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The Pope and the Gospel

Okay I know I haven't written anything in ages. It's been tough, busy. A hard time.

However, I just have to write something about this.

Maybe you've seen this article, heard about it, the accusation.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/22/pope-francis-good-atheists_n_3320757.html

Pope Francis says Atheists who do good are redeemed, not just Catholics.

Firstly it's important to note that the reporting site itself is not known for its' accuracy, but rather its' controversy. Nevertheless, this article has been circulating social media and many would have read and believed it.

I'm not so sure on the exact things the pope has said, but nonetheless here's my answer to the things he supposedly claimed.

It starts with a correct understanding of sin.

Romans 3:10-12 says "as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one, no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one."

There is no way we, in our sinful state, can do good. What good, then, is the pope even talking about? What acts are defined as good enough to redeem us, when all our acts are sinful?

Secondly, it requires a correct understanding of the sufficiency and dependence of Christ - which the Catholic church has gotten all wrong anyway.

Go to Ephesians 2:1-9.

We are saved by grace through faith, so that we may not boast in our works - exactly because we are predestined by God and saved by Jesus's atoning death on the cross.

The Bible clearly says that we are not saved in any way by our works.

By knowing so, we understand firstly that a non-Christian cannot possibly be redeemed without faith in Christ first.
We also understand that Christ's work on the cross is the only thing that can, and will pay our debt to God for sin, and we cannot top-up to it by doing good deeds.
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