Nothing in my hand I bring

Over the last year probably the best 2 books I've read are 'You can change' by Tim Chester and 'Nothing in my hand I bring - understanding the differences between Roman Catholic and Protestant beliefs' by Ray Galea, I've asked Nicky Rae to review it....

I was asked to review this book as, like the Author, I am of Maltese descent and grew up in a practicing Roman Catholic home. I faced similar challenges to Ray Galea, as I came to true salvation through trust in Christ alone at the age of 27 and felt no option but to leave the culture and religion I had grown up in. I face continuing challenges as I seek to share the gospel with my family steeped in the traditions of the Roman Catholic faith and who have not understood true grace in Christ.

Ray has a passion for the person and the work of Christ whom he has come to love, honour and serve, and this has led him to conclude, painfully, that he could not serve Christ and the Roman Catholic church even though it meant rejecting his family and culture.

“Nothing in my hand I bring” is a sensitively and biblically written account of his painful but honest journey to discover the differences between Catholicism and the Protestant faith by taking each aspect of the Roman Catholic faith (i.e. the Mass, Mary, grace, sacraments , e.t.c.) and showing how it fails to acknowledge the gospel - that salvation comes through Christ alone and that it, in fact, undermines the work and sufficiency of Christ.

I would recommend this book to both Roman Catholics to help them to understand their religion more and to understand the differences; and to evangelicals and unbelievers who ask the question “Is there any significant difference and why was the reformation necessary.” The book is a quick and easy read so I would encourage all to take a copy and read it!