1536 lines
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1536 lines
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====[ The Christian BBS - Vic., B.C., (604)-478-2789, 8,N,1 - 24 Hrs. ]====
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CATHOLIC CHRONICLE I
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THE HOLY EUCHARIST
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Eating the Flesh of Deity
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-------------------------
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Edited and compiled by Keith Green
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Last Days Ministries, Box 40, Lindale, TX 75771-0040
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One might wonder why, in a scriptural look at the doctrines of the
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Catholic Church, I would choose this subject - The Roman Interpretation of
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the Lord's Supper (more commonly known as "Communion") for the first of the
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"Catholic Chronicles." Most Protestants (1) would expect me to deal with
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what they might consider the more obvious departures from biblical
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foundation - such as the worship of and prayers to the Virgin Mary, the
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infallibility of the pope, purgatory and prayers for the dead, or the
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history of the torture and burning of accused "heretics" and such like
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that.
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But for this first article I believe that we should get right to the
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root, before we begin exploring the branches of Roman doctrine and
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practice. And any Catholic who has even a small knowledge of his church
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knows that the central focus of each gathering (known as the "Mass") is the
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Holy Eucharist.
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The word "Eucharist" is a Greek word that means "thanksgiving." In the
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gospel accounts of the Last Supper, Jesus is described as "giving thanks"
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before breaking the bread (Luke 22:19), and so this word became a proper
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name for the Lord's Supper in the early Catholic Church. Today, it is more
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commonly associated with the elements in communion, especially the host or
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"wafer," although the ceremony itself is still called "The Holy Eucharist."
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Now, you might be wondering why I'm taking so much time and effort to
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explain something as harmless as the ceremony known around the world as
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communion. If you've probably taken part in a communion service. So why
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make all this fuss about bread and wine? Why? Because that's where the
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similarity between evangelical communion services and the Roman Catholic
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Mass ends - at the bread and the wine!
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Transubstantiation
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------------------
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That 18-letter word above is a complete theological statement . . . and
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the name of a doctrine, out of which springs the most astounding set of
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beliefs and practices that has ever been taught in the name of religion.
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Very, very few people know what the Catholic Church actually believes and
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teaches concerning this subject, and I am convinced that even fewer
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Catholics realize themselves what they are taking part in. From earliest
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childhood, "This is the body of Christ" is all they've ever heard when the
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priest gingerly placed the wafer on their tongue. And as they grew up, it
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was such a natural and normal part of religious life, that their minds
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never even questioned the fact that Jesus Christ, Himself, was actually in
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their mouth!
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It might be hard for you to believe, but that's exactly, literally,
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what "transubstantiation" means. The Roman Catholic Church teaches their
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flocks that the bread and the wine used in the Mass actually, physically,
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turn into the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ after the priest blesses them
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during the liturgy (ceremony. Although this in itself might shock you, it
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is really only the beginning. For the implications and practical
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conclusions of this doctrine are absolutely mind-boggling.
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Exclusive Authority
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-------------------
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For example, the Roman Catholic Church teaches that since their priests
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are the only ones who have the authority from God (2) to pronounce the
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blessing which changes the elements of communion into the actual body and
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blood of Jesus, that they are the only church where Jesus "physically
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resides" even now! Let me quote a letter written to one of the girls in
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our ministry from a devoted Catholic:
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"To explain the Catholic Church would take volumes, but basically the
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Catholic Church was founded by Jesus Christ when He was here on earth.
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It is the ONLY church founded by Jesus. The greatest asset of our church
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is that we have Jesus present in the Holy Eucharist - He is really here,
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body, soul and divinity. He is God and in His omnipotence can do
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anything He wishes, and He decided to remain with us until the end of the
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world in the form of the host in Holy Communion."
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If you think this is just the isolated opinion of someone on the fringe
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of the church, or that the Catholic Church as a whole does not really
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believe or teach this, I beg you to read on. For not only is this the
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official teaching of Rome, but according to irreversible church decree
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(called dogma), anyone who does not hold to this belief, in the most
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explicit detail, is accursed and damned forever!
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The Council of Trent
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When Europe was electrified by the eloquent preaching of the sixteenth
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century reformation, the Roman Catholic hierarchy gathered together her
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theologians who worked for three decades on the preparation of a statement
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of faith concerning transubstantiation. This document remains, to this
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day, the standard of Catholic doctrine.
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As the Second Vatican Council commenced in 1963, Pope John XXIII
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declared, "I do accept entirely all that has been decided and declared at
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the Council of Trent." What did the Council of Trent decide and declare?
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Some of the first sections are as follows:
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CANON I
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"If anyone shall deny that the body and blood, together with the soul
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and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ, and therefore entire Christ, are
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truly, really, and substantially contained in the sacrament of the most
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Holy Eucharist; and shall say that He is only in it as a sign, or in a
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figure - let him be accursed!"
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CANON II
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"If anyone shall say that the substance of the bread and wine remains
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in the sacrament of the most Holy Eucharist, together with the body and
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blood of our Lord Jesus Christ - let him be accursed!"
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CANON VI
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"If anyone shall say that Christ, the only begotten Son of God, is not
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to be adored in the holy sacrament of the Eucharist, even with the open
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worship of Latria, and therefore not to be venerated with any peculiar
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festal celebrity, not to be solemnly carried about in processions according
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to the praiseworthy and universal rites and customs of the Holy Church, and
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that He is not to be publicly set before the people to be adored, and that
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His adorers are idolators, - let him be accursed!"
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The Worship Of The Host
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"Thou shall not make unto thee any graven image (4)...
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Thou shall not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them"
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- The 2nd commandment (Ex.20:4-5)
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"God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and
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truth."
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- John 4:23
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In Canon VI, a rite of worship called "Latria" was spoken of. This is
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not just an "ancient custom," it is thoroughly practiced today in many
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Masses. After the bread has been supposedly "changed" into the Christ by
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the priest, it is placed in a holder called a monstrance. And before this
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monstrance the Catholic must bow and worship (this act is called
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genuflecting) the little wafer as God! Sometimes they have processions
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where they solemnly march, as the congregation bows and offers praise and
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worship - to this piece of bread!
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The Roman teaching that Jesus Christ is physically present in each
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morsel of bread creates many other doctrinal and practical problems. For
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instance, when the service is over, what happens to all those leftover
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wafers that have been "changed into Christ?" Do they change back into
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bread again when the priest goes home? I'm afraid not. For according to
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Canon IV of the Council of Trent, they stay flesh! And don't think that
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400 year-old decree is just some dusty old manuscript in a museum case
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somewhere - it still is completely adhered to and passionately practiced.
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As an example, here is a passage from an official Catholic home instruction
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book, copyrighted 1978:
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"Jesus Christ does not cease to exist under the appearances of bread
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and wine after the Mass is over. Furthermore, some hosts are usually kept
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in all Catholic churches. In these hosts, Jesus is physically and truly
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present, as long as the appearances of bread remain. Catholics therefore
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have the praiseworthy practice of `making visits' to our Lord present in
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their churches to offer Him their thanks, their adoration, to ask for help
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and forgiveness: in a word, to make Him the center around which they live
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their daily lives." That is an incredible interpretation of how to make
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Jesus the center of your daily life!
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When Did This Teaching Begin?
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The teaching of transubstantiation does not date back to the Last
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Supper as most Catholics suppose. It was a controversial topic for many
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centuries before officially becoming an article of faith (which means that
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it is essential to salvation according to Rome). The idea of a physical
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presence was vaguely held by some, such as Ambrose, but it was not until
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831 A.D. that Paschasius Radbertus, a Benedictine Monk, published a
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treatise openly advocating the doctrine. Even then, for almost another
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four centuries, theological was was waged over this teaching by bishops and
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people alike, until at the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215 A.D., it was
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officially defined and canonized as a dogma (a teaching or doctrine that can
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never be reversed or repealed. It is equal in authority to the Bible.) by
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Pope Innocent III.
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Church historians tell us that when this doctrine first began to be
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taught, the priests took great care that no crumb should fall - lest the
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body of Jesus be hurt, or even eaten by a mouse or a dog! There were quite
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serious discussions as to what should be done if a person were to vomit
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after receiving the sacrament. At the Council of Constance, it was argued
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that if a communicant spilled some of the blood on his beard, both beard
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and the man should be destroyed by burning!
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How Rome Views the Bible
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Before we proceed to look at what the Bible has to say on this subject,
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it is important to understand the official Catholic view of the Scriptures.
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According to unquestionable decree, they hold that "Church tradition has
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equal authority with the Bible." This is not just a theological view, but
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it was made an article of faith by the same Council of Trent in 1546! And
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again, this view is completely held by the Church today:
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"The teachings of the Church will always be in keeping with the
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teachings of the Scripture...and it is through the teaching of the Church
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that we understand more fully truths of sacred Scripture. To the Catholic
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Church belongs the final word in the understanding and meaning of the Holy
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Spirit in the words of the Bible."
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And explaining the premise used in interpreting the Bible:
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"...usually, the meaning of the Scriptures is sought out by those who are
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specially trained for this purpose. And in their conclusions, they know
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that no explanation of the Scriptures which contradicts the truths
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constantly taught by the infallible Church can be true." (10)
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Anyone can see how such a mode of interpretation can be dangerously
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used to manipulate Scripture to mean absolutely anything at all! Who has
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not observed this of the various cults? The Moonies, Mormons, and
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Jehovah's Witnesses all back up their false teachings with "new
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revelations" and "inspired interpretations" of the Scriptures - each
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claiming that the Holy Spirit revealed these new truths to their founders.
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One opens themselves to all kinds of deception when they judge the Bible by
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what their church or pastor teaches, instead of judging what their church
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or pastor teaches by the Bible!
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Catholic Proof-Texts Explained
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With this in mind, we will briefly discuss the two main passages of
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Scripture that the Roman Church uses while trying to show that Jesus
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Himself taught transubstantiation.
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John 6:54-55: "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal
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life; and I will raise him up on the last day. For My flesh is true food,
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and My blood is true drink."
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Catholics are taught here, that Jesus is explaining how He is literally
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offering them His flesh and blood, so that they may have eternal life by
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physically eating Him. With just a little study of the whole passage
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(verses 27-71), it is clear that Jesus was not talking about physical, but
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spiritual food and drink.
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Food is eaten to satisfy hunger. And in verse 35 Jesus says, "He who
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cometh to Me shall never hunger." Now, Jesus is not promising eternal
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relief from physical hunger pains. He is, of course, speaking of the
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spiritual hunger in man for righteousness and salvation, And He promises
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to those who will "come to Him" that He will satisfy their hunger for these
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things forever - therefore, to come to Him is to "eat"! (See also Matt.
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5:6, 11:28; Jn. 4:31-34.)
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We drink also to satisfy thirst, and again in verse 35 Jesus tells us,
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"He that believeth on Me shall never thirst." Therefore, to believe on Him
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is to "drink"! (See also John 4:13-14.) No one can say that Jesus was
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here establishing the eating and drinking of His literal flesh and blood to
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give eternal life, for in verse 63 He says, "It is the Spirit who gives
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life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I speak unto you, they are
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spirit, and they are life." Thus Jesus makes clear what we should be
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eating and drinking to have eternal life! Matt. 26:26 and 28: "This is My
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body...this is My blood." (See also Matt. 4:4.)
