Roman Catholics believe that at the moment of consecration by the priest during the mass, the communion elements become the actual body and blood of Christ. Ludwig Ott, in his Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma, p. 379, says, "Christ becomes present in the Sacrament of the Altar by the transformation of the whole substance of the bread into His Body and of the whole substance of the wine into His blood...This transformation is called Transubstantiation.”
The Apostle Paul's language of "proclaim His death" and "until He comes" (1 Corinthians 11:26) logically suggests that the body of Jesus Christ is physically absent from the world at this point in time. He will return again to establish everlasting peace. If transubstantiation is true, then this passage of Scripture has been made of no effect because Christ would be coming down from heaven on a daily basis by the command of ordained ministerial priests.
The Lord Jesus Christ told His disciples that they would not see Him in the flesh after His ascension into heaven (John 7:33; 16:10; Acts 1:8-9). If He comes down from His throne at the command of a priest, then He would be contradicting Himself because He would be descending on a daily basis for believers to behold under the appearance of bread and wine.
Paul stated that Christ is sitting at the right hand of God the Father (Colossians 3:1). If he believed in the Roman Catholic doctrine of the real presence, then it would have been perfectly reasonable for him to provide an exception to that idea. But he does nothing of the sort. Paul said elsewhere, "...even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer." (2 Corinthians 5:16).
The concept of the real presence faces theological difficulties when viewed through Christ's own teachings about His omnipresence. In Matthew 28:20, Jesus assures His followers, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” This promise of an ever-present Christ implies a spiritual, rather than a physical presence, since a physical presence would conflict with the limitless nature of divinity. If Christ ascends into heaven in His flesh, then it stands to reason that He is not present on earth in the same way.
What can be deduced from the text of Scripture is Jesus Christ being present amongst believers in a spiritual sense. Moreover, He is made present in the minds of believers as they bring into remembrance the significance of His atoning work during communion. Christ does not need to physically come down from heaven to be orally consumed in order to impart grace or have our faith nourished.
Deliberately failing to participate in the Sunday eucharist is called a mortal sin, which would make such a person in a state outside of grace and in danger of going to hell. That would seem to suggest that the mass is necessary for salvation, thereby adding to the teaching of Scripture that we are saved by faith apart from works (Acts 16:30-31).
Very good points!
ReplyDeleteVery good article Jesse, very thorough. The words of Gregory I [Gregory the Great], Bishop of Rome (c. 540-604 A.D.), come to mind:
ReplyDeleteThe word incarnate both tarrieth and goeth away: he goeth away in his body, but he tarrieth in his godhead.
(J. P. Minge, Patrologiæ Cursus Completus, [1857], Patrologiæ Latinæ, Tomus LXXVI, Sancti Gregorii Magni, Homiliarum In Evangelia, Lib. II, Homilia XXX, [Habita ad populum in basilica sancti Petri apostoli, die sancto Pentecostes], § 2, Col. 1221). Trans. (Thomas Becon, The Catechism of Thomas Becon, S.t.p. Chaplain to Archbishop Cranmer, Prebendary of Canterbury, &c., Ed. John Ayre, [Cambridge University Press, 1844], pp. 274-275).
Before the Lord Jesus gave up the spirit on the cross, he stated these words, "It is finished." The translation of this statement is "paid in full." The sacrifice is over; there's no need or purpose in reenacting it in a mass. The Lord specifically said, "Do this in remembrance of Me." He was establishing a memorial for His sacrificial work on the cross, not calling believers to reenact His sacrifice. The sacrifice is over, the Lord is seated (the work is done). We do not go back to the cross 2,000 years ago and neither does the Lord come to earth every time the mass is conducted. It was a one-time event, never to be repeated, but most assuredly to be remembered. And, remember we will for all eternity.
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