Posted on 07/01/2015 7:13:05 AM PDT by RnMomof7
Recently there has been a surge in prominent Evangelicals calling for unity with Roman Catholicism. In one sense there seems to be strong foundational similarities that would justify these calls to unity. Catholics are baptized in the name of the Trinity. God’s revealed word in the Bible -- setting aside their addition of the Apocryphal books, for argument’s sake -- is foundational to their worldview. Catholics love Christ and believe that he died on the cross and rose again to provide grace for sinners.
Obviously there are theological differences associated with the specific teachings of each one of these perceived similarities, and I do not want to minimize the importance of these differences. But for argument‘s sake, at least on the surface, there is some common ground.
There is also a strong agreement in ethical standards. Both Roman Catholics and Evangelicals ground morality on God’s holy nature as revealed in the law of God. This means that on the hot button moral issues of the day; the murder of the unborn, human sexuality, the sanctity of marriage there is solidarity between Roman Catholic and Evangelical ethics because they are coming from the same source. Again, this seems to justify a call to some sense of unity.
Are these good enough reasons to publically stump for visible unity with Roman Catholics? That question is beyond the scope of this post. But there is a more fundamental question that must be answered first. That question serves as the dividing line between followers of Christ and the world, which separates biblical Christianity from every other worldview; does Rome possess and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
The author of the book of Hebrews in chapter 10 contrasts the gospel with that which is but a shadow of the gospel. He argues:
"And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified." -- Heb 10:11–14
The argument being presented here makes it clear that Christ’s singular sacrifice, his death on the cross, perfects those for whom it is made for. This is the gospel. It is contrasted with the shadow of the gospel in which sacrifices were repeatedly made year after year because though they symbolized the atoning and perfecting sacrifice of Christ, they never themselves perfected those for whom they were made. The gospel of Jesus Christ perfects and any other religious strategies cannot.
This principle is directly applicable to the question of Roman Catholicism and the gospel of God. Roman Catholic worship centers on the mass. The mass is a series of liturgical practices that culminates in the Eucharist which according to paragraph 1068 of the Catholic of the Catholic Church (hereafter CCC) is a divine sacrifice. Paragraph 1367 of CCC calls the Eucharist a “truly propitiatory” sacrifice. This sacrifice is performed repeatedly in the life of a Catholic.
The reason the Eucharist is performed repeatedly is because even though it is claimed to be a propitiatory sacrifice that can make reparation for sins (CCC, 1414), it is a sacrifice that never perfects anyone. According to the Catholic message grace is something that you get from God by performing certain acts. First, God gives you the grace for faith in Jesus (CCC, 2000). Second, when you are baptized God graciously erases the sin of Adam from your record (CCC 1257). From that point on you get more grace by doing things like participating in the sacraments, including the Eucharist. The problem is that when you commit sins, you lose some of the grace you have gained and now need more lest your grace be found wanting at final judgment. This forces the Catholic into a position where they need to return day after day, week after week, and year after year to a priest who serves to repeatedly re-present the same sacrifice which never perfects those for whom it is made, since it only offers grace to cover some sin.
This is not the gospel.
Roman Catholics need the gospel for the same reason we all need it. We are all sinners with such a messed up and low view of how holy holiness really is that we think somehow through our own efforts we can attain it. If we just had enough time and willpower we could somehow have our good deeds outweigh our bad, and this will please God just enough for me to be acceptable to him. This is a satanic lie. A satanic lie that to some degree or another we have all bought into at some point in our life.
But the truth is glorious. God is good and God is holy. He is more good and more holy than we can possibly imagine. God is so good and so holy that anything less than absolute perfection is unacceptable in his presence. It is because of God’s awesome goodness and awesome holiness that in his wisdom he has offered us grace, through faith in Christ. A good and holy sacrifice that absolutely without question completely perfects everyone for whom it is made.
Types a fella from a group that contains many with brains of mush.
Mass mindreading over vast amounts of time and distance!
There goes that GRAVEN IMAGE thing!
"You brood of vipers."
From page 270 of John O'Brien's 'Faith of Millions'
“' No act is greater than the consecration of the body of Christ'. ... The power of the priest is not surpassed by that of the bishop, the archbishop, the cardinal or the pope. Indeed it is equal to that of Jesus Christ. For in this role the priest speaks with the voice and the authority of God Himself.”“When the priest pronounces the tremendous words of consecration, he reaches up into the heavens, brings Christ down from his throne, and places Him upon our altar to be offered up again as the victim for the sins of men. It is a power greater that that of monarchs and emperors; it is greater than that of saints and angels, grater than that of Seraphim and Cherubim. Indeed it is greater even than the power of the Virgin Mary. The priest brings Christ down from heaven, and renders Him present on our altar as the eternal Victim for the sins of man – not once but a thousand times! The priest speaks and lo! Christ, the eternal and omnipotent God, bows his head in humble obedience to the priest's command.”
