All Articles For Contending for the Faith

The main principles of the Reformation, we have noted in previous articles, are usually considered to be two: the formal and the material. According to the formal principle, the Reformation acknowledged only one source of authority, the Holy Scriptures. With this principle they stood opposed to Roman Catholicism, False Mysticism (Quakers, Anabaptists, etc.), and to Rationalism. The Roman Catholic Church acknowledged, besides the Word of God, also Tradition as a source of authority; Protestantism recognized only the sixty-six canonical books.

THE TIME OF THE REFORMATION  VIEWS ON THE CHURCH  FORMAL PRINCIPLE  (continued) 

We were quoting in our preceding article from the book of “Radio Replies” by the Rev. Dr. Leslie Rumble in which Dr. Rumble sets forth the Roman Catholic position on “Tradition.” We will now continue with these quotations. 519. It seems to me that Catholics are guided by their Church, and not by the Bible. And the answer of Dr. Rumble to this observation is as follows: “You cannot separate the two like that. It is true that Catholics are guided by what their Church teaches. It would not be true to say or imagine that they are not guided...

We now continue with our quotations from the Radio Replies of the Fathers Rumble and Carty, Volume I, questions 500-812. 808. Why does not the Catholic Church baptize by immersion? Such a method of Baptism, though valid, is not necessary. From the very beginning Baptism was administered both by immersion and by infusion or pouring water upon the forehead. 809. By relinquishing immersion you lost the significance of the original rite. Immersion was never thought necessary in the Christian Church. After St. Peter’s first sermon three thousand people were baptized, and it is most unlikely that it could have been...

THE TIME OF THE REFORMATION  VIEWS ON THE CHURCH  FORMAL PRINCIPLE  (continued) 

In our preceding articles we almost concluded our quotations from the book of “Radio Replies” by the Rev. Dr. Leslie Rumble in which Dr. Rumble sets forth the Roman Catholic position on “Tradition.” We will now quote the two remaining articles which we wish to quote. 527. Do you imagine that the Catholic Church only has arrived at a true understanding of the Gospels? That is not a correct presentation of the Catholic position. There is no question of the Catholic Church “arriving at” a true understanding of the Gospels. Before a line of them was written, Christ had established...

THE TIME OF THE REFORMATION  VIEWS ON THE CHURCH  FORMAL PRINCIPLE  (continued) 

We now continue with our quotations from the Radio Replies of the Fathers Rumble and Carty, Volume II, 716-721, 732-735. 720. Is not the application of water merely symbolic, testifying an inward regeneration? No. The sacramental external rite does not merely testify to an inward regeneration. It causes that regeneration. The Sacraments, as instituted by Christ and deriving all their power from Christ, are the very actions of Christ. He uses the Sacraments as instruments in the effecting of His work of grace, just as He used His humanity on earth as a medium of His power. We know that...

A very strong refutation of the Romish conception of the Lord’s Supper is furnished by Hodge in his Systematic Theology, Volume III.

THE TIME OF THE REFORMATION  VIEWS ON THE CHURCH  FORMAL PRINCIPLE  (continued)