Letters    

 _{TO A ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST (Con't.)}

2.    A. Concerning the Use of Candles—Who says that candles "symbolize faith?" Is this intuitive knowledge or must someone teach us this truth? Has God instructed us to burn candles? If there is no such instruction in the writings of the apostles, have you no fear of adding to His Word?

     B. Concerning the Veneration of the Saints—Why do you "venerate" saints who are living in Heaven? Who told you to do this? Why has He not commanded everyone who loves Him to do the same?

     While Roman Catholics pray to saints, all whose faith is rooted in Jesus Christ pray to Him. He is the only Mediator between "God and man" (I Timothy 2:5). He only is our Advocate (I John 2:1,2). Mary herself confessed her need of a Saviour (Luke 1:47).

     C. Concerning the Use of Images—It is clearly contrary to the moral Law to bow before, or to serve graven images. To make such an image of God is to limit the Holy One of Israel. God is a Spirit; and as soon as He is given a natural form, He becomes confined to time and space. Therefore it is not possible to make a true image of Him seeing He is limitless. "God is a Spirit."

3.   Concerning the Institution of the Mass—When God clearly tells us time after time in His Word that the sacrifice of Christ was offered "once for all" (Hebrews 1:3; 9:12; 10:10,12), it is nothing short of blasphemy to proclaim the Lord's Supper is either a fresh sacrifice, or that it is a continuation by man of what Christ has finished.

     Jesus said, "This do in remembrance of Me." Thus by His own words, our Lord has told us the ordinance is a feast of remembrance, a memorial. It is the Lord's Supper that is instituted In Matthew 26:26-30; Mark 14:22-26; Luke 22:15-20; and in I Corinthians 11:23-25. It is not a sacrifice.

       Nor can it be a "participation in the one sacrifice in an unbloody manner" as you declare. This would argue the sacrifice was incomplete, and unfinished. Jesus Christ suffered, and bled, and following His resurrection and ascension, He sat down on the right hand of the Father. God does not need men to complete His work.

    Note: It is a fatal error of Romanism that she continues Old Testament ceremonialism into the New Testament. Rome, like them of old, deals in shadows.

    The whole intent of the book of Hebrews is that Christ is a superior priest to those taken from among the sons of men (See: Chaps. 5-10). First, priests are mortal. Second, they are sinners. This is the reason the sacrifices had to be repeated. It is a usurpation by Rome to claim she participates in the priestly work of Jesus Christ.

     Jesus Christ is sinless (Hebrews 4:15). He has an unchangeable priesthood because He continues ever (Hebrews 7:23,25). He made one sacrifice for sin forever. The blood of Christ, unlike the blood of bulls and of goats, purifies the conscience. Do you pretend the "sacrifice of the Mass" can make the guilty conscience clean?

4. Concerning Mary, the Mother of Jesus

      A. Certainly, all true Christians believe that Jesus is God incarnate. We believe this not because of church councils, nor on account of the affirmations of the Popes, but because this is the clear declaration of the Bible (Isaiah 9:6).

       It is also true that God chose a young virgin to bear His beloved Son. To call her the "Mother of God," however, is to elevate her above the Lord Himself. It connotes the pagan concept that Jehovah "united" with a mortal. So the Greeks taught that Zeus, the giver of life to all—to men as well as to nations, married a mortal named Mnemosyne or "Memory" and the offspring was a daughter he called "Clio" who was the goddess of history.

      Scripture nowhere affirms that Mary is the "Mother of God." She indeed carried the humanity, the fleshly body of Christ, but in no sense was she the mother of His Deity.

       B. To declare that Mary was "saved through the unique and salvific act of God who preserved her body, soul and spirit from the stain of sin" is nothing short of blasphemy. Only God is free from sin. This man-made concoction has no foundation in the Word of God. True Christians are "people of the Book."

5.     Concerning Clerical Garb—The Lord Jesus taught us, "Be not ye called `Rabbi' for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren" (Matthew 23:8). Again, "Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you shall be your minister ..." (Mark 10:42,43).

       Why then would a servant of the Church wear clothing distinct from other members of the Church—unless, it was in order that others might take notice of him? Jesus said such people "have their reward" (Matthew 6:1-18).

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