Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb20020210.htm

ROMAN CATHOLIC BELIEFS IN VIEW OF THE APOSTLE PETER'S WORDS
Part III: Roman Catholicism's Seven Sacraments In View Of The Apostle Peter's Words
(2 Peter 3:15-16 with 1 Timothy 5:18 and with Acts 15:6-11, 10:44 and Luke 23:39-43)
  1. Introduction
    1. The Roman Catholic Church teaches seven sacraments with the first five of those listed below (and indicated by an asterisk*) as being "indispensable to salvation," Boettner, Roman Catholicism, p. 189.
    2. We examine this teaching in light of the words of Catholicism's first alleged pope, the Apostle Peter:
  2. Roman Catholicism's Seven Sacraments In View Of The Apostle Peter's Words.
    1. Roman Catholicism views the Seven Sacraments as follows:
      1. The Catholic Church's 1439 Council of Florence decreed: "If any one saith that the sacraments of the New Law were not instituted by Jesus Christ, our Lord; or that they are more or less, than seven, to wit, baptism, confirmation, the eucharist, penance, extreme unction, orders and matrimony; or even that any one of these seven is not truly and properly a sacrament, let him be anathema.'" Ibid., Boettner.
      2. The Catholic Encyclopedia (Nihil Obstat = officially declared free of doctrinal error) cites Vatican II to say, "The purpose of the sacraments is to sanctify men..,'" adding, "They impart grace..," p. 535.
      3. We describe in greater detail the Catholic teaching on these various alleged sacraments (as follows):
        1. *The Sacrament of Baptism - The Trent Catechism states "Infants, unless regenerated unto God through the grace of baptism...are born to eternal misery and perdition.'"
        2. *The Sacrament of Confirmation - The Catholic Bishop lays hands on one who has previously been baptized, and he is confirmed, thus allegedly receiving the Holy Spirit, Op. cit., Boettner, p. 190.
        3. *The Sacrament of the Mass - The Baltimore Catechism: "It is a mortal sin not to hear Mass on a Sunday or a holyday...unless we are excused for a serious reason,'" Op. cit., Boettner, p. 183.
        4. *The Sacrament of Penance - Catholicism says: "...Penance is a sacrament in which the sins committed after baptism are forgiven by...the absolution of the priest...'" Op. cit., Boettner, p. 191.
        5. *The Sacrament of Extreme Unction - Catholicism views the anointing of the sick in James 5:14-15 to mean a priest anoints a dying person with holy oil for forgiveness for current sins, Ibid., Boettner.
        6. The Sacrament of Orders - Catholicism views the ordination of priests and consecration of nuns (holy orders) to be a sacrament, Op. cit., Boettner, p. 189.
        7. The Sacrament of Marriage - Jerome's Vulgate translated the Eph. 5:32 phrase, in speaking of marriage, "This is a great mystery" to read "This is a great sacrament!" The later Confraternity Version rectified Jerome's error to read "mystery" at that verse. However, by then the hierarchy had declared marriage was a sacrament, so it stands as a sacrament, Op. cit., Boettner, p. 192.
    2. Yet, Peter's words show these are not sacraments, they do not gain God's favor and faith alone saves:
      1. Peter's words show us favor with God comes by faith alone without the use of these sacraments:
        1. In 2 Peter 3:15-16, Peter claimed all of the Apostle Paul's epistles were authoritative Scripture.
        2. Then, Paul in turn cited Luke 10:7 in 1 Timothy 5:18, calling Luke's Gospel Scripture.
        3. As Luke's Gospel at 1:1-4 sanctions Acts as Scripture via Acts 1:1, we know from Acts 15:6-11 that Peter claimed God had before (Acts 10) saved the uncircumcised, "purifying their hearts by faith."
        4. If we view that event in the authoritative Acts 10:44, we read God's Spirit came upon these Gentiles as Peter still preached to them; thus, they were saved by faith alone without any sacraments!
        5. Also, Luke's authoritative Gospel reports the criminal on the cross went to heaven by faith in Christ without use of the sacraments of Roman Catholicism, Luke 23:39-43 (with John 19:32-34)!
      2. Also, Paul's authoritative words (see II,B, 1,a) deny adding any work to faith for salvation, Eph. 2:8-9.
    3. Peter's words certifying Paul's and Luke's words reveal 2 ordinances (not sacraments) for those already justified -- believer's baptism and the Lord's Table (Acts 10:44, 46-48 re: baptism; 1 Cor. 11:28-29 re: the Lord's Table). These do not gain God's favor, but are observed by those who already have it!
Lesson: (1) Peter's words lead us to COUNTER ALL of the alleged sacraments of Catholicism as they do not gain God's favor, and justification is by faith alone! (2) Rather, Peter's words reveal believer's baptism and the Lord's Table are the only ordinances for believers, and they TESTIFY of God's favor ALREADY non-meritoriously bestowed on them by faith alone, Acts 10:44-48; 1 Corinthians 11:28-29.