Matt Slick makes a mockery of Catholic teaching by abusing the catechism. He tries to "summarrize" one or a few CCC paragraphs that he cherry picks. Carnival barking ridicules what he thinks Catholicism is. No page to the paragraphs are ever linked. No footnotes, and no context. Then he compares it to his Calvinistic interpretation of scripture. Oddly, he is not a full Calvinist. Matt doesn't understand what the catechism if for nor does he understand it's proper use.
The Catholic Church is the one true church (CCC 2105), Infallibility of the Catholic Church, (CCC 2035), Only the Roman Catholic Church has authority to interpret Scripture (CCC 100), The Pope is the head of the church and has the authority of Christ (CCC 2034), The Roman Catholic Church is necessary for salvation (CCC 846), Sacred Tradition equal to scripture (CCC 82), Forgiveness of sins, salvation, is by faith and works (CCC 2036 CCC 2080 2068),...
Some of Matt's carnival barking is just misrepresentations, and some are blatant lies.
Let's take the first one.
The Catholic Church is the one true church (CCC 2105) but not the way Slick puts it.
Here's what it really says:
2105 The duty of offering God genuine worship concerns man both individually and socially. This is "the traditional Catholic teaching on the moral duty of individuals and societies toward the true religion and the one Church of Christ."30 By constantly evangelizing men, the Church works toward enabling them "to infuse the Christian spirit into the mentality and mores, laws and structures of the communities in which [they] live."31 The social duty of Christians is to respect and awaken in each man the love of the true and the good. It requires them to make known the worship of the one true religion which subsists in the Catholic and apostolic Church.32 Christians are called to be the light of the world. Thus, the Church shows forth the kingship of Christ over all creation and in particular over human societies.33
footnotes:
30
DH 1 § 3.
31
AA 13 § 1.
32 Cf.
DH 1.
33 Cf.
AA 13; Leo XIII,
Immortale Dei 3,17; Pius XI,
Quas primas 8,20.
Catechism of the Catholic Church - The first commandment
If you are going to cite a paragraph, that is how it should be done. Matt preaches sound bytes, not Catholic teaching.
Matt doesn't understand what "subsists" means. If the CC cannot define itself, then Matt's brand of Calvinism can't be defined on the same basis.
"...one true religion which subsists in the Catholic and apostolic Church..." does not mean it is the only church with truths. There is a lack of context with other paragraphs. For example:
819 "Furthermore, many elements of sanctification and of truth"273 are found outside the visible confines of the Catholic Church: "the written Word of God; the life of grace; faith, hope, and charity, with the other interior gifts of the Holy Spirit, as well as visible elements."274 Christ's Spirit uses these Churches and ecclesial communities as means of salvation, whose power derives from the fullness of grace and truth that Christ has entrusted to the Catholic Church. All these blessings come from Christ and lead to him,275 and are in themselves calls to "Catholic unity."276
273
LG 8 § 2.
274
UR 3 § 2; cf.
LG 15.
275 Cf.
UR 3.
276 Cf.
LG 8.
CCC - PART 1 SECTION 2 CHAPTER 3 ARTICLE 9 PARAGRAPH 3
So the CC recognizes other churches as a means of salvation, even the ones that don't like us. Context is Matt's enemy. Matt would never cite this paragraph.
Dear Catholic, do you know for sure if you are going to heaven?
by Matt Slick
John Martignoni
Dear Matt Slick,
Since you go by the Bible alone (Sola Scriptura), I have to ask: Is this little salvation quiz of yours in the Bible? If not, why are you asking it? Also, do I have to answer your question in a certain way as a requirement for getting into Heaven?
Matt Slick
As a Protestant, I can say that I know I am going to heaven. This isn't arrogance. It is confidence in the work of Christ and not my own work. It is confidence in the ability of Jesus to save me completely, to have fulfilled all of the Law perfectly, and to have cleansed me from my sin totally. Therefore, because all my hope and trust are in him and not what I can do, I know I am going to heaven.
John Martignoni
Matt Slick says, “I know I am going to Heaven.”
God says, “Therefore let any one who thinks that he stands take heed, lest he fall,” (1 Cor 10:12). You might want to read that over a few times, Slick.
Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, says, “I do not even judge myself. I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes...” (1 Cor 4:3-5).
Matt Slick says, “I do indeed judge myself before the time, before the Lord comes, and even though I am aware of all sorts of things against myself, I am thereby acquitted.”
Sorry, Slick, but your words do indeed seem to indicate just a wee bit of arrogance on your part.
Oh, and one other thing: If Jesus has cleansed you from your sin “totally,” then how come you still sin?
see the rest of the debate here