Thursday, March 25, 2010

Does the Eucharist make one a Christian?

Ours is an age of spiritual confusion and amnesia. There are so many religions and beliefs out there, how can they all be wrong? There is a growing acceptance of religious ecumenism, allowing that all religions are equal paths to God (never mind they don’t agree on what or who or what gender God is). Paul warns Timothy in his first letter to his young protégé:



1 Timothy 4:1 But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons,



In one of our church association meetings last year, we had a guest speaker from the State Office, come, and he was presenting a book to us on ministry, by Ken Blanchard. Blanchard is a New Age sympathizer with many New Age affinities, and friendship with Rick Warren. This book presented some good ministry principles derived from the life of Jesus, but in the section dealing with prayer, Blanchard subtly introduces mysticism, teaching readers to (unknowingly) take part in transcendental meditation.



And what is more amazing, is that when this was brought to the light, it was laughed off by those in higher authority. Our churches are being compromised by mysticism which is new age spirituality.



Because Chrisitans have forgotten our past, and the past persecutions, men and women giving their lives for the Biblical principles of Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone), Sola Fida (Faith Alone) and Sola Gratis (Grace Alone), we believe it’s okay to join with other religions.



What does it mean to be of the Protestant Faith? It means that you are a person who denies the authority or legitimacy of the Roman Catholic Church or the Pope. In fact, many Protestant Theologians labeled the Pope as Antichrist or the Church as the Whore that sits upon the Great Beast, who was drunk with the blood of the Saints (Rev. 17:6). The reason for this identification by Protest-ant believers of Scripture Alone, is because the Roman Church put to death anyone who believe the Bible contains sole authority for the Christian life, and anyone who taught salvation by Faith Alone by Grace Alone through Scripture Alone. Foxe’s Book of Martyrs details the executions of thousands of the faithful by the Roman Church, through Inquisitions and Crusades.



More Bible-Believing Protestants have been put to death by the Roman Catholic Church than any other institution or religion in history, though now Islam may be making up for that. But the Roman Catholic Church, which teaches salvation by works, by doing or observing the sacraments and worshipping the Eucharist.



We read in Scripture that salvation is “by grace, through faith and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph 2:8,9). Observing the sacraments in order to be saved is works. Works is defined by “anything we work or can merit to earn or achieve our own salvation.” Paul says repeatedly in his New Testament letters that salvation is NOT obtained through works or law.



Galatians 2:16 16 nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.



Romans 3:20 20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.



Word is that now Joseph Prince is starting to teach that the bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ once it is received. He’s introducing an element of mysticism into the Lord’s supper, as normally observed by Protestants. Lighthouse trails did an article back in 2007 reporting on the New Evangelization strategy that the Roman Catholic Church has to bring Protestants “back into the fold.”

This new method of Evangelism is to place new emphasis upon the Eucharist, which they teach is the second coming of Christ “All Catholics are expected to worship the host (Eucharistic Adoration of the transformed wafer), and church leadership says it is anathema (to be accursed) to reject this teaching….”

When I worked for Campus Crusade for Christ in the Slovak Republic, one of my favorite historic cities to go to was nearby Prague. They had such beautiful old European architecture, grand palaces and Cathedrals. But right in the historic old city square, there was a statute of a man being burned at the stake. His name was John Huss. He came to Prague under the pretence of safe travel given to him by Roman Catholic authorities. When he arrived, the Catholics seized Huss and tied him to a stake, put wood under and around him, and lit him to burn as a heretic, according to Roman Catholic proclamation.



What was his crime? He taught authority and belief in the Bible alone, and not in the immoral Roman Popes or clergy. He taught that salvation is by grace through faith in Christ alone. He also taught (along with other Protest-ant Reformers) that there is no such thing as indulgences to buy time off purgatory, and that purgatory is not a Biblical teaching.



Protestant Christians, we know salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, and that God’s word alone is the inerrant, infallible revelation that gives us all that we need for salvation, apart from human authority. The Roman Catholic Church, today as always, is a false religion, that teaches salvation by works, and sends millions of people straight to hell.

If you’re reading this and are Catholic, You should read the Bible, especially the gospel of John, if you want to find out how to be saved. You do not have to confess your sins to a priest. You don’t have to perform any rites or rituals to get into the kingdom of heaven. All you have to do is believe the Gospel give in the pages of scripture:



Romans 10:9-13 9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

11 For the Scripture says, "WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED." 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; 13 for "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED."

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