Is the Protestant Reformation over ?

[dudley]

I had a discussion with a Roman catholic teacher at school this week during lunch. He is interested in learning about Protestantism and asked me questions because he knows I left the RCC and became a Protestant. He said however that he thinks it is silly that Roman Catholics and Protestants have not been able to reconcile their differences after so many centuries. He believes the Protestant reformation is over…I said it is not over and he believes that someday Roman Catholics and Protestants will reconcile their differences and come to together again…I disagreed and said that it would never happen. I said to him that the main source of the diametrically opposed differences between the Roman Catholic Church and historic Protestantism rests in authority. Reconciliation and reunion between historic Protestants and Roman Catholics would require either that Catholics abandon the papacy and its traditions, or that Protestants surrender their bedrock conviction that Scripture is the only infallible rule of faith and practice. I said as a Protestant I now believe the issue of authority leaves no room for compromise. There can be no middle ground or appeasement.

I brought in the WCF the next day and showed him that in the Westminster Confession of Faith it clearly states the historic Protestant position on the question of authority:
The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man's salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men. (Westminster Confession of Faith, 1.6).

I told him that the additions to which the authors of the Confession refer to include not only the traditions of the papacy, but also the papal institution itself.

I said as long as Protestants and Catholics appeal to two different authorities, an unbridgeable abyss separates us.

I concluded my statements saying that I believe now the papacy is an evil institution and as a Protestant I renounce it , and the pope as well as Roman Catholicism. I would never concede to living under papal authority again.

I invited him to come with me to the third session of a six week course being given in my Presbyterian church on How Presbyterians are governed this Wednesday evening. I also invited him to join me at my bible class on Thursday night again taught in my Presbyterian church where we just stated the letters of Paul. We just started Romans. I a hoping he comes to the bible class, I think he will hear there that we are saved by faith alone. I know it is something he has never heard inn the RCC.

I am hoping he comes. He reiterated to me he believes the Protestant Reformation is over and we should all join in Ecumenical dialogue. I also told him I believe the Protestant Reformation is not over it is continuing in the 21st century. What do my PB brothers say and do you agree with my position?

 

[jandrusk]

I would agree with you that the Protestant Reformation never ended and will continue as long as their are false teachings, Rome just happened to be the only church at the time. The church as a whole always needs to be reforming as long as their are sinners in it and that will be until the consumation takes place. As long as Rome clings to justification by works, the idolatry of Mary, Saints, and Angels, along with a plethora of other errors there can never be reconcilation between Rome and those who cling to the true religion. We must continue to protest against all false teachings in the church to keep the church pure and synergized with the Holy Scriptures until every one of Christ's enemies are placed under his feet.

 

[jogri17]

More or less agreed. Catholic theologian Avery Dulles has argued for a sort of Roman Catholic Version of sola scriptura that can be legitimately called that, but is not the same as that of the Reformation. Some of the things you said represent pre-Vatican II Roman Catholic theology (à la Ott or Boettner) and on the issue of authority (see dei verbum), the Roman Church has gotten rid of some of the more popular beliefs that were around at the time of Vatican I.

 

[jwithnell]

Sometime in the last decade or so, the mainline Lutheran church and the RC came to an agreement that communion between the two churches are interchangeable. I know they have no trouble with someone from either denomination participating and I think the agreement included recognizing each others' pastors in presenting the elements in both services. In some circles, the Reformation is definitely over. The question is how much everyone is willing to give up to be part of the "ecumenical dialog."

Peace at all costs comes at a terrible price. We must continue to march under the great banners of the Reformation and speak the gospel into this great abyss.

 

[Marrow Man]

Listen to Carl Trueman's lecture from T4G 2012, entitled "Why the Reformation Isn't Over."

Why the Reformation Isn’t Over : Together for the Gospel

 

[Rufus]

Sometime in the last decade or so, the mainline Lutheran church and the RC came to an agreement that communion between the two churches are interchangeable. I know they have no trouble with someone from either denomination participating and I think the agreement included recognizing each others' pastors in presenting the elements in both services. In some circles, the Reformation is definitely over. The question is how much everyone is willing to give up to be part of the "ecumenical dialog."

