read Matthew 23
Jesus Christ is the "Rock on which the church (believers in the Lord Jesus Christ) was built on" NOT PETER, AND THE CATHOLIC CHURCH!!

"You have eyes but do not see, and ears but do not hear"

Answer 6

All these arguments are specious. No-one is a Christian because they believe in God, pray to God, read the bible, believe in Christ, see Christ as saviour, go to a Protestant or Roman Catholic or any other Church or organised religion, or are baptised. A Christian is a person who has the spirit of Christ within them and as a consequence can say Christ is God (Romans 8:9).

Answer 7

You raise some good issues. As a Protestant, my church has instructed us on two of the three issues your brought up. I was never taught that Mary had more than one child, however.

As I study Catholicism, I am finding more and more truth in it (as I teeter closer to the Tiber). This does not mean that I think Protestants do not have any truths (as I hope you are not inferring). Thank you for raising awareness, but your last statement is very condescending and rude. You could have left it out, as it was unnecessary to say that. I understand that you may receive a lot of bashing from Protestants, but please do not re-direct it and label all of us as anti-Catholic.

Answer 8

Diversity is a good thing, but disunity is not. If two churches disagree doctrinally, debate and dialogue over the Word may be called for. This type of “iron sharpening iron” (Proverbs 27:17) is beneficial to all. If they disagree on style and form, however, it is fine for them to remain separate. This separation, though, does not lift the responsibility Christians have to love one another (1 John 4:11-12) and ultimately be united as one in Christ (John 17:21-22).

Answer 9

This is America! we All have the right to believe as we choose! That includes Catholics and Protestants and a plethora of others! Who cares which one is right? As long as we have something to believe in, and it gets us to heaven, what is the problem?
What we don't have the right to do is put someone else's Church down, by saying,'Mine is right, and yours isn't!'
That is like saying 'My Dad is bigger than your Dad!', and just as childish, and just as rude!
What is wrong with the Christians of this country if we are being so judgmental? I thought it was ' Judge not, lest ye be judged!' We need to practice what we preach!

Answer 10

Molly, it isn't an accusation or assumption. The Catholic Church, started by Jesus Christ, is the only Church that has the fullness of truth and complete teachings of Jesus.

Other churches (or ecclesial communities) do have some truth in them. But the truth they do have came from the Catholic Church anyway.

*****

Molly, I wouldn't expect you to agree with me. You obviously don't know church history, what the early Christians believed, how the early Christians worshiped, or the origins of the Bible. But when you get ready to do the research, I'll be glad to help you however I can.