I found this article when I was looking for a good explanation in a discussion with a Catholic about their prayers to/through 'saints'. I think it is beneficial not only for that discussion.
'The Priesthood of Christ'
Rev. J. Tolland, Minister of Kirkpatrick Memorial Church, Belfast, and Vice-President of the S.G.U.
In my library I have a book entitled 'The Priesthood of Christ'. It contains a series of addresses given at a conference in London under the auspices of the Sovereign Grace Union some seventy years ago on the subject of the Redeemer's Priesthood versus Roman Priestcraft. Here we have the pith and marrow of the Holy Scriptures on this vital subject.
Each week we will carry one of these great addresses, and we believe they will be a means of great enlightenment, with consequential power and salvation.
Pray, dear believers, that God will richly bless these great truths so faithfully set forth.
Yours against popery, Ian R K Paisley, Eph.6:19,20.
"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light." – 1 Peter ii. 9."
"I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." – John xiv. 6.
Read on...
10 comments:
Hello,
I came over from Pregador's blog. Just to let you know, I am Catholic.
I guess I'm wondering what your post has to do with praying to Saints?
Try to figure it out, then...
Okay.
"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light." – 1 Peter ii. 9."
"I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." – John xiv. 6.
I agree with both of these and neither of them talk about praying to Saints.
I guess I can't figure it out from your post.
That is why I direct the reader to Paisley's article.
I was a catholic. I am not going to discuss this here. Take it or leave it.
I'm not impressed with Paisley's work.
I'm also sorry you left the Church as you truly weren't taught it correctly.
I've read your stuff and I know Paisley's writings.
What you're offering is great stuff. Please don't get me wrong.
The Catholic Church offers more than anything you've written about.
So, I guess as far as your writings are concerned. I'll leave it. For I also am Catholic and educated for 12 years in the system.
In those 12 years, like you, I really learned nothing.
Instead of abandoning it though, I learned it after my formal education ended and realized that the Catholic Church has far more to offer than any Protestant denomination.
I am glad that you have found Christ since you weren't being led there when you were Catholic.
But please don't attack the Catholic Church as you really don't understand it.
Ann, well done. Jesus Christ alone forever lives to make intercession for us.
I once had a roman catholic man tell me that I incorrectly define the saints "biblically", i.e. all who believe; and not according to the traditions, i.e. those canonized by men. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry at such a statement.
"theden" as a former romanist and seminary student, I say it is you that doesn't understand what a syncretistic mess the roman church is. A thorough study of an accurate church history will demonstrate what happened in the 4th and 5th centuries which facilitated what we call the dark and middle ages. Thank God for Luther.
Theden, contrary to you, Ian Paisley has my deepest respect and admiration for the work for Christ he has carried out throughout his whole life. He is truly a man of God, not compromising truth and telling it. You may not like it, but this is a fact.
In my faith I do not look for anything a church of man may offer to me. It is not about me, it is all about Christ. Seeker-sensitive stuff is below God's standards of truth. These standards are in His Word, and only there. Any adding to it by so called Tradition diminishes God's Revelation and puts it aside, more or less. Any attempt to telling a fallen creature that he is able to add to his own salvation is a lie. Let us not forget it. This is dead serious, as John MacArthur said in the newest interview on Albert Mohler Program.
I understand the RCC, I come from a country of the late pope, and was spending a lot of my adulthood admiring him and listening to him. But God saved me from the folly of religion into the Truth of Faith.
Approvedworkman, thank you, you put it just right.
Both of you may go to this page and read this text. The catholic to open his eyes, the Christian to get some good ammunition for apologetic purposes.
Grace and Peace
Den, i have removed your comment.
No Problem Ann.
May God bless you in your ministry.
To Ann in Grace,
Praise be to God that you are in His Grace. I am a Lutheran Christian who will be a pastor in a few years, and a doctor in a few more to come hopefully.
We have but one high priest: Jesus Christ. Hebrews spells that out perfectly.
Now why should we be concerned about the role of the pastor? Because the pastor is supposed to be a spirit-filled humble one who wants to give everyone the most precious gift, to make God's kingdom come alive to us while we live in a world that has already experienced the high point; Christ's triumph over everyone's evil.
Briefly, the pastor is supposed to give someone Jesus Christ by inviting them to His love, calling them with the word of the cross and the sacraments, which is God's way of giving us promises and becoming present to us, which ties back into the discussion of the role of a priest.
Now by Catholic priests taking the name priest as their use, they claim that they must offer Christ as a sacrifice to God. A priest is someone who offers a sacrifice for the people. Do you believe that we should have sacrifices anymore? I don't believe we do, because it says in 1 Peter that "Christ died for sins once and for all". That means that when Jesus lived and died, Christ forgave us for the fact that we even do sin.
So now to put it briefly, what is the difference between a pastor and a priest? A pastor gives you Christ. What does a priest do? A priest gives a sacrifice to God, and by sharing in the mass, you share in the sacrifice also of "thanksgiving", which in the greek is called the eucharist, which is why no high church that is protestant, nor any other church, should ever call the sacrament a eucharist. Do you want to recieve Christ, or give Christ back? Take what has been promised to you, or as John says in revelation, "Do not call what the Lord God has made clean for you". And Jesus the slain lamb was definitely something that was provided for me, for I know there is no way I could ever earn God's favor. Look at the prodigal son. The prodigal son can not earn the father's favor. His brother, who has always been with the father, who knows how to take care of his father and has always looked after him, will be able to outcompete the prodigal son. Notice, however, that Jesus doesn't talk about how the brother would never be able to maintain as much fruit. Besides, is a parent supposed to love one sibling over another? Certainly there is a different love we have for loved ones that is not exactly the same but definitely equal with our family members. Just so as brothers and sisters in Christ, God has all the love to give to everyone who accepts the free gift of Christ's grace (Romans 3:18, 1 Corinthians 14).
So now we have seen the mechanism of the Catholic church priest, and I must tell you I do not feel that a priest could ever make me feel the love of Christ as with a pastor who intends on giving Christ for and to me. That is why I am protestant, and particularly Lutheran, is because I believe that by no way I can initiate the conversation with Christ my Lord; Christ comes to me. Thanks to Luther
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