Peace at all costs comes at a terrible price. We must continue to march under the great banners of the Reformation and speak the gospel into this great abyss.

Of course the Confessional Lutherans still view the Pope as the anti-Christ, as the Augsburg Confession teaches.

 

[dudley]

Sometime in the last decade or so, the mainline Lutheran church and the RC came to an agreement that communion between the two churches are interchangeable. I know they have no trouble with someone from either denomination participating and I think the agreement included recognizing each others' pastors in presenting the elements in both services. In some circles, the Reformation is definitely over. The question is how much everyone is willing to give up to be part of the "ecumenical dialog."

Peace at all costs comes at a terrible price. We must continue to march under the great banners of the Reformation and speak the gospel into this great abyss.

Of course the Confessional Lutherans still view the Pope as the anti-Christ, as the Augsburg Confession teaches.

Amen! Sean and I agree with all who see the pope as the anti Christ. It was the first reason I left the RCC and became a Protestant. I view the pope as an anti Christ!

---------- Post added at 02:31 AM ---------- Previous post was at 02:27 AM ----------

Listen to Carl Trueman's lecture from T4G 2012, entitled "Why the Reformation Isn't Over."

Why the Reformation Isn’t Over : Together for the Gospel

Thank You Tim, I will listen to the lecture tomorrow. I do belibve the Reformation is not over and I believe I am part of the 21st century Protestant Reformation, which is a reflourishing of the 16th century Reformation. I also renounce the pope and roman catholicism as did the reformers! And I and many catholics are becoming protestants!

---------- Post added at 02:31 AM ---------- Previous post was at 02:31 AM ----------

Listen to Carl Trueman's lecture from T4G 2012, entitled "Why the Reformation Isn't Over."

Why the Reformation Isn’t Over : Together for the Gospel

Thank You Tim, I will listen to the lecture tomorrow. I do belibve the Reformation is not over and I believe I am part of the 21st century Protestant Reformation, which is a reflourishing of the 16th century Reformation. I also renounce the pope and roman catholicism as did the reformers! And I and many catholics are becoming protestants!

 

[NB3K]

I am starting to think that American Protestantism should mean something more to us American's living in an apostate 21st age with all the false churches.

 

[Somerset]

Dudley - well done. No point beating about the bush - call a spade a spade.

 

[christiana]

Semper Reformanda, always reforming!!! Its amazing how many protestants are so gullible and have the mindset of 'cant we all just get along?' when we need to avoid all things ecumenical like the plague and study and be true to the Word without compromise! I've read of many protestants moving into the RCC and feel there is a famine of the Word amongst protestants today that is dangerous!!!

 

[Rich Koster]

Well done. If he starts to agree with you on certain topics, remember to probe deeper. Where you actually differ will be in the definition of some terms. He will probably agree with "saved by faith alone", but the problem will lie in the defining what we are actually putting our faith in or upon.

 

[J. Dean]

Well done. If he starts to agree with you on certain topics, remember to probe deeper. Where you actually differ will be in the definition of some terms. He will probably agree with "saved by faith alone", but the problem will lie in the defining what we are actually putting our faith in or upon.

Or defining "grace." If you ask a RC, they will tell you that they affirm grace is necessary for salvation, but they (if they are "good" RCs) will not state that grace is sufficient for salvation.

The core of the matter is the gospel. In one sense, everything else (Mariology, relics, purgatory, etc) is a symptom of a false gospel. Luther once said "I too would concede to and submit to the pope if he would only preach the gospel."

 

[Scott1]

“Ecclesia reformata semper reformanda,”

The reformed church is always reforming (to the Word of God).

 

[Rich Koster]

Well done. If he starts to agree with you on certain topics, remember to probe deeper. Where you actually differ will be in the definition of some terms. He will probably agree with "saved by faith alone", but the problem will lie in the defining what we are actually putting our faith in or upon.

