What, then, are we looking at? We are looking at a system; and I would not hesitate to assert that this system, known as Roman Catholicism, is the devil’s greatest masterpiece!

It is such a departure from the Christian faith and the New Testament teaching, that I would not hesitate with the Reformers of the sixteenth century to describe it as “apostasy.

Now let us be clear about this. We define apostasy as a kind of total departure from the Christian truth. “Well,” says someone, “are you saying that about the Roman Catholic Church?”

We have to be most careful here. If we say that Roman Catholicism is apostasy we must be clear as to the sense in which that is true. Let me put it like this therefore.

 

Here it is not so much a matter of “denial” of the truth, but rather such an addition to the truth that eventually it becomes a departure from it…

Here is a great body, an institution, that has from time to time throughout the centuries—and still is doing this very thing—manifested the wiles of the devil in all its subtlety and deceitfulness, “with all deceivableness of unrighteousness” as the Scripture puts it…

Take the first example of [robbing Christ of His glory], their teaching with regard to the question of justification— justification by faith. As Luther said this is, “the test of a standing or a falling Church”—the whole glory of Protestantism, the thing that brought it into being. Look at their teaching with regard to justification.

We know what ours is, or do we? I sometimes wonder whether we do, many of us Protestants. It is not surprising that Roman Catholicism is increasing when Protestants do not know what justification means.

It is not surprising that Roman Catholicism is increasing when Protestants do not know what justification means.…Justification is by faith!

Roman Catholicism is bound to succeed while Protestants think that merely to live a good life is enough. It is not surprising that Roman Catholicism is sweeping through the countries and the nations.

Justification is by faith!

Roman teaching is that good works, meritorious works are possible in man, in sinful man; that man can contribute something to his own justification…

Need we be concerned about all of this [after Vatican II]? Ought we to be rejoicing that there is a new approach to Roman Catholicism?

Should we not all be rejoicing in the fact that it is possible for us all to stand together as Christians over and against Communism?

That is the question you have to face. For myself I do not hesitate about the answer. This system is altogether more dangerous than is Communism itself, because this is a counterfeit, this does it in the “name” of Christ…

No, the Protestant Reformers were not just bigoted zealots, they were not just fools. These men had their eyes opened by the Holy Spirit.

That is what happened to Luther, that is what happened to Calvin, that is what happened to Knox, that is what happened to all of them.

These men had their eyes opened, they saw it, they saw this horrible monstrosity depicted in the Bible in the warnings against it, and at the risk of even losing their lives they stood up and they protested. They said that it was not true.

So they began to assert justification by faith, the supreme, final, adequate authority of the Scriptures, the universal priesthood of all believers and so on. They were ready to die for those truths, and many did die for them! (Online source)
D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

See also:

HAS THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH REALLY CHANGED?

THE DECEIVERS OF ROMAN CATHOLICISM

THINK YOU’RE A ROMAN CATHOLIC IF YOU DISAGREE WITH THE POPE; BETTER THINK AGAIN