In the previous post we mentioned seven sacraments in Catholicism. You may be aware that non-Catholic denominations do practice baptism and the Lord’s Table or “communion.” As we mentioned previously, we do not believe that these works bring grace. Again, Catholicism says,
The bible gives us God’s teaching, and at the same time prepares us to receive his grace in the sacraments. Christ speaks to us through the scriptures, arousing faith in us, leading us to respond by the sacraments. The better prepared we are by the scriptures, the better is our worship and the more of God’s grace-presence the sacraments bring us. (p188)
The one consistent truth about water baptism (immersion, that is what the Greek term means) is that it is for those who have already received the grace of God through faith in Christ. “Communion” is all about remembering what Christ did for us (1 Cor. 11:23-26). But in Catholicism the “mass” is both a reenactment and a continuation of Christ’s death for us. Here is Catholic doctrine:
Christ wants us to take part with him in his death and resurrection
… the bread and wine are changed into the body and blood of Christ. By the power of Christ working through the priest the bread and wine, though still appearing to be bread and wine, become Christ.
When Jesus Christ living among us in the holy eucharist prolongs his death and resurrection so we can take part, this is the Mass.
At Mass, we are not only present at Christ’s actual death and resurrection, we can actually take part in them to the extent that we want to. (p244-245)
You see that the priest is required for this event; it is only as he blesses the bread and wine that it is changed into the actual body and blood of Christ. This challenges the fact that Christ was our High Priest, with a sufficient sacrifice for sin, so that there is no longer a need for a priest to bring us to God. But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption (Heb. 9:11-12). We do not need another priest. We do not need to literally drink His blood and eat His flesh. Those words of Christ (John 6:51-58) refer to the faith that is required to receive Him by the grace of God. It is past tense, once and for all that He “entered” heaven’s tabernacle, “having obtained” eternal redemption. Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many (Heb. 9:28). But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God (Heb. 10:12). We do not need to continually be joined to Christ in His death and resurrection. Again, it is past tense: as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death (Rom. 6:3). Anyone who tells me I need another priest or a repeat of the cross is seeking to cheat me of my reward!