Do Catholic Priests Really Save the Souls of Sinners?
Roman Catholicism's salvation is dependent on faith plus works rather than salvation by faith alone. They have had the accusation that the doctrine of eternal security creates a license to sin. Another doctrine that has been devilishly invented to enslave Roman Catholics from the truth is that priests supposedly "save" souls. But can they? Can mere men save the souls of men who are destined to eternal Hell? Well, according to Rome, yes they could. The Roman Catholic institution has the doctrine that the priests save through the sacraments. Yet, nobody can keep all the sacraments. If you're getting married then you can't participate in the holy orders. If you're becoming a priest then you can't get married. How can you keep all seven?
The sacraments are ended up used as the root rather than the fruit of salvation. The Protestant sacraments of baptism and the Lord's supper are used for sanctification. Why do Protestants usually reject infant baptism? Why did the primitive Baptists before the Reformation reject it? It was because the teaching of salvation is initially given by infant baptism is unscriptural. The true Christians even before the Reformation refused to buy the doctrine of transubstantiation. The doctrine of transubstantiation has been used by Roman Catholic priests to enslave people. They have their power to say something like, "Do as we tell you or you cannot participate in the Mass. To be excommunicated means to go to Hell. Remember your souls are in our hands!"
The sacraments are ended up used as the root rather than the fruit of salvation. The Protestant sacraments of baptism and the Lord's supper are used for sanctification. Why do Protestants usually reject infant baptism? Why did the primitive Baptists before the Reformation reject it? It was because the teaching of salvation is initially given by infant baptism is unscriptural. The true Christians even before the Reformation refused to buy the doctrine of transubstantiation. The doctrine of transubstantiation has been used by Roman Catholic priests to enslave people. They have their power to say something like, "Do as we tell you or you cannot participate in the Mass. To be excommunicated means to go to Hell. Remember your souls are in our hands!"
Roman Catholics may object and say that they believe Jesus is needed for salvation. However, it's been terribly mired by Jesus plus the priests, Jesus plus the sacraments, Jesus plus good works, Jesus plus absolute obedience to the Pope, Jesus plus whatever. Romans 11:6 in the Good News Translation (GNT) says, "His choice is based on His grace, not on what they have done. For if God's choice were based on what people do, then his grace would not be real grace." If salvation were faith plus works then it's no longer grace. That verse is even in the Roman Catholic translations yet they refuse to heed it. It's because for them the Bible is never enough. They still need the instructions of the priests who they believe are necessary to save their precious souls from Hell.
Some say you can't be guaranteed that your sins can be forgiven if you directly confess to God. Even the GNT Bible says in 1 John 1:9, "But if we confess our sins to God, he will keep his promise and do what is right: he will forgive us our sins and purify us from all our wrongdoing." Then they say that we can't be sure about the Bible so we need the Pope and the priests. That mentality has kept them enslaved because they don't have any final authority. Has the Council of Trent been above the Bible? Even a Roman Catholic translation of the Bible doesn't fit well with their doctrine. When they do try to fit it in - it's usually taken straight out of its context. If they question the Bible because it's only written by man then why do they not question the Pope if he has a man? What is their guarantee that the Pope is supposedly preserved from error by the Holy Spirit? Do they ever bother to check what the Pope says with the Bible? I doubt it because they are blindly awed by the priests. If the Jews were blindly awed by the Pharisees then the Roman Catholics are also blindly awed by their Pharisees.
If priests could truly save souls then consider the Old Testament setting. I really find it foolish for Roman Catholics as well as Roman Catholic apologists who use the Old Testament to defend their erroneous priesthood. Yes, the priests of Levi wore miters but they also have garments worn that the Roman Catholic priests don't wear at all! The Old Testament priests were required to be married (Leviticus 22). However, Roman Catholic priests aren't set to be married based on an erroneous application of 1 Corinthians 7:25. 1 Timothy 4:1-3 warns that among the doctrine of devils is forbidding to marry. Choosing to be celibate is not the same as mandatory celibacy. The very idea that the Roman Catholic priest is superior because he's unmarried is nowhere in the Bible. 1 Timothy 3:1-7 requires that every bishop or church leader must be the husband of one wife. It also says if a church leader can't handle his home well then how can he handle the church? More importantly, the Old Testament priests were stuck in the monotonous task of accepting sin offerings but none of them could remove sins. Thankfully, Jesus in Hebrews 10:25 states there is a once and for all offering that ended all the Old Testament sacrifices.
I remembered the interesting statement that I hear from a pastor preaching about Roman Catholicism. Your baby needs baptism? You pay. You have your first confession? You pay. You have your first communion? You pay. You have your confirmation? You pay. You get married? You also pay the priest aside from the government. You get sick and you are about to die? You pay. You finally die? Your relatives still need to pay the money you left behind and the money that they earn while they live to the priest. As Johannes Tetzel says, "When a coin in the coffer clings, a coin from Purgatory springs." The sales of indulgences by Tetzel as well as him getting donations was him promising salvation to the soul of people. In short, the doctrine of priests saving souls has become a very lucrative business. The biblical truth is that salvation is not for sale!
Right now, Roman Catholics need to really study their Bible on their own. I really plead with any Roman Catholic reading this blog to know I'm not mad with you. I'm really running this blog with the desire to reach out to more people. The priest can't save your soul. He is just another sinner in need of salvation. The only way to be reconciled with God the Father is by receiving His Son, Jesus Christ, as one's Lord and Savior.