Page 565 - Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible Christianity. Based on the King James Bible

ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

serious sin which results in eternal punishment. Venial blood of Christ is needed for cleansing! What can wash
sins are thought to be of lesser consequence. The away our sins? NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS!
Catholic Church has no absolute and complete list of Error # 9—Images and Vain Rituals
which sins are mortal and which are venial, but The Catholic Church has, since the early centuries of
normally the mortal sins are considered to be trespasses its existence, allowed and encouraged its members to
of the ten commandments, sins involving immorality, seek blessing and spiritual help through images. The
and failure to attend weekly mass or say confession at following examples are taken from a correspondence
least yearly. Venial sins are things like cheating. course conducted by the Catholic Church. The course is
Forgiveness of mortal sins is received primarily in widely administered in America and is especially
two ways, according to Roman Catholic teaching— designed for non-Catholic inquirers. The author took
through baptism and through confession. At baptism the this course in 1977, and it is still being used at this
individual’s past mortal sins inherited from Adam are writing.
thought to be washed away. Then after age seven the ...every Catholic makes this Sign of the Cross when he
individual must confess his mortal sins to a priest for enters a Catholic Church. In Mass, the officiating priest
forgiveness. Venial sins are forgiven, supposedly, by makes it more than thirty times. Catholics the world
good works, prayers, fasting, etc. over consider the frequent use of the Sign of the Cross
Bible Answer: an indispensable weapon against evil in all its forms.
According to the Scriptures, all sins are serious and The medal worn by a Catholic is blessed by the Church.
deadly. There is no biblical basis for the Catholic This is what makes it a sacramental for the Catholic
division between so-called mortal and venial sins. and gives it value. It carries with it the prayer of the
Church. One of the most common medals used by
Consider James 2:10; Romans 6:23; Ezekiel 18:4. Catholics is one popularly called the ‘Miraculous
Romans 1:29-32 has a listing of various sins, and we Medal.’ The pattern of the medal was manifested in a
are told that “they which commit such things are worthy vision by the Blessed Virgin to a young French girl. The
of death.” countless extra-ordinary favors obtained as a result of
“Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, the reverent use of this medal have earned for it the
wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, title.
murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, The Catholic Church has approved the special devotion
backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This devotion was given a
inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without new impetus in 1675 when a pious nun, Sister
understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural Margaret Mary Alcacoque, had a vision of Christ. In
affection, implacable, unmerciful. Who knowing the this vision Christ asked that the world be made to
judgment of God, that they which commit such things appreciate the tremendous love which He has for
are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have mankind, and that this was to be done by special
pleasure in them that do them” (Ro. 1:29-32). pictures and devotions which he described. You might
We can see here that God does not divide sins into even find yourself silently whispering a short prayer
little and big, deadly and less than deadly, mortal and that Catholics say on viewing a representation of the
Sacred Heart of Jesus—‘Sacred Heart of Jesus, I put
venial. As seen through the eyes of an infinitely holy my trust in Thee.’ You will be better for so acting.
God, all sin is vile and must be punished. In this listing It is a pious practice of Catholics to receive the
of sins, whispering is considered as evil as murder; Eucharist on the first Fridays of nine successive
covetousness as evil as fornication; being unmerciful as months. This practice comes from one of the
evil as hating God. And what is the punishment for revelations of our Lord to Margaret Mary Alacoque. In
these sins? Death! “For the wages of sin is death.” “The this vision He made many wonderful promises to those
soul that sinneth, it shall die.” who would observe this practice.
Someone might be thinking at this point, “If all sin is The Rosary. In it we ask that Mary will use her
punishable by death, if all sin is mortal, how can we influence with her Son to obtain for us all good things
have any hope whatsoever of escaping hell?” That is a for our present necessities and especially at the hour of
good question, and the answer is the blood of Jesus our death. The Rosary is a powerful weapon against
Christ. Through the blood of Christ one can receive the evils or our times. We hope that in performing the
devotions sanctioned by the Church we may draw
forgiveness of every sin, and only through the blood of God’s attention to our needs.
Christ can we receive forgiveness (Ep. 1:7). In blessing holy water, the priest prays that ‘Wherever
This is the only answer to our sin problem—personal this water shall be sprinkled through the invocation of
faith in the blood of Jesus Christ. Let me ask, is this Thy Name, every hostile intent of the unclean spirit
where your hope of salvation rests today? Only the may be taken away.’ This is the spirit in which and the
blood of Christ can cleanse sin, and nothing besides the purpose for which Catholics use holy water.

Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity 565