Next time you drive past a Catholic church on Sunday morning…

Many Evangelicals pass a Catholic church on Sunday morning and probably think to themselves, “Sure, Catholics worship God a little differently than we do but we’re all worshipping the same God, that’s the important thing.” But let’s examine that thought. At an Evangelical worship service there’s typically some announcements and singing of hymns and songs of praise for about a half an hour followed by an hour of preaching from God’s Word by the minister. The Gospel is usually presented and the lost are invited to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior.

The Catholic “mass” is quite different. At the mass there are also announcements, singing, a couple of very short readings from the Bible and a very short “homily” (sermon). But the main focus of the mass is when the priest allegedly changes bread wafers and wine into the literal body and blood of Jesus. Jesus often spoke about being the bread of life but Catholics interpret those passages in a literalist sense that defies sound exegesis and a spiritual understanding of God’s Word. The priest then offers up Jesus the “host” to God the Father as a sacrifice for the sins of all the participants and any others who are mentioned. Catholics then line up to take the wafer body and wine blood from the priest and consume them believing grace is imparted to them that will wash away “venial” sins and help them avoid committing “mortal” sins in the future.

Catholicism is really an extension of the Old Testament Levitical sacrificial system with the priest serving as a mediator between God and the people. The priest is essential to the Catholic sacramental and works-righteousness system. Without his ordained “powers” and role as mediator the people are doomed and the Catholic hierarchy has always desired to keep it that way.

“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).

However, Jesus completely did away with Old Testament sacrificial system when He was crucified and breathed His last breath with the words, “It is finished,” and the veil to the Holy of Holies of Jerusalem’s temple was torn in two, giving all people direct access to God through Christ the Savior. God’s Word says Jesus is currently seated at the right hand of the Father. He’s NOT on Catholic altars as a broken victim, being sacrificed again and again, thousands of times daily all over the world.

“Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God” (Hebrews 10:11-12).

Here’s a couple of quotes that should put the Catholic priesthood and the mass in stark perspective for all Evangelicals.

The Faith of Millions by Father John O’Brien

(Nihil obstat; Rev. Lawrence Gollner, Censor Librorum Imprimatur: Leo A. Pursley, Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend; March 16, 1974)

“When the priest pronounces the tremendous words of consecration, he reaches up into the heavens, brings Christ down from His throne, and places Him upon our altar to be offered up again as the victim for the sins of man.”

“The priest brings Christ down from heaven, and renders Him present on our altar as the eternal victim for the sins of man – not once but a thousand times! The priest speaks and lo, Christ, the eternal and omnipotent God, bows his head in humble obedience to the priest’s commands.”

Oy vey! What anti-biblical BLASPHEMY!

So when you drive by that Catholic church next Sunday morning remember they’re NOT worshipping God the Son inside, they’re sacrificing Him on their altars as part of an attempt to merit their salvation. Rather than accepting Christ by faith for their salvation they’re relying on priests, sacraments, “good” works, and “obeying” the Ten Commandments.