I once spoke to a man who argued for the heresy of open theism. He claimed that when God declared His creation good that there could have been no way He knew that sin would come into the world. This same man argued in favor of Roman Catholicism and the sacrifice of the mass. What amazed me is that he doesn’t apply the same standard to what Jesus said on the cross. Jesus at the end of His sacrifice for sin made a declaration.
“When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.” (John 19:30)
Why would Jesus declare it finished if He knew there would be a necessity for the sacrifice to be offered again and again? The answer of course is that He would not have made such a declaration unless He meant what He said. The sacrifice that Jesus made was complete, satisfactory, and for all time. The Roman Church teaches her followers that the sacrifice of Christ must be reenacted over and over again through the sacrifice of the mass.
According to Rome the priest magically calls Christ down from His throne. Christ submits Himself and obeys coming down to take the form of a wafer. They believe He is then offered again and again for the sins of the living and the dead. They teach that the mass is the same sacrifice as at Calvary offered over and over again. Listen to the Council of Trent which Rome teaches to be infallible.
“For the victim is one and the same, the same now offering by the ministry of priests, who then offered Himself on the cross, the manner alone of offering being different.”
Trent calls Christ the victim because in their hearts they are calling Christ down and sacrificing Him all over again. This is the chief blasphemy of Rome because it denies the finished work of Christ on the cross. Some would argue there is no harm in this practice if they are wrong about the mass so why worry about it? The answer is because in their hearts they are sacrificing the Son of God. The Bible is clear that if we commit sin in the heart it’s just as if we actually did it. The Bible tells us that those who sacrificed Jesus did so wickedly.
“Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain.”(Acts 2:23)
Rome teaches an incomplete salvation because they believe their followers must sacrifice Jesus Christ over and over again. What does the Bible say about the sacrifice of Christ. The Bible teaches emphatically that the sacrifice of Christ was perfect, complete, and a one time thing. The Bible teaches that the sacrifice is not like the Old Testament sacrifices that had to be repeated. This made them weak. What makes Christ’s sacrifice superior is that it does not need to be repeated.
“For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.” (Hebrews 7:26-27)
“For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” (Hebrews 9:24-26)
If sacrifices for sin were perfect then there would be no need for them to continue. To say that Christ’s sacrifice needs to be repeated is to say it was imperfect.
“For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.” (Hebrews 10:1-2)
“And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God.” (Hebrews 10:11-12)
The Bible tells us more then once that the sacrifice that Christ made was a one time perfect offering for sin.
“So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” (Hebrews 9:28)
“By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” (Hebrews 10:10)
“For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:14)
The doctrine of the sacrifice of the mass teaches that we must continually pay for our sins. The Bible teaches that once we believe on Christ unto salvation our sins are completely forgiven, God no longer remembers them which is a way of saying He no longer counts them against us and there is no more offering necessary for sin.
“And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.” (Hebrews 10:17-18)
This salvation comes not by good works, or going to church or by making a sacrifice such as the mass. The Bible teaches it comes by faith.
“But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.” (Romans 4:5-8)
Won’t you turn to Christ in faith today trusting His once for all sacrifice on the cross?
The Gospel Beacon 