The following various brief articles were copied and pasted from a newsletter I received from Mike Gendron’s ministry. They are being posted to provide clarity about the difference between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism. Also, some may get ideas for witnessing to Catholics.
Following the first article, the following several topics are addressed via a paragraph or two each:
- Mike Gendron banned from Facebook
- Letters to the editor
- Which church will be raptured?
- Zoom debate with Catholics fruitful?
- Statements to share when evangelizing
- The Pope and his church in the last days
Is Roman Catholicism the One True Church? |
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Catholics have been indoctrinated with the premise that the Roman Catholic Church is the one true church founded by Christ 2000 years ago. They claim protestant churches began only 500 years ago. Are they correct? Is there a “one true church”? And if there is, can we identify the one true church? The answers to these important questions can be found throughout the New Testament. Who Are Members of the True Church? The true church is not a denomination nor a building. It is an assembly of born-again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ who have been called out of the world as a people for God’s own possession (Titus 2:11-14). Universally, it includes all who have repented and believed the glorious Gospel of grace. They have been purified by the blood of Jesus, sealed by the Spirit of God and sanctified by the truth of God’s Word (John 17:17; Eph. 1:13; 1 John 1:7). These new creatures in Christ have been baptized by one Spirit into one body and are called saints (1 Cor. 1:2, 12:13). Their names are enrolled in heaven and their imperishable inheritance is protected by the power of almighty God (Heb. 12:23; 1 Pet. 1:4). They are visible when the light of their good works shines before men to glorify their Holy Father (Mat. 5:16; Eph. 2:10). The Professing Church Is Not the True Church All Protestant and Roman Catholic churches together make up the “professing” church, which includes both believers and unbelievers. Tragically, there are many who “profess” Christ but do not “possess” Christ. They are religious, but have no relationship with Christ. Their names are on church rolls, but not in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Jesus calls them “tares” who have been sown by the devil among the “wheat” (Mat. 13:24-30, 36-43). These tares may one day hear the most terrifying words they could ever hear when Jesus declares, “I never knew you, depart from Me” (Mat. 7:23). Roman Catholics, who adhere to the false and fatal gospel of their apostate religion, must repent and believe the Gospel of grace to become members of the true church. When they do, the Spirit of God will lead them out of their idolatrous religion to worship God in spirit and truth (John 4:24). Roman Catholicism Is Not the True Church The 21st century Roman Catholic Church does not bear any resemblance to the 1st century church of the apostles. Nowhere in the New Testament do we see the first century church continuing the work of Christ’s redemption on an altar, praying for the dead, venerating Mary, or transubstantiating wafers into the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus. Nor can we find any mention of indulgences, purgatory, infallible popes, or a sacerdotal priesthood. There is an indisputable reason for this. Rather than obeying the exhortation of Jude to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints, the Catholic Church departed from the apostolic faith to follow deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons (Jude 3; 1 Tim. 4:1). Its apostasy was fully documented at the 16th century Council of Trent. It cannot be “the pillar and support of the truth” because it departed from the truth and is not the true church (1 Tim. 3:15). There Is Only One Door to the True Church Jesus said, “I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved” (John 10:9). Tragically, most of the 1.3 billion souls in the Roman Catholic Church have instead entered through the wide gate that leads to destruction. They have not heeded the warning of Jesus who said, “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Mat. 7:15). By God’s grace and mercy, there are some Catholics who have responded to the Gospel call with repentance and faith but they cannot stay in the Roman Catholic Church. They will soon find themselves at odds with the deadly errors and idolatry of the apostate religion and come out to worship God in Spirit and Truth (John 4:24). The Spiritual Promises Given to the True Church Members of the true church enjoy every spiritual blessing in Christ (Eph. 1:3). These blessings include: the complete forgiveness of sins (Col. 2:13-14), the promise of never being condemned again (Rom. 8:1), the gift of Christ’s righteousness (Rom. 5:17), the assurance of eternal life (John 