Letters    

 ...To A Catholic Priest (Con't.)

15.   A. Concerning Fasting on Fridays—While we are told the early believers assembled for worship on the 1st day of the week, we are not told the apostles fasted on Fridays. One may fast on any day, but it must be a voluntary fast, and not a ritual fast.

     B. The same may be said of Lent. When Roman Catholics act out their depravity in great orgies like the Mardi Gras, and commit as much debauchery as they can before settling down to the observance of a man-made religious season, no honest man can believe in the sincerity of Papists' devotion.

      God's Word exhorts us to observe the 40 days the rains were upon the earth in the days of Noah as often as it does the days of "Lent."

16. Concerning Celibacy—Paul declared, "It is better to marry than to burn" (I Corinthians 7:9). And again, "To avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband" (I Corinthians 7:2). As Christians, we believe this is the Word of God: God is the Author; Paul is the amanuensis. Therefore, the above instructions are given by the God who has designed our bodies.

     The reason for the high incidence of sodomy among Roman Catholic clergy, as well as their age long problem of fornication is owning to the arrogant insistence that ministers of the Gospel should be celibate. Here is a classic example of the devastating results of placing burdens upon men that are hard to be borne, and such burdens as God never authorized. Yet, Rome will not lift her finger to relieve men of them.

17.  Concerning the Inquisition—I appreciate your stand that "This is certainly one part of church history of which we Catholics are not proud." I detect a note of compassion in your statements, and I have no intention of forcing you to grovel in that error. But, may I pose a couple more questions?

     First, "If as you teach, the Pope is infallible in matters of Faith and Practice, was Innocent III infallible in this matter of `Faith and Practice?'"

     Second, "If it is the prevailing belief that the Inquisition is a period `of which we Catholics are not proud,' why has no Pope yet confessed the sins committed by Rome in her slaughter of God's elect?"

     When the disciples would have destroyed the unbelievers in Luke 9, Jesus said to them, "Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of Man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them" (Luke 9:55,56).

18.  Concerning the Doctrine of Indulgences—You write, "The official doctrine of the church has always insisted on the need for personal repentance along with some good work(s) on the part of the sinner." While this may be the "official doctrine" of the Roman Catholic Church, it is not the doctrine of the Church which Jesus founded. The Bible does not teach any such thing. Your use of I Corinthians 12:21-26 cannot possibly be stretched to teach that we may BUY God's grace either for ourselves or for others.

    For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift (i.e. the grace, or favor) of God: not of works lest any man should boast (Ephesians 2:8,9).

     It is one thing to intercede in behalf of a spiritually ailing brother or sister, and quite another thing to attempt to intercede in behalf of one whose time of probation has ended.

19. Concerning Transubstantiation—If you believe that when a "priest" declares "Hoc est corpus meum" the bread literally is transformed into the body of Christ, then Christ is again sacrificed, and you are no better than a cannibal.

     When the Bible speaks of "receiving Christ," it means to receive Him into our heart: not into our stomach. History testifies that the phrase "Hoc est corpus" is the origin of the phrase "hocus pocus."

     I have no desire to insult you or to give offense. I only desire to speak frankly. I am enclosing a poem for your perusal that deals with this issue.

20. Concerning Auricular Confession—First, the entire system of Penance is founded in the religious humanism of Pelagius, and of Cassian after him. Augustine withstood the former. The latter attempted to amalgamate Pelagianism and Augustinianism, and is the most common theological position in Christianity today.

     Second, the doctrine of Reconciliation is not that man is reconciling himself to God, but is God reconciling man to Himself. Since "no one can forgive sins but God only," the concept of a "priest" acting as a mediator between the sinner and God is the fabrication of men, and one which was invented after the canon of Scripture was closed.

     No "priest" can reconcile the sinner: reconciliation is the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. There are two ways, however, by which ministers may remit or retain sin. First, by preaching sound doctrine, God will put His sanction upon it and cause it to be the savour of life unto life to them who obey, and the savour of death unto death to them who reject and disobey (II Corinthians 2:15-17).

     Second, ministers remit or retain sin by administering church discipline. We have no authority to receive into fellowship any whom God refuses. Neither have we any authority to refuse any whom God receives. Those whom we admit into communion according to the rules of the Gospel, God admits into communion with Himself; and whom we cast out on account of moral or doctrinal impurity are bound over to the righteous judgment of God.

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