Or defining "grace." If you ask a RC, they will tell you that they affirm grace is necessary for salvation, but they (if they are "good" RCs) will not state that grace is sufficient for salvation.

The core of the matter is the gospel. In one sense, everything else (Mariology, relics, purgatory, etc) is a symptom of a false gospel. Luther once said "I too would concede to and submit to the pope if he would only preach the gospel."

Yes brother! You helped focus my attempt to question their defective core definitions.

 

[jwithnell]

One thing you can say about both the RC and mainline Lutherans, if they are holding to the traditional liturgical forms, the people get a heap of scriptures every week. And God's word is powerful even in such an awful environment. Yes, the churches "preach another gospel that is no gospel at all", but I've met people who seem to have a hold of the gospel in spite what they are hearing and seeing each week. It seems far more common to meet people, especially in Reformed circles, who begin to grasp what the scriptures teach and were horrified by the RC and left, but likely there are a few weak souls left behind.

 

[dudley]

Well done. If he starts to agree with you on certain topics, remember to probe deeper. Where you actually differ will be in the definition of some terms. He will probably agree with "saved by faith alone", but the problem will lie in the defining what we are actually putting our faith in or upon.

Or defining "grace." If you ask a RC, they will tell you that they affirm grace is necessary for salvation, but they (if they are "good" RCs) will not state that grace is sufficient for salvation.

The core of the matter is the gospel. In one sense, everything else (Mariology, relics, purgatory, etc) is a symptom of a false gospel. Luther once said "I too would concede to and submit to the pope if he would only preach the gospel."

Amen! I know now as a Protestant that we can do nothing to earn forgiveness or keep forgiveness. Salvation before God is not administered to us through an earthly priest in the Roman Catholic church by the sprinkling of water, or giving of penance, or recitation of formula prayers. Salvation for the Christian is not kept through the effort of the person who hopes and tries and worries about being good enough to stay saved.

Such error can only lead to despair and hopelessness and a desperate and unwarranted dependence on the Roman Catholic Church as the only means by which salvation can be distributed and maintained. In this error, people far too often seek to work their way to heaven by being good, by doing what the Catholic church teaches them to do, by prayers to Mary, by indulgences, by the Rosary, and by a host of other man-made works. Remember, in the RCC, salvation is through the Church and its sacraments, not through Jesus alone, by faith alone. This is exactly how the cults of Mormonism and the Jehovah's Witnesses work who both teach that true salvation is found only in their church membership and in following the revelation and authority of their church teachers and traditions.

I gave the following info to my Roman catholic friend and he is coming with me to the Bible class at my Presbyterian church this coming Thursday night.
The following was given to me when I was considering becoming a Protestant. I think it is a very good piece to share with a Roman catholic who is willing to listen and open his mind to what we as Protestants believe. If they ask a question. Do not be afraid to speak the truth. I believe the Holy Spirit will guide you because we who are Reformed Protestants I believe have the truth of the Gospel and the Christian faith the way Christ intended it to be. I believe I am part of the Protestant Reformation which continues. Read on the Internet ‘ The Hidden Exodus ‘Catholics becoming Protestants” 15 million alone like me…written no less by a catholic Jesuit priest only a year ago.

