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.
Only one of the above has followers which do appear to insist upon this "Real Presence" include a corporeal sense (of corporeal flesh).
The term "Real Presence" capitalized as such was in past eras utilized first (I think) by Protestants, but not while inclusive of a corporeal sense be attributed to that "presence".
It's too bad that the phrase has been hijacked by Roman Catholics who argue for a literal flesh and blood of God be present within/as the bread of holy communion.
If not for that consideration, it would be so much easier to speak of what the Orthodox long termed Sacred Mystery.
The sample from the book does not include pages 255-256.
For later analysis. Seemingly from “Faith of Millions”, pages 255-256, published by Our Sunday Visitor, 1938, republished 1974 (apparently).
I have ordered the original 1938 publication from Amazon. I will update with any relevant context when it arrives.
a perfect act of contrition, but no one told me what that meant
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, contrition is called “perfect” (contrition of charity) when it arises from a love by which God is loved above all else. (CCC 1452)
It is differentiated from contrition that is called “imperfect,” which is born of the consideration of sin’s ugliness or the fear of eternal damnation and the other penalties threatening the sinner (contrition of fear). (CCC 1453)
If you are interested, mortal sin is described in CCC 1854 - 1864.
I am relieved to hear that.
What is the Catholic reason for purgatory? Stated another way, what purpose does purgatory serve in the RCC belief structure?
BTW, is Wikipedia the level of proof sourcing you prefer?
The short answer is yes. I have found that the Wikipedia editors do a good job of reviewing the information and sources provided for their postings and of advising users of any issues. I include the link so you can check it out for yourself.
Has wiki changed? I posted precise definitions on stem cells and cloning back when I offered the little book about the subject in 2001. ‘Editors’ promptly changed the wording to fit the then agenda of exploiting embryonic stem cells. Has the place changed that much, that deception filters are in place and active? I doubt it, but I have not been consulting wiki for a long time now so I may have missed something.
And please, if you want to call me a liar, have the conviction to be honest.
Please do not try to read my mind. I am NOT questioning the accuracy of the quote.
What is the Catholic reason for purgatory? Stated another way, what purpose does purgatory serve in the RCC belief structure?
I personally don’t give much thought to Purgatory. If you really want to know the Church teaching, you can find it in CCC 1030 - 1032.
NO, we don't see that from scripture. Trying to combine two distinctly different subjects may be what Catholics do but it makes for a false gospel. Jesus did NOT change the subject mid conversation then change back. Taking different subjects and trying to combine them can be used to prove all kinds of false beliefs. It's what Catholics do.
I think you had better "pay attention". The conversation was about Jesus flesh NOT the flesh of man. The "spiritual" flesh is the "word" of God. It's the word of God that we are to consume/internalize. So "pay attention" this time as this has been explained over and over again.
are you as a Catholic aware that the notion of purgatory is not found in the Bible. BUT the Bema Seat of Christ is found in the Bible and takes place IN HEAVEN?
I remember having similar problems with wiki regarding stem cells and cloning back then. It has been my recent experience, though, that they are very concerned with the credibility of the information posted on their web site, and they present different viewpoints on controversial issues and they ask users to help improve articles. Here are two examples:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stem_cell_controversy
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_views_on_cloning
Did you try scrolling down to see if you could reach it?
If I were to supply a link which can lead one more directly to the top of page 256 --- then what?
Tell me, will you look into and consider what I've said about it?
If so, I'll post the link into following reply.
Interesting theory, but not born out by a LITERAL reading of the Bible.
Another interesting theory that is not born out by a careful reading of the Bible.
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