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Catholics base their whole religious system on their interpretation of
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these tow verses. They adamantly teach that right here, Jesus is
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pronouncing the first priestly blessing that mysteriously changes the bread
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and wine into His body and blood. The absolute folly of such a conclusion
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is proved by this one observation: He was literally still there before,
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during, and after they had partaken of the bread and the cup! He was not
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changed into some liquid and bread - His flesh was still on His bones, and
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His blood still in His veins. He had not vanished away to reappear in the
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form of a piece of bread or a cup of wine!
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Let's look closer at His words. No one can deny that here we have
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figurative language. Jesus did not say TOUTO GIGNETAI ("this has become"
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or "is turned into"), but TOUTO ESTI ("this is," i.e., "signifies,"
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"represents" or "stands for"). (11) It is obvious that Jesus' meaning was
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not literal but symbolic! And He wasn't the first in the Bible to claim
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figuratively that a glass of liquid was really "blood."
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One time, David's friends heard him express a strong desire for water
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from the well of Bethlehem. In spite of extreme danger, these men broke
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through the enemy lines of the Philistines and brought the water to him.
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When David found out that these men had risked their lives in this way, he
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refused to drink the water, exclaiming, "Is not this the blood of the men
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who went in jeopardy of their lives?" (2 Sam. 23:17)
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Throughout the gospels we find similar metaphorical language: Jesus
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referring to Himself as "the Door," "the Vine," "the Light," "the Root,"
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"the Rock," "the Bright and Morning Star," as well as "the Bread." The
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passage is written with such common language that it is plain to any
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observant reader that the Lord's Supper was intended primarily as a
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memorial and in no sense a literal sacrifice. "Do this in remembrance of
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Me." (Luke 22:19)
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True Pagan Origins
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------------------
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Where did this teaching and practice really come from? Like many of
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the beliefs and rites of Romanism, transubstantiation was first practiced
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by pagan religions. The noted historian Durant said that belief in
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transubstantiation as practiced by the priests of the Roman Catholic system
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is "one of the oldest ceremonies of primitive religion." (12) The
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syncretism and mysticism of the Middle East were great factors in
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influencing the West, particularly Italy. (13) In Egypt, priests would
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consecrate mest cakes which were supposed to become the flesh of Osiris.
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(14) The idea of transubstantiation was also characteristic of the
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religion of Mithra whose sacraments of cakes and haoma drink closely
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parallel Catholic Eucharist rites. (15)
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The idea of eating the flesh of deity was most popular among the people
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of Mexico and Central America long before they ever heard of Christ; and
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when Spanish missionaries first landed in those countries, "their surprise
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was heightened, when they witnessed a religious rite which reminded them of
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communion...an image made of flour...and after consecration by priests, was
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distributed among the people who ate it...declaring it was the flesh of
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deity..." (16)
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So Why Do They Teach It?
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------------------------
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Before concluding our first chronicle, the question needs to be asked,
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"Why does the Roman Catholic Church need to have such a doctrine - why do
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they think that Jesus wants them to Physically eat Him?" That is what
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truly puzzled me as I read astounded through the catechism and doctrinal
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instruction books. But the answer to that question is a sad one. As I
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said before, the implications and practical conclusions of the teaching of
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transubstantiation are substantially worse than the doctrine itself - and
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like a great web spun by an industrious spider, Rome's teachings spiral out
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from this central hub like the spokes of a wheel.
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In Catholic Chronicle II we will look intently at the next direct
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result of transubstantiation in official Catholic systematic theology: "The
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Sacrifice of the Mass."
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---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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1 - Today, Protestants are considered to be members of any church or
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church-group outside the Roman Catholic or Eastern Orthodox churches.
|
||
|
|
2 - Passed down through "Apostolic Succession" from Peter the apostle-the
|
||
|
|
supposed "first pope."
|
||
|
|
3 - The "wafer."
|
||
|
|
4 - NASV reads, "You shall not make for yourself an idol."
|
||
|
|
5 - This act is called "genuflecting."
|
||
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|
6 - "The Spirit of Jesus" Catholic Home Study Instruction Course.
|
||
|
|
Book #3, p.92.
|
||
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7 - A "Dogma" is a teaching or doctrine that can never be reversed or
|
||
|
|
repealed. It is equal in authority to the Bible.
|
||
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|
8 - The Other Side of Rome, p.21.
|
||
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|
9 - By the end of the eleventh century, lest someone should spill God's
|
||
|
|
blood, some in the church began to hold back the cup from the people,
|
||
|
|
and finally in 1415, the Council of Constance officially denied the
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||
|
|
cup to laymen. Although today, by decree of the Vatican, churches may
|
||
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|
now offer the cup optionally to communicants.
|
||
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10 - "The Spirit of Jesus," pp.94-95.
|
||
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11 - If I held up a picture of my son and said, "This is my son," I am
|
||
|
|
certainly not saying that the actual picture is literally my son.
|
||
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|
12 - The Story of Civilization, p.741.
|
||
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|
13 - Roman Society From Nero to Marcus Aurelius, by Dill.
|
||
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|
14 - An ancient Egyptian god of the lower world and judge of the dead -
|
||
|
|
Encyclopedia of Religions, Vol.2, p.76.
|
||
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15 - Ibid.
|
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16 - Prescott's Mexico, Vol. 3.
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-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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====[ The Christian BBS - Vic., B.C., (604)-478-2789, 8,N,1 - 24 Hrs. ]====
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CATHOLIC CHRONICLE II
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THE SACRIFICE of the MASS
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- Jesus Dies Again -
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----------------
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Edited and compiled by Keith Green
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Last Days Ministries, Box 40, Lindale, TX 75771-0040
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In Chronicle I, we thoroughly examined the doctrine of
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transubstantiation - its history, practice, and real meaning. But we have
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waited for this second article to answer the question: WHY? Why must there
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be present in the Mass the literal body and blood of Jesus? What purpose
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does it serve?
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The answer is found in the startling words: "The sacrifice of the Mass
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is the same sacrifice of the cross, for there is the same priest, the same
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victim, and the same offering." (1)
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And in the words of Pope Pius IV....
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"I profess likewise that in the Mass there is offered to God a true,
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proper, and propitiatory (2) sacrifice for the living and the dead." (From
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the fifth article of the creed of Pope Pius IV.)
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That is the incredible truth! The Roman Catholic Church believes and
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teaches that in every Mass, in every church, throughout the world
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(estimated at up to 200,000 Masses a day) that Jesus Christ is being
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offered up again, physically, as a sacrifice for sin (benefiting not only
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those alive, but the dead (3) as well!) Every Roman Mass is a re-creation
|
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of Jesus' death for the sins of the world. NOT A SYMBOLIC RE-CREATION!
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But a literal, actual offering of the flesh and blood of the Lord to make
|
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daily atonement for all the sins that have been daily committed since Jesus
|
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was crucified almost 2,000 years ago. (4)
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That's why the elements (5) must become physically Jesus' body and
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blood, so that they can be once again offered for sin:
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"The Holy Eucharist is the perpetual continuation of this act of
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sacrifice and surrender of our Lord. When the Lord's Supper is celebrated,
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Christ again presents Himself in His act of total surrender to the Father
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in death." (6)
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"He offers Himself continually to the Father, in the same eternal act
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of offering that began on the cross and will NEVER CEASE." (7)
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"The Mass is identical to Calvary - it is a sacrifice for sin - it must
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be perpetuated to take away sin." (8)
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The catechism of the Council of Trent required all pastors to explain
|
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that not only did the elements of the Mass contain flesh, bones and nerves
|
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as a part of Christ, "But also a WHOLE CHRIST." (9) Thus it is referred to
|
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as "the sacrifice of the Mass" and as "a RENEWAL of the sacrifice of the
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cross." (10)
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The Council Of Trent On "The Sacrifice Of The Mass"
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--------------------------------------------------
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As we shared in chronicle I, the Council of Trent was called to clarify
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and standardize Catholic doctrine in response to the challenges of the
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|
Reformation. The canons on this subject (passed in Session XXII. Cap II.)
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|
are as follows:
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1. "If anyone shall say, that in the Mass there is not offered to God a
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true and proper sacrifice, or that what is offered is nothing else than
|
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Christ given to be eaten, let him be anathema." (11)
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2. "If anyone shall say that in these words, `This do in remembrance of
|
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Me,' Christ did not make the apostles priests, or did not ordain that they
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themselves and other priests should offer His body and blood, let him be
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|
anathema."
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3. "If anyone shall say that the sacrifice of the Mass is only of
|
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praise and thanksgiving, or a bare commemoration of the sacrifice performed
|
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on the cross, but not propitiatory; or that it is of benefit only to the
|
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person who takes it, and ought not to be offered for the living and the
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|
dead fro sins, punishments, satisfactions, and other necessities, let him be
|
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|
accursed."
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4. "If anyone shall say that a blasphemy is ascribed to the most holy
|
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sacrifice of Christ performed on the cross by the sacrifice of the Mass -
|
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|
|
let him be accursed."
|
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|
|
But Is This The Belief Of Rome Today?
|
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|
|
-------------------------------------
|
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If any be in doubt as to the modern Roman position, we shall quote the
|
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|
|
recent (1963-1965) Second Vatican Council:
|
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"At the Last Supper...our Saviour instituted the Eucharistic sacrifice
|
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of His body and blood. He did this in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of
|
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the cross..." p. 154, THE DOCUMENTS OF VATICAN II, Walter M. Abbott, S.J.
|
||
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The catechism books teach that the reason the Mass is the same
|
||
|
|
sacrifice as that of Calvary is because the victim in each case was Jesus
|
||
|
|
Christ. (12) In fact, they refer to the bread of the Eucharist as the
|
||
|
|
"host," which is the Latin word HOSTIA which literally means "VICTIM." (13)
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
But Why "The Sacrifice" Of The Mass?
|
||
|
|
------------------------------------
|
||
|
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|
||
|
|
We will now quote the church's own contemporary literature to fully
|
||
|
|
answer this question (taken from the book, THIS IS THE CATHOLIC CHURCH,
|
||
|
|
published by the Catholic Information Service, Knights of Columbus,
|
||
|
|
Imprimatur: (14) Most Reverend John F. Whealon, Archbishop of Hartford:
|
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|
|
"Sacrifice is the very essence of religion. And it is only through
|
||
|
|
sacrifice that union with the Creator can be perfectly acquired. It was
|
||
|
|
through sacrifice that Christ Himself was able to achieve this for man. IT
|
||
|
|
IS ONLY THROUGH THE PERPETUATION OF THAT SACRIFICE THAT THIS UNION MAY BE
|
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|
|
MAINTAINED.
|
||
|
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"What makes the Mass the most exalted of all sacrifices is the nature
|
||
|
|
of the victim, Christ Himself. For the Mass is the continuation of
|
||
|
|
Christ's sacrifice which He offered through His life and Christ was not
|
||
|
|
only the priest of this sacrifice (of the Cross), He was also the victim,
|
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|
|
the very object itself of this sacrifice.
|
||
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|
The Mass is thus the same as the sacrifice of the cross. No matter how
|
||
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|
many times it is offered, nor in how many places at one time, it is the
|
||
|
|
same sacrifice of Christ. Christ is forever offering Himself in the Mass."
|
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(15)
|
||
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|
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|
|
But Jesus Said "It Is Finished!"
|
||
|
|
--------------------------------
|
||
|
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|
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|
|
Every true believer loves the sound of these words: "It is finished!"
