THE CATHOLIC CHRONICLES Part III continued by Keith Green

[lesjude]

Can A Priest Forgive Sins?
The Scriptures teach that "only God can forgive sins" (Mark 2:7). "The
Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins" (Matt. 9:6). Dr.
Zachello tells of his experience as a priest in the confessional before
leaving the Roman Church in these words:

"Where my doubts were really troubling me was inside the
confessional box. People coming to me, kneeling down in front of me,
confessing their sins to me. And I, with the sign of the cross, was
promising that I had the power to forgive their sins. I, a sinner, a man,
was taking God's place. It was God's laws they were breaking, not
mine. To God, therefore, they must make confession; and to God
alone they must pray for forgiveness."(28)

In fact, the only word in the Bible about confessing sins to anyone
other than God, is found in James:

"Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that
you may be healed"(James 5:16).

It is obvious that the Lord meant what He says in Revelation, chapter
1,that "He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and
Father" (vs. 6), and Peter calls the church "a chosen race, a royal
priesthood" (I Pet. 2:9). Believe it or not, the only mention of New
Testament believers being priests is used in a context where all true
believers are included, not just a select few. That is why James could
say that we should confess our sins "to one another".

Catholics love to quote the verse in John 20:23 to prove that priests
do have the power to "forgive and retain" sins. "If you forgive the sins
of any, their sins have been forgiven them: if you retain the sins of
any, they have been retained." The powers of forgiving and retaining
sins, were given to the apostles as proclaimers of the Word of God,
not as priests. As we have just pointed out, there are no Christian
"priests" in New Testament teaching and doctrine. Pastors, yes.
Deacons, yes. Apostles, prophets, teachers, evangelists, yes. Priests,
no!

Jesus was telling His followers that by preaching the gospel, they
were being given the power to declare that a person's sins were
forgiven them by God! And if an individual, or group did not receive
them and the forgiveness they offered in the name of Jesus, then
they were instructed to "shake the dust off their feet" as a protest
against them, and warn those who it would be more tolerable for
Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for them (Matt.
10:14-15). In other words, if a person rejected the apostles' preaching
of the gospel, they had the right to tell that person that his sins were
not forgiven, because they had rejected God's only provision for
atonement of sins. "The one who listens to you listens to Me, and the
one who rejects you rejects Me" (Luke 10:16). This power to forgive
and retain sins, contrary to Rome's teaching, belongs to everyone
who preaches the true gospel of salvation.

Penance
In the Roman system, penance is one of the seven sacraments. The
seven sacraments are: Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist,
Penance, Holy Orders, Matrimony, and Extreme Unction. The
Baltimore Catechism defines penance as "the sacrament by which
sins committed after baptism are forgiven through the absolution of
the priest" (p. 300).

A catechism published in New York says,

"The priest gives penance to help me to make up for the temporal
punishment I must suffer for my sins. The penance given to me by
the priest does not always make full satisfaction for my sins. I should
therefore do other acts of penance . . . and try to gain indulgences."
Indulgences are remissions of so many days or months or years of
punishment in purgatory--a subject which we will cover in depth in a
future chronicle. And in Instructions for non-Catholics, we read:

"After confession some temporal punishment due to sin generally
remains. You should therefore perform other acts of penance also so
that you may make up for these punishments, and avoid a long stay
in purgatory." (p. 95).

Penance as a System of Works
Here indeed is salvation by works. For penance, as the catechism
says, involves confession of one's sins to a priest and the doing of
good works as the only way by which sins committed after baptism
can be forgiven. The Church of Rome thus demands acts of penance
before She grants forgiveness, inferring that the sacrifice of Christ
was not sufficient to atone fully for sin and that it must be
supplemented to some extent by these good works. But what God
demands is not acts of penance but repentance, which means turning
from sin.

"Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his
thoughts; and let him return to the Lord, and he will have mercy upon
him: for he will abundantly pardon" (Isa. 55: 7).

The easy way in which the Church of Rome deals with sin is seen in
this doctrine of penance. The penitent receives pardon on
comparatively easy terms. He is assigned some task to perform,
usually not too hard, sometimes merely the recital of a given number
of "Hail Mary's". The result is that he has no qualms about resuming
his evil course. It shocked Martin Luther when he read the Greek
New Testament edited by Erasmus, that Jesus did not say "do
penance" as had been translated by the Roman Church, but "repent".