10:28) and an eternal relationship with God through the one mediator Jesus Christ (1 Tim. 2:5). Members of the Catholic Church do not possess any of these spiritual blessings. Their only hope is to do what the apostle Paul did and exchange their religion for a relationship with the all-sufficient Savior (Phil. 3:3-8). The Privileges of the True Church The true church is the bride of Christ, the flock of the Shepherd, the household of faith and the adopted family of God (Rom. 8:15; Eph. 4:12; Gal. 6:10; Rev. 19:7). Its members are a chosen race and a holy nation who have been commissioned to proclaim the excellencies of Christ, who called them out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Pet. 2:9). They have been given the awesome privilege of being ambassadors to the King of kings as His ministers of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18-20). They have also been commissioned by the Lord Jesus to make disciples by proclaiming His Gospel (Mat. 28:18-20). Catholics have none of these privileges because they have rejected the true Gospel for another gospel that is hostile to the Lord Jesus. The Protection of the True Church The Good Shepherd promised, the gates of hell shall not overpower His church (Mat. 16:18). It is the only church which is certain to endure unto the end. Nothing can destroy it. Its members may be persecuted, oppressed, imprisoned, beaten and martyred, but whenever the church is crushed in one country, it springs up in another. Members of the true church have equal and direct access to the throne of grace through the veil that was torn open at the moment of Christ’s death (Heb. 10:19-22). They are all royal priests who offer “spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 2:5). It is my prayer and heart’s desire that Catholics will read this article and turn to the only Head of the true church. May God give them humble, teachable spirits to recognize that the god of this world has blinded them from the light of the Gospel and the glory of Christ. The veil of blindness will never be removed until they turn to the Lord Jesus (2 Cor. 3:16). |
Mike Gendron was banned from Facebook:
Facebook Has Banned Mike’s Ministry |
After 17 years of speaking the truth in love and sharing the glorious Gospel of Christ, I was banned by Facebook from further ministry on its site. What’s puzzling is why now? My posts have been consistent for all these years and yet they now say, “your posts or comments didn’t follow our Community Standards, and your account will remain disabled.” I had 5,000 friends on my personal page and thousands more on the Proclaiming the Gospel page that will no longer have access to 17 years of messages. My response to Facebook is this: “Have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?” (Gal. 4:16). |
Letters to the editor, one from a practicing Catholic who debates some of Gendron’s points:
Letters to Edify and Encourage the Saints |
Mr. Gendron, You use half truths, misrepresentations, deception or outright lies about what Catholicism teaches. The Catholic Church does not sell indulgences and has never taught the sale of indulgences. If it did happen, it was a faulty teaching of an individual person going against authentic Church teaching. If you think your position is true, please provide a papal encyclical or council document authorizing the sale of God’s grace and indulgences. I will read it and reconsider my accusation against your tactics. Glenn, Internet Glenn, Pope Leo X (A.D. 1475-1521) commissioned John Tetzel, a Dominican monk, to travel throughout Germany selling indulgences on behalf of the Church. Tetzel declared that as soon as the coins “clinked” in his money chest, the souls of those for whom the indulgences had been purchased would fly out of purgatory. The construction of St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome was partially financed by the sale of indulgences. The Council of Trent “condemns with anathema those who either assert that they are useless, or who deny that there is in the Church the power of granting them.” I hope you see these indulgences insult the Lord Jesus Christ and deny His finished, all-sufficient work of redemption. Hello Mike, First I must tell you that I have absorbed your book Preparing For Eternity and it has changed my life. I am 78 years old and have been a Catholic my entire life, including 17 years of Catholic education, and have run the gamut of “fallen away Catholic”, “recovering Catholic”, and many things in between. Then I discovered your book. Thank you for caring enough to write it! I want to ask a question. I was divorced in 1976. In 1994 I met and married my husband, and he shares with me the good news that your book brought to us. Still, I am anxious that perhaps I am living in a state of sin because I have married a second time. Please tell me, what does God’s word say with regard to marriages that were unhappy and sinful? I lived many years not wanting