Why !!!!!!!!!

It depends on what the nature of "fellowshipping" is. If it's something like having catholic priests give the sermon, then there's a problem. If it's something like your congregation and a local catholic congregation joining to serve food at a local homeless shelter, that's typically not a probelm.

 

Pray for your pastor/preacher that holy fire may fall on him to preach with power. Sounds like an opportunity to me.

 

What "most churches" are you talking about?

And, like JohnV asks, what is the basis of the welcoming?

Some details would help us answer the "why" question.

 

Yeah..don't know what "most" you are talking about. All churches I have ever been a part of would classify Roman Catholic as non-belivers.

 

I would classify them as non-believers in what I believe.

I cant say that they are not saved, although I would guess that a high percentage are not. If any are saved under a type of Catholicism then I would say that it is in spite of what they had been taught. This goes for all bad teaching.

Now, if we reject them right off of the bat as a Catholic then we would miss out on a great opportunity to lead them to truth or possibly to even be saved truly. You never know if God can use that to change them or lead them to Himself.

I would encourage a Catholic to come and study in Scripture with me until the point in which he/she may become disruptive and spread false teaching. I would extend this offer to anyone. Now, if his agenda is to come in and teach us what is true, then I would not allow this to hurt my sheep.

 

It's this knowing thing that's hard eh!

 

The reason is that most Christians believe Catholicism is Christian and this is due in part by a change in attitude among the Christian churches since the first century. The Jesuits and their propaganda techniques have done a good job of integrating and infiltrating (I believe Alberto Rivera's story).

The average Christian is no longer as knowledgeable on the RCC doctrines as they once were and not as close to the terrible persecution by them through the Inquisition. For some reason, we have closed our eyes to the facts and to the understanding the reformers once had. There was a reason the reformation began. The blood of the martyrs still upsets my equilibrium personally.

On the other hand, cult awareness has increased in some aspects. Churches have followed the path of Rome but have called attention to others to detract from their own heresies. A good example of this is found on the post Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses.

Our church accepts any denomination through our doors and is overjoyed to have them hear the truth, but they rarely stick around very long. We have had JW's leave and 7th Day Adventist tried to get us to change our worship services. We have many former Catholics in our church who left Rome for salvation.

Just my $.02.

 

I'm amiss as to how you can reply to the OP, when Berean hasn't even said what the nature of "fellowshipping" is that he's referring to in the OP.

 

I'm going to assume that "fellowshipping" simply means attending church services and functions. And what difference does it make? What exactly, are you objecting to in my reply? And I do think it's arrogant of you to imply I shouldn't respond to this post.

Please correct me if I'm misunderstanding what you are saying.

 

The manner of fellowshipping makes a huge difference. To reiterate what I said earlier, it depends on what the nature of "fellowshipping" is.

If, for example, it's having catholic priests give the sermon, then there's a problem. If, OTOH, it's your congregation and a local catholic congregation joining to serve food at a local homeless shelter, or doing a Habitat for Humanit project, that's typically not a probelm.

 

I think you're taking this way out where it wasn't meant to go.


And I should not respond to the post, because....?

 

Roman Catholicism is evil. It teaches peace when there is none. And fails to preach the Gospel.

If anyone has a problem with that, please talk to Martin Luther. Or read his books.

Then come to me and you will get the same message.

 

I don't see a problem with fellowshipping with Roman Catholics when it involves helping the poor and needy, helping women with crisis pregnancies, or other types of social service.

 

Can't help you. I've never understood why Christians fellowship with Catholics, either.

 

In all fairness, your average Catholic isn't even very knowledgable on Catholic doctrine but, as somebody pointed out on another board, their Catechism is 800 pages long and ever changing. So, to some degree, it's understandable that they wouldn't know what Catholicism teaches.

This is precisely the point I've been trying to make here.

The Reformation didn't take place over trivial disagreements. It took place because the Catholic Church grew increasingly heretical and not only abandoned, but began to aggressively attack the Biblical understanding of justification.

 

In cases where fellowshipping involves helping the poor and needy, helping women with crisis pregnancies, or other types of social service, there's no logical reason to morally oppose such a fellowship.

 

Oh, I wish it only failed to preach the Gospel. It isn't that Catholicism fails to preach the Gospel, it's that it deceives millions by preaching a false gospel that cannot save and in the process makes them twofold more the children of Hell that Jesus talks about in Matthew 23:15.

 

Actually, for the Christian, there is a very good reason. Biblically, works of charity are always tied to the Gospel. Catholics preach a false Gospel and, thus, we cannot be a party to their false Gospel, nor allow them to be a party to our preaching of the Gospel.

Yes, actually it is a problem. Biblically, works of charity are always tied to the Gospel. Catholics preach a false Gospel and, thus, we cannot be a party to their false Gospel, nor allow them to be a party to our preaching of the Gospel.

 

Which doesn't change the fact that, if your congregation and a local catholic congregation are joining to serve food at a local homeless shelter, or doing a Habitat for Humanity project, or similar outreaches, that's typically not a problem morally or scripturally.