|
||
|
|
(John 19:30). For it is the wonderful exclamation that the Lord's
|
||
|
|
suffering was finally over - He had fulfilled His mission! Jesus had lived
|
||
|
|
a Life of Sorrow, bearing the burden of a world gone mad. He had been
|
||
|
|
rejected by everyone, even His closest friends. He had lived a perfect
|
||
|
|
life before men and God, and His reward on earth was to be laughed at, spat
|
||
|
|
upon, beaten beyond recognition, and finally nailed to a cross. But He had
|
||
|
|
submitted willingly, because it was the will of His Father to offer Him as
|
||
|
|
the satisfaction of the penalty for all the sin in the world - past, present
|
||
|
|
and future!
|
||
|
|
But here, in the words of a Roman Catholic priest, is the "true
|
||
|
|
meaning" of the words "it is finished!" "These words do not declare that
|
||
|
|
His sacrifice was finished, but that He had finished His former, normal,
|
||
|
|
earthly life and was now fixed in the state of a victim...He then began His
|
||
|
|
everlasting career as the perpetual sacrifice of the new law." (16) Hence,
|
||
|
|
according to Rome, Jesus must be forever dying for sin, "perpetually."
|
||
|
|
Have you ever wondered why in every Catholic Church they still have
|
||
|
|
Jesus up on the cross? Every crucifix with Jesus portrayed as nailed to
|
||
|
|
it, tells the whole Catholic story - Jesus is still dying for the sins of
|
||
|
|
the world! But that's a lie! We need only look to the Scriptures to see
|
||
|
|
the truth.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Back To The Book
|
||
|
|
----------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
The epistle to the Hebrews speaks of the "once for all" sacrifice of
|
||
|
|
Christ on the cross, not a daily sacrifice on altars. The Bible repeatedly
|
||
|
|
affirms in the clearest and most positive terms that Christ's sacrifice on
|
||
|
|
Calvary was complete in that one offering. And that it was never to be
|
||
|
|
repeated is set forth explicitly in Hebrews, chapters 7, 9 and 10:
|
||
|
|
"Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice,
|
||
|
|
first for his own sins, and then for the people's: For this He did once,
|
||
|
|
when He offered up Himself" (7:27). "...by His own blood He entered in
|
||
|
|
once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us"
|
||
|
|
(9:12). "Nor yet that He should offer Himself often..but now once in the
|
||
|
|
end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of
|
||
|
|
Himself..so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them
|
||
|
|
that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto
|
||
|
|
salvation" (9:25-28). "...we are sanctified through the offering of the
|
||
|
|
body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily
|
||
|
|
ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never
|
||
|
|
take away sins; but this man, after He had offered one sacrifice for the
|
||
|
|
sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God...for by one offering He
|
||
|
|
hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified" (10:10-14).
|
||
|
|
Notice that throughout these verses occurs the statement "once for all"
|
||
|
|
which shows how perfect, complete and final Jesus' sacrifice was! His work
|
||
|
|
on the cross constituted one historic event which need never be repeated
|
||
|
|
and which in fact cannot be repeated. As Paul say, "Christ, being raised
|
||
|
|
from the dead dieth no more" (Romans 6:9). Any pretense of a continuous
|
||
|
|
offering for sin is worse than vain, it is blasphemy and true fulfillment
|
||
|
|
of the Scripture, "Seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh,
|
||
|
|
and put Him to an open shame." (Heb. 6:6).
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Jesus - The Only Priest
|
||
|
|
-----------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Jesus not only became the perfect sacrifice for sin, but after being
|
||
|
|
accepted by God as having totally fulfilled the requirements of the old
|
||
|
|
covenant, He became "the mediator of a better covenant" (Heb.8:6). That
|
||
|
|
means that Jesus is the high priest of every true believer! "There is one
|
||
|
|
mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ" (ITim.2:5).
|
||
|
|
The Bible teaches that the priesthood of Jesus Christ is unique: "Thou
|
||
|
|
art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek" (17) "...because He
|
||
|
|
abides forever (He) holds His priesthood permanently" (which means that it
|
||
|
|
cannot be transferred to another!) (Heb.7:17,24).
|
||
|
|
But Roman Catholicism teaches that the apostles were ordained by Jesus
|
||
|
|
Himself (at the Last Supper) to perpetuate the coming sacrifice He would
|
||
|
|
make on the cross. And that this ordination has been handed down through
|
||
|
|
the centuries to the current generation of priests. Therefore, Rome
|
||
|
|
teaches that her priests actually operate and discharge the priesthood of
|
||
|
|
Jesus Christ, and that they are called "other Christs" (alter Christus).
|
||
|
|
(18)
|
||
|
|
This explains the great adulation and honor heaped upon the Roman
|
||
|
|
priest. The French Catholic Saint J.M.B. Vianney said that "Where there is
|
||
|
|
no priest there is no sacrifice, and where there is no sacrifice there is
|
||
|
|
no religion...without the priest the death and passion of our Lord would be
|
||
|
|
of no avail to us... see the power of the priest! By one word from his
|
||
|
|
lips, he changes a piece of bread into a God! A greater feat than the
|
||
|
|
creation of a world." He also said, "If I were to meet a priest and an
|
||
|
|
angel, I would salute the priest before saluting the angel. The angel is
|
||
|
|
a friend of God, but the priest holds the place of God...nest to God
|
||
|
|
Himself, the priest is everything!" What humiliation for Jesus Christ, the
|
||
|
|
One who has been given a name "above all other names!"
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
But Isn't Rome Changing?
|
||
|
|
------------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Today, many are expressing hope that Rome is turning toward scriptural
|
||
|
|
Christianity. They point to the many reforms of Vatican II (19) and also
|
||
|
|
to the ever-widening charismatic renewal. True, these things appear to be
|
||
|
|
a positive sign of change, and many are thrilled by them, but most fail to
|
||
|
|
realize that these changes are only superficial. For Rome could never
|
||
|
|
reject the sacrifice of the Mass - just streamline it enough to keep the
|
||
|
|
truth of its meaning hidden. Pope John XXIII made it clear that His Church
|
||
|
|
is bound "to all the teachings of the Church in its entirety and
|
||
|
|
preciseness, as it still shines forth in the act of the Council of Trent
|
||
|
|
and First Vatican Council..." (20)
|
||
|
|
It is clear that the whole of Roman teaching and belief is founded on
|
||
|
|
this premise of the continual sacrifice of Christ for sin:
|
||
|
|
"It should be easy to see why the Mass holds such an important place in
|
||
|
|
the Church's life. The Mass is the very essence of the Church. Within it
|
||
|
|
the Church's life, and the Church's very existence is centered. If there
|
||
|
|
were no Mass, there could be no Catholic Church. The Mass is our act of
|
||
|
|
worship, an act which we know to be really worthy of God, because it is the
|
||
|
|
sacrifice of God's own Son.
|
||
|
|
"What the sacrifices of the old law were unable to accomplish - the
|
||
|
|
Mass performs: Perfect atonement is made for sin.
|
||
|
|
"The souls of men yet unborn, together with those now living and those
|
||
|
|
who have come into existence since Christ's sacrifice, all have need of the
|
||
|
|
salvation which Christ has won for us. It is through the Mass as well as
|
||
|
|
through the other sacraments that the effects of Christ's salvation are
|
||
|
|
applied to the souls of men." (21)
|
||
|
|
It is made thoroughly clear that Rome will forever put its faith in the
|
||
|
|
Mass for the eternal forgiveness of sins. To remove this belief from her
|
||
|
|
system of theology, would be like knocking our the pillars of a great
|
||
|
|
edifice - the whole building would come tumbling down!
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Paul's Extreme Warning
|
||
|
|
----------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
As I sat stunned, reading all the "Let them be accursed" threats of the
|
||
|
|
Council of Trent, I could not help but think how their curses would only
|
||
|
|
fall back on their own heads - for the words of our brother Paul call out
|
||
|
|
across the centuries:
|
||
|
|
"But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a
|
||
|
|
gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be
|
||
|
|
accursed!" (Gal. 1:8).
|
||
|
|
Not only does Paul warn that an authentic angel from heaven should not
|
||
|
|
be heeded while preaching "different doctrine," but he gives the ultimate
|
||
|
|
warning -"...even though we!" Paul strictly warned the Galatians, not even
|
||
|
|
to listen to him - the chief apostle and master of true doctrine - if he
|
||
|
|
should reverse himself on any of the fundamental teachings of the gospel.
|
||
|
|
How much more then, should we reject the appalling traditions and practices
|
||
|
|
of a system that is not only unbiblical, but is actually steeped in
|
||
|
|
mysticism, bordering dangerously on the occult!
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Conclusion
|
||
|
|
----------
|
||
|
|
The Definition Of A "Cult"
|
||
|
|
--------------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Now I am sure, many of you who have been reading this, might have been
|
||
|
|
wondering if (and when) I would use this word. Today, the word "cult" is
|
||
|
|
thrown around without much thought. People seem much too eager to use it
|
||
|
|
to describe any individual or group that doesn't exactly agree with them.
|
||
|
|
And I do not, and will not use the word lightly. But as far as I can see
|
||
|
|
from the Bible, a person is only in danger of being grouped with "false
|
||
|
|
brethren" by tampering with three very basic issues of biblical truth. (22)
|
||
|
|
1) Who Jesus is - Son of God, God the Son, Creator of the universe.
|
||
|
|
2) What He came to do - to die once for all, for the sins of mankind,
|
||
|
|
then raise from the dead as the eternal high priest of all true believers.
|
||
|
|
3) How a person directly benefits from Christ's death for sin - he is
|
||
|
|
accounted as righteous through a total faith and rest in the finished work
|
||
|
|
of Christ, and becomes the possessor of God's free gift - eternal life
|
||
|
|
(salvation.
|
||
|
|
The Roman Catholic Church has been considered a true Christian faith,
|
||
|
|
mainly because it is generally known that their theology is quite orthodox
|
||
|
|
on point #1. But as we have pointed out in these two chronicles, they are
|
||
|
|
perilously shaky on the atonement - Christ's substitutionary death for
|
||
|
|
sinners - #2. But if there is any doubt left at all, as to whether or not
|
||
|
|
the Roman Church is authentically and biblically Christian, there is a
|
||
|
|
complete and thorough study of the Roman view on how one obtains salvation
|
||
|
|
in our third installment of The Catholic Chronicles - "Salvation According
|
||
|
|
To Rome."
|
||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
|
1] The Roman Catholic Sacrifice of the Mass, by Bartholomew F. Brewer,
|
||
|
|
Ph.D.
|
||
|
|
2] Propitiatory - conciliatory, to soothe the anger of, to win or regain
|
||
|
|
the goodwill of, to appease, placate or make friendly, to reconcile -
|
||
|
|
Webster's New World Dictionary and Harper's Bible Dictionary.
|
||
|
|
3] "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment"
|
||
|
|
(Heb.9:27).
|
||
|
|
4] The Catholic Home Instruction Book #3, p.90.
|
||
|
|
5] The bread and the wine.
|
||
|
|
6] the Spirit of Jesus pp.89-90, Imprimatur: John Joseph Cardinal
|
||
|
|
Carberry, Archbishop of St.Louis.
|
||
|
|
7] Sons of God in Christ Book 4, p.117.
|
||
|
|
8] For Them Also, pp.289-299.
|
||
|
|
9] Encyclopedia of Religions, Vol.2, p.77.
