One Approach For Evangelizing Catholics

One of the most difficult features of Catholic evangelism is the tyranny of the similar. Not only do the statisticians of world religions put Catholicism under the umbrella of Christendom, but there has been a decades long ecumenical push within Protestantism to say Catholics and Protestants are on the same team, just wearing different uniforms. Therefore, to talk about Catholic evangelism is quite offensive to many. Offensive or not, what this has done is create a new goal for Catholic evangelism.

I have said before that my main goal in evangelism is to close the mouth of the unbeliever from all forms of excuse-making when it comes to sin. We must bring them to a place where they see and confess not only the pervasiveness of their sin, but also the coming justice of eternal judgment in Hell. This holds true for the Catholic as well. But when it comes to talking with someone in another religion, there arises another vitally important goal. Sometimes those who are in another religion will have a deep sense of their own sin and guilt. This means the first goal has been accomplished. The problem is their religion offers a false hope in dealing with that sin and guilt. Every other religion outside of Biblical Christianity, in its own particular way, tells a person that they have to do something to earn forgiveness.

Therefore, the next goal in evangelizing a person in another religion is to demonstrate the error of any hope outside a salvation provided in the cross, by grace, through faith alone. The particular difficulty with evangelizing a Catholic is he thinks that he is hoping in a salvation provided in the cross, by grace, through faith alone. Not true! If he holds to Catholic doctrine, he doesn’t. Yet, this is where we find the tyranny of the similar! When seeking to witness to a Catholic, you have to show them that Catholic teaching is 100% opposed to Bible teaching about the gospel. So how are you going to do that?

I have a few resources that you can use, but I wanted to highlight one particular way. Try speaking to them about the canons on justification made in the Council of Trent. This is using one of the most important Catholic councils to demonstrate that you have a completely different hope and completely different gospel.

The Council of Trent was convened by the Roman Catholic Church in response to the Protestant Reformation. It took place from 1545 to 1563 in the city of Trent which was then located in Austria, but was later annexed by Italy. The council met for 25 sessions and addressed a wide range of topics. Most important for us are the statements, called canons, made about justification. This is where the Catholic Church pronounced anathemas on the Protestant understanding of justification, which stands at the heart of the biblical gospel. The council of Trent is still embraced by the Catholic Church today.

Read carefully these canons which the Catholic Church still holds to.

CANON IX.-If any one saith, that by faith alone the impious is justified; in such wise as to mean, that nothing else is required to co-operate in order to the obtaining the grace of Justification, and that it is not in any way necessary, that he be prepared and disposed by the movement of his own will; let him be anathema.

CANON XII.-If any one saith, that justifying faith is nothing else but confidence in the divine mercy which remits sins for Christ's sake; or, that this confidence alone is that whereby we are justified; let him be anathema.

CANON XXIV.-If any one saith,that the justice received is not preserved and also increased before God through good works; but that the said works are merely the fruits and signs of Justification obtained, but not a cause of the increase thereof; let him be anathema.

The above canons are a straight forward rejection of what the Scriptures clearly teach. What is called anathema above, I believe and hold to with all that I am. The reason is due to the following verses, which are just the tip of the iceberg of biblical witness.

Romans 3:28 (NASB95) — 28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.

Romans 4:5 (NASB95) — 5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness,

Galatians 2:16 (NASB95) — 16 nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.

To pronounce an anathema on justification by faith alone is to gut the gospel of good news. No matter what other similarities may remain, if there is a difference on this point then the difference is absolute. We are speaking of two separate religions, two contradictory messages, two opposing gospels.

While I don’t expect you to memorize these canons, if you can tuck these away in your mind with a small degree of familiarity it will be a great help to you. You will be able to say to your Catholic friend that his church has pronounced a condemnation on you, and for beliefs that you believe are clearly taught over and over in the Scripture. If you can meet with him again, then you can collect the information to show him. If you won’t see him again, then you will want show as many verses like the ones above, and then press the issue of the impossibly of a works-based salvation which Roman Catholicism embraces.