Three Words Catholics Do Not Understand

Proclaiming the Gospel ^ | March 18,2015 | Mike Gendron

[RnMomof7]

1/14/2015 8:04:57 AM

Three Words Catholics Do Not Understand

 

It Is Finished - Three Words Catholics Do Not Understand
The perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice of Christ that satisfied divine justice for all believers was accomplished 2000 years ago. Jesus cried out in victory - "It is finished." The work of salvation is done. The eternal debt for sin has been paid in full. No more offerings, no more sacrifices, no more priests! The Lord Jesus willingly died for man’s sins to pay the debt that we could never pay. “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness: by His wounds you have been healed" (1 Peter 2:24). Yet Catholics instead choose to trust in the sacrifice of the Mass, a blasphemous representation of a eucharistic Christ on an altar. They would rather trust the Sacrifice of the Mass as a sin offering to God rather than trusting in the one-time, all-sufficient, sacrifice of Christ. 

Jesus appeared “to take away sins once for all" by His sacrifice" (Hebrews 9:26). “Through His blood God made Him the means of expiation (of sin) for all who believe" (Romans 3:25). Vatican II denies these sacred Scriptures by teaching: “Sins must be expiated...on this earth through the sorrows, miseries and trials of this life and, a above all, through death. Otherwise the expiation must be made in the next life through fire and torments or purifying punishments” (Vatican Council II). What a terrible deception to impose on faithful Roman Catholics who look to their church for the truth! The very reason and purpose Christ became man and suffered such an excruciating death was to expiate sin, once and for all, by His perfect sacrifice. How can any church, which claims to follow Christ, withhold this truth from its people and create in its place doctrines that nullify the Savior's finished work?

Roman Catholic teachings also nullify another accomplishment of Christ, the purification of sins. The writer of the book of Hebrews declared that "when He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high" (Heb. 1:3). The apostle John also proclaimed that those who trust Christ are purified from all sin, by His blood (1 John 1:7). Vatican Council II states that purgatory is where "those…who have not made satisfaction with adequate penance for their sins and omissions are cleansed after death with punishments designed to purge away their debt.” Jesus reconciled the world to God, changing its relationship with God from hostility to harmony. The sinner is reconciled to God when he trusts in Christ as his Savior. "It is in Christ and through His blood that we have been redeemed and our sins are forgiven" (Eph. 1:7). Being reconciled to God is difficult for Catholics to comprehend, for they have been taught the only way to made peace with God is through a life long journey of works--receiving the sacraments, going to Mass and doing penance. The only response to the accomplishments of Christ that will reconcile anyone to God is repentance and faith.

[RnMomof7]

ping

[SkyPilot]

How can any church, which claims to follow Christ, withhold this truth from its people and create in its place doctrines that nullify the Savior's finished work?

Power. The Roman church desired power and authority that belonged to God alone, so they stole it. They suppress the Truth of Scripture so their members won't know of Christ's Grace. As a former Catholic, I can tell you this is 100% the sad reality.

[Chris777]

Why post lies about catholics. Catholics believe without works, faith is dead. But only through faith is salvation. With the amount of hatred from the radical muslims, why do you post such trash

[MrB]

DON'T STIR IT!

[MrB]

Power corrupts more easily than money.

Of course, the latter often comes as the result of the former.

And, of course, we can be easily deceived into thinking we’re “doing good” when we exercise power over others,
it’s just another lie from the Father of Lies.

[pgyanke]

Protest-ants... you are well named. This board is becoming a 24 hour protest against the Church. It's tedious, your arguments are infantile and nothing is accomplished besides setting conservatives against each other. Besides that... good job!

"It is finished."

Has it ever occurred to you that Christ was speaking of the establishment of the New Covenant with these words? What was finished? History? Salvation? How can either of these be finished when the work of the Church was just beginning... to teach, preach, and baptize the world?

When we read these words, we are reading a translation. Another way to read the translation that might illuminate their meaning to you would be "It is consummated." When you see Christ on the Cross, you are looking at the Priest, Sacrifice, and Bridegroom in the Marriage Feast of the Lamb. This marriage is the knitting together of Heaven and Earth... our adoption into God's Family through participation with Christ's Bride, the Church. IT IS FINISHED. The transaction of the Covenant is completed and now all may approach the Throne of Grace and His Body, the Church, may carry on His work to call all people home to Heaven.

They would rather trust the Sacrifice of the Mass as a sin offering to God rather than trusting in the one-time, all-sufficient, sacrifice of Christ.

This is where you fail every time. You misrepresent Church teaching to condemn the Church. The Mass isn't a sin offering. It is the Todah, an offering of thanks to God for our salvation. In this offering, we offer the only acceptable sacrifice, participation in the once-for-all sacrifice of Christ. We aren't recrucifying Him. We are participating in the mystery of His sacrifice.

How can any church, which claims to follow Christ, withhold this truth from its people and create in its place doctrines that nullify the Savior's finished work?

