And therein lies a problem....
Do these priests go to heaven?
If they themselves do not qualify for heaven because of their unrepentant sin, then how can they minister as priests before God? Is he not a holy God? How can defiled vessles like that dispense God's grace?
Look at what happened to Eli's sons, Hophni and Phinehas.
1 Samuel 2:22-25 22Now Eli was very old, and he kept hearing all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who were serving at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 23And he said to them, "Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all the people. 24No, my sons; it is no good report that I hear the people of the LORD spreading abroad. 25If someone sins against a man, God will mediate for him, but if someone sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him?" But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for it was the will of the LORD to put them to death.
1 Samuel 2:34&3534 And this that shall come upon your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, shall be the sign to you: both of them shall die on the same day. 35 And I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who shall do according to what is in my heart and in my mind. And I will build him a sure house, and he shall go in and out before my anointed forever.
These priests just fooled around with women. Imagine if it had been recorded that they were doing it with little boys?
The condemnation that is coming on the RCC for not taking this abomination seriously enough to deal with it appropriately is just.
And the Catholic church wonders why it's bleeding members. People hate hypocrisy.
If they themselves do not qualify for heaven because of their unrepentant sin, then how can they minister as priests before God? Is he not a holy God? How can defiled vessles like that dispense God's grace?
Follow this "logic." RCs believe they are saved when they partake in "the eucharist." But the bread and wine will not become "the eucharist" unless and until a priest recites the exact correct words and uses the exact correct materials. As we've learned, it must be wheat bread. If donuts or bagels are used, the sacrament is seen as "invalid."
And yet if the priest administering the sacrament is an unrepentant pedophile, it doesn't matter. That priest still has the mojo to perform the alchemy that saves souls.
Bottom line -- Rome does not understand grace. Period.
Amen to your excellent post. Hophni and Phinehas are two excellent examples of the corruption of the priesthood. God did not look favorably on them nor did He look favorably on Eli who allowed it to go on.