Jesus Lives & So Can You

The Catholic "Eucharist"

Today, Sunday, April 8th, 2008 is the day Christians celebrate the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. Thus, this event sealed salvation to all who believe in Him. It doesn’t matter what a person’s religion is, including: Roman Catholicism, Mormonism, Jehovah Witness, Baptist, Islamism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Atheism, witchcraft etc. Once a person believes in Jesus, repents and confesses to God. of being a sinner. Immediately the Spirit of God comes into them and they are born-again.

This past Thursday, Holy Thursday to Christians, I happened to listen to a broadcaster named Al on the Roman Catholic radio network. He was talking about the Eucharist and the role of the priest. In John 6:53 Jesus states, “Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, you have no life in you.” Al said that no where does Jesus comment that this is a metaphor. Actually, Jesus does and Al and the Roman Catholic Church have missed it. In John 6:35 Jesus says, “I am the bread of life; he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst.” So going to Jesus is the same as eating His flesh and believing in Him is the same as drinking His blood. In John 6:63 Jesus tells the disciples that it is the spirit that makes alive; the flesh profits nothing; the words I speak to you they are spirit and they are life. An example of this is recorded in John 4 regarding the woman at the well. Here the people in the town go to Jesus and believe in Him and are saved as a result of listening to Him.

Al goes on to explain that when Jesus gave the Eucharist (Matthew 26:26-28, Jesus took the bread, and blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body. And He took the cup, and gave hanks and gave it to them saying, “Drink you all of it, for this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

Thus, the Roman Catholic Church teaches, as Al said that the bread and wine become divine and when the person eats the bread and drinks the cup they actually eat and drink the body and blood of Jesus. By doing this they fulfill the Scriptures where Jesus said except you eat My flesh and drink My blood you have no life in you. Apparently, Catholics believe that eternal life comes from this act of taking the Eucharist. In this way the Catholic Church teaches it is the priests’ responsibility to serve the Eucharist in order for the people to obtain eternal life, which is not true.

In reality, this is a gate to hell for people are not saved by taking communion. The wine and bread do not become divine. God says He will not give His glory to another nor does He change. For the bread and wine to become divine God would have to give His glory to another and God would have to change. This does not happen.

Secondly, we are not saved by works of righteousness. Partaking in communion is a work of righteousness. As Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:8, 9, “For by grace are you saved through faith and that not of your selves; it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Thirdly, eternal life is as Martin Luther said, “By faith alone,” see Romans 3:21, 22. The righteousness of God without the law is manifested being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe; for there is no difference. Paul concludes that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law (Romans 3:28). Paul gives the example of this as Abraham in Roams 4. Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

Fourthly, a person must have the Spirit of God dwelling in him for salvation to take place. Romans 8:9b reads, “Now if any man has not th Spirit of Christ, he is not His. In Christ also after that you believed you ere sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession (Ephesians1:13, 14)

God sent His only begotten Son because He loved you. Jesus fulfilled the law was flogged, crucified, received into His own body all human sins for all time, endured God’s wrath and separation from God. Finished the process and died. Then He resurrected from the dead. We only have to believe on Him.

Jesus said, as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness so must the Son of Man be lifted up. The people, in Moses’ day, only had to look at the serpent on the pole and they were healed. We only have to believe in Jesus and we are saved.

Why don’t you believe in Jesus today? You can pray these simple words, “Lord, Jesus Christ forgive me of my evil and the sin that separates me from You and come into my heart and life.” I urge you to pray this now.