Do catholics agree that the priest is equal in power to the Omnipotent God Who created the priest? Do catholics agree that the priest speaks with so much authority that Jesus The Christ, a person of the One God Trinity bows to the priest and the catholic altar?
Read it again, knowing that this book of heresies has the nihil obstat of the Catholic Church declared over it, meaning it does not deviate from Catholic faith and morals! ... "The priest speaks and lo! Christ, the eternal and omnipotent God, bows his head in humble obedience to the priest's command.”
Catholic Folks, the above is blasphemous. This is a different Jesus and a different gospel. Those accepting it are accepting the curse upon it as 'another Gospel' from what Paul preached. [ Gal 1:8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! 9 As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed! ]
Conservatives were outnumbered in the last two elections and in the latest SCOTUS decisions.
I guess they are right as well, eh?
See how your argument works? It’s stupid,ignorant and no TRUE conservative BIBLICAL CHRISTIAN will fall for those demonic liberal tactics. Give up.
Ping to the truth about caatholicism.
Some catholics seem to forget the teachings of Jesus, regarding seed? Yeah, there will be many more plummeting into the abyss than gathered in the clouds. Got wrath?
I guess they’ll get back to us later. So, I’ll check back later.
R2z
I’ll see if a copy of O’Brien’s book is available online, so we can access more of this other religion’s dogma. The ‘nihil obstat’ is not tossed around lightly.
Because they read the Truth in Scripture that eating of blood is forbidden by God as a perpetual ordinance.
And then when they are born again, born from above they experience the real actual presence of Jesus dwelling in their heart through faith, their body being the temple of the Holy Spirit who is their guarantee, by whom they are sealed for redemption.
I live moment by moment, second by second with Jesus in me, the Hope of glory. His presence is IN me and He will never leave me or forsake me.
By reading Scripture, I have also come to realize the Jesus doesn't live in a cracker to be eaten to be "in" me.
It’s true that some did not believe that the flesh is no help at all, that it is the Spirit who gives life.
Just like Catholics.
"Of what sublime dignity is the office of the Christian priest who is thus privileged to act as the ambassador and the vicegerent of Christ on earth! He continues the essential ministry of Christ; he teaches the faithful with the authority of Christ, he pardons the penitent sinner with the power of Christ, he offers up again the same sacrifice of adoration and atonement which Christ offered on Calvary. No wonder that the name which spiritual writers are especially found of applying to the priest is that of 'alter Christus.' FOR THE PRIEST IS AND SHOULD BE ANOTHER CHRIST" (Faith of Millions, John O'Brien, Ph.D., LL.D., 268-269)
Laughing at blasphemies is telling ...
I have been around long enough to see people with agendas "quote" things out of context to further their own ends.
Let me give you an example: Several years ago a non-Catholic came to a site I was moderating claiming that Augustine did not believe in the Real Presence and presented a quote to back it up and even gave the citation for it.
It turned out that it was from Augustine's "Adverse Mani" and the citation she presented was actually Mani's words that Augustine quoted before he refuted them.
S once again I have learned not to take the word of someone that A) might have an agenda
B) Makes so many mistakes in describing Catholics belief.
If I ever have the opportunity to read the book for myself then I will be glad to comment on it.
Asked and answered, Twice already, please pay attention.
See my last three responses
How does a rational person believe that God can create an entire Universe out of Nothing?
How does a rational person believe that human life can be generated from mud?
How does a rational person believe that a child can be conceived with out virtue of intercourse 2000 years ago? How does a rational person believe that a paralytic and be healed after being told simply to rise pick-up your mat and go?
How does a rational person believe that 10 people suffering the scourge of leprosy can be healed with words alone? How does a rational person believe that a deaf man can be healed by a touch?
How does a rational person believe that a blind man can be healed by having mud and spittle rubbed on his eyes? How does a rational person believe that a woman can suffer a hemorrhage for 12 years and be healed by touching a piece of cloth?
How does a rational person believe that a little girl can be raised from the dead by being told to get up.? How does a rational person believe that a man dead for three does can be raised when a close friend calls him from the grave?
How does a rational person believe that a man can be scourged by some of the most expert torturers in history, carry a cross for a distance of about 2 miles, be nailed to that cross, suffer death, have a lance stuck into his side, be put in a borrowed grave and rise three days later?
How does a rational person believe that after this resurrection that man is able to pass through the walls of a locked room? How does a rational person believe that this same person is able to ascend into heaven under His own power?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.