Have you ever read through parts of the Bible and not seen what is there? I have read through the book of Romans several times and each time the Lord adds more to my understanding.

The other day I came across a couple of verses and it struck me that my Catholic friends would find this interesting:

Romans 6:9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

You see the official teaching of the Catholic Church says that every time a priest says Mass he is re-crucifying Jesus Christ. Of course some will deny this, so let’s have a look at their official teaching, the official Catholic Catechism:

1374 “The mode of Christ’s presence under the Eucharistic species is unique. It raises the Eucharist above all the sacraments as “the perfection of the spiritual life and the end to which all the sacraments tend.”201 In the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist “the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained.”202 “This presence is called ‘real’ – by which is not intended to exclude the other types of presence as if they could not be ‘real’ too, but because it is presence in the fullest sense: that is to say, it is a substantial presence by which Christ, God and man, makes himself wholly and entirely present.”

This is in contrast to the teachings of Saint Paul, both in the above verses and even in an earlier passage:

Romans 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith

You see Christians don’t need a “real” physical presence. We have the Holy Spirit who was given to us when we were saved. We receive Him by faith, not by sight.

There are other passages that contradict the teachings of the Catholic Church:

Hebrews 7:26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.

You see, Jesus offered himself once, on the cross. It is an insult to Christ that one would say that he needs to be offered again and again. That one sacrifice was sufficient for all sin of all time!

Hebrews 7:26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.

Jesus is God, and God is infinite. Therefore, His blood has infinite value! The Catholic Mass insults God by redirecting worship from the Father and Son to a piece of bread and wine:

Again from the New Catholic Catechism:

1378 Worship of the Eucharist. In the liturgy of the Mass we express our faith in the real presence of Christ under the species of bread and wine by, among other ways, genuflecting or bowing deeply as a sign of adoration of the Lord. “The Catholic Church has always offered and still offers to the sacrament of the Eucharist the cult of adoration, not only during Mass, but also outside of it, reserving the consecrated hosts with the utmost care, exposing them to the solemn veneration of the faithful, and carrying them in procession.”208

No doubt some will point out John 6:51-58 to say that this is what Jesus was teaching:

51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. 52 The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? 53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. 58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

While the people present thought Jesus was speaking literally, as Catholics do today, Jesus went on to clarify what He meant:

61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? 62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? 63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

Jesus was speaking of eating Himself in a spiritual context, not literally. We take in the substance of His teachings, and His character, and we make that a part of us.

Context, in the bible, does not mean just the verse before and the verse after, but the entire bible!

So many people eat the bread, and drink the wine, and go away believing that this act has saved them, when in fact Jesus is not a part of their life!  Eating Him physically has no benefit! You have to take Him in spiritually! Read John 6:63 again!

So, where is Jesus today? Is he being sacrificed on Catholic altars, again and again? What does the Scripture say?

Romans 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

Ephesians 1:20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

Colossians 3:1
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

Hebrews 1:3
Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

Jesus purged our sins BY HIMSELF!  You cannot add to your salvation, you can only accept the salvation He offers!

Hebrews 8:1
Now 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;

Hebrews 10:12
But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;

Hebrews 12:2
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

I Peter 3:22
Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

When God wants to emphasize something in Scripture he repeats it. What can we make of this repetition here? Any teaching that contradicts the clear teaching of Scripture can’t be trusted! Jesus is sitting at the right hand of His Father and he is interceding for His children, his Church. He is not subject to death. He does not need to die ever again, but is gloriously alive, and holds the keys of life and death!

Psalms 2:12
Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.