to ever live that way again until I met the good man who is now my husband. But my heart hurts. Mike, thank you for reaching out to Catholics. C.L., MN Dear C.L., We praise God for setting you free from religious deception and bringing you to faith in our all-sufficient Savior! Regarding your question, your first marriage and divorce were while you were lost and unaware of God’s will and His only means of forgiveness. When you became a born-again Christian, all your sins were forgiven. Your sensitivity to sin reveals your love for God and your desire to honor Him with your life. Rejoice in your new life with Christ! Call us if we can encourage you in any way. Mike, Thank you for your ministry. My wife (a former Catholic) and I have been born again by the grace of God for 30 years now. I have been in a debate/discussion with a Catholic friend and found your website after watching you interviewed on a Justin Peters YouTube video. I have learned so much from your website and videos. I knew the Catholic Church was wrong in their teachings but I didn’t realize how unbiblical they really are in so many areas. You have given me so much information to be able to share with my friend. Most of all I want him to come to Christ and not me win the argument. Thank you again for your ministry. God bless you! To God be the glory! Name Withheld, Internet |
Which Church Will Be Raptured? |
Mike was a guest on the Prophecy Today radio program with Jimmy DeYoung, Jr. The topic of discussion was the contrast between the true church of Jesus Christ, which will meet Him in the air at the rapture, and the false church that will be left behind. Mike shared the urgent need to evangelize those who have been misled with a false and fatal gospel. Listen to the July 23rd program here. Mike’s interview starts at the 26 minute mark. |
Zoom Debate With Catholics Fruitful? |
You never know what will happen when we faithfully sow the imperishable seed of God’s Word in Gospel tracts. We received a phone call from someone in the northeast who was very upset with the “misinformation about Catholicism” in our Gospel tract Roman Catholicism: Scripture vs. Tradition. As the conversation continued, I was challenged to a 90-minute debate on Zoom with a Catholic host of the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN). The debate took place July 13th and one of the most troubling responses came when I asked him to explain the Catholic teaching on salvation. He rambled on for 5 minutes explaining what people must do to initiate, merit and maintain their salvation. When he was finished, I told him that he never mentioned the Savior, Jesus Christ. The good news is that the Catholic moderator may have been convicted. He emailed me the next day saying, “Thank you for the great conversation yesterday. I really enjoyed it and learned so much. It really piqued my curiosity into these very important matters.” Join me in prayer for his salvation! |
Statements to Share When You Evangelize |
Over the last 40 years, I have been sharing the life-changing Gospel of Jesus Christ, and there are several thought-provoking statements I make to drive home the importance of responding to the Gospel. Since they have proven to be effective, I would like to share them with you. When people are indifferent or uninterested, I tell them, “We can be wrong about a lot of things in this life and still survive, but if we are wrong about eternity we will pay for that mistake for ever and ever.” When someone would rather believe the early church fathers or popes instead of the Scriptures, I tell them, “We need to build our theology on the inspired Word of God, not on the uninspired words of men.” When people are confronted with the truth of God’s Word but refuse to change their mind, I tell them, “The greatest obstacle to learning the truth is to believe you already know it.” Or I say, “People do not know they are deceived until they are confronted with the truth.” When a family member or loved one does not want to talk about spiritual issues anymore, I tell them, “If our roles were reversed, I would want you to pursue me with God’s truth until I believed it.” Then I will honor their request. |
The Pope and His Church in the Last Days |
Pope Francis has an aggressive agenda to unite all professing Christians under the papacy. He believes we are all children of God and that even atheists will make it to heaven. Mike recently gave a message that highlights his plans for a global religion and government. Watch video. |
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Let us glorify our Lord Jesus Christ by faithfully sharing His glorious Gospel of grace! Mike and Jane Gendron (817) 379-5300 2829 Veranda Lane, Southlake, TX 76092 |
I had wondered why Facebook banned Mr. Gendron; I hadn’t visited his FB page for a few months, and just now learned of this. I will miss reading the comments made by Catholics defending the Church Jesus founded in 33 AD on Pentecost.
