MS Top 6 #15

This is the Truth Network. Matt Slick is president and founder of the Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry. Matt is a masters of divinity and is ordained. He's passionate and Matt stands firm and lives to defend and promote the Christian faith. Matt Slick doesn't take any ****. Monday through Friday, Matt takes calls from all around the world on his radio show.

We've compiled this week's best, Matt Slick's Top Six. Number six. You, as a reformed Christian, you consider Armenians as brothers but not Catholics. What's the difference? Because Armenians don't add works to salvation what Catholics do, and the works issue is one of the essential doctrines of the Christian faith. The Bible clearly says that you cannot add any works of salvation, Romans 3, 28, Romans 4, 5.

The Roman Catholic Church says in paragraph 2068 of the Catholic Catechism that you obtain salvation by faith, baptism, and the observance of the commandments. So that is a false gospel. Armenians don't hold to that.

Number five. Commandments that say thou shall not kill and what your thoughts are on prisoners who are forced to die by lethal injection. It doesn't say don't kill. It says thou shall not murder. It's one of the faults of the King James Bible. Capital punishment is taught in the Old Testament.

In Exodus 21 and 29, if, however, an ox was previously in the habit of goring its owner, has been warned, yet he does not confine it and it kills a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned and its owner shall be put to death. Number four. Revelation 11 and three, and I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesize one thousand two hundred and three score days. Who are they? Who's a witness? There's two theories, one that it's Moses and Elijah, and the other is Moses and Enoch. But I lean towards Elijah, and the only reason I do is because Moses and Elijah represent the law and the prophets. I just like that symmetry. But years ago I used to talk in a chat room, and there were a lot of very interesting characters there, and I talked to a guy who said he was one of the two witnesses. It was a really interesting discussion, and he was articulate, intelligent. He did not have all his paws in a litter box.

Number three. When you assert that Roman Catholics are not Christian, what do you mean? Do you mean they should not be statistically counted? Do you mean they do not follow your version of Christian? What is specifically you mean by that?

Well, neither one of those. It's not my version. It's what the Bible teaches. The Bible teaches that there are certain doctrines that are essential to the Christian faith, that if you deny them, then you can't be a true Christian. And one of the things that the Roman Catholic Church absolutely does is deny the true gospel and the true faith of Jesus Christ alone, and faith alone, and justification by faith alone, and Christ alone, and it add to works to salvation.

Therefore, it teaches a false gospel, and it's not a true church. So you don't believe that Catholics are Christians, even those who believe? No, I believe that there are Christians within the Catholic Church, true Christians, but they're true Christians in spite of what Catholicism teaches. Oh, so you actually believe that there are people who will be saved as Catholics? I believe that there are people who don't understand what Catholicism really, truly teaches. This is why I repeatedly say over the radio that anyone who believes official Roman Catholic theology regarding the doctrine of salvation cannot be a true Christian. It'll go to hell.

Number two. On going door-to-door cold calling to an apartment, especially when the weather is not great, do people that seem annoyed, are they driven further from salvation by each time this happens? I can't answer, because we don't know the hearts of the individuals. You don't know if someone gets annoyed. Our job is to present that gospel, and we do it with wisdom. I've done door-to-door work, and for the most part, you're rejected. I would recommend you not go alone.

I'd also recommend you have a video recorder and or an audio recorder. And is that to protect myself? Yes. I've got stories about being assaulted, standing out in front of Mormon wards. I've been threatened with arrest. I've had eggs thrown at me. I've been cussed at, people getting in my face. I used to go to Southern California, down to the beach, and just witness to the punkers.

Sometimes I dress up like a punker. Not that we're there with a formula. No, it'll work. But we've got to preach that word. There's a difference between following God's word and then arguing about what God's word says to make it fit what you want it to be. And that's what's happening more in the world when people don't submit to what the word of God says. Now, personally, my personal opinion is I don't have any problem with women pastors and elders. But my personal opinion doesn't matter. God's word is what matters. And I will stick with what God said.

So now I say that my opinion based on God's word is this. We hope you've enjoyed this episode of Matt Slick's Top Six. For more on Matt and his live syndicated call-in radio show, go to truthnetwork.com. Got a question? Matt Slick has your answer. This is the Truth Network.