Why I am Catholic Part 2

Devotional

Day 1: Scripture as the Unshifting Foundation

The church does not create truth but receives it from Christ through Scripture. Like a builder anchoring a house to bedrock, believers ground their faith in God’s written Word, which alone holds final authority. Councils, creeds, and traditions serve only as tools to clarify what Scripture already reveals. When debates arise—as they did at Nicaea—the answer lies not in institutional power but in returning to the text. Scripture’s sufficiency means every doctrine must bow to its clarity. [01:31]

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
(2 Timothy 3:16–17, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you subtly allowed human traditions or opinions to overshadow Scripture’s authority in your spiritual life? How might you realign your daily decisions with the “God-breathed” Word?

Day 2: Councils and the Sword of Scripture

When Arius twisted Proverbs to deny Christ’s divinity, the Council of Nicaea wielded Scripture like a surgeon’s blade. They dissected John 1:1, proving the Son’s eternal nature not by institutional authority but by God’s own words. Councils matter only when they submit to Scripture’s final say. Like Athanasius defending the Trinity, believers today must let biblical truth cut through error. [05:46]

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.”
(John 1:1–2, ESV)

Reflection: When have you seen Scripture resolve a dispute in your community? What current disagreement might God’s Word clarify if you studied it together?

Day 3: One Church, Many Rooms

The Great Schism split East and West, yet Christ’s invisible church remained whole. Like a family divided across continents but united by blood, believers share a deeper bond than institutional labels. The church’s true unity isn’t in popes or patriarchs but in Christ’s headship. Whether in Rome, Constantinople, or a rural chapel, those who confess “Jesus is Lord” dwell in the same household. [14:04]

“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone.”
(Ephesians 2:19–20, ESV)

Reflection: How does your view of other denominations reflect—or contradict—Paul’s vision of one “household of God”? What step could you take to affirm unity with a believer outside your tradition?

Day 4: Testing Traditions by the Text

Doctrinal development isn’t wrong—unless it invents what Scripture never implied. Marian dogmas like the Assumption crumble when held to the light of God’s Word. Like the Bereans, Christians must examine even ancient traditions, keeping what aligns with Scripture and discarding what distorts it. True catholicity treasures faithful inheritance but rejects innovations that burden consciences. [19:13]

“Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.”
(Acts 17:11, ESV)

Reflection: Which tradition in your spiritual practice have you never critically examined? How might you “test” it this week using Scripture?

Day 5: Reformed, Always Reforming

The Reformation wasn’t a rebellion but a homecoming—a return to Scripture’s authority. Like pruning a vine to restore fruitfulness, Luther and Calvin cut away medieval additions to revive apostolic roots. Today’s church must keep reforming, not chasing trends but recalibrating every teaching, structure, and practice to God’s unchanging Word. [28:14]

“And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
(Matthew 16:18, ESV)

Reflection: What area of your life needs “reforming” according to Scripture? How will you invite Christ—not institutions—to reshape it this month?

Sermon Summary

The confession “Catholic but not Roman Catholic” begins with the claim that Catholic faith is not the same thing as Roman Catholic institution. Catholicity belongs to the whole invisible church, the whole body of those who belong to Christ, not merely to one visible structure. The church does not create truth by its authority. The church receives, guards, teaches, and submits to the truth given by Christ through the apostles and written down in scripture.

Sola scriptura does not mean “scripture alone in isolation.” That kind of “no creed but the Bible” approach is itself a creed and should be rejected. Scripture is the norma normans, the norm that norms, but creeds, councils, confessions, pastors, and tradition still have real, secondary authority when they faithfully serve the word of God. Nicaea becomes a great example of this, because the council did not invent the Trinity or the divinity of Christ. Nicaea clarified and defended what scripture already taught against Arius, who claimed there was a time when the Son was not.

The early church appears conciliar, not papally supreme. Nicaea and Chalcedon show elders and bishops gathering together to test doctrine by scripture, not submitting everything to the bishop of Rome. The Great Schism of 1054 made visible a fracture that had been forming for centuries through language, politics, liturgy, the Filioque, and questions of jurisdiction. That fracture did not destroy the church, because institutions and catholicity are not the same thing.

The marks of the true church are faithful preaching of the word, right administration of the sacraments, and discipline, which means discipleship and formation in Christ. The issue is not merely who ordained a bishop, but what gospel that bishop preaches. Development is not automatically wrong, because doctrine often needs clarification, defense, and systematizing. The problem comes when development becomes innovation and the church binds consciences to claims that cannot be established from the apostolic deposit.

Trent becomes the defining moment for Roman Catholicism as it exists today, because Trent answered the Reformation by placing unwritten tradition alongside scripture and condemning justification by faith alone. The Reformation was not a reinvention of the church. It was a return to the word of God, a reforming of what already existed according to scripture.

The positive Protestant vision is catholicity without Roman supremacy. Christ alone is the Lord and head of the church. Scripture alone is the final, infallible apostolic norm. The church is a mother, but she is not Lord. Tradition is an inheritance, but not the final authority.

##

Key Takeaways

1. Catholicity is bigger than Rome Catholic faith belongs to Christ’s whole church, not merely to one institution inside the visible church. The invisible church is made up of those who truly belong to Christ, even when visible structures fracture or fail. This distinction keeps catholicity from being reduced to institutional branding while still taking the church seriously. [00:54]
2. Scripture norms every lesser authority Sola scriptura does not mean isolated Bible reading cut off from creeds, councils, and confessions. It means scripture is the final court of appeal, the “norm that norms,” while other authorities serve underneath it. Tradition becomes dangerous only when it stops being judged by the apostolic word and begins judging the apostolic word. [25:47]
3. Councils clarify, not create doctrine Nicaea did not invent the Trinity or the divinity of Christ. Nicaea gathered the church to defend what John 1 and the rest of scripture already said against a dangerous misreading. Good councils protect the church by giving clear language to biblical truth, but their authority remains ministerial, not ultimate. [05:46]
4. Reformation means returning to Scripture The Reformation was not an attempt to make a new church out of nothing. It was a call for the church to be reformed according to the word of God, not according to institutional power or personal preference. “Always reforming” becomes dangerous if the phrase loses its anchor in scripture. [28:39]
5. The church is mother, not Lord The church has real authority, real ministry, real sacraments, and real discipline. Yet that authority is derived from Christ and bound to his word. A Christian can receive the church as mother while refusing to give her the place that belongs only to Christ.

