Dr. White:
After reading that May 11th was the day to pray for your “conversion” to the Roman Catholic church I couldn’t contain myself any longer. As a former Catholic who by the grace of God was exposed to a bible believing church in 1987, that at the time was presenting a series on the book of Galatians. As I listened to the expository teaching the Holy Spirit opened my heart and mind to the reality that the law wasn’t going to save me but faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ would. From that point on I began a journey of seeking and learning more of what it truly means to be a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. After reading that you were going to be prayed for I visited the Catholic Answers Forum. The comments there are unbelievable. It’s amazing to me how defensive and vitriolic they are. I guess that’s our culture today. When we can’t debate ideas we attack the person. Your books and ministry have and continue to be a blessing to me.
Sincerely, GR.Hi James.
I was born and bred Italian and Catholic until God opened my eyes by His irresistible grace (twice, the second “work of grace” was understanding sovereignty of the perfect Saviour). You had better keep doing what you do until your last breath – loving Catholics by telling them the truth. Most people in western evangelical churches come from this background. Its a mighty harvest – the new synagogues. Your clip on patristic consensus was the best I’ve seen you do – worthy of a great reformer, sort of took me back in my imagination.
JMDr. White:
This letter is offered as a note of encouragement. As an elder in a mutating Baptist church (from the pablum of standard SBC fair to the beauty of Sovereign Grace) I appreciate the work you’ve done to be a finely honed chisel in the hand of the Spirit and your consistent, gentlemanly engagement of error. Here in South Texas we often encounter those who grew up in the Roman church and are “seeking’ Truth and the ability to engage the mind with a well thought out “reason for the hope” helps to firmly ground the new brother or sister. To that end the distortion of the Eucharist in the 9th through 13th centuries (to what is practiced today) is a good point to diffuse the authority of Rome. If the work on the cross was a finished work (and we have it from His lips that it was), then to say that a “Propitiatory Eucharist” is offered at the Mass constitues calling Jesus a liar. If you are calling his a liar then you are doing exactly the same thing the Pharasees were dong relative to John 8.24 and the consequences will be the same. Thank you for pointing out that the distortion of the eucharist constitutes a fundamental negation of the work and sacrifice of the Lord.
JO
Remember to pray that God will be pleased to draw His people to Himself with great power, revealing a perfect Savior and a perfect Gospel to those trapped in the Roman Catholic system. Pray that God will use you to proclaim the gospel of grace to a Roman Catholic!