Penance versus Repentance
Penance is a wholly different thing from gospel repentance. Penance
is an outward act. Repentance is of the heart. Penance is imposed by
a Roman priest. Repentance is the work of the Holy Spirit. What God
desires in the sinner is not a punishment of oneself for sins, but a
change of heart, a real forsaking of sin, shown by a new life of
obedience to God's commands.

In short, penance is a counterfeit repentance. It is the work of man on
his body; true repentance is the work of God in the soul. The divine
Word commands, "Rend your heart and not your garments" (Joel
2:13). Penance is "rending the garments" - an outward form without
inward reality.

While Romanism does teach that Christ died for our sins, it also
teaches that His sacrifice alone was not sufficient, and that our
sufferings must be added to make it effective. In accordance with this,
many have tried to earn salvation by fastings, rituals, flagellations and
good works of various kinds. But those who attempt such a course
always find that it is impossible to do enough to earn salvation.

Dr. C.D. Cole says, "Romanism is a complicated system of salvation
by works. It offers salvation on the installment plan, then sees to it
that the poor sinner is always behind in his payments, so that when
he dies there is a large unpaid balance, and he must continue
payments by sufferings in purgatory, or until the debt is paid by the
prayer, alms, and sufferings of his living relatives and friends. The
whole system and plan calls for merit and money from the cradle to
the grave and even beyond. Surely the wisdom that drew such a plan
of salvation is not from above."(29)

The Biblical Teaching on Good Works
Good works, of course, are pleasing to God and they have an
important and necessary place in the life of the Christian. They
naturally follow if one has true faith, and they are performed out of
love and gratitude to God for the great salvation that He has
bestowed. Good works, in other words, are not the cause and basis
of salvation, but rather the fruits and proof of salvation-

"Not by works done in righteousness which we did ourselves, but
according to His mercy He saved us through the washing of
regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit" (Titus 3:5).

The born-again Christian produces good works as naturally as the
grapevine produces grapes. They are a part of his very nature. He
performs them not to get saved, but because he is saved.

Salvation by Grace
Grace, just because it is grace, is not given on the basis of
proceeding merits. By no stretch of the imagination can a man's good
works in this life be considered a just equivalent for the blessings of
eternal life. But all men because of pride, naturally feel that they
should earn their salvation, and a system which makes some
provision in that regard readily appeals to them. But Paul lays the ax
to such reasoning when he says:

"If a law had been given which was able to impart life, then
righteousness would indeed have been based on law" (Gal. 3:21).

Time and again the Scriptures repeat that salvation is of grace, as if
anticipating the difficulty that men would have in accepting the fact
that they would not be able to earn it.

The Council of Trent, in its opposition to the reformer's doctrine of
justification by faith, and in defense of its doctrine of penance,
declared:

"Whoever shall affirm that men are justified solely by the imputation
of the righteousness of Christ... let him be accursed"(30)

And the Catholic Almanac says,

"Penance is necessary for salvation...and was instituted by Christ for
the forgiveness of sins". (pp. 269, 559.)

The modern Roman church teachings completely concur:

"Many things are necessary for salvation. All these things work
together faith, baptism, the Eucharist, the doing of good works, and
others as well. Redemption is one thing, salvation is quite another.
There is nothing lacking on Christ's part; there is much to be done on
ours." (31)

Also, in a booklet published in 1967, under the sub-heading,
"We Must Atone Too", it says that...

"even though the satisfaction of Christ was complete and universal,
nevertheless all adult Christians are obliged to imitate their suffering
Master and make personal satisfaction for their sins by good works. 32
But the apostle Paul in his masterpiece on justification by faith says,

"Having now been justified by His blood we shall be saved from the
wrath of God through Him" (Rom. 5:9).
(See also: Eph. 2:8-10, Rom. 1:17, 3:21, 22, 28, 5:1, 18-19, 11:6,
John 3:36, Gal. 2:21, 3:11.)

And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him as
righteousness. Now to the one who works, the reward is not reckoned
as grace, but as debt. But to the one who does not work, but believes
in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as
righteousness (Rom.4:3-5).