## [38:55]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:54] - Catholic Does Not Mean Roman Catholic
[01:49] - Scripture Alone as Final Authority
[03:05] - Sola Scriptura Is Not Isolation
[03:52] - Nicaea and the Arian Controversy
[06:25] - Councils Defend Biblical Doctrine
[07:16] - Early Church and Papal Supremacy
[09:21] - The Great Schism of 1054
[14:41] - Marks of the True Church
[16:59] - Development Versus Doctrinal Innovation
[21:03] - Trent and Roman Catholic Identity
[27:20] - Why the Reformation Was Necessary
[30:47] - Vatican II and Protestant Concerns
[33:12] - Catholicity Without Roman Supremacy
[36:34] - Christ Alone Rules His Church

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

John 1:1
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” [05:43]

Matthew 16:18
“And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” [15:11]

1 Timothy 3:15
“if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.” [15:29]

Ephesians 1:22-23
“And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.” [15:16]

Observation questions

In John 1:1, what does the verse say about the Word, and how does that directly challenge the claim that there was a time when the Son did not exist? [05:43]
In Matthew 16:18 and Ephesians 1:22-23, who builds the church and who is named as its head?
According to 1 Timothy 3:15, what role does the church have in relation to the truth, and what is not said about the church in that verse? [15:29]
What three marks of the true church are identified: what is preached, what is administered, and what kind of life together is practiced? [16:03]

Interpretation questions

If Christ is the head of the church in Ephesians 1:22-23, what does that suggest about how every pastor, council, creed, or tradition should function within the church? [37:24]
If the church is a “pillar and buttress of the truth” in 1 Timothy 3:15, how can it strongly support the truth without becoming the source of truth? [15:44]
Nicaea used Scripture to answer Arius rather than inventing a new doctrine. What does that show about the right purpose of councils when the church faces confusion or false teaching? [06:05]
If the church must always be reformed according to the word of God, how can a group tell the difference between faithful reform and simply making up something new? [28:39]

Application questions

Many Christians either treat church tradition as untouchable or ignore it completely. Which side is the greater temptation personally right now, and what would it look like to receive tradition as an inheritance while still testing everything by Scripture? [39:22]
The church is mother, not Lord. In personal Christian life, where is there a tendency to let a church culture, favorite teacher, denomination, or tradition take a place that belongs only to Christ? [39:07]
The question is not only who ordained a bishop or leader, but what gospel is being preached. What signs usually help in recognizing whether a church is truly centering the gospel, the word, the sacraments, and real discipleship? [16:37]
“Always reforming” becomes dangerous when it is cut loose from the word of God. Where has there been experience of change in church life that seemed driven more by preference, pressure, or personality than by Scripture? How did that affect trust and spiritual growth? [29:05]
Christ preserves his church through his word and Spirit. When visible churches disappoint, divide, or fail, what helps keep faith steady in Christ rather than in an institution? [39:46]
Scripture is the final authority, but creeds, councils, confessions, and pastors still have real value. What would healthier use of those secondary authorities look like in everyday Christian life, family life, or small group life? [26:40]
Catholicity is bigger than any one institution. How could this truth help someone grow in humility, gratitude, and love toward other Christians who belong to Christ but come from different traditions? [14:00]

Sermon Clips

58s

“A Catholic church is not preserved by an institution being incapable of error. It is preserved by Christ who is its head, who rules his church through his word and through his spirit. So to be Protestant is not to cease being Catholic. It is to confess that the Catholic church belongs to Christ, stands upon the apostolic foundation, receives the scripture as God's infallible word, and must continually submit every doctrine, tradition, council, institution, and pastoral authority to the word of God. I am Catholic but not Roman Catholic, because my catholicity is ultimately defined not by Rome, but communion with Christ and his Catholic church according to the word of God that we have in scripture.”

53s

“So the positive Protestant vision is this, catholicity without Roman supremacy. So the conclusion should not be, I am not Roman Catholic. It should be, I am Catholic because I belong to the Catholic Church of Christ. I'm not Roman, but I am Catholic. The Protestant church can therefore receive the apostolic church through the apostles' scriptures, the ancient church through the creeds and ecumenical councils, the patristic church through Augustine, Chrysostom, Athanasius, and the other fathers, the medieval church through retrieving what is faithful while rejecting that which cannot be connected and reconciled with scripture. And the reformation through recovering the primacy of scripture and justification by grace through faith.”

49s

“Number four, the church possesses genuine authority, but or the church possesses genuine authority, but is a derived authority. Councils, creeds, bishops, pastors, confessions, and traditions are authoritative insofar as they faithfully transmit and apply the apostolic faith. And lastly, number five, therefore, the Catholic church must always be judged by the apostolic word. The reformation was not an abandonment of Catholic Christianity. It was a protest against the claim that a particular ecclesiastical institution could place its own interpretation beyond the judgment of scripture.”

Ask a question about this sermon

Christ Presbyterian Daphne This sermon · AI assistant

What is the final authority for Christian doctrine?

How did Nicaea defend Christ's divinity?

What distinguishes Catholicity from Roman Catholicism?