I replied, asking him to be more specific. He wrote, "Just look at your title: ‘Christians Evangelizing Catholics’. This makes it seem as if Catholic are completely unaware of who their savior is. That to me is Catholic bashing. Don't you?

I replied: Dear Edgar,

Thanks for your e-mail with a specific instance of what you term Catholic bashing. From the dictionary, we find that the primary meaning of "bash" is "to strike so as to smash in."

If you are implying that I want to strike the Roman Catholic system of religion so as to smash it in, you are entirely correct. However, our title Christians Evangelizing Catholics is speaking not of a system of religion, but of individuals who are ensnared in that system of religion.

We can paraphrase the words of the Apostle Paul in Romans 10:1, "Brethren , my hearts desire and prayer for [Roman Catholics] is that they might be saved."

The reason for this lostness is the same for Roman Catholics as it was for Israel. Even though they both have a zeal of God, it is not according to knowledge Paul continues, "For they (Israel and Roman Catholics and Jehovah’s witnesses and unsaved Baptists) being ignorant of God’s righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God."

The "righteousness of God" is explained in verse 4 – the finished work of salvation merited for us by Jesus Christ. Anyone who doesn’t know this work was done will try to do something religious to satisfy God. Isaiah 53:11 tells of the only work for salvation that will satisfy God. God will look for satisfaction not on our works, sacraments and prayers; He will look on the travail of Christ (His death on the Cross) and be satisfied.

Therefore our title is valid. To evangelize Catholics is to tell them the good news, and this is the duty of every Christian. The message has to go to unsaved Protestants as well, but because of God’s leading, this ministry is particularly directed to helping Christians tell the good news to their Catholic friends.

The good news, Edgar, is that there is a way back to God from the dark paths of sin. This way does not begin with infant baptism, is not continued through sacraments and prayers and wend its way through "Purgatory". This way begins at Calvary.

John Bunyan, in Pilgrim’s Progress, pictures the pilgrim with the burden of sin on his back coming to the hill of Calvary, where his burden of sin is loosed and disappears in the sepulchre. The pilgrim, now called Christian, recites the following:

"Thus far did I come laden with my sin,

Nor could aught ease the grief that I was in

Till I came hither. What a place is this!

Must here be the beginning of my bliss?

Must here the burden fall from off my back?

Must here the cords that bound it to me crack?

Blessed cross! Blessed sepulchre! Blest rather be

The Man Who here was put to shame for me."

Yours sincerely,

Bill Jackson, dodone.org