At the risk of stating the obvious, there are fundamental differences between the theology and practice of evangelicals and Catholics. I state the obvious so that I can make a broader point.

Whenever an evangelical, especially one committed to the principles of the Reformation, clearly articulates why he is an evangelical and not a Catholic, more often than not he is accused of being anti-Catholic. Yet when a Catholic apologist - or even a mere lay adherent to the Catholic faith - draws attention to the differences between Catholics and evangelicals, he is more often than not praised as defending the faith. The evangelical is a bigot; the Catholic is just being faithful.

Faithful Catholics who call my radio program endaevoring to counter my Reformed view often tell me that I am mistaken about the Catholic view of justification. They want me to know that their Church indeed teaches justification by grace through faith. No amount of shouting the word “ALONE” helps them understand the critical biblical difference between what their church teaches and what the word of God actually says. Beyond that, the Church is teaching them that their righteousness is inherent - that is, they already possess righteousness which is made effective for salvation through the Church and its sacraments. Those of us on the Reformation side of the divide recognize that our righteousness is NOT inherent; it is the rightousness of Another that has been imputed to us by grace through faith (Galatians 2:16; Philippians 3:9; Titus 3:5).

I don’t quite understand why some Catholics who listen to my radio program are shocked and surprised when they hear me say things that clearly evidence a defense of Reformational Protestantism. I certainly am not shocked nor surprised when I hear a Catholic talk radio host say things that are not only contrary to what I personally believe, but even more importantly, contrary to what the Scriptures actually teach. The Catholic host defends his faith from the Catechism of the Catholic Church. I defend mine from inspired Scripture.

Justin Taylor over at the Between Two Worlds blog offers a compelling summary of the irreconcilable differences between Reformational Protestantism and the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.