The beauty of Protestantism in great contrast to the position of the Roman Catholic Church, if you want to be forgiven of your sins, once and for all, then you need to come to Christ (Matt. 11:28). You need to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior (John 1:12; Rom. 10:13). You need to ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins (John 14:14), and trust in Him alone and in nothing that you can do. Remember, your good deeds have no merit before God (Isa. 64:6). Furthermore, if you have faith, it is because that faith is the work of God (John 6:28-29). If you believe, it is because God has granted that you believe (Phil. 1:29). It is not because you were baptized, or have been good, or have been sincere. It is all of God. The Lord must receive all the glory for salvation because it completely and totally rests in Him. Salvation rests in Christ alone and it is received by faith apart from works.
I asked my friend to Ppease read the following scriptures carefully.
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," (Rom. 3:23).
"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord," (Rom. 6:23).
"and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed," (1 Pet. 2:24).
"He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him," (2 Cor. 5:21).
"If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it," (John 14:14).
"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29"Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls," (Matt. 11:28-29).
"But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name," (John 1:12).
"I do not nullify the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly," (Gal. 2:21).
"Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law," (Rom. 3:28).
"For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness," (Rom. 4:3).
"But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness," (Rom. 4:5).
"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ," (Rom. 5:1).
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God," (Eph. 2:8).
However, in Roman Catholicism, justification by faith is denied.
"If any one shall say that justifying faith is nothing else than confidence in the divine mercy pardoning sins for Christ's sake, or that it is that confidence alone by which we are justified ... let him be accursed," (Canon 12, Council of Trent).
Which are we to believe? The Roman Catholic Church or God's word? Furthermore, the RCC states that justification is received not by faith, but by baptism. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says in paragraph, 1992, that "...justification is conferred in Baptism, the sacrament of faith." This means that faith is not the instrument of obtaining justification; instead, it is an ordinance performed by a priest in the Roman Catholic Church.
Furthermore, baptism is only the initial grace along the road of justification. The Roman Catholic is to then maintain his position before God by his efforts.
"No one can MERIT the initial grace which is at the origin of conversion. Moved by the Holy Spirit, we can MERIT for ourselves and for others all the graces needed to attain eternal life, as well as necessary temporal goods," (Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), par. 2027).
The problem here is that the RCC is teaching us to "merit for ourselves and for others all the graces need to attain eternal life." You cannot merit grace. Grace is unmerited favor. Merit is, according to the CCC, par. 2006, "...the recompense owed by a community or a society for the action of one of its members, experienced either as beneficial or harmful, deserving reward or punishment..." CCC 2006. This means that merit is something owed. By contrast, grace is something not owed. Therefore, the RCC is teaching contrary to God's word regarding grace and justification.
The sad result is that in Roman Catholicism, justification before God is a process that is maintained by the effort and works of the Roman Catholic. This is a very unfortunate teaching since it puts the unbearable burden of works righteousness upon the shoulders of the sinner. By contrast, the Bible teaches that justification/salvation is by faith.
"But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness," (Rom. 4:5).
"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ," (Rom. 5:1).
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God," (Eph. 2:8).
The Gospel for Roman Catholics
The Gospel for Roman Catholics is the same as for anyone else and it is obtained by grace through faith in believing and trusting in Jesus alone, who is God in flesh, for the forgiveness of sins. Salvation is not found in a true church. Salvation is not found in being good. Salvation is not found in good works. Salvation is not found in a sincere heart. Salvation is not found in making up for past sins by efforts of restoration, or penance, or indulgences. You can never do enough to please God.
Because God is so infinitely holy and righteous, and because we are sinners, we are incapable of pleasing God by anything that we do. In fact, our righteous deeds are considered filthy rags before God (Isa. 64:6). You can do nothing to earn forgiveness or keep forgiveness. Salvation before God is not administered to us through an earthly priest in the Catholic church by the sprinkling of water, or giving of penance, or recitation of formula prayers. Salvation for the Christian is not kept through the effort of the person who hopes and tries and worries about being good enough to stay saved.
Such error can only lead to despair and hopelessness and a desperate and unwarranted dependence on the Roman Catholic Church as the only means by which salvation can be distributed and maintained. In this error, people far too often seek to work their way to heaven by being good, by doing what the Catholic church teaches them to do, by prayers to Mary, by indulgences, by the Rosary, and by a host of other man-made works. Remember, in the RCC, salvation is through the Church and its sacraments, not through Jesus alone, by faith alone. This is exactly how the cults of Mormonism and the Jehovah's Witnesses work who both teach that true salvation is found only in their church membership and in following the revelation and authority of their church teachers and traditions.
Are you tired of the works requirement?
In great contrast to the position of the Roman Catholic Church, if you want to be forgiven of your sins, once and for all, then you need to come to Christ (Matt. 11:28). You need to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior (John 1:12; Rom. 10:13). You need to ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins (John 14:14), and trust in Him alone and in nothing that you can do. Remember, your good deeds have no merit before God (Isa. 64:6). Furthermore, if you have faith, it is because that faith is the work of God (John 6:28-29). If you believe, it is because God has granted that you believe (Phil. 1:29). It is not because you were baptized, or have been good, or have been sincere. It is all of God. The Lord must receive all the glory for salvation because it completely and totally rests in Him. Salvation rests in Christ alone and it is received by faith apart from works.
Please read the following scriptures carefully.
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," (Rom. 3:23).
"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord," (Rom. 6:23).
"and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed," (1 Pet. 2:24).
"He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him," (2 Cor. 5:21).
"If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it," (John 14:14).
"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29"Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls," (Matt. 11:28-29).
"But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name," (John 1:12).
"I do not nullify the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly," (Gal. 2:21).
"Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law," (Rom. 3:28).
"For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness," (Rom. 4:3).
"But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness," (Rom. 4:5).
"These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life," (1 John 5:13).
A suggested prayer
This suggested prayer is not a formula, but a representation of biblical principles by which you might better understand the true gospel and receive Christ as your Lord and Savior. It is not a formula derived from Sacred Tradition or Stamped with the seal of the Roman Catholic Church's approval. Its principles are derived from scripture: we are sinners; God is Holy; we cannot earn salvation; salvation is a free gift; prayer to Christ; Jesus is the only way; receiving Christ; faith; etc.
"Lord Jesus, I admit that I am a sinner and that I have offended you by breaking your Holy Law. I confess my sins to you Lord and ask forgiveness from you and do not ask anyone else to be forgiven of my sins against you. I acknowledge who you are, God in flesh, creator, humble Lord, who bore my sins in Your body on the cross and I come to you alone and trust you alone, by faith, that you will forgive me completely of my sins so that I will have eternal life. I ask you Lord to come into my heart, to be my Lord, to forgive me of my sins. Lord I trust in you alone, in the work of the cross alone and not in any church, not in any saint, not in Mary, not in any priest, but in you alone. Lord, Jesus, I receive you, and come to you, and ask you to forgive me and justify me by faith as I trust in you alone. Thank you.
If you are a Roman Catholic and have trusted in Christ alone for the forgiveness of your sins, then welcome to the body of Christ. Welcome to salvation and the free gift of forgiveness in Jesus.
Next, I strongly recommend that you read the Bible regularly, talk to Jesus daily in prayer, and seek to find a church that teaches and focuses on Jesus as Lord, Jesus as Savior, and sticks to the Bible alone.

