You might have heard Catholics referred to as “Protestant” and vice versa, but is that really the case? A closer look at the beliefs of the Catholic Church and the Protestant Church reveals significant differences that set the two groups apart
The first area where the two churches differ is in the scriptures themselves. The Catholic church embraces both scripture and tradition, while the Protestant church focuses on scripture alone. The Catholic church believes in the apocrypha, while the Protestant church does not.
Here are a few other areas where they differ significantly:
Catholics believe the fall of man led to corruption and tendency to sin. Free will leaves a person free to do as he wishes, both for good and for evil, and predestination is related to the knowledge God has of the future. The Catholic church believes in transubstantiation, or that the bread and wine changes to the body and blood of Christ. The death of Christ was meant to save sinners and everyone has a chance to go to heaven; salvation is received at baptism, and can be lost through moral sin. However, even those who have never heard of Jesus can be saved. Good works are worthy of merit and notice, and are all to the glory of God.
Protestants believe that the fall of man led to depravity and sin, and that free will allows a person to do only evil, not good works, for good is only under the auspices of God. Predestination is related to God’s decrees, not to foreknowledge of any kind. The Protestant church rejects the idea of transubstantiation. Common grace allows everyone to do good works and strive for heaven, but only a chosen few will actually get there. God saves anyone He likes, regardless of denomination or belief, and even those who know nothing of Him can be saved. Good works are by divine grace only, and therefore are not deserving of worldly merit.
The differences between the basic beliefs of the Catholic and Protestant churches are wide, and are certainly not interchangeable. The next time someone says they are the same, you now know how to respond to the incorrect assumption!