In other words, the whole idea of "sacraments" that convey saving grace upon people is unbiblical. However, when taken in the context of Scripture as a whole, there is no foundation for the belief that God ever intended these passages to be taken as support for rituals as a means of conveying grace. It might seem by looking at these verses by themselves that, indeed, certain external actions do convey some benefit (such as eternal life, the forgiveness of sins, the presence or power of the Holy Spirit, etc.). For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed" (John 6:54-55). "Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. "Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit" (Acts 8:17). And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven" (James 5:15). "And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. "If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them if you retain the sins of any, they are retained" (John 20:23). "That He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word" (Ephesians 5:26). "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit" (Titus 3:5). "Jesus answered, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God’" (John 3:5). The following are verses commonly cited to support the Roman Catholic belief concerning the sacraments: “Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands" (2 Timothy 1:6).
When performed on a dying person, it is called Extreme Unction (or last rites or final anointing).Ħ) Holy Orders, the process by which men are ordained to clergy.ħ) Matrimony, which provides special grace to a couple. This is associated not only with bodily healing but with forgiveness of sins. The priest anoints the sick person´s forehead and hands with oil. There are seven Roman Catholic Sacraments, and they are as follows:ġ) Baptism, which the Roman Catholic Church teaches removes original sin while infusing the act with sanctifying grace.Ģ) Penance, in which one confesses his/her sins to a priest.ģ) The Eucharist, considered the reception and consumption of the actual body and blood of Christ.Ĥ) Confirmation, a formal acceptance into the church along with special anointing of the Holy Spirit.ĥ) Anointing of the sick, performed by a priest using oil. The Roman Catholic Church believes that all of their seven sacraments were instituted by Christ Himself. Thus, sacraments are not merely a symbol, but are believed to actually confer sanctifying grace upon the recipient. In order to qualify as a sacrament, the Roman Catholic Church states that it must meet the following three criteria: a) the external, that is, a sensibly perceptible sign of sanctifying grace, b) the conferring of sanctifying grace, c) the institution by God or, more accurately, by the God-Man Jesus Christ. Because God has done this, man is foolish to not make use of this God-provided means of gaining sanctification. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that while God gives grace to man without outward symbols (sacraments), He has also chosen to give grace to man through visible symbols. “Sacraments are outward signs of inward grace, instituted by Christ for our sanctification” (taken from the Catholic Encyclopedia).
0 kommentar(er)