 

[dudley]

Semper Reformanda, always reforming!!! Its amazing how many protestants are so gullible and have the mindset of 'cant we all just get along?' when we need to avoid all things ecumenical like the plague and study and be true to the Word without compromise! I've read of many protestants moving into the RCC and feel there is a famine of the Word amongst protestants today that is dangerous!!!

Amen Nancy! The following is the truth about the Protestant Reformation , I know be cause I as like the Reformers a Roman catholic until 6 years ago I have since become a rabid Protestant and a Presbyterian , I have renounced Roman Catholicism and her pope as the reformers did.
The following is taken from papers I read and accumulated while researching for myself the truth (The Reformation and Twentieth Century Protestantism)
David J. Engelsma
I discovered the Protestant Reformation was not only necessary but I believe was and is the inspired work of God himself!.

Of late, the Roman Catholic Church has been willing to make this somewhat more favorable judgment of the Reformation. It is now admitted that the Popes of that time were worldly, that the selling of indulgences had gone to extremes, and even that the preaching, teaching, and life of the church had become very weak. This is also the analysis of the Reformation that is popular among Protestants themselves in our time: The Reformation was necessary to correct certain abuses, especially abuses in the behavior of the church-leaders and in the practices of the people. This analysis has the most important implications, which these "Protestants" are also now willing to draw out. The abuses no longer exist in the Roman Catholic Church. The Popes are no longer the worldly men which they were then. Indulgence-peddlers no longer hawk indulgences with extravagant claims and ditties. The people now have Bibles and are permitted to read them. Therefore, the Reformation no longer applies; it is merely a historical event, belonging strictly to the past. And what prohibits re-union with Rome?

