Lloyd-Jones on Roman Catholicism

When, in May 1963, Rev. Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones described Roman Catholicism as "the devil's greatest masterpiece!" was he going too far? When he added to this that this religious institution was described by the Reformers of the 16th century as "apostasy," was this accurate?  He calls her "the whore" thus aligning her with "the great whore" that sits on the seven hills in Revelation 17; and, and this is a most interesting point, he says that "if we accept her teaching, we are believing a lie!" "Her dogma is a counterfeit."

Now these are very strong word, and would not be well accepted in today's PC world.  The ecumenicals would be doing their nut; the clever PC people would be having a nightmare; and churches would distance themselves entirely from such uncalled for comments; and the evangelicals would, as usual, remain silent.

How sad a thing it is that many churches and amongst them evangelicals, now see Rome as a harmless religious body that is essentially harmless.  It has truth - I do not doubt that - at times more truth than many Protestants!  They see her leaders as nice men, very pleasant, easy to get along with, believing much the same as protestants believe, not much difference between them, and so on it goes.

But Lloyd-Jones claims that "if we accept her teaching, we are believing a lie!"  All those in the protestant churches who accept Romes teaching are, themselves, believing a lie.  The really disturbing thing is that amongst them are to be found many evangelicals, Christians.  Evangelicals are people who know the truth, they claim, and they know the difference between truth and error.  They know and love Jesus Christ who is "the truth."  But if this is true of these people, how is it that, in accepting the teaching of Rome, they are believing a lie?  How can an evangelical say he is preaching the truth while at the same time is believing a lie? There is surely something seriously wrong with such an approach.  But they do not see it!

But in addition to this, there are many evangelicals who say they do not accept the teaching of Rome, and yet the church to which they belong does accept it as a Christian Church. They draw their salaries from such a denomination, and will defend it to the last breath in their bodies.  Woe betide the man who criticises their church! they will get the full blast of their tongues! then you will know for sure what or Who has prime place in their thinking and devotion - Christ and His gospel, or their church.

How could this possibly happen?  here is only one answer: Rome is the greatest vehicle for ministering "the wiles of the devil" and is itself a manifestation of the devil's subtlety.   Only by being overcome by "the wiles of the devil" could a church or a professing evangelical, even come close to accepting the teaching of Rome as the truth.

Like many issues today, a man's attitude to Rome will tell you a ot about what he really believes!