ROMAN CATHOLICISM IN LIGHT OF THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS

XXII. God’s Accountability For Believers Versus Catholicism’s Accountability

(Hebrews 12:25-29)

I. Introduction

A. A number of our Church members have come from Roman Catholic backgrounds, and they often seek support in Biblical truths that counter the strong, errant indoctrination they faced in their past.

B. The epistle to the Hebrews was written to counter the errant traditionalism of first century Judaism that was similar in theological thrust to much of Catholicism, so we study Hebrews for edification in this matter.

C. The author of Hebrews in Hebrews 12:25-29 wrote of the accountability that God has of believers and it contrasts greatly with the accountability the Roman Catholic Church has of its people.

D. We view this passage for our insight, application and edification (as follows):

II. God’s Accountability For Believers Versus Catholicism’s Accountability, Hebrews 12:25-29.

A. “(T)he most controversial issue between Protestants and Roman Catholics is the question of authority . . . Protestants hold that the Bible alone is the final rule of faith and practice, while Roman Catholics hold that it is the Bible and tradition as interpreted by the church. In actual practice the Roman Church, since the infallibility decree of 1870, holds that the final seat of authority is the pope speaking for the church. But . . . when another source of authority is placed alongside Scripture as of equal importance, Scripture eventually becomes relegated to the background . . . If that other source be reason, we get rationalism. If it be emotion, we get mysticism. And if it be tradition, we get ecclesiastical dictation or clericalism . . . (T)he Bible, while still given lip service, is effectually superseded.” (Loraine Boettner, Roman Catholicism, 1978, p. 89)

B. “(T)he Church of Rome, which contains important elements of truth, has become honeycombed with paganism . . . That development had an almost exact parallel to the nation of Israel. Israel had the . . . prophets, but she preferred the pleasing and flattering teachings of the false prophets and so developed a set of traditions which in time came to supplant the true teachings of the prophets. In the teachings and writings of the false prophets the rulers of the Jews found the things they wanted, just as the popes and bishops have found in the man-made traditions of their church things which appeal to their selfish and prideful natures which gave them what they wanted under the cover of religion” (Ibid., p. 90).

C. In contrast, Hebrews 12:25-29 reveals we believers are directly accountable to God through His Word to us:

1. The author of Hebrews called his readers not to refuse Him who was speaking to them, Hebrews 12:25a. The One to Whom the author referred was God Who had spoken at Mount Sinai (Hebrews 12:18-20).

2. If the people of Israel at Mount Sinai during Israel’s Exodus did not escape if they refused to heed God Who spoke to them on the earth at Mount Sinai, how much more would we not escape accountability to God Who speaks to us today from heaven through the Scriptures, Hebrews 12:25b.

3. When God spoke at Mount Sinai, His voice shook the earth, but now He has promised to shake not only the earth, but also the heavens at Christ’s Second Coming as predicted in Haggai 2:6 (Hebrews 12:26).

4. The phrase, “Yet once more,” predicts the removal of things that are shaken, namely, the things that are made, in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain, namely, the “eternal kingdom to which Christians belong (v. 28)” (Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978, ftn. to Hebrews 12:27).

5. Since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be removed, “let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken,” Hebrews 12:28a ESV.

6. In that gratefulness, may we offer to God acceptable worship with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire to Whom we are bound to give full accountability, Hebrews 12:28b-29 ESV.

Lesson: Where various religious entities place other authorities alongside Scripture and thus eventually relegate Scripture to the background – if it be reason, we get rationalism, it is be emotion, we get mysticism, if it be tradition as in Roman Catholicism, we get clericalism – God calls us to heed His Word directly to us in the Scriptures as He is preparing for us an unshakeable kingdom, and our God is to be worshiped with gratefulness and respect, for He is a consuming fire as it concerns our accountability.

Application: (1) May we not place any other source of authority on par with or above God’s Word to us, for we must give accountability directly to Him as a consuming fire to obey Him, not some other authority. (2) Since God as our Ultimate Authority is giving us an unshakeable kingdom that is secure and cannot be moved, may we mix our reverence for Him as a consuming fire with great gratefulness for His unmerited favor to us in Christ.