|
||
|
|
10] "A Catholic Word List" p.45.
|
||
|
|
11] Anathema - The strongest denunciaiton of a person that can be made in
|
||
|
|
the ancient Greek (the original language of the New Testament). Literal
|
||
|
|
meaning: "devoted to death." A thing or person accursed or damned -
|
||
|
|
Webster's New World Dictionary and Harper's Bible Dictionary.
|
||
|
|
12] "The New Baltimore Catechism" #3, Question 931.
|
||
|
|
13] Webster's New World Dictionary.
|
||
|
|
14] Imprimatur - Sanction or approval. Specifically, permission to print
|
||
|
|
or publish a book or article containing nothing contrary to the
|
||
|
|
teachings of the Roman Catholic Church - Webster's New World
|
||
|
|
Dictionary.
|
||
|
|
15] pp.20-24
|
||
|
|
16] The Sacrifice of Christ by Fr.Richard W.Grace.
|
||
|
|
17] Psalm 110:4 and Hebrews 7:17.
|
||
|
|
18] In Latin.
|
||
|
|
19] i.e., Such as Masses performed in the common language rather than
|
||
|
|
exclusively in Latin, the relaxation of taboos such as eating meat on
|
||
|
|
Friday, etc.
|
||
|
|
20] The Documents of Vatican II, Abbot,S.J.
|
||
|
|
21] This Is The Catholic Church pp.24-25.
|
||
|
|
22] These are greatly condensed for this example.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
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|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
====[ The Christian BBS - Vic., B.C., (604)-478-2789, 8,N,1 - 24 Hrs. ]====
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
CATHOLIC CHRONICLE III
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Salvation According to Rome
|
||
|
|
---------------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Edited and compiled by Keith Green
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Last Days Ministries, Box 40, Lindale, TX 75771-0040
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
"...the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord!"
|
||
|
|
- Rom. 6:23
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
How blessed it is to know Jesus! His love, His mercy, His
|
||
|
|
righteousness, His forgiveness! He has promised to "cast all our sins into
|
||
|
|
the depths of the sea" (Mic. 7:19) and to separate us from our sins "as far
|
||
|
|
as the east is from the west!" (Ps. 103:12).
|
||
|
|
This is the good news! (That's the literal meaning of the word
|
||
|
|
"gospel" - good news!) That is what the true church of our God has the
|
||
|
|
privilege of proclaiming..."liberty to the captives!!" (Lk. 4:18).
|
||
|
|
The reason I begin this article on the Roman Catholic view of salvation
|
||
|
|
with such rejoicing in my Saviour, is because I have just finished reading
|
||
|
|
a mountain of official (Roman) church literature on the subject, and I can
|
||
|
|
honestly say, I have never had such joy in my heart of hearts about the
|
||
|
|
finished work of Christ. As I scoured each page and read of penance,
|
||
|
|
confession, venial and mortal sins, indulgences, purgatory, etc., I then
|
||
|
|
had the infinite pleasure of searching the Scriptures to see what they had
|
||
|
|
to say on these fundamental Catholic doctrines.
|
||
|
|
Oh what relief my soul found in the Scriptures! What holy joy! What
|
||
|
|
clarity of light I saw, as the simple brilliance of God's mercy shown into
|
||
|
|
my mind. If there is anything more beautiful than God's love and patience
|
||
|
|
with man, it has never been revealed to mortals!
|
||
|
|
All this to say that I am bogged down with the information I have
|
||
|
|
accumulated, and I will probably have to cover it all in this, Chronicle
|
||
|
|
III, briefly touching on each subject, while always coming back to the main
|
||
|
|
question: "According to Rome, how can a man or woman be saved from the
|
||
|
|
consequences of his sinful nature and actions, and how can they gain
|
||
|
|
assurance that they are in a right standing before God?"
|
||
|
|
If the future permits, I will come back in another installment and
|
||
|
|
cover some of these subjects (particularly, purgatory and indulgences) in
|
||
|
|
far greater depth and detail. It is our desire to see people find the true
|
||
|
|
salvation that Jesus dies for - therefore, we must deal with that great
|
||
|
|
(and most important) subject wholly, before taking the time to supply other
|
||
|
|
necessary (and most revealing) subject matter.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
The Catholic Teaching on Sin
|
||
|
|
----------------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Before we can understand what Catholics are taught about salvation, we
|
||
|
|
must first see what they are taught they need to be saved from. In Matt.
|
||
|
|
1, the angel of the Lord speaks to Joseph in a dream about his bethrothed,
|
||
|
|
Mary, saying "she will bear a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for
|
||
|
|
it is He who will save His people from their sins" (vs. 21).
|
||
|
|
Today, many evangelicals toss around the term "saved" without much
|
||
|
|
thought. "When did you get saved?" someone might ask. It's almost like a
|
||
|
|
title, or a badge that a person wears to prove that he's become part of the
|
||
|
|
club - the "saved" club. Others are under the impression that when a
|
||
|
|
person talks of being "saved", they are talking about being saved from many
|
||
|
|
different things - sickness, death, the devil, hell, etc. But when the
|
||
|
|
angel of the Lord used that precious word to prophesy that Jesus would
|
||
|
|
fulfill all the predictions of the prophets, he made very clear what Jesus
|
||
|
|
was coming to save His people from...their sins!
|
||
|
|
In official Roman Catholic theology, this too is the main thing that
|
||
|
|
people are taught they need to be saved from - their sins. But the only
|
||
|
|
thing that Catholic and evangelical teachings have in common on the
|
||
|
|
subject of sin...is the spelling! For when a Catholic talks about his
|
||
|
|
"sins", you must find out first if he is talking about "mortal" sins, or
|
||
|
|
"venial" sins. And then you must ask him "how do you get rid of them?"
|
||
|
|
The answer given will likely confound a non-Catholic. For words like
|
||
|
|
"faith", "repentance", even "Jesus" will usually be missing in the answer.
|
||
|
|
Instead, a whole new list of other words will have to be learned, defined,
|
||
|
|
and understood before the evangelical can fully grasp how a Catholic is
|
||
|
|
taught his sins (and the penalty due them) can be canceled out.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Mortal and Venial Sins
|
||
|
|
----------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
The first of these unfamiliar words are the names of the two groups
|
||
|
|
Rome has separated all sins into. Now if you're a Catholic, you might be
|
||
|
|
wondering why I'm making such a big deal - for the dividing of sins into
|
||
|
|
two distinct categories (each with their own set of consequences and
|
||
|
|
remedies) has been part of Catholic doctrine for a long, long time.
|
||
|
|
According to Rome's definition, mortal sin is described as "any great
|
||
|
|
offense against the law of God" and is so named because "it is deadly,
|
||
|
|
killing the soul and subjecting it to eternal punishment." Venial (1)
|
||
|
|
sins, on the other hand, are "small and pardonable offenses against God,
|
||
|
|
and our neighbor." Unlike mortal sins, benial sins are not thought to damn
|
||
|
|
a soul to hell, but with the committing of each venial sin, a person
|
||
|
|
increase his need for a longer stay in the purifying fires of a place
|
||
|
|
called "purgatory." (Look that word up in your Bible dictionary - you'll
|
||
|
|
find it right next to "venial"!)
|
||
|
|
Now, there is no agreement among the priests as to which sins are mortal
|
||
|
|
and which are venial, but they all proceed on the assumption that such a
|
||
|
|
distinction does exist. The method of classification is purely arbitrary.
|
||
|
|
What is venial according to one may be mortal according to another.
|
||
|
|
According to Rome, the pope is infallible in matters of faith and
|
||
|
|
doctrine. (2) He should then be able to settle this important matter by
|
||
|
|
accurately cataloging those sins which are mortal as distinguished from
|
||
|
|
those which are venial. However, there are some definites in the "mortal"
|
||
|
|
category: blatantly breaking one of the ten commandments, practically all
|
||
|
|
sexual offenses (whether in word, thought or deed) and a long list of
|
||
|
|
transgressions which have changed throughout the centuries.
|
||
|
|
For instance, until Vatican II (3) it was a mortal sin to attend a
|
||
|
|
Protestant church, to own or read a Protestant Bible, or to eat meat on
|
||
|
|
Friday! Oh, and it's still a mortal sin to "miss Mass on Sunday morning
|
||
|
|
(4) without a good excuse" (which means that considerably more than half
|
||
|
|
of the claimed Roman Catholic membership throughout the world is constantly
|
||
|
|
in mortal sin!) Venial sins include things like thinking bad thoughts,
|
||
|
|
having wrong motives, losing your temper, etc. - things that do not
|
||
|
|
necessarily "lead into actual sin" but still, nevertheless, are sins that
|
||
|
|
need to be eradicated in some way.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
What Does the Bible Say?
|
||
|
|
------------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
The Bible makes no distinction between mortal and venial sins. There is
|
||
|
|
in fact, no such thing as a venial sin. ALL SIN IS MORTAL! It is true
|
||
|
|
that some sin are worse than others, but it is also true that all sins if
|
||
|
|
not forgiven bring death to the soul. The Bible simply says: "The wages
|
||
|
|
of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23). And Ezekial says: "The soul that sinneth,
|
||
|
|
it shall die" (18:4).
|
||
|
|
James says that "whosoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one
|
||
|
|
point, he has become guilty of all" (2:10). He meant, not that the person
|
||
|
|
who commits one sin is guilty of all other kinds of sin, but that even one
|
||
|
|
sin unatoned for, shuts a person completely out of heaven and subjects him
|
||
|
|
to punishment, just as surely as one misstep by the mountain climber
|
||
|
|
plunges him to destruction in the canyon below.
|
||
|
|
In the light of these biblical statements, the distinction between
|
||
|
|
mortal and venial sins is shown to be completely absurd. In fact, the very
|
||
|
|
act of classifying sins into "greater and lesser" is immoral in itself. We
|
||
|
|
know how quick human nature is to grasp at any excuse for sin. Rome seems
|
||
|
|
to be saying "these sins are really bad! But those? Well...you can get
|
||
|
|
away with a few of them and not really suffer too much." Speaking of
|
||
|
|
"getting away" with something, let's get right down to how Rome teaches you
|
||
|
|
can "get rid of" your sins.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Confession
|
||
|
|
----------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
The Catholic system starts to get real complicated when we begin to
|
||
|
|
look at the ways one can erase both their mortal and venial sins. "Two
|
||
|
|
kinds of punishment are due to mortal sin: eternal (in hell forever), and
|
||
|
|
temporal (in purgatory). Eternal punishment is canceled by either baptism
|
||
|
|
(5) or confession to a priest." (6)
|
||
|
|
The Baltimore Catechism defines confession as follows: "Confession is
|
||
|
|
the telling of our sins to an authorized priest for the purpose of
|
||
|
|
attaining forgiveness." The important words here are "authorized priest."
|
||
|
|
And to be genuine, a confession must be heard, judged, and followed by
|
||
|
|
obedience to the authorized priest as he assigns a penance, such as good
|
||
|
|
works, prayers, fastings, abstinence form certain pleasures, et. A penance
|
||
|
|
may be defined as "a punishment undergone in token of repentance for sin,
|
||
|
|
as assigned by the priest" - usually a very light penalty.
|
||
|
|
The New York Catechism says, "I must tell my sins to the priest so that
|
||
|
|
he will give me absolution. (7) A person who knowingly keeps back a mortal
|
||
|
|
sin in confession commits a dreadful sacrilege, and he must repeat his
|
||
|
|
confession."