I believe that gullible, naive, hurting, and dissatisfied Catholics are particularly vulnerable to Mr. Gendron ‘s slick and clever distortions of actual Catholic teaching and doctrine, which is firmly anchored in the Apostolic witness guaranteed by Jesus to never falter or fail: Matthew 16:18; 1 Timothy 3:15. At any rate, I am glad that fewer such vulnerable Catholics will be waylaid by Mr. Gendron’s misinformation campaign.
Angie, thank you for responding to my post.
My first question to you is, have your ever read through the Bible?
Below, I have some noted some Bible passages for your consideration, and after that, I linked some video teaching of a former Roman Catholic, Fred Tarsitano. He was a committed Catholic and was converted out of that via Bible reading, he tells his story and offers some very clear teaching for others who are as he was, defending the RCC.
If you have read through your Bible, then you should know that there is no such thing as Purgatory. Consider the following passages, and you ought to go to the chapter and read it.
If you read through Matthew, you will find Jesus giving many warnings about hell. In chapter 25, regarding the “final judgment” He states, Matthew 25:46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
He did not say, temporary punishment, as purgatory indicates.
Please read, Deuteronomy 30:11-20. Therein, Moses talks about a choice that every person on earth has to make, while he is living. The apostle Paul uses that text in Romans 10 amid which he states, Romans 10:10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
How does the Catholic church say you are justified? The RCC states that the priest justifies believers at baptism and that a believer can lose that justification and earn it back via penance.
None of the RCC dogma is biblical.
See the latter part of Romans 8, where Paul states that those whom God the Father justifies, He glorifies. Believers are glorified at the time of their deaths. Therefore, once justified, always justified. The question of believers falling away is a matter of such not really having been born again.
The following link is to Bible Hub where you may read commentaries, including the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge which gives cross references to most Bible verses, the linked verse is 2 Cor 13:5 5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Can’t you see for yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you— unless you actually fail the test? (If you read Matthew 7, you will find Jesus giving solemn warnings about being self-deceived and/or deceived by false teachers; 2 Thessalonians, same, by Paul.)
Link to Bible Hub: https://www.biblehub.com/2_corinthians/13-5.htm
The following verses are cross references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge from the free Bible software for PCs at E-sword.net for two phrases in 2 Cor 13:5
Examine: Psa_17:3, Psa_26:2, Psa_119:59, Psa_139:23-24; Lam_3:40; Eze_18:28; Hag_1:5, Hag_1:7; 1Co_11:28, 1Co_11:31; Gal_6:4; Heb_4:1, Heb_12:15; 1Jn_3:20-21; Rev_2:5, Rev_3:2-3
in the faith: Col_1:23, Col_2:7; 1Ti_2:15; Tit_1:13, Tit_2:2; 1Pe_5:9
This following link is to a post I wrote on Beth Moore and in the Study Recommendations section, included information on abuse in the Catholic Church (relevant to the post) in Pennsylvania alone. There is also a link to read the grand jury findings on abuse allegations of over 300 priests in PA.
I added this because it seems very clear that the Catholic church is under judgment. But I am not telling you what to believe.
Fred Tarsitano’s teaching on the false teachings of the Roman Catholic Church:
Dr. Fred Tarsitano was born again over 40 years ago. In the first video below, he shares his conversion experience which includes beginning to read scripture and seeking answers from priests and a bishop about the Bible. He made some very important discoveries that may interest you….
https://sheeplywolves.com/conversion-testimony-of-a-former-roman-catholic/
The following link is to the playlists on Fred Tarsitano’s YouTube site, he does a wonderful job of clearly and carefully explaining what is false about Roman Catholicism.
https://www.youtube.com/user/EpiGenosko/playlists
In case you are using only a cell phone, the following link is to 3 videos wherein he provides irrefutable teaching about the false teaching of the Roman Catholic church: