The wickedness and evil of the concepts of priests and an earthly priesthood are so abominable that my soul cringes to even discuss these creations of the Roman Catholic Church. The priests of the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) are conceptions of ungodly men, who determined that Christ was not enough, that His sacrifice was not sufficient, that His role as our Priest cannot be accessed without them.
When Christ was crucified, when He gave up the ghost, the veil between the Holy of Holies was torn in two. (Matt. 27:50-51) Under the old covenant, only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies behind the veil to offer the sacrifice for the sins of the people, which he did once every year. (Ex.26:31-34; Heb. 9:7) The holiest place in the tabernacle was not available to any but the High Priest.
The curtain (veil) which separated the most holy place from the rest of the tabernacle was about 60 feet high and about 30 feet wide and 4 inches thick. (Based upon the replica of the wilderness tabernacle in the Jerusalem temple.) It was of fine linen, with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, with cherubim embroidered upon it. It was very heavy. This veil was not a thin scarf as women wear.
Heb. 9:8, “The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:” (KJV)
When the veil was torn, it was torn from top to bottom. Human hands did not tear this veil, but the action came from above, from the Most High. The tearing of the veil signified the removal of the barrier of sin between God and the people. When Jesus took the sins of the world upon Himself, when He became the sacrifice for all of us, He restored the way back to God.
Christ’s sacrifice was the restoration of the spiritual covenant with God, because now the people could come to God through Jesus Christ. For all of those who have put on Christ by being buried into His sacrifice, they can now go to the Heavenly Father through prayer in the name of Jesus. Christ is now our intercessor with the Most High. (Rom. 8:34)
Heb 2:17, “Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.“
Heb. 6:20, “Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.“
Heb 8:1-2, ” 1Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; 2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.”
Heb 9:11-12, “11But 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; 12 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.”
Heb 9:14-15, “14How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.”
Heb 10:19-21, “19Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 21 And having an high priest over the house of God;”
Matt. 28″18, “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.“
Heb 7:15-24, “15And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, 16 Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. 17 For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. 18 For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. 19 For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God. 20 And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest: 21 (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:) 22 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. 23 And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: 24 But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.”
The RCC set up an earthly priesthood in the face of all of the above scripture. Jesus’ sacrifice abolished forever the earthly priesthood of the Old Covenant, and He thereby became our priest and intercessor with our Heavenly Father after the order of Melchisedec whom Abraham had paid a tenth of his spoils. The Levitical priesthood established by God under the old covenant was insufficient as they could not continue “by reason of death”. They were men, prone to sin, who died. They couldn’t be priests under the new living, everlasting covenant established by Christ’s blood! His blood, being better than that of calves and goats, was the propitiation for all sins for all time for those who answer the call of the gospel of Christ. Are we to look to any other than Christ for the remission of our sins? NO!
God forbid it! And, yet earthly men, in all their machinations, in all their imaginings thought better than God, and spurned the blood of Christ, spurned his everlasting priesthood after the order of Melchisedec, to establish an earthly priesthood and teach people they had to confess their sins in private to an earthly man in order to obtain remission of their sins. They have spit upon Christ; they have spit upon the cross, by substituting another priesthood have usurped the authority of Christ and His office.
Did a priest of the RCC die for you on the cross? NO! As a child of God, a Christian, you have direct access to the Heavenly Father through Christ. All prayer is to be offered in the name of Christ, as He is our intercessor with the Father. Do you not know that as a Christian you are of the royal priesthood?
1 Pet. 2:9, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;“
Why then would you believe that you have to allow an earthly priest to intercede for you? The RCC has lied to the people and told them that these earthly priests are necessary to represent Christ. They set up a system of works to control their subjects. Hail Mary’s, Rosaries, and any other penitence they devise are not of God!
Consequences of this lie, other than the blasphemy?
- Confession is to be public. (James 5:16) When made privately to a man who is prone to sin there are temptations that may result in blackmail. How many powerful men and women have been conscripted into the Catholic Church, and through private confession have become subject to threats by the RCC?
- Worshipping idols. Prayers to St. Christopher, or St. Michael, or any other “Saint” established by the RCC is idolatry.
Saints are Christians. Every soul that is immersed in water (baptized) into Christ has put on Christ, is covered by the blood of Christ, and is a saint. Lower case “s”. The RCC has made a habit of venerating certain souls above others, and have called the “Saints”, with a capital “S”. This contradicts Biblical instruction, and have caused these people to become idols, instructing their members to pray to these “Saints”.
Eph. 5:3, “ But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;”
Eph. 5:5, “For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.“
Eph. 4:11-12, “11And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:”
- Respecter of Persons. We are not to call any Rabbi, Father, or Master, as only we have only one director.
Matt. 23:8-12, “8But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. 9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. 10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. 11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.”
- They have established a system of works. Say three Hail Mary’s. Do ten Rosaries. Or any other act the RCC priest may deem necessary for the forgiveness of your sin.
Gal. 2:16, “ having known also that a man is not declared righteous by works of law,…”
Rom. 9:31-32, “ 31and Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, at a law of righteousness did not arrive; 32 wherefore? because — not by faith, but as by works of law; for they did stumble at the stone of stumbling”
If the works under the old covenant, under the law of Moses could not forgive the sins of the people (Heb. 10 6-8), why would anyone think that a Hail Mary would be any way better? Any works that we do are works of debt, as we are indebted to Christ for our salvation. (Rom. 8:12) They are not able to work away our sin. You cannot pay for your sin! We cannot give Christ anything that He does not already have! The RCC has set up payments for sin and thereby denies Christ’s payment, and His propitiation for all. They are spitting upon His death on the cross!
- The RCC has a allowed sin to abound. They have established a system whereby people now believe they can knowingly sin, and then, through confession to an RCC priest, be forgiven through the works assigned by that priest. This result is hideous, abominable. It has allowed people to conclude that they can commit murder, knowing it is wrong, because they believe that all they have to do is confess it to an RCC priest, and he will arrange their forgiveness!
Rom. 6:6, ” Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.“
Rom. 6:15, ” What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.”
Heb 10:26, “ For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,”
Forgiveness comes after repentance. The blood of Christ will continue to wash us if we are repentant. Repentance means that we have been truly sorrowful, and have determined to not ever do that wrong again. Repentance is a reversal, a complete turning away from, and turning back to God. It is a change of mind and heart. Those who knowingly repeat sinful acts are not repentant. Christ’s blood will not wash away the sins of the unrepentant heart. And yet the RCC promotes that very thing.
1 Tim. 2:5, ” For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;”
It is Christ alone that intercedes for us, and He alone who forgives! See Rom. 8:34, John 14:6, Heb. 7:25, 1 John 2:1, Mark 2:10, Eph 1:7. The RCC priest cannot forgive your sins!
See a more complete discussion here: http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/BTP/Dr_Max_Younce/who_can_forgive.htm
I could go on, but these are sufficient to show the apostasy, blasphemy, and lies of the priesthood established by the Roman Catholic Church. They are not teaching the word of God. They are not practicing the word of God. They have devolved into a pagan and idolatrous organization, and thus have no authority from God.
(KJV. All bold emp. is mine.)
Shredding The Veil 