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
The Priest's Role
|
||
|
|
-----------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Canon law 888 says: "The priest has to remember that in hearing
|
||
|
|
confession he is a judge." And the book, Instructions for Non-Catholics (8)
|
||
|
|
says: "A priest does not have to ask God to forgive your sins. The priest
|
||
|
|
himself has the power to do so in Christ's name. Your sins are forgiven by
|
||
|
|
the priest the same as if you knelt before Jesus Christ and told them to
|
||
|
|
Christ Himself." (9)
|
||
|
|
"The priest forgives the guilt of mortal sins which save the penitent
|
||
|
|
form going to hell, but he cannot remit the penalty due for those sins,
|
||
|
|
and so the penitent must atone for them by performance of good works which
|
||
|
|
he prescribes. The penitent may be, and usually is, interrogated by the
|
||
|
|
priest so that he or she may make a full and proper confession. Stress is
|
||
|
|
placed on the fact that any sin not confessed is not forgiven, any mortal
|
||
|
|
sin not confessed in detail is not forgiven, and that the omission of even
|
||
|
|
one sin (mortal) may invalidate the whole confession. Every loyal Roman
|
||
|
|
Catholic is required under pain of mortal sin to go to confession at least
|
||
|
|
once a year. (10) But even after a penitent has received pardon, a large,
|
||
|
|
but unknown amount of punishment remains to be suffered in purgatory." (11,
|
||
|
|
12)
|
||
|
|
Technically, venial sins need not be confessed since they are
|
||
|
|
comparatively light and can be canceled by good works, prayers, extreme
|
||
|
|
unction. (13) etc., but the terms are quite elastic and permit considerable
|
||
|
|
leeway on the part of the priest. It is generally advised that it is safer
|
||
|
|
to confess supposed venial sins also since the priest alone is able to
|
||
|
|
judge accurately which are mortal and which are mortal and which are
|
||
|
|
venial. The Baltimore Catechism says: "When we have committed no mortal
|
||
|
|
sins since our last confession, we should confess our venial sins or some
|
||
|
|
sin told in a previous confession for which we are again sorry, in order
|
||
|
|
that the priest may give us absolution. (14) What chance has a poor sinner
|
||
|
|
against such a system as that?
|
||
|
|
As an example, a minister friend of mine who was brought up in the
|
||
|
|
Catholic Church, tells the story of how his older brother went to
|
||
|
|
confession every single week and confessed the same sin to the same priest
|
||
|
|
and was given the same penance in order to receive absolution. This went
|
||
|
|
on week after week, year after year. One day, while on a trip from home,
|
||
|
|
he decided that he would not break his pattern of going to weekly
|
||
|
|
confession, so he went to another Catholic Church in the city he was
|
||
|
|
visiting. He went into the confession box and confessed the same sin to a
|
||
|
|
different priest. He began with "forgive me Father for I have sinned," and
|
||
|
|
then began confessing the sin once again, but this time he was shocked when
|
||
|
|
the priest said: "But my son, that's not a sin!" My friend's brother got
|
||
|
|
up, and hurried out the door, and from that day on he has never stepped
|
||
|
|
foot in any church again.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Historical Development
|
||
|
|
----------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
We search in vain in the Bible for any word supporting the doctrine of
|
||
|
|
"auricular confession." (15) It is equally impossible to find any
|
||
|
|
authorization or general practice of it during the first 1000 years of the
|
||
|
|
Christian era. Not a word is found in the writings of the early church
|
||
|
|
fathers about confessing sins to a priest or to anyone except God alone.
|
||
|
|
Auricular confession is not mentioned once in the writings of Augustine,
|
||
|
|
Origen, Nestorius, Tertullian, Jerome, Chrysostem, or Athanasius - all of
|
||
|
|
these and many others apparently lived and died without ever thinking of
|
||
|
|
going to confession. No one other than God was thought to be worthy to
|
||
|
|
hear confessions or to grant forgiveness.
|
||
|
|
Confession was first introduced into the church on a voluntary basis in
|
||
|
|
the fifth century by the authority of Leo the Great. But it was not until
|
||
|
|
the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215 under Pope Innocent III that private
|
||
|
|
auricular confession was make compulsory and all Roman Catholic people were
|
||
|
|
required to confess and to seek absolution from a priest at least once a
|
||
|
|
year. If they did not obey this command, they were pronounced guilty of
|
||
|
|
mortal sin and damned for eternity to hell. (16)
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Can A Priest Forgive Sins
|
||
|
|
_________________________
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
The Scriptures teach that "only God can forgive sins" (Mark 2:7). "The
|
||
|
|
Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins" (Matt. 9:6). Dr.
|
||
|
|
Zachello tells of his experience as a priest in the confessional before
|
||
|
|
leaving the Roman Church, in these words: "Where my doubts were really
|
||
|
|
troubling me was inside the confessional box. People coming to me,
|
||
|
|
kneeling down in front of me, confessing their sins to me. And I, with the
|
||
|
|
sign of the cross, was promising that I had the power to forgive their
|
||
|
|
sins. I, a sinner, a man, was taking God's place. It was God's laws they
|
||
|
|
were breaking, not mine. To God, therefore, they must make confession; and
|
||
|
|
to God alone they must pray for forgiveness." (17)
|
||
|
|
In fact, the only word in the Bible about confessing sins to anyone
|
||
|
|
other than God, is found in James: "Confess your sins to one another, and
|
||
|
|
pray for one another, so that you may be healed" (5:16). It is obvious
|
||
|
|
that the Lord meant what He says in Revelation, chapter 1, that "He has
|
||
|
|
made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father" (vs. 6), and Peter
|
||
|
|
calls the church "a chosen race, a royal priesthood" (I Pet. 2:9). Believe
|
||
|
|
it or not, the only mention of New Testament believers being priests is
|
||
|
|
used in a context where all true believers are included, not just a select
|
||
|
|
few. That is why James could say that we should confess our sins "to one
|
||
|
|
another".
|
||
|
|
Catholics love to quote the verse in John 20:23 to prove that priests
|
||
|
|
do have the power to "forgive and retain" sins. "If you forgive the sins
|
||
|
|
of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any,
|
||
|
|
they have been retained." The powers of forgiving and retaining sins, were
|
||
|
|
given to the apostles as proclaimers of the Word of God, not as priests.
|
||
|
|
As we have just pointed out, there are no christian "priests" in New
|
||
|
|
Testament teaching and doctrine. Pastors, yes. Deacons, yes. Apostles,
|
||
|
|
prophets, teachers, evangelists, yes. Priests, no!
|
||
|
|
Jesus was telling His followers that by preaching the gospel, they were
|
||
|
|
being given the power to declare that a person's sins were forgiven them by
|
||
|
|
God! And if an individual, or group did not receive them and the
|
||
|
|
forgiveness they offered in the name of Jesus, than they were instructed to
|
||
|
|
"shake the dust off their feet" as a protest against them, and warn them
|
||
|
|
that it would be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of
|
||
|
|
judgment than for them (Matt. 10:14-15). In other words, if a person
|
||
|
|
rejected the apostles' preaching of the gospel, they had the right to tell
|
||
|
|
that person that his sins were not forgiven, because they had rejected
|
||
|
|
God's only provision for atonement of sins. "The one who listens to you
|
||
|
|
listens to Me, and the one who rejects you rejects Me" (Luke 10:16). This
|
||
|
|
power to forgive and retain sins, contrary to Rome's teaching, belongs to
|
||
|
|
everyone who preaches the true gospel of salvation.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Penance
|
||
|
|
-------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
In the Roman system, penance is one of the seven sacraments. (18) The
|
||
|
|
Baltimore Catechism defines penance as "the sacrament by which sins
|
||
|
|
committed after baptism are forgiven through the absolution of the priest."
|
||
|
|
(19) Another catechism published in New York says, "the priest gives
|
||
|
|
penance to help me to make up for the temporal punishment does not always
|
||
|
|
make full satisfaction for my sins. I should therefore do other acts of
|
||
|
|
penance...and try to gain indulgences." (20) And in Instructions for Non-
|
||
|
|
Catholics, we read: "After confession some temporal punishment due to sin
|
||
|
|
generally remains. You should therefore perform other acts of penance also
|
||
|
|
so that you may make up for these punishments, and avoid a long stay in
|
||
|
|
purgatory." (21)
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Penance as a System of Works
|
||
|
|
----------------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Here indeed is salvation by works. For penance, as the catechism says,
|
||
|
|
involves confession on one's sins to a priest and the doing of good works
|
||
|
|
as the only way by which sins committed after baptism can be forgiven. The
|
||
|
|
Church of Rome thus demands acts of penance before She grants forgiveness,
|
||
|
|
inferring that the sacrifice of Christ was not sufficient to atone fully
|
||
|
|
for sin and that it must be supplemented to some extent by these good
|
||
|
|
works.
|
||
|
|
But what God demands is not acts of penance but repentance, which means
|
||
|
|
turning from sin.
|
||
|
|
"Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
|
||
|
|
and let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; for He
|
||
|
|
will abundantly pardon" (Isa. 55:7).
|
||
|
|
The easy way in which the Church of Rome deals with sin is seen in this
|
||
|
|
doctrine of penance. The penitent receives pardon on comparatively easy
|
||
|
|
terms. He is assigned some task to perform, usually not too hard,
|
||
|
|
sometimes merely the recital of a given number of "Hail Mary's." the
|
||
|
|
result is that he has no qualms about resuming his evil course. It shocked
|
||
|
|
Martin Luther when he read the Greek New Testament edited by Erasmus, that
|
||
|
|
Jesus did not say "do penance" as had been translated by the Roman Church,
|
||
|
|
but "repent."
