Why do Protestants condemn Catholics for doing good works?

Question

I have asked several previous questions about works and all but one of the Protestants agreed with Catholic doctrine on works and salvation. So, is it hypocritical that Protestants condemn Catholics when their beliefs are identical?

John S- Where is this so called doctrine that you believe Catholics have. There is none.

Answer 1

Paul tells us: "For [God] will reward every man according to his works: to those who by perseverance in working good seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. There will be . . . glory and honor and peace for every one who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality" (Rom. 2:6–11; cf. Gal. 6:6–10). In the second century, the technical Latin term for "merit" was introduced as a synonym for the Greek word for "reward." Thus merit and reward are two sides of the same coin.

Protestants often misunderstand the Catholic teaching on merit, thinking that Catholics believe that one must do good works to come to God and be saved. This is exactly the opposite of what the Church teaches. The Council of Trent stressed: "[N]one of those things which precede justification, whether faith or works, merit the grace of justification; for if it is by grace, it is not now by works; otherwise, as the Apostle [Paul] says, grace is no more grace" (Decree on Justification 8, citing Rom. 11:6).

The Catholic Church teaches only Christ is capable of meriting in the strict sense—mere man cannot (Catechism of the Catholic Church 2007). The most merit humans can have is condign—when, under the impetus of God’s grace, they perform acts which please him and which he has promised to reward (Rom. 2:6–11, Gal. 6:6–10). Thus God’s grace and his promise form the foundation for all human merit (CCC 2008).

Virtually all of this is agreed to by Protestants, who recognize that, under the impetus of God’s grace, Christians do perform acts which are pleasing to God and which God has promised to reward, meaning that they fit the definition of merit. When faced with this, Protestants are forced to admit the truth of the Catholic position—although, contrary to Paul’s command (2 Tim. 2:14), they may still dispute the terminology.

Thus the Lutheran Book of Concord admits: "We are not putting forward an empty quibble about the term ‘reward.’ . . . We grant that eternal life is a reward because it is something that is owed—not because of our merits [in the strict sense] but because of the promise [of God]. We have shown above that justification is strictly a gift of God; it is a thing promised. To this gift the promise of eternal life has been added" (p. 162).

http://www.catholic.com/library/Reward_and_Merit.asp

Answer 2

I think the problem is that the fundamentalists are a very, very loud minority.

Most Protestants don't exactly agree with the Catholic doctrine, but they don't think Catholics will be damned to hell for it. They respect the difference because it really leads to the same result - Catholics believe that in order to obtain salvation, you must both believe and put your faith in action(aka works), while Protestants believe that faith is all you need to obtain salvation, but that true faith will result in those works.

Also, fundamentalists are very, very big on the Bible, and also very, very big on their particular beliefs. Therefore, they tend to selective read, isolate and twist Bible passages to say what they want it to say. But because the Bible does SEEM to say what they say it says, many people become fundamentalist. No, its not everyone, its not even near a majority, but its still a sizeable chunk and they are a very, very loud and opinionated chunk.

Answer 3

Actually ... I think they see the sacraments as "works", not realizing or understanding that the "work" done is not by us but by the Holy Spirit. That's also the lens through which they view acts of a penitential nature -- not realizing, again, that the purpose of these is not to "work our way into heaven". That is certainly the conclusion that many have arrived at, and tenaciously cling to for reasons of their own.

Answer 4

Tur B is correct.. they twist everything for their own agenda.. it's like Cafeteria Christianity they pick and choose which of Christ's teachings to follow

"For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths" (2 Tim. 4:3–4).

they decide they don't want to confess their sins so they stop.. they don't want to believe in the True Presence.. so they stop.. they don't want to listen to the Pope, they stop.. it's all part of the plan.. just read the above passages.. it's all come to be.

Answer 5

Not all protestants condemn us Catholic Christians to Hell for not being exactly what their particular set of religions declare as orthodox,indeed most do not.

and those who do do not seem to notice how contrary to the Beatitudes their words,actions and attitudes are. We need to pray for those who hate us,especially those who have such a cultivated ignorance and well-developed and smug hatred

and those who hate us for our good works,especially those who malign Mother Teresa, seem to be filled with envy

God will judge them not me

Let us all pray for those who libel,caumniate,hate and reject us.

Answer 6

protestants don't know anything but protest against the Catholic Church. the sad part of it is they twist the Bible to justify their biases and personal agendas. the greatest lie is twisted truths.

Answer 7

The Protestants condemn Catholics not for good works, but for a "false gospel of good works." But are good works really a false gospel?

Matthew 5:20: "For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven."

Matthew 7:21: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven."

Matthew 19:17: "If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."

Mark 10:17-18: As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
"You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.'"

Luke 10:25-28: On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
"What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"
He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."

Matt 25: "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'"

Our Lord tells us over and over that we must do good works, that we MUST do good works of charity to have a saving relationship with God.

But what do the evangelical Protestants quote? Statements by St. Paul against the false gospel of the Judaizers, who wanted to make new Christians get circumcised, stop doing good on the Sabbath, and eat a special diet.

Without the Church, fundamentalists cannot interpret Jesus' teachings. They are like sheep without a shepherd.

Cheers,
Bruce

Answer 8

I don't believe anyone would actually condemn anyone for good works.

Answer 9

More tears--and suffering.

Answer 10

They don't condemn the works. They condemn a doctrine that says you must work for your salvation-lot of difference.
No, its not hypocritical and not identical either. You are missing a whole lot here.