One of the chief blasphemies of the Roman Catholic Church is the sacrifice of the mass. Rome teaches that the mass is the same sacrifice as Calvary offered in an unbloody manner. Listen to the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
“And since in this divine sacrifice which is celebrated in the Mass, the same Christ who offered himself once in a bloody manner on the altar of the cross is contained and is offered in an unbloody manner.”
Rome claims that the mass is a propitiatory sacrifice for sins. Listen to the Council of Trent:
“If any one saith, that the sacrifice of the mass is only a sacrifice of praise and of thanksgiving; or, that it is a bare commemoration of the sacrifice consummated on the cross, but not a propitiatory sacrifice; or, that it profits him only who receives; and that it ought not to be offered for the living and the dead for sins, pains, satisfactions, and other necessities; let him be anathema.”
The reason I can stand against Rome on such teachings is because the Bible stands against her. I won’t get too into the mass since I have written about it elsewhere but I want to address from the inspired Word of God what is said about the necessity of blood. We are told that the life of the flesh is in the blood. The blood is what makes atonement for the soul.
“For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.” (Leviticus 17:11)
The blood of animals could only push sins ahead but they could never take away sin that’s why they had to be offered over and over again.
“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. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.” (Hebrews 10:1-4)
The blood of Christ was sufficient to not only push our sins ahead but to completely pay for them.
“But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” (Hebrews 9:11-12)
The issue with the mass is simple. They claim that the sacrifice of the mass is the same offering of Jesus Christ again. If this is true then His sacrifice was just as imperfect as the priests in the Old Testament. The perfection in His sacrifice is that it does not need to be repeated continually. Rome claims that the difference is that the mass is offered in an unbloody manner. The Bible not Rome is the ultimate authority. The Bible we know is the inspired Word of God and it declared that it is blood which makes atonement for the soul. The mass cannot take away sin, the mass cannot atone for the soul, the mass cannot be a propitiatory sacrifice if offered in an unbloody manner.
“And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.” (Hebrews 9:22)
The shedding of blood is absolutely necessary for the remission of sins. This passage of the Bible screams out as Rome makes her unbloody sacrifice and tells her followers their sins are forgiven. What does it scream? In loud bold tones it screams out WITHOUT THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD IS NO REMISSION. Rome offers only false forgiveness of sin in her sacrifice. She despises the sacrifice of Jesus Christ every time the priest performs his rituals. What can be done? Shall we make blood sacrifices? The answer is no the sacrifice has already been made one time for all.
“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)
“For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:14)
I want to urge you that if you have been trusting in the sacrifice of the mass to take away your sin turn to the once for all sacrifice that was made by the Lord Jesus Christ. Stop trying to make your own offering and accept the offering that God made for you. Rome is like every other false religion she gives her followers a list of things to do in order to hopefully gain eternal life.
The Bible says that we can know our sins are forgiven and that we have eternal life by believing on the Son of God Jesus Christ. By faith in Him alone we are forgiven of all that we have ever done and we are given the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Will you do that today?
The Gospel Beacon 