Throughout history, the concepts of life and death have been set against each other as day and night opposites. Indeed, many metaphors for death speak of darkness. It is one of very few polar opposites that are to be found in a man’s life, but as we know from the Scriptures and practical observation, man both lives and dies.
The world has heard of two recent high-profile deaths recently, but the one that is likely the weightier is the passing of Karol Wojtyla, better known as Pope John Paul II. In life, Wojtyla stood for the sanctity of life in opposition of abortion. He argued against a post-modern philosophy that said there is no such thing as objective truth. He reached out to the poor and needy in an age when other world leaders merely spoke of helping the poor, without actually following through. He was a true humanitarian in life, a servant of the people, often receiving visitors and ministering to people, even when his advanced years required him to rest. It is entirely possible that Wojtyla simply worked himself to death. One cannot help but admire the dedication and zeal he had in following his religion. As an aside, his actions stand in contrast to some professing Christians’ actions. He argued against any form of abortion when even Evengelical Christians today are casually indifferent towards the matter.
But we must not simply dwell on the good that this man accomplished. What good are good deeds if the question of an eternal home is not answered? Christ says in Matthew 7:21-23 [+/-] "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.', “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” Just because a man does good works, even in the name of God, does not mean that man has found any sort of favor with God. The very next verse, Christ explains the meaning of that last statement by saying that a wise man is the man who both hears and does the things Christ has said for him to do, namely, repent of one’s sins and call on the Lord to be saved.
The Catholic doctrine teaches this. However, it also teaches more. Roman doctrine says that those things that Christ has laid forth are only the beginning. The Catholic doctrine teaches that one must have both faith and good works - that is, adherence to other man-made rules and perscriptions set forth by the Church. Christ, on the cross, with His last breath declared, “It is finished!” He wasn’t just speaking of his life. The very plan of God through the ages was brought to completion in that moment. God required that His people sacrifice a pure, spotless lamb, and he stated that the blood of that lamb would provide a covering for their sins. In that way the people, though sinful, were allowed into God’s presence. God saw the blood of the lamb and declared that sufficient to cover their sins. But when the Lamb of God, Christ, came to the world, He did so to die. Jesus Christ is God, and He was man. I don’t understand how this could be possible - that God would come into the world and take on human form, subjecting himself to the ailments and weaknesses of the flesh. But He did. He lived a sinless life on Earth, thus becoming that pure, spotless Lamb that was required for the sacrifice. And being God, His sacrifice was infinitely better, or more effective, than the sacrifice of a simple animal. Finally, to show that He had all power, even over death itself, He rose from the dead with the promise that all who believe on Him will be raised in like fashion when He comes again to collect His people. Thus His cry of “It is finished!” signified that one chapter of human history had closed, and that a new chapter had begun. In this chapter, man no longer needs to curry favor with God or attempt to work off his sins; in fact it is impossible for a man to earn enough favor with God to purchase a place in heaven. God has stipulated that the only way is through the blood of Christ. Just as, for the early Jew, it would not do to sacrifice a goat or a blemished sheep or a pile of vegetables to cover his sins, so today it does not do to sacrifice our time, energy, or comfort to substitute or add to Christ’s work on the Cross. To add to it is to say that Christ lied on the cross, which is to say that Christ is a sinner, which is to blaspheme the Holy God. To supplant it is to say that we know better than an all-powerful, all-knowing God, which is to raise ourselves above God, which is what got Satan kicked out of heaven. Either way you cut it, the only way has to be through Christ’s work.
Catholic doctrine teaches otherwise. The primary mode of this teaching is in the Mass. To some, it may seem like a simple ceremony, not unlike most other Christian ceremonies. But this is in fact false. The Mass is a constant re-crucifixion of Christ. Hebrews 1 [+/-] [1:1]Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. For to which of the angels did God ever say, "You are my Son, today I have begotten you"? Or again, "I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son"? And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, "Let all God's angels worship him." Of the angels he says, "He makes his angels winds, and his ministers a flame of fire." But of the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions." And, "You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end." And to which of the angels has he ever said, "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet"? Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation? starts out thus: “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high…” (Heb. 1:3 [+/-] He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,, emphasis mine). When Christ finished His work on the cross, he sat down at the throne of God. The early priests didn’t sit down. Just look at the list of furniture for the tabernacle. You won’t find chairs listed. The High Priests’ work was never done. They were always killing another sacrifice, making more atonement for sins. But when Christ, our High Priest, made His sacrifice, he sat down. The work was done. There is no more sacrifice. But Catholic doctrine states that the mass crucifies Christ over and over and over again. Christ is sacrificed each Mass, and His body and blood are made real in the Communion. According to the Church, Christ’s sacrifice was not good enough to be effective throughout time - it has to be done every so often for a person in order to be effective. Another fatal element in the Catholic faith is the dependence on good works to supplement the work of Christ on the cross. Paul says that our salvation is by grace alone: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph. 2:8-9 [+/-] For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.). Writing to Titus, Paul puts it this way: “But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:4-7 [+/-] But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.). He explains in the next verse that good works are a natural outgrowth of Christianity, not a prerequisite for. I wonder if James had an inkling of the doctrines that were to come, because he challenges anyone who trusts in their works in James 2:18 [+/-] But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. - “But someone will say, ‘You have faith and I have works.’ Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works” (emphasis mine). Good works merely justify our already-existing faith; they lend credence that says, “Yes, this faith is genuine, for it has changed his attitude and outlook.” In that way good works are required to prove faith, but not required to gain eternal life.
We must not discount the good works of Karol Wojtyla. But his death should cause us all to ponder the subject. Yes, he was a man who cared for others. Yes, he was a man who stood for absolute truth and the sanctity of life. But was he a man who found favor in the eyes of God? Man will never answer this question this side of eternity. All we have to go on are his teachings and what he himself believed. And the record is clear - he believed that Christ’s work on the cross was lacking. He believed that, in order to earn heaven, he had to do good works on the side. One may well ask, “But if he believed that Christ died for his sins, then who cares what else he believed on top of that? All you’ve proven with your passages is that you can’t get to heaven trusting alone in your works.” Perhaps. But if good works were a required addition, would Christ have said “It is finished”? Would He have sat down on His throne in Heaven, satisfied with a completed job? Would He not have moved the other writers of Scripture to constantly harp on the necessity of doing good works to keep up with the bad works? Why, then, did Paul make it sound so simple in Acts 16:30-31 [+/-] Then he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.", where he had the following conversation with the jailer at Philippi: “Then he [the jailer] brought them [Paul and Silas] out and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ And they said, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.’” Why would Paul later say in Romans 10:9 [+/-] because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. that “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved”? Shouldn’t there be more? But there is no more. Salvation is as simple as that. Works are not required. Additional sacrifices are not required. Only simple faith is required. And by adding to this simplicity the Catholic Church has tragically led millions throughout the ages astray.
In life, Pope John Paul II led a crusade to help the helpless, both young and old, born and unborn. Yet, in the end, if he was truly giving only partial faith in the work of Christ, he will meet God as Judge and not as Father. We mourn his passing, because the cause of goodness in the world lost a large voice. We mourn his passing further because we believe that he has no eternal hope. So while we’re thinking about death, I urge you, the reader, to consider what has been said here today. Think of your eternal destiny, and think of what you are trusting to ensure your passage to Heaven when you leave this world.
RSS 2.0 (Posts)
