Expert: Sal - 10/23/2007

Question
Hi Sal:

I am a practicing Catholic, and recently ran into my high school sweetheart who is a Seven Day Adventist. We are both deeply rooted in our faith and our religions are constant topic of conversation between the two of us.

He has often asked me to come to his church in order to become familiar with his religion and I have declined his offer on several occasions, however when I asked him to visit my church he gladly accepted.

My hesitation comes from a few statements he has made during our conversations:

-To believe in saints and Mary or anyone to get to God except Jesus Christ is wrong – according to him there is one God and One mediator between God and men.

-He has stated that Catholic Church is too ritualistic according to his pastor the Mass as taught by the Church of Rome is both idolatry and blasphemy. Particularly saying the rosary in his opinion is wrong.

-I have a close relationship with my parish priest whom I have known since childhood – I rely on him for guidance and religious understanding - He tells me I should not lean on my priest so much and that referring to him as "Father" is a spiritual title forbidden for men. Jesus said, he often quotes (Matthew 23:9)"Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in Heaven."

-Salvation is not obtained by good works, but by living faith in Christ and His work. According to him someone who does good works but does not follow the Christian faith will not enter the Kingdom of heaven.


-He is also under the impression that we Catholics worship the Pope which I find is an opinion shared by many others who may not be Seven Day Adventist.

And finally, according to him the Bible is not up for interpretation and to do so is a sin, please let me know if this true or not.

My dilemma lies in that I am not as religiously versed as he is and I have no response to give him when he brings up these points. I do not want this to be a debate of whose religion is right or wrong – but I need clearer understanding of the points brought above.

I deeply appreciate your help,

Marysa




He has often asked me to come to his church in order to be familiar with his religion and I have declined his offer on several occasions, however when I asked him to visit my church he gladly accepted.

The reason for my hesitation are due to these reasons:

Salvation is not obtained by good works, but by living faith in Christ and His work.

There is one God and One mediator between God and men -
there for to believe in saints and  Mary or anyone to get to God except Jesus Christ is wrong.

He has stated that Catholic Church is too ritualistic and the Mass as taught by the Church of Rome is both idolatory and blasphemy.

Answer
Dear Marysa:

You are right to decline to accept his offer to visit his church. The Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church is in serious error. Therefore, you should not put yourself in a situation where your faith could be compromised. SDAs are notoriously anti-Catholic to them the Catholic Church is Satan-inspired.

Yes, Jesus is the one mediator between God and us (1 Timothy 2:5), we Catholics agree. However, this does not exclude asking other Christians on earth and in heaven for their intercession. They can intercede for us only because Jesus bridges the gap between God and man as the mediator.

Catholics view Christians as one family (Romans 12:5) with God as our Father (Ephesians 4:5-6). What father would not be pleased when his children help one another? Catholics believe that this unity shared by Christians is very profound. “If one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all members share its joy” (1 Corinthians 12:26). The fact that God’s children can and should help one another by prayer is beyond dispute. “I beg you brothers, for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of the Spirit, join me in the struggle by your prayers to God on my behalf” (Romans 15:30). “But you must help us with your prayers, so that on our behalf God may be thanked for the gift granted us through the prayers of so many” (2 Corinthians 1:11). Other examples of intercessory prayer for other Christians may be found in Ephesians 6:18-20; Philippians 1:19; Colossians 4:24; 1 Thessalonians 5:25; 2 Thessalonians 1:11; 3:1-2; Philemon 22; James 5:13-16, and 1 John 5:16. We even have biblical examples of praying for those who are not united with God’s family (Matthew 5:44 and 1 Timothy 2:1-4).

Catholics believe that the Bible would not so strongly recommend and show the practice of intercessory prayer if it were not of great benefit to us. One such benefit is that the strong faith of the saints can serve to support our weaknesses. The saints can supply what is so lacking in our own faith. Jesus illustrated this by helping someone based on the faith of others. Examples of this can be found in Matthew 8:5-13; 15:22-28; Mark 2:1-5; 9:17-29; Luke 8:41-42, 49-55.

Catholics reason that if we are to pray for one another while here on earth (I Timothy 2:11), and our brothers and sisters who have left this life are alive before God (Mark 9:4), and if the prayers of a holy person are very powerful (James 5:16), and if those Christians in heaven have been made perfect (Hebrews 12:22-23; Revelation 21:27), then it follows that the prayers of the saints in heaven must be infinitely more powerful than the prayers of the sinners here on earth. Therefore, we rightly and wisely seek the intercession of the saints.


Catholics claim that priests are spiritual fathers and as such may be referred to by the title of father. What does the Bible say? In the Old Testament we read that Elisha called the great prophet Elijah, “My father, my father!” (II Kings 2:12). Elisha, once he replaced Elijah as the religious leader of his day, was referred to as father by the king (see II Kings 6:21). King Aram considered Elisha his spiritual father (see II Kings 8:9). The highest approval of the title of spiritual father comes from God Himself. He told the Israelites, “Look to Abraham your father” (Isaiah 51:2). Other examples of spiritual fatherhood in the Old Testament may be found in I Maccabees 2:65; Judges 17:10; 18:19. In the New Testament we read of prophets, in general, being recognized as spiritual fathers (see Acts 3:25). David is called father (see Acts 2:29), as is Isaac (see Romans 9:10). St. Stephen respectfully referred to his persecutors as fathers (see Acts 7:2). Abraham is called father quite often (see Matthew 3:9; Luke 1:55, 73; 3:8; 16:24, 27, 30; John 8:56; Romans 4:1, 11,12, 16, 17, 18; James 2:21). Was St. John, the Beloved Disciple sinning when he called other Christians fathers? (see I John 2:13,14). Or when he referred to himself as Father John? (see I John 2:1; III John 4). The same could be asked of Father Peter (see I Peter 5:13). St. Paul referred to himself as a spiritual father often (see I Corinthians 4:15, 17; II Corinthians 12:14; Philippians 2:22; I Timothy 1:2, 18; II Timothy 2:1; Titus 1:4; Philemon 10).

I believe that an honest reading of the biblical evidence will produce the result that priests may be legitimately called father. In Matthew 23:9 Jesus is not forbidding calling men father that have a proper claim to literal or spiritual fatherhood. He is issuing a warning against attributing fatherhood, specifically the spiritual type, to those who do not deserve it. “You shut the doors of the kingdom of God in men’s faces.”

Let us also recall that Jesus in the same passage said not to call anyone teacher. Yet he commissioned the Apostles to go and be teachers of the gospel (see Matthew 28:19-20). St. Paul refers to himself as teacher (see I Timothy 2:7; II Timothy 1:11). He also states that there are others within the Church that have the office of teacher (see I Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11).

I believe that it is obvious that in the context of Matthew 23 and the rest of the Bible the argument that Catholic priests cannot be legitimately referred to as fathers just does not hold water.

Please feel free to ask any other questions. I will be glad to help.

God Bless You,
Sal