What a significant coincidence it is that this doctrine of justification by
faith is given such prominence in the epistle to the Romans, since
Rome later became the seat of the papacy! It seems to be written
there as if intended as a strong and permanent protest against the
errors of the Roman Church.

Assurance of Salvation
The first consequence of the doctrine of penance (as well as the
doctrines of purgatory and indulgences) is that the Roman Catholic,
though baptized and confirmed, can never have that assurance of his
salvation and that sense of spiritual security which is such a blessing
to the true Christian. In proportion as he is spiritually sensitive, the
person who holds to a works religion knows that he has not suffered
as much as his sins deserve, and that he can never do as much as
he should in order to be worthy of salvation.

A dying Roman Catholic, after he has done all that he can do and
after the last rites have been given to him, is told that he still must go
to purgatory. There he will suffer unknown torture, with no assurance
as to how long it will continue, but with the assurance that if his
relatives pray for his soul, and pay with sufficient generosity to have
candles lit and have special masses said for him, that his sufferings
will be shortened somewhat.

Oh what a contrast with all of that, is the death of the true believer
who has the assurance that he goes straight to heaven into the
immediate presence of Christ! (Phil. 1:23). What a marvelous
blessing is the true faith of the Christian, both in life and especially at
the time of death!

The Council of Trent even pronounced a curse upon anyone who
presumed to say that he had assurance of salvation, or that the whole
punishment for sin is forgiven along with that sin. 33 Such assurance
is pronounced a delusion and a result of sinful pride. Rome keeps her
subjects in constant fear and insecurity. Even at death, after extreme
unction has been administered and after thousands of rosary prayers
have been said "for the repose of the soul", the priest still cannot give
assurance of salvation. The person is never "good enough" but must
serve in purgatory prison to be purified of venial sins before he can
be admitted to the celestial city. No one can be truly happy or truly at
peace. And particularly in spiritual matters, a state of doubt and
uncertainty continues for one's whole life, and right into the grave. But
God needs us to be saved, and according to the Bible the Holy Spirit
can give us the assurance that we have salvation when we have a
true, intimate relationship with the Son of God (I John 5:9-12). But in
Romanism, one must work hard for it and must pay dearly for it, and
after he has done all that the priest has prescribed, he still cannot
know whether he has it or not. And through it all, there stands the
anathema of the Council of Trent against all who affirm the certainty
of their salvation. Hence, there cannot truly be found anywhere a
Roman Catholic, consistent to what his church teaches, who enjoys
the true assurance of eternal life.
Conclusion
It is obvious by even this brief glimpse into the doctrines of mortal and
venial sins, confession, penance, and purgatory, that the Roman
Catholic Church has constructed one of the most unbiblical doctrinal
systems that has ever been considered "Christian". The fear,
anguish, and religious bondage that such a system of "reward and
punishment" creates, has tormented millions of lives for centuries,
and continues to prey on those who are ignorant of the biblical way of
salvation.

To merely call such a system "a cult", would be to throw it into the
vast category of religions and quasi-religions that are currently
making the rounds of our college campuses and city streets,
snatching up many an unsuspecting youth. No, the Roman Church is
not a cult. It's an empire! With its own ruler, its own laws, and its own
subjects! The empire has no borders, it encompasses the globe with
its eye on every person who does not vow allegiance. It calls the
members of other faiths "separated brethren" (The term used by
Vatican II to describe the members of Eastern Orthodox, Anglican,
and Protestant churches.) and has as its goal the eventual bringing
together of everyone under its flag.

I know that many will not be convinced or moved by this article (or
any of the others) to make such a conclusion. They are impressed by
what they've heard about recent stirrings among the Catholics in the
"charismatic renewal". Many evangelicals (especially Charismatics)
have been thrilled by the reports of Catholics speaking in tongues,
dancing in the Spirit, having nights of joy and praise, even attending
"charismatic masses".

Mouths that used to speak out boldly against the Church of Rome
have been quieted by the times. It no longer is in vogue to speak of
the pope as "the antichrist" (Although the following people
unhesitatingly did: Martin Luther, John Bunyan, John Huss, John
Wycliffe, John Calvin, William Tyndale, John Knox, Thomas Bacon,
John Wesley, Samuel Cooper, John Cotton, and Jonathan Edwards.)
or the Catholic Church as the "whore of Babylon". Now Protestants
unwittingly believe that "our differences are not so great". Ah, that is
just what She needs us to think!

