Letters    

... To A Catholic Priest (Con't.)

6.    Concerning Extreme Unction, or Last Rites, which Rome now calls "the Anointing of the Sick"—If we are to be honest, you and me, we will have to admit there is a world of difference between anointing and praying for the recovery of the sick, and delivering "last rites" which is often done after one is dead.

      It is also apparent that none of the healing passages mentioned in the New Testament can remotely be considered to be "last rites." The "sacramental theory" is not so much as mentioned in God's Word, and was first heard of in the Roman Catholic Church in 526 A.D.

      Regarding Romans 8:17, you state, "Christians are exhorted to share Christ's sufferings;" and you exegete Colossians 1:24 as follows: "...Paul's sufferings help complete what still remains of Christ's sufferings on behalf of the Church." Compare your exegesis with the words of Augustine in his 84th homily on John:

     Though we brethren die for the brethren, yet no blood of any martyr is poured out for the remission of sins. This Christ did for us. Nor has He in this conferred upon us something to imitate, but to give thanks for.

So, Bonifacius, in his fourth book declares,

As the only Son of God became the Son of man that He might make us sons of God, so He alone, without guilt endured the punishment for us, that without merit, we may through Him obtain undeserved grace.

And, Leo, Bishop of Rome, stated,

 The righteous received crowns they did not give them; and from the fortitude of believers there have come forth examples of patience, not gifts of righteousness. For their deaths were private, and no one by his end paid the debt of another.

7.   Concerning Purgatory—Rome has had to reject the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice in order to make herself the dispenser of salvation to men. However, as Merle D'Aubigne points out, "Salvation viewed as coming from man is the creating principle of all error and abuse." In order for Rome to be able to make herself the dispenser of Christ's salvation, she needed a sacrifice, and a sacrifice requires an altar, and a priesthood. According to Rome, salvation can be merited by man: this, however, is a refutation of the doctrine of Grace. This is the reason she fostered Pelagianism which gave her a foothold for the doctrine of supererogatory works and of the sacraments. Our Lord, however, declares that after we have done all that is our duty to do, we must confess that we are unprofitable servants, for we have only done that which is our duty to do (Luke 17:10).

      Against this backdrop, Rome invented a place she called "Purgatory." In order to substantiate its existence, you quote I Corinthians 3:11-15. In all honesty, you must admit the passage speaks not of a place, but of a time, and which is here called "the day." It does not speak of a place called "Purgatory" that is able to be manipulated by religious gangsters, but rather it speaks of the day of Judgment when God shall try our works. So, Jerome translated the passage as "the day of the Lord."

     The doctrine of Purgatory was not formulated until Rome invented it in 593 A.D. While you affirm, "The Church teaches there is a purifying growth of perfection or expiatory sufferings for those who have died in God's favor, but whose debt of punishment for sin has not been ratified," yet the Bible knows nothing of such a teaching. It is also an arrogant assertion to say "The Church teaches (this)." It is only proper to say, "The Roman Catholic Church teaches this."

8.   A. Concerning Early History—When the western empire fell, Rome saw her chance to regain her empire by using religion. The "carrot" she extended was the salvation of men's souls.

     Certainly some who were caught up in this hegemony were honorable men, but the period following 476 A.D. was a time of decadence for Rome. While she boasted that she converted the barbarians, many of the tribes accepted Arianism, which neither you nor I could classify as Christianity.

     There were many believers who did not acknowledge Rome, even at this early date. Take Patrick, for example, who in his own writings acknowledges he was sent by the Church of Gaul, not by Rome. The doctrinal divergencies between the man of God and the Church of Rome are very great. He is one of my heroes, and I treasure my volume entitled, The Epistles and Hymn of St. Patrick, and of his disciple, The Hymn of Secundinus.

     Who but Gregory proclaimed Gregory to be a civil authority? Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world" (John 18:36), and again He forbade ministers to be "lords" like the Gentiles (Luke 22:25).

     Think, man; if you have a God-given mind, then follow Christ—not the teachings of men.

       B. Concerning Mary as a Mediatrix—Mary is not the Mediator; neither are the saints. "There is ONE Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus" (I Timothy 2:5). How does any man dare to contradict the perspicuous Word of God? Christ is the Advocate of His people (I John 2:1).

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