As one who has been studying the origin of the Bible, apologetics and Comparative Religion for the better part of twenty-one years I had the privilege of being led of the Lord to the excellent defence of the historic orthodox Christian faith put forth by the Dr. Walter Martin (1928-1989). A small portion of my studies involved his teachings, but my own labors in Christ were certainly quite influenced by him. And O at the late hour how the Church misses his clear voice.

I have been asked a number of times about Dr. Martin’s stand regarding apostate Roman Catholicism, which is exactly what Martin’s view was as you’ll clearly see below. Delivered as I was from the religious bondage of the Roman Catholic Church into the glorious liberty of the sons of God, and because the Lord was pleased to have me be a columnist at Walter Martin Religious InfoNet, it seems good in the Spirit to publish Martin’s own words concerning the core issues of the Church of Rome.

The [Roman Catholic] Church has adapted to the necessity of survival, as she always has. But she has never changed [her] positions. Now; as Christians, what ought our attitude to be [concerning Roman Catholicism]? It ought to be an attitude of gratitude; and attitude of joy, because God has delivered us from this system into the glorious liberty of the sons of God. We are not descendants of this papacy, nor do we wish to be… We [who are Christian] reject a corrupt church; a backslidden church; an apostate church…

Peter is not the first pope, nor does [this office even exist, and the Pope of Rome does not] have the power to legislate for Christians. When [Pope John Paul II] tells you that he thanks the Virgin Mary for sparing his life when he was [almost] assassinated. And yet he is the Vicar of Christ by profession, then think it is time to realize that [Romanism]…is the kind of leadership we do not wish to follow, and we [need] to discourage others from following [the Roman Catholic Church].

The Foundation [of the Church] is the Lord Jesus Christ. And He, Jesus said – he that is greatest among you shall be your servant (Matthew 23:11). Well if he is – and if the Master washed the feet of his disciples – then we should expect the same kind of example from the history of the papacy. We have not received that example. We have received flowing robes, large churches built on the backs of people. We have seen the terrible disparity between the profession of Christianity and the practice of it. Simply visit the countries where Rome rules, and you will see it for yourself…

The American Catholic is a different breed of cats from the Irish Catholic, the Spanish Catholic, the Italian Catholic. Different; because there you find the theology I’m talking about – now – today [the 80’s.] Just as much as alive as when Boniface the VIII and…the popes of yesteryear wrote it, and said it had to be believed.

You must understand what you are seeing in this country is not pure Roman Catholic theology. What you are seeing in this country is a watered down version adapted to the American mind, so that the Americans will live with it. Rome is a great chameleon, she changes color on what ever surface you place her. Here in this country she cannot do the things she does in Spain, and Italy and survive, and so she is different. The face is different, but underneath, the theology remains unchanged. The statement “we never change” – is true. They never change on the basics. They will change on the peripherals, [but] never on the centrality, the authority of the papacy.

I’m quoting these things so that you get some idea of the concept in which the average Roman Catholic grows, and matures in the educational process of the church. It is a closed system, absolute thought control enforced by fear. If you do not, then you will not inherit…

Let us not think that Rome has changed her basic positions, she has not. Her catechisms are essentially the same. Her dogmas uncompromising. It is the same Roman Catholic Church as at the Council of Trent, only carefully adapted to American Protestant culture. It is a Roman Catholic Church, which today, which threatens Protestantism in various parts of the world, whenever she gains the upper hand. (Roman Catholicism—Peter the Rock, Church Tradition and the Bible, CD Rom, available from Walter Martin’s Religious InfoNet)