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Penance versus Repentance
|
||
|
|
-------------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Penance is a wholly different thing from gospel repentance. Penance is
|
||
|
|
an outward act. Repentance is of the heart. Penance is imposed by a Roman
|
||
|
|
priest. Repentance is the work of the Holy Spirit. What God desires in
|
||
|
|
the sinner is not a punishment of oneself for sins, but a change of heart, a
|
||
|
|
real forsaking of sin, shown by a new life of obedience to God's commands.
|
||
|
|
In short, penance is a counterfeit repentance. It is the work of man
|
||
|
|
on his body; true repentance is the work of God in the soul. The Divine
|
||
|
|
Word commands, "Rend your heart and not your garments" (Joel 2:13).
|
||
|
|
Penance is "rending the garments" - an outward form without inward reality.
|
||
|
|
While Romanism does teach that Christ died for our sins, it also
|
||
|
|
teaches that His sacrifice alone was not sufficient, and that our
|
||
|
|
sufferings must be added to make it effective. In accordance with this,
|
||
|
|
many have tried to earn salvation by fastings, rituals, flagellations and
|
||
|
|
good works of various kinds. But those who attempt such a course always
|
||
|
|
find that it is impossible to do enough to earn salvation.
|
||
|
|
Dr. C.D. Cole says, "Romanism is a complicated system of salvation by
|
||
|
|
works. It offers salvation on the installment plan, then sees to it that
|
||
|
|
the poor sinner is always behind in his payments, so that when he dies
|
||
|
|
there is a large unpaid balance, and he must continue payments by
|
||
|
|
sufferings in purgatory, or until the debt is paid by the prayers, alms,
|
||
|
|
and sufferings of his living relatives and friends. The whole system and
|
||
|
|
plan calls for merit and money from the cradle to the grave and even
|
||
|
|
beyond. Surely the wisdom that drew such a plan of salvation is not from
|
||
|
|
above." (22)
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
The Biblical Teaching on Good Works
|
||
|
|
-----------------------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Good works, of course, are pleasing to God and they have an important
|
||
|
|
and necessary place in the life of the Christian. they naturally follow if
|
||
|
|
one has true faith, and they are performed out of love and gratitude to God
|
||
|
|
for the great salvation that He has bestowed. Good works, in other words,
|
||
|
|
are not the cause and basis of salvation, but rather the fruits and proof
|
||
|
|
of salvation - "Not by works done in righteousness which we did ourselves,
|
||
|
|
but according to His mercy He saved us through the washing of regeneration
|
||
|
|
and the renewing the Holy Spirit" (Titus 3:5). The born-again Christian
|
||
|
|
produces good works as naturally as the grapevine produces grapes. They
|
||
|
|
are a part of his very nature. He performs them not to get saved, but
|
||
|
|
because he is saved.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Salvation by Grace
|
||
|
|
------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Grace, just because it is grace, is not given on the basis of
|
||
|
|
proceeding merits. By no stretch of the imagination can a man's good works
|
||
|
|
in this life be considered a just equivalent for the blessings of eternal
|
||
|
|
life. But all men because of pride, naturally feel that they should earn
|
||
|
|
their salvation, and a system which makes some provision in that regard
|
||
|
|
readily appeals to them. But Paul lays the axe to such reasoning then he
|
||
|
|
says: "If a law had been given which was able to impart life, then
|
||
|
|
righteousness would indeed have been based on law" (Gal. 3:21). Time and
|
||
|
|
again the Scriptures repeat that salvation is of grace, as if anticipating
|
||
|
|
the difficulty that men would have in accepting the fact that they would
|
||
|
|
not be able to earn it.
|
||
|
|
The Council of Trent, in its opposition to the reformer's doctrine of
|
||
|
|
justification by faith, and in defense of its doctrine of penance,
|
||
|
|
declared: "Whosoever shall affirm that men are justified solely by the
|
||
|
|
imputation of the righteousness of Christ...let him be accursed". (23)
|
||
|
|
And the Catholic Almanac says, "Penance is necessary for salvation...and
|
||
|
|
was instituted by Christ for the forgiveness of sins". (24)
|
||
|
|
The modern church teachings completely concur: "Many things are
|
||
|
|
necessary for salvation. All these things work together - faith, baptism,
|
||
|
|
the Eucharist, the doing of good works, and others as well. Redemption is
|
||
|
|
one thing, salvation is quite another. There is nothing lacking on Christ's
|
||
|
|
part; there is much to be done on ours." (25) Also, in a booklet
|
||
|
|
published in 1967, under the sub-heading, "We Must Atone Too", it says that
|
||
|
|
"even though the satisfaction of Christ was complete and universal,
|
||
|
|
nevertheless all adult Christians are obliged to imitate their suffering
|
||
|
|
Master and make personal satisfaction for their sins by good works. (26)
|
||
|
|
But the apostle Paul in his masterpiece on justification by faith says,
|
||
|
|
"Having now been justified by His blood we shall be saved from the wrath of
|
||
|
|
God through Him" (27) (Rom.5:9).
|
||
|
|
"And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him as
|
||
|
|
righteousness. Now to the one who works, the reward is not reckoned as
|
||
|
|
grace, but as debt. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him
|
||
|
|
who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness" (Rom.
|
||
|
|
4:3-5).
|
||
|
|
What a significant coincidence it is that this doctrine of
|
||
|
|
justification by faith is given such prominence in the epistle to the
|
||
|
|
Romans, since Rome later became the seat of the papacy! It seems to be
|
||
|
|
written there as if intended as a strong and permanent protest against the
|
||
|
|
errors of the Roman Church.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Assurance of Salvation
|
||
|
|
----------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
The first consequence of the doctrine of penance (as well as the
|
||
|
|
doctrines of purgatory and indulgences) is that the Roman Catholic, though
|
||
|
|
baptized and confirmed, can never have that assurance of his salvation and
|
||
|
|
that sense of spiritually security which is such a blessing to the true
|
||
|
|
Christian. In proportion as he is spiritually sensitive, the person who
|
||
|
|
holds to a works religion knows that he has not suffered as much as his
|
||
|
|
sins deserve, and that he can never do as much as he should in order to be
|
||
|
|
worthy of salvation.
|
||
|
|
A dying Roman Catholic, after he has done all that he can do and after
|
||
|
|
the last rites have been given to him, is told that he still must go to
|
||
|
|
purgatory. There he will suffer unknown torture, with no assurance as to
|
||
|
|
how long it will continue, but with the assurance that if his relatives
|
||
|
|
pray for his soul, and pay with sufficient generosity to have candles lit
|
||
|
|
and have special Masses said for him, that his sufferings will be shortened
|
||
|
|
somewhat.
|
||
|
|
Oh what a contrast with all of that, is the death of the true believer
|
||
|
|
who has the assurance that he goes straight to heaven into the immediate
|
||
|
|
presence of Christ! (Phil. 1:23). What a marvelous blessing is the true
|
||
|
|
faith of the Christian, both in life and especially at the time of death!
|
||
|
|
The Council of Trent even pronounced a curse upon anyone who presumed
|
||
|
|
to say that he had assurance of salvation, or the the whole punishment for
|
||
|
|
sin is forgiven along with that sin. (28) Such assurance is pronounced a
|
||
|
|
delusion and a result of sinful pride. Tome keeps her subjects in constant
|
||
|
|
fear and insecurity. Even at death, after extreme unction has been
|
||
|
|
administered and after thousands of rosary prayers have been said "for the
|
||
|
|
repose of the soul", the priest still cannot give assurance of salvation.
|
||
|
|
The person is never "good enough" but must serve in purgatory prison to be
|
||
|
|
purified of venial sins before he can be admitted to the celestial city.
|
||
|
|
No one can be truly happy or truly at peace. And particularly in spiritual
|
||
|
|
matters, a state of doubt and uncertainty continues for one's whole life,
|
||
|
|
and right into the grave.
|
||
|
|
But God wants us to be saved, and according to the Bible the Holy
|
||
|
|
Spirit can give us the assurance that we have salvation when we have a
|
||
|
|
true, intimate relationship with the Son of God (I John 5:9-12). But in
|
||
|
|
Romanism, one must work hard for it and must pay dearly for it, and after
|
||
|
|
he has done all the the priest has prescribed, he still cannot know whether
|
||
|
|
he has it or not. And through it all, there stands the anathema of the
|
||
|
|
Council of Trent against all who affirm the certainty of their salvation.
|
||
|
|
Hence, there cannot truly be found anywhere a Roman Catholic, consistent to
|
||
|
|
what his church teaches, who enjoys the true assurance of eternal life.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Conclusion
|
||
|
|
----------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
It is obvious by even this brief glimpse into the doctrines of mortal
|
||
|
|
and venial sins, confession, penance, and purgatory, the the Roman Catholic
|
||
|
|
Church has constructed one of the most unbiblical doctrinal systems that
|
||
|
|
has ever been considered "Christian". The fear, anguish, and religious
|
||
|
|
bondage that such a system of "reward and punishment" creates, has
|
||
|
|
tormented millions of lives for centuries, and continues to prey on those
|
||
|
|
who are ignorant of the biblical way of salvation.
|
||
|
|
To merely call such a system "a cult", would be to throw it into the
|
||
|
|
vast category of religions and quasi-religions that are currently making
|
||
|
|
the rounds of our college campuses and city streets, snatching up many-an-
|
||
|
|
unsuspecting youth. No, the Roman Church is not a cult. It's an empire!
|
||
|
|
With its own ruler, its own laws, and its own subjects! The empire has no
|
||
|
|
borders it encompasses the globe with its eye on every person who does not
|
||
|
|
vow allegiance. It calls the members of other faiths "separated brethren"
|
||
|
|
(29) and has as its goal the eventual bringing together of everyone under
|
||
|
|
its flag.
|
||
|
|
I know that many will not be convinced or moved by this article (or any
|
||
|
|
of the others) to make such a conclusion. They are impressed by what
|
||
|
|
they've heard about recent stirrings among the Catholics in the
|
||
|
|
"Charismatic renewal". Many evangelicals (especially charismatics) have
|
||
|
|
been thrilled by the reports of Catholics speaking in tongues, dancing in
|
||
|
|
the Spirit, having nights of joy and praise, even attending "charismatic
|
||
|
|
Masses".
|
||
|
|
Mouths that used to speak out boldly against the Church of Rome have
|
||
|
|
been quieted by the times. It no longer is in vogue to speak of the pope
|
||
|
|
as "the anti-christ" (30) or the Catholic Church as the "whore of
|
||
|
|
Babylon". Now Protestants unwittingly believe that "our differences are
|
||
|
|
not so great". Ah, that is just what She wants us to think!
|
||
|
|
I've never completely understood why God led me to write these
|
||
|
|
articles. But it becomes more clear with each day of study, and each page
|
||
|
|
of research. Never has something so black and wicked, gotten away with
|
||
|
|
appearing so holy and mysteriously beautiful...for so long!
|
||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
|
1] Venial - easily excused or forgiven; pardonable - American Heritage
|
||
|
|
Dictionary.
|
||
|
|
2] A subject which we hope to cover in a future chronicle.
|
||
|
|
3] A church council that met between 1963-1965.
|
||
|
|
4] "Sunday obligation" can also be fulfilled by attending a Saturday
|
||
|
|
evening Mass.
|
||
|
|
5] Which is only allowed once in a person's life - and if a person were to
|
||
|
|
die immediately after baptism, Rome says he will go "straight to
|
||
|
|
heaven." Otherwise, the only other conditions by which a Catholic may
|
||
|
|
be assured he will go directly to heaven immediately upon death, is to
|
||
|
|
die a "saint" ( a completely perfect and sanctified person), or to die a
|
||
|
|
martyr's death. All others must do some time in purgatory.
|
||
|
|
6] Baptism is also the only case where all sin is washed away, and both the
|
||
|
|
eternal and temporal punishments due to sin are canceled.
|
||
|
|
7] Absolution - release from punishment; acquittal; remission of sins
|
||
|
|
declared officially by a priest - Webster's Dictionary.
|
||
|
|
8] Primarily for use by those who are joining the Roman Catholic Church.
|
||
|
|
9] Instructions for Non-Catholics, p.93.
|
||
|
|
10] Although monthly confession is said to be more satisfactory.
|
||
|
|
11] Roman Catholicism, pps. 197-199 (from here on referred to as "R.C.").
|
||
|
|
12] The doctrine of purgatory rests on the assumption that while God
|
||
|
|
forgives sin, His justice nevertheless demands that the sinner must
|
||
|
|
suffer the full punishment due to him for his sin before he will be
|
||
|
|
allowed to enter heaven.
|
||
|
|
13] One of the seven sacraments also known as "anointing of the sick" or
|
||
|
|
"the last rites," and administered when a person is near death.
|
||
|
|
14] The Baltimore Catechism, p. 329.
|
||
|
|
15] The official title for confession to an authorized priest in a
|
||
|
|
confession box. It is called "auricular" because it is spoken
|
||
|
|
secretly, into the ear of the priests.