I believe against all of these analyses of the Reformation, we must utter a vehement, uncompromising, final, "NO." The Reformation was a work of the Holy Spirit in the sphere of the church of Jesus Christ that effected a radical re-forming (a forming anew) of the church after the image of the Son of God. Especially the analysis of the Reformation as a movement for that time, directed merely to some abuses, needs to be utterly repudiated. Even though this was the amazing concession made by one of the main colleagues of Luther, Philip Melanchthon, as late as 1530, at the time of the composition of the Lutheran "Augsburg Confession," this analysis is wrong. The Reformation proclaimed the truth over against the lie. It stood for the Word of God over against the words of man. It proclaimed the gospel of Jesus Christ over against "another gospel" which is no gospel. It sought the salvation of the people of God out of the stark awareness that they were being threatened with eternal damnation. The significance of the Reformation was that it sought the true church over against the false church, and Christ over against Antichrist. The life-and-death significance of the Reformation for that and all time, Luther voiced already in the 95 theses of 1517: "Those who believe that through letters of pardon they are made sure of their own salvation will be eternally damned along with their teachers" (Thesis 32).

These truths are "eternal truths." What the Reformation stood for over 400 years ago is true, as relevant, and as vital today as it was then. Justification by faith alone on the authority of Scripture as God's inspired Word is the gospel. The gospel does not change from age to age; it is never surpassed; it never will become out-dated; there will never arise a new message that outstrips the gospel in importance, so that we may lay the gospel aside to concentrate on the more important matter. This is how we must view the relationship between the Reformation of the church in 1517 and our time. This is how we must understand the application of that Reformation to ourselves. The truths it set forth, we are to hold and hold dear today, for they were the truths of God's Word. It is possible that we have deeper insight into those truths - indeed, we are called to have deeper insight - but we repudiate those who pay lip-service to the Reformation as some heroic event, while they deny the truths which the Reformation proclaimed. The Reformation is no historical curiosity which we only admire, but a living, on-going reality, because of the gospel of grace it preached.
What conclusions, practical, urgent conclusions for a living church and for living believers, can we come to, from this understanding of the Reformation?
The first is that the Roman Catholic Church has not changed, not one whit, for the better from the time in the 16th century when Luther and the Reformation, in grief, had to renounce her in God's Name. In our day, many Protestants would give the impression that she has changed, so much so that now it is conceivable to have friendly relations with her and even to contemplate re-union. The reason why they say this is that they no longer know what the Reformation was really about, or care for the gospel. The Reformation was not about nice Popes and bad Popes, not about meat or fish on certain days, not about any of those superficial things that Rome lately has bestirred herself with. It was about salvation by God's grace in Jesus Christ alone! It was about Scripture, the only authority in the church and over the church! On these issues, Rome is unchanged. This is not a charge, but a statement of fact. It is Rome's own confession in "The Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent" that justification and salvation depend also upon man's works and merits, and that they are anathema who preach justification by faith only. The Second Vatican Council of 1963-1965 reiterated Rome's doctrine that, in addition to Scripture, tradition is authoritative in the church ("Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation"). In the same "Constitution," this Council stated that "The task of authenticity interpreting the word of God. . . has been entrusted exclusively to the living teaching office of the Church," that is, to the Pope. So little is it true that Rome has changed on any important matter, that the Council of Trent's blessing of indulgences as "most salutary, and approved of" stands to this day.

 

[Peairtach]

The first phase of the work of God's Spirit that is the Reformation was over before the end of the sixteenth century.

But all has now been made ready for the whole Church and world to be Reformed. All we need are fresh showers of the Holy Spirit to bless the sound doctrine of God's Word contained in the Bible and Reformed Confessions.

The Evil One and his angelic and human minions will resist it for as long as they are permitted to.