I've never completely understood why God led me to write these
articles. But it becomes more clear with each day of study, and each
page of research. Never has something so black and wicked, gotten
away with appearing so holy and mysteriously beautiful . . . for so
long! Keith Green

1 "The Spirit of Jesus" Catholic Home Study Instruction Course, Book #3, p. 92.
2 The Other Side of Rome, p. 21
3 The Spirit of Jesus" Catholic Home Study Instruction Course, Book #3, pp. 94-95
4 The Story of Civilization, p. 741.
5 Roman Society from Nero to Marcus Aurelius, by Dill.
6 An ancient Egyptian god of the lower world and judge of the dead - Encyclopedia of Religions,
Vol. 2, p. 76.
7 Ibid.
8 Prescott's Mexico, Vol. 3.
9 The Roman Catholic Sacrifice of the Mass" by Bartholomew F. Brewer, Ph.D.
10 Conciliatory, to soothe the anger of, to win or regain the goodwill of, to appease, placate or
make friendly, to reconcile - Webster's New World Dictionary and Harper's Bible Dictionary.)
11 From the fifth article of the creed of Pope Pius IV.
12 The Catholic Home Instruction Book, #3, P. 90.
13 The Spirit of Jesus" pp.89-90, Imprimatur: John Joseph Cardinal Carberry, Archbishop of St. Louis.)
14 "Sons of God in Christ" Book 4, P. 117.)
15 For Them Also, pp.289-299.)
16 (Encyclopedia of Religions, Vol. 2, p.77
17 A Catholic Word List" p. 45.
18 Anathema- The strongest denunciation of a person that can be made in the ancient Greek (the
original language of the New Testament). Literal meaning: "devoted to death". A thing or person
accursed or damned. -- Webster's New World Dictionary and Harper's Bible Dictionary.)
19 p. 154, The Documents of Vatican II,Walter M. Abbott, S.J.
20 "The New Baltimore Catechism" #3, Question 931.
21 (Webster's New World Dictionary.)
22Taken from the book, This Is The Catholic Church, published by the Catholic Information
Service, Knights of Columbus, Imprimatur: (sanction or approval. Specifically, permission to print
or publish a book or article containing nothing contrary to the teaching pp. 20-24
23 "The Sacrifice of Christ" by Fr. Richard W. Grace.
24 The Documents of Vatican II, Abbott, S.J.
25 This is the Catholic Church pp. 24-25.
26 Release from punishment; acquittal; remission of sins declared officially by a
priest--Webster's Dictionary
27 "R.C." p. 199.
28 "R.C." p. 203
29 "R.C." pp. 257-258.
30 Council of Trent, section 6
31 "The Apostles Creed" published by the Knights of Columbus, pp 18-19.
32 "You Shall Rise Again" published by the Knights of Columbus, p. 3.
33 "R.C." p. 267

[Willie T]

I love Keith Green.  He's probably one of the best singers my church, The Vineyard, ever turned out.  But don't you think this article is excessively long to be presented as a post?

I read it all, and enjoyed it tremendously..... but most people won't bother.

[winsome]

People like lesjude just like to go around boards posting long anti-catholic tracts. They don't stay around to reply to any comments.

I don't think this board should tolerate this sort of posting.

For anyone interested I've posted detailed comments to the first "Catholic Chronicles" to show how shoddy Keith Green's understanding of Catholicsm was. He was a singer/songwriter not a theologian and seems to have culled what knowledge he had from anti-catholic web sites with little effort to verify what he says.

[Willie T]

People like lesjude just like to go around boards posting long anti-catholic tracts. They don't stay around to reply to any comments.

I don't think this board should tolerate this sort of posting.

For anyone interested I've posted detailed comments to the first "Catholic Chronicles" to show how shoddy Keith Green's understanding of Catholicsm was. He was a singer/songwriter not a theologian and seems to have culled what knowledge he had from anti-catholic web sites with little effort to verify what he says.

But you are now a theological expert who can tell us all truth?

You don't even seem to be able to piece together the fact that there weren't even any "anti-Catholic" websites in existance when Keith wrote this.... I doubt he even HAD a computer in those days.