|
||
|
|
16] "R.C." p. 199.
|
||
|
|
17] "R.C." p. 203.
|
||
|
|
18] The seven sacraments are: Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist,
|
||
|
|
Penance, Holy Orders, Matrimony, and Extreme Unction.
|
||
|
|
19] The Baltimore Catechism, p. 300.
|
||
|
|
20] Indulgences are remissions of so many days or months or years of
|
||
|
|
punishment in purgatory - a subject which we will cover in depth in a
|
||
|
|
future chronicle.
|
||
|
|
21] Instructions for Non-Catholics, p. 95.
|
||
|
|
22] "R.C." pps. 257-258.
|
||
|
|
23] Council of Trent, section 6.
|
||
|
|
24] The Catholic Almanac, pps. 269, 559.
|
||
|
|
25] "The Apostles Creed" published by the Knights of Columbus, pps. 18-19.
|
||
|
|
26] "You Shall Rise Again" published by the Knights of Columbus, p. 3.
|
||
|
|
27] See also: Eph. 2:8-10, Rom. 1:17, 3:21, 22, 28, 5:1, 18-19, 11:6, John
|
||
|
|
3:36, Gal. 2:21, 3:11.
|
||
|
|
28] "R.C." p. 267.
|
||
|
|
29] The term used by Vatican II to describe the members of Eastern
|
||
|
|
Orthodox, Anglican, and Protestant churches.
|
||
|
|
30] Although the following people unhesitatingly did: Martin Luther, John
|
||
|
|
Bunyan, John Huss, John Wycliffe, John Calvin, William Tyndale, John
|
||
|
|
Knox, Thomas Becon, John Wesley, Samuel Cooper, John Cotton, and
|
||
|
|
Jonathan Edwards.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
====[ The Christian BBS - Vic., B.C., (604)-478-2789, 8,N,1 - 24 Hrs. ]====
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
CATHOLIC CHRONICLE IV
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
What Did Vatican II Really Change?
|
||
|
|
----------------------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Edited and compiled by Keith Green
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Last Days Ministries, Box 40, Lindale, TX 75771-0040
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
The Roman Catholic Church is very proud of two distinct things: 1) that
|
||
|
|
it has never changed, and 2) that it has changed very much! I realize that
|
||
|
|
number 2 seems to contradict number 1, but anyone who has studied church
|
||
|
|
history even briefly, will be able to grasp what I'm trying to say.
|
||
|
|
First, Rome is very emphatic about making clear these unalterable
|
||
|
|
facts:
|
||
|
|
A. That she is the original and only church founded by Jesus Christ
|
||
|
|
upon the earth.
|
||
|
|
B. That her head, the pope, has the authority handed down from the
|
||
|
|
"first pope," Simon Peter, through "apostolic succession," (1) to sit in
|
||
|
|
the place of Jesus as the undisputed leader of all true Christians on
|
||
|
|
earth.
|
||
|
|
C. That her traditions and interpretations of scripture are the only
|
||
|
|
basis for forming the rules and guidelines that Christians everywhere
|
||
|
|
should live by.
|
||
|
|
D. And that her dogmas and doctrines, although they can be clarified,
|
||
|
|
enlarged, or re-stated for the sake of changing times, can never, ever be
|
||
|
|
abolished, contradicted, or altered. They are quite literally, "Canon
|
||
|
|
Law."
|
||
|
|
On the other hand, modern Roman Catholics are immensely pleased with
|
||
|
|
the reforms and evolution they have seen in their Church, especially since
|
||
|
|
the cataclysmic "Second Vatican Council" (more commonly know as "Vatican
|
||
|
|
II"). They point to how much has been done to open the way for "all
|
||
|
|
Christians everywhere to finally come together!" This, of course, does
|
||
|
|
seem very exciting, especially since Rome has been largely on the defensive
|
||
|
|
since the Reformation. Starting with the Council of Trent in 1546, there
|
||
|
|
has been one papal decree after another, which has completely make it
|
||
|
|
impossible (even forbidden) for Catholics to have any "fellowship" with
|
||
|
|
Protestants.
|
||
|
|
Ah, but "time heals all wounds" they say, and like everything else, the
|
||
|
|
giant chasm between Protestant and catholic now seems with the passing of
|
||
|
|
centuries, to appear like just a "little misunderstanding." And Vatican
|
||
|
|
II, which included such sweeping reforms as allowing Mass to be said in the
|
||
|
|
common local language, and no longer forbidding Catholics to read a
|
||
|
|
Protestant Bible, or attend a Protestant church service, seemed to make the
|
||
|
|
differences between Rome and the rest of the fragmented Christian world
|
||
|
|
look very petty.
|
||
|
|
As you probably might guess, I do not believe this to be the case. In
|
||
|
|
fact, in my research and studies I have only found the opposite to be true,
|
||
|
|
Yes indeed, the Catholic Church is changing! It has probably never changed
|
||
|
|
so much in all its history as during the past generation, but it has not
|
||
|
|
changed one, single, solitary doctrine! Each and every point of dogma that
|
||
|
|
has alarmed evangelical theologians for the past 400 years remains the
|
||
|
|
same, exactly as written, and in full force!
|
||
|
|
But because of all the changed garments, all the reformed liturgies and
|
||
|
|
ceremonies, and the resulting freedom of worship, Catholics everywhere (as
|
||
|
|
well as many Protestants) have mistakenly believed that something
|
||
|
|
substantial has really changed! But this is not a surprise, it has
|
||
|
|
happened before many times in history. When you change the key, the
|
||
|
|
instruments, or the rhythm of a song, almost everyone will believe you
|
||
|
|
have a new song. Only those who listen carefully to the lyrics, or who
|
||
|
|
know their music well, will realize that yes, the style is different, but
|
||
|
|
the song is the same!
|
||
|
|
The whole thing seems so sad to me, when I realize how very few there
|
||
|
|
are among Catholics (and Protestants) who really know what Roman
|
||
|
|
Catholicism teaches. It is truly shocking! And what's even more alarming,
|
||
|
|
is the potential for the devil to pull the wool over people's eyes because
|
||
|
|
of their ignorance.
|
||
|
|
I have received many letters from Catholics in response to the first
|
||
|
|
three Chronicles, which have basically said this: "The Catholic Church has
|
||
|
|
really changed! why not use the current beliefs and teachings that are a
|
||
|
|
result of Vatican II?" Believe me, in each of my articles, I was doing
|
||
|
|
just that! I would be a fool to be refuting doctrines and teaching that
|
||
|
|
are no longer being used. But because Catholic worship is based so much on
|
||
|
|
ritual, ceremony, and symbolic outward forms, the average Catholic believes
|
||
|
|
with all his heart that when he sees these surface things altered, that his
|
||
|
|
church has really changed! You have only to look at the documents of
|
||
|
|
Vatican II to see that this is not the case.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
The Need for Vatican II
|
||
|
|
-----------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
In the early 1960's, the Vatican knew that there was a need to give the
|
||
|
|
Church a face-lift. Many of its policies seemed out of place, and most of
|
||
|
|
its forms of worship were stiff and outdated. There was a feeling among
|
||
|
|
the bishops that the Church needed to evolve with the times, and there was
|
||
|
|
also a growing to re-unite with Rome, that she was going to have to give
|
||
|
|
herself a more pleasant and appealing appearance. There was also criticism
|
||
|
|
from her own ranks that her doctrines needed to be clarified and "re-
|
||
|
|
stated" in a more simple and less dogmatic tone than previous councils had
|
||
|
|
done.
|
||
|
|
Thus the Second Vatican Council was called by Pope John XXIII in 1962,
|
||
|
|
and continued under Pope Paul VI until 1965 when it issued "The Documents
|
||
|
|
of Vatican II," each on different aspects of church teaching and doctrine.
|
||
|
|
The spirit and attitude of these documents were remarkably different from
|
||
|
|
any the Roman Church had ever produced. They were full of scriptural
|
||
|
|
references, and did not include any blatant "curses" on those who did not
|
||
|
|
agree (as previous councils had done). They were revolutionary in freeing
|
||
|
|
individual parish priests to conduct Masses in the way they best could
|
||
|
|
reach the local culture and community. This, as well as changes in church
|
||
|
|
administration and religious freedom were the main results of the Council.
|
||
|
|
In the following years, there were other changes that proceeded out of
|
||
|
|
Rome as a result of the new attitudes which were born from Vatican II.
|
||
|
|
These included the removal of the strict requirement to refrain from eating
|
||
|
|
meat on Fridays (and also the command to fast during Lent). Although these
|
||
|
|
practices were still encouraged, they were now optional instead of
|
||
|
|
mandatory. The whole Church seemed to be loosening up. And ecumenical
|
||
|
|
leaders the world over were beginning to see the light at the end of the
|
||
|
|
church-unity tunnel.
|
||
|
|
But in the midst of all this, a few ardent Christians still stubbornly
|
||
|
|
pointed out that although the procedure and the language of the Mass might
|
||
|
|
have changed, the meaning of it still remained very much the same. And
|
||
|
|
though the outward forms and words used by Rome had been altered much, the
|
||
|
|
things she taught and believed had only been confirmed and repeated in the
|
||
|
|
soft and soothing tone of the Vatican II documents.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
The Charismatic Movement
|
||
|
|
------------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
And then came the "charismatic renewal" seemingly out of nowhere! With
|
||
|
|
the Pope's blessing, Catholics were taking part in charismatic Masses,
|
||
|
|
speaking in tongues, prophesying, singing and shouting side by side with
|
||
|
|
Evangelical Protestants! Everyone was so excited - they thought, "Now
|
||
|
|
we've got the devil licked!" Why, doctrine wasn't important anymore, that
|
||
|
|
was for seminary students and old, stuffy theologians! but as the
|
||
|
|
excitement started to quiet down a little, the Protestants noticed that a
|
||
|
|
few of their Catholic brothers and sisters were still praying to Mary, and
|
||
|
|
were even offering prayers for their dead relatives in the prayer meetings.
|
||
|
|
It soon became apparent that unity was not going to be as easy as it
|
||
|
|
had seemed at first. Protestants began to make inquiries, and they started
|
||
|
|
bothering their Catholic friends too much with questions like, "Do you
|
||
|
|
think the Pope is saved?" As you can see, the whole future of the
|
||
|
|
ecumenical movement hinges on this all-important question: "Can a Roman
|
||
|
|
Catholic be considered a genuine believer (according to the Bible), and
|
||
|
|
still believe the things the Roman Church teaches?"
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
The Things That Vatican II Did Not Change
|
||
|
|
-----------------------------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
To help answer that question, we have prepared a list of teachings and
|
||
|
|
practices (see next page) that have been adopted and perpetuated by the
|
||
|
|
Roman Catholic Church over the last 1600 years. It is important to note
|
||
|
|
that not one of these were altered at all by the Second Vatican Council.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
A Scholar Looks at Vatican II
|
||
|
|
-----------------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Dr. Loraine Boettner, noted Evangelical authority on Roman Catholic
|
||
|
|
doctrine, takes an in-depth look at the documents of Vatican II in the
|
||
|
|
preface to the fifth edition of his book Roman Catholicism. Dr. Boettner
|
||
|
|
writes:
|
||
|
|
"The Second Vatican Council, which closed late in 1965, made changes in
|
||
|
|
the liturgy, administrative practices, and in the matter of religious
|
||
|
|
freedom. It repeated the claim that the Roman Catholic Church is the only
|
||
|
|
true church, although it did recognize that other churches contain some
|
||
|
|
elements of truth.
|
||
|
|
"But Pope John XXIII, who called the first session, and Pope Paul VI,
|
||
|
|
who presided over the later sessions (as well as several prominent cardinal
|
||
|
|
and theologians), took care to emphasize that no changes would be made in
|
||
|
|
the doctrinal structure of the Church. However, Pope Paul did promulgate
|
||
|
|
[declare] one new doctrine, which asserts that `Mary is the Mother of the
|
||
|
|
Church.' The primary purpose of the Council was to update the liturgy and
|
||
|
|
administrative practices and so to make the Church more efficient and more
|
||
|
|
acceptable to the 20th century world.
|
||
|
|
"The introduction of the `New Mass,' for instance, brought about a
|
||
|
|
change in language - Latin is no longer required, except in the prayer of
|
||
|
|
consecration. But as Protestants, it is not important to us whether the
|
||
|
|
Mass is said in Latin or English or Swahili - it is not the language of the
|
||
|
|
Mass that we object to, it is its content and meaning. (See Chronicle II,
|
||
|
|
`The Sacrifice of the Mass').
|
||
|
|
"On previous occasions, Rome has changed her tactics when old methods
|
||
|
|
became ineffective, but she has never changed her nature. In any religious
|
||
|
|
organization, doctrine is the most basic and important part of its
|
||
|
|
structure, since what people believe determines what they do. An official
|
||
|
|
document, `The Constitution on the Church' prepared by the Council and
|
||
|
|
approved by the Pope, reaffirms basic Catholic doctrine precisely as it
|
||
|
|
stood before the Council met.
|
||
|
|
The doctrine of papal infallibility is restated. We are told that when
|
||
|
|
`by a definitive act he proclaims a doctrine of faith and morals...his
|
||
|
|
definitions, of themselves, and not by the consent of the Church, are
|
||
|
|
justly called, irreformable (Article 25). The pope has lost none of his
|
||
|
|
powers. He remains the absolute ruler in the Roman Church. But if papal
|
||
|
|
decrees past and present are `irreformable, `what hope is there for real
|
||
|
|
reform in the Church of Rome?
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Although many of these beliefs were practiced earlier than the dates
|
||
|
|
given, they did not become binding on all Catholics until they were
|
||
|
|
officially adopted by church councils and proclaimed by the Pope as dogmas
|
||
|
|
of faith. All dates are approximate.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
1. Presbyter (or elders) were first called priests by Lucian...2nd
|
||
|
|
century.
|
||
|
|
2. Prayers for the dead...A.D. 300.
|
||
|
|
3. The VENERATION (2) of angels and dead saints and the use of
|
||
|
|
images...375.
|
||
|
|
4. The Mass as a daily celebration was adopted...394.
|
||
|
|
5. The beginning of the exaltation of Mary, and the first use of the
|
||
|
|
term "Mother of God" by the Council of Ephesus...431.
|
||
|
|
6. Priests began to dress different from the laity and to wear special
|
||
|
|
clothes...500.
|
||
|
|
7. Extreme Unction (3) ...526.
|
||
|
|
8. The doctrine of purgatory was first established by Gregory the
|
||
|
|
Great...593.
|
||
|
|
9. Prayers began to be offered to Mary, dead saints, and angels...600.
|
||
|
|
10. The first man was proclaimed "Pope" (Boniface III)...610.
|
||
|
|
11. Veneration of the cross, images, and relics authorized...788.
|
||
|
|
12. Holy water, mixed with a pinch of salt and blessed by a priest was
|
||
|
|
authorized in...850.
|
||
|
|
13. Veneration of Saint Joseph...890.
|
||
|
|
14. College of cardinals begun...927.
|
||
|
|
15. Canonization of dead saints, first by Pope John XV...995.
|
||
|
|
16. The Mass developed gradually as a sacrifice, attendance was made
|
||
|
|
obligatory in...11th century.
|
||
|
|
17. The celibacy of the priesthood was decreed by Pope Hildebrand,
|
||
|
|
Boniface VII...1079.
|
||
|
|
18. The rosary, or prayer beads copied from Hindus and Mohammadans) was
|
||
|
|
introduced by Peter the Hermit...1090.
|
||
|
|
19. The Inquisition (5) of "Heretics" was instituted by the Council of
|
||
|
|
Verona...1184, and was legalized and promoted by the Fourth Lateran
|
||
|
|
Council in 1215.
|
||
|
|
20. The sale of Indulgences...1190.
|
||
|
|
21. The seven sacraments defined by Peter Lombard...12th century.
|
||
|
|
22. The dogma of transubstantiation was decreed by Pope Innocent III
|
||
|
|
...1215.
|
||
|
|
23. Confession of sins to the priest at least once a year was instituted
|
||
|
|
by Pope Innocent III in the Lateran Council...1215.
|
||
|
|
24. The adoration of the wafer (host) decreed by Pope Honorius III
|
||
|
|
...1220.
|
||
|
|
25. The The scapular (6) invented by Simon Stock of England...1251.
|
||
|
|
26. The doctrine of purgatory proclaimed a dogma by the Council of
|
||
|
|
Florence...1439.
|
||
|
|
27. Tradition is declared of equal authority with the Bible by the
|
||
|
|
Council Trent...1546.
|
||
|
|
28. The Apocryphal Books were added to the Bible by the Council of
|
||
|
|
Trent...1545.
|
||
|
|
29. The Immaculate Conception (7) of Mary was proclaimed by Pope Pius IX
|
||
|
|
in 1854.
|
||
|
|
30. Pope Pius IX condemns all scientific discoveries not approved by
|
||
|
|
by the Roman Church...1864.
|
||
|
|
31. Infallibility of the pope in matters of faith and morals proclaimed
|
||
|
|
by the First Vatican Council...1870.
|
||
|
|
32. Pius XI condemned the public schools...1930.
|
||
|
|
33. Pius XI reaffirmed the doctrine that Mary is "The Mother of God"
|
||
|
|
...1931.
|
||
|
|
34. The dogma of the Assumption (8) of the Virgin Mary was proclaimed by
|
||
|
|
Pope Pius XII...1950.
|
||
|
|
35. Mary proclaimed the Mother of the Church by Pope Paul VI...1965.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
"The document on the Church repeats in substance the teaching of the
|
||
|
|
Council of Trent that `priests and bishops are the representatives of God
|
||
|
|
on earth...justly, therefore, they are called not only angels, but gods,
|
||
|
|
holding as they do the place of authority of God on earth.' (Catechism of
|
||
|
|
Trent).
|
||
|
|
"In fact, no more sweeping claims were made by the Council of Trent
|
||
|
|
(1545-1563), nor by the First Vatican Council (1870), than are made in
|
||
|
|
these documents from Vatican II. Despite all the claims to the contrary,
|
||
|
|
the Council has firmly maintained the doctrine of the primacy of Peter (4)
|
||
|
|
and of papal succession. In his book, Ecclesiam Suam, Pope Paul expressed
|
||
|
|
his distress because of what some of the `separated brethren' (9) say about
|
||
|
|
the pope as the stumbling block in the way of church unity. He said, `Do
|
||
|
|
not some of them say that if it were not for the primacy of the pope, the
|
||
|
|
reunion of the separated churches with Catholic Church would be easy? We
|
||
|
|
beg the separated brethren to consider the inconsistency of this position,
|
||
|
|
not only in that, without the pope, the Catholic Church would no longer be
|
||
|
|
Catholic, but also because without the supreme decisive pastoral office of
|
||
|
|
Peter, the unity of the Church of Christ would utterly collapse.'
|
||
|
|
"We must say that at this point we agree with the Pope, at least to
|
||
|
|
this extent, that if the Roman Catholic Church were reformed according to
|
||
|
|
scripture, it would have to be abandoned. But the gross errors concerning
|
||
|
|
salvation still remain. Moreover, the Council did nothing toward removing
|
||
|
|
the more than 100 anathemas or curses pronounced by the Council of Trent on
|
||
|
|
the Protestant churches and beliefs. If there is to be any true unity,
|
||
|
|
surely this would seem the logical place to start."
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Conclusion
|
||
|
|
----------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
We could not find a more fitting conclusion than Dr. Boettner's:
|
||
|
|
"The `Constitution on the Church' makes it abundantly clear that Rome
|
||
|
|
has no intention of revising any of her basic doctrine, but only of
|
||
|
|
updating her methods and techniques for more efficient administration and
|
||
|
|
to present a more attractive appearance. This is designed to make it
|
||
|
|
easier for the Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and Protestant churches to
|
||
|
|
return to her fold. There is no indication that she has any intentions of
|
||
|
|
entering into genuine give-and-take church unity negotiations. Her purpose
|
||
|
|
is not union, but ABSORPTION. Church union with Rome is strictly a one-way
|
||
|
|
street. The age-old danger that Protestantism has faced from the Roman
|
||
|
|
Church has not diminished; in fact, it may well have increased. For
|
||
|
|
through this less-offensive posture and this superficial ecumenicism, Rome
|
||
|
|
is much better situated to carry out her program of eliminating opposition
|
||
|
|
and moving into a position of world dominance. AN INFALLIBLE CHURCH SIMPLY
|
||
|
|
CANNOT REPENT."
|
||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
|
1) The Roman Catholic Church teaches that Jesus Christ ordained the 12
|
||
|
|
apostles to the priesthood at the Last Supper, and to their successors,
|
||
|
|
the Roman priesthood, Jesus promised and guaranteed His continual
|
||
|
|
presence in their teaching and governing until the end of time.
|
||
|
|
2) Veneration - profound respect or reverence; worship - American Heritage
|
||
|
|
Dictionary, Webster's Dictionary.
|
||
|
|
3) Extreme Unction, or "Anointing of the Sick" - one of the seven
|
||
|
|
sacraments, in which a priest anoints and prays for one in danger of
|
||
|
|
death.
|
||
|
|
4) The doctrine that Christ has given Peter the key role of lawful
|
||
|
|
authority...that Peter would be His chief ambassador, His authentic
|
||
|
|
vicar (pope), and this power continues to be extended to Peter's
|
||
|
|
successors through the ages - the popes.
|
||
|
|
5) Inquisition - the act of inquiring into a matter; an investigation -
|
||
|
|
American Heritage Dictionary. Lucius III decreed that bishops should
|
||
|
|
take action against heretics. A characteristic of this decree was that
|
||
|
|
a suspect, once convicted of being a heretic, was to be handed over to
|
||
|
|
the secular arm for punishment. Before the Inquisition ran its course,
|
||
|
|
historians estimate that 5 to 15 million people lost their lives
|
||
|
|
through torture and and execution (From: A History of Christianity in
|
||
|
|
the World by Clyde L. Manschreck).
|
||
|
|
6) Piece of brown cloth with a picture of the Virgin, supposed to contain
|
||
|
|
supernatural power to protect from all dangers, to those who wear it on
|
||
|
|
naked skin.
|
||
|
|
7) This doctrine maintains that the Virgin Mary was in the first instance
|
||
|
|
of her conception, preserved from all stain of original sin.
|
||
|
|
8) The Catholic dogma that Mary ascended bodily into heaven without dying.
|
||
|
|
9) The term used by Vatican II to describe the members of other non-
|
||
|
|
Catholic Christian faiths.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
To be continued.............................
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
|
|