The Church nullifies nothing. She explains and illuminates. Do you sin? Of course you do... everyone does. Do you then make atonement for sin and do penance? In every sin, there are two fractures... our relationship with God and our relationship with man. We receive the Grace of reconciliation in confessing our sins to God. There is still an atonement in this temporal world for the harm that has been caused. Matt 12:32 speaks of the forgiveness of sins in this life and the next. No one may enter Heaven stained. We trip, we fall, we stain ourselves. We also wash clean in the Grace of reconciliation and atonement. Some sins will be atoned in the life to come before our entrance to the banquet.

Being reconciled to God is difficult for Catholics to comprehend, for they have been taught the only way to made peace with God is through a life long journey of works--receiving the sacraments, going to Mass and doing penance.

This is a complete straw man argument against the Church. Our "peace" is made with God through Baptism into His Holy Family. The rest is our Family life in His Church on our journey home. We will make mistakes, we will fall down and we will rise in reconciliation. We will eat at His Table and continue the work of Christ in calling all people to Him as His Body, the Church.

The only response to the accomplishments of Christ that will reconcile anyone to God is repentance and faith.

Yes. However, we will all sin again. Repentance is an ongoing reception of God's Grace and we come to him in faith to be reconciled.

[RnMomof7]

As the article says..words Catholics can not understand

[G Larry]

Satan Understands.

He invented the flawed extrapolation and is thrilled with the results:

No confession of sins,
No praying for the dead,
No motivation for good works,
No motivation for fasting, penance, or mortification.

If you believe that your obligations end with “I believe”, then you fail to recognize that “belief” means living that faith.

[pgyanke]

Sometimes I wonder why I bother. You simply stop up your ears and refuse to engage the conversation with anything but condescension. I’m sick of these straw man threads day after day.

Good day. May God bless you.

[Resettozero]

If one were to choose between remaining a Roman Catholic and instead to become only a believer in and follower of Lord Jesus Christ but without a church home, what would one choose?

[G Larry]

They are one in the same.

We’re not obligated to fall for false choices.

[Resettozero]

They are one in the same.

Thanks for replying. The correct phrasing is "They are one and the same."

So, one would remain a Roman Catholic even if Lord Jesus Christ were to say "Come follow Me and none other."

It is not a false choice but, for many, is the difference between eternal life and eternal separation from Lord Jesus Christ.

[avenir]

Let’s get real honest here: millions of “Protestants” don’t have a clue about the reality of “It is finished”. We are told to “make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires”. Yes, this can mean Lust, but also “the boastful pride of life”. Flesh loves the idea of EARNING. So easy to go down that road.

Lots of preaching is nothing more than FLESH trying to beat down and subdue other FLESH. It will not and can not ever work. Proof: the CONSTANT and never-ending whining from pulpits wondering what’s WRONG with Christians or why the Church is SO INEFFECTIVE, etc.

The solution—IT IS FINISHED—would put a lot of people out of a job!

[Daffy]

Three words neo-pagan Protestants don’t understand.

[CynicalBear]

The Catholic Church has usurped much of what belongs to God and given it to someone else. Their view of the insufficiency of the death of Christ is greatest among them.

[Legatus]

Just out of curiosity, what’s the deal with dropping the definite article in front of the name of Our Lord?

[Trapped Behind Enemy Lines]

I happen to be a Catholic. But I also believe what is written in the Bible. When I question certain Catholic beliefs and practices I am often branded a heretic, or worse, a Protestant (horrors!). I do believe among nearly all Christian denominations there is common ground we can all agree on:

1) Jesus is the son of God.
2) Jesus was crucified and was resurrected on the third day.
3) Jesus performed many miracles and signs in His ministry including casting out demons, raising people from the dead, curing illnesses and disabilities, walking on water, changing water into wine. ETC.

I think we all agree on these basic things and that’s what makes us all Christians who share the same basic view of Jesus and Christianity in general.

Now that I’ve stated all that, here some teachings and practices of the Catholic Church which I don’t agree with and because of this there are some who think I should leave my Church or be excommunicated:

1) Compulsory clerical celibacy. I see no reason for the Church to continue with this draconian policy, nor do I find any requirement in the Bible for such a policy. To the contrary, priests were married men in the Bible.

2) The belief that Mary was ALWAYS a virgin. Even though the Bible only states she was virgin at the time of her conception of Jesus. She was in fact married to Joseph and the Bible specifically mentions Jesus’s brothers and sisters.

3) Papal Infallibility-—a perfectly ridiculous dogma instituted in the 19th Century. Popes like the rest of us are human beings, therefore subject to sin and error and mistakes.

I happen to agree with many if not most Catholic teachings. I love attending Mass, readings from the Bible, I am an active volunteer at my Church I am member of the Knights of Columbus. I am TIRED of being branded a heretic or a Protestant if I don’t always march in lock step with the Church. I think it is possible to be both a Catholic and a Bible believing Christian. I’m sure many will disagree. Too bad. I’m staying put!

[Resettozero]

Just out of curiosity, what’s the deal with dropping the definite article in front of the name of Our Lord?

You mean the Our Lord?

[redleghunter]

Hopefully those kitchen impliments were never used again:)