[winsome]

People like lesjude just like to go around boards posting long anti-catholic tracts. They don't stay around to reply to any comments.

I don't think this board should tolerate this sort of posting.

For anyone interested I've posted detailed comments to the first "Catholic Chronicles" to show how shoddy Keith Green's understanding of Catholicsm was. He was a singer/songwriter not a theologian and seems to have culled what knowledge he had from anti-catholic web sites with little effort to verify what he says.

But you are now a theological expert who can tell us all truth?

You don't even seem to be able to piece together the fact that there weren't even any "anti-Catholic" websites in existance when Keith wrote this.... I doubt he even HAD a computer in those days.

OK smart alec, so he got it from trash like Lorraine Boettner's "Roman Catholicism",  Alexander Hisplop's "Two Bayblons" and Jack Chick comic strips.

The point is these sort of tracts just show ignorance of Catholicism and regurgitated anti-catholic trash, however he got hold of it.

It's very easy for anti-catholic bigots to cut and paste them. They often have few references that can be checked. Yet Protestants think they can expect Catholics to spend hours tracking them down and producing responses.

Do the owners of this forum really want a cut and paste war?

[Willie T]

I went to the trouble of posting all these for a reason....... Oh, sorry, did I use the word "reason"?  Silly me, I forgot where I was.

1 "The Spirit of Jesus" Catholic Home Study Instruction Course, Book #3, p. 92.
2 The Other Side of Rome, p. 21
3 The Spirit of Jesus" Catholic Home Study Instruction Course, Book #3, pp. 94-95
4 The Story of Civilization, p. 741.
5 Roman Society from Nero to Marcus Aurelius, by Dill.
6 An ancient Egyptian god of the lower world and judge of the dead - Encyclopedia of Religions,
Vol. 2, p. 76.
7 Ibid.
8 Prescott's Mexico, Vol. 3.
9 The Roman Catholic Sacrifice of the Mass" by Bartholomew F. Brewer, Ph.D.
10 Conciliatory, to soothe the anger of, to win or regain the goodwill of, to appease, placate or
make friendly, to reconcile - Webster's New World Dictionary and Harper's Bible Dictionary.)
11 From the fifth article of the creed of Pope Pius IV.
12 The Catholic Home Instruction Book, #3, P. 90.
13 The Spirit of Jesus" pp.89-90, Imprimatur: John Joseph Cardinal Carberry, Archbishop of St. Louis.)
14 "Sons of God in Christ" Book 4, P. 117.)
15 For Them Also, pp.289-299.)
16 (Encyclopedia of Religions, Vol. 2, p.77
17 A Catholic Word List" p. 45.
18 Anathema- The strongest denunciation of a person that can be made in the ancient Greek (the
original language of the New Testament). Literal meaning: "devoted to death". A thing or person
accursed or damned. -- Webster's New World Dictionary and Harper's Bible Dictionary.)
19 p. 154, The Documents of Vatican II,Walter M. Abbott, S.J.
20 "The New Baltimore Catechism" #3, Question 931.
21 (Webster's New World Dictionary.)
22Taken from the book, This Is The Catholic Church, published by the Catholic Information
Service, Knights of Columbus, Imprimatur: (sanction or approval. Specifically, permission to print
or publish a book or article containing nothing contrary to the teaching pp. 20-24
23 "The Sacrifice of Christ" by Fr. Richard W. Grace.
24 The Documents of Vatican II, Abbott, S.J.
25 This is the Catholic Church pp. 24-25.
26 Release from punishment; acquittal; remission of sins declared officially by a
priest--Webster's Dictionary
27 "R.C." p. 199.
28 "R.C." p. 203
29 "R.C." pp. 257-258.
30 Council of Trent, section 6
31 "The Apostles Creed" published by the Knights of Columbus, pp 18-19.
32 "You Shall Rise Again" published by the Knights of Columbus, p. 3.
33 "R.C." p. 267

[neophyte]

 Notice in John 20:22-23 Jesus did not give the apostles the power to "read minds" but He did give them His Authority to forgive sins, this is only the 2nd time God- breathed in the bible, first time when God created man. I can see no problem in understanding that Jesus intented that His apostles/successors exercise this sacramental authority when a person wants their sins forgiven.