Question: I am a former Catholic. Every once in a while I still
have "flashbacks" about Catholic threats about God's
displeasure if we turn our back on the institution of the Catholic
Church. I guess my mind and memory banks are not completely renewed yet.
Did you experience a similar thing -- that is, that there was a time
element involved before you became entirely free? Do you feel that you
have arrived at the point of never having "flashbacks" or
feeling false guilt or self-doubt?
Answer: It is an amazing fact that the Roman Catholic system so
thoroughly indoctrinates her children, that many of them remain slaves
all their life. Even when, by the grace of God, a Catholic is set free
from the traditions of our fathers, he remains tormented by many
doubts and false guilt feelings. I am not surprised by your experience,
for in a very real sense, I continue to struggle against false teachings
that have been implanted in my mind during my childhood.
This is the normal Christian experience. The Jewish Christians to
whom the letter to the Hebrews is addressed had a similar problem. They
had their traditions, their history, and external religious worship.
When they became Christian, they detached themselves from a religion
that clearly had its roots in God. Were not the priests and Judaism in
direct historical succession to Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Aaron and David?
Yet, because the children of Israel, for the great part, rejected the
Messiah prophesied in their Scriptures, the right thing to do was to
leave the Jewish religion and join the new "sect" of the Nazarene.
We find ourselves in a similar situation. Roman Catholicism has a
historical link with the apostolic church. Yet, in time, they added
doctrines and practices that seriously undermine the truth of the
apostolic Gospel. Catholic apologists boast about their historical
succession, just as the Jews bragged that they were the children of
Abraham. However, the Lord Jesus rebuked them and told them that God was
able to raise up children for Abraham out of stones.
God is not displeased with us for leaving a corrupt and apostate
church. To be sure, He positively commands us to "come out of
her" in order to avoid the coming judgments. God requires us to
know the truth of the Gospel and be faithful to His teaching. The only
way that we can really be set free from our past is to learn and know
the truth of Christ and obey it. "If you abide in My word, you are
My disciples indeed. 32“And you shall know the truth, and the truth
shall make you free" (John 8:31,32).
Needless to say, we have not arrived yet. We are still growing in the
grace and knowledge of Christ. Hence, we should continue to prayerfully
and carefully study the Scriptures to learn sound doctrine, thereby
correcting false ideas still lingering in our minds. Even so, if our
knowledge of the Bible has humbled us that we should not place any
confidence in the flesh for our justification, and if it has produced a
living faith in Christ alone for our salvation, holiness, and love for
God and our neighbours...well, brother, we can be sure that we are on
the right track. Let us move on!
"I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door,
and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My
word, and have not denied My name" (Revelation 3:8).