Chapter 4

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Protestant

Protestant means to protest. Protest what? Part of the problem today is that when protestants left such a structured and rigidly defined faith, anything and everything was subject to change and very nearly did so. Generalities are therefore difficult to make for all protestants but I will try to do so.

Authority of Scripture

The concept of authority was probably the first to go. The search for the final arbiter of truth was quickly solved by turning to the scriptures. While some protestants have weakened their position to state that since man was involved in the process that the Bible is just another good book, most still hold the belief that Almighty God sent and protected His Word to mankind and that the scriptures themselves are the final arbiter of truth. Most protestants today then, place the Scriptures in the position of authority. Of course who interprets them and how, is still an open question and varies widely across the Protestant world.

Less Structure

With the shift in authority from a man to scripture came the predictable result of loss of structure. While most denominations maintain some structure at some level, Protestantism in general is certainly not hierarchical. There is no one hierarchical organization to maintain order within the ranks of Protestantism. This has resulted in an astonishing variety of teachings and beliefs some of which are more rooted in the traditions of the "mother church" and other beliefs are held to come from a fresh understanding of scripture.

There are some divisions of Protestantism, such as Later Day Saints (Mormons), which are very hierarchical, while other divisions of Protestantism which are "congregational" and organized only at the local level.

Tradition

This change in outlook has led in general to a seeming rejection of the faith in tradition. After all, if tradition had value, why the split in the first place? The concept of "Sola Scriptura", or the Bible and the Bible only as the only rule of faith and doctrine is given wide lip service at least in the protestant world. I say lip service since most protestants despite their claims to the contrary cannot give a scriptural basis for all their beliefs. This may come as a shock to many of my protestant friends, but at some level it is largely true regardless of their personal level of study.

I have listened to many very learned protestant pastors of various denominations preaching on the radio and some hardly mention a scripture. With some, their entire discourse is made up of platitudes, repetitious sayings, and various aspects of the "social gospel" involving vague encouragement to love others. Little if anything is said about the "sin problem". A great deal is made by most of having the Spirit, but the Spirit's role in reproof of sin is largely ignored.

In contrast, other pastors at times mention a lot of scripture. Some are connected in logical ways while others less so. However sooner or later with rare exception, the studious listener will detect a phrase or concept which has it's origin in tradition, and not in the scriptures. Some of these concepts are so deeply rooted in the fabric of specific denomination and Protestantism in general that they are accepted without question and form a foundation for a very large house of cards.

Recently I listened to a pastor explaining the book of Revelation on the radio, and his fanciful discourse had so many concepts woven in which were mere assertions and have NO basis in scripture it was incredible. The problems is that many of these concepts have become so widely accepted across the protestant world that he is free to weave them in wherever he wishes and his audience will not even question them. Not only is there no scriptural foundation for them, they actually violate scriptural principles completely. Since his audience is so ignorant of the scriptures, he is free to do this. I sometimes wonder who is more ignorant and misled, the speaker or his hearers. I constantly gain a newer appreciation for the faithfulness of the Bereans of Acts 17:11 who "eagerly examined the scriptures every day to see whether these things were so". I also soberly examine my own beliefs in the light of scripture to ensure I am not led astray as well.

Law and Sin

The question of law and sin is one of so much disagreement and downright double-talk in the Protestant world, that it is a defining characteristic. While it is hard to generalize such a diverse company of "believers", the belief that man is a "sinner" at least appears to be universal. What sin IS gets a little fuzzier. Some would soften it almost out of existence to mean anyone who doesn't love his neighbor. While that is in itself true of sinners, if you stop there, it leaves a lot of explaining. A more rigid definition of sin is provided in scripture.

"Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. 1 John 3:4"

This definition though creates a problem for some denominations.

The "law" in ancient Israel had several meanings. There were bodies of laws covering many areas of life. There was the Decalogue or Ten Commandments written in stone, given on Mt. Sinai. There were dietary/health laws given in several places. There were laws of ceremony, and laws of governance in civil matters. Much of our current civil laws find their basis in these laws.

There is a certain hostile undercurrent in many protestant denominations toward anyone who would suggest that "the law" must be kept today. Many have taught for years that it was the ten commandment law that was done away with and "nailed to the cross". This hostility is odd since the scriptures state plainly that "... the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. Rom. 7:12". The justification for the this assertion is a misinterpretation of Col. 2:14 "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;". If this were to mean that the standard of sin was taken away and sinners who are "no longer under law but under grace"(Rom. 6:14), then there is a major problem. There are no more sinners. You cannot have breakers of a law which is no longer in effect can you.

Catholics have solved this issue of whether the law is binding today quite easily. They say 'yes the law (as we define it) is still in effect, but we will issue forgiveness to you so it's O.K.' Generally Protestants reject this but they cannot really have it both ways. If the law is still in effect, its demands still label them a sinner. The solution is where the difference really lays.

Generally, the Protestant view appears to be essentially this. The law is in force labeling you a sinner, and once you are 'saved' do the best you can to keep it for the most part, but 'don't sweat the small stuff since your performance is no longer a problem'.

In fact, they appear to stratify the commandments themselves into greater and lesser ones similar to the Catholic distinctions between "mortal" and "venial". While lying and stealing are still wrong and punishable by even civil law, divorce is widely practiced, questions of Sabbath observance open to private variations, and other commandments such as covetousness almost forgotten.

Once most Protestants have been 'saved' their performance of the commandments is no longer an issue. Like the catholic who has purchased an indulgence, they are now free to sin without any repercussions. This is not 'good news' to anyone around them who may have to suffer the consequences of their behavior.

This appearance of speaking out of both sides stems from the basic difference between being 'saved in sin' and being 'saved from sin'. If you are saved in sin, your performance is irrelevant and the only thing you need be concerned with is whether you have mouthed certain incantations. Like pagans, certain phrases take on magical properties, and merely stating that you 'except Christ as your personal savior' transforms you from a sinner into a saint. While most protestants would object to this blunt characterization, that is essentially their position.

To be saved from sin implies something most Protestants and Catholics alike have never contemplated and is indeed Good News.