Expert: Sal - 12/15/2003

Question
Hi Sal,

I read that the reason the Orthodox church uses leavened bread is to represent the risen Christ.  Why does the Catholic church believe we should use unleavened bread?  Is the difference important?  Can you please explain the difference between justification and sanctification?  Does justification mean being acceptable to God and sanctification the ability to do supernatural good works? Why does the Orthodox church say that the Catholic church added the filioque clause?  Why do the Orthodox believe that the Holy Spirit only proceeds from God the Father?  Do you think Martin Luther developed his doctrine of sola fide so he wouldn't feel guilty about sin?  As the Bible says, 'even the demons believe', so clearly faith alone is insufficient.  There are many who may believe in God but still decide to reject Him, so his doctrine was clearly contrary to scripture.  I never told you this before, but though I was born a Catholic and both of my parents are practising Catholics, I left the Catholic church when I was 19 and was a Lutheran for about 13 years.  Of course at the time I didn't know what I do know.  Though I regret my decision, my Lutheran years did inspire me to read the New Testament in its entirety and most of the books of the Old Testament which I do plan to eventually finish reading.  Anyway, thanks for all your answers.  They always confirm for me that I made the correct decision when I fully returned to the church Christ founded.

Les  

Answer
Dear Les:

Congratulations on returning to the True Church of Jesus Christ.

The Catholic Church believes that we should use unleavened bread for Communion for several reasons. One reason is that the Passover is a type of the Eucharist.

“That same night they shall eat its roasted flesh with unleavened bread and bitter herbs” (Ex. 12:8).

Only unleavened bread was used in the Passover. “Whoever eats leavened bread from the first day to the seventh shall be cut off from Israel” (Ex. 12:15; see also 12:19). “Nothing leavened may you eat; wherever you dwell you may eat only unleavened bread” (Ex. 12:20). “Nothing made with leaven must be eaten” (Ex. 13:3).

God clearly makes the point that His people are to consume only unleavened bread during Passover. This bread represents the body of Christ; the lamb which was slain for our salvation. “Look! There is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (Jn. 1:29).

“…because he surrendered himself to death and was counted among the wicked; and he shall take away the sins of many, and win pardon for their offenses” (Is. 53:12).

We need holiness in order to partake of this salvation. “I tell you, unless your holiness surpasses that of the scribes and the Pharisees you shall not enter the kingdom of God” (Mt. 5:20).

Leaven is used in Holy Scripture to connote something unholy. “Be on guard against the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy” (Lk. 12:1). “They finally realized he was not issuing a warning against leavening, used for bread, but against the Pharisees' and the Sadducees' teaching” (Mt. 16:12).

On the other hand, unleavened bread is used to connote holiness. The following passage from St. Paul nicely shows the contrast between the two.

“This boasting of yours is an ugly thing. Do you not know that a little leavening has its effect all through the dough? Get rid of the old leavening to make yourselves fresh dough, unleavened loaves, as it were; Christ our Passover has been sacrificed. Let us celebrate the feast not with the old leavening, that of corruption and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (I Cor. 5:6-8).

We must put off unholiness and put on holiness in order to properly celebrate “the feast”. What is this feast? I believe it to be the Eucharist. As St. Paul says elsewhere, “We have an altar” (Heb. 13:10). An altar is to offer sacrifices from. We Christians have only one sacrifice-the Mass.

“For from the rising of the sun, even to its setting, my name is great among the nations; and everywhere they bring sacrifice to my name, and a pure offering; for great is my name among the nations, says the Lord of hosts” (Mal. 1:11).

“This is me body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me” (I Cor. 11:24).

Justification is the process by which we are made right with God. He cleanses us from our sins and gives us, as a free gift, His own righteousness. This happens when God causes the Holy Spirit to come and dwell in us (especially through baptism).

Sanctification is the process by which we grow in holiness after Justification. This process is marked by  our performing good works and offering sacrifices.

The Orthodox Church says that the Catholic Church added the Filioque clause to the Creed because we did. It was done in order to clarify the Christian teaching on the Procession of the Holy Spirit. The Western or Latin Rite of the Church added it at the end of the 7th century. St. Martin I  was the first to use the expression “Filioque” (from the Son). The double Procession of the Holy Spirit from the Father and from the Son was declared a dogma of the faith at the Fourth Lateran Council (1215). It was reconfirmed at the Second Council of Lyons (1274), and again at the Council of Florence (1438-1445).

It is true that the Procession of the Holy Spirit from the Son, Filioque, is not mentioned in the Creed of Constantinople. This should not be seen as a denial of the Procession of the Holy Spirit from the Son. One must recognize that the Creed was written in order to combat the errors of the Macedonian heretics. These heretics did deny the Procession of the Holy Spirit from the Father. Therefore, the Creed does not mention Filioque because it was not a contention of the Macedonians that the Holy Spirit did not proceed from the Son.

It is worth noting that Rome never require that Eastern churches to insert the Filoque clause into the Creed. They were free to not add it, but they could not deny it either.

In Scripture we learn that the Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of (sent by?) Jesus Christ (see Phil. 1:19). Yet we also learn that the Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of the Father (see Mt. 10:20). So we see that the same relationship exists between the Holy Spirit and the Father as it is between the Holy Spirit and the Son. This is clearly shown in one verse written by St. Paul.

“But you are not in the flesh; you are in the spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ” (Rom. 8:9).

The above passage, I believe, shows the double Procession of the Holy Spirit by stating that the Holy Spirit is of God and of Christ at the same time.

Further the Holy Bible says that the Son sends the Holy Spirit (see Lk. 24:49; Jn. 15:26; 16:7; 20:22; Acts 2:33; Ti. 3:6). Yet it also says that the Father sends the Holy Spirit.

“This much have I told you while I was still with you; the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, will instruct you in everything, and remind you of all that I told you” (Jn. 14:25-26).

These passages do not contradict one another if the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father AND the Son (Filioque). Thus the double Procession of the Holy Spirit is confirmed by God's word.

Yes, I do believe that Luther invented the doctrine of “by faith alone” in order to ease his troubled conscience. Luther was overly scrupulous, that is he thought that he was almost constantly in a state of mortal sin. He would go to confession, confess a long list of sins, feel good for a short period of time, and then believe that he was in mortal sin again. So he invented the idea of salvation by faith alone as well as “once saved, always saved”. Therefore, it did not matter what sins he committed, he was still saved. Of course this makes a mockery out of  our Lord who taught that salvation could be lost through what one does.

“None of those who cry out, ‘Lord, Lord', will enter the kingdom of God, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven” (Mt. 7:21).

“They have no root; they believe for a while, but fall away in time of temptation” (Lk. 8:13).

Thanks for the questions, Les. I hope that I was